#lodge bread

Come early if you want a loaf of bread. Even during COVID times, Lodge Bread often sells out of bread early. I arrived at 1:30 PM and they just ran out of bread. Lodge is known for their organic whole grain sourdough which involves a wild fermentation process. I didn’t see any bread but they have seeded country, country load, ancient grain, whole grain, rye, and baguettes. You can order toasts, salads, egg dishes, and sandwiches. They also had pastries (croissants, cinnamon rolls, cakes, cookies), Hasiba hummus (Lodge and Hasiba have the same owners), pantry items and beverages. Prices are on the high side ($12 avocado toast, $14 breakfast sammie).

Coffee cake slice ($5.50): Made with espresso and labne – intriguing additions. The cake was about two inches tall with espresso cinnamon ribbons and a buttery, crispy crumb topping. The cake was moist and denser, like a pound cake and not that sweet. The espresso flavor wasn’t that strong. Really loved the crumble.

Hummus ($8) with parsley and lots of tahini.  Very smooth, velvety and thick – excellent! Didn’t notice the turmeric and fermented chilis – it didn’t seem spicy at all?

The Woodland Hills location is more stylish than the original location in Culver City. The baked goods are rustic in style. The shop is in a newish looking strip mall that looks higher end and had plenty of parking.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Hasiba, the new Israeli/kosher restaurant from the Lodge Bread team, makes its own pita bread and hummus. It’s very much hummus-focused. The vegetarian menu is short: 4 types of hummus served with pita, shakshuka, pita sandwiches, sides, desserts, and drinks.

Order at the counter. Utensils and napkins are kept at the tables. Help yourself to water, raw white onions, and olives. Look for the squeeze bottles of orange hot sauce. The hot sauce is tangy and adds a pop of flavor to your hummus. Bus your own table when you’re done.

* Ful (fava beans, hard boiled egg, tahina, herbs ($13) with pita: Mr. Froyo loved the simplicity of the dish but he said there wasn’t enough pita.

* Wild mushroom hummus with local onion, chermoula, tahina, fresh herbs ($13) served with one thick, warm, Israeli style whole wheat pita. This was so good and very rich. The hummus was creamy and smooth. They topped it with warm mushrooms (trumpet mushrooms) and drizzled it with tahina. The tahina flavor was very strong. I liked the sharp sweetness of the raw white onions, contrasted with the rich hummus. There was a huge pool of olive oil. Mr. Froyo loves olive oil, and even he thought it was excessive. There was so much hummus that both of us had leftovers.

Seating is limited. There are two large communal tables: one inside and one outside. While there’s seating around the sides of the communal table, the space is too narrow for anyone to sit without blocking the people at the communal table from getting in or out. It probably seats about 20 people.

Parking is tough in this area. It’s the Jewish part of town. Closed on Saturdays.

4.5 out of 5 stars

A couple things:

1. If you’re in the Los Angeles area, get thee to Lodge Bread (11918 W Washington Blvd) for their seeded country loaf (good enough to eat plain and un-toasted, but for a transcendent experience apply a liberal spread of salted Kerrygold and call it a life). And while you’re in there, try their cinnamon roll. It’s impossibly fluffy and light for its kind and therefore won’t weigh uncomfortably in your belly after you’ve eaten the entire thing (though it’s easily big enough for two). The topping is more of a whipped cream than a gooey frosting, minimally sweet and with the slightest touch of citrus. It’s applied sparingly. You will wish there was more. I don’t know if “artisanal cinnamon” is a thing, but if it is, Lodge Bread uses it. Theirs is more complex than your average grocery store spice; it’s almost floral. This is the best cinnamon roll I’ve ever had.