Tag: Dessert

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Eat Dessert First? Why, Thank You New Orleans

Where: 555 Canal St. [map], New Orleans, LA, United States, 70130
October 6, 2009 at 4:13 PM | by | Comments (0)

Our uncle always says, "Life is short, eat dessert first." But when a New Orleans restaurant started actually offering dessert first, with a discount, we were—what's the word?—suspicious.

There's got to be a catch in 5 Fifty 5's promotion in honor of National Dessert Month. (To begin with, where has this month been all our lives?) The restaurant inside the New Orleans Marriott, whose website boasts "New Orleans fare at its finest, if not freshest"—uh, okay then—has prepared a special menu of five $5.55 desserts, or a tasting menu of $25 for all of them. Order and eat dessert before your dinner, and you get 20 percent off your check.

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Cali Donut Shop Offers 'Donut Fries' And Insane Asylum Jokes

Where: 2006 S Winchester Blvd [map], Campbell, CA, United States, 95508
July 27, 2009 at 1:09 PM | by | Comments (0)

We recently proclaimed Portland’s VooDoo Doughnuts the home of America’s craziest donuts, but we might have to rethink that statement now that we’ve stumbled upon a competitor a couple of hundred miles to the south.

Psycho Donuts, which opened earlier this year in Campbell, California, just outside San Jose, challenges nearly every accepted orthodoxy of how donuts can be made, from odd flavors (like green tea) to shape (triangular), and toppings (rice krispies, Cocoa Puffs, and graham crackers). They even serve oblong “donut fries that come with donut ketchup for dipping." To complete the “psycho ward” theme, servers don lab coats and nurse outfits, while décor elements include a padded cell and straitjacket.

Not everyone is laughing—local mental health advocates have protested the store, taking umbrage at the lighthearted insane asylum jokes, like the “bipolar” donut above—half crushed peanut topping and half coconut shavings (actually one of their less crazy concoctions). Whether or not Psycho Donuts is convinced to tone down the jokes, we have a feeling these delectable donuts are here to stay.

Related Stories:
· Psycho Donuts [Official Sites]
· Campbell's Psycho Donuts owner to take on head of mental health organization in televised debate [San Jose Mercury News]
· Portland Has America's Craziest Doughnuts [Jaunted]

[Photo: Psycho Donuts ]

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Doughnuts Make the Move to Fancy Restaurants

Where: 7360 Beverly Blvd [map], Los Angeles, CA, United States, 90036
July 20, 2009 at 2:52 PM | by | Comments (2)

It looks like the high-end doughnut trend is here to stay. Like their once-humble cupcake brethren, doughnuts have crossed the threshold from birthday party standby/early morning snack to gourmet bakery must-have. Now, they’re even showing up on the menus at fancy restaurants.

Trendy LA restaurant Grace is one of the first four-star restaurants to jump on the fancy doughnut train. The Mid-City West eatery recently added a Wednesday “Doughnut Shoppe” night, when the pastry chef whips up a few batches of fresh, seasonal doughnuts that come in innovative flavors like ginger cream cheese filled, curried sugar glazed, and buttermilk brown butter.

The doughnuts are served with a selection of ice cream (like lemon ripple or hazelnut gelato), along with a glass of spiced milk for dipping. A plate of three goes for $12, and you can also pick up a dozen to go for $18. Pricey, yes, but you’re not at Dunkin’ Donuts anymore.

Related Stories:
· Doughnut Shoppe [Grace Restaurant]
· The Donut War Is On As Canada Moves Into Dunkin Donuts Territory /a> [Jaunted]
· Are Donuts the New Cupcakes? [Jaunted]

[Photo: Yelp!]

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Seattle's Healthy Donuts: Shouldn't Work But It Does

Where: 2110 N 55th Street [map], Seattle, WA, United States, 98103
June 3, 2009 at 9:57 AM | by | Comment (1)

In general, we take a firm stand against any attempts to make foods like donuts healthy. They're donuts – sugar-topped balls of fried flour – they're by definition unhealthy, and should stay that way.

But we do make an exception for one place – Mighty-O Donuts in Seattle, which manages to turn out a product that is vegan, organic, trans fat-free, cholesterol-free, has no artificial flavors or chemicals, yet is somehow delicious. Seriously, we don't know how they do it.

Admittedly, these treats won't be featured at your local health food store anytime soon – they are, after all, still sugar-topped balls of fried flour – but with innovative flavors like Coffee Bomb, Banana Bread and French Toast – a cinnamon, ginger and orange spiced maple syrup donut (sans eggs of course) – your mouth will never even know these are a healthier kind of donut.

Plus: free food alert! Mighty-O will be handing out free mini-donuts all day this Friday, June 5 in honor of National Doughnut Day (what, you didn't know?)

Related Stories:
· Mighty-O Donuts [Official Site]
· Get Dat Donut [Jaunted]
· Do-Nuts So Old School, They Won't Drop the Hyphen [Jaunted]

[Photo: bibliogrump]

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Chicago's Little Italy Comes With Extra Cheese

April 10, 2009 at 9:01 AM | by | Comment (1)

Chicago's Little Italy doesn't get as much travel play as some other Lit-Its, mostly because its West Side location is a bit of a hike from most of the downtown tourist sites (and because you can get a decent deep-dish pizza in just about any neighborhood here).

But that can be a good thing, since it means Chi-town's Little Italy, while gentrifying, isn't quite as commercialized as places like NYC's Soho-fied Little Italy. Just don't looks for a Roman-style pizza bianca – this place is less concerned with being genuine Italian than reveling in its Italian-American-ness, with heaping portions or pasta, super-cheesy pizza, and garlic, garlic, garlic. A couple of our favorite stops:

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Exploring DC's Sweet Side

April 8, 2009 at 4:26 PM | by | Comment (1)

In our continuing quest to find things to do in DC if the Obamas won't take your meeting, this week we're looking at the District's best desserts.

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San Francisco's Little (and Little-er) Italy

April 3, 2009 at 9:11 AM | by | Comments (0)

Over the past century, San Francisco's Little Italy neighborhood (also known as North Beach) has suffered an oddly similar fate to New York's area of the same name: It's been slowly but steadily eaten away by Chinatown and other surrounding neighborhoods.

In fact, many visitors trek straight from Chinatown to Fisherman's Wharf without even realizing they've gone through what's left of this historic nabe. But while there may not be the many dozens of old-school Italian eateries there once were, there are still some genuine, tasty Italian finds to be had.

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A Doughnut That Will Change the Way You Think About Doughnuts

Where: 379 Grand Street [map], New York, NY, United States, 10002
March 12, 2009 at 9:11 AM | by | Comments (3)

The tiny Doughnut Plant storefront is hidden on one of the few still-old-school stretches of Manhattan's Lower East Side, set among housing projects, Jewish delis and Chinese groceries, rather than shiny new condos and frolicking hipsters. So you'd be forgiven if you expected this hole-in-the-wall bakery to be the kind of old-school place that only serves simple cake doughnuts, rather than the futuristic wonderland it really is.

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We'd Fly Across The Country For This Ice Cream Sandwich

Where: 926 Broxton Ave. [map], Westwood, CA, United States, 90024
January 9, 2009 at 12:45 PM | by | Comments (3)

If you're headed to LA and are at all interested in sweet treats, carve out some time for Diddy Riese, the ice cream sandwich shop based in Westwood Village near UCLA.

For those of you picturing a Chipwhich, think again. These creamy creations are warm, freshly-baked giant cookies overstuffed with gobs of Dreyer's ice cream. And even though celebs have been known to stop by on occasion and we're considering flying cross country just to get one, Diddy still sells the things for the unbelievably recession-friendly price of $1.50!

The only problem of course, is how to choose the perfect cookie-ice cream combo. (We think we've perfected it: Chocolate chip top, cookie dough ice cream middle, white chocolate chip bottom.) But for those of you still working on your own ideal flavor trio, check out Diddy's new online sandwich builder, which lets you experiment with different cookie-and-cream combos to your heart's content. Just a warning that it can lead to drooling and staring at cookies for the rest of the day.

Related Stories:
· Diddy Riese Sandwich Builder [Official Site]
· Dessert coverage [Jaunted]
· LA Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Diddy Riese]

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TSA Approves Pies In The Sky

November 26, 2008 at 12:48 PM | by | Comments (0)

Don't fear, dessert fans: The TSA wants you to know that you can indeed take holiday pies through security checkpoints, even if they weigh more than three ounces. Apparently cherry filling isn't a liquid or a gel!

Agency spokesman "Blogger Bob" had the official update today:

Just send it through the X-ray and you’ll be one step closer to enjoying your delicious pie. We do suggest you take it as a carry on so it doesn’t get squashed in your checked luggage.

Last year, airport screeners said your dessert "might be subject to additional screening," but we've seen no such warning so far this season. Hurray for pie!

Related Stories:
· Easy as Pie [TSA Blog]
· TSA Unintentionally Hilarious Yet Again [Jaunted]

[Photo: cardamom]

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Momofuku Bakery And Milk Bar

Where: 207 2nd Avenue [map], New York, NY, United States, 10003
November 19, 2008 at 9:45 AM | by | Comments (0)

Chef David Chang has been delighting and perplexing New Yorkers for the past few years with the insane twists on Asian comfort food he serves up at his Momofuku restaurants, as well as with the insane online-only reservations policy he dreamed up for Momofuku Ko, home of Manhattan’s 12 hardest-to-get bar stools.

Now Chang has expanded with a fourth outlet, opening Momofuku Bakery and Milk Bar adjacent to Momofuku Ssam, and he (along with pastry chef Christina Tosi) is hoping New Yorkers will go as crazy for his sweet treats as they do for his legendary pork buns.

The small East Village restaurant serves up offerings like the compost cookie: pretzels, potato chips, chocolate morsels and other unidentifiable delectables all rolled up in one cohesive cookie. Then there’s a selection of inventive breads like kimchi foccacia and chorizo challah and soft serve ice cream featuring flavors like grapefruit and salty pistachio caramel. Plus, you can even grab some of the famous Momofuku pork buns here as well.

Oh, and the milk. Go back to grade school by washing everything down with a glass of chocolate or strawberry flavored milk, or even cereal milk--yep, that’s milk that’s been steeped in corn flakes so it tastes like the bottom of the bowl.

Related Stories:
· Momofuku Bakery and Milk Bar [Official Site]
· New NYC Restaurant: Momofuku Ko [Jaunted]
· New New York Restaurants coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Momofuku]

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DessertTruck: Creme Brulee For The Rest Of Us

November 18, 2008 at 2:01 PM | by | Comments (0)

Last week, we talked about the benefits of restaurants that put all their money into quality food and nothing into overhead. Heading back to New York, here's another high-end eatery-on-wheels that is worth taking for a spin.

DessertTruck has been satisfying the sweet teeth of the West Village for over a year now and more recently, those of Park Avenue office drones, too. But unlike all those trendy dessert bars that have popped up around town in the past few years, this one is based out of a truck, so they have no worries about losing their lease.

Jerome Change, a former pastry sous chef at Le Cirque, runs the kitchen at DessertTruck, churning out treats like chocolate bread pudding with bacon crème anglaise; vanilla crème brulee with freshly burned sugar; and molten chocolate cake with a liquid ganache center topped with sea salt and roasted pistachios.

At five bucks a pop, DessertTruck will set you back a little more than Mister Softee, but considering foodies have been known to plop down hundreds for a meal at Le Cirque just so they can try the legendary crème brulee, this one is quite the deal.

Related Stories:
· DessertTruck [Official Site]
· Foodiest Food Truck Ever: Skillet Street Food [Jaunted]
· Recession Restaurants Map [Jaunted]

[Photo: adamiwebb]

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