Food: ☆☆☆
Service: ☆☆☆½
Ambiance: ☆☆
Cost: $$
Must try: Carrot Cake
Category Archives: DESSERTS/COFFEE
MarieBelle Chocolate, Soho, NYC
Little Fox Café, NoLita, NYC
Food: ☆☆☆½
Service: ☆☆☆½
Ambiance: ☆☆☆½
Cost: $
(This meal was complimentary which did not affect my review.)
Ladurée, Upper East Side, NYC
Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice-Cream, NYC
Georgetown Cupcakes, Soho, NYC
WANDERING MOOSE CAFÉ, WEST CORNWALL, CT
Food: ☆☆ ½
Service: ☆☆☆
Ambiance: ☆☆
Cost: $$
I recommend: Buttermilk Pancakes, Carrot Cake
If you ever happen to go skiing at Mohawk Mountain, CT, then the Wandering Moose Café is a nice little café option for a pleasant meal.
Located right by the covered bridge in West Cornwall, it has a view of the beautiful river and picturesque mountains in the background. In the warmer months, sitting outside must be a feast for the eyes.
The food here is rather average. Nothing outstanding but the service is very friendly and the place has soul. Its seems to be frequented by locals and the menu offers better food choices than most other places in this area ( choice is rather limited).
We tried their brunch where the highlights of our meal were the pancakes, corn beef hash and a really delicious homemade carrot cake.
So do stop off for a meal, a cup of tea or just a spot of dessert. The Wandering Moose Café promises to soothe the “wandering” soul.
Here is some of what we ate:
CORN BEEF HASH AND EGGS
BUTTERMILK PANCAKES WITH BLUEBERRIES AND CHOCOLATE CHIPS
EGG SANDWICH WITH BACON
EGGS BENEDICT
CARROT CAKE
BUCK’S STRAWBERRY AND MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP ICE-CREAM
|
|
* Restaurant Name |
|---|---|
| Wandering Moose Cafe & Catering Company | |
| * Overall | |
| ★★★☆☆ | |
| * Neighborhood / Cuisine | |
| American New | |
| * Street Address | |
| 421 Sharon Goshen Tpke , West Cornwall, CT 06756 | |
| * Phone | |
| (860) 672-0178 |
The Brooklyn Blackout at Two Little Red Hens, Yorkville, NYC
Food: ☆☆☆☆☆ ( for the Brooklyn Blackout)
Service: ☆☆☆½
Ambiance: ☆☆
Cost: $$
Must try: The Brooklyn Blackout ONLY!
Molly’s Cupcakes, West Village, NYC
Food: ☆☆☆☆ ½
Service: ☆☆☆☆
Ambiance: ☆☆☆☆
Cost: $$
Must try: Peach Cobbler, Salted Caramel Butterscotch, Crème Brûlée, Chocolate Eclair
Dominique Ansel Bakery, SoHo, NYC
Food: ☆☆☆☆
Service: ☆☆
Ambiance: ☆☆½
Cost: $$$$
Must try: Almond Croissant , Dka “dominique’s kouign amann”
Almondine Bakery, Park Slope, NYC
Food: ☆☆☆☆
Service: ☆☆☆½
Ambiance: ☆☆☆
Cost: $$
The Almondine Bakery now has a second location in Park Slope!
The former pastry chef from Le Bernardin and Windows on the World Hervé Poussot has been serving up delectable treats at this French patisserie in Brooklyn for quite some time now.
Using ultra fresh ingredients, Almondine offers a host of fresh-baked French goods such as croissants, fruit tarts, muffins, macarons, baguettes, pastries and more. They serve delicious coffee using La Colombe beans from Philadelphia and a decadent hot chocolate made with Valrhona chocolate.
The Park Slope Almondine is housed in a small cozy space with a working fireplace, which seats about 25. Located right by the train station, it is really hard not to make a small detour to start your day just right!
Here is some of what we ate:
|
|
* Restaurant Name |
|---|---|
| Almondine Bakery | |
| * Overall | |
| ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ | |
| * Neighborhood / Cuisine | |
| DUMBO / American Traditional | |
| * Street Address | |
| 85 Water St ((between Main St & Washington St) ), Brooklyn, NY 11201 | |
| * Phone | |
| (718) 797-5026 |
Jean Philippe’s Patisserie, Las Vegas, NV
Cannelle Patisserie, Jackson Heights, NYC
Food: ☆☆☆½
Service: ☆☆☆½
Ambiance: ☆☆
Cost: $
Must try: Croissants,
Cannelle Patisserie is perhaps one of the most unusual finds in its location at a strip mall in East Elmhurst.
This venture was brought to fruition by Jean Claude Perennou and Gnanasampanthan Sabaratratnam – both Ex- Waldorf Astoria pastry chefs.
Cannelle Patisserie offers Manhattan quality baked goods at super affordable prices. The display cases are a riot of colors, textures and artful creations such as, napoleons, éclairs, profiteroles, all kinds of baked pastries and cookies. They also offer a range of fresh baked breads, quiches, tarts and so on. Their crowning glory is their super flaky croissants, gâteau Breton, Saint Honoré and Paris-Brest
The most wonderful thing about this Cannelle – other than its ethereal offerings is how it reflects the diversity of its surrounding in both its clientele and its staff. At Cannelle, people from all ethnicities, across all ages have found a great homey neighborhood spot to stop by and linger at over fabulous eats.
Here is some of what we ate:
|
|
* Restaurant Name |
|---|---|
| Cannelle Patisserie | |
| * Overall | |
| ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ | |
| * Neighborhood / Cuisine | |
| Jackson Heights / American New | |
| * Street Address | |
| 75-59 31st Ave, East Elmhurst, NY 11370 | |
| * Phone | |
| (718) 565-6200 |
Tartine Bakery, San Francisco, CA
Food: ☆☆☆☆☆
Service: ☆☆☆½
Ambiance: ☆☆
Cost: $$
Must try: Everything!
The first problem one faces in trying to get to Tartine Bakery is finding it. Located in the Mission District, the only way to identify this spot is by the huge line of people waiting outside to get their share of the outstanding goodies that are being concocted inside.
Stepping indoors one encounters a totally different kind of problem – how not to eat the house?
The display cases flaunt a parade of stunning French inflected baked goods. There are breads, croissants, tarts, puddings, sandwiches, cakes and all kinds of bakes.
The husband-wife team of Chad Robertson and Elisabeth Prueitt are several time winners of James Beard awards as well as many other accolades. Using only the freshest of local ingredients and organic as much as possible, the goodies served here are pretty much ‘off the charts!’
Mark Bittman declares that Tartine Bakery is his favorite bakery in the United States – I might just have to agree!
Here is some of what we ate:
|
|
* Restaurant Name |
|---|---|
| Tartine Bakery | |
| * Overall | |
| ★★★☆☆ | |
| * Neighborhood / Cuisine | |
| American Traditional / French | |
| * Street Address | |
| 600 Guerrero St , San Francisco, CA 94110 | |
| * Phone | |
| (415) 487-2600 |
Sweet Themez, Washington D.C.
Kramerbooks & Afterwords Café, Washington D.C.
Food: ☆☆½
Service: ☆☆
Ambiance: ☆☆
Cost: $$
Kramerbooks & Afterword’s Cafe is a Washington D.C institution. Conveniently located right by the DuPont Circle train station, this independent Bookstore/Cafe begins buzzing from early morning until the wee hours of the morning.
They are open 7 days a week featuring breakfast, lunch, dinner menus with a full service bar. On weekends they feature a brunch menu are open 24 hours on Friday and Saturday nights. They have live entertainment Wednesdays through Saturdays from 8 Pm onwards.
The brunch at Afterword’s Café was ordinary – nothing stellar. The plate of bread/ pastry was stale. The service was unexpectedly gruff and indifferent. Nothing would take me back here.
It seems to me that a place like Kramerbooks & Afterword’s Café does well regardless of quality just because of its great location and reputation. Perhaps hanging here with the hipsters in the evenings would provide for a better experience…
Here is some of what we ate:
Pastries
Bay Bridge Crab Omelette
Organic Mushroom Omelette
The Café Benedicts with Crab Cake
Pancakes
Homefries
|
|
* Restaurant Name |
|---|---|
| Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe & Grill | |
| * Overall | |
| ★★☆☆☆ | |
| * Neighborhood / Cuisine | |
| American New / American Traditional | |
| * Street Address | |
| 1517 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036 | |
| * Phone | |
| (202) 387-1400 |
Busboys and Poets, Washington D.C.
Food: ☆☆☆½
Service: ☆☆☆
Ambiance: ☆☆☆☆
Cost: $$$
Must try: Crab cake Sandwiches and home home-fries
Busboys and Poets is an inspired, bohemian bookstore/Cafe/ Lounge, which propounds progressive political ideologies.
This cheery cafe has been brilliantly decorated by carving out comfortable spaces with lounge chairs and sofas amongst walls that are adorned with multi-ethnic art and photographs. Everything here murmurs towards creativity and activism.
There are regularly scheduled poetry jams, film screenings and other shows in the Langston Room, which is a performance space. Here, one can sip on a variety of coffees or nibble on sizable portions of affordable, tasty platters of food
Busboys and Poets was named in honour of Langston Hughes (one of my favourite poets), who worked as a busboy in the 1920s whilst writing poems on the side.
Busboys and Poets is a perfect spot for its diverse clientele to gather together to eat great food whilst being inspired to act.
Here is some of what we ate:
Classic Benedict
Neptune Benedict with Cheese Grits
Mekhleme
Oaxaca Omelette
Crab Cake Sandwich
Falafel Sandwich
|
|
* Restaurant Name |
|---|---|
| Busboys and Poets | |
| * Overall | |
| ★★★☆☆ | |
| * Neighborhood / Cuisine | |
| American Traditional | |
| * Street Address | |
| 2021 14th St NW ((between N V St & N U St) ), Washington, DC 20009 | |
| * Phone | |
| (202) 387-7638 |
Macaron Café, Midtown East, NYC
Food: ☆☆☆ ½
Service: ☆☆½
Ambiance: ☆☆☆
Cost: $$$
Must try: White Chocolate Ganache, Strawberry Rhubarb, Dark Chocolate
Mean Bean Coffee House, Zion National Park, Utah
Food: ☆☆½
Service: ☆☆☆½
Ambiance: ☆☆
Cost: $$$
The Mean Bean Coffee house offers you more than just a pot of excellent fresh cup of Joe!
This tiny coffee nook is home to some really cool breakfast and lunch dishes. They have a whole array of fresh baked items and make some cool sandwiches. The portions are great and the price is just right too.
Many hikers get their breakfast/ lunch and coffee to go and there is quite a long line to place your order. You can choose to stay in and eat too but it does get a little smoky indoors with all the cooking going on in the semi-open kitchen.
Either way, hanging at the Mean Bean is a great way to start your day just right at Zion National Park.
Here is some of what we ate:
Cinnamon Roll
Egg Sandwich
Belgian Waffle
Breakfast Panini
Veggie Omelet
|
|
* Restaurant Name |
|---|---|
| Deep Creek Coffee Co | |
| * Overall | |
| ★★★☆☆ | |
| * Neighborhood / Cuisine | |
| American Traditional | |
| * Street Address | |
| 932 Zion Park Blvd , Springdale, UT 84767 | |
| * Phone | |
| (435) 767-0272 |
The Bumbleberry Bakery, Springdale, Utah
Oscars Café, Zion National Park, Utah
Food: ☆☆☆
Service: ☆☆☆☆
Ambiance: ☆☆
Cost: $$$
Must try: Hank’s Horse-Shoe
Oscars Café is located right outside Zion National Park in Springdale, UT. This cute café offers interesting menu options for breakfast. The portions are mammoth sized so make sure you are hungry when you go in there.
We had a good breakfast – they have super yummy home fries!!! Don’t miss their Hank’s Horseshoe, which is a breakfast dish in which they have thrown in the kitchen sink. It is a foundation of toast and breakfast potatoes – baked in a bowl with cheese then topped with Ham, Sausage and Bacon with three eggs (your way), smothered in Hollandaise sauce and topped with fresh guacamole and sour cream.
The servers are really friendly and the views are gorgeous. If the weather is right – sit outdoors and take in the spectacular red rocks that surround this spot.
Here is some of what we ate:
Kickin’ Spicy Omelet
Breakfast Croissant Sandwiches
Hank’s Horse-Shoe
Eggs Benedict
|
|
* Restaurant Name |
|---|---|
| Oscar’s Cafe | |
| * Overall | |
| ★★★☆☆ | |
| * Neighborhood / Cuisine | |
| American New / Mexican | |
| * Street Address | |
| 948 Zion Park Blvd, Springdale, UT 84767 | |
| * Phone | |
| (435) 772-3232 |
The Bloggers Ball at Gregory’s Coffee
I was invited to attend the first ever Blogger’s Ball at Gregorys Coffee on Tuesday, March 27th at their 46th Street Location.
Gregory Zamfotis is the daper owner of a unique chain of coffee shops in New York City called Gregory’s Coffee. At this coffee house, Gregory “sees coffee differently”.
At the Blogger’s Ball we were treated to a sampling of how owner, Gregory Zamfois, “sees coffee differently” among his digital technorati guests. Gregory wanted to honor the tremendous online community who, let’s face it, got their start among many of the numerous coffee shops, with a specialized event tailored for them.
Guests were also treated to some signature cocktails including the Irish Greg, which was a delicious blend of iced coffee, a shot of espresso and Bailey’s.
They were taught about Gregory’s philosophy as he plans to compete with powerhouses like Starbucks and Think Coffee by offering great customer service. “It’s less about putting them out of business and more about putting something new out into the marketplace. I wanted to bring the third wave to midtown,” he says.
Of his first Bloggers Ball, he says, “the support from the blogger community has been tremendous at our 4 NYC locations. We continue to strive in providing them with free Wi-Fi and a place they can call ‘their office’. ”
Join Gregory and his team everyday for a quick cup as we’ll sure they’ll be having you become a #Gregular in no time.
Be sure to like them on Facebook and Follow them on Twitter and check-in with them at any of their four locations on Foursquare where they feature a Loyalty Program to which you receive a complimentary cookie on your 3rd check-in within 7 days.
Billy’s Bakery, Tribeca, NYC
Food: ☆☆☆
Service: ☆☆☆
Ambiance: ☆☆☆ ☆
Cost: $$
Dishes not to miss: Carrot Cake Cupcake
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La Provence Artisanal French Bakery & Cafe, South Beach, FL
Food: ☆☆☆
Service: ☆
Ambiance: ☆☆
Cost: $$
Dishes not to miss: Breakfast sandwiches, pastries
La Provence is a great breakfast spot right in the midst of South Beach, FL. You will always find a long line at their counter for it’s readymade bakery items such as pastries and cakes. It also serves a decent breakfast featuring sandwiches, quiches, and eggs in many styles.
La Provence boasts as being an authentic French bakery – I don’t know how fine the food is but the attitude is certainly French! Customer service and politeness is not on their to-do list for sure!
However, for the offerings it has, that hardly makes a difference. La Provence offers an awesome break from the beach, for a quick bite and a good cup of coffee at an affordable price point.
Here is some of what we ate:
Breakfast Sandwich
Eggs Benedict
Croque-Madame
Fresh Fruit Tart
Royal Chocolate Cake
|
|
* Restaurant Name |
|---|---|
| La Provence | |
| * Overall | |
| ★★★☆☆ | |
| * Neighborhood / Cuisine | |
| French | |
| * Street Address | |
| 1629 Collins Avenue , Miami Beach, FL 33139 | |
| * Phone | |
| (305) 538-2406 |
Café Sacher at the Sacher Hotel, Salzburg, Austria
Café Sacher at the Sacher Hotel in Salzburg is one of the most charming places in all of Salzburg to sit in and have a cup of tea or coffee. Named after the world famous Sacher Torte, the Sacher Hotel lays claim to being owners of the original recipe.
