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Categories: Kitchen & Bath, Grocery
Neighborhood: Culver CityMon-Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
"I went to Fresh and Easy on the first day they opened and really really liked it. Yeah it's impersonal with no cashiers and all, but who…" read more »
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Every time I go to Surfas, I have to set aside three times as much time as I think I will need. "Oh, I just need a frosting tip," I say to myself. "How long could it really take?" One hour later, bleary-eyed and clutching a box full of goodies, with my wallet significantly lighter, I exit Surfas.
There's just too much good stuff here to tempt food lovers. Tons of fun baking ingredients, beautiful heavy aluminum baking pans, neato professional-grade ingredients, cute and functional little gadgets. This is truly cooking heaven.
I still like Surfas, but I am going to have to ding them on a few things.
One - There have been several items purchased here that I have found for less than half the price elsewhere such as Sur La Table. So this tells me there are way over priced...probably on most things. But, I already kinda new that.
Two - I can't trust the knowledge of their staff. The last few times I went in there, I have asked several different questions looking for confirmation on what I thought I knew. They answered with conviction and told me I was wrong on every occasion. But looking up the answers later, they were way off and my first thoughts were correct. So, whatever. I won't be taking advice from them.
A home chefs dream kitchen supply store. You can come here and shop with the pros. They have a good… Read more »
Surfas is like stepping into cooking heaven! If this place were a man, I'd marry him! I go here about once a week and still get excited when I walk through the doors.
Prices are TERRIBLE, but they carry things you can't find anywhere else. The great part is though if you take a cooking class you can get a discount card good for purchases made at Surfas up to six months.
I like the baking classes here offered by Gourmandise Desserts: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The class schedule can be found at: http://www.gourmandise...
(Luckily Gourmandise Desserts Baking Class prices aren't as steep as everything else at Sufas.)
An awesome selection of all kinds of interesting kitchen-related goods that you wouldn't find at your local Safeway. I was also surprised that the prices were quite reasonable as well. Worth a look if your recipe calls for any obscure ingredients!
Based on the food that I ordered, this place is worth taking a afternoon date on.
I mean, it is a store with a restaurant attached, but it does have good food. Everything sounded good too, but I was limited with my vegetarian diet. Nobody in my party complained about the food, just the prices.
All the sandwiches are about $8 here and I would not expect to get full here. They have other stuff, but I was not keen to those prices, but I imagine they were in the same price range.
On the up side, there was plenty of parking. It's not a place where you drive around the block a few times.
I would go back, but probably just to show my friends the town.
Superb Experience for the foodie in us all. I live in the Inland Empire and it is one of my favorite Saturday or Sunday morning outings is to head down to Surfas browse the aisles for unusual culinary treats look at what new gadgets are available and complete my visit by going to the Cafe for a delicious panini. I once went there and had the opportunity to taste Jamón ibérico... a specialty ham from Spain the animals (pigs) live in oak groves and are fed on Acorns, Herbs, Barley and Maize the end result is a very distinct flavor to the ham... considerably expensive.
Parking is close by, they have a knowledgeable staff and you can't go wrong if you are having a dinner party with appetizers and Hor d' oeuvres you need to stop in here they have really good and unusual options. Hard to find sauces, international meats, a wide array of chutneys, teas, olive oils etc etc. Check out their website for more details.
Respectfully Reviewed
A restaurant supply/gourmet food/kitchen gadget store which offers both great kitchen tools and uniqure food items for both the novice or expert chef. Browsing the aisles is also fun, if you aren't too serious about buying anything.
And you just might get lucky with someone serving samples either inside the store or directly outside the entrance.
If you haven't been here before, it's definitely worth a look-see if you are in the neighborhood. They have their own parking lot, too.
Surfas is good for gourmet foods, but out of stocks are abound!
I discovered this place about 6 months ago and shop here at least once/month. I am a baker and come for cake decorations, extracts, and supplies on occasion. The two former options leave much to be desired. I have come here on two occasions and raspberry extract is not to be found, on my most recent visit, the sanding sugars and sprinkles section looked as if a hurricane came through and this was an hour after opening on a Monday! As for supplies, cake specific liners and whatnot can be a crap shoot. It's best to call ahead if you need one particular item, especially if you have to drive across town or further.
As for gourmet foods, there is decent selection of cheeses, packaged meats, spices, ethnic items, and even beers.
There is a large classroom area and classes seem to fill quickly.
Commercial users will also appreciate business-owner discounts and a wide variety of commercial equipment, some even used.
Staff is friendly and helpful though.
Much like a man in a bordello, I've spent many hours and thousands of dollars in Surfas, except I leave with things I actually want. This is not sounding right, so I'll get straight to the point.
For major appliances such as gas stoves, ovens, fryers, etc....the prices here are fair and they actually have matched, but not beat quotes from other places. The sales people are very helpful and diligent with finding exactly what you need and getting it to you quick. If they tell you they'll call you back, they actually do!
When I'm done with all the big stuff, I make my way to the small stuff (my favorite part). Baking is one of my passions so I spend most of my time in the concoction aisles better known as, "extracts and flavorings" or "baking ingredients" you can find anything from pure nutmeg oil to orange flower water, from blanched almond flour to every color of jimmie, sugar crystal, and chocolate one could ever desire. If culinary is your thing, and you need unique ingredients or feel like browsing for new ideas or inspiration, it's worth a visit.
Note: The variety of smallwares is impressive but the prices are not very competitive in this department, B & B or ABC in Los Angeles has them beat there.
I read in Bon Appetite magazine that a 10 inch chef knife sold at Surfas was reviewed as being one of the best buys...$20. I went there only to find that it was sold out and they were due for another shipment. However, all was not lost, because I purchased the 10 inch serrated slicer knife for $12.50 and it's been one of my favorite knifes for about a week now. Whoo hoo!
I am a huge fan of Surfas, because it is a one stop shop for those hard to find gourmet ingredients and restaurant supply. Also, the Surfas Cafe inside the actual store makes a wonderful cappuccino to sip while milling through the aisles. I especially love the cooking demos, because it gives me an excuse to learn more about cooking. I noticed that the cheese section has expanded. It makes it an even more perfect compliment for all the other great stuff to find there.
Why did I not discover your treasure-laden trove sooner? I've been ordering from online gourmet foodie sources for the last few years, not realizing I could have waltzed in to this epicurean haven! De la Mancha Saffron? Check. Paella pans in mini guest sizes for dinner parties? Check. Arborio rice for risotto? Check. Pots and pans of different materials and sizes? Check. I have found a new place to call my kitchen megacenter! YES!!!
I stopped by earlier today to pick up supplies for an upcoming dinner party. I needed a small paella pan to prepare enough food for six friends. They had an assortment of sizes but I settled on the 14" pan (which was perfect btw). However, to my surprise, they were out of bomba rice! How can a gourmet epicenter run out of the essential paella ingredient - bomba rice!? I started to panic. I agreed to cook paella for the party - I had most of the ingredients and supplies except for the pan, the rice and the spices. Thankfully, one of the staff members suggested a substitute rice (she was referred to as the "Paella Princess"). Her suggestion was spot on. Sure, it didn't soak up as much of the broth as a Bomba would, but it caramelized beautifully and was still al dente despite the long hours in the pan.
I also picked up an ounce of saffron (which at $12 isn't too bad) and a bottle of terrific cava for under $10. Just for kicks, I tossed in a bag of roasted macadamia nuts to munch on. My total came out to be around $60, which I expected. I know that my bill is comparable to other high end gourmet purveyors. After perusing through the aisles, if I ever need baking supplies, exotic pasta options, or cookware, I will be sure to drop by. Actually, I might just come by to take a look.
I still really like Surfas, but they're out of stuff we want so often that it's become a realy mixed bag, as far as we're concerned.
Also, the food in the cafe is sometimes great, but often barely above average. Love their large outdoor seating area, though... very serene during a busy day.
I want to LIVE here! This place is serious business. Amateurs need not apply.
Chocolate in various % of cacao
Rare Beers
Truffle & olive oils from all over the world
Utensils galore
Food colorings for every color of the rainbow
Flavorings, from violet to orange blossom
Baking Supplies
Cookbooks
Chefs gear
Restaurant supplies
And cooking classes!
Kudos to Rafa for the astute review.
Serfas is definitely overpriced and a bit pretentious, still you can't help getting caught up in the hype if you stroll the aisles -- if only to fantasize.
The overpriced stuff is easily confirmed if you know the going rate for certain things you'll see there. Still, I come about once a month to buy premium European baking chocolate. We bought a pie cutter here that was total crap and broke after a few washings.
The removal of one star is for the abysmal customer service, which borders on rude.
One month ago I went to purchase my candied ginger they sell by the bag. They were out and waiting for a shipment.
Today I went again to purchase my candied ginger they sell by the bag. They were still out and waiting for a shipment.
Learning they were still out (and angry) I went to the cafe to purchase their Surfas decaf espresso by the bag....whole bean.
They were out.
I like this store but they have major problems keeping things in stock and I'm wondering if it's worth the trip.
I LOVE Surfas.
People say they love a lot of things, but I love Surfas like I love my cat, pork fat and cheese. That is true love. They have everything at Surfas! I did not get a basket because I try to only buy what I can carry in places like Surfas (helps me from going broke). I only bought what I could carry and still managed to spend almost $100. Le sigh, well it was money well spent.
Surfas has an amazing selection of cooking/baking supplies and foodstuff. I went to town on the artisanal candies next to the cash register, I could not resist. They sell Bariani olive oil, which is pretty hard to find in SoCal, so that was a win too. I also got a new tart pan and some brioche molds.
Surfas is not close to me at all, but well worth the drive.
Pop Quiz:
Its 3:00 p.m. on a Saturday
and u need cheesecloth, precut parchment paper, and a offset spatula to cook a gourmet meal to impress your new special someone. Where do you go? where do you go?
Bed Bath and Beyond? Sur La Table? No you go here to Surfas.
This place has everything for the gourmet amateur and professional alike. Seriously just about everything you can imagine. And the best thing is they seem to carry only high quality items with a reasonable price. Its not the poorly made useless gadgets or overpriced snob brands that you find at the prior two places.
Its a chefs paradise!
My favorite cooking store hands down. Okay think of a simple item that every restaurant has. Now… Read more »
A serious home chef's dream! Enticing specialty items you will not find in most high-end grocery stores all under one roof. Foie gras, duck confit, all kinds of soups bases, a fresh cheese/smoked meats counter, black rice, fresh pastas, and tons of cooking tools, pots and utensils. They also offer cooking classes and demos in a large spacious kitchen area. Always see a few chefs shopping which is a good sign. Good parking access and a cafe with gourmet sandwiches and soup which are on the pricey side $8.95-$11.95. Overall, Surfas is my go to place for special occasion dinners, holidays or replacing kitchen tools.
Pardon my crude language, but this place for the LA gourmand a veritable wet dream! If it is not way out of your way, this is THE first place to go if you have a specialty item you are looking for to make that incredible dish, or if you want the best of the best in your ingredients. MMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!! Don't forget to do some olive oil sampling, too!
I always feel like a lil kid in a candy store at Surfas. Gourmet food, drinks cooking supplies and utensils at affordable prices. Yeyah!
A few Cool Things Ive purchased:
Global Chef's knife (My first Good Knife!)
Callebaut chocolate (Made some delicious German Brownies)
Pizza Peel (for Pizza-made-from-scratch-Fridays)
Banana Bread Beer
Double Chocolate Stout Beer
Chipotle Garlic Sauce (good on everything!!)
If you love cooking you will love surfas.
This place is a Shangri-La for foodies. I don't even know what this place is. I still don't know. You can buy everything there, even the soap dispensers in the bathroom. Yes just grab the thing and buy it. You want the cash register they are using? After they ring up your stuff just tell then you want the cash register also.
It's like a restaurant, deli, super market, kitchen store, cooking show, samples, French people, Asians, hipsters, scenesters, top chefs, etc + galore!
Everything you have ever seen on The Food Network is here. Including chefs doing demos.
It's... it's... cool...or whatever.
The place is excellent for all those would be chef's, wine tasters and individuals who like to spend a little more than an hour in the kitchen whenever you can, like myself.
I went in because I wanted a new baking pan for my homemade pizza that i always cook. And I got trapped into buying more baking accessories and signed in to some wine tasting classes, to prepare me for my trip to wine tasting country. I know, up north; long drive and not my typical thing, but I am trying new things like Surfas.
"Cook's Paradise" is no exaggeration! Need an unusual ingredient for cooking? They have it! Need a kitchen gadget? They have it! They even have things you never knew you needed, but must now have! And if you haven't already died and gone to "Foodie Heaven" -- check out the Surfas Cafe for a meal, a snack or just some lovely bakery treat to take home!! I even take out-of-town guests to this as a "must see" location.
Anybody who gave Surfas less than 5 stars should have their Yelp account rescinded. I don't know what they didn't like about Surfas. They have everything you could possibly ever need or want for your kitchen and it's cheaper than any other store ever.
Best place ever.
I'm sad to say that I must knock off one star from my original review. The selection is still amazing, and I still have a grand old time wandering around in here (I just recently picked up a bottle of shrub to try out after hearing about it while listening to KCRW's Good Food), but it would be really nice if the employees could be a little more helpful when you call in to see if they have something in stock. A recent phone conversation went something like this:
"Do you have soup spoons?"
"Yeah, we probably do."
"Would you mind checking to save me the trip of driving there in case you don't have it?"
"Well, we sell spoons, so I'm pretty sure we have soup spoons."
Sigh. Luckily, Surfas did carry soup spoons, and once I arrived there, I found a very helpful employee who knelt on the ground to help me look at some spoons that were stored on a low shelf. But what if they didn't have it? I don't live so far away, but still . . . is it so hard to check? What is the point of having people answer the phones if they can't provide customer service?
I've passed by Surfas so many times while driving around Culver City, and each time, I've told… Read more »
I love surfas, it holds a special place in my heart next to gold bug in pasadena. You might say to yourself gold bug sells trinkets and jewelry and surfas sells food. But to me both of them can entertain the creative parts of my brain for a good hour, and have me wandering around in circles. And that is a great accomplishment.
My favorite thing about surfas........ the chocolate section of course who else has giant bins of Valharona chocolate in this city. Dr. Bob's ice cream!!!! I love Dr. Bobs it's some of the smoothest thick ice cream you will try......due to guar gum but I don't care. Mushrooms, dried ones to be exact. Pots, Pans, blowtorches. Lots of things I don't need that I can spend my money on. This is my kind of store.
Once we entered the doors, my friend whispered to me "This truly is a chef's paradise"
I laughed and ran in with my shopping cart. I wish there was a surfas in every neighborhood! I love this place. I love the equipment, the platewear, the baking specialties....blah blah blah. I love it.
I wish that I could film my own po' boy versian of top chef here! Challenge me. I will now perform this challenge using an oyster shucker and spoiled rice.
Honestly though, the prices are a little high. But, the selection is outstanding. If you enjoy cooking or want to start, come swing by this place.The staff are like very helpful angels in a chef's paradise!
My classmates had mentioned this place which i've passed before but never really noticed it much. I had to get some supplies for my intro to culinary class and was able to buy almost everything i needed. The only thing i was not able to buy was a boning knife (ran out). They have a huge selection of everything food and kitchen related. But not necessarily a big selection on each product. Their prices are very competitive as well. I will definitely come by again to attend their free demos and with whatever kitchen equipment i need. Also, i like how they have their own big parking lot.
Lisa is now my BFF pastry chef at Surfas. I've talked with her a few times and she's great about sharing her knowledge and skills with a non professional baker like myself. I love Surfas, it really is a special place to go. I admit it is an expensive store but when you need that special item for that special occasion meal you're putting together, this is the place to go.
This place is in a wonderful location because it is exactly on my way home from work. If I need any type of cooking tool of choice to destroy whatever meat I purchased at Cosco a month ago (usually has freezer burn) I'll get the weapon here.
A new crafty knife; a noddle strainer; or perhaps some baking flour. Whatever it is, this place has got it. I also stack up on party essentials when I throw my extravagant parties. This place has to be the greatest cooking store ever.
This place is awesome. Seriously... They have all of your baking needs!! I'm new at baking and I was trying out an indonesian recipe that calls for bread improver and coffee extract. I cannot find those darn things anywhere... Then, I came here and they're all here...!!! The prices are a bit pricey. If you're a bargain shopper, you're better off going somewhere else for your typical flour, but for the selection, definitely a 5 stars place. They also have a lot of people working there to help you. Everywhere I turn, someone's there to point things out for me.
They also have free cooking lessons at the store. You can just walk and and watch the chef cook. Today he was making sushi. Too bad that I was in a hurry. I only sat in for 10 minutes, but had to run out. I highly recommend this place to any new baker out there.
This palce is great because it has everything from food, baking needs and desires, and last but not least classes from cooking to wine tasting. Need I say more. I have never been to a place that did so much for the wanna be chef and cooking community.
The sweets they have there are sophisticated and simple at the same time. I learned about chocolates that I did not know existed. Your talking about from every region of the world.
The only thing abou this place is it is a little pricey.
All that can be said- probably has been. They have tablecloths, large vases for summer drinks, tahini, a charcutterie counter, chocolate, cheese, ladles of all sizes, caviar spoons, knives, lobster cracking devices, cook books, restaurant supply and EVERYTHING else that makes being alive worthwhile. I must admit I walked around the store in complete awe, I hadnt seen anything so beautiful in ages. Then I found out that this wasnt even the half of the inventory. Not to mention the proces are reasonable. Catch ME...I'm falling.
This is my cooking/food porn place of choice. And it's close by.
I think the cafe is overpriced as well as some frozen things. But the pantry items, and baking supplies are incredible! Anything you would possibly want for the kitchen can be found here. I buy almost all of my baking products, packaging and supplies here, for less than other baking stores.
The staff is very friendly & helpful as well.
I could wander this store for hours, actually I did, well an hour. They have everything that you can imagine and more. While my friend and I were shopping, one of the workers kept popping over unexpectedly giving us hits as to what something was, or how it should be used. It was odd because he always seemed to show up at exactly the right moment.
The food area is impressive. We finally had to tear ourselves away, before we started to spend more money than we wished. There is just so much that one can justify buying here.
Why is it every time I shop at Surfas, I can NEVER find anyone to help me? If I'm lucky enough to grab a sales associate, they are ALWAYS rushing off to do something. I went there yesterday and once again, walked out with nothing. I needed some baking pans and was lucky enough to find and chase down an associate. When I did, I felt I had to ask my question in 10 seconds or less or she was gone. Is it because I'm not a professional baker?
They have cool kitchen supplies like industrial mixers, deli meat slicers, and soft serve machines, and there's a large selection of white plates/dishes for serving and eating. This place is like heaven for those who enjoy preparing food. I could spend hours in there lingering.
However, they also have interesting foods - a huge selection of candies and chocolate chips, things for baking, interesting wines like a late harvest viognier. There are also unique condiments and sauces, cheeses, meats.
There's also a parking lot!
Prices are reasonable for what they sell, though the dishes/cups tend to be pricier. It's a fun place to spend time browsing and wishing you could afford it all...
whoaaa...
*and this place has a huge parking lot
I finally found Dean and DeLuca West.
If you are anything remotely close to a epicurean at heart, please take the time to find Surfas in Culver City. This place is grand central for all things culinary from industrial stand mixers the size of a jacuzzi to frozen duck confit and everything else you need in between. I spent hours and hours looking through each and every aisle- sighing, oohing and ahhing with delight and wonder. I tasted each and every olive oil and balsamic vinegar sample shots. I tried to memorize every herb and spice available (they have bulk sizes.) There were chef quality knives that would put Shun to shame- for a fraction of the price! For foie gras sake, try to get yourself out here ASAP!
It blows away Bristol Farms and Williams-Sonoma. Their pimp hand is suddenly not so strong since I found "big daddy" Surfas.
P.S. There were so many cigarette butt in the parking lot- proof that real chefs were here.
I LOVE this store!!!
As a chef, this is my "candy store". My only problem is that it's all the way in Culver City and going there is like a half day trip kind of thing.
Like yesterday. I was on my way to the LA Elite Event at The Beachcomber in Malibu, but instead of battling through traffic, I drove out early and hung out in West LA. Surfas was one of my stops.
Usually whenever I go, I always have in mind what I need or want. This was one of the rare instances where I didn't have anything to buy or anything that I needed. So I browsed and browsed with an empty basket for almost an hour before picking up a pack of half sheet sized parchment paper, a can of hazelnut praline paste, a jar of feuilletine, and some 4oz aluminum tins (I think 40 count?)
But this place has EVERYTHING. A cold and frozen food section, a vast array of oils and vinegars, dried pastas, nuts, chocolate cups, tart shells, chocolates (for baking purposes), decent wine selection, and then a whole other section of molds, flexopans, cake decorating supplies, utensils and cooking tools, as well as flatware, plates and glassware, serving supplies and even restaurant and industrial equipment. It's a one-stop shop!!!!!
Unlike the old location that was literally RIGHT around the corner on National, they now have a small like bakery/cafe called Cafe Surfas, with pastries, coffee, and sandwiches and whatnot. I haven't been there but I always see a handful of people sitting on the covered patio.
Dear Surfas,
Can you move or open another store in Pasadena so I don't have to drive so far?
Thank you,
Austin S.
Neighborhood: Mid-City West
Category: Kitchen & Bath
Neighborhood: Mid-City
Category: Wholesale Stores
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Category: Professional Services
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