Fondry

The kouign-amann we ate from this Eagle Rock bakery by the Kumquat people was up there with the best we’ve had in our carb-eating careers. But it came at a price. Not just the $7 we paid for it, but the hour we spent in line with 40-ish other people who huddled outside the storefront. Despite getting there a half-hour before the bakery opened at 9am, the day’s selection was nearly wiped out by the time we reached the counter to order. Could any baked good be worth this much hassle? The answer, unfortunately, is yes.

If you have no tolerance for lines, you’ll be better off coming to Fondry in a few weeks (or months) when they’ve scaled up production or expanded their limited weekend hours. But if you love golden, laminated masterpieces, consider waking up early with comfy shoes on for their croissants. The peel-apart layers of nearly translucent, buttery dough unravel like cotton candy. The same goes for the spiral-shaped, just-sweet kouign-amann that’s lightly sugared but still crackles loudly when you bite in. You can skip the gimmicky flat croissant, though, which doesn’t offer much beyond wafer-like crunch.

Just be aware of the high stakes. We were the second-to-last customers served, which means the dozens of people behind us went home croissantless. You can also find the same pastries at Loquat and Kumquat, but supply is even more limited.