By Brett Callwood
We found Sweeties almost by accident. We were in fact driving to another restaurant to get dinner for the purposes of review, and we happened upon this unassuming little bakery and felt compelled to pull in. The sign isn’t bright, there was nothing in the way of lights guiding us in. Yet there was an unmistakable magnetic pull that proved impossible to ignore. Let’s just put it down to holiday magic.
Immediately upon entering the place, we were faced with row after row of pastries and cakes behind glass. It’s like a hidden Willy Wonka factory, minus Gene Wilder (or Johnny Depp, or Timothée Chalamet) singing away.
Everything, literally everything, looks amazing. And refreshingly, the prices are more than reasonable. There are cookies and other little treats that cost about 40 cents each.The jam-spotted star cookies are just 20 cents per piece. Frankly, it takes all of the will power in the world not to buy a big box full.
There are almond cookies, happy faces, butter cookies, gingerbread men, chocolate chip and butter nuts. Light suspiros in pink, blue and white. Wedding cookies and chocolate cookies. And all of it both looks and smells irresistible.
Mil Hojas is a dessert of French origin that made its way into Latin America, and the one sold at Sweeties is delectable. Layer after layer of puff pastry, lined with sweet cream and topped with a sort of crumble. It’s messy to eat – you’re going to need a fork. But it’s also insanely good. The balance of the soft, crumbly pastry, the crunchy topping and the creamy cream is absolutely spot on.
Naturally, we had to sample a few of their cookies too. The gingerbread men are full of flavor and bite-sized (again, they cost 40 cents!), so they’re not too filling. That means you can have one, and then try something else. At Sweeties, that’s a blessing.
The oatmeal raisin cookie is wonderful; spiced to perfection and full of plump fruit. The cookie is soft and comforting, and works particularly well when dunked in tea.
The cream horn is awesome too; sugared pastry filled with gooey sweet cream. Try to eat one without getting it all over your face. Finally, we tried what we think was a coconut macaroon – sticky, shredded coconut, toasted beautifully resulting in a fragrant, decadent bite.
The holiday season was the perfect time to discover Sweeties, but we wager that their desserts taste amazing all year round.
Sweeties is located at 15109 Normandie Ave., Gardena 90247. Call 310-515-2668.
