Cute quaint place, drinks are nice, the baolobao ice cream is bomb, I have been a regular but keep forgetting to write about this place. Owner is chill and laidback! Take a trip and check it out! read more

Tasty! The store is a bit hard to find, in the plaza it's around the corner past the bank. Plenty of parking. I got the bolo bao/pineapple bun, it doesn't taste like pineapple but it is good. I got three scoops. The jasmine milk tea was creamy and smooth with distinct flavor. Black sesame had good taste that wasn't too overwhelming or dry and powdery, which is sometimes the case at other places. Ube was really good l, great consistently and flavor. The bao and ice cream together was AMAZING. I'm not usually that interested in the donuts or cookies with ice cream, but this bao was something else. Yum! The service was very friendly and prompt. They have stamp cards, which I'll definitely be using since I plan to come back a lot! read more

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The ice cream has a really good flavor. I highly recommend the strawberry shortcake flavor.

My cousin the foodie bloodhound caught a street sign from the corner of his eye while driving and immediately turned into this plaza. Something about the name of that place compelled him to check it out. I was there with him as he investigated this place. The bolo bao intrigued us because they can stuff it with ice cream. Hmmm...must try it. We ordered ours that had half ube ice cream and half sesame seed ice cream stuffed into a warm bolo bao. The warm sweet bao that I bit into gave way to the melting ice cream sensation which I must say was very delicious! My cousin felt the same way. In a few short bites it was all gone... We both knew we couldn't just hold onto them because the ice cream was melting inside the bao. You could only eat these immediately. But what a wonderful blissful moment it was! Definitely worth coming back for more! read more

Crispy & Fluffed - Warm Bolo Bao stuffed with Ube and Sesame Seed ice creams. - Desserts Near Me - El Monte, California

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Cozy little place for desserts. They offer pineapple bun ice cream sandwiches which is what got me here. The place is tucked away on the side of the plaza so it would be pretty hard to spot if you don't know it's there. They have a good variety of ice cream flavors which was perfect for my niece and nephew. I tried the Cookie Monster flavor in the pineapple bun and it wasn't bad. The kids stuck with the simple chocolate and strawberry which is always available even if it's not in the display. The service was quick and great. Menu was to the point. And they have plenty of parking in this plaza especially on this side. Also, they have some games for customers to play and hang out while enjoying their ice cream. read more

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We got the the ube and green tea ice cream in a bolo bao and it was so good! I also sampled the cookies and cream and horchata but I felt they were too sweet for me. Ube and green tea were so delicious and paired so well with the pineapple bun. I looove ice cream and pineapple bun, so putting the two together was perfection. I would highly recommend! Great price for two scoops. read more

Crispy & Fluffed - Ube and green tea ice cream in a bolo bao - Desserts Near Me - El Monte, California

Bottom line: the warm bolo bao stuffed with premium ice cream is amazing. The crust on the bao is perfectly sweet and flaky. Makes a mess... as it should. The ice cream is super creamy and, imo, "not too sweet." Basically, what everyone else is saying. Hope this place sticks around. read more

Yummy bolo bao! Must visit when in East LA! Lines were short and service was good. Great spot for a sweet tooth- many different flavors and different types of desserts. read more

Despite the fact that I didn't eat lunch after church, when my sister showed me this new dessert place, we decided to check it out right away. Crispy & Fluffed's big star is probably their bolo bao, AKA the pineapple bun; they offer a unique twist to this popular Hong Kong pastry item by offering the addition of ice cream and toppings into the bun. Very similar to Afters except with the bolo bao instead of the doughnut. They also have ice cream for sale on its own or served in homemade waffle cones in flavors such as original, pandan, cinnamon, or mango. In conjunction with the store's name, they offer crispy and fluffed pastries such as savory croissants and puff pastries as well as French fries. And they have various milk and fruit teas offered on their menu. The storefront is very cute, but a little hidden. It's located in the Action Lanes plaza, but on the very right side of the plaza where the stores go inward - right next to the Zumba store. Plenty of parking, and you'll probably be enjoying the loud music from the Zumba class if it's in session cause that music is loud. There are a few tables inside with minimalistic succulent plants. The wall is also super cute, and there are random calligraphy bits throughout the store that really ties it together with the menu. Ended up just going simple and ordering the bolo bun with butter. $2.25 - this was one of the best pineapple buns I've ever eaten! Warm and fresh from the oven, the flakiness of the crust of bread contrasted well with the softness of the bread. And that stick of butter! My dad commented that the butter really made the overall bread. It was thick, flavorful, and super creamy. Some people might be weirded out by eating a thick slab of butter, but it's worth a try. Perfect amount of sweetness, crispiness and softness. My sister customized her bolo bun with ice cream, cookie butter ice cream, condensed milk, and fruity pebbles - primarily for picture purposes. The total was $4.25 since toppings were free. The bolo bun is hollowed out and filled with ice cream before toppings are placed on top. It's definitely an interesting twist on the bolo bun, but I felt like it was a bit too sweet for me. Ice cream is good and the toppings are super cute - for eating wise, I just prefer the regular bolo bun with butter. We also were able to try a few drinks - milk tea and passion fruit green tea. Both were pretty good and priced at a very good price ($2.50 on all drinks). Milk tea was not super smooth, but fairly good - I could taste the tea and richness of the milk tea, but I really like the passion fruit tea a lot more. I could taste the acidity of the drink, and it wasn't too sour or sweet. If they had boba, that would be really nice! tl;dr - very cute dessert shop that just opened in El Monte! Definitely have to try their bolo bun with butter if you are a fan. You can also sample the various ice creams, get a drink, or try their baked goods. They offer wifi and accept all credit cards without a minimum, which is really nice. Will return soon to get fresh pineapple buns and try their baked goods! read more

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Background On Shop: Alec, owner, has 20+ years of bakery experience working at his families' bakery shop, Domies! Now, he's ready to start up his own shop! Months Of Existance: It's only been open for one month. Background On Visit: After seeing Tiffany C.'s review and pictures, I was convinced that I need to go and try one. Shop Offerings: Bolo bao's from domies, fossilman ice cream, and flavored ice cream cones (original, pandan, mango, cinnamon), croissants, puff pastries, french fries, flavored ice cream cones, and drinks are made in-house. Wifi/Outlet: Enabled, I didn't do my due diligence to see if there was any outlets. Credit Cards: Accepted. Most importantly, there's no minimum. Location/Parking: Located on the other side of Action Lanes in the Midway Plaza Shopping Center! Plenty of parking for all. Ambiance/Decor: Small shop with neat plastic succulent plants on each table inside. Well lit and makes you feel comfortable when you step in. They also have outdoor seating available. Service: Alec (owner) was very friendly, attentive, and informative about his products that he offered. Pastry/Dessert Of Choice: I tried the bolo bao (without butter...$1.50) and thought it was great. Alec, also gave me some ice cream (white chocolate salted pretzel cookie dough) to try with the bao which made my eating experience 1000 times better. I'll probably order the bolo bao with ice cream ($5.75) or butter ($2.25) the next time I visit. Definitely a place to try out! Get your dessert cravings satified! :) read more

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Bolo bao + ice cream? A million times YES! We were fortunate enough to come try this out before it temporarily closed but we came back to the area recently for lunch and wished it was open (can't wait). We got fresh bolo baos with our choice of ice cream and it's become one of our favorite desserts ever since we tried the combination. We now feel empty when we get bolo baos during dim sum without the ice cream (just kidding) but we do prefer ice cream with this now. The service was good, too, and we got to sample some ice cream flavors they had. Their tea drinks weren't watered down and bland so that's another plus. Overall, we'll be back in the area often just to order more. read more

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So good!! I am a fan of this place now. The shop is small and is cute but there is not a lot of seating but enough to eat your icecream and go. I came because I was interested in their bolo bao and wow, what an awesome idea of combining this with icecream! The jasmine milk tea icecream was my favorite. Service was quick! I need to go back soon as I miss this place already. Definitely a great local ice cream spot. read more

I was having dinner with my hubby and his friends and decided to drag the boys here for some ice creams. I have been seeing this all over yelp so it been on my list to try. I had an hour to get there and we made it there pretty quickly. We did miss the entry cause we drove into another plaza. This shop is located in the same plaza as the bowling alley. It just on the opposite side. I had no idea there were even shops back there but we were able to find it. Lucky for their bright and lite sign. There were eight flavors to try. They allow you to try all the flavors. They have kool flavors like Nutella cookie and cream, whites chocolate salted pretzel cookie dough and cream and black sesame. The first two is their own personal twist. All their ice cream comes from Fosselman's ice cream. Bonus point. Love it. I got a taste of the Nutella cookie and cream and fell in love with it. Waffle cone comes in original, cinnamon, pandan and mango. I didn't get to try any of it cause I had my eye on the bolo bao with ice cream. Bolo bao comes in no glazed cause they thought the glazed version was too sweet. I really enjoyed the bao with the ice cream. The bao really tones down the sweetness of the ice cream and combining them together was a great idea. I love croissant in general but was too full to try again. Another reason to come back. Can't wait to try all the other flavors they come up with. Service was really great! read more

Crispy & Fluffed - Bolo bao with Nutella cookies and cream - Desserts Near Me - El Monte, California

love this cute and cozy place, and yummy handcrafted ice cream and bo lo bao (crispy sweet bun) read more

Crispy & Fluffed - Desserts Near Me - El Monte, California

The quality and flavor is perfect. We had the vanilla bean, strawberry shortcake and Nutella cookies and cream. I also had the passion fruit green tea with boba and the boba was soft. For the quality, its a very good price. read more

I think I just died and went to bolo bao (pineapple bun) heaven. For those of you who don't know, pineapple buns get the name from their cracked or cross shaped top. With interior texture similar to conchas, how fresh it is will make or break the deliciousness of these buns. And hands down, these were the freshest bolo bao I've ever had. Even for 8 or 9 pm on a Thursday night, Fresh. As. Fox. I got the butter bolo (slice of cold butter in a warm bolo bun) and it was a ok. Butter got lost in the warm flakey bun. Granted, I also tried it after a bite of the Fosselmans horchata ice cream bolo bao sandwich - which is really really hard to follow. The warm fresh bun wrapped around sweet creamy deliciousness, I AM CONTEMPLATING DRIVING THERE RIGHT NOW. I took a star, for location (it's tucked away in this hidden corner) and customer service. Owner was there and it felt like a chore for him to be assisting us. Oddest thing. Luckily the highlighting factor here is ambiance, and quality. I'm rooting for you, Crispy and Fluffed! read more

Crispy & Fluffed - Horchata ice cream in a warm bolo bun - Desserts Near Me - El Monte, California

I've cream with Bolo Bao = combo I've never thought I needed. Amazing combo! I highly recommend the une ice cream. Light and flavorful!

Finally got to try this place. It was on my radar for years but didn't really get to it til today. I love a good bolo bao and even more when there is ice cream involved! I got the bolo bao w ube ice cream and loved it! It's not overly sweet which I really appreciate. My husband got it w strawberry shortcake and he liked his too! He even said it was good!!! He never says anything is good!!! So this is really like wow! We both thought it would be a great addition to have a sweet butter ice cream to mimic the famous bolo Yao. Customer service was great ! The only thing is the location of this place. It's pretty hidden .. Hopefully there is more ppl stopping by to keep this place afloat read more

Woah this is a hidden gem! Totally recommend to anyone who likes After's ice cream. I actually like this better than After's. The bun isn't as sweet as a donut so it isn't over powering and you can taste the ice cream. The location is definitely a little weird, you won't find it unless you're really looking. But definitely worth finding! They have drinks and other snacks/food. Will be back to try the pandan cone!! read more

Crispy & Fluffed - Cute design - Desserts Near Me - El Monte, California

Their $2 cinnamon churro donut is sooooo good. A bit small, but it tasted so fresh and soft but crispy at the same time. Probably the only time I have ever liked any cinnamon/churro variation. Their nutella and cookies ice cream flavor is pretty good-- not too sweet or Nutella-y. Delicious. I notice they have a pandan cone. I wonder if they'll ever make it a flavor of ice cream. I'd be on that like white on rice. This time my friend and I played Battlefield instead of Uno as we relaxed for a while. Next time I might bring myself to try their mac and cheese pastry again... Update: I tried that mac and cheese pastry again. Still a hard no. It would be better if the mac and cheese were creamy and cooked separately and then added to the croissant/pastry somehow. Since it seems like it's cooked with the croissant/pastry, the inside is very dry and a bit tasteless. read more

Hidden in a more secluded area of a bigger plaza, this place is basically like Afters Ice Cream but substituting bolo bao instead of a donut. I wasn't too thrilled with the combination I got, which was green tea ice cream inside a bolo bao with fruity pebbles (free ice cream toppings though!) I've had much better quality bolo bao but maybe it was just my personal taste. The interior is small, but cute and quaint. I liked the design of white and mint blue color combo a lot. Overall I think it's a great concept, but it was somehow lacking in taste for me. read more

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Delicious fresh bolo bao! We tried the lavender, ube, black sesame, and Cookie Monster ice cream. All delicious and very creamy! Highly recommend. Just a note - the ice cream sandwich comes with 2 toppings for free (according to the board). We didn't see that until after we had ordered but we didn't want toppings anyway. We got a couple baos to go, as well! read more

Crispy & Fluffed - Bolo bao sandwich with Cookie Monster ice cream - Desserts Near Me - El Monte, California

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Family-owned ice-cream parlor tucked away in a shopping plaza with minimal traffic. I tried their coffee and cookies and ube flavors - hence skipping the cone justify splurging on second scoop. Coffee and cookies is exactly how it should be. Subtle coffee flavor and crunchy cookie bits. Ube flavor was just right, not too sweet and not grainy. Purple color is not as deep as other ube ice-cream I've had before. Overall, a good place to try and support small business. I will definitely come back and try the Horchata and Cookie Monster flavors next. read more

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Finally came back to try this place after they closed for awhile back in June. I got a single scoop of cookie butter ice cream on a pandan waffle cone. The ice cream itself tasted pretty much like how cookie butter tasted, which I enjoyed. The pandan waffle itself didn't have a strong taste, but maybe that's because I don't think pandan ever has a strong taste. The only thing I didn't like was that the cone broke a little too easily. Price: The cost of a single scoop on the pandan waffle cone was $3.50, which is cheaper than some places I have gone too, but I wish their scoop was a little bit larger. Location/Parking: It is kind of hidden because it is on the side of the plaza, but just walk past Bank of America and turn to the left and it will be a couple doors down. Plenty of parking on that side of the plaza. Overall, I don't think I would ever crave this place. However, if I were to come to this plaza, which I do often for the bank, I would consider coming back for the cookie butter ice cream again or to try another item on the menu. read more

Crispy & Fluffed - Single scoop of Cookie Butter ice cream on a Pandan waffle cone ($3.50) - Desserts Near Me - El Monte, California

Pineapple bun stuffed with ice cream-Awesome concept, and I wish this place got more publicity and was in a better location with more foot traffic. They use pretty unique flavors of ice cream, such as ube, black sesame, horchata,etc. I got a pineapple bun with black sesame ice cream and it was a great post-dinner dessert. My only thing is that I wish the bun was warmer and fluffier. Maybe it was because we went at night, but I felt like I was eating a compressed Hawaiian dinner roll instead of a pineapple bun. Still, it's definitely worth a try. I appreciate the innovation of the asian pastry fusion dessert, and I hope to see the menu expand in the future! read more

Crispy & Fluffed - Pineapple bun with black sesame ice cream-great combo! - Desserts Near Me - El Monte, California

Has to post a review for this place because of the amazing customer service and quality of food. I am a BIG fan of bolo bao and Crispy & Fluffed makes them perfectly! The buns always come out fluffy, light, soft and the top crust is a perfect golden color. I think a lot of other menu items are really underrated as well! I recently tried their passion fruit GT and it was really refreshing perfect amount of sweetness. Also ordered the sweet potato fries and I am shocked at how crisp and sweet they are while still retaining the sweet potato flavor!! Amazingg The overall presentation of the store and the food is also very notable. Super clean and I always leave the store without needing to ask for extra napkins or utensils :-) read more

Crispy & Fluffed - Desserts Near Me - El Monte, California

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I got Ube, black sesame, coffee & cookies. They were all delicious! The space is quiet & clean also. It's tucked away in an alley so you wouldn't notice it easily. read more

Crispy & Fluffed - The inside - Desserts Near Me - El Monte, California

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Get what they are known for: pineapple bun with ice cream filling. I highly recommend ube. I like simple dessert places like this, not too fancy, not too complicated. Nice service, clean store, good food. read more

Crispy & Fluffed - Pineapple bun with ube ice cream. - Desserts Near Me - El Monte, California

My kids are I are playing in a nearby park and was looking for an ice cream place. First time here! Tried the green tea bolo bao and just like the comments. It tasted great!! read more

Crispy & Fluffed - Warm and Crispy Bolo bao with ice cream inside - Desserts Near Me - El Monte, California

This place was hard to find for me but very worth it. This place is very clean and I love it that they follow covid guidelines. This was my first time here and definitely not my last. I didn't really know what to order but the staff was very friendly. I ordered the pineapple bun with the ube icecream. It did not disappoint! The bread smells so good that I had to take a bite lol. It definitely did not make it to my car lol. I will definitely go here again and try some more selection. read more

Crispy & Fluffed - Ube ice cream - Desserts Near Me - El Monte, California

While it's a good idea, I think execution fell short. The bolo bun was warm and nice, but paired with ice cream, the flavor of bolo bao was gone. The ice cream we got (Thai tea and ube) didn't have much flavor either read more

Crispy & Fluffed - Desserts Near Me - El Monte, California

Very kind service! The warm pineapple bun with ice cream is the perfect combo, definitely coming back

They have the best ice cream my favorite has to be the ube and coffee and cookies flavor I would want to go back everyday

Great service and friendly. Love this place I would comeback again and enjoy with my friends read more

Crispy & Fluffed - Chicken tenders,sweet potatoes - Desserts Near Me - El Monte, California

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First time visiting with friends after having lunch on a Saturday afternoon. The plaza is not a well traveled one but still had some traffic. The business was off to the side of the building which would have made it difficult to find if I didn't have guidance from a friend who is familiar with the area. It's a nice quaint homey feeling place where the decor is bright and welcoming. Their menu is on the smaller side but is accommodating to not just dessert but a meal and dessert. At this visit we all just had ice cream. The flavors aren't the widest range but are very more on the exotic side if it wasn't in the SGV. They had black sesame, I passed the green tea. I had a sample of the Ube and it was quite tasty but I went with the black sesame after having a sample. Both flavors were very tasty and not overly sweet like how some other places made them. read more

Crispy & Fluffed - Desserts Near Me - El Monte, California

Small hidden ice cream / boba spot. Coffee and cookie is awesome. Horchata close second. Nice staff. read more

Crispy & Fluffed - Cookie Monster - Desserts Near Me - El Monte, California

Honestly , I give this place a 10 out of 10 first time trying them and omg! I got the BoLo Bao ice cream sandwich (heart eyes) when I say I fell in love with it . Fresh made and super soft and warm at the first bite. Literally Heaven . Will be back read more

Tip: Place is a little hard to find. It's a little off to the side of the bank. It's a small place. I yelped an ice cream place that was still open around 9pm on a weekday and this place showed up. I tried the ice cream stuffed pineapple bao. It was $2 more for the bao bread. It was a pretty good sandwich but a little expensive. I also tried the passion fruit tea which was good. There's uno cards, playing cards, and battleship. We hung out for about twenty minutes eating ice cream and playing uno. It was fun. read more

Wow, such a special hole-in-the-wall in El Monte. If you're looking for a quick treat after lunch or dinner, to meet up with friends, or do some focused work I encourage you to support this small business. Space is humble, clean, and cute. Owner is relaxed, with attentive and quick service. Snack and dessert options are as simple or indulgent for whatever you're craving that day. Fresh, warm pastries are top tier: mildly sweet bolo bao (try it with butter!), flakey buttery croissants--- what's great is that you're able to select from savory, sweet, savory AND sweet. If you're in the area, see what you think about what they're known for... The Bolo bao ice cream sandwich!! (some ice cream flavors made in-house! I like the Jasmine, black sesame, green tea). Fair prices and big portions, I tend to share with whoever I'm with. I just learned that they cater, and am keeping that in mind for any events or gatherings. read more

We tried Crispy and Fluffed today and really enjoyed it. We tried the bolo bao with horchata and white chocolate salted pretzel with Oreo crumb sprinkles, the bolo bao with ube and Nutella and cookies and a bolo bao by itself. I have tried the ice creams stuffed in doughnuts before and generally find that they are too sweet and fall apart too easily. Bolo bao definitely holds up better and the taste does not overpower the ice cream. For those of you who have never had a bolo bao, it's a Chinese bread with a slightly sweet topping. It kind of tastes like pan dulce but less sweet. All of the bolo baos were served nice and hot, which made a nice contrast to the ice cream. For some reason, the maps thing in Apple is slightly off with the location. It's actually on the side of the building next to a nail shop to the right of Bank of America. There is plenty of parking at this location. read more

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