The Scene

The fragrance of rising bread and delicate pastries does not emanate from Hygge Bakery as it does from other establishments of this sort. Hygge (that’s hoo-geh) has no need to resort to such aromatic pretexts.

The clean, modern lines and high ceiling inside Hygge may assimilate it inconspicuously with the sleek residential towers in South Park. But the juxtaposition between the contemporary angles of the building and the sensuous curves of the pastries in the display case lends the space visual pizzazz.

The Savored

While Hygge looks like textbook modern Scandinavian interior design, its pastries are all decidedly traditional Danish. Owner Rasmus Lee, a Denmark native, would not have it any other way. Noticing the void in Danish bakeries in ethnic food-inundated Los Angeles and craving a taste of home, he took matters into his own hands and opened Hygge, with assistance from Henrik, Hygge’s baker and fellow Denmark native with a longer experience in Danish bakeries than I have been alive. From Henrik’s talented hands come a variety of authentic breads, pastries, and cakes gorgeous enough to make anyone’s mouth (well, mine at the very least…) water.

The kamme ($2.25) pastry, which resembles its namesake in Danish—“comb”—captured my heart on my initial visit. Almonds sprinkled across its surface lent the kamme a more substantial texture that played a satisfying counterpoint to the airy flakiness of the pastry. Continuing the theme of lightness, the pastry does not overwhelm with its sweetness.

If a richer texture and flavor are both desired, then the spandauer ($2.25) will not disappoint. Though closely related in form to the Danishes that Costco sells, it clearly plays in a different league. The golden-brown flakes and the smooth richness (but still light by American standards) of the vanilla-custard filling refresh the palate, rather than bombard it with an overly sweet, gooey mess from a commercial kitchen. Have I mentioned that Hygge does the lightness thing very well?

The kringle ($2.25/slice), the Danes’ sweet take on the pretzel, does a 180 with that motif though. Entirely indigenous to Denmark in this form, the kringle features a more subdued and substantial dough absent of aforementioned pastries’ signature flakiness. I don’t remember exactly what the filling consisted of, but notes of cinnamon come to mind.

The Drive

1106 S. Hope St.
Los Angeles, CA 90015

via hyggebakery.com

Head north (towards Downtown) on Fig. Take a right onto Pico and left onto Hope. There will be street parking along Hope and the vicinity. For those who cannot find any street parking (or drivers who are parallel parking-challenged), a garage sits directly across the street from Hygge.

To not deal with parking at all, catch the F Dash ($0.25) along USC’s perimeter on Fig and the 81 ($1.25) on Fig at Expo, Jefferson, Chano’s, and Adams and get off at 12th. Walk 2 blocks away from L.A. Live on 12th and take a left onto Hope, walking towards Downtown. Hygge will be on your right before 11th. Return on the F Dash or the 81 at Fig and 12th. The trip will take around 15-20 minutes each way. For more specific times, check out www.metro.net.

The Deal

Hygge Bakery already makes it affordable for Danish pastries to be a daily indulgence. Look for the pastry of the day for $1-2 and the “any pastry and brewed coffee” pairing for around $3. There’s even more for USC students! Just flash them a USC ID and they will happily apply a 10% discount.
Why Dash Over?: Let’s face it, you’re probably not going to Denmark anytime soon and you only have so much time left at USC. Better start eating those pastries now if you want to get to them all!

Downtown LA is the center of one of the largest metro revitalizations in the United States—are you missing out? The Dish Dash has got it all taken care of. Get the Dish on all of our Dashes around the city, and the Deals that we nab for you at each place. And trust us, because we’re led by two things: a passion for adventure, and an abiding love for food. Eat on.

Katsuya - LA LIVE
800 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 747-9797  www.sbe.com/katsuya

the Dish

I scored you a seat next to me as I dine on Katsuya’s Tasting Menu—a generous 5-course sampling of the best this restaurant has to offer.

1. Amuse-bouche: (Literally means “mouth pleaser”…and don’t look at me like that. A single bite chosen by the chef, it gets your taste buds ready for the rollercoaster they’re about to board). And so it begins, with a fusion dish called Katsuya Ceviche. This light blend of salmon, yellowtail, and tuna has enough citric acid to make it refreshing. The beginning of the end. My palate will never be the same.

2. Second: The medley of 4 squares is next. Your eyes are overwhelmed by the teasing display: nothing stands out because they ALL stand out. So I begin with the most basic. In the lower-left hand quadrant lies the Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeno, crying for relief. The solid bite of the jalapeno helps add kick to the subtle, tender fish. Moving onto quadrant II (that’s the upper left, geometry haters) is the Albacore with Crispy Onions. And I’ve never tasted onions this sweet, without the frills of heavy batter and grease. A perfect complement to the sliced fish amidst the haystack of caramelized onions. The bright green of the pepper atop the Spicy Rock Shrimp Tempura draws me next. The spicy dip brings a perfect balance to the slightly sweet, juicy shrimp nuggets. But it’s Crispy Rice with Tuna that plays the trump card. The softened tuna tartare (a finely chopped meat that’s so soft, it can be spread like butta’) is partnered with the crisp of the burnt rice edge below it. My fellow Dish-er said it reminded her of a “grilled cheese sandwich.” If only my mom had packed these for lunch.

3. Third: After the bright, playful pastels of fish-covered rice, the dark, rich colors of the next dish seem like pure sin. And the Kobe Filet with Foie Gras certainly is decadent. The foie gras could be cut with a wooden chopstick, hinting at the buttery flavor of the meat as it melts in your mouth. The underlying kobe steak gives back the slight chew that the former deprives you of. As if it needed any more amazing accompaniment, the plum wine reduction had us all fooled for teriyaki sauce. I’m no food snob, and can admit to taste bud impairment in the world of fine dining. No matter—let’s just say this was a winner.

4. Fourth: Back to the ocean we’re thrown, with the Sushi Sampler. Things start to look a little more familiar here, and my overwhelmed palate slowly rocks itself back to reality with the fish-draped sushi. But then a new earthquake rumbles, hidden beneath what appears to be a normal Baked Crab Roll. What I first took to be rice paper is actually soy paper. As if rice wasn’t vegetarian enough. But the texture is new and fresh, blending well into the creamy background of rich crab.

5. Dessert: With the end in sight, I couldn’t give up now—what little honor would I have left? At least the chopsticks were gone. And soon I had green tea in its two best forms. Like yin and yang, the boiling pot green tea was served next to halves of Green Tea & Strawberry Mochi with a splash of strawberry sauce. Resting innocently next to it was a killer Vanilla Gelato on a bed of pastry crumbs. Would this joy never end?! A sweet crème-filled Vanilla Profiterole lay just beyond that, with a small mound of fresh Mixed Fruit Salad laughing at me on the finish line. Lacking a second stomach—that genetic blessing I envy in cows—never seemed so cruel as in that moment.

You’ve seen the Dish; now it’s time for

the Deal

While the normal price of a Katsuya Tasting Menu ($65) is far out of a college budget, never fear. Happy Hour is here. Happening from 5—8pm every weekday, you can be sure to enjoy some half-off nibbles and cocktails at the week’s beginning, middle, and end. With all food specials like the die-and-go-to-heaven Crisped Rice with Tuna for only $5 and drinks for $5-7, make Katsuya your next Dash.

But your deal doesn’t end here. As a reward for munching through this Katsuya experience with me, I’m granting you a heavily discounted meal of your own. Print out this Katsuya ad and receive 15% off through November 1^st, 2009!

the Drive

So we’re all afraid of parking downtown. LA Live wants you to drive down fearlessly. Head over to the East Garage (Olympic + Francisco), where the 1^st hour is free, and the 2^nd hour is validated (courtesy of Katsuya). Into the 3^rd hour, you’ll be paying $5 for every half an hour—as long as you keep track of time, you should escape any horrendous charges!

Carless? Had a HAPPY Happy Hour? Hire a driver for as little as $0.25! For lunch outings, the F Dash, $0.25 each way, runs every 10 minutes (or so claims LADOT) with stops on the perimeter of USC and along Figueroa, at major intersections. Get off and on at Figueroa and 12^th to get to and from LA Live. For a dollar more ($1.25), the 81, which runs up and down Figueroa with varying frequency depending on time of day, can deliver you to and from lunch or dinner and runs all day and night. Expect a ride each way to be around 20 minutes. Check www.metro.net for a trip planner with specific bus times.