What began as a pandemic-era baking hobby has blossomed into one of Los Angeles's most talked-about bakeries. Modu Cafe, the brainchild of founder Jiyoon Jang, has opened its permanent sun-drenched home in Highland Park, earning rave reviews and Instagram devotion in equal measure.
The minimalist interior, which looks straight out of Scandinavia, draws attention to Jang's picturesque Korean flavor-inflected pastries displayed in a glass case like art on exhibit. But unlike many photogenic bakeries that prioritize style over substance, Modu's offerings deliver on both fronts.
"Modu deftly navigates the fine line between substance and style with pastries that have likely graced thousands of Instagram feeds but still impress with flavor and texture," noted Eater LA's Rebecca Roland in a recent review.
The standout miso honey cinnamon roll arrives gently warmed, casting off aromas of honey and cinnamon. The honey-glazed plush milk bread base, filled with miso, cinnamon, and black sugar, takes on warming flavors similar to a Korean hotteok without becoming too sweet.
Jang's black sesame mochi cake bar embodies the ideal "Q texture" with a springy bite and pleasant density achievable only through rice flour—and it's gluten-free. The perilla lime tart, meanwhile, could easily grace a fine dining menu, featuring a shatteringly crisp candied perilla leaf atop zingy perilla lime cream.
The cafe also offers an expansive coffee and tea menu, including a cream-topped espresso cloud and Korean loose-leaf teas. For larger orders, Modu takes pre-orders for whole cakes and boxes of mini milk cream buns.
Jang's journey from pandemic hobbyist to successful pop-up operator to permanent cafe owner represents the kind of entrepreneurial success story that defines LA's food scene.
Modu Cafe is located at 5805 York Boulevard, Highland Park.