Stuffed Nutella French Toast

Ah it has been too long since I’ve had a proper New York brunch. Today was the perfect day to celebrate our good friend, Celene’s birthday. With the hopeful fall air and overcast atmosphere, we were all ready to sit down in Baker & Co’s cozy restaurant and indulge in some delicious food. The walls of this Italian restaurant were completely lined with old fashioned bottles, including Pellegrino and another drink I wasn’t sophisticated enough to recognize. I especially loved the hipster-like feel of the room with its bright teal walls and wooden furniture. But at last, onto the food!! I went back to my traditional ways of splitting sweet and savory…one being the Lump Crab Meat Eggs Benedict with crushed avocado and potato gratin. And most importantly, the Nutella French Toast with seasonal fruit and a vanilla pastry cream. Normally restaurants seem to either over or under apply Nutella, but not this one. The perfect amount of chocolate hazelnut spread was stuffed between two pieces of thick and fluffy bread. The outside was slightly crispy and the berries added freshness to balance out the indulgent dish. I think I was most impressed with the fact that the amount of syrup I put on top of the french toast did not cause the bread to become soggy. Instead, it absorbed the sweet liquid just enough to keep its spongy texture while offering that added bit of richness I can’t get enough of. Thank you, Celene, both for being born today and for choosing such a great spot. Happy eating, everyone!

Sugar and Plumm

Sugar and Plumm has been on my list of bakeries to try for so long that I recently decided to suck it up and go alone…it was pretty empowering. I walked into this whimsical and brightly decorated restaurant and was greeted not only by a vast display of baked goods, but also an entire collection of chocolates!! Although Sugar and Plumm is known for many different sweet treats, including their decked out ice cream sundaes, I knew I needed to test out the cake before I could form an opinion of this place. With that said, I headed straight to the counter of cakes and didn’t even hesitate to order when I saw Banana Nutella. Being the type of person who loves to share delicious moments with others, I brought the cake to my friend, Megan, who was in the middle of a 12 hour shift at Lincoln Center. Forcing her to taste (and judge) this cake with me, we both decided that we needed to go back soon. It was amazing! The cake was moist and filled with a rich banana flavor while the nutella was delicately folded into the sugary icing. Sugar and Plumm passed my cake inspection and I will definitely be back to try another slice or a ridiculous sundae. Happy eating, everyone! 🙂

I Did it For the Cake

Before you get any weird ideas about the meaning of this title, know that it is innocently food related. My good friend, Eli, and I made a deal a year ago that we would make it to a steak dinner at one point in the near future. Being my frugal (or broke, however you want to phrase it) self, it took me a full year to finally decide I deserved it. Also, with restaurant week around, I knew that the time could not have been more perfect. Therefore, I compiled all of my restaurant research skills and went to town looking for the best menu in the city! But I have a secret; my final decision was impacted more by the dessert selection than the actual steak. Any meathead would probably lose any interest in being my friend right about now, but I couldn’t help it!! Yes I could not wait for the filet mignon, but come on, THE CAKE!! Now not to belittle the whole meal, because it was fantastic, but I will cut to the chase. My carrot cake was the perfect way to end our fancy four course meal. The cake was moist and not too sweet, letting the icing follow through with its job. The subtle raspberry drizzle on the plate added a unique element of tartness that accented the intense icing. Thank you, Empire Steakhouse, for offering one memorable experience. Happy eating, everyone! 🙂

L’Eggo My Eggloo

Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting up with my Viacom intern friends to try the peculiar dessert that begins with a Hong Kong egg waffle. Now before you jump to conclusions, this is not just eggs in the shape of a waffle–but a spherical, egg-based waffle. Eggloo takes a spin on this traditional dessert and transforms the waffle into a perfect cone-shaped home for ice cream. I decided to take on the chocolate waffle with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. With the option of unlimited toppings, I chose mini M&M’s, frosted flakes, whipped cream, and chocolate pocky! Each waffle is made right before you eat it, making sure to maintain absolute freshness. The ice cream softens it up a bit and the toppings add a nice crunch. Thank you, Eggloo, for your creativity and dedication to providing a twist on New York’s ice cream scene. Happy eating, everyone!

Sprinkles on Top

Home to the one and only cupcake ATM, Sprinkles Cupcakes does not disappoint. The simple yet modern vibe of the actual shop allows room for the beautiful cupcake creations to shine. Although the combinations of ice cream and cupcakes are endless, I knew exactly which option I wanted to explore before walking in. That is the well-known Sprinkles Sundae, or a cupcake ice cream sandwich. Confident that whichever flavors I decided on would be delicious, I went with my gut and tried something a little different from what I would normally choose. I ordered the vanilla milk chocolate cupcake with cookie dough ice cream! I was pleased by the fact that this dessert did not lack any element of the cupcake or ice cream individually–the cupcake was large, icing thick, and ice cream plentiful and creamy. Such a perfect treat on a hot summer day. Whether you’d like to avoid any human interaction and stick to the ATM, or venture into the shop, I definitely recommend stopping by this season. Happy eating, everyone!

Banana Pudding Machine

I have actually never jumped on the bandwagon of the obsession with one of the most well-known bakeries in New York, Magnolia. That is until I tried the very much hyped Banana Pudding. I mean it is even labeled “Famous Banana Pudding” on the menu. That title just speaks for itself. This stuff is in such high demand that you’re not guaranteed a purchase if you show up too late. I will be the first to say that I wouldn’t ordinarily buy banana pudding or even eat it if available, but I had to try Magnolia’s. This pudding is so magical that you don’t have to even like pudding or bananas and chances are you will still love this sweat treat. It is incredibly smooth, silky, and creamy. The ingredients mix so well together that you never get too much of one ingredient in a mouthful. Just recently, Magnolia came out with the decked out version that includes…CHOCOLATE. People are going crazy for this stuff! It took my roommate, Megan, many trips to the bakery to finally be able to purchase it before it sold out. This pudding is surprisingly made with Oreos, even though it tastes like chunks of cake. I am telling you, this stuff is delicious. Whether you’re a chocolate lover or tend to stay loyal to the traditional vanilla pudding, you must try one of Magnolia’s most famous treats. Be careful…it’s addicting. Happy eating, everyone! 🙂

One Cheap Date

Los Angeles granted me the pleasure of trying the cheapest dessert I have ever purchased from a bakery. I was very impressed by how delicious and substantial this $2 ice cream sandwich was. That’s right, two dollars!! As the ultimate broke college student stop for dessert, the line to this gem was long outside the door. Obviously the Californians know what’s good. Let me set up the scene inside this bakery. So, you walk inside to the huge store front and become overwhelmed by the sugary smell and ridiculous amount of cookies. You first get to chose which two flavors of cookies you want to sandwich your ice cream, and then you get to pick the ice cream itself. I personally would have been happy with anything chocolate, but I ended up choosing the traditional chocolate chip cookie, an M&M cookie, and peanut butter cup ice cream. My expectations were not too high before I tasted the sweet treat as I knew I was about to taste the most inexpensive dessert I had ever bought. To my astonishment, it was fantastic! The cookies were somehow soft and gooey and the ice cream was creamy and not too cold as to break the cookie. The sandwich kept its shape without being too hard. I do not know how Diddy Riese does it, but thank you for redefining a cheap date. Happy eating, everyone!

Best Way to Wake Up

What other way to motivate yourself to wake up at 4am for a road trip than with some fresh, quality donuts?! Blinkie’s Donut Emporium is a hidden gem, also a mom and pop shop, of the Valley and conveniently only a 15 minute walk from my friend’s house in Woodland Hills. We loved these donuts so much that after Malia’s mom picked us up 5 different ones to share, we still felt the need to return for a nice and healthy breakfast two days later. This is the type of donut shop that cares so much about its customers, that they are up hours before the earliest risers to produce the best donuts whenever the first person decides to walk through the door. I was very impressed by the amount of options and how delicious each of them looked. I have never seen such a vast and diverse amount of fresh donuts in one shop! After stressing about which delicacy to try that morning, I happily landed on the healthiest option I could find–the chocolate chip cinnamon roll. If you cannot stand a lot of sugar, stay away! But fortunately (or not), I can stand any amount of sugar at one time. This glazed donut was absolutely delicious as it fell apart in my mouth with every bite. The chocolate chips were melted enough to be soft without losing their sturdy texture. I would tell you to get this one, but really I want you to try them all so you can tell me which to get next time. Thank you, Blinkie’s, for helping me wake up before the LA sun rises and warms the city. Happy eating, everyone!

The Odd Life is the Good Life

After trying what some may consider “too much” cake in the last few weeks, I finally made it to one of the ice cream shops on my list! With only two locations, OddFellows is known to some as the best ice cream in New York. It not only offers “OddFlavors” of ice cream (such as Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Carmalized Onion), but also boozy popsicles, fun ice cream cookie sandwiches, and the decadent “OddPocket.” As fantastic as everything sounded, I could not leave without trying the infamous ice cream brioche sandwich, known as the OddPocket. I chose Brown Butter Sage which begins with a thick, halved piece of brioche. The waitress then drenches honey on each side of the brioche and tops it with chopped spicy almonds. After sandwiching the brown butter sage ice cream in between the bread, she sticks the whole thing in a press to secure the sandwich and warm it slightly. Finally, she drizzles the completed heart attack with more honey and spicy nuts. My favorite part of this concoction is its variety of texture. My teeth first sank into the fluffy and buttery brioche bun, followed by the sticky, crunchy nut & honey combination, finished off by the slightly melted & soft brown butter ice cream. I actually had to sit and consider the party that was occurring in my mouth. Tired of the normal ice cream routine? Stop here for a whole collection of unique eats that’ll leave you wondering what exactly you just ate…in the best way possible. Happy eating, everyone!

 

Little Cupcake Bakeshop

After almost a year of drooling over the countless posts on Instagram that this bakery inspired, I FINALLY got to indulge in the giant slice of Peanut Butter & Jelly Cake. Now I am not going to sit here and convince someone who doesn’t love peanut butter that he will necessarily enjoy this, but I am confident that those who do will not be able to get enough. The three layers of peanut butter cake are sandwiched between two sweet, sweet layers of thick peanut butter and strawberry jelly. This beautiful concoction is surrounded by a simple and light icing decorated with a drizzle of jelly. Do you ever experience those moments in your life when you need to settle down, sit back, and treat yourself? I really needed this after yet another long week. Sitting with my friends and a spectacular piece of cake in this classy bakery was everything I needed to get me through the hours of midterm studying I had ahead of me. After finishing this little piece of magic, I had the pleasure of speaking to the manager and owner. I exchanged a heartfelt thank you for creating such an incredible piece of cake and in return, they gave me nothing but gratitude and advice for my future endeavors. This bakery is absolutely one that I would recommend, and even encourage everyone to try. Take a second for yourself during a busy week and pick up a slice of happiness from the Little Cupcake Bakeshop. Happy eating, everyone! 🙂