Semi Sweet Bakery Adds Expanded Lunch, Brunch Menus

A classic go-to

By Lesley Balla

Sharlena Fong had us with her Ding-a-Lings a long time ago. The pastry chef and her partners opened Semi Sweet Bakery in a Downtown LA corner nook next to Las Perlas a little over a year ago, serving the fun little mini cakes in red velvet (great for Thursday, by the way), chocolate and hazelnut or peanut butter, or a classic chocolate with white filling. Fong, who helped make the maple-bacon donut famous at the Nickel Diner, has a way with cakes, triple-chip cookies, flaky croissants, baked donuts, bacon sticky buns and more. Now she, along with chef James Gonzalez, is showing the savory side with expanded lunch and brunch menus.

Lunch, which consists of a few salads, a triple-cheesy grilled cheese and tomato soup, and sandwiches like egg salad, is served Tuesday through Friday from 11 AM-4 PM. There's also the McFong All-Day Breakfast Sandwich, a flaky, cheesy chive biscuit with egg and bacon that's available, yes, all day. And you know how we love our breakfast sandwiches. For weekend brunch (Saturday-Sunday, 10 AM-2 PM) there's short rib hash with caramelized onions, roasted potatoes and a poached egg on a biscuit, and chocolate cherry French toast on the short-but-sweet (and savory) menu. There are a few more tables in the small cafe, which makes lunching or brunching that much easier. Of course you can always pick up a prosciutto goat cheese danish if you're on the go.