writepudding:

 
Before Shaunt Adessian opened Shanto&rsquo;s Bakery  in La Crescenta, he  traveled thousands of miles from Los Angeles,  arriving in Lebanon to  discover the Levantine culinary methods and  delights his parents grew up  with. Except he was looking for the likes  of baked manakish bread  bubbling with za&rsquo;atar and olive oil in Beirut,  and the famous esfiha  meat pies made with ground beef and spices of  Baalbek, not the cupcakes  and cookies that have evolved as classic  American bakery fare.
L.AghajanianHazelnut chocolate Nutella and sliced bananas wrapped in fresh baked pita bread
He even included some nostalgia in the form of bananas doused in warm  Nutella wrapped in pita bread &amp;#8212; a typical breakfast children in Lebanon  would eat on their way to school.
Read more of my piece (and see more photos)&nbsp; on L.A.&rsquo;s portal into Beirut at LA Weekly: A Taste of Beirut: Shanto&rsquo;s Bakery
