LEE OWENSPark on Greenleaf Avenue includes a
basketball court, grassy area and jungle gym for kids.11 a.m.
First stop is the Whittier Art
Gallery, at 8035 Painter Ave. This
is no ordinary community art
space. It’s small, intimate and
beloved for a collection that al-
ways manages to surprise as it
celebrates and spotlights local
artists. On Saturday mornings,
there is a writing club where
locals workshop their stories with
colleagues, one of the many
events held each month. Watch
the website for events, exhib-
itions, and callouts (and prizes)
to artists: whittierart
gallery.org/events.
11:30 a.m.
Head north on Painter Avenue
until you hit La Cuarta Street,
then head west toward Lee Ow-
ens Park, at 7954 Greenleaf Ave.
On one end is a basketball court,
next to it is a big plot of grass
popular with dogs (and their
owners) and, on the north end,
there is a fun, little jungle gym.
11:45 a.m.
After walking through Lee
Owens Park, head north on
Greenleaf until you hit the Green
Leaf Thai Cuisine, at 7756 Green-
leaf Ave. Keep an eye out, because
if you aren’t careful you might
pass this quaint little restaurant.
The wooden interior and various
Southeast Asian ornaments
create a unique aesthetic for this
hole-in-the-wall restaurant. Local
favorites include the stir-fried
black pepper beef and pad Thai
noodles, with perhaps a rice dish
to complete your lunch. (If you’re
not driving, I recommend order-
ing hot Gekkeikan Junmai sake
for some liquid tranquility.)1 p.m.
Let’s walk off that Thai food:
Continue north on Greenleaf,
and you’ll pass several shops
that have been hometown sta-
ples for decades. Soon, you’ll hit
a slice of history: The Whittier
Depot at 7333 Greenleaf Ave, a
historic train depot built in 1892
that currently houses a railroad
museum. (If you want to go
inside, you need to go on a week-
day. It’s closed on weekends.)
Congrats, you’ve made it
halfway through Uptown Whitti-
er. Drained by the journey?
Nearby shops such as Chillin’
and 145 Coffee — just a few doors
from each other, at 7041 Green-
leaf Ave. and 7021 Greenleaf Ave.,
respectively — can quench yourthirst and deliver a quick caffeine
fix, and more.1:30 p.m.
After passing some of Up-
town’s restaurants and bars, you
will find the coolest comic shop in
the neighborhood. Undercity
Comics at 12920 Philadelphia St.
has the latest editions in super-
hero comics, graphic novels and
custom-made action figures.
(Undercity Comics also rents out
a studio for aspiring podcasters
for $15 an hour.) This little store
has something for comic fans
young and old to geek out over.2 p.m.
Finish your trek by visiting the
Whittier Museum, at 6755 Newlin
Ave. The first floor showcases
Whittier’s history through photos
dating to the 1880s, contributing
to the museum’s Wild West look
and feel. The second floor hasvivid oil paintings from prominent
Whittier artists such Wanda Riske,
and across the hallway is a memo-
rial for the nation’s 37th president,
Richard Nixon. While many may
recall Yorba Linda as Nixon’s
birthplace, Whittier was where hegrew up before pursuing a career
in politics. In the middle of the
museum stands a life-size statue
of the former president sitting in
the Oval Office, which is so realis-
tic it eerily makes you feel like
you’re looking at a ghost.FOUR HOURSIN UPTOWN WHITTIERTHE WHITTIER DEPOT,a historic train depot built in 1892 and relocated here, houses a railroad museum, open only on weekdays.Photographs byBrian van der BrugLos Angeles TimesA family-friendly, tree-lined stroll
By Diego Medrano
UNDERCITYComics has the latest editions in superhero comic
books, graphic novels and custom-made action figures for sale.If you were one of the many lis-
teners of Long Beach rapper
Vince Staples’ EP “FM,” you could
hear L.A. radio host Big Boy giv-
ing a quick shout-out to Whittier,
“where the girls are prettier.” If
you grew up in neighboring cities,
such as La Habra or Pico Rivera,
you probably heard that phrase
at a house party or two.
It may not be as famous as
Santa Monica or Hollywood. But
Whittier’s appeal — particularly
Uptown Whittier — extends far
beyond an iconic shout-out in a
song. The family-friendly streets
of Painter and Greenleaf are lined
with towering, deciduous trees
that might feel foreign in Greater
Los Angeles County but are right
at home in this neighborhood-
driven community with plenty of
shops, bars and restaurants that
strongly encourage strolling.
THE WHITTIERMuseum showcases the city’s
history with photos, paintings and a Nixon memorial.
THE COLORFULpapaya salad at the hole-in-the-
wall restaurant the Green Leaf Thai Cuisine.Leslie GrowFor The TimesAlmond Dutch Baby with Honeyed Figs
30 minutes. Serves 2 to 4.(^2) large eggs
(^1) ⁄ 3 cup whole milk
¼cup superfine almond flour
¼cup packed powdered sugar,
plus more
¼teaspoon fine sea salt, plus
more
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon honey
8 fresh figs, halved or quartered
if large
1 Heat the oven to 400 degrees
with an 8-inch well-seasoned or
enameled cast iron pan on the
center rack.
2 Combine the eggs and milk in a
blender and purée on medium
speed until frothy. Add the al-
mond flour, powdered sugar and
salt, and purée on high speed
until smooth.
3 Carefully remove the hot pan
from the oven and add the but-
ter. Swirl to melt and evenly coat
the bottom and sides, then im-
mediately pour in the batter and
return to the oven. Bake until
puffed and dark golden brown,
about 25 minutes. While the
Dutch baby bakes, mix the hon-
ey with 1 teaspoon water until
smooth. Add the figs and a tiny
pinch of salt. Gently fold until
evenly coated.
4 As soon as the Dutch baby
comes out of the oven, spoon the
figs with their honey syrup on
top and dust with powdered
sugar. Serve immediately.
Ripe figs give me the same deep
joy I get when holding a newborn.
They feel so soft and fuzzy and
have a delicate, sweet scent that
smells like nothing else in the
world. A few long inhales and
everything is suddenly better.
That’s the effect of this simple
brunch too. The jammy sweetness
of tender figs is accentuated with a
drizzle of honey and bit of salt.
Cooking figs dampens their com-
plex taste, so I keep them raw in
this simple topping. Pick figs that
give a little when you squeeze them
gently and use them within a day.
Mold speckles appear pretty
quickly on the ripe fruit.
To balance the figs’ inherent
sugariness, I set them over a Dutch
baby made with almond flour. Figs
and almonds pair well on a cheese
platter, and they get along just fine
here too.
Traditionally, a Dutch baby is a
floury baked pancake that soufflés
and puffs up in the oven. Swapping
in almond flour gives it a richer
taste and nearly custardy center
under the crackly top. Powdered
sugar helps the pancake puff up
and caramelize around the edges.
The resulting pancake is gluten-
free and, more important, deli-
cious.
A blender helps the batter come
together quickly and eliminates
any possible lumps, but you can
prepare it by hand too. Whisk the
eggs and milk until frothy, then
whisk in the dry ingredients a little
at a time until smooth. Either way,
you’ll get the mix in the oven in
minutes and end up with an im-
pressive dish.
THE SATURDAY COOK
Ripe figs and honey sweeten a gluten-free pancake
F2 S LATIMES.COM
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FOOD & DINING
By Genevieve Ko