Bricks and Scones (Los Angeles, CA)

At the north end of the Larchmont Blvd shopping district sits Brick and Scones, a swank library-quiet wi-fi haven well known by locals. It’s the study you wish you had at home. But all of this is beside the point, because the point of being here is to eat Korean-style Chewy Sesame Rolls!

The dairy-free/gluten-free Sesame Roll ($2.50), served warm by request, is a ball of joy. Flakes fall as you rip through the skin, revealing a chewy inner-heart of mochi, black sesame, and air bubbles. Each Sesame Roll is unique as a geode, full of densely speckled flesh with a whisper of sugar.

But because one can’t live on sweets alone (no matter how hard some might try), we also ordered the Grilled Cheese on sourdough ($5). Not expecting much, we smiled as tantalizing sheets of swiss and cheddar oozed from between the bread. It’s a straight forward but undeniably delicious sandwich.

I ordered an iced Rose Champagne Tea because the name sounded all fancy like. The black tea with floral tones didn’t particularly transcend the flavor of Lipton ice tea, but I later learned this tea is a crowd favorite… er… maybe it’s a revelation when served warm.