Natas Pastries

 

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104

Bryan F.

Pacoima, CA

I thought Natas mean "Christmas", so I came down to this place expecting Christmas pastries like they have in proper Christian countries.  Natas was that place.  I bought a box of natas, a sweet custard filled tart for $10 for six pieces.  The only regret I have is the fact that I didn't buy enough for the family.

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0

8

Miles S.

Sherman Oaks, CA

This place is so great. We call it the Satan bakery, because it's like the devil wants you to go eat 100 things there.

Their standard pastries are very excellent, like a flaky, custardy thing. Sometimes blasted with cinnamon, sometimes piled with coconut, sometimes filled with sweet beans (!?!). Overall very excellent baked goods.
Full espresso bar, too. Nothing like a stout double espresso to wash down a crazy pastry.

They have special deals on "mini-natas" assortments, which are great for parties or the holidays or gaining 12lbs.

Hooray for the Satan bakery!

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0

20

Adam G.

Sherman Oaks, CA

Super cute shop on Ventura.  The service here has always been extra-friendly and I always have a good time getting goodies here.  I've tried a handful of their pastries and everything's pretty good.  My favorite is still the original "nata".  This place is a gem ... an friendly little place with original things and a wonderful staff.  Give it a shot and see if you dig!

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Elite '08

136

157

Krys G.

Long Beach, CA

I spent the summer in Portugal on an exchange program in high school and potentially enjoyed me a few too many natas.  It might have influenced my decision to minor in Portuguese in college...

Done right, natas especially are amazing.  My Mom stopped here on her way home and brought me some and folks, they are the real thing.  Nothing like a great Portuguese pastry.  Just one bite takes me back to the summer of 1990 and that amazing experience.

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0

3

Dr Lov E.

Sherman Oaks, CA

YEAH! Natas is in my neighborhood, I'm soooo spoiled.  i stroll over for the KILLER COFFEE - they even warm up the cup for me - very nice touch.  I can't pronounce nor spell the pastries, i just point and smile - they're all good.  Tables outside to relax at.  My girlfriend pretends she has to go to work early, just to sneak away for Natas cheesecake, mmm,mmm.

I'm looking forward to trying their version of the Nawlins King cake, it's gonna be GOOD!

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5

27

Steve S.

CA

Was driving down Ventura late last night and happened to see a sign on the awning that said "LA's Portuguese Bakery" and I freaked out, telling my significant other to turn the car around because I've been looking for a freaking Portuguese bakery in Los Angeles for as long as I've lived here.  

Went back today when it was open and was overwhelmingly suprised to find what is now going to be a regular place of mine.  So many awesome pastries and Portuguese favorites.  They have Portuguese Sweet Bread.  That, alone, is enough for me to go back.  I bought a whole loaf and it is probably the best I've had since I was a little kid.  I've already had several slices.  Just some butter slathered on it, toasted.  So freaking good!

The pastries and cookies were all also quite good.  The favorite, by far, was the Special Nata, with coconut and custard on top.  We'll be returning frequently, for sure!  

As a side note, I think I scared the guy running the place today because I was so excited that I kind of coddled my loaf of bread and told him it reminded me of my Grandma.  He giggled.  

SO FREAKING GOOD!

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0

12

Mark C.

Santa Monica, CA

I've never had Portuguese pastries before, but my first time at Nata's was outstanding! I actually found it on citysearch and decided to check it out myself. I was staying in Glendale at the time, so the drive was a little further, but it was totally worth it! Located in the corner of a small shopping center, Nata's is a quaint little pastry shop that you can smell as soon as you get out of the car! As soon as I entered the shop there was already a friendly face waiting to offer me samples and explain to me all the different cakes and pastries in the glass cases. Their macaroons are amazing and come in different sizes. I also had this chocolate mousse (I forget the name) and it was rolled in nuts and chocolate. AMAZING. Their signature nata is basically egg custard/flan in a flakey pastry shell. It was sweet, but light in taste and had a hint of caramel. Delicious! I definitely took some to go! Everything everyone says about Nata's is true! I will definitely visit again.

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Elite '08

200

212

Abby A.

Duarte, CA

Last month, I set up a pastry tasting for my dining group where we got to sample a total of 8 different pastries.  3 were savory and 5 were sweet.  Before I even talk about the pastries we sampled, I have to say that when first walking into Natas, it was like I was at  "Pastry Disneyland".

When you looked at the display case, the pastries were so beautifully presented, that you'd think that they were fake and when you saw that prices were between $2 to $3 for even the prettiest of the pastries, it almost felt like you were in a Pastry Twilight Zone.  After pinching myself, I realized that everything was for real and honestly, if I didn't already know that I was going to be sampling 8 pastries, I would be hard-pressed to choose which ones to try.

Anyway, on to the tasting.  We started off with the savory pastries which included:

Pasteis de Bacalhau - Cod Cakes (Portuguese version of crab cakes),

Croquetes - Seasoned Ground Beef and Portuguese Chorizo

Rissois - Shrimp and Crab Turnover

While all three of them were good, my favorite was the Cod Cake. Considering that cod fish is pretty mild in flavor, I was amazed that the Cod Cake was the most flavorful of the three options. I also liked how flaky the fish was.  Apparently, the Cod Cakes are a favorite of many because that's the item that Natas runs out of the most.

Now on to the sweet pastries which included:

Malassada - Portuguese Donut/Sugar Ball

Nata - Portugal's Signature Pastry. Creme Brulee type Filling in Puff Pastry

Mini Pyramid - Portuguese Brownie Made with Belgian Chocolate and Marzipan

Mini Queijada - Mini Cheese Cake made with Ricotta Cheese/Cinnamon in Puff Pastry

Mini Pasteis de Coco - Coconut Lemon Mini Cupcake

For me, the Mini Pasteis de Coco wasn't too memorable. The only thing that I stuck in my head is that it needed to be more lemony.    I also didn't care too much for the Mini Pyramid, probably because I'm not much of a marzipan fan.

I enjoyed the remaining three sweet pastries a lot.  The Malassada was light and fluffy and just had the right amount of sweetness without being too sugary.

I liked how the filling of the Mini Queijada had a light creamy texture and the cinnamon flavor really came through.  The pastry was also nice and flaky.

But my favorite of the remaining three was actually the Nata itself.  Like the Mini Queijada, the pastry was golden-flaky and the custard filling was absolutely delicious.  I could almost taste it.  It was creamy and I almost hated to swallow it because I was enjoying the texture and the flavor so much.

What was nice about having this sampling is that afterwards, I purchased items that I hadn't tried already to take home and believe me, those pastries were also quite good. I only wish Natas was closer to me, but I actually think it's worth the drive no matter what part of town you're coming from.

To see pics, go to:
http://www.flickr.com/...

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Elite '08

34

180

Dan H.

Valencia, CA

Lovely treats.  Sadly I have no idea what we had - we just ordered a box of 9 and pointed to this and that and those and these.  The only one I know by name are the natas, which were the creme brulee in phyllo type things.

But everything was wonderful.  If you really want to max out the experience, take your pretty little pink box of goodies and drive up to Coldwater Canyon Park, stroll out to one of the benches overlooking the valley, and SNARF!

$2 or so per piece.  Portugoodness.  5 stars.

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82

modernist c.

Los Angeles, CA

in 1998 i ended up in lisbon during world expo. its an awesome city and i got to enjoy the architecture of gustave eiffel, alvaro siza and santiago calatrava. however, the most miraculous structures were the shatteringly flakey crusts of the natas. after my first bite, i sat there slack jawed and soiled my pants all with a slightly comatose grin. instead of heading back to the hotel to change, i got back in line and bought a six count hexagonal box of those bad boys. i swear i just tilted the box back and rolled them directly into my mouth... i had buttery pastry flakes all over my face and hair but i didnt give a fuck!
like the best vienoiserie in paris, natas are truly  things of transcendent beauty

to my knowledge, natas pastries in sherman oaks is the only place to rock these bad boys.... i picked up a box last saturday to bring to a party... i thought they were really good, but not straight out of the oven good. if i were you, i'd call ahead and ask when they are coming out of the oven and go then! i also tried the spinach pastry, and the pasteis de bacalhau were excellent. the people who worked there were super sweet and i wanted to linger in the tiny bakery but sadly i had to bail...
i'd love for this place to thrive and spread so i don't have to go over the hill to get them...

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0

15

Louis M.

Burbank, CA

Heard about them online and since they are in my backyard I just had to go. I went one Sunday morning when nobody was there and pigged out. I had the, god help me with my memory, "Bola de Berlin" I believe. Very good. Vanilla custard delicately placed between two soft, donut type breads with sugar on top. It was good and filling. There are some pastries in there that you could practically inhale so this guy is a safe, tasty bet. Also the nata pastry was yummy. It almost reminds me of my favorite dessert of all time, Butter Tarts. Just the thought of them make me crave for more. Oh yes, nata, very tasty and a favorite among the regulars there. Vanilla custard inside a flaky, mini pie crust. The service was fun too. If you want a few sample tastes they are happy to oblige.

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22

Flavia G.

CA

It's the only place in Los Angeles were you can get "pasteis de bacalhau (cod)" that's a savory Portuguese treat and also the "natas" in Portugal they call that pasteis de Belem.
The owner is Portuguese and very friendly.
Why 4 stars? Well the other pastries there are good but no phenomenal, nothing out of the ordinary.

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Elite '08

76

276

dan s.

San Francisco, CA

Well, the heavens parted, and I made my way to LA.
I had a couple of hours free, so I decided to go visit this place that I've heard so much about.

The good news - the natas pastries are delectable, among the best I've had.  I think the crust was a tad (just a tad) overcooked, but otherwise no complaints.

I should dock 1 star because they had no rissois, no bolos de bacalhau, and the only two sandwiches offered were ham & cheese or turkey & cheese, neither of which are Portuguese dishes (I was told that the Portuguese stuff comes out on the weekend).  But, given how unique this place is, I don't have the heart.

I do find that this is a weird location (well, I think all of LA is weird).  Is there some cachet in being on Ventura?  If so, you wouldn't know it from the run down businesses within a 2 block radius.

I had a brief panic attack nearing LAX when I realized that I might have to eat all 16 of the pastries I was bringing home, but fortunately they made it through security unscathed.  OK, I lie, I ate one when I stopped to refuel the rental car, OK?

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7

13

Manny S.

Somerville, MA

Do the Portuguese make the best pastries ever? Perhaps. You won't find me saying they don't.

I grew up in a Portuguese immigrant neighborhood of Danbury, CT with an old country grandmother that would constantly tell me I was too skinny and heap upon me sweet breads, marzipan cakes and mini custard pies from the bakery down the street.  Luckily my folks moved away from CT and from my enabling grandmother so I avoided inheriting that too common Portuguese girth as well as a bad case of adult onset diabetes.

Anyway, my point here is that yes, I'm probably a little biased.

Nata's Pastries takes me back to that time with their sweet bundles of yummy goodness. The signature pastry is the Pasteis da Nata (those custard pies I never knew the name of) which is sort of like a little creme brulee inside of a phyllo dough shell.   Other Portuguese treats include Morgado which is like a marzipan tart.  

Fatima, the owner, hails from Portugal and along with offering some of the classic pastry finds she has also created a few of own takes:
Pasteis de Coco -- same concept as above but covered in shaved coconut
Pasteis de Feijao -- the filling is made with almonds, beans, caramel and chocolate

If you go, be sure to check out her specials for 3,9 and 15 piece boxes which can be mix 'n' match.  And if you have the time, enjoy it Euro style: sprinkle some cinnamon and powdered sugar on your nata, get an espresso or cafe duplo, sit at one of the outside tables and take your time although it might be hard trying not to devour it as fast as possible.

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207

Jessica S.

Los Angeles, CA

What a little gem of a bakery.  A co-worker of mine RAVED about this place and pretty much forced us to go after lunch next door at Casa Vega.  And let me tell you, being full from lunch won't deter you from buying something here because everything looks so frickin amazing.  The mouthwatering scents, the beautiful desserts and the friendly staff make this place worth going to.  I can't remember the name of the pastry I got, but it was damn good.

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4

13

Veerle H.

Santa Clara, CA

The owner of this bakery may be Portuguese, the bakers are Belgian.  On our trip to L.A. we stopped at this place.  The little cakes are wonderful.   We bought a whole box full of different pastries and they all tasted very good (the only slightly "negative" comment I have on the mocca pastry was that it could have a little more taste to it).

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