Only sweet dreams in new bakery

Cafe, feature 3, Issue 2, Leandro Fefer, New Bakery, Sweet Dreams, Entertainment - By Leandro Fefer on Thursday, September 15, 2011 - 02:26

The graffiti scratched, tinted windows that conceal the Sweet Dreams dessert lounge on 12824 Hadley St. gives off a distinctively shabby appearance. The location, a block off Whittier’s main commerce street, is a bit out of the way for most Whittier students. However, contrary to its drab exterior, Sweet Dreams dessert lounge’s interior has a clear focus on aesthetics and style. Everything is kept classy in black and white, accented only with the pop of pink trimming. The hardwood floors are tasteful but the soft trance music is reminiscent of a disco in Ibiza.

The bakery/café is roughly 1200 square feet and is divided into two rooms. The entry room provides a service counter, attended by two friendly and effectively professional, male baristas. Wearing matching pink ties and black formal wear, they stand behind glass pastry displays, providing a glance at the goods which are titillating to the eye. The displayed delicacies include apple, cherry and berry turnovers, accompanied by various cookies, as well as cake by the slice, tarts, brownies and an assortment of cupcakes. This collection is finished off with a row of tasty, small sandwiches and an espresso machine.

The disco-trance continues into the dinning room (although at one point it was interrupted by kid kuddi!). The airconditioning is a bit overpowering, but on a hot day, this could be welcome. Here, the furniture is modern and classy but not decadent. Stainless steel, glass-top tables with white wooden chairs are spaced across the center of the room. Along one wall there are higher tables made of stainless and black wood with black leather stools and along the other wall, there are black fake-leather couches that could sit two or three comfortably. The coolest feature stylistically is the wallpaper that covers the largest walls in the dinning room where the New York skyline is thrice repeated in black and white, with pink highlights.

This pastry menu is said to change daily and the prices range from $.75 for a small cookie and $4.50- $5 for personal sized cake slice to $2- $3.25 for brownies and cupcakes in the mid-range.

The menu also offers basic short breakfasts ham & eggs or pancakes ($6.50 and $4.95 respectively), a breakfast sandwich ($3.50) and a changing breakfast special ($6). The panini sandwiches are $8 and there is a BLT and grilled cheese option for $5.25. Salads are $8 and espresso drinks are priced at regular market espresso prices.

The espresso seems to be the only thing lacking, but it is not terrible. When it comes down to it, Sweet Dreams “lounge” is made or broken to a potential customer by two things: do you intend to stay a while? And do you like trance, soft, club, techno? If the answer to the first question is no, then let your budget decide, because the food seems delicious and well made. If your first answer is yes, then the answer to your second question will decide whether your experience is a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare.

Sweet Dreams’ grand opening will be on Wednesday, Sept. 15 at 10 a.m.; regular hours are Monday-Saturday 8 a.m.-9 p.m. and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sundays.