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Social media is a great way to keep your fingers on the pulse. It’s also a double-edged sword that can either elevate your business to new heights or completely destroy it. Today, I want to talk about Obra Bakery, a small business that is currently struggling to meet the demands of an unexpected surge in customers thanks to their newfound TikTok fame.
Obra, previously known as Cesar’s Bistro, opened in December 2014 in a run-of-the-mill strip mall in Long Beach. Run by the Colombian couple Luz and Chef Cesar, their mission was to bring an elevated Latin culinary experience to a casual atmosphere.
In a 2017 interview with VoyageLA.com, Chef Cesar shared: “We think that the fact that every single dish is made to order, makes a huge difference. When a customer feels like eating homemade food prepared with love and the freshest ingredients, or like cooked by mom, it makes all the difference.”
The culprit of Obra’s drastic spike in popularity? A TikTok video with over 15 million views stating that Obra’s potato balls and empanadas are ten times better than Porto’s. Although Obra does not consider itself a Cuban bakery, the comparison showcasing close-ups of their mouthwatering food has had people flocking to the tiny establishment in droves. The unprecedented success took Obra by surprise.
For those who don’t know, the Porto’s Bakery chain has a massive cult following in LA. The locations are usually so packed that there’s a queue divider to control the flow of people. I never got the hype with Porto’s and I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been there since I moved to LA eight years ago. But, I also admit that since the menu is so extensive, I always get overwhelmed and don’t really know what to order. The last time I was there was probably four years ago.
After going to Obra, I did some research on Porto’s best-selling menu items, and the one that kept coming up the most was their potato balls, which some people said were like crack.
The massive popularity of Obra has driven a wedge between new customers and Long Beach residents that have frequented the place for years. Some locals have complained about the lack of options, whereas others have made comments about the exterior of the empanadas not being baked enough. In other words, the secret is out. Cesar has been responding to the three-star Yelp reviews with the comment below:
My friend Kimberly, who is a fan of Porto’s, recommended Obra to me on Instagram because she saw it on TikTok. A week later, we were driving to Long Beach to try it out. I went on a day off work during the week, which, if your schedule allows, is the best time.
Like I said in the beginning of this post, the demand at Obra outweighs the supply. When it was our turn to order, the woman let us know that the kitchen was not in use at the moment and that only potato balls were being served. There were no pastries or hot dishes, like their famous lentil soup, and they were also sold out of the chicken empanadas. The only empanadas available were the ones behind the display glass. Imagine a restaurant saying that they only had one menu item! As we waited in line, I could take a peek inside the kitchen, where the cooks were feverishly working the potato ball dough.
Although there were a lot of people outside, the wait time was not bad. On the weekends, however, the wait can be up to an hour! We were also lucky enough to score a good table outside.
Here’s the full review!
Potato Balls
I’d never had potato balls before (Papas Rellenas) and wow, I think I’m converted. Papas Rellenas are originally from Peru, but some Latin American countries have different variations as far as the filling goes. They’re typically smaller in size and served as an appetizer. Obra’s potato balls are the size of a tennis ball — big enough to constitute a full meal. They were so satisfying to eat!
For me, it was the way the textures and flavors melded together: the crispy outside, the creaminess of the cheese and the smoothness of the mashed potato… and then boom! A mound of tender, savory ground beef with a hint of spice from the picadillo pepper awaited you on the inside. Think this was enough?
One of the best parts about Obra is their delicious homemade dipping sauces. My favorite was the orangy one, which was like Thousand Island dressing. It was delicious and perfectly complemented the potato balls and the empanadas. Upon trying this one, I was hooked and didn’t even give the green sauce, which resembled chimichurri, a chance. Make sure you get them, and if you want more, don’t shy away from asking.
My friend instantly expressed her approval: “OMG wow, these are definitely so much better than Porto’s, sooo much better, wow”.
For some people, potato balls have been a childhood favorite. But if you’re someone who has just been introduced to them, this will be somewhat of a life-changing moment. I’d definitely go back for the potato balls, but I’ll also try Porto’s to have a baseline of comparison. I ended up taking home two potato balls and eating them two days later. Surprisingly, they held up pretty well! Make sure you heat them in the oven.
Empanadas
I’ve never been into empanadas. Growing up, my mom never made them. I had them here and there growing up, but I never grew to love them. Obra offers over 10 empanada flavors. The cashier recommended the Breakfast and the Cuban empanadas. Although the exterior was slightly chewy, the inside of the Breakfast tasted like the inside of a typical breakfast burrito. It was good but I wouldn’t drive an hour and wait in line just for this. Maybe if I go back to try other flavors, I might change my mind. When I first dove into the empanada, I didn’t know that the other bag they gave me had all the sauces, which would probably have amped up the flavors. When I asked my friend Kim if she loved the empanadas, she shrugged her shoulders, “It’s ok,” she said. Our faces obviously changed when we took our first bites of the potato balls.
Tres Leches iced latte
The lady let me know that their Tres Leches iced latte was by far the most popular drink, so of course, I had to get it! I took a few sips and sadly, I had to toss it because I couldn’t handle the overwhelming sweetness. It was sugar overload! My friend, who ordered a hot coffee, said the same thing. I never add any sugar or sweeteners in my coffee. It’s either black or with a splash of dairy-alternative milk. Tres Leches is a widely popular dessert in some Latin American countries, and the Tres Leches cake at Porto’s isn’t just their best-selling cake, but it’s also regarded as one of the best cakes in LA — so I can see why people go crazy over this flavor.
Conclusion
There are plenty of Latin bakeries in LA. Porto’s formula for success is having multiple accessible locations, and meeting demand with larger spaces and lower prices. My question is, given the high demand at Obra, wouldn’t it be nice if they expanded to a bigger location? Perhaps Chef Cesar wants to preserve that small-community feel.
By the time you’re reading this, they may have made improvements in their kitchen, or maybe even relocated to a bigger space. But as of November 2023, unless it’s potato balls or empanadas, don’t get too excited if you see something else on their Yelp page that may pique your interest as the availability is very unpredictable.
All in all, Obra left us wanting more. I would have loved to try their lentil soup and my friend really wanted to try their Cuban sandwich and chicken empanada. However, after my life-altering moment eating the potato balls, I would go back without hesitation just for this.
If you’re in the area, I suggest heading over to the outdoor mall, 2nd & PCH, followed by a beautiful drive down PCH from Seal Beach to Newport.
View Obra Bakery’s full menu here.
Website and Instagram @ObraBakery
Address: 6240 CA-1, Long Beach, CA 90803
Hours: Tuesdays – Saturdays 8AM – 6PM and Sundays 8AM – 5PM
