Scandia Bakery Deli succeeds on busy Forest Avenue

Glori Fickling

Busy Forest Avenue in Downtown Laguna Beach is a mecca of restaurants

and art galleries. I like to call it gallery/restaurant row.

Though the street has a history of too-frequent dining closings

over the decades, there’s good news that in two long-vacant sites we

recently welcomed the prestigious Brussels Bistro and now an

affordable Italian trattoria is in the offing. Among the few winners

who have succeeded over years is the Scandia Bakery and Deli, which

has been under the same ownership for an extraordinary quarter of a

century.

Chalk up its success to the hospitable Tabrizi family, mother

Roshan, her gracious sons Hamid, Ben and Mitch and their respective

spouses. Back in the 50s local Lagunans should remember the site as

Trotter’s which changed hands and a name or two several times over

the decades. Scandia’s main attraction looks to be the sprawling

showcase of irresistibly delectable cakes, pastries and cookies

displayed near the entrance. You will always find admiring patrons

standing in line awaiting take-out or dine-in service to devour the

superb taste sensations impeccably created on the premises.

Farther back, past the opposing wall enhanced with the paintings

of famed local artist Ruth Mayer, you will discover two glass fronted

presentations of assorted salads and entrees. These tempting

arrangements coupled with printed wall menus are at the ready to

expedite one’s choices. More than a dozen lunch and dinner

embellishments on view include piroshki, tabbouleh, quiches, salads

of Chinese chicken, tortellini, tuna, pasta, potato and more. These

range from $2.75 for a small green salad going to $5.50 for more

hefty items.

Lunch is available from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. and prior to that,

starting at 6 a.m. breakfast is the order of the day. This consists

of those luscious sweet rolls, pastries, exotic teas and the wide

varieties of coffees flavored with hazelnut, Irish cream, vanilla,

chocolate raspberry and cafe Americana.

Your choice of half-and-half or milk are on a rear serving station

to add as you please along with such flavorings as ground cinnamon

and cocoa powder. And of course there are cappuccinos, mochas and

lattes along with all kinds of sodas and soft drinks.

Daytime selections are ordered at the counter and served at your

table. Scandia is noted for its baked chicken, a specialty served by

the piece starting at $1.75 with a la carte accompaniments of

vegetables, potatoes and any of the salad temptations. There are

pancakes to order and a variety of breads and rolls are the basis for

a full range of sandwich fillings, these at $3.75 to $5.50. For a

nourishing beginning, try the creamy chicken leak soup and vegetable

meatball potage at $3.50 a serving.

It is those fabulous desserts which will immediately set your

taste buds in motion. Topping the list of more than a hundred

luscious creations is the mile-high strawberry cream puff, a splendid

sensation of tender puff pastry laced with velvety custard, plump

strawberries and whipped cream, the top half crusted with a thick

film of rich, dark chocolate. Priced from $1.75 to $3.25 are plump

napoleons, artistic petit fours, inviting rectangles of tire miso,

chocolate/raspberry Florentines and yummy black forest cake.

Gorgeous layer cakes certain to make any gathering a major success

are tagged at $27, among these, mocha crowned with chocolate spirals,

chocolate lavished with heaps of shaved chocolate, carrot cake spiked

with tiny faux carrots. The Scandia family is further famed for

designing sheet cakes to enhance any occasion.

* GLORI FICKLING is a longtime Laguna Beach resident who has

written restaurant news and views columns since 1966. She may be reached at (949) 494-4710 or by e-mail at [email protected].