Bread Pudding

This dessert--warm or cold, custardy or dense, rich or relatively low in fat--makes use of a most modest ingredient (leftover bread) and turns it into something divine.

* Angeli Caffe: Evan Kleiman makes a dreamy, soft-bread pudding mined with good-sized chunks of chocolate and served with your choice of ice cream or whipped cream. (Bread pudding, $5.) Angeli Caffe, 7274 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 936-9086.

* Gagnier’s: A newcomer to the Third Street Promenade (it’s upstairs by the Wolfgang Puck Express), this good little Creole kitchen’s one and only dessert offering is Gloria’s homemade bread pudding, made with raisins and shredded coconut and served warm with a whiskey sauce. (Bread pudding, $1.50.) Gagnier’s Creole Kitchen, 1315 Third Street Promenade, 2nd Level, Santa Monica, (310) 319-9981.

* Miss Gregory’s: At this new American kitchen, chef Kurt Struwe’s bread pudding is made with good dark bittersweet chocolate and served in slices with whipped cream and espresso chocolate sauce and a pecan lace cookie. (Bread pudding, $4.95.) Miss Gregory’s American Kitchen, 7986 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, (213) 822-9057.

* Porter’s: A new Brentwood restaurant, Porter’s serves a chocolate truffle banana bread pudding with banana ice cream ($7) Porter’s, 11690 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 826-1446.

* Julienne: The largest selection of bread pudding is surely found in San Marino. Although the sit-down restaurant only features one or two types a day by the slice, you can order an entire pudding (serves 8-10) to go, with a day’s notice. There’s many choices, ranging from country bread pudding with a ginger caramel sauce to sour cherries and caramel sauce. (slice, $4.95; whole bread pudding, $35.) Julienne, 2649 Mission St., San Marino, (626) 441-2299.