Serendipity 3: Cookie Dough Sundae

Bill


Our fourth review of a Serendipity 3 dessert will be our last for a while.  As of this writing, it only scored a 3/5 on yelp and a 62% approval on urbanspoon.  It looks like Washingtonians agreed with our assessment that this Serendipity outpost must not be as good as the NYC original. 

That overall mediocre impression also applies to Serendipity's Cookie Dough Sundae.  Three cookies and fudge top scoops of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream.  The cookies varied widely in quality from below average to good, which means you run the risk of getting three disappointing cookies.  On the whole, the cookies were average.  The fudge was good, but I suspect Serendipity simply uses Smucker's fudge from jars.  In this and every Serendipity sundae, you'll find lots of extra fudge trapped between the glass and plate to allow you to customize your ice cream-to-fudge ratio.  The cookie dough ice cream also had quality variations; some cookie dough chunks were relatively flavorless.  The base ice cream also lacked a punch.  This cookie dough ice cream fell far short of Ben & Jerry's, which is the gold standard.

The nice proportions of the elements of this dish, and the availability of extra fudge earn this dish our good rating.  However, you'll find better sundaes and ice cream at other places in Georgetown.

3150 M St. NW Washington, DC 20007
(202) 333-5193

Google map

Washington Post

Examiner

Revamp

Yelp 3/5

Larry's Cookies Union Station: Chocolate Chunk Cookie

Josh

If you are in the market for a well made cookie, and happen to be traveling through DC on a train or by metro, take a second and stop at Larry's Cookies in the Union Station food court.

The Chocolate Chunk Cookie has both the mass and volume needed to satisfy one's sweeter cravings.  It deserves our great rating.  Other options include oatmeal raisin, butter pecan, double chocolate, crispy chocolate, Heath, and white chocolate.  A very simple yet delectable dessert!

Union Station Food Court
(202) 289-7586

Other locations include:

1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20004 (Reagan Building)
(202) 682-0080

1100 Pennsylvania Ave. NW # 114, Washington, DC 20004 (Old Post Office)
(202) 682-1018

1633 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20009
(202) 234-2690 

1100 S Hayes St. Arlington, VA 22202
(703) 415-2066

Serendipity 3: Oreo Frozen Hot Chocolate

Josh

Anyone who has frequented or even visited Serendipity once knows of their famous hot chocolate.  My affinity for Oreos led me to this choice in the face of much greater-volume choices like the sundaes, cakes and pies.  I would not say I was disappointed, as it proved to be a refreshing and tasty option on a very hot day.  The only issue for me was it didn't feel all that "desserty."

The massive amount of whipped cream on top was high-quality.  For the most part it tasted like an icy milkshake, which from previous posts you know is not my favorite thing.  I prefer the thicker and more substantial tastes you get in an old fashioned milkshake, and this was not it.  

Serendipity's Oreo Frozen Hot Chocolate deserves our good rating.  It's definitely worth a try, but if you want a dessert at Serendipity that you'll never forget, go with one of the unbelievable looking sundaes!  At $10 a pop for the Oreo Frozen Hot Chocolate versus $12 for a much more substantial sundae, value, mass and substance are hugely against the choice I found myself making.  Don't be an idiot; go big when it comes to desserts!

3150 M St. NW Washington, DC 20007
(202) 333-5193

Google map

Washington Post

Examiner

Revamp

Yelp 3/5

Serendipity 3: Carrot Cake Sundae

Bill


We find it necessary to review multiple desserts at Serendipity 3 because it's generated so much buzz based on its long-anticipated opening, NYC pedigree, and prime location in the former Nathan's space.  Out of several Serendipity 3 desserts, the carrot cake sundae impressed me the most, and I'm not a big fan of carrot cake.

The carrot cake sundae starts simple at the bottom and increases the novelty and decadence toward the top.  Scoops of vanilla and butter-pecan ice cream start the party at the bottom of the bowl.  A piece of carrot cake slides on top of that.  Drizzles of maple-walnut and white-chocolate fudge crown this monument to humankind's search for greatness.  It is served with a pool of chocolate fudge surrounding the base of the bowl.  The end result is unique, and blends the flavors and textures masterfully, at least if you like nuts in a sundae.

The carrot cake is velvety smooth, moist and flavorful.  Its cream-cheese frosting is better than average, and the maple-walnut and white-chocolate fudge add delightful flavor and texture elements.  The added touch of fudge on the bottom provides you an opportunity to alter this mixture to your taste.  Note that the carrot cake has a large volume of nuts throughout, which is somewhat uncommon.  Overall, this dish had too many nuts for my taste.  It still deserves our divine rating, because anyone who likes this amount of nuts would surely rate it so.


3150 M St. NW Washington, DC 20007
(202) 333-5193

Google map

Washington Post

Examiner

Revamp

Yelp 3/5

Blue Duck Tavern: Chocolate Cake with Maker’s Mark Flambé

Bill


Our review of Blue duck Tavern's Straight-from-the-Oven Chocolate Cake with Maker’s Mark Flambé is in response to a reader's request.

This chocolate cake is made to order, so it's always fresh.  It truly is straight from the oven, and the server flambés it with Maker's Mark at your table.  This means it's served very hot.  I recommend allowing it to cool.  

Adding liquor to a dessert is a sure-fire way to increase its decadence and depth of flavor.  In this dish, the whiskey flambé adds a punch and a twist to the chocolate.  The cake is warm and moist with a gooey center.  For my taste, a small scoop of fine vanilla ice cream might have elevated this dish to divine.  As it is served, it deserves our great rating.  Because of its novelty and freshness, it's also a steal at $9.


24th & M Streets NW, Washington, D.C. 20037
(with the water fountain in the Hyatt)   
(202) 419 6755

Google map & reviews (4/5)

 Washingtonian (100 Best Restaurants 2011; 41-100; 2.5/4)

 Washington Post (2.5/4)

Yelp (4/5)

 Open Table (4.4/5)

 Tripadvisor (4/5; 10th best DC restaurant)

 Washington City Paper

Serendipity 3: Red Velvet Cake Sundae

Bill


New York City-based Serendipity 3 recently made its long-awaited DC debut.  Its arrival should satisfy those who have pushed for the elimination of "ice-cream no man's lands" of more than 1.5 blocks in Georgetown.  So far, there are lines out the door at peak times.

Serendipity 3's Red Velvet Cake Sundae is a chocolate ice cream sundae with a piece of red velvet cake on top.  The cake itself was good; very moist with strongly flavored cream-cheese frosting.  The fudge was also pleasing in quality and volume.  The ice cream was average, which is disappointing for a place that specializes in dessert. 

I ordered the Red Velvet Cake Sundae without the sprinkles and whipped cream.  I think both of those elements are primarily visual, add little taste, and dillute and disrupt the flavors and textures that should be the showcases of a dessert.  The sprinkles came anyway, and someone apparently removed most of the whipped cream after being reminded in the kitchen that it wasn't supposed to be there.

Serendipity 3's Red Velvet Cake Sundae deserves our good rating.  The cake on its own would compare better in the cake category, but the sundae doesn't come close to challenging Papa Razzi's brownie sundae for DC's sundae crown.  Based on this dish, this Serendipity 3 location is far from NYC standards, but we do salute it for being open late.  We dislike dessert places that aren't open during peak dessert time.


3150 M St. NW Washington, DC 20007
(202) 333-5193

Google map

Washington Post

Examiner

Revamp

Yelp 3/5

Roti Mediterranean Grill: Baklava

Bill


Great desserts don't usually come in a plastic bag folded and partially sealed with a sticker.  Roti's baklava joins Potbelly's sugar cookies and oatmeal-chocolate-chip cookies as exceptions to this general rule.

Honey infuses most of this baklava, but does not overpower it or drip profusely from it.  Each element takes its fair share of the stage.  The honey soaked through layers of light but tightly packed phyllo dough and ground nuts.  The nuts are ground so finely that they can truly merge with the honey to become an elegantly smooth and sweet nut meal.  The design and execution are masterful.  This is the best baklava I've ever tasted, and it earns our divine rating.


1275 First Street NE, Washington DC 20002
(202) 618-6969

Google map and reviews (4/5)

Other DC locations (open and planned)

Capital Spice