Baking with Ish

Inside San Gabriel’s Blossom Market Hall, you’ll find Baking with Ish, a small bakery operation run by namesake Ishnoelle Chin Richardson. The Filipino American baker draws inspiration from his heritage with a rotating line-up of creations like ube black sesame buns, calamansi doughnuts and maximalist interpretations of the country’s classic ensaymada (a cheesy sweet brioche bun). One of his most popular offerings is the meringue-topped ube custard pie—Richardson has a heavy hand with meringue, which he dollops onto sweet buns and various pies, typically available by the slice; whole pies can be pre-ordered in advance. Certain items occasionally sell out early, so I recommend coming closer to opening, but you'd be hard-pressed to find such high-quality, deliciously inventive pastries without keeping up with L.A.’s ever-changing pop-up scene.