Plugs — Sasha Piligian

L.A. food and drink recs from the Eastside's favorite baker

Plugs is The Angel’s recs column. Every Saturday, you’ll get six picks—a restaurant, a bar, a shop, an ingredient, a person, and a treat—from someone in Los Angeles who knows what they’re talking about. (Plugs are for paid subscribers of The Angel only. However, if you’re in the restaurant industry and want a free subscription, hit me up. :))

#21 is Sasha Piligian, the baker whose goods fill the pastry cases at Canyon Coffee, LA Homefarm, Jurassic Magic, Community Goods, lil’East Coffee, and Carla’s Fresh Market. Her carrot-coconut loaf cake, seasonal fruit scones, and sweet brioche buns are all coveted pairings alongside a cortado or a cold brew. Sasha is also known for her beautiful curd-filled and jam-topped layer cakes, which she makes in market-inspired flavors like Meyer lemon-dulce de leche and passionfruit with vanilla and white chocolate. She was born and bred in Los Angeles, and sometimes, you’ll see her Armenian roots slip into her pastry creations. Every Wednesday, I look forward to Sasha’s farmers market report on her Instagram story, which is how I keep tabs on what’s newly in season and peaking. Here are her L.A. Plugs!

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Restaurant — Surawon Tofu House

The decor inside Surawon Tofu House is funny because it clearly used to be a Mexican restaurant so it’s cowboy themed inside even though it’s a Korean restaurant. The food is really solid. You can go and get all the banchan you want and a fried fish and soon tofu soup. When I want something comforting and nourishing I usually want soup or something soup adjacent, and I like going there because it’s always consistently good.