Ritz Bites

Yes, M'am: Hard to say no at Madame Chocolate

According to Betty's 2007 LAT article that contrasted styles of local chocolatiers, the delicacies of Madame Chocolat's, AKA Hasty Khoe, was the frilly, nostalgia-laced answer to Xuan Ngo's disciplined, starker sweets aesthetic. But the juicier story was revealed a few months later when I checked her website; Ms. Khoe had become Mrs. Torres, another productive outcome of her apprenticeship with the New York-based master. Talk about getting your man!

Food world gossip aside, when I run Beverly Hills errands lately I'll park on Canon Drive to avoid the crowds on busier streets. And it also gives me an excuse to stop at Mme Chocolat. While the gorgeous truffles and artful chocolates tantalize (the store's interior itself is way baroque for my taste, though), it's the dark chocolate malt balls that have me hooked. I forgot how much I love super crunchy -- but not chalky -- Whoppers until I had her version.

And another recent happy discovery: the chocolate chip cookies might be the best in Los Angeles. Or at least a close second to Clementine's. They're the sibling of Torres's huge discs that I've eaten on the steps at the DUMBO shop immediately after paying the bill and grabbing my stuff, with chopped bittersweet chocolate chunks laced through the soft dough so that select portions of chocolate get nice and crisp. If you're feeling a bit generous, they can be big enough to share. This week's gift-to-self is the chocolate-dipped and sprinkle covered Rice Krispie Treats cubes; they're amazing in that junk food gross/good juxtaposition way. But unlike, say, a recent Crumbs Bakeshop gross/good mint chocolate chip cupcake experience that was satisfying while it was happening but doesn't need to be repeated, I'll be having these again. Especially if parking on Canon stays as low key as it's been lately.

212 N. Canon Drive
Beverly Hills 90210
(310) 247-9990

The Transom: TJ's chocolate croissants

Word has gotten out about Trader Joe's chocolate croissants.  These breakfast treats come four to a box in the freezer section, cost about four bucks (three if on Fearless Flier sale), and bake easily in any home oven after proofing for nine hours and getting lightly brushed with egg whites.  The trick is planning ahead the night before. 

I call them "treats" because that's what they should be.  If my husband has his druthers, however, they'd be part of our (not) very nutritious daily breakfast.  There always seems to be some good excuse, like "It's Monday," or "at least I didn't have ice cream last night."

As the reports online already say, they're flaky, rich and chocolaty -- far exceeding my average expectations.  The chocolate is indeed a little too sweet for me, and also feels sort of waxy.  Once you bite past the initial outer flakes the whole interior is slightly overly chewy.  I wouldn't pick these over Breadbar's goods. 

But as my friend Erika wrote in a TJ's croissant-promoting e-blast to her food loving friends, "you don't even have to put on shoes to get them."  Amen.

Birthday Sweet Overload: Lark Cake Shop

Sweetcake is still closed until its new shop opens, so what to do for my birthday treats?  (It was yesterday the 5th).

Use this occasion as the perfect excuse for tasting some of Lark's on Sunset goodies, of course.  It's also a lot closer, and in this heat, short driving distance is key when picking up cake.  (Unfortunately, however, Lark lacks a key component of said errand -- easy parking.)

The carrot cake is cute as a button, and for those who fall into the no-nuts camp, you'll be pleased.  (The smudge was the result of a minor yet unfortunate box sliding incident.)  The cake is super moist and dense, and a strong but not overpowering cinnamon zing chimes through.  Even my friend who is decidedly pro-nuts in carrot cake gave it high marks.  They don't go too overboard with the cream cheese frosting either. 

The white paisley motif doesn't do much for the chocolate  mousse cake, which could use some more design experimenting to hit on something as appealing and simple as the carrot.  It's also not a practical cake for summer in Los Angeles, as my friend pointed out; by the end of the evening we had a little landslide action with the layers. 

But no matter what the temp or condition of the cake, it tastes fanfizzletastic.  Love the layers of mouse, silky frosting, velvety dark cake, and what I think is marshmallow cream. 

I look forward to seeing what Lark has to offer by the time my birthday rolls around next year, when their larger cake offerings will presumably have expanded.  For now, there are lots more cupcakes to try. 

P.S. I must apologize for having wiped them out of their "3" candles.

Lark Cake Shop
3337 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles 90026
323.667.2968

HypeBerry

After buying a bottle of Domaines Ott ros at Du Vin, I have one more stop along the Food Trends '06 route.

If I'm to believe the hype, merely hours after consuming this $5 frozen treat with bright, pretty fresh fruit toppings I'm gonna start feeling cravings more powerful than a 8.0 earthquake.  Neither traffic along Santa Monica Blvd., long lines nor notoriously difficult parking shall keep me away from Pinkberry.

Inconvenience notwithstanding, there's not much to object to here.  I like the not too sweet, plain tangy yogurt and love the shop's lively and sophisticated design.  The cultural milieu is interesting.  Pinkberry's organization is admirable; I've never been served a to-go snack or drink item that's affixed with a computer-printed label specifying my name and order.   

Yet a few days pass and all I have are these generic compliments.  So, do I gotta have it?  Nope.  I'll be trying Scoops tonight and going back to Pazzo Gelato later this week instead.

And what's this about 30 new planned Pinkberry locations (one of which is replacing one of my family favorite spots, Cafe Chapeau on Larchmont)?  I wish them well, but remember when Penguins yogurt took L.A. by storm in the 80s?  I don't think global warming is to blame for the disappearance of that fad.

A Cooling Craze?

All through the Great Cupcake Craze of '05/'06, I was ready to wage a backlash.  The hype was too much.  It was also like the easy to digest and consume, literally cloying food equivalent of Lucky.  Which ashamedly I subscribe to, so I've become an unwitting victim of the trend. 

Now if I pass by Sprinkles when going to the amazing Arturo's shoe repair and there's not a line snaking out the door and down the street, I stop in for a box.  Grumble grumble.  Sometimes I'll even get cakes for a crowd, as long as it's not too prohibitively large because there are no batch discounts (bummer). 

My flavor of choice is the milk chocolate; it's rare that I prefer it, yet the frosting works better with the cake than the duller dark chocolate.  Lemon coconut is an interesting combination, too.  But I still don't think these beat a great piece of regular cake, and I'm a bigger fan of Joan's on Third's smaller, moister marshmallow-filled chocolate cupcakes.  At least Sprinkles runs are easier to do lately since the fever seems to be waning.

While I don't hate the cupcake fad as much as I did a few months ago, I'm still totally disgusted when I see people eating straight shots of frosting.  No way will I come around to loving cutesy cupcake shops that much.  I'm already on board with the much cooler, presently waxing gelato mania anyway.

Thursday Tastes

I've read about Blossom, the Vietnamese restaurant in the Historic Core, but it's still a little shocking to find a place like this while walking from City Hall to 6th Street along Main on a weekday.  I love the barely-there celadon green colored walls and thick wood tables, and the menu appeals. 

Though tempted by the packed with goodies crepes, I try the bun with cia gio and steak ($5.75) since that's a good litmus test.  (Today is too hot for pho.)  The bun is OK, nothing to write home about.  The bowl contains firm noodles, freshly shredded lettuce, tender steak slices, and underwhelming cha gio and sauce on the side.  The skin of the egg rolls doesn't have the satisfying heft and crackling exterior I crave.  I know the sauce isn't supposed to have too strong of a flavor, but this seems quite weak and I need to add in a lot of the bright red hot sauce to compensate.  Of all things, the ginger lemonade packs a serious punch.  Yet I can't say I don't enjoy lunch.  All in all, I can read my magazine in well-lit, stylish peace in a location that would be considered highly unlikely just a few years ago.   

For more flava I stop at Pazzo Gelato on my way back to the office.  It's toasty outside, I'm six months pregnant, so what's wrong with a mid-week daytime ice cream break?  I easily thrill to the fact that the gelato cycle is finally coming back, unseen since the 80s quickly witnessed a similar trend (anyone remember Gelato per Tutti on Melrose?).  It makes such perfect sense; there's no reason we should go without quality freshly made ice creams, diet trends be damned.   

A couple weeks ago five adults and one baby occupied a table here for a couple hours while we took turns going back to the counter for more scoops.  So I'm obviously already a fan of this place.  Today the fig balsamic and pistachio I order make for an odd combo at first.  It's unclear where the balsamic comes into the fig gelato equation; the most discernable taste is that of the earthy, perfumed fruit.  With the other flavor, I first sense the typical sweetness of pistachio, and then the rich nuttiness kicks in.  These actually two wind up being very complimentary.  Other flavors I can endorse are strawberry/banana, espresso, chocolate malt, and Madagascar vanilla.  It's no San Crispino or Giolitti in Rome, but these gelati strike a balance between traditional and inventive, and are among the best we'll see in the area � until June starts serving their versions. 

Blossom Restaurant
426 South Main Street (at Winston)
Los Angeles 90013

Pazzo Gelato
3827 W. Sunset Blvd. (at Hyperion)
Los Angeles 90026