Quick Take
Decent, but not spectacular.
Review
Great cinnamon rolls are about balance: the bread, the cinnamon swirls, and the icing must be in tune with one another. They need to build to a collective goal like a fine orchestra rather than fight and bicker like so many schoolchildren.
The cinnamon roll from Bagels and Brew in Lake Forest, CA makes a respectable effort in the art, but it falls short overall.
Cinnamon roll from Bagels and Brew in Lake Forest, CA
I don’t want to give the impression that this roll was bad, because it wasn’t. It was fine. The icing didn’t have any weird aftertastes, the bread was neither over- nor under-done, and the cinnamon swirls were present.
While it wasn’t bad, neither was it amazing. Some of the roll layers had folded over on themselves, leading to a structure more akin to a cinnamon pull-apart than a roll. The bread itself was slightly on the dry side, though the roll was had in the late morning and thus was probably slightly past its prime. The cinnamon swirls could have been more assertive, as they were dominated by the rest of the treat, most notably the flavor of the frosting.
Overall, a good attempt that could be improved by turning more attention to balance. 8/10
Where to get it
21771 Lake Forest Dr #100
Lake Forest, CA