As uppity as it sounds, I’m over all the “molten flourless chocolate cakes” and 99% of the restaurant creme brulees. Each restaurant in the bay area rushed to offer one when each item got hot and a wave of creme brulees then cakes were everywhere. I’m expecting a fancy version of cupcakes to hit dessert menus at some point. bleh.
Anyways, my favorite restaurant dessert is a classic: Grand Marnier souffle. It sucks to make it at home and hard to time it right for a dinner party. I let the restaurant make it.
True, creme brulee can be considered a classic, but I remember in the mid 90’s, restaurants at all price levels starting offering a creme brulee. So it seemed pretty hot then. I didn’t intend to imply that is still hot now, although it’s still popular.
The “molten” chocolate cake seemed to get hot late 90’s to early 00’s.
It’s actually @ the Angelo Mazzone restaurants, so either one of the Prime’s, Aperitivo (Schenectady) or Tavola’s (Scotia @ the Glen Sanders). I was never a fan of coconut creme pie until I tried theirs last year and became a believer…
Carrie,
It is. I’ve had it there twice and both times it was excellent. Also, their truffle mac & cheese is awesome! Can’t wait to get up there and see you again!
There is actually a pretty easy recipe in Canal House Cooking Volume 1 for a Grand Marnier souffle that is both easy and delicious. I make it a few times a year and it’s always a crowd pleaser. But yes, I have also completely ruined this a time or 2. I think from over mixing/whipping and it doesn’t rise quite right. Last few times have been delicious… If time permits this afternoon, I am making a caramel souffle for dessert tonight. -mJ
Pre-diabetes: Valrhona flourless chocolate cake with a molten center.
Now: I had this sugar free flourless chocolate cake at Red Fish on Bourbon Street in NOLA that was fantastic and had no effect on blood sugar. I offered to pay large sums of money for the recipe. I am still waiting. Apparently uses some specially imported sugar free chocolate from Switzerland.
Excellent question. I’m very fond of making desserts myself so before I go to a standard, I scan a dessert menu for something I’ve never heard of or made myself. Often times, this leads me to eventually learning how to make the dessert in the future. This is how I eventually came to learn how to make desserts such as creme brulee, pots de creme, panna cotta, gelato, bread pudding and tiramisu.
Sometimes this backfires. I insisted on learning how to make tiramisu from an Italian friend’s grandmother so now I can’t order tiramisu in restaurants ever because if it varies from what she showed me how to make I actually get angry! LOL
But to answer the question, my go-to desserts in order are:
Gelato
Panna Cotta
Pots de Creme
Creme Brulee
Fruit cheesecake
Key Lime Pie
Cream Pies
Generally, the combination I look for in a restaurant dessert is cream as an ingredient + chill. I like the mouthfeel of a creamy dessert along with the chill for refreshment. I veer away from flour and chocolate based desserts such as bread puddings, tiramisus, cakes, etc now as I dislike white flour in general as the main ingredient in my desserts. I also tend to stay away from fruit desserts.
All this said, I always make exceptions every once in a while based upon mood.
I’ve never had a Creme Caramel (flan) at a restaurant but I would order it. Made one for Christmas and liked it so much I’ve made twice since. btw, prefer it made with some or all half and half instead of all milk.
Oh man, Josh I see your post is from right about the time I was at Perbacco a couple years ago. Up until this point, I had completely forgotten I had this but now I remember…vividly!