By Susan Payne
A fairly new trend has made Los Angeles a three-time permanent home, giving dessert connoisseurs a taste of nostalgia and a sense of home in every spoonful as it reinvents an old favorite snack.
Pudu pudu, a dessert sweet spot open in Venice Beach, Century City and Silverlake has transformed the 128-year-old concept of pudding using high-quality ingredients, health-boosting superfoods, organic milk and creative flavor fusions such as turmeric, spirulina and rich chocolate orange.
Inspired by its parent company, Dr. Oetker Hospitality, pudu pudu serves eight indulging flavors of pudding at 32 degrees, the key temperature for enjoyment, said Florian Schneider, managing director of Dr. Oetker.
“Pudding is a versatile product. Our aim is to establish this new dessert trend next to ice cream and frozen yogurt,” said Schneider.
On Sunday, pudding lovers have a chance to celebrate National Vanilla Pudding Day at pudu pudu with 50% off its vanilla pudding.
Nearly 50% of pudu pudu’s pudding dishes are vegan or plant-based. Its flagship restaurant in Venice was built in April of 2020 but had to derail its official opening due to pandemic restrictions.
After a year of waiting, pudu pudu opened for business in March of 2021 and since then, two more locations have opened. Each location showcases the transformative nature of pudding and how it can be tasted outside of the pantry in a delectable and adventurous experience.
“It’s usually not what first-time guests expect — our pudding is lighter and gives most people who try it an emotional flashback. It’s a spoonful of vanilla pudding that reminds you of your childhood,” Schneider said.
Superfoods such as chocolate coconut or freeze dried food adorn the pudding for an “Instagrammable” look. However, one bit of this magic will pique a curiosity for the magic that pudding powder comprises.
Out of Germany, Dr. Oetker was a pharmacist who invented baking soda for the common household in 1891. A few years later, he came across pudding powder, a traditional, “old-fashioned product” that is still prevalent in today’s markets.
Dr. Oetker is a fifth generation family-owned business that employees 35,000 people. Schneider said he introduced pudu pudu to the United States because of the curious, diverse and eclectic population in Los Angeles who have loved the new concept.
“We designed pudu pudu as a franchise concept, but right now, we are putting forth our best pudding flavors and hoping people are willing to make the next step to a healthier, lower-calorie snack,” Schneider said.
Schneider’s personal favorite dish is the Sun Catcher, a spiced turmeric pudding topped with fresh pomegranate seeds, blue spirulina antioxidants, edible hibiscus flower and coconut crunch.
Other customer favorites are Giggle in the Dark, a caramel-popcorn pudding caramel and fudge topped with puffed toffee popcorn, cocoa, sea salt and dark chocolate curls. Spring Fling is made with strawberry pudding, pink and white chocolate curls, strawberry vitamin dust, edible flowers and fresh and dried strawberry. A vegan friendly favorite is the Cool Ocean Dip, made with coconut-pineapple pudding, spirulina antioxidants, fruity fresh and dried pineapple, and coconut crunch.
“We are the only concept like this in Los Angeles and we are proud to introduce you to our wonderful team of Pudistas,” Schneider said.
Along with a serving of your favorite pudding montage, customers can order Euro-style coffee hot or iced, or flavored electrolyte water, and take an “Instagrammable” picture.
“There’s so much to enjoy in one place,” Schneider said. “We are happy for everyone who comes in and finds their new favorite flavor of pudding and makes it their favorite dessert.”
