Southern California - LA - where are the European / Polish bakeries and delis at??

Being Polish, one of my latest biking escapades has been exploring my areas trying to find some of the yummy Polish cuisine elements. Sadly, I have quickly learned that the US definition of a "bakery" is a muffins and scones shop you gulp down with a super-mocha-late-chino, and a "deli" is a place where you eat a pastrami-on-sourdough sandwich with some chips for lunch. Needless to say, not exactly what I hoped for; to me a bakery is a place that sales tons of (preferably freshly and still warm!) bread, and a deli should be but an endless counter of diverse hams, sausages, meats and cheeses!

I'm curious if the people living in LA can recommend some places that would fit the bill :) I am near El Sereno / Alhambra so the closer to here the better.

I want LESS of this:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v474/Koobazaur/us_bakeries_delis.jpg

And more of this:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v474/Koobazaur/polish_bakeries_delis.jpg

Basically I am sick of local bakieries that have only prepackage square toast breads and which 'gourmet' selection ends at sourdough or "look we put flax seed!" bread. Or Safeway-like delis sporting only variations of turkey breast, black forest hams or salami, and ten types of cheddar cheese.

The "more of this" is what I see when I go shopping here... my Polish store and deli are so Polish that sometimes you need a translator.

:)

My wife and daughters all have Polish heritage...

I'll be watching this thread. The only good kielbasa I've had out here was flown in from Toledo.

I'll be watching this thread. The only good kielbasa I've had out here was flown in from Toledo.

Must have been from Kilgus Meats. They make some of the finest sausages I've ever eaten, anywhere in the world.

For sausage and other meat-based specialties, you want this place: http://continentalgourmetsausage.com/index.html

There are not a lot of great European-styled bakeries, but Europane in Pasadena does sell breads (more French-styled) and many excellent pastries. They have two locations on Colorado Blvd. http://www.yelp.com/biz/euro-pane-bakery-pasadena

the one I go to is in the city of Orange but I understand that they get their sausage from the one in Santa Monica.

http://www.lapolonia.com/index_files/links.htm

The closest community in Orange County is around the John Paul II Center in Yorba Linda. I think that's where you will find the home cooking.

http://www.polishcenter.org/

Oooh those are all great. None of them are even remotely close to me, but I guess it's better than nothing. I also need to go to Little Armenia, it might have come similar places as well!

No restaurants will sell blood soup, kielbasa, or other ethnic foods.
Everything is either homogonized, pre-packaged or made from undistinguishable 'meats' and addatives.
If it does not have monosodium glutamate as an ingredient the FDA may not allow you to eat it!
Little Armenia may have some great yogurts without addatives!

:)

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/2012pugshop2.JPG

And next door... home made perogies and another deli counter and a lot of Polish goods. This is where I get my real sauerkraut and pickles from.

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/2012polishmarket1.JPG

Koobazaur - are you actually *from* poland or just polish?

Not that it matters, when you find what you're looking for, report back so the rest of us can go enjoy it too. :) There's nothing out by me, everything's a road trip.

No restaurants will sell blood soup, kielbasa, or other ethnic foods.
Everything is either homogonized, pre-packaged or made from undistinguishable 'meats' and addatives.
If it does not have monosodium glutamate as an ingredient the FDA may not allow you to eat it!
Little Armenia may have some great yogurts without addatives!

You clearly haven't been to LA... There are zillions of little chinese restaurants in the San Gabriel valley that are selling every part of the animal, and listing it as such. In some cases you might need a chinese translator to know, though. Similar with mexican/central/south american cuisine (except for the chinese translator part).

For central european baked goods, I usually go to Canter's. It's one of a small number of places I've found in the US that does mohnschnecken, which I developed a weakness for in germany. I'll drop $20 on various poppy filled things, and they also have a few items that secretly are ~50% almond paste. For Polish, you probably have to go to Detroit, though (actually Hamtramck..)-- I don't think there are any big neighborhoods full of Poles in LA.

Super King (3 grocery stores) has an ok deli counter, leaning toward armenian/middle eastern/balkan region. Jon's (looks like Vons with the V partly chopped) supermarkets generally have a lot of imported stuff that's localized to the neighborhoods that they're in.

Your best bet is probably to send an email to Jonathan Gold. He allegedly responds to all the emails he gets, and in my limited experience (a few emails from me and a few friends) he's always responded pretty thoughtfully. He used to be at the LA weekly, and is now at the LA Times. In a lot of cases there's some neighborhood secret store or restuarant halfway across town that has whatever it is you need.

Koobazaur - are you actually *from* poland or just polish?

Not that it matters, when you find what you're looking for, report back so the rest of us can go enjoy it too. :) There's nothing out by me, everything's a road trip.

100% Pollack, born and raised. Came to the US when I was 15, some 9 years ago now.

dont know about polish but if you like stale tasteless overpriced garbage , try any of the mid-eastern bakeries in glendale/burbank.

German delis in Orange, Alpine Village. Kosher Delis all along Fairfax and Pico West of Fairfax. Russian goods in the area too and at the Moscow Deli in costa mesa.

Super King (3 grocery stores) has an ok deli counter, leaning toward armenian/middle eastern/balkan region. Jon's (looks like Vons with the V partly chopped) supermarkets generally have a lot of imported stuff that's localized to the neighborhoods that they're in.

Oh man thanks so much, I just biked there today! I got myself some Cabanoses (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabanos), which is kind of like a thinner and usually slightly dried up version of Polish Kielbasa. Just bit into it following with some buttered bread, mmmmm sooo much flavor :D They also had the Krakowska (http://www.tastingpoland.com/food/kielbasa_polish_sausage.html)kielbasa but sadly they dont cut it, and the pieces are MASSIVE so I could never eat throguh it without wasting like 2/3 :( I think I also saw blood sausage there too; rest was standard deli fare though.

I wish they had more of the dried sausages tho, they are bomb. I really ought to just call my gramma and ask her how to properly dry polish sausage without it going all moldy (she makes her own sausages / pickles / breads all the time). I fear all the preservatives they put in the packaged ones would inhibit the process tho :/


dont know about polish but if you like stale tasteless overpriced garbage , try any of the mid-eastern bakeries in glendale/burbank.

Errr not sure how to take that; just a warning to avoid that area? If you haven't eaten much Polish bread before you may learn a lot of it is much firmer and drier than the fluffy-white US counterparts. It is not stale tho, and if it's too dry, a bit of butter does MAGICAL things to bring the flavor of that slice out :)

I think I also saw blood sausage there too; rest was standard deli fare though.

Yeah, that's why they're ok, rather than impressive. They have some out of the ordinary things, but are mostly pretty standard.

Koob, check out the gallery at the John Paul II center in Yorba Linda. They have some kind of festival there. And notice the poster with reference to a Polish Film festival. Right up your alley.

http://www.polishcenter.org/Dozynki2011/dozynki2011.htm

Oooh thanks. Only problem is, it's hella far, not really a bikable or even busable distance for me :/

Have you checked out the Polish restaurant situated between Eagle Rock and Glendale?

http://www.polkarestaurant.com/

I saw that, though, I prefer to do the cooking and looking for ingredient stores mainly :) Havent been to Polka so can't comment how "authentic" it is.

Stopped by the Hungarian deli on the way home to grab sausage and need to top up the sauerkraut and pickles here... riding through my 'hood can be torture when everyone has the smokers going.

While it's not polish, Schreiner's (http://schreinersfinesausages.com)in Montrose has authentic German sausage and meat. It's not too far from Alhambra. Go there and the good bakery next door and you'll need an extra 20psi in your tires to carry the weight you'll gain.

Stopped by the Polish shops to grab some lunch and took a bunch of pictures to torture with... :)

Double smoked svoyska, sauerkraut, and barrel aged dill pickles... I am off the carbs so no rye bread or home made pyrogi today.

I'm jonesing for some good sauerkraut...anybody ever try to make it at home??

I'm jonesing for some good sauerkraut...anybody ever try to make it at home??

Good kapusta is very easy to make... the process for making pickles (ogorki kiszone) is very much the same.

http://www.wildfermentation.com/making-sauerkraut-2/

:)

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/2012pugshop2.JPG

And next door... home made perogies and another deli counter and a lot of Polish goods. This is where I get my real sauerkraut and pickles from.

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/2012polishmarket1.JPG

That just looks so unappealing for a place to get European stuff.

That just looks so unappealing for a place to get European stuff.

You must have romantic notions about European shops... :)

The exterior and interiors of both shops are rather plain but I do not go there for the decor as you can't taste that... Polonia has been in business for 23 years and they have won many awards for their products which are made in house.

It is a working class neighbourhood with customers who go for the good prices, excellent quality, and for goods that you can't get in many places and I do not mind the plain wrapper.

You must have romantic notions about European shops... :)

Not really. I just happen to be from (and live in) 'the old world'. From my perspective, that place looks like you'd go there for cheap carpet tiles. Not good food. :)



The exterior and interiors of both shops are rather plain but I do not go there for the decor as you can't taste that... Polonia has been in business for 23 years and they have won many awards for their products which are made in house.

It is a working class neighbourhood with customers who go for the good prices, excellent quality, and for goods that you can't get in many places and I do not mind the plain wrapper.

All very good reasons. It sounds like a great place for where it is. :)

That just looks so unappealing for a place to get European stuff.


Needs bike corrals out front...:)

Not really. I just happen to be from (and live in) 'the old world'. From my perspective, that place looks like you'd go there for cheap carpet tiles. Not good food. :)

All very good reasons. It sounds like a great place for where it is. :)

When you walk in you are greeting with the smell of roasting bacon and freshly baked bread... the Hungarian deli always has fried bacon as well as roasted.

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/randomstuff/delibacon.JPG

Sweets...

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/randomstuff/delisweets.JPG

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/randomstuff/delisweets2.JPG

Both shops are spotless... 4 cases of goodness here.

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/randomstuff/deli1.JPG

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/randomstuff/deli2.JPG

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/randomstuff/deli3.JPG

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/randomstuff/deli4.JPG

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/randomstuff/deli5.JPG

From my perspective, that place looks like you'd go there for cheap carpet tiles. Not good food. :)

Some of the best food in southern California is in dumpy looking strip malls.

Polonia is in the process of expanding their store and they apologized for having such empty display cases... they had just replaced their old ones with ones they bought from Poland and were restocking them.

Have been shopping here for a very long time and Juniper sausage is one of my favourites... bought a ring for $7.00 which is a great price.

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/randomstuff/poloniadeli1.JPG

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/randomstuff/poloniadeli2.JPG

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/randomstuff/poloniadeli3.JPG

Tomorrow I need to hit the Italian market... it is good to go in the morning as in the afternoon the wait at the deli can be a little long but to make up for it, they feed you while you wait.

They also have a great produce selection, aisles of pasta, and a small coffee shop that makes a great Americano... it is also a central social hub and a wonderful place to stop at any time.

:)

Some of the best food in southern California is in dumpy looking strip malls.

Have learned to never judge a book by it's cover... in travelling in Mexico and the West Indies and many places in the US and Canada some of the least appealing exteriors yield interiors that have some of the best food and service and sometimes have to ask the locals where the best food really is.

There is a West African shop around the corner from the bike co-op and you would barely know it was there... the decor is sparse although they do have a beautiful side room for bookings and the stews they make are amazing.

If one ever gets to Portland you need to hit The Queen of Sheba on the north side... it is a very old traditional Ethiopian restaurant and when you go there you feel like you are family and they will not let you leave until your hunger and thirst is completely sated for what are very reasonable prices.

But from the outside... one might never consider stopping.

One of my favourite local places is the Commodore restaurant which is your typical "greasy spoon" which has been serving up breakfast and lunch for 60 years from the same location and has been owned by the same family.

Go here and the food will be excellent and affordable and will spoil you for other places where you end up leaving feeling you paid too much for way too little.

MMmmmmm this ALL looks so goood! Why cant they have one in la ;(



That just looks so unappealing for a place to get European stuff.

The hole-in-the-wall places usually fall into one of two categories: terrible food that will give you mad food poisoning, or the best meal of your life status.

Go here and the food will be excellent and affordable and will spoil you for other places where you end up leaving feeling you paid too much for way too little.

One of my favorite sichuan restaurants is like that-- we brought a big (for them) group in about half an hour before close, and a couple more showed up just before close, and they just kept bringing food until nobody could move. And you get the bill and can't believe you got that much good food for so little.

I'll have to come up for the 6-day again some time. I was up for the last 3 days of that a few years ago.

Barbecue at Eddie B's ranch in Ramona is where I had great Polish food recently. His wife Sophie is an excellent cook.

The hole-in-the-wall places usually fall into one of two categories: terrible food that will give you mad food poisoning, or the best meal of your life status.

Agree. I lived in Warsaw for about a year and one of THE best kabob shop was a totally dump looking place. The cook generally had a cigarette in his mouth and had sweat issues...but it was a regular stop ;)

It's a bit of a drive for you, but give the "Alpine Village Market" a try. It's in Torrance, at Torrance Blvd, and the 110 fwy. The parking lot is right at the fwy exit. They hold a large swap meet tues-sun, so parking may be a problem, the market is on Torrance blvd. side. It's mostly German, but they have won many awards for their sausage. They've got a great selection. Lot's of cold cuts , different cheese's, homemade German Potato salad. Good bakery, I love their rye bread. Lot's of imported canned items from Europe plus a good selection of wines, beers and liquers from Europe. They also have a small rest. for lunch, they have stuffed cabbage, a various sausages with boiled potato's (yum!) and other plate lunch's. Starting right after Labor day, they erect a large tent and hold Octoberfest till the end of October. Have fun!

It's a bit of a drive for you, but give the "Alpine Village Market" a try. It's in Torrance, at Torrance Blvd, and the 110 fwy. The parking lot is right at the fwy exit. They hold a large swap meet Tues-Sun, so parking may be a problem, the market is on Torrance blvd. side. It's mostly German, but they have won many awards for their sausage. They've got a great selection. Lots of cold cuts , different cheeses, homemade German potato salad. Good bakery, I love their rye bread. Lots of imported canned items from Europe plus a good selection of wines, beers and liquors from Europe. They also have a small restaurant for lunch; they have stuffed cabbage, a various sausages with boiled potatoes (yum!) and other plate lunches. Starting right after Labor day, they erect a large tent and hold Oktoberfest till the end of October. Have fun!(Fixed that linguistic disaster area for you.) You can also take the Blue Line down to the Del Amo stop, ride west on Del Amo, then left at the stop sign after you cross under the 110. (It's not far from where I work.)