Chowhound's Los Angeles Area Message Board: Re(1): Moist Cake (Lemon) and Westside Pastries

Chowhound's Los Angeles Area Message Board

Subject:     Re(1): Moist Cake (Lemon) and Westside Pastries
From:        carrie7@ix.netcom.com (Carolyn Tillie)
Posted:      July 11, 2001 at 00:26:35
 
In Reply To: Moist Cake (Lemon)
             Posted by Belafkih on July 10, 2001 at 20:50:19
Message:     
I can offer recipes for ultra-moist lemon cakes offline (I don't think this list appreciates recipe exchanges). As far as pastry bakeries on the westside I have two suggestions: Bonjour French Pastry 18222 S. Western Avenue, Gardena. This is surreal as it is in a grungy strip-mall. Behind the counter are 90-pound Japanese girls who look like dolls. Behind them is a shuttered room with your traditional white-clad French pastry masters concoting the most amazing French pastries I've ever known. What is so surreal is that they also translate their knowledge of delicate mousse into elegant genoise-bottomed mousse of green tea. My favorite is a pastry that is always just billed as "Today's Special"... On a small gold plate lies a light, crisp biscuit. Atop the biscuit is a chocolate mouse to die for. Surrounding the mousse is a sweetened crumb to add texture. In the middle of the mousse is a candied pear. Atop the mousse are a selection of whole nuts: a hazelnut, pecan, cashew, and their disk of signature chocolate. Must try for desserts! The other westside pastry shop is Babette's in Long Beach. Their main set of ovens is located in yet another grungy strip mall on the corner of Long Beach Boulevard and PCH (I think). They also have a nice bistro-like branch in Belmont Shore called Babette's Feast at 4621 East Second Street. Babette's is known for providing the pastries for such restaurants as L'Opera but at their private locations, the desserts are half-price. I go to Babette's for their palmier cookies, biscotti, but most especially for their Opera cake. I have yet to find a better offering of such. Babette's Feast includes lunch offerings of crepes, soups, sandwiches, as well as good breads. Bonjour is desserts only.

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Followups

Re(2): Moist Cake (Lemon) and Westside Pastries Heather 13:16:01 7/11/01 (0)
Re(2): Moist Cake (Lemon) and Westside Pastries Belafkih 02:45:51 7/11/01 (0)
Re(2): Moist Cake (Lemon) and Westside Pastries paul h. 01:09:03 7/11/01 (15)
- Paul, think outside the box! Carolyn Tillie 11:31:16 7/11/01 (14)
  - Re(1): Paul, think outside the box! More of Everything 17:59:14 7/11/01 (12)
    - Re(2): Paul, think outside the box! FredF 19:56:04 7/11/01 (11)
      - Goodbye Carolyn Tillie 19:58:46 7/11/01 (10)
        
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  - Re(1): Paul, think outside the box! Jennyanydot 11:59:43 7/11/01 (0)

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