Bob’s Well Bread

Fellow bakery devotees may have been wondering what has taken me so long to shine a light on Bob’s Well Bread. I don’t have an answer since I have been a huge fan ever since this fantastic bakery opened in Los Alamos nine years ago. Maybe I just figured Bob’s had received more than its share of high praise, but it is a terrific place so here goes…

Bob’s Well Bread is now in Ballard, too!

A word here about founder/owner Bob Oswaks himself. Anyone who has encountered Bob at the register has a story to tell. Bob does not regularly greet customers with a disarming smile and good cheer. He is more likely to remind you, in a serious voice, to stay behind a certain place in line. Bob’s is consistently busy, so it is understandable that he is not available to chit chat. However, my loquacious and smiling husband did coax a big grin and friendly conversation out of Bob after mentioning that we had just listened to an interview of him on MakeMoves. It was from this interview that we learned about Bob’s long career in show business, and his foray into sourdough bread making. He audaciously brought a loaf of his bread to his neighbor, Nancy Silverton of La Brea Bread fame. What comes through the interview is Bob’s absolute devotion to making nothing but the best, most high quality breads and pastries. He does not skimp on ingredients or the time it takes to perfect a recipe. His exceptionally high standards are what makes Bob’s Well Bread an out-of-this-world place. I could (and will) tick off everything he makes beautifully: croissants, light, very flaky and buttery, check; sourdough bread, crusty exterior, spongy, sour interior, check; pastries, generous with fruit and other fillings, flaky crusts, check; cookies, soft on the inside with a sturdier edge and great flavor, check… The list is endless.

Ballard bakery and cafe

During my first trip to Bob’s in Los Alamos, I was eager to try everything. My friend Kathleen, who shares my love of food and finding special eating spots, was also eager to experience Bob’s. I was so taken with the savory dishes on offer, that–believe it or not–I did not simply order a selection of pastries and a coffee or tea. Instead, I ordered the Mushroom Toast which included delicately sauteed mushrooms of all kinds, “creme fraiche, bacon lardons and shallots over a peppery house-made biscuit, and topped with a poached farm egg.” Every ingredient on the biscuit was well-seasoned and the biscuit was made of soft fluffy layers. Perhaps I over-indulged that morning, but I sure was content. I also ate a phenomenal croissant that day.

Bob’s Well Bread in Los Alamos

Since that first memorable meal, I never drive north on the 101 without making a stop at Bob’s. When my husband Don and I are on a road trip, we grab breakfast to go. Most recently, I indulged in a very flaky pain au chocolat and a ham and cheese croissant for him. We usually get our lunch at the same time: I love the simplicity of the ham and cheese sandwich on a petite ficelle with butter. Don usually opts for the equally good and simple salami sandwich. Our close friends Brett and Lynne are also keen on Bob’s, and (as I’ve written previously) we must bring them a loaf of Bob’s Olive Fougasse, a “Leaf-shaped  Rustic French loaf with Oil Cured Black Olives, Green Castlevetrano Olives, brushed with Olive Oil and sprinkled with Maldon Sea Salt” whenever we are heading to their home in Sonoma. Arriving empty-handed is NOT an option. 

Perhaps my favorite meal at Bob’s took place on my way up to San Luis Obispo to visit Heather this spring. My intention was to have a light snack, but I ended up having a very filling plate of food. Bob’s was hopping on a Sunday morning; I felt lucky to snag a table near the front counter before getting in line. Bob was not in the house, but I could only imagine his facial expression when not one, but two customers asked the cashier if the bread and pastries were fresh. Ha! Back to my lunch: I ordered the Gravlax Platter, a real beauty which arrives on a large-ish wooden board,  the ingredients attractively fanned out. Each element of what became my heavenly sandwich was perfect: velvety, salty gravlax, briny capers, full-flavored sliced tomatoes, a lightly toasted sesame seed bagel, some fronds of fresh dill, herbed cream cheese, and thin slices of stellar preserved lemon which was, after the gravlax, perhaps my favorite ingredient. I make and use preserved lemons all the time, thanks to my small but very productive Meyer lemon tree. Bob’s lemons were unusual: they were sliced wafer thin and were vinegary and a tad sweet which was such a delicious surprise and a nice counterpoint to the other flavors. I could have sat there for hours, carefully constructing and then taking small, mindful bites of my creation, sipping an Arnold Palmer, and eavesdropping, an activity I adore. However, Heather was expecting me, so I grabbed two cookies, the slightly crunchy, chocolate filled “everything,” and a molasses one which was soft and richly flavored.

My most recent trip to Bob’s in Ballard was for breakfast on an overcast Saturday. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to order the gravlax dish again and was not disappointed. Later in the day I poured myself a cup of tea and enjoyed Bob’s cinnamon morning bun. It was buttery, sweet, and I relished the contrast between the softness of the inner pastry and the crunchy cinnamon sugar edges. Bob’s Well Bread is yet another bakery I wish were in my neighborhood. For now, I will continue to trek to Ballard or Los Alamos and am sure to be rewarded with excellent food each time.