Mini MINI Cupcakes

I became curious about Baked by Melissa after constantly passing by it, and finally got the chance to step in and sample their treats. They sell cupcakes in many flavors you would expect to find, and a few that are more whimsical. If you are not familiar with this store,  I should tell you that they don't sell your typical cupcakes, but rather cupcake tops about the size of a quarter. For reference, I have included a teaspoon in the picture.

The first flavor I ate was chocolate chip pancake. It tasted exactly, and I mean exactly, like you would expect. I liked the fluffiness and the distinct flavor of pancakes. I wondered if they used pancake batter instead of cupcake batter.

Next I tried cookie dough- also yummy, because you can't go wrong with cookie dough in any situation. However, the chocolate frosting on top overpowered the rest of the cupcake.

And then there was the s'mores flavor, which was my favorite of the three. It was an excellent combination of chocolate and gooeyness.

I was slightly disappointed because they cost a dollar each, and I was probably expecting too much. They're a nice bite-sized treat, but because I feel they're overpriced for their size, I would suggest getting a discount by ordering them in bulk for your next party. They're sure to be a hit.
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Baked by Melissa
bakedbymelissa.com

Gelato Done Right

I must preface this post by saying I am a complete brat when it comes to gelato, also known as Italian ice cream, also known as the grand-daddy of delicious. When I lived in Rome, I ate gelato every single day- sometimes twice- even during the winter months. The gelato in Rome has a distinct texture and creaminess that I find is rarely duplicated, and was able to find in few other cities in Italy, or around Europe.

The same goes for gelato in the US. I tried gelato at a few spots around the States, places claiming to have imported their ingredients direct from Italy. And while some of these gelaterias may have come close, I had never found Italian ice cream that I felt was made just right until I visited Baci in New York. I walked in, saw the variety of flavors, and went straight for a scoop of the chocolate hazelnut. I took a bite and was instantly reminded of sitting by the Trevi fountain on a hot day, admiring its beauty, enjoying my ice cream. The flavor and texture were just like those of good Roman ice cream. This gelato made me, in a word, happy.

Side note: I also tried the mint chip and banana flavors that day. A-mazing.
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Baci Gelato
591 Willis Ave.
Williston Park, NY 10011

Loving These Cupcakes

I walked into Crumbs Bake Shop not knowing what I would order, but it was wonderful to just look at the selection and eat with my eyes for a minute. Their cupcakes are topped with a hefty amount of frosting and the flavors are just so creative. It took me a minute, but I decided on the Cookies and Cream cupcake.

The frosting was my favorite part of this one. It had a smooth texture and tasted just like Oreos. The chocolate cake was soft and rich but not that sweet. It didn't need to be. It worked well with all that sweet frosting.

Crumbs, I will be back soon. I'm dying to try the Cosmo cupcake.
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Crumb Bake Shop
crumbs.com

Cappuccino & Chocolate

Today my friend surprised me with a slice of cheesecake from Sweet Lady Jane. To my delight, I learned it was the cappuccino cheesecake, one of the more creative cheesecakes I've ever tried. Sweet Lady Jane's cheesecakes are always thick and luscious with delicious crusts. This cheesecake is made with an Oreo cookie crust and has little chocolate chips throughout the cappuccino cream cheese filling, so every time you cut into it with your fork you get that extra surprise. It's just exquisite.
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Sweet Lady Jane
8360 Melrose Ave
West Hollywood, CA 90069

Sweet Tart

Last week I visited the Little Door, a charming and very romantic French-Moroccan restaurant in West Hollywood. After my delicious entree, our waiter brought us the dessert menu, and I went straight for the strawberry rhubarb tart. Normally I would probably choose the chocolate cake, but my mouth waters at the mere thought of the combination of strawberry and rhubarb. For this I must give credit to Sweet Lady Jane, the bakery that makes one of my favorite pies ever- the strawberry rhubarb pie. Really, I didn't even like rhubarb until I tried this Sweet Lady Jane royalty.

But back to the Little Door. The tart is a nicely portioned slice, and to my surprise, it's actually fairly sweet. The crust was warm and chewy and fruit filling was juicy and flavorful. I tasted a lot more strawberry than rhubarb. I'm a fan of really tart desserts, so I would have preferred more of the rhubarb, but this was still a great pastry to end the meal. It was simple yet scrumptious. My dinner mates at the table said they wanted just one bite, but I ended up having to fight them for it.
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The Little Door
8164 W 3rd St
Los Angeles, CA 90048

A Spekuloos Spectacle

Just before my latest trip to New York, I heard about Wafels & Dinges, an uber-popular food truck serving up authentic Belgian-style waffles all over Manhattan. I had heard they served amazing waffles with all kinds of wonderful toppings and decided I wouldn't leave New York without trying it out.

I'm fortunate enough to have actually tried waffles in Belgium, and I must say they were the best waffles I had ever tasted. They were crisp and golden on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside. Most shops or carts that sold them offered to top them with jam or chocolate for a few cents more. Wafels & Dinges takes this concept and turns up the volume. It serves up two main kinds of sweet waffles- the Brussels and the Liège. The Brussels is basically the one I had in Belgium, while the Liège is thick and chewy. In addition, there is a variety of toppings, or Dinges, on the menu for you to choose.


My friend and I tracked down the truck just after we had dinner. Instead of picking my own Dinges, I asked Waffle Guy for his recommendation. He said he would make me something delicious, and a few minutes later came out and handed me my treat and said, "This is our Liège waffle topped with spekuloos spread and bananas." My friend and I just looked at him blankly. "What is spekuloos spread, you ask? It tastes a lot like graham crackers," he said. So I dug in. And it really was like graham crackers in sauce form, perfect on top of the soft and chewy waffle. The bananas paired wonderfully with it, as would strawberries, whipped cream, Nutella, or any other topping on the menu. It was a truly creative combination of flavors. I could hardly believe how happy one little waffle made me, and I will gladly run around Manhattan again to find this truck and try the other Dinges.
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Wafels & Dinges
wafelsanddinges.com
twitter.com/waffletruck

Un Postre de Costa Rica

I recently went on vacation in Costa Rica and couldn't wait to try out Costa Rican desserts. A popular dessert among Costa Rican locals is the rice pudding. I tried some and liked it, but it was nothing spectacular. Instead, since Costa Rica is quite famous for the quality of its produce, I'd like to tell you about a unique banana flambé I had in the small town of Brasilito Beach, on the Pacific coast.

The main street of Brasilito, or Little Brazil, is lined with restaurants serving mostly local fare with a little Brazilian food sprinkled around. My travel companions and I blindly chose one, sat down, and ordered some Costa Rican cuisine like arroz con pollo, as well as some some surf and turf for good measure. I wasn't planning on ordering the banana flambé, but when I heard they made it with a Costa Rican liqueur, I was sold.

Most banana flambé recipes I've seen call for some banana liqueur, rum or Grand Marnier. Café Rica, however, is a coffee liqueur, and its flavor worked surprisingly well with the dish. I got a tiny bit of butter flavor mixed in with the liqueur and I didn't taste tons of sugar, so the coffee and banana flavors were not overpowered. The sweetness of the liqueur was perfect for the banana. The just-ripe banana was cooked the way I like it- not mushy but giving just enough yield, and it was served in the open-faced banana peel, just enough to remind you you're in a sleepy and picturesque beach town. A hefty scoop of vanilla ice cream and a bit of chocolate syrup rounded out the dish. A delectable dessert with a Costa Rican twist!

Side note: I normally give addresses where you can find these treats, but I was surprised to find out many locations in Costa Rica don't have street addresses! And anyway, I don't expect my friends to go all the way to Central America for a banana flambé. So if this dish piques your interest, I really suggest ordering some Café Rica (or something similar) and making your own variation.

A Little Chocolate Cake

Today I'm reviewing a small chocolate treat at Palomino, an Italian restaurant in Westwood Village. This place has a great wine selection and appetizers that make me melt. I came in with a friend for drinks and asked the waitress what her favorite dessert on the menu was.

Palomino's chocolate cake is quite small, but it's so rich and flavorful that you don't care. The inside of the cake is soft and gooey, while the outside has a nice crispy feel to it. I didn't feel that the cake was overly sweet; it has just the right balance of cocoa and sugar. I only wished it had been warmed up a bit more.

The cake comes with a rich chocolate sauce, berries, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The flavor of blackberries plays quite well off the chocolaty tastes of the cake and sauce, but I felt the ice cream left a little to be desired. It wasn't as creamy as I like ice cream to be. While I like a good vanilla ice cream to balance out a chocolate cake, this one was a bit too bland. The cake and the berries are pretty delicious on their own, so next time I order this dish, I will be skipping the ice cream.
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Palomino
10877 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90024