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Restaurant Review: Breadbar – Los Angeles, CA

I think I had discovered the best baguette in L.A. when I was having a sandwich at the Artisan Cheese Gallery. They get all their bread from Breadbar and so that’s where I headed off to. Not only do they have fabulous fresh baguettes with impossible texture, but they have a string of pastries and full lunch/dinner menu.

I had such a hard time not ordering everything off their menu. They have so many of my favorite things, it was seriously hard not to just have a table full of cheese, bread and pastries. So between my friend and I, we divided up the order – Greek Salad, Chilled Red Beet Gazpacho, Mini Butter and Chocolate Croissants, Sweet Potato Fries, and Apple Turnover. This was probably the strangest greek salad I’ve had – not bad, but very different then any other. The dressing was tangy just the way I like it as well as fresh pieces of goat cheese. However, I couldn’t understand why there were pieces of squash and celery? Doesn’t matter, it tasted very good and we ate it all! The chilled red beet gazpacho was the perfect color of fuschia pink and tasted surprisingly tangy and peppery. It was such a huge bowl and almost too pretty to eat.

However, honestly, the very first thing I ate – more like wolfed down – was the apple turnover. This was so flaky and light with a sweet buttery crispy in every bite. I couldn’t help myself and am very happy they served this first without any hesitation. The sweet potato fries (top pic) were perfectly crisp with enough sweet and salt. I can’t wait to go back to order the rest of the menu.

Here are some items from their menu:
STARTERBAR | appetizers

Thin Crust Pizza
cheese, bacon, onions $7

BREADBAR’s Bread Basket for Two
Chef’s selection of four different breads, butter and three signature spreads $5.50
Refills, each $3

BREADBAR Hot Dog | BREADBAR BRIOCHE
All-beef kosher hot dog, emmenthal cheese, garlic-ginger fries $9.75

BREADBAR Cheese or Charcuterie Board | chef’s choice of bread
Chef’s daily selection of three artisanal cheeses or three cured meats, with BREADBAR’s signature condiments $15

House-made pickled vegetables $6.50

Quiche Lorraine
Ham, emmenthal cheese, applewood smoked bacon and caramelized onions, with mesclun greens $10.50

Greek Salad | RUSTIC MILLSTONE BREAD $12
>add shrimp $4

Caesar Salad | Curried breadbar croutons $12
> add chicken $3 >add shrimp $4

Caprese | TOUR DE FRANCE OLIVE BREAD
Fresh mozzarella cheese, arugula, roasted cherry tomatoes marinated in honey-balsamic and basil vinaigrette $12
Add grilled free-range herb chicken breast $6

Cobb | TOUR DE FRANCE ALPINE BREAD
Oven roasted turkey breast, applewood smoked bacon, avocado, tomatoes, cucumbers, mesclun greens, scallions, fourme d’ambert cheese, hard-boiled eggs, dijon mustard dressing $14
Add sautéed shrimp $6

Niçoise | TOUR DE FRANCE OLIVE BREAD
Seared ahi tuna, fingerling potatoes, mesclun greens, french green beans, tomatoes, niçoise
olives, cucumbers, smoked hard boiled egg, balsamic vinegar and basil vinaigrette $16

BISTROBAR | main courses
Roasted Chicken Breast , mushroom fricasse, chicken jus $18
Braised Beef Short Rib , polenta, sweet corn $17
Duck Confit , lentils, kale $17.50
Pasta of the Day , $12
Fish of the Day , MP
Ricotta Gnocchi , browned butter sage sauce $13
Vadouvan Lamb Curry , couscous, roasted squash $19.50
Croque Monsieur , ham, swiss, side salad $12
Portobello Mushroom Burger , sweet potato fries $12.50
Ahi Tuna Burger , crispy onions, nicoise olives, fries $16.50
Angus Beef Burger , cheddar, onion confit, fries $14.50

MARKETBAR | a little bit of everything

BENTO; chef’s daily selection
soup / salad / ‘mille feuille’ sandwich / dessert $15

> Soup & Sandwich Duet
A half of a Ham, Club, Beef Brisket, Grilled Cheese, or Grilled Chicken Sandwich, and cup of soup $12

> Soup & Salad Duet
A half portion of Caprese, Cobb, Caesar or Greek Salad and a cup of soup $12

> Sandwich & Salad Duet
A half portion of Caprese, Cobb, Caesar or Greek Salad, and half Ham, Club, Beef Brisket, Grilled Cheese, Grilled Chicken Sandwich $14

CLASSICBAR | savvy sandwiches

Beef Brisket | tour de france bAGUETTE
red onions, pickles, bell pepper, garlic ginger fries $12.75

Club | TOUR DE FRANCE Alpine bread
turkey, bacon, avocado, side salad $12.50

Grilled Chicken | GOLDEN WEST CURCUMA BUN
Free-range chicken herb chicken, sautéed zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, tomatoes, vadouvan curry mayonnaise with mesclun green salad and balsamic dressing $12.75

Grilled Cheese | RUSTIC MILLSTONE BREAD
Fresh mozzarella, aged cheddar, sundried tomato spread, onion confit with mesclun green salad and balsamic dressing $11.75

SLIDERS | mix & match
served with red chimichurri, mizuna, pickles, wasabi tartar
$6 each or $17 for three
salmon filet
crab rice-cake
angus beef
black cod
beer-battered brie
grilled chicken

VEGETARIAN SIDES
garlic -ginger fries $4
sweet potato fries $4.50
mashed potatoes $4.50
mac & cheese $6.50
farmer’s market vegetables $7
mixed green salad $4
shishitou pepper and edamame $4.50

DESSERTS | two for six, all for eleven
vanilla creme brulee $5
bread pudding $3
molten chocolate cake $5
affogato, vanilla ice cream, Lavazza coffee $5

Bread:
Rustic Millstone™
Thickly crusted and densely crumbed, the Rustic dough evokes the colors and sensations of the homespun countryside. As BREADBAR’s signature loaf, the dough is made with an earthy, stone-ground blend of whole-wheat and whole-rye that imparts a bold nutty taste to the bread. The Rustic family harmonizes well with soups and stews, hearty salads and hard or soft cheeses.

Whole Rustic $12.50
Half Rustic $6.50
Quarter Rustic $3.50

Tour de France
The Tour de France family is named, not after the famous bicycle race, but for France’s annual tradition of sending craftsmen from city to city to enhance their skills and learn trade secrets from fellow artisans. Elegant and unaffected, the Tour de France is the most versatile of the BREADBAR doughs, fusing readily with countless complements, including fruits, nuts, vegetables, and even meats.

TDF Baguette $2.50
Raisin Walnut Loaf $5.50
Raisin Walnut Petit $2.50
Olive Loaf $5.50
Olive Petit $2.50
Alpine Loaf $6.25
Alpine Petit $2.50

Golden West™
The Golden West loaves are flavored with honey, studded with dried fruits and nuts, spiced with warm turmeric and truffled with chocolate chunks, playing on uniquely Californian contrasts: soft and hard, sweet and subtle, provocative and mellow. The dough is enriched with some butter and sugar, and sometimes milk, to create softer, airier variations of classic Viennese breads.

Pain de Mie Pullman $5.25
Multi-Grain Pullman $5.50
Golden Fig Loaf $5.75
Golden Fig Petit $2.50
Curcuma Hazelnut Loaf $5.75
Curcuma Hazelnut Petit $2.50

Walden Whole Wheat™
Walden was the wooded retreat of Henry David Thoreau, who went there to live in close communion with the natural world. Made with partly stone-ground whole wheat flour, the Walden Whole Wheat dough is simple and bracing, a nod to the environment that so inspired many of Thoreau’s classics. The family’s breads have a crispy crust and a fleshy crumb, with a delicious honey-spice taste that accompanies a wide range of foods, from soups and salads to sauced dishes and all kinds of meat, poultry and fish.

Whole Wheat Loaf $5.25

Mediterranean
The Mediterranean family draws inspiration from the culinary traditions of southern Europe, recast in the spirit of the California Riviera. The dough is irrigated with extra-virgin olive oil, extending the aromatic range of the breads, which unexpectedly combine nutty, fruity and savory flavors. Delicious on its own, the Mediterranean family matches well with salads, goat cheeses, simple fish dishes, and even lamb and pork roasts.

Tuscan Ciabatta Loaf $5.75
Tuscan Ciabatta Petit $2.50
Parmesan Lavash $5/sheet
Foccacia $2.25/slice

Sierra Redwood Rye™
The name Sierra evokes the robust character of the grain called rye, the most winter hardy of all cereals. Rye has a comforting dense texture, an earthy hue, and a tangy taste. The Sierra family rye loaves are strong and intriguing, with an engagingly spicy aroma, a thick crust, and a moist body that keeps remarkably well.

Redwood Rye Loaf $4.50

Outland Hearth™
The Outland Hearth breads have the nutty flavor and the earthy-gray color of the buckwheat fruit seed, and emit aromas that are both homey and exotic: toasted hazelnuts, vanilla buds, aged honey. With its caramelized crusts and fragrant crumb, BREADBAR’s buckwheat loaf tastes delicious with cheese, grilled fish, chicken and vegetarian dishes.

Buckwheat Round $5.75
Buckwheat Ficelle $2.25

BREADBAR
Address: 8718 West 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90048
Phone: (310) 205-0124
Hours: Mon-Sun. 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Price: $5-$17

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