Have you ever wanted to just get dessert at a restaurant but felt bad doing so? Well, Sweets Raku will save you the embarrassment. They also offer light sandwich lunches but their specialties are the artistically crafted desserts.
I ordered the dessert set for $15 which included an amuse and a dessert of your choice. (The dessert alone costs $12.) I also chose a wine pairing to go with my main dessert.
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After a wonderful dinner at Scarpetta, I headed next door to Coquille for dessert. This quaint French seafood bistro looks like it belongs in Paris. 
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When I travel, my favorite souvenirs are food. Wherever I travel, I will no doubt come back with cases of snacks. I love to try snacks from different countries because what’s unusual in one country is the norm in a different country. Plus, it allows me to experience different flavor combinations I would never think to go together i.e. butter flavored chocolate.
I tried my best to taste all the snacks, amongst all the meals I ate, but it was a hard feat since there was such a large variety. Japan takes their snacks seriously. Chips, chocolates, and cookies in every flavor combination possible. And then there’s the matcha; it is not JUST matcha. There’s Uji matcha, sakura matcha, matcha with soybean powder, etc. It’s like snacks on steroids. The ones I didn’t have time to try, I brought home to savor. Below is a picture of all the snacks I bought.
Yes, I fit all the snacks above, 1.5 weeks of clothes, and a bottle of whiskey all in ONE carry on suitcase. I know I’m nuts, but I LOVE my snacks. Here is a breakdown of the snacks I think are worthy of trying:
Many years ago, I went to the Pie Hole and didn’t think much of it. I must have ordered the wrong thing because the earl grey pie here is AMAZING! One bite in and I was in heaveeeennn. Let me introduce you to heaven: flaky crust layered with chocolate cream, earl grey custard, whipped cream and chopped pistachio. Our one slice, amongst five people, was gone in 10 seconds flat.
The pie is cut into six equal slices, and one slice was not enough. I wish I bought the whole pie instead. I highly recommend you do so if you are an earl grey fan because the earl grey custard is to die for. The flavor is strong but the custard and whipped cream makes this pie light and airy. When you try this pie, you can thank me for showing you the way to heaven.
Locations : 714 Traction Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90013
6314 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
59 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91105
177 N Glassell St, Orange, CA 92866
The Michael Mina restaurant group is offering a three course #outtolunch special for $29 at all three restaurants: Michael Mina, Pabu, and RN74. For those who haven’t tried it yet, I highly suggest you hurry and make your reservations soon since this deal ends on August 31.
At RN74, the out to lunch options are:
The sweet corn soup was not as sweet as stated. The soup was sweet while the corn bits were sour. It was marinated in a vinegar-like flavor.
Everything about the pork schnitzel was perfect: the thinness, the breadcrumb layer, and the flavor bomb it left on taste buds. On top of the schnitzel was a light salad, roasted pecans, and pommes anna (Anna pototoes) topped with an apricot mustard.
When they took our order, the waiter asked if we would like the dessert to go. I loved that they offered this option, considering how difficult it is to enjoy your lunch in an hour time slot, I definitely wanted to savor my dessert. The Valhorna chocolate bouchon reminded me of a crumbly cookie brownie.
Now go taste Michael Mina’s work for a fraction of the price before it’s too late.
What once started out as a food truck, Churro Borough is now brick and mortar in downtown Los Angeles. There is about a 30 minute wait but once you bite into this, you forget about it.
The concept is simple, ice cream sandwiched by churros, but mind blowing. The churros are made fresh so they stay crunchy with every bite.
You can sample from all the ice cream varieties before selecting one to go with your churro. They also offer a large selection of sorbet for those that are lactose intolerant, like me. I got the browned butter cookie sorbet and was very pleased.
For $4, it is pricey for its size (about the size of a palm) but makes it the perfect personal snack.
Can’t wait to go back for another bite!
Churros and ice cream. What a concept!
Hawaii is well known for it’s shaved ice. Having never tried the famous summer snack, I decided to give it a go. Above is strawberry, guava, and lilikoi (passion fruit). The flavors were strong and tasty but when melted down, it tasted like syrup water.
At Matsumoto’s you can order a large or small, above is the small, with up to three flavors. Extras include condensed milk, ice cream or mochi.
Located in the Mission, Knead Patisserie is home to the Pomme D’Amour. It’s a custard filled puff pastry topped with sugar and then torched to the crunchiness of a creme brûlée. Yelp reviewers rave it as “better than sex.” I find it to be a heavenly snack that hits the sweet tooth.
Behind the Pomme D’Amour is an almond twist. It is light and flaky. Pairs perfectly with your morning cup of joe or tea.
If you’re looking for Knead Patisserie, it’s located inside Local Eatery. Keep in mind, it’s only open in the morning and afternoons. I like to grab a coffee from Philz next door and then head over to Knead Patisserie for a bite.
Mr. Holmes Bakehouse is home to the cruffin (croissant muffin). However, on this day they were sold out.
Above are (top to bottom): negroni doughnut x2, chocolate doughnut x2, salted caramel doughnut x2, amelie amann, and chocolate croissant.
The negroni doughnut is filled with Campari jelly and negroni custard. The pipette is filled with negroni syrup. Unaware of what negroni is, I took a big bite and was left with a bitter aftertaste. After some research, I learned negroni is gin, vermouth, and Campari. Not a big fan of this alcoholic doughnut.
The salted caramel doughnut was as delicious as it sounds. The doughnut texture is light and fluffy.
I loved the amelie amann. It reminded me of a flaky puff pastry with a creme brûlée top. It would pair perfectly with your morning coffee.
Studio Ghibli and My Neighbor Totoro fans can now fawn over Totoro cream puffs. Yes, a Totoro cream puff factory does indeed exist! It was opened in 2008 by Shirohige, also known as white bread in Japanese. Sources says this factory is also owned by the Miyazaki family. Hayao Miyazaki is the founder of Studio Ghibli and director of My Neighbor Totoro. Miyazaki also created a pig nosed animation of Shirohige, the baker.
This will also be the cutest place you visit. The inside is adorned with everything Totoro and Studio Ghibli. Even the bathroom has a Totoro smiling at you. Sadly, I forgot to take pictures.
You can buy your Totoro cream puffs downstairs if you choose to consume them later. If you choose to eat them there, there is a cafe upstairs. However, they do require each person to buy one drink minimum.
The flavors are seasonal and are indicated by the type of decoration Totoro adorns.
I got the strawberry cream (pink flower) and matcha green tea custard (yellow hat). My favorite was the strawberry cream because there were chunks of fresh strawberry in it.
Hello my neighbor Totoro! 🙂
The factory is located in Setagaya, about a 20 min train ride from Tokyo. When you get out the Setagaya station, make a right. Pass Lawson and make another right into the neighbor and follow the path until you reach Shirohige’s.
YUMTRAVELS 