Natas Pastries & Portuguese Cafe

Nearly six years ago, Fatima Marques, a native of Lisbon, Portugal, searched Los Angeles for pasteis de nata, the most famous of Portuguese pastries. She discovered a void in the citys culinary landscape and true inspiration for a specialty pastry shop. On June 1, 25, Fatima celebrated the grand opening of Natas Pastries, the only Portuguese bakery in L. A. Named after its signature pastry, nata, means cream, has an exceptionally crisp puff pastry shell that is perfectly balanced by a custard filling resembling crème brûlée. The shop quickly became the talk of the Los Angeles Portuguese community and a neighborhood favorite on Ventura blvd. In 21 Natas Pastries expanded to a full service restaurant by creating a dining area serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. The bistro-style dishes flaunt the flavors of the Portuguese traditions. Start the day with a pastry and a bica, espresso shot, or French toast on Portuguese Sweet Bread or a Scramble with chouriço. At lunch you might want to try the Caldo Verde, a classic kale soup, or the Delicias do Mar, a delicious seafood salad with baby shrimp or the Prosciutto sandwich drizzled with Portuguese unfiltered olive oil, tomatoes and fresh basil. At dinner try the chouriço sausage, flambéed at the table on a traditional pig-shaped ceramic brazier and finish with the Bacalhau, Portugals ubiquitous salt cod, served here in the most traditional versions. And then, theres dessert, extensive choices to choose from, but whatever you decide to get here, it will be worth every single bite. The traditional dishes and regional sweets are a mixture of tastes and colors, carefully prepared with the freshest local and most carefully chosen imported national ingredients. The restaurant is known for the great variety of Petiscos, Portuguese style tapas, presented in the form of home-made and startling dishes that combine the Portuguese traditional meals or snacks with the novelty and imagination of the chef/owner Fatima Marques.