VOLUME SIXTY-FOUR
HARUCAKE
The hype is real. The hype is earned. The lines have calmed down, and now is your time to strike. The best item here is not what you think it is, but it’s all so good, so don’t fret if you’ve missed it.
Harucake, opened by Ellie You in Koreatown a little over two years ago, enjoyed a long period of “extreme hype”. Lines were two hours long on the weekend, which I’m absolutely never going to do. I get why people do – it’s that good – but not for me. I am patient, though, and I have a long memory for where to eat. The lines are much more manageable now, but I still highly recommend visiting this spot on a weekday if you can.
Harucake specializes in Korean “not too sweet” cakes that are artfully flavored and minimally (but beautifully) decorated. Are they expensive? Yeah, absolutely, but the quality is exceptional. Most cake kinda sucks, and these cakes rule – these are delicate and delicious and worth it.
Here’s what to order: Get a slice of cake. If I had to pick one… I’d get the Strawberry Milk Cream. Other slices I’ve loved are: Pure Milk Cream, Black Sesame, and Mugwort Injeolmi. All of these are made with the lightest genoise sponge and super fresh cream. Then get their Soo Soo latte – aka the corn latte – which is a stellar version of that drink. It comes with a little corn cob shaped bit of corn ice cream that slowly melts as you drink it.
They have other baked goods too – and they’re all good – but the best item at Harucake is the Egg Tart. Harucake might make the best egg tart in Los Angeles, and I don’t see it getting the recognition it deserves. Flaky and buttery crust with the ideal custard – perfectly set and rich.
They have a few versions, but I recommend the original and the corn. These are insanely good egg tarts, and I’ve spent a lot of my time searching out egg tarts in New York and LA. Eat these soon.
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That’s all. See you next week!