Levain Bakery — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Second Levain Bakery outlet in town and it's in the neighborhood, how sweet! I intentionally didn't pay a visit on the first day to avoid the insane crowd and seemed like I make a smart choice. Going there on early Sunday evening, the line was very decent and moving swiftly, also to my surprise I could easily got a parking spot right across the bakery (well, you know how finding parking in Venice is!).

The cutely designed bakery totally gave you LA, and specifically Venice vibe with some merch carrying the same theme. They did bring couple of the special flavors, the Black and White and the Spring Special - Lemon Cookie. I got both of them doubtlessly. The Black and White was extra dark chocolate dough base with milk, dark, and white chocolate chips. It's like eating fudgy brownie with that crispy cookie edge. Totally for any chocolate lover out there.

The lemon one caught my attention and indeed tasted delicate being not overly sweet and had that refreshing lemon hint. It didn't have that tanginess I was expecting, but I still enjoyed it. For the cookies I brought home, I added my extra happiness sprinkling a dash of maldon sea...

I had a annoying experience, I ordered a walnut cookie and a lemon cookie, and while the server was taking my order he asked to another girl to bring more walnut cookies, I thought mmm maybe I should asked for this new ones to have them warm and delicious. But nooooo, he gave me hard cold cookies, after one bite (in my car) I was so chocked because for the first time I ate a bad cookie from Levain (I'm a newyorker customer). So I drove back and explained the situation, this time a girl said to me: "OK, I'LL HEAT THEM UP FOR YOU". I was so in shock when I saw her putting the cookies that I put in my mouth INSIDE THE OVEN!!!!!! Plus she did not say sorry for the inconvenience!

And after she screamed to the same guy that gave the ugly cookies 5 min before to take them from the oven and give them to me.

Again, not a word.

I think is appalling.

By the way the lemon cookie is so not nice that I do not understand why they brought it back, or is just this store that does not bake well? And the walnut cookies were not even warm enough after the oven. GUYS, you do not know how to warm up cookies? Let alone sell them properly. Or...

Encountered my first experience of Levain in New York, and was so extremely happy to see them come to the West Coast, with an added bonus of being a mile from my house! Delicious cookies and pastries, my favorites are the double chocolate chip cookie, the coconut caramel chocolate chip cookie, and the coffee cake. Perfect location right at the entrance of Abbot Kinney, around the corner from Erewhon. Staff is attentive and helpful. Cookies were still warm and fresh, and I went 20 minutes before...