Last month, new B1 Breadshop cracked the red ribbon on its bakery, just east of Downtown, a facility that co-owner James Walker told Grub Street would be the main headquarters for a business preparing French pastries and breads using all-natural, organic flour for daily distribution throughout the city. Just one week ago, B1 opened its first outlet dedicated strictly to retail, a Venice strip mall storefront selling the breads and sweet stuff baked daily in Downtown, along with wine, organic tea, and Monkey & Sons coffee from 8:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M each day. The southern Abbot Kinney space, catty-corner from Sunny Spot, is fairly stark, though the products, fat, glistening, and fresh, do all of the talking.
In addition to tempting almond croissants, palmiers, pan au chocolat using Valhrona, brioche, turnovers, jésuites, and sticky buns, B1 in Venice is also selling croissants filled with ham and cheese and spinach and feta, plus ten-dollar sandwiches on sits own baguetes, with the likes of portobello with peppers, caprese, pepperoni and prosciutto, albacore tuna, and sliced turkey sandwiches on a short menu. Similarly priced salad options include one Caesar and another with fruit and nuts, with the additional options of grilled chicken for $2.50 on each and a side salad served with any sandwich for $2.50.
The wine list is a short one, with four whites (Foxglove Chardonnay and Morgan Sauvignon Blanc from Cali, plus Spanish Avaniel Tempranillo and Naia Verdejo) and five reds (including two from Argentina’s Felino), priced between eight and fourteen dollars. Baguettes come in at around $3.80, while the pastries are mostly priced at $3.50 or below.
B1 Breadshop, 2805 Abbot Kinney Blvd. Venice. 424-259-1222.
