Dessert | fabliss

Salt & Straw | Portland, OR

i honestly don’t need to say much about salt & straw since this is a portland staple. portland natives love it, tourists come here just to eat it, and it’s one of oprah’s favorite things! i will, however, confirm what everyone has said before me.

this place is awesome! yes, there are long lines all throughout the day but we really didn’t mind. this was the second place we went to after we got off the plane and ate it every day until we left. too much? we don’t think so.

salt & straw has three locations… we visited two of them. since we went to the one on division after a late lunch at pok pok (and on a weekday), there was no line. we were lucky enough to sample all the flavors!

so they have a their list of permanent flavors and then a few rotating flavors. their featured flavors the week we were there were signature cocktails! backstory: they partner up with local bartenders to come up with awesome ice cream flavors! cool, huh?

our absolute favorites:

cinnamon snickerdoodle
almond brittle ganache

since i don’t love chocolate, i never get to have “cookies” or “cake” in my ice cream (ie. cookies ‘n cream, dreyers thin mint ice cream, etc). so i was ecstatic when i saw snickerdoodle ice cream! large chunks of snickerdoodle cookie in my ice cream? yes, please!

also, waffle cones are a must. you can literally smell them when you are waiting in line. with that said, you wouldn’t be that big of a loser if you didn’t get a waffle cone (or would you? jk). you have the choice of sugar cone or cup. you also have a ton of options with regard to your scoops. single, double, split, kids size or even a sample flight!

this is the little hole you put your “used” spoon in. cool, huh? also, i would like to point out how perfect my ice cream scoop is!

ok, so a few tips. if you get a chance, i would go to the location on division (pictured above). it is new so the decor is stupid cute. fresher and lighter than the original location on 23rd (pictured below). lots of natural light and there’s a hole in the counter wall for your spoon (mentioned and pictured above). it’s the little things.

also, i have to give a shout out to our awesome friend at the division location who welcomed us to portland, gave us the lowdown on city, gave us a list of her favorite restaurants (ava gene’s was her absolute favorite. separate blog post to come), and made us the perfect ice cream cone for my blog! thank you! thank you!

we cannot stop raving about this place. add this to your list if you are in town!

here are some pictures of the location on 23rd. there is always a line around the corner.

Salt & Straw

838 NW 23rd Ave
Portland, OR 97210
Neighborhood: Alphabet District, Northwest

3345 SE Division St
Portland, OR 97202
Neighborhood: Southeast Portland, Clinton, Richmond

By fabliss | June 29th, 2014 | Dessert, Food, Photography, Portland, Restaurants, Travel | 2 Comments

Chaumont | Beverly Hills, CA

we put chaumont bakery on our to-eat list after reading about its opening a little less than a year ago. cute back story: owned by a young french couple. everything is baked on premise.

while beverly hills is not my usual hang out, we were passing through and decided to finally dropped by!

even though we wanted to order everything, we ended up ordering:

strawberry tart
strawberry short cake

on presentation alone, these pastries are amazing!

verdict: pastries were delicious! we put these babies down in less than 2 minutes. (we have no self-control) pastry cream was a winner. not too sweet. crust was crispy (great texture) and buttery. i mean… i can go on and on…

pastries: we are fans and will definitely come back for more. side note: everyone raves about the croissants… next time we will definitely have to try them!
service: patient and nice. we took awhile deciding what to order… they didn’t mind.
parking: i’m not a huge fan of parking in beverly hills in the first place. it’s expensive and always crowded. we luckily found an open metered spot a block away. not bad.
ambience: we dug the decor (you will too). simplistic and elegant. lots of natural light. white walls. there are a number of tables but is not a large place. seating could be an issue during peak times.
overall: this place has won us over. stupidly charming. delicious pastries. we will be back soon.

Chaumont
143 S Beverly Dr
Beverly Hills, CA 90212

By fabliss | May 19th, 2014 | Coffee, Tea, & Bakeries, Dessert, Food, Restaurants | 0 Comments

LA Rose Cafe | Los Angeles, CA

it was 90 degrees outside and we were in desperate need of dessert. good thing we came across la rose cafe! i was super stoked about this place because their featured dessert is halo halo!

in case you’re wondering, halo halo is a popular filipino dessert consisting of shaved ice, variety of sweet beans, evaporated milk, jello, tropical fruits, flan, and ice cream. ps. my favorite vietnamese dessert: “che ba mau” or “three color dessert” is very similar (minus flan and ice cream) because its made of a variety of sweet beans and jello in a coconut/milky base. mmmm. you must try both of these.

two desserts they are known for (we ordered 2 and shared among three people):

bread pudding: delicious!! this was amazing!! just look at it!! it melts in your mouth. not overly sweet.
halo halo: i absolutely loved this! for those who have never had halo halo, you will be pleasantly surprised by the mixture of sweet beans and jello. you will love the ube ice cream! also! a very perfect dessert on a hot day! just sayin’.

dessert: both desserts were great! i would come back and order this again and again!
ambience: this place is actually very dark inside because of that thick drapery (yes we opened them to get these awesome pictures. also, this place does not have central air or the central air was broken. we were melting inside. they provide a few floor fans which helped.
service: a little slow. just be ready.
overall: the desserts were worth it and i would come back just to eat them.

LA Rose Cafe
4749 Fountain Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90029

By fabliss | May 2nd, 2014 | Dessert, Food, Restaurants | 0 Comments

Carrara Pastries | Moorpark, CA

let me introduce you to carrara pastries…an absurdly wonderful italian bakery! they have two locations: moorpark and agoura hills.

most of the desserts are in italian so we have no idea what we are eating nor do we even know how to pronounce it. regardless, get ready for your mind to be blown. our go-tos (i literally had to go to their website to get these names. you’re welcome):

cheesecake – my favorite. it’s delicious!
crostata di frutta – fruit tart
profitterole – think chocolate covered cream puff
amarena – cake & mousse in a dome
velina – cake & mousse (chocolate)
yogurt e fragole – cake and yogurt mousse layered
tiramisu
all cream puffs… you must try the frittlle, a deep-fried cream puff coated with sugar

crostata di frutta (pictured above).

tiramisu is delicious! oh! the gelato is also freaking amazing. (pretty much all things made in this bakery rock)

this is the famous cheesecake. you have never tasted anything like this. isn’t presentation impressive?

profitterole (pictured below) along with a mini cream puff (delicious).

overall: pastries are their specialty and you will not be disappointed with anything you get. presentation is amazing even the carry out boxes!
parking: both locations have ample parking.
service: everyone is uber friendly and are happy to explain what each pastry is.
ambience: clean. casual. spacious.

Carrara Pastries
476 W Los Angeles Ave
Moorpark, CA 93021

28914 Roadside Dr
Agoura Hills, CA 91301

By fabliss | April 7th, 2014 | Coffee, Tea, & Bakeries, Dessert, Food | 0 Comments

Brian’s Shave Ice | Tarzana, CA

brian’s shaved ice is one of two of our favorite shave ice joints in los angeles (get shaved is the other one). the original location is in west la. but great news for all of us valley folk! one popped up in tarzana!

so, we love brian’s shave ice! (my hubby is obsessed) our go-tos:

flavors: tiger’s blood, POG, coconut, pineapple, lychee, mango
filling: i always get azuki beans (sweet red beans) because i love red beans. kyle always goes for ice cream (macadamia nut or taro if available)
topping: snow cap (condensed milk). always get this…it make your shave ice creamy and delicious!

a tip: go with tropical flavors, always. it’s hawaii in a little colorful flower shaped cup! btw, we found this place because there was a groupon for it. thanks for the introduction, groupon!

tip #2: we got the dole whip before… and probably will not get it again. don’t get me wrong. i love the dole whip at disneyland in pineapple juice…buuuut the whip didn’t really jive with my flavors (it was a little sour).

parking: both locations have ample parking in plazas.
atmosphere: the tarzana location is slightly smaller than the one in west la. both are clean!
note on the staff: they are awesome, friendly and helpful.
overall: give this place a shot whether you are in west la or the valley!

Brian’s Shave Ice & Boba
19572 Ventura Blvd
Tarzana, CA 91356