I don’t ordinarily review restaurants or anything here on my blog, but this bakery is worth a mention. The first thing it has going for it is location. Up until today, I was not aware of any decent bakeries near me. I know a good place for challah and a good place for donuts, but beyond those things, I would have to face traffic and trek further into LA. This is not always an appealing thought if all you want is a cookie or a baguette.
The second thing, and most important, is that the pastries I tasted were great. Everything else looked equally good.
L’Artiste Patisserie opened fairly recently and yesterday was the first day I stopped in there. It had gotten a mention on Chowhound, which is how I learned about it. I went around lunch time and there were about 8-10 people seated in the patio area eating sandwiches and other lunch offerings. Inside, there were two pastry cases: one with breads and morning pastries and one with cookies and desserts. I decided that I would go back for bread another time and treated myself to a few macarons and an espresso chocolate chip cookie.
The macaroons, from back to front in the photo above, are: lemon, lavender, cinnamon-orange, vanilla and pistachio. The lemon and cinnamon-orange were my favorites. I think the lemon may have been filled with lemon curd, or perhaps a lemon curd buttercreme. It was really, really excellent. The cinnamon-orange, a close second, was filled with marmalade.
The pistachio and lavender had excellent flavors, though the lavender was not as crisp as the others. I suspect that some of the locals might be intimidated by a lavender cookie, as mine was clearly the only one sold from that variety. It just didn’t seem quite as fresh. At first I didn’t think that the vanilla had much flavor, but after taking a break from the other flavors to cleanse my palate, I found the flavor to be very nice. There were also coffee, chocolate, hazelnut and raspberry flavors available.
The espresso chocolate chip cookie was praised on the Chowhound boards and it, too, was excellent. It was very rich and chewy, a brownie held together in cookie shape. It didn’t have a coffee flavor, but the intensity of chocolate that has coffee added to it.
I’m going back soon to try the breads and other offerings which include brioche, baguettes, scones, muffins, monkey bread, cinnamon rolls, coconut cake, florentine bars and fruit tarts. They also serve breakfast and lunch, but I’m not sure if they’re open for dinner. I am so pleased to find a nice french bakery/cafe nearby! And with macarons!
C’mon LA food bloggers (and non-bloggers, too, of course!) – try it and let me know what you think!
L’Artiste Patisserie
17312-A Ventura Boulevard
Encino, California 91316
(818) 386-0061
Anonymous
June 11, 2005you’ve convinced me to go! i’ve read about this bakery on chowhound but just haven’t gotten over there yet. it’s in my old ‘hood too and i’ll be glad to make the trek.
reading through your blog, i just love your entries! your blogs about cooking school look just incredible. can i ask which school you’re attending? i’d love to know so that i can check it out.
cookie jill
June 11, 2005I think citysearch is doing their food ratings…
you can go rate them up!
Nic
June 11, 2005Anonymous – It was the New School of Cooking, though I’ll probably mention more about it later this week.
Jill – Good tip, I hadn’t thought of that.
Mika
June 12, 2005Nicole- those macaroons and espresso cookie look incredible. Lucky you Californians, cannot find anything even close to this kind of bakery in Pittsburgh!
Andrea
June 12, 2005oh my, those macarrons look sooo good! i would love to have a recipe. fantasic pic!
Nic
June 12, 2005Mika – Hopefully one will find it’s way there soon. Maybe I should consider moving… =)
Dreska – I’ve never tried to make french macaroons myself, either. But I would love to try it.
sarah
June 13, 2005ahhhh….i will try to make a visit…but i am such a spoiled little westside princess – and that is *sigh* so far away fro me – LOL! no, i will try…because they look de-luscious!!!
i bet eating l.a. will get there before me. she goes everywhere!!
Nic
June 13, 2005Sarah – I’m just glad that (for once) I don’t have to trek the opposite way to get a decent pastry! Pick a day when traffic is light and make the drive =)
Anonymous
June 14, 2005I had the quiche and it was incredible. The brioche french toast rocks and the service impecable especially the head waiter Russel. He is attentive and cheerful and makes your dining experience an exceptional one.
Anonymous
June 14, 2005I am also entranced by Les Artistes. This is an authentic French bakery and everything glows with the best quality ingredients. The chocolate used in all the baked goods made this choco-holic smile for days as I rememberd the taste. I love this place!!!
Anonymous
June 14, 2005Jessica: I loved the cookies. The rasberry cream cheese danish was divine and the chocolate croissant is always sold out! I can’t wait to get my little hands on one of those!
Best of luck to the Bakery.
Nic
June 14, 2005Thanks for the tips, everyone. Now I’ll know what to look for and to try the next time I visit.
Scott
June 15, 2005A friend of mine told me about this place – nothing like it in the neighborhood. I LOVE chocolate croissants and have tried just about everyplace in LA. These guys have nailed it! It’s a slight drive for me but TOTALLY worth it.
Rocky
June 15, 2005I, too, am a westsider, but I’ll deal with the 405 trip over the hill to have their tasty delights. The breads are fantastic and I highly recommend the green apple dessert. It’s scrumptious.
Anonymous
June 15, 2005My wife and I have even trekked here from Pasadena several times. Well worth it. I dig their “Monkeybread” – the perfect, fresh-baked cinnamon/sweet match for good cup of coffee.
Nic
June 16, 2005Wow – more great tips! It sounds like if I kept eating there, I’d almost never need to bake again. Yeah, as though that’ll happen… Thanks everyone!
Anonymous
July 29, 2005Where do you find the good challah and the good donuts?
JenLipp
July 29, 2005Where did you find the good challah and the good donuts?
Anonymous
August 4, 2005I love their iced blended drinks during the hot days in the valley, especially the blended mochas. It tastes better than Starbucks & Coffee bean since it 100% organic.
Fatemeh
November 28, 2005Nic –
I happened to be in LA this weekend, and went to Artiste for brunch on Saturday.
Everything was superb, and C bought a cinnamon bun for his flight home. Alas, no macarons, but I might swing by tomorrow…