Bread & Chocolate: White Chocolate Mousse

Bill


This is actually a spongy white cake with a hefty layer of white chocolate mousse on top that flows down into the center. The mousse itself has a classic smooth texture and a fairly subtle flavor. It needs to be subtle because it's paired with white chocolate shavings and the frosting on top of the cake.

The shavings eventually became too much for my taste, but that's probably because white is not my favorite incarnation of chocolate. This deserves a good rating.


2301 M St, Washington, DC 20037
(202) 833-8360

Google map & reviews (2.5/5)

Washington Examiner

Yelp (2.5/5)

Tripadvisor (3.5/5)

La Tasca Rockville: Tartita de Café and Arroz con Leche

Josh


Tartita de Café.  This is another chocolate mousse option, distinguished by its cappuccino highlights.  My most telling comment on this dessert lies with its presentation.  It has an unusual shape to say the least.  If your taste buds love coffee, perhaps this should be your choice.  Good. 

Arroz con Leche.  It had been many moons since I had a good rice pudding. This is it! I went after it hard and often. To me, rice pudding is always a good choice, and this was as well, it was especially satisfying in an apropos-themed restaurant.  Divine. 

 141 Gibbs Street #305

Rockville, MD 20850

(301) 279-7011

Google map

Open Table (3.8/5)

Washington Post (Reader: 2/4)

Yelp (2.5/5)

TripAdvisor (3/5)

La Tasca Rockville: Mousse de Chocolate, Apple Pie, Tres Leches Cake, & Churros con Chocolate

Josh


Mousse de Chocolate
Dark chocolate mousse over top of what proved to be a very good brownie. To my colleague Bill's dismay, this particular dish contains hazelnuts, a definite negative strike in his book, but this dessert was quite good, and I recommend it for brownie lovers.  Great. 

Back to the Basics Apple Pie 
Not something this particular restaurant does exceptionally well... Its a Spanish restaurant... don't order Apple Pie! Enough said!  Skip.

Tres Leches Cake
A sponge cake dipped in milk and covered in frosting... I like this dessert actually more than I thought.  Presents like a birthday cake, but has the sponge cake taste... Once again, not a typical order for someone like myself, but if sponge cake is your thing... Have at it!  Good.

Churros con Chocolate
Quite simply this one was awesome. I have always thought of Churros as being a Mexican dish, and for those who are unaware, it is in essence fried dough covered in cinnamon. This dish came along with a chocolate dipping sauce which was great.  I hit this dessert up very hard, and definitely took more than my allotted share!  Divine.

141 Gibbs Street #305

Rockville, MD 20850

(301) 279-7011

Google map

Open Table (3.8/5)

Washington Post (Reader: 2/4)

Yelp (2.5/5)

TripAdvisor (3/5)

La Tasca: Flan de Huevo

Josh

La Tasca is an international chain of Spanish tapas restaurants with four locations in the DC area.  On a recent Saturday, I went to the Rockville branch with a number of friends, which enabled us to accrue a large amount of dishes from the tasting menus.  Food seemingly came out in droves over the course of the evening.  There were several very good meat options, as well as a great calamari dish, however, basic faire is not why anyone is reading this particular blog, so I digress. 

At the time, the tastings came a dessert option, in which every ten dollars spent yielded a free dessert.  This allowed our big group to sample a lot of different options.  In fact, we chose with DCDesserts in mind, and grabbed everything possible.  This is the first of eight reviews of La Tasca’s desserts.

The flan de heuvo is a vanilla-bean flan with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.  Obviously, if there were one dessert that a Spanish restaurant does well, it would be this one.  However, my novice palate in terms of Spanish-style desserts, especially flan, hinders my ability to give an accurate account of this particular dish.  It’s not typically something I order, but a co-patron at my table, an avid flan consumer, said he was very impressed. Hopefully that helps!

141 Gibbs Street #305

Rockville, MD 20850

(301) 279-7011

Google map

Open Table (3.8/5)

Washington Post (Reader: 2/4)

Yelp (2.5/5)

TripAdvisor (3/5)

Black Market Bistro: Apple Crisp

Josh

A quaint little restaurant in the heart of surburbia, BMB is a great spot to grab a bite after a long work day.  A great meal was followed by what I believe to be an American traditional dessert:  apple crisp. 

F.Y.I. to future consumers, be leery of the serving bowl, as it was so hot I think my future children will be born with swollen tongues!  Nevertheless, the crunchiness of the crisp, and the cool ice cream topping made for a nice palate savior after the initial scalding.  The apples themselves lacked a little kick, potentially due to the season, but the texture was strong, and it didn't taste watered down or overcooked. 

All told, the ambiance of this particular restaurant is what makes it truly worth the trip, and the menu is highlighted by food that you would want to eat.  The barbeque shrimp as well as the hanger steak are two fantastic choices, not to be missed. The dessert menu also holds some interesting possibilities that I was unable to try on this particular visit. I am hopeful to get back there in the near future.


4600 Waverly Avenue
Garrett Park, MD 20896
(301) 933-3000 

Google map & reviews (4/5)

Washingtonian (Best Restaurants 2010 #57; 2/4)

Washington Post (Critic 2/4; Readers 1.5/4)

Washington Examiner

Yelp (4.5/5) 

Estadio: Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

Bill


Estadio's chocolate hazelnut cake is the size of a large cupcake.  It's split by a cracker-like wafer encrusted with seasalt, topped with capuccino ice cream, and drizzled with hazelnut sauce.

I would have preferred the hazelnut sauce a bit thicker.  The capuccino ice cream's flavor was decent and fairly unique.  The wafer helped the ice cream seep into the cake.  The cake itself was excellent, with a light, fluffy pastry cloud on top hiding a delightfully dense and gooey center.  This deserves our great rating.

1520 14th St., NW Washington, DC 20005
(202) 319-1404 
  
Google Map & Reviews (4/5)

Washingtonian

Yelp (3.5)
Washington Post (Critic & Readers: 2.5/4)

DC Magazine

The Hill

Examiner

Washington City Paper

Recipe: Thanksgiving Fruit Salad

Bill


My dad developed this great, easy, and unique dessert. It won't take much time away from your turkey preparation or take up space in the oven.

Ingredients:
1-2 cans crushed pineapple
1-2 cans jellied whole-berry cranberry sauce
1 package of frozen cranberries (for appearance, tartness)
1 package of frozen strawberries packed in syrup (for sweetness and texture)

Directions:
Mix in a large bowl, chill and serve alone or with whipped cream.

Potbelly: Sugar Cookies

Josh


As much as I tried I was unable to pass up grabbing a sugar cookie for the road during my visit to Potbelly. An old friend of mine used to have his mom make us sugar cookies when we'd hang out at his house, and somehow, despite the fact that she always used store bought supplies, they were excellent. Her ability to maintain moisture and softness was "God given."

While these Potbelly sugar cookies lacked the warmth of fresh baked cookies, they still possessed the necessary moisture. Pre-packaged, I am not positive they are actually made by Potbelly, but I am assured they can be bought there on any given day. In addition to the sugar cookie option, they also had a few other choices that looked equally delectable. Grab one if you have a chance.


128 Boardwalk Place, Gaithersburg, MD 20878
(301) 963-4055

Google Map & Reviews

Yelp (3.5/5)

General Endorsement: Maryland Renaisance Festival

Josh


Realizing how incredibly juvenile my inaugural review sounds, I have vowed to up the linguistic styling of my writing in order to not offend the pastry chefs who slave over their craft in an effort to appease the subtleties of the everyman (woman's) pallate... Thus, I begin this review of one of the most cuturallly advanced, locally significant, and luxuriously elegant establishments in all of greater Maryland and District of Columbia... namely the Maryland Renaissance Festival! 

This collossus of food is to be met with only the most ambitious of intentions... Running throughout the weekends, from late August through October, there is very few delicacies from both the old world and modern faire that "shan't be found!"

If your heart is not content with the steak on a stick, cookies in a cup, meatball sandwiches, turkey legs, fried bread, chicken dippers, fried cheese, gyros, chili poppers, meat pies, corn on the cob, quesadilas, barbeque ribs, or pulled turkey sandwiches, there's always peach cobbler, belgium waffles, root beer floats, custard, and Baltimore's own snowballs, to satisfy the sweeter cravings.

In my humble opinion, it is quite possibly the most amazing array of food options found this side of a good old fashioned midwestern fair. While you should not expect a Kobe beef-esque cut of meat when you do order your steak on a stick, and or fresh fruit flown in from California sprinkled over your fried dough, the lack of extravagance is quite refreshing when you are surrounded by fans from all over dressed in their best middle aged attire.  My own visit began with a stop at one of the many steak on a stick huts along the very scenic path deep into the woods in which the Fair resides...

Driving up to the fair was actually quite amazing as all of a sudden along the side of a modest country road,  thousands of cars are parked amongst a giant open field, bordering what from a distance appeared to be just an everyday sect of trees. As you begin to follow the crowd from your parking spot, you can hear the excitement going on just past the tree line, and after you pay your very modest entry fee you are exposed to a culinary explosion of "feel good" food and entertainment that brightens even the most mundane of work days.  While the time has come and gone this year to stop by, definitely check it out next year if you can!

Potbelly: Oreo Milkshake

Josh


Potbelly makes an assortment of milkshakes and smoothies that can be just what a sweets lover might need as a mid-day snack. Consequently, that was my focus when I stopped in at their Gaithersberg location the other day.

The Oreo shake was quite good and well made. A solid thickness quotient helped to satisfy the most important aspect of any milkshake, not to mention the solid ingredients and large availability of Oreo chunks. While simplistic in nature, the ratio of good ingredients to great taste is essential. On this given day, Potbelly was quite successful, in making a solid and well proportioned shake.  It deserves our great rating. 

128 Boardwalk Place, Gaithersburg, MD 20878
(301) 963-4055

Google Map & Reviews

Yelp (3.5/5)

Againn: Sticky Toffee Pudding

Bill


Againn (pronounced "ah-gwenn") is a British pub, but with more gourmet elements and a promoted Scotch selection.  This unique concept has people talking, but probably not about its desserts.

The highlight of Againn's sticky toffee pudding is the sauce.  It has a deep toffee flavor and nice thickness.  The low-light is the dish's very small size.

The pudding itself has a nice density, and is warm, soft, and a bit gooey where it mixes with the sauce.  Unfortunately, its flavor is disappointingly flat.  The stout ice cream is unique and tastes good.  However, it should be smoother when paired with a pudding.  It also wasn't the right compliment to the toffee flavor.

This dish falls short of the frozen sticky toffee pudding you can find at Dean & Deluca.  It has some good elements, but it's still a skip.


Google map & reviews (4/5)

Washington Post (2/4)

Washington Times

Washingtonian (2.5/4)

The Hill

Yelp (3.5/5)

Cuba Libre: Chocolate Torte

Bill


Cuba Libre's DC location was one of the recent openings that generated a lot of buzz.  It's a good sign when a restaurant posts a separate dessert menu online, and Cuba Libre's chocolate torte more than delivered on that promise.

The torte has a fabulous interplay of texture and flavor.  It combines a thin soufflé crust, softer inner soufflé, gooey dulce de leche, and a thick chocolate sauce.  Each of these elements is of the highest quality and could stand on its own.  This dessert is a masterpiece of both design and execution.  Count the chocolate torte among our favorites and give it our divine rating.

The pairing of the torte with blueberry compote is odd, but one can ignore it, so it doesn't detract from the dish.  Also note that this is not a traditional soufflé.  The chef intentionally allows the soufflé to sink.  

I'll warn you that not all of Cuba Libre's offerings are up to the torte's standard.  Check out Two DC's review of the restaurant as a whole.  I agree with their "Second Thoughts From B," except I would rate at least the small plates higher than Cheesecake Factory's non5essert offerings.  Check back here for a review of the rum cake.

801 9th St NW Washington, DC 20001
(202) 408-1600

Google Map

Washington Post (Editors' Pick; Readers 1.5/4)

Washingtonian

Washington Life 

Wonkette

Yelp (3/5)

Bread & Chocolate: Chocolate Diamond

Bill

Bread & Chocolate in the West End recreates the atmosphere of a Continental European café.  Its selection and quality of desserts live up to that model.

The chocolate diamond is a box shell hiding five alternating layers of chocolate frosting and moist cake.  The concept alone is enticing.  It pleasantly mixes the textures of a fairly dense cake and chewy icing.  The icing forms a slightly harder shell at the outer layers.  That condenses strong flavors into a small space.  This relatively unique dessert deserves our great rating.

2301 M St, Washington, DC 20037

(202) 833-8360

Google map & reviews (2.5/5)

Washington Examiner

Yelp (2.5/5)

Tripadvisor (3.5/5)

General Rejection: Pitango Gelato

Bill


Pitango Gelato serves something closer to colored ice.  I recently tried two flavors, and it was the worst gelato I've ever tasted.  "Unremarkable" would be too kind a description.  So would "flavored ice."  The base gelato had painfully little flavor.  I couldn't even taste milk.  One of the flavors I tried had some flecks of chocolate, and those tiny elements provided the only texture and flavor beyond ice.  A sign in the shop asserts that you're about to taste the "best gelato."  It isn't even the best gelato within walking distance. 

That said, Pitango will continue to thrive in Logan Circle, mostly for reasons beyond the gelato.  It's open late, unlike many DC dessert places that close before the usual dessert time.  It's near bars and other restaurants.  It has outdoor seating.  It serves cold sugar and fat in bowls.  These attributes make Pitango a nice spot for after-dinner or pre-bar relaxing and people watching.  Just appreciate it for what it has to offer: something completely different from the "best gelato."  If you're looking for great or even decent gelato, skip it.  We'll post reviews of gelato places we like soon.


1451 P St. NW, Washington, DC 20005
(202) 332-8877      

Google map & reviews (3/5)

Washington Post

Washingtonian (Best of Washington: Best Cool Treats: Nutty gelati)

Washingtonian Best Bites Blog: Things We Love: Briche con Gelato at Pitango Gelato

Washington Examiner

DCist

Yelp (4/5)

Daily Grill: Double Chocolate Layer Cake

Bill


The Daily Grill's Double Chocolate Layer Cake is soft and dense.  It has a heavy dark chocolate flavor.  The dish has a great ratio of frosting to cake.  The frosting doesn't have to compensate for a poor cake; this cake is good enough to stand on its own. The raspberry sauce is an excellent compliment.  This cake gets our great rating. 

1200 18th St NW # 2, Washington, DC 20036
(202) 822-5282      

Google map & reviews (2.5/5)

Washington Post

Yelp (3/5)

Yahoo! (4/5)

Firehook Bakery: Presidential Sweet Cookie

Bill


This cookie is Firehook’s most unique, and it earns significant points for the concept. The presidential sweet cookie is made with chocolate chips, coconut, sun-dried cherries, rolled oats, espresso powder, pecan pieces, and vanilla. No, really. It works, and when it is good, it is divine. The wild hodgepodge of textures and flavors provides a fantastic, unique experience. Unfortunately, there is a consistency risk with the presidential sweet cookie, but lower than with the chocolate espresso cookie. It still ranks as one of our favorites and gets our divine rating.

1909 Q St NW, Washington, DC 20009
(202) 588-9296

Google map & reviews

Washington Post (Editors' Pick)

Yelp (3/5)

Yahoo! (3.5/5)

Firehook Bakery: Chocolate Espresso Cookie

Bill


When Firehook’s chocolate espresso cookie reaches its potential, it is almost one of our favorites. Its primary flavor elements are chocolate chips, espresso powder, and vanilla. That’s a great mix, but the final product is even better than the sum of its parts. The cookie looks like a chocolate version of molten rock: gooey rivers of chocolatey awesomeness run between mounds of soft cookie goodness with thin, flaky caps. It’s not quite a favorite because the walnut pieces, although small and few, break up the flow of the more flavorful elements, and there’s a consistency risk.

The consistency risk is that this cookie is sometimes hard and dry. When that happens, it would be a bad cookie at a grocery store, and something a specialty bakery like Firehook should be embarrassed to serve. That’s the version of the cookie I found in this review.  This cookie could approach the divine rating, but with the consistency risk, the best it deserves is great.


1909 Q St NW, Washington, DC 20009
(202) 588-9296

Google map & reviews

Washington Post (Editors' Pick)

Yelp (3/5)

Yahoo! (3.5/5)

FroZenYo: General Endorsement

Bill

FroZenYo is a new player in the DC dessert game, and it wins our endorsement.  You grab a big cup, fill it with any combination of flavors and toppings, then pay for it by weight.  Bonus:  you can add fudge or caramel after you weigh it.  Most frozen yogurt shops, especially those that followed the relatively recent pinkberry trend, serve either tart or mildly flavored yogurt, and you’re expected to turn that into a dessert by adding toppings.  FroZenYo finds ways to mix the necessary milky flavor of yogurt with other elements in ways that not only maintain the flavors, but even make them pop.  I didn’t think that was even possible.  You don’t need the toppings, because these flavors can stand on their own. 

I specifically recommend FroZenYo’s cheesecake, pumpkin pie, and dulce de leche flavors.  These flavors win our divine rating.  The pumpkin pie yogurt has a depth of pumpkin pie flavor that’s deeper than an average pumpkin pie.  The red velvet cake yogurt was good, but disappointing compared to the other flavors I tried.  Add this growing chain to our favorites.  The only negative at the Downtown location is a seating shortage.

FroZenYo currently has three locations, but an aggressive expansion plan.  We hope its growth forces other dessert purveyors to improve their offerings.

1006 F St NW, Washington, DC 20004

(202) 347-1414

Google map & reviews (5/5 from 2 displayed ratings)

Washington City Paper

Washington Life

The Hill

Yelp (4/5)

The Hungry District

Two DC

DC-Wrapped Dates

Artfully Chocolate Kingsbury Confections: Truffles

Bill

Truffles are at the extreme end of the flavor-punch spectrum, just past brownies.  A truffle must squeeze fine, deep, decadent flavor into a very small package.  In short, it should be awesomeness from concentrate. 

Artfully Chocolate’s truffles are the best I’ve tried in DC.  They are also the cheapest, especially with a volume discount, which is rare for truffles.  I’ll describe them in an order from divine to forgettable.


Pomegranate Royale.  This receives significant points for the creativity of the concept:  pomegranate molasses, crème de cassis, and cognac.  Mixing two alcoholic elements itself requires daring, world-class skill, and a hefty dose of trial and error.  This creation goes even further in combining that pairing with a unique treatment of the trendy pomegranate.  The result is devine.  Its creator picked the right chocolate: only slightly on the darker side.  The interaction of the three strong flavors of pomegranate, cognac, and dark chocolate, and the softer crème de cassis works.  Amazingly, you can taste all four elements.  Add this to our favorites.

Amaretto Marzipan.  This truffle is made of ground almonds and chocolate marzipan “laced” with amaretto.  That’s quite a tribute to Continental Europe.  The individual flavors were great, but their combination was not.  Amaretto, almonds, and marzipan are tame flavors.  That left only the relatively dark chocolate standing out.  However, the quality of the individual elements, and the textures of their combination make this one to try.


Black Forest.  Montmorency cherries, kirsch (a cherry liqueur), and chocolate make this truffle legitimately Germanic.  It would be popular at cafés from Munich to Vienna.  This was good but its taste didn’t match my excitement about the kirsch.  Kirsch is a unique (in the U.S.), strong element.  So, among these ingredients, it should carry the truffle.  Unfortunately, it was barely detectable.  Its minor role is equivalent to a chocolate-chip cookie with just one chip.


Hazelnut Toffee.  This was a more obvious concept that should easily have been executed better than it was.  The hazelnut flavor wasn’t even equivalent to that in a kinder bar or nutella, and I couldn’t find the toffee.  The toffee may have been inside the truffle, but if so, it was undetectable.  The crunchy items on top may have been the toffee, but they just tasted like nuts.  Skip this one.


Pumpkin Cheesecake.  This deserves some points for a seasonal, unique concept, but none for the execution.  Pumpkin and sweetened cream cheese (the base element in cheesecake) are mild flavors, so this mix only has the chocolate shell to pack a flavor punch.  It’s not surprising that this combination of those three elements basically tasted like nothing.  Skip this one, too.


1529 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
(202) 387-2626

Google map & reviews (3.5/5)

Washingtonian

Washington Post (Reader: 3/4)

Washington City Paper

Examiner

Yelp (3.5/5)

D.C. Foodies

14th & You

Bistrot Lepic: Torte Chaud au Chocolat

Bill

This dessert, in concept, marries a relatively dense, soft, warm cake-like torte packing a smooth, powerful chocolate flavor with crème anglais. It is my favorite dessert at Bistrot Lepic.

This dish could approach divinity with a thicker compliment of crème anglais surrounding the torte. It would have added more flavor and a better mix of textures. The right mixture of rich chocolate and a dairy-based sauce like crème anglais can create magic, but this dessert didn’t get the mix right.

The torte wasn’t as good this time as when I’ve tried it before, so it carries a consistency risk. At its best, the torte is soft, warm, and moist throughout. Some brittleness on the edges can actually be a welcome offset to that softness. However, this time, the outer half of the torte was hard, around room temperature, and dry. The center was much better, meeting what I usually expect from this dish. Even with the consistency risk, the torte ranks well above the average DC dessert.


1736 Wisconsin Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20007
(202) 333-0111

Google map & reviews (4/5)

Washingtonian

Examiner

Washington Post (Editors' Pick; Reader 4/4)

Washington City Paper (4/5)

Yelp (3.5/5)

Tripadvisor (DC rank: 60; 4/5)

Bistrot Lepic: Mousse au Chocolat

Josh

The perfect mousse as described by David Lebovitz, a pastry chef based in San Francisco, is "a perfect slightly-gummy texture, backed up by a wallop of pure dark chocolate flavor." At Bistrot Lepic in Georgetown, they have put together something that is really close to that description. I very much enjoyed what came off as a light dessert to me, with both a great whipped texture as well as a strong chocolate flavor. Hidden inside were a few pieces of milk chocolate that added a nice crunch to the very smooth and satisfying treat. Not to mention the light cookie/wafer on top that could be used as a dipping tool and an edible fork.

While not a typical order of mine, I have always enjoyed mousse, although, I never truly understood the distinction between it and pudding. I'm sure Mr. Lebovitz would be highly offended by my previous assumption that a classic French delicacy was as commonplace and simple as something bought on grocery shelves and served in cafeterias. Nonetheless, I learned of my error, and now have a true appreciation for the smooth creamy flavor that a well prepared mousse inevitably possesses. Mousse must be moist, but appear and taste light and airy. A great pastry chef can make that difficult task a reality. 


I will continue to seek out other places throughout DC that serve this dessert well, but if you are in the mood, you will not be disappointed by Bistrot Lepic. Both a restaurant and wine bar, it provides a dual atmosphere for an evening of culinary delight. Make sure you stop by, sample some of the large selection of wine, and grab a little mousse before you leave... You won't be upset that you did!


1736 Wisconsin Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20007
(202) 333-0111

Google map & reviews (4/5)

Washingtonian

Examiner

Washington Post (Editors' Pick; Reader 4/4)

Washington City Paper (4/5)

Yelp (3.5/5)

Tripadvisor (DC rank: 60; 4/5)