brigadeiro.me

Brigadeiro are apparently Brazilian confections, made from sweetened condensed milk, butter, and chocolate, served at special occasions in Brazil.  Almost like truffles or bonbons, but not quite.  The name comes from the fact that they were originally made for Brigadier Eduardo Gomes.  I hadn't ever encountered them before, until Brigadeiro.me came to visit our office.

The line up!

Brigadeiro.me is a local company, and they produce exactly one thing: brigadeiro, in an assortment of flavors.  I got to try many of them.  I enjoyed some of the flavors more than others, but in general, brigadeiro did appeal to me.  Why haven't they infiltrated the US?

Milk Chocolate.

I started with what I think is the most classic.  A soft caramel like ball, with crunchy chocolate on the outside.  Sweet, creamy, good texture, but not particularly remarkable.

70% Dark Chocolate.

Then I moved on to the dark chocolate, described as "a version with 70% Chocolate Belgian cocoa, condensed milk, butter and 70% cocoa chocolate sprinkles. It’s the perfect balance between the strong taste of cocoa and the sweet and smooth flavour of condensed milk."

This one was a bit bitter, but not in a good way.  I'm not sure what it was about it, but I didn't like the deeper caramel flavor.  As with all varieties I tried, I liked the crunchy things on the outside, but this was my least favorite.

White Crunchy.

So I moved in the other direction, to white chocolate: "Belgian chocolate rice crispy sprinkles make our white chocolate brigadeiro version (Belgian white chocolate + condensed milk + butter) even more irresistible"
This one didn't have a very complex flavor.  The inside was just sweet, not caramely.  The white crunchy balls on the outside overwhelmed.  I like those little balls, and add them to ice cream all the time, but the ratio of little balls to the actual brigadeiro wasn't right, so all I could taste was the balls.

Hazelnut.

Next, I went for a nutty version, "made with hazelnut cream, condensed milk, Belgian chocolate and it’s topped off with delicious hazelnut chunks"
It was the same basic soft chocolate caramel ball, this time rolled in hazelnuts.  The nuts were nicely broken down into tiny bits, and added a nice crunch, but I did find them a bit bitter, particularly with the sweet filling.

Coffee.

And next, something a bit different: coffee: "made with the finest ground Brazilian coffee beans, Belgian chocolate, condensed milk, butter and it’s topped off with Belgian chocolate sprinkles. "

The coffee in here was very subtle, but it complimented the sweetness well.  It made me really think these would pair excellently with a cup of coffee.  A nice black cup of coffee, sweet rich condensed milk ... mmm!  This one was my favorite.

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Passion Fruit.

I didn't expect to like this at all.  I love passion fruit, the real fruit, but I tend to dislike treats that are made to be passion fruit flavor.  Described as: "the most exotic of the brigadeiros, with a juicy taste that will brighten up even the rainiest of the days. It’s not too sweet, it’s super moreish, so make sure you add more than one to your box. It’s made with Belgian white chocolate, passion fruit juice, condensed milk, butter and white chocolate sprinkles"

It tasted like white chocolate, but with subtle passion fruit, not too much at all.  I liked the crunch from the chocolate sprinkles outside.  It turned out to be my second favorite. 

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Glaze Teriyaki Grill

One day, I was walking through Pacific Heights, and saw a sign that struck my interest: "Seattle-Style Teriyaki", it advertised.  Not that I wanted teriyaki, but I was intrigued.  What is Seattle-style teriyaki?  This is an unknown phenomenon to me.

I poked my head inside to see more.  The menu isn't large, focused entirely on teriyaki plates: your choice of chicken, beef, pork, salmon, tofu, or veggies, served with rice and salad, and a sauce of your choice.  A few side dishes round out the savory menu.  The sole dessert offering is cookies from a nearby bakery (that looked ridiculously good!)

Other than the cookies, the menu wasn't really my thing, but I read the rest of their signs to learn more, and decided to try a few side dishes anyway.

It turns out, Glaze is actually a mini-chain, with three locations in New York, and this single one in San Francisco.  It was started by a Seattle native who missed teriyaki when he moved to New York.  The website claims that teriyaki is to Seattle as pizza is to New York.  I've only been to Seattle once or twice, and I guess I just didn't notice this?

Anyway, even for a fast-casual place, Glaze cares about quality.  The meat is all-natural, antibiotic-free.  The salmon is never frozen.  Salad dressings and sauces are all made in house daily.

Open, tiny kitchen.

Every dish is made to order, which you can see in the small open kitchen taking up most of the store.  There is counter seating with high wooden stools all along the kitchen area.

Additional Window Counter Seating.

There a second counter, again with stools, overlooking Fillmore Street, perfect for people watching, which is where I set up shop.

Tables.

If you go with a group, or don't like to sit at counters, there are also a few wooden tables for 2-4 people.  But the majority of the seating is counter-style.

Since Glaze is a casual place, you order at the register, and seat yourself.  Next to the register is a station to get whatever cutlery and napkins you desire.  Food is brought to the tables when ready.  Afterwards, you bus the table yourself in the provided bins.

I didn't love my selections, but I really appreciated that everything was made fresh to order.  I'll likely return to try some other items, as I like everything about the place, and if I ever want teriyaki, this does sound like a winner.

Crispy Vegetable Gyoza, homemade dipping sauce.  $4.

Since I didn't want teriyaki, I went for the gyoza, a side dish.  Not something I normally would order, but Yelpers all rave about the gyoza.  I had the choice of chicken, pork, or vegetable, and I picked vegetable, because I hate chicken, and generally dislike pork.

It took about 10 minutes for my gyoza to be prepared.  They arrived piping hot and fresh out of the fryer, served in a cute glass bowl.  They were absolutely dripping in oil.  Pools of oil were visible in the folds of the individual gyoza and the bottom of the dish they were served in was like a little pond.  All I could smell was oil.

Undeterred, I drained them on napkins myself, and took my first bite.  They were ridiculously hot and fresh.  I had to wait a few minutes before jumping back in.  Inside the veggies were kinda just a pile of mush, including carrots and cabbage, but I didn't taste the vegetables.  The oil overtook all the flavor.

The dipping sauce came in a plastic container, a bit strange for dine-in, and was also fairly flavorless.  It seemed like just a very mild, light, soy sauce.

Overall, not very good, but I did really like how crispy they were.  Super, super crispy. But they really needed to be drained before serving.

$4 for an order of 5 as a side dish was fine, but I wouldn't get them again.

Cold Soba Noodle Salad.  $4.

I also decided to get a side dish to go, to bring home to eat later that night.  I went for the cold soba noodle salad: "buckwheat soba noodles and vegetables tossed in house-made sesame dressing, topped with sesame seeds".

I recently had a soba noodle salad that I really liked, so I've been craving another one since, a bit random for me.  I was excited to see this on the menu.

The soba noodles were decently cooked, although a bit mushy for my taste.  I really liked the veggies: carrots, red peppers, and zucchini, all thinly sliced and long, mimicking the noodles.  But, I didn't care for the sesame dressing.  It was sweet, and very oily.  The noodles were over-dressed, tet the flavor just wasn't there.  This same dressing is also offered on the teriyaki, so maybe it works better there?  I appreciated the sprinkle of sesame seeds on top for crunch.

Overall, I didn't care for the dish, but I appreciated the fact that even this side dish was made to order - noodles were tossed with the veggies, the dressing added, the top sprinkled with sesame seeds, when I ordered, rather than in advance.

$4 was a fine price for a made-to-order dish of this size, but I didn't like it, and wouldn't get it again.

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Lunch @ Tateru Yoshino, Shiba

I recently went on a business trip to Tokyo.  While most of the time was devoted to work, I couldn't be in the city with more Michelin stars than anywhere else in the world, and NOT do some fine dining.  Luckily for me, I had three free days, and I was determined to cram in as many Michelin stars as I could (we managed 9, not bad!)

To start our Michelin experiences, we went to lunch at Tateru Yoshino, the Shiba location.  Chef Yoshino has 3 restaurants in Tokyo, all with Michelin stars, although the Ginza and Shidome locations only have 1 star each, thus, we went to Shiba, since it holds 2 stars.  The chef also has a Michelin starred restaurant in Paris, Stella Maris.

Given the pedigree, I had high hopes for this meal, but it turned out to be by far the most mediocre of our higher end meals.  I didn't understand why it had 2 Michelin stars, and would even question having a single star.  Granted, we went for lunch, not dinner, but I expected much more.  The food was all well presented, but execution and flavor just were not there.

The restaurant is located in the Shiba Park Hotel, making it quite easy to find, unlike most places in Tokyo.

Semi-Private Room.

Since we were a group of 6, they seated us along the back of the room, in a semi-private alcove.  While we still looked out into the main restaurant, it was nice to have this sorta private space.

Lunch Menu.

Our party of 6 was considered a large group, so we were asked to pick which set menu we'd like in advance, when we made the booking.  Our choices were either ¥3,637 for a menu consisting of several amuse bouches, our pick of appetizer, our choice between several fish or meat dishes, a choice of three desserts, plus coffee/tea, and migs, or, for ¥5,273 we could have both a fish and a meat entree.  We all had to pick the same number of courses, but could select whichever options within the category that we wanted.

Since we were going to another 2 Michelin star restaurant for dinner that night, we didn't want to overdo it, and decided that the 3 course, plus amuses/migs, was plenty.  As you'll see below, this was an incredible value, coming out at ~$40 per person, including all fees.  Can you imagine getting 2 Michelin stars, including foie gras, for that price elsewhere?  The price point was really incredible, but the food ... mediocre.

Formal Table Setting.

The restaurant was quite formal, from the place settings, to the roses on the table, to the very polite, stoic waiters who all wore bow ties and jackets.  It never felt quite comfortable.  Service was good, but never personal in any way.

Amuse Bouche: Cheese Puffs.

The first amuse arrived soon after we ordered, little cheese puffs, two each.  They were a bit cheesy, but not served hot, not remarkable, and no one took a second one.  They did make me remember the incredible gougeres we had at lunch at Cyrus, which were served warm, and were filled with liquid gruyere.

Bread Stick.

The first bread service began with bread sticks, served warm.  It had a nice crust, and was served with quality butter.  I always appreciate warm bread.

Amuse Bouche: Turnip mousse.

The second amuse bouche was described as a turnip mousse.  I wish I'd been able to ask for more clarification, since we couldn't really figure out the layers.

The main component was obviously the turnip mousse, very creamy, and well, very turnip-y.  On top was a green foam, with a very intense herb flavor that we all recognized, but couldn't identify.  I'm still mystified.  On the very bottom was something that seemed like a poached fruit, perhaps it was turnip, but again, none of us could identify it.

This was interesting, and had a lot of strong flavors going on, but it wasn't particularly good nor bad.

Appetizer: Foie gras coated with carrot, truffles, and pistachios.

When I saw the appetizer choices, there was obviously only one option: foie gras!  Most of us ordered it, as it was a special treat for us, since foie is illegal in California.

The foie was decent, creamy, mild flavor.  Truffles inside, and meticulously cut carrots surrounded it.  The carrots were crispy, perfectly cut, and certainly showed of some serious knife skills.  But ... why carrots and foie?  Not really a great pairing.  The carrots had some sweetness, which you want with foie, but a fruit component would have been far more successful.  There was a tiny bit of fig jam and a sweet syrup on the plate for some additional sweetness, but, it all felt a bit pedestrian, and not quite inspired.

Toasted brioche was on the side, a cute little thing, but it was over-toasted for my liking, too crispy.  I ended up using the baguette instead, as it was softer.

Overall, this was a bit disappointing.  It wasn't bad, but, for something I get to eat so rarely, I wanted better.

Appetizer: “Mille-feuilles” of tuna and eggplant tapenade sauce. +￥600. 

Those who did not get the foie opted for tuna.  The tuna looked pretty extraordinary, but I didn't get a bite of it.  It had a￥600 supplement, which was surprising to me, as I'm use to foie requiring supplements, not fish!

Main: Lightly cooked salmon, “Stella Maris” style.

For my main, I picked the salmon, a signature dish from Chef Yoshino's Paris restaurant.  In our group, all but one person choose it.

The salmon was indeed lightly cooked, sorta half cooked, not quite raw, not quite cooked, almost smoked?  It was very moist and tender, but not quite in a good way.  It had a slight smoky thing going on.  It wasn't bad, but the texture was a bit strange, and the quality didn't seem that high.  Topped with a tiny bit of cream and chives, served atop a broccoli sauce, with intense broccoli flavor.

The potato cakes on the side I really didn't care for, they were oily and rather cold.

I did like that the salmon and potato cakes were sorta a play on smoked salmon and blinis, but, neither component was great.

What was great however were the veggies on the side.  Broccolini, watermelon radish, peas, green beans, fava beans.  All perfectly cooked, a bit crispy, expertly seasoned, buttery, flavorful.  Definitely the best part of the meal, even over the foie gras.  Yeah, I said it.  I think Emil agreed as well.

Japanese Beef steak, with lightly brown sauce. +￥1,600.

The one who didn't order the salmon went for the beef.  I didn't get a taste of it, but the diner opposite me choose the steak,  so I got to admire it.  It looked quite good, and he cleared his plate faster than anyone else.  Pretty sure he made the right choice here, even with the ￥1,600 supplement.

Buttery Focaccia Stick.

After the main meal was brought out, more bread choices were presented, either a roll or focaccia.  Neither were served warm, and that bread basket sat on a table on the side of the room throughout the meal, brought back over when we ran out, but never refreshed or warmed up.  Sad, since the first bread was warm!

I am not normally one to fill up on bread, but for some reason I went for a focaccia stick.  It was a great decision, soft, buttery, salty, great flavor.  Quite good for bread, and I wish I'd had this to pair with my foie gras instead.

We all had our priorities ...

One of my dining companions was a bit busy with his phone.  Emil cared most about having a great glass of bubbles.  And me?  I needed to take notes!

Still very busy!

Since I was going to be rapid fire eating so many fancy meals over the course of a few days, I knew I had to take meticulous notes, else I'd forget all the details.  Hard work being a food blogger!

Dessert: Paris-Brest à ma façon.

For dessert, we had the choice of 3 items, one pastry, one fruit, one chocolate.  The dessert menu wasn't particularly inspiring, but I do love pastry and cream, so I went for the classic paris-brest.

It wasn't very good at all, which is surprising, because it is such a simple classic.

The choux pastry was burnt, stale, dry.  There were two creams inside, one was a praline cream, the other plain.  Both were ok, decent cream, but, you can only save a dessert so much with cream, and it wasn't enough here.

The brûléed banana was even less successful, super strange, as it was actually frozen, and cold.  I'm all for contrasts, but this didn't work.  It was just a icy, yet soggy, banana.

I liked the crunch from the crumbled hazelnut on the side.

Not a winner, I certainly wouldn't get it again.

Dessert: Beet jelly and ice cream with red fruit marine.

Since Emil doesn't like dessert, he went for the only fruity sounding one.  It was a beet jelly, with fresh fruit, and crème fraîche.  It looked pretty, and he actually ate a few bites of it, which is saying something for a dessert.

Dessert: Chocolate stick “FORÉT NOIRE” style cherry sauce and beer caramelized. 

Everyone else picked the chocolate dessert.

A chocolate layer bar, with vanilla sorbet.  I got one tiny taste, and it was good, but I did not have enough to really evaluate.  But given the fact that they all continued to rave about it for days, and compare every other dessert to it, it was the clear winner of not only the meal, but of the whole trip.

Decaf Coffee.

Coffee or tea were included, and I as usual went for decaf.  It really wasn't good.  Decaf isn't generally very good in the US, but it is downright horrible in Tokyo.  I didn't find anywhere where it was even remotely good.

Mignardises: canelés, macarons.

Slates of mignardises appeared soon after the coffee, a slate for each pair of us.  They contained a macaron and canelé each.

I'm incapable of having canelés and not thinking of the amazing ones from Keiko A Nob Hill.  Those will forever remain in my mind as the gold standard.  They were perfect.

These, like the ones I had a day prior, were not.  Yes, the outside was crispy and caramelized, the inside moist, but the whole thing just tasted burnt.  Not caramelized, but burnt.  It wasn't horrible, but certainly wasn't good.

The macarons were a mixed bag.  Each slate had two varieties, one each, and the different slates had different flavors.  Thus, the awkward who-gets-which-one game ensued.  Lucky for us, several people in our group didn't want any, so we got to try more than one each!

I didn't have the chocolate one, but it had a chocolate cookie, and the filling was both a chocolate ganache and a cream, a rather non-standard filling for a macaron.  I went for the raspberry, again, with with a duo of fillings, raspberry jelly and cream.  I also got the lemon one, rejected by everyone else, filled with lemon gelee and cream.  Both were sweet, flavorful, and pretty good.  I liked having both the sweet and creamy components inside.  The cookie part was well executed, with a good crust, yet light and airy.  Very decent macarons.

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The Best Version of Any Classic Dessert You'll Ever Find: Flour & Co.

If you read my blog, you know by now that I eat a lot of baked goods, and desserts in particular.  I have a serious sweet tooth, which I attribute to a mother who always ensured that we had fresh baked goods in the house, at all times.  At a minimum, our cookie jar was always filled with homemade cookies.  And at holiday times, it gets even crazier.  I'm not exaggerating when I say that we routinely have more pies than people at our gatherings.

So, let's just say, I'm no stranger to desserts, and there are ones that are absolute classics for me.  After many disappointing encounters, I have certainly learned by now, in general, you should never order a dish that you have a strong personal association with, as it will never compare to the "right" version in your head. 

For me, there are desserts that certain family members of mine make, that I have never had a remotely comparable version from anywhere.  Every year, for Thanksgiving, my mom makes a pumpkin pie.  It is my definition of what a pumpkin pie should be.  No other pumpkin pie has ever really satisfied me.  Likewise, for Christmas, my mom always makes a pecan pie.  Another classic that I drool over.  I've had some good pecan pies in my life, but again, none have really compared to my mom's version.  And my Great Aunt has a carrot cake recipe that wins rave reviews from anyone who ever tries it.  Again, it doesn't matter how much cream cheese frosting you add, no other carrot cake lives up. 

Or, so I thought, until I started trying the classics from Flour & Co.  They have managed to not only create versions of classics that I enjoy, but, gasp, they have actually improved on the classic desserts I knew growing up.  Pumpkin pie is elevated into Harvest Pie, made with butternut squash, topped with a pecan crumble.  Not the same thing, for sure, but now, I have no desire for a simple pumpkin pie.  Similarly, pecan pie is amped up into Brown Sugar Chocolate Nut Pie, with cashews, almonds, and TCHO chocolate added.  Again, how can I go back to classic pecan now?  And the carrot cake?  Turned into layered decadence.

These treats from Flour & Co are not the prettiest creations, but they totally deliver.  None look nearly as incredible as they taste.  They look likes slices anyone could make.  But let me assure you, no one makes them this good.  It turns out I don't need to venture all the back back to New Hampshire to get a slice of pie or cake I enjoy, I just need to go to Nob Hill, to Flour and Co.

Flour and Co has only been open for a year, but honestly, I can't imagine my life without it.  It is, hands down, my favorite bakery in San Francisco.  Stay tuned for future posts about other areas of their menu, as I'm sure you can imagine, I've been eagerly exploring it all.

Harvest Pie. $4.

Picking this slice of pie was my hardest decision ever!  I visit the weekend before Thanksgiving, and the case was overflowing with options.  They had all of their standard offerings, and a slew of seasonal things.  I thought I was paralyzed with indecision on previous visits, but that doesn't even begin to compare to how I felt this time.

I decided to go for something seasonal, since those were rare, and wouldn't be available for long. And, I asked for a recommendation, which had served me quite well on my other visits.  Without hesitation, the woman taking my order mentioned this pie, a Thanksgiving special.  Deemed the "Harvest Pie", it had a butternut squash filling with pecan crumble top.  I was fascinated, since it sounded a bit like a mix of two of my favorite Thanksgiving pies: pumpkin and pecan.  But of course, butternut squash instead of pumpkin.

Unlike many of their items, this isn't one you'd warm up.  Served on the same little tray as their other goods.  For some reason, eating a piece of pie off a tray, without a plate, felt really strange to me, when eating other things this way did not.  I'm not sure why.

The pie was also no beauty.  Perhaps actually the least tasty looking item in the display case.  It was falling apart like this in the case as well.  But I went for it, knowing that it certainly didn't need to look good to taste good.

The filling was super creamy. It reminded me of pumpkin pie, except it was less custardy and more like a pudding, which is why it was sorta falling apart.  It also was distinctly butternut squash and not pumpkin, which I guess I should have expected.  It was slightly sweetened, but I think most of the sweetness came from the natural sweetness of the squash itself.

The crumble top was sweet, and added a great crunch.  There wasn't much pecan however.  I would have liked to have a more substantial pecan component.

The crust was fantastic, flaky, buttery.  I would have liked more of a back crust though, as I didn't get much pie crust, and unlike some people, I actually appreciate pie crust.

Overall, this walked the line between sweet and savory.  As a dessert, I'm not 100% sure it would have satisfied me.  But it was certainly not a pure savory offering.  I think it would go very well as a brunch item, or perhaps made into a tart.  It would also be really easy to amp up the savory aspects, adding more spices, like sage perhaps, and turn it more in that direction.  Or more dessert-y, with a sweetened whipped cream to accompany it.  I also found myself wanting just one more component, perhaps some sort of cranberry tie in?

That all said, I'm glad I tried it.  I enjoyed every bite, and found it quite fascinating.  It was also nice to have a dessert that didn't really feel that indulgent!  $4 for a slice was a fine price, although a bit higher than some of their other items.

Brown Sugar Chocolate Nut Pie: Pecans, cashews, almonds. TCHO chocolate.  $4.

When I visited at Thanksgiving, I had a very hard time picking between the squash pie and the nut pie.  As you know, I picked the squash pie, but I wondered about the nut pie long after.

When I visited closer to Christmas, I was prepared to order the eggnog pie.  I saw photos of it online, and it sounded so unique.  I entered the cafe, decision already made.  I wasn’t going to be the fool standing there indecisive this time!  Or, so I thought.  And then, they had the nut pie again.  Only this time, they amped it up with chocolate.  I had such a hard time resisting it last time, and now I stood no chance.  But, the eggnog pie was why I was there!

So, I asked the ever friendly staff members about the pies.  They have never lead me astray.  They all told me that the eggnog was good, and it was unique, but … they love the nut pie.  I was powerless.  I had to get it instead.  Perhaps I should have gotten both?

The nut pie is yet another example of Flour & Co taking a standard dessert, and making some tweaks to make it far more interesting, like the butternut pie instead of a simple pumpkin pie.  But this one I was a bit nervous about.  Pecan pie is a classic for me.  I love my mom’s version.  I have expectations when it comes to pecan pie.  And now, I have very high expectations of Flour & Co in general.  I was scared of my own expectations.

I didn’t need to be.  This was a seriously special pie.  One of the best I’ve ever had.

Let’s start with the foundation, the crust.  Super flaky, buttery, even slightly caramelized.  It puts my mom’s to shame (sorry, mom!).  It puts pretty much any pie crust I’ve ever had to shame.  Really quality crust.

Moving on to the filling.  Sweet gooey layer, custard-like, almost like a caramel.  Far more developed than a standard Karo syrup filling.  The TCHO chocolate added even deeper flavor.  Very good.

And then, the nuts.  Instead of just pecans, it also included cashews and almonds.  The pecans were mostly whole halves, the others were chopped.  Although I thought I wouldn’t like the mixed nuts, since pecan is so classic, I found the additional nutty flavor quite nice.  I could imagine other nuts working really well in there too - walnuts, hazelnuts, or macadamias in particular.  What really made this nut pie far and away better than any other that I’ve had before however is the fact that the nuts were toasted first.  This brought out a much deeper flavor from the nuts.  They just tasted, so … nutty.  Sorry, there isn’t a better word for it.

It was a fantastic pie.  Every part of it was so well done, the crust, the custard filling, the nuts.  Each component had something that elevated it above standard.  It was insanely good.

It was very sweet however.  Just eating the pie alone was a bit much, even though the nuts did help balance the sweet filling.  Luckily for me, I had both vanilla ice cream and whipped cream at home, so I paired it with both of those.  A little something creamy to cut the sweet was all it took to make a already great pie even more amazing.

So yes, I loved this.  I’d get it again in a heartbeat.  Although, I’m trying hard to not repeat anything, and continue exploring the menu.  I gave my mom the tip to include other nuts, and to toast her nuts, when making pecan pies next time.  We’ll see how they turn out.

And as always, I appreciated Flour & Co’s portion sizes.  Was it the biggest slice of pie out there?  No.  Was it more than enough for one person, in one sitting?  Yes.  Did I still want more after?  Well, of course, but I’m glad they limit me.  Large enough to satisfying, not too large to make you feel bad afterwards.  A winner, all around.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing.  $4.25.

The final dessert that has a classic place in my family's lineup is carrot cake, using a recipe from my great aunt.  A super moist carrot cake, made with pineapple, nuts, and carrots inside, with cream cheese frosting of course.  Everyone loves this recipe.  Last time my mom came to visit I had her make me a huge one, and I froze all the extra chunks.  I shared some with friends on several occasions, and they all loved it.

So again, I was nervous to try Flour & Co's carrot cake.  Honestly, I have never, ever had a carrot cake that even remotely compares to my aunt's recipe.  Most carrot cakes just don't have much flavor in the cake itself, or are too dry (the pineapple makes a huge difference), or don't have nearly enough cream cheese frosting.  But at this point, I've learned that Flour & Co can basically do no wrong, so I decided to try it anyway.

I had some options however.  They had individual carrot cake bundt cakes, cute little things.  Or, layered carrot cake, available as a slice or whole cake.  I asked what the difference was.  The cake base was the same, basic carrot cake with pecans.  The only real difference was the form, and, the amount of frosting.  The bundt cake, like many of Flour & Co's treats, was smaller, and had only a little dollop of cream cheese frosting.  A guilt free treat.  The layer cake on the other hand, had a generous amount of cream cheese frosting on top, and between the layers.  Since cream cheese frosting is an integral component of carrot cake in my mind, there was no question which I was going for.

Side Profile: extra layer of cream cheese frosting!

And, Flour & Co has done it again.  Why settle for a carrot cake with just cream cheese frosting on top, when you can have an extra tucked inside?  Yes, please!

The cake was moist, and absolutely loaded with shredded carrot.  I do prefer my aunt's version with the pineapple inside, because I like the sweetness and the moistness from the pineapple, but this cake did not suffer from dryness at all, even without the pineapple.  I don't understand why carrot cakes so often suffer from being dry.  It also had plentiful pecans, another component often left out of carrot cakes, or skimped on, but totally essential in my world.  I love the crunch.  There were no raisins, which I appreciated.  I don't hate raisins, but, I do prefer to have them left out of carrot cake.

The frosting was classic cream cheese frosting.  The cream cheese flavor was strong enough to come through, and it was sweetened, but not too sweet.  Perfect compliment, and the ratio of frosting to cake was spot on.

An extra pecan half served as garnish on top, a nice indicator that it would have nuts inside.  The other garnish was candied carrot curls, a fun touch, and totally delicious.

But the most remarkable aspect of this cake, besides the double layers, was the spicing.  I don't know what spices were used, perhaps ginger and nutmeg?  They really made the cake.  I'm not one for spice cakes in general, so I was surprised by how much I liked the spicing, particularly because my aunt's version isn't heavy on the spice.

I'm also amazed at how this really didn't feel that decadent.  How on earth did a double layer cake, loaded up with cream cheese frosting, not turn out too heavy?  I don't know.  Maybe it was the generous amount of carrots (vegetables, right?) or the nuts (protein!), or the fact that it wasn't a sweet overload.  I think that is the biggest difference from the version I grew up with, due to the pineapple, I'm accustomed to a sweeter cake, and this was more spiced than sweet.  And the frosting, while sweet, wasn't over the top sweet.  Don't get me wrong, this was still very much a cake, but, it felt good to eat.

I was a bit overwhelmed by the size of the slice however.  It was huge.  You can see in the top photo that it is a real, serious slice.  Far bigger than any other slice of pie or cake I've had from Flour & Co, and since it was a double layer, it was a very hefty piece.  For once, it actually seemed appropriate to share.  Certain family members of mine, known for their uh, large slice sizes, would probably even agree that this was a bigger than necessary slice.  Since carrot cake keeps well, I figured it wasn't a problem, and served myself just a bit more than half a slice, which looked plenty large to me.  I finished it, satisfied.  And then ... I went back, for "just one more bite".  The next thing I knew, I'd taken down the whole slice.  Sure, there were a few minutes in between my first serving and the rest, but, essentially, it was one sitting.  It was just that good.

The $4.25 price was higher than any other dessert item I've had from Flour & Co, but was totally reasonable given the slice size, and the fact that it included a generous amount of costly pecans.

Banana Cream Pie.  $3.75.

Banana cream pie.  Another simple classic. Almost all banana cream pies I have had in my life have been exactly the same, constructed from a store bought graham cracker pie crust, a layer of Jell-O brand vanilla pudding, some mushy brown sliced bananas, and cool whip on top.  Banana cream pie is certainly not something I'd ever imagine getting from a bakery.  

But, when I saw Flour & Co post on Facebook that they were now making a banana cream pie, I knew I had to get it.  If I can enjoy one made with totally generic low-end components, I could only imagine how much I could love one made with real ingredients.

I laughed a little when I saw it in the case.  The rest of the display was filled with treats that looked so pretty.  Dainty muffins.  Beautiful hand pies and toasty tarts.  Gorgeous multi-layer slices of chocolate and peanut butter cake.  A lemon meringue pie with perfect stiff peaks that most bakers only dream of achieving.  And ... the banana cream pie.  There were only two small slices left.  The crust was crumbling off, the innards spilling out.  Honestly, it looked no different than the pitiful versions from my past.

But, I knew better than to judge based on looks.  The harvest pie wasn't been pretty, and it blew my mind.

I started with the top, fluffy whipped cream.  I wish I'd taken a side profile shot, so you could see, but, like any good cream pie, a majority of it was the whipped cream.  It was good, standard fresh whipped cream.

Below that was banana slices, not too mushy, and vanilla pudding (or maybe pastry cream?).  I felt the pudding layer was perhaps a bit too thin, easily lost amidst all the whipped cream.  I think there might have been honey in here somewhere too.

So far, all good, but not mind blowing.  Clearly steps above Jell-O pudding and Coolwhip, but not in a different league entirely.

And then, I tasted the crust.  This was no standard graham cracker crust.  It is where all the magic to this pie was.  It was buttery.  It was sweet.  It crumbled perfectly with a fork, easily mixing into the whipped cream.  I don't really know how to convince you that a graham cracker crust could be so magically, but believe me, it was.  Or, don't believe me, just go try it yourself.

I got my slice of pie to go, intending to bring it home to eat later, and, to share with Ojan, since I know he likes banana cream pie.  I wanted to take just one bite, perhaps two, to taste it fresh.  Which, I did.  I took two bites, loved it, and sealed it back up.  I had willpower.  Or, so I thought.  The pie didn't make it far.  With every step I took, all I could think about was that crust.  I had to investigate it more.  I'd just take a few more little nibbles, to try to understand the crust better.  It was for my research.  This is what I told myself.  As you can imagine, that slice of pie did not make it home with me.  Ojan did not get to taste it.

So yes, I liked this pie.  It was a simple banana cream pie, but that crust was magic.  I think it would be even better as a layered parfait, so you could have more layers of the magic crust.  I'm not sure I'd get it again, only because I want to keep trying new things, and there have been some items I've tried that I've liked more than this pie.  But, I'd love to see that crust show up again in more places.

$3.75 was a fine price for a slice, although, I did feel like this slice was a bit smaller than others.

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Darn Good Food

Darn Good Food is a fast casual eatery, focused on making healthy food, nutritionally balanced to help busy professional power through their days, and making it fast.  All menu items include calorie and fat counts very prominently, with big banners advertising ones that are under 550 calories, so the healthy aspect of the restaurant is very in your face.  They promise that any item will be ready within 10 minutes, even though prepared to order.  The cafe is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, weekdays only.  Since I generally eat lunch and dinner at work, I've only ever stopped by for breakfast, which doesn't seem to be their strong point.

As I said, I've only been for breakfast, and, being myself, I've only been to get baked goods, rather than the actual healthy options available, like egg dishes or yogurt and fruit parfaits.  The lunch menu is all soups, sandwiches, and salads, available for dine-in or take out.  Dinner is more entree style, but served as bento boxes, again, with the intention that you grab it fast on your way by.  Smoothies make up a large section of the menu.

The space is large inside, which surprised me, since it seems like if most of the business is togo, they don't need as much dining space.  You order at a counter at the front, and can then seat yourself on one of two levels, at a table or a long bar area overlooking the lane behind the cafe.  The interior is all appointed with wooden furniture.

On the side is a condiments station, complete with sweeteners and milk for coffee, and self service cucumber water.

Staff have always been nice enough, but not particularly friendly.

The drinks I have had have all been fairly unremarkable, and the baked goods, actually quite bad.  I can't judge them on any of their housemade items though, since the baked goods are all outsourced from Semifreddi's.

Drinks

Darn Good Food sources Mr. Espresso for their coffee beverages, and uses an automatic magic machine to produce the drinks.  No real baristas here.

Decaf Americano, Single.  $1.95.

On my first visit, I just got a decaf americano, since they did not have decaf drip coffee.

It was a standard americano, no real complaints.  On the side condiment station, they also have skim milk and half and half, along with various sweeteners (but no cinnamon/nutmeg/etc).

Nothing remarkable, and it did the job, and the price was fine.

Decaf Americano, Double.  $2.35.

On my next visit, I upgraded to a bigger size.  The guy making my drink asked a question, which I thought was, "do you want room for cream?"  I pinched my fingers together and said, "a little".  I drink my coffee black generally, but if it wasn't good, I wanted the ability to add a little milk to help it out.

I was thus surprised when I got my drink, and it was very, very pale brown.  Loaded up with cream.  Since I'm used to drinking coffee black, or perhaps with a small amount of milk, this isn't really what I wanted, and it took some getting used to.  I felt like with every sip my entire throat was getting coated in cream.  Now, I love cream, don't get me wrong.  I eat ice cream every day.  And whipped cream most days.  I have nothing against cream.  I just don't want it in my coffee.

I'm not used to cafes adding the dairy product for you, and last time I was at Darn Good Food, they had different types of milk and creamer on the condiments station, so I was pretty thrown off here.  I can't really evaluate the coffee, since again, all I experienced was cream overload.

$2.35 for a large Americano was a fine price.

Decaf Iced Americano.  $1.95.

On a later visit, it was a beautiful hot day, and I decided to go for an iced coffee.  They don't have iced coffee, but offered to brew an americano over ice.  And ... that is literally what I got.  The cup had an insane amount of ice in it, and an espresso shot, and perhaps a tiny bit of water?  It wasn't full to the top, and literally, all ice.

Right before he handed it over, I was again asked if I wanted cream.  This time I knew better, and pointed to the condiment station, and said I'd add it myself.  I'm really unsure why they have the milk and sweeteners out, if they so eagerly want to add it?

Anyway, like the regular hot americano, it was fine, but not remarkable.  And, since it was basically just a single espresso shot, gone way too fast!

Pineapple Ginger Lemonade. $3.

On one occasion, I decided to try something besides coffee.

They offer several types of fresh squeezed lemonades.  I went for the most refreshing sounding: pineapple ginger.

In my first few sips, all I could taste was pineapple.  It was sooo sweet.  I finally picked up some ginger on the finish, but it was subtle.  I honestly didn't taste lemon, or lemonade, at all.

This was far too sweet for me, and needed to be watered down, and even then, I still didn't care much for it.  $3 was fine for a fresh drink like this, but I certainly wouldn't get another.

Protein Smoothie, Small, $5.

On one occasion, I decided to really branch out, and get a smoothie.  Now, I'm really not a smoothie person.  I was on a liquid-only diet for several months for medical purposes and, let's just say, I am seriously, seriously over smoothies.

But ... this sounded good.  I was really drawn in by the peanut butter: "peanut butter, soy milk, low fat yogurt, honey, strawberries, blueberries, banana and apple juice."

Really, it should have been called the "pb&j" smoothie.  It tasted SOOO much like a pb&j!  I loved the flavors: peanut butter on the finish, really fruity to start, with sweetness from honey.  It was freshly made, well blended, the right level of icyness.  But … I think I’m just over smoothies.  I didn’t want a liquid pb+j, even if it tasted good.

$5 price is standard for a fresh made smoothie.

I also tried the Antioxidant smoothie once, and found it to be way, way too sweet.  The overwhelming flavor was raspberry, which is fine, but it just wasn't very balanced.

Baked Goods

The breakfast baked goods all come from Semifreddis.  I know Semifreddis as my Whole Foods carries some of their goods, and Ojan is in love with their cinnamon bread.  Unfortunately, nothing I got from Darn Good Food was good.  It all tasted very stale.  I went on many different days of the week, and in the early mornings, so I don't think it possibly was an issue of old deliveries.

Semifreddi's Almond Croissant.  $2.75.

On my first visit, I went for the most decadent looking item, the almond croissant.

Semifreddi's describes it as "dusted with powdered sugar, topped with slivers of California Almonds and filled with a decadent almond paste."  It was indeed dusted with powdered sugar, and topped with slivers of almonds.  But the almond paste?  Not decadent.

I was really in the mood for an almond croissant after having the great one from Prima Cafe.  This looked good, particularly as it was coated in powdered sugar and almond slices.

But ... it was kinda dried out.  Chewy in a strange way.  It just didn't taste fresh at all.  It wasn't flaky nor buttery.  There was almond paste inside, but not much, and not well distributed.  I struggled to like this, as I really wanted to, but alas, it did not ever grow on me.

It was a very disappointing croissant, which made me quite sad, as I've enjoyed other Semifreddi's goods in the past.  $2.75 price was perhaps a bit high.

Semifreddi's Blueberry Muffin.  $2.25.

On my next visit, I went for a muffin, since I hadn't liked the croissant.  My choices were lemon-poppyseed, bran, or blueberry.  I wasn't feeling the others, so I went for blueberry, and knew that if I didn't like it, blueberry is Ojan's favorite, so he might like it.

Described as "cake-like and filled with wild blueberries, our muffin is packed with anti-oxidants and tastes so good that you won’t even realize it’s good for you."

I really didn't like it.  It didn't have any real redeeming quality.  It wasn't crispy on top.  It wasn't moist inside.  Not that it was dry, but it was just homogenous, in a really boring way.  It was very sweet, and, well, cake-like, as they said.  If I had read the description before picking it up, I would have chosen something else.  I love cake, but not in my muffin.  The blueberries were just little bits throughout.

I brought it to Ojan, who commented, "that really isn't a good muffin".  Clearly, not a winner, although the price of $2.25 was fine for such a large muffin.

Semifreddi's Lemon Poppyseed Muffin.  $2.25.

After my disappointment with the blueberry muffin, and the croissant, you'd think I'd stop trying.  But I know Semifreddi's makes really good morning buns, and cinnamon bread, so I wanted to give them another chance.

The description was encouraging: "These moist and delicious muffins are a perfect way to brighten up your morning! A burst of lemon, rich buttermilk and a little crunch from the poppy seeds...what a muffin!"

One of my complaints with the blueberry muffin was the lack of flavor, so I hoped that the buttermilk would add a desired tang.  And that the lemon would give it a zing.  But ... it didn't.  There was no real flavor to the base, again.  I barely tasted lemon.  It was loaded up with poppyseeds, which were nice and crunchy, but ... not very good.

The other issue was the texture.  Just like the blueberry, it was all completely the same, not exactly moist nor dry.  I love a nice moist interior and a crispy top, and this was all just the same.

Plain and boring, just like the blueberry.  I tried to share this with colleagues, and no one wanted a second bite.  It made me crave the Costco almond poppyseed muffin!

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Omotesando Ukai-tei, Tokyo

If you've been following my blog, you know that I recently took a business trip to Tokyo.  During our free time, we were determined to fit in as many different dining experiences as possible, ideally involving Michelin stars.  And so we did, eating 9 Michelin stars in only 3 days, having our share of fine French cuisine and sushi, along with more humble ramen and okonomiyaki.

One day, we decided to go for teppanyaki, to experience something a bit traditional Japanese than all the fine French cuisine we'd been feasting on.  But of course, we wanted more Michelin starred food, so we picked Ukai-tei, in Omotesando, due to their single star.

We went for lunch, since dinner was far more pricey.  The lunch options were￥6,830, ￥9,450, and￥12,600 (compared to the dinner options that started at ￥12,600, and went up to ￥24,150!).  We went for the cheapest option, the "Tenderloin Steak Lunch Course", which was advertised as: Today's Starter, King Crab Fritter, Seasonal Vegetables Consommé Soup, Ukai Beef Tenderloin Sautéed, Dessert, Coffee or Tea with Baked Confectionery.  The next pricier choice not only upgraded the cut of beef, but had totally different courses preceding it, including marinated yellowtail, grilled lobster, and sautéed scallop.  And the highest priced option included jellied scallop and sea urchin, roasted foie gras, and sautéed tilefish.  OMG.  Had I not been splurging for so many days in a row, you know I would have gone for that last one, as it included some of my favorite ingredients!

The entire experience was fairly formal.  Once we checked in, we were brought to a formal waiting room for all of 30 seconds before then being lead to our table.  It reminded me of a parlor from Victorian times, or something I'd find in my grandmother's house.  It was a bit strange to have us go sit in the waiting room, and then immediately get back up.  We literally only had time to sit before immediately being led away.  We could have just waited at the check in area ...

Anyway, we were then led to our table, which was in a private room.  I didn't get to see the layout of the rest of the restaurant, so I'm not quite sure if it is just made up of many small rooms, or if there is a larger area somewhere.  Our room could have seated 6, but we were a group of 4.  The chairs in the room reminded me a bit of thrones, with ornate woodwork.  There were fresh flowers on the table.

The service was all fine, although not very present for the most part.  Since we were in our own room, the servers entered originally to determine which menu we wanted, and to bring us our courses as they were ready, but besides that, we were left alone (except for when a chef came to cook on the teppan of course).

Overall, it was good, and I understand their Michelin rating, but I am unlikely to return, as it just isn't the style of food that I generally would pick.  I'm glad I got to experience higher end teppanyaki.  The lunch course did indeed seem like a deal, and I don't think you could find anything equivalent in San Francisco.

I don't normally include a review of the bathrooms, but I found theirs to be worthy of a mention.  Once inside the doorway for the women's room, there was a cute little spiral staircase of a few stairs, leading to the washroom area.  It was stocked with everything you'd expect, but also toothpicks, and a very fascinating rose mouthwash.  It was floral, yet minty, at the same time.  I thought it was really refreshing and lovely, but my dining companions did not agree.

Plum Wine.

I started with a plum wine, while my companions all choose beer.  It was sweet yet not too sweet, and exactly what I was in the mood for.  Served on the rocks, with a giant round ice cube, like we saw in many bars on our visit.

Marinated Ocean Trout, Mousse, Greens. 

Our menu just said "Today's Starter", so we had no idea what the first dish would be.  I was delighted when this was set in front of me, as I expected just a small little amuse bouche, not a full on appetizer.

The trout was mild, not at all fishy, quality raw ocean trout.  On top was a relish or gremolata of sorts, with capers and onions, which added some crunch.  It also provided acidity.

The mousse on the side was also trout based and was really creamy.  The mousse was topped with trout roe.  I loved how the different parts of the trout carried through these elements, and the roe added a delightful pop to each bite.

On the side were simple greens, lightly dressed with lemon, salt, and olive oil.  They were fresh and crisp, and added a lightness and additional acidity to the dish.

It took a little work to figure out how to craft a perfect bite, since it wasn't totally clear which components would work together.

Overall, this was flavorful, light, and beautifully composed - fresh fish, creamy mousse, perfectly seasoned greens, crunch from the capers, pop from the roe ... an excellent dish!  A wonderful start to the meal, and my favorite dish.

French Bread and Butter.

Next came bread service.  The bread was fairly unremarkable to me, as I'm not usually much of a bread girl, but one of my dining companions proclaimed it the best French bread he'd had in a long time.  It was very crusty and was useful for lapping up sauce later, but besides that, I didn't really care for it.

King Crab Fritters.

I wasn't entirely sure what a King Crab fritter would be, but I think I expected a little ball, a small appetizer portion.  Instead, we each received two large pieces, which were filled with spinach, bits of crab, and cream, wrapped in a large wonton style wrapper.

They were insanely hot and fresh, perfectly executed.  I actually burnt myself on my first bite, it was that fresh out of the fryer.  Incredibly crispy skin, obviously fried but it still felt light, contrasting with the creamy inside.  The filling seemed to be more cream than crab however.

Also on the plate was broccoli to freshen the dish up a little, and two sauces: a cappuccino-like crab foam, and a oil drizzle.  Neither sauce really had much flavor, and I would have preferred something more to dip the fritters into.

My second favorite dish, and another one that was obviously well thought out and composed.

Seasonal Vegetables Consommé Soup.

Next up we had a soup.  I never care much for soups, but I really didn't like this.

The broth was a beef consommé, and it was way too rich for me, really oily.  The vegetables (onions, potatoes) were overcooked and mushy.  And, the chunk of beef cheek floating within was very fatty.

The others all liked this however, so I guess this was just my own dislikes.  My least favorite dish, by far.

The Chef's Station.

Now it was time for the real action.  Our chef entered the room, and set up his station with a few oils, spices, tools, and sauces.

Wagyu Tenderloin and Mushrooms, Raw.

He also came barring a platter of the raw ingredients that would make up our main dish: Wagyu tenderloin and assorted mushrooms.  Mmm, look at that beef!

Mushrooms Cooking on the Teppan.

The chef started with cooking the mushrooms, with just a little seasoning, right on the teppan.

Steak and Mushrooms Cooking.

After a few minutes, he transferred the mushrooms into a pan, generously filled with oil, and seasoned them further with garlic.  Then, it was time to get the meat sizzling.

Between all moves, he kept the cooking surface meticulously clean, and wiped it down the moment he finished cooking.

Final Product: Beef Tenderloin and Mushrooms.

The chef plated up each dish, making sure to give each of us a variety of the different types of mushrooms, and pouring plenty of sauce on top.

The steak was well seasoned, and a little more rare than we expected giving our ordering of medium-rare (chef's recommendation).  It was obviously a good steak, and the guys really loved it.  I however just wasn't into it.  I just wasn't feeling the red meat.  I'm not sure why.

But, I did love the mushrooms, super meaty themselves.  One of my dining companions doesn't like mushrooms, so I traded some of my steak for his mushrooms.  We both felt like winners.

I also really liked the sauce, a thin style beef gravy, very flavorful, full of garlic and other seasonings.  I gladly dunked the mushrooms, and extra table bread, into the sauce.  So good.

My third favorite dish.

Satisfied Diners.

Here you can see the private room, and our happy, satisfied crew.  The chef offered to take our photo, before leading us on to the next part of our adventure, dessert!

Dessert is served in a separate room.  This makes a lot of sense, since we shouldn't keep occupying the valuable space with the teppan while we enjoy leisurely desserts.  So, after we'd finished, we were asked to follow them to the dessert lounge.

Dessert Menu.

The lounge was really nice, open and airy, and a big change from the fairly dark private room we had been in before.  It was filled with patrons, all enjoying desserts and drinks.  On a sunny day, it would have been wonderful, sunny and bright, and the views overlooking Tokyo were impressive.  In summer, they even have a patio with seating on it, which I'm sure would be amazing.

You can actually come just for the dessert lounge.

Once seated in the dessert/tea lounge, we were presented with dessert menus.

There were 5 choices, none of us went for the ice cream, sorbet, or "Japanese Orange with Jelly", although I almost wish someone had because I'm curious what that really was.

Chiffon Cake with Strawberry.

One of my dining companions picked the chiffon cake, a fairly boring looking plain cake, with a few strawberries, and cream.  I didn't even bother asking for a bite.

Mont-Blanc.

The other two, at the recommendation of the water, went for the Mont-Blanc.

It was a fascinating creation, covered in what looked like spaghetti, but was actually chestnut puree, and surrounded by several sauces.  It was quite the surprise to cut into it and find cold ice cream and a roasted chestnut in the center.

This was certainly interesting, but not any of our favorites.

Classic Pudding.

I went for one that sounded incredibly simple: "classic pudding".  I asked for a description, and was just told, "pudding".  "Vanilla?" I enquired?  "Yes", I was told.

I could tell there was a language barrier, and didn't quite trust the answer, but, I love puddings, so I went for it.  It wasn't like any of the other options were jumping out at me anyway.

When I saw my dessert, I certainly wouldn't have called it a pudding, let alone a classic pudding.  I'd call it a crème caramel, or a flan.

It was pretty much exactly what it looked like.  A decent creamy custard, with a slightly caramelized sauce.  Pretty standard execution, not particularly good nor bad.

Decaf Coffee.

Like most restaurants we visited, coffee or tea was included in the meal.  No other drinks were offered, not even water, which bothered me, as I wanted water.

There was also an alcohol cart that I think would roll out were it evening rather than mid-day.

I failed to take notes about this coffee, as I was way too distracted by what was coming next ...

After-dessert Dessert Cart!

Yes, the dessert cart!  I knew it was coming.  Not only do you get your pick of main desserts, you also get unlimited selections from the dessert cart.

It seemed like forever before the extra dessert cart came rolling over.  The cart may or may not have been a primary motivation of mine for going to Ukai-Tei in the first place :)  You know me and my love of desserts!

The cart featured an assortment of items: tarts, cakes, cookies, brownies, meringues, hard candies, marshmallows, pâtes de fruits ...

And, they just asked, "what would you like?"

My dining companions all had restraint.  Or perhaps they just don't really have sweet tooths.  I think they all selected at most two items.  I was momentarily upset that I hadn't planned this better, telling each of them to order a few extra things and then just give them to me, so I could try everything.  And then, I decided, I had no shame.

One of my platters.

Yes, I got one of everything, except the brownie.  The server used a small plate for each of the others, but pulled out a much bigger one for me.  I didn't actually feel judged or rude with my order, and think this may be not entirely uncommon.  Or, so I like to think.

And I will admit, by the end of this, I was really, really sick of sweets.  For a few hours.

I'll try my best to remember these all, clockwise, starting top center:

• Caramel - We had so many caramels on this trip, as every single restaurant included them in their mignardises, that I really couldn't distinguish this from any of the others.
• Fruit Tart - The tart shell was really buttery, and even though it looked burnt, was quite good.  Filled with decent pastry cream, and topped with strawberry, a raspberry, and a blueberry.  This was one of my favorites, a great mix of crunch, cream, and fruit.
• Chocolate and Strawberry Napoleon - Layers of a slightly chocolately, buttery, crispy wafer, chocolate cream, and strawberries.  This was very, very tasty, although a bit hard to eat, since cutting into it caused the cream to squish out.  This was my favorite, although the fruit tart was a very close second.
• Ladyfinger Filled with Orange Marmalade: This was very sweet, and I don't really care for ladyfingers nor orange marmalade in the first place.  Wouldn't have ordered it if I knew what it was.  Not a favorite.
• Grapefruit Pâtes de Fruits: Tart yet sweet, very flavorful, better than most pâtes de fruits.
• Plum (?) Pâtes de Fruits: This had a very familiar flavor that I couldn't quite place, but I think it was plum.  Again, better than most, not too sweet, good chew.
• Mexican Wedding Cookie: Pretty standard, almond powder and bits, powdered sugar coating.
• Meringue: Filled with chunks of hazelnut that were a bit bitter, but this was pretty unremarkable and standard.
• Mint Chocolate Chip Marshmallow:  Very, very light and fluffy.  Intense mint flavor, with little chocolate bits too. I've had a lot of fancy marshmallows over the past few years, but these were perhaps the best I've ever had.  Besides the pastries, these were my favorites on the platter.
• Strawberry Marshmallow: Again, light and fluffy, super intense strawberry flavor. Another stellar marshmallow.
• Hard Candies: Pretty standard, just hard candies.
• Log (center): I have no idea what this was, but it was really dry, and had no real flavor.  My least favorite item.

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