Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

Now Closed

08 Sep 2009

Syrup Desserts – Los Angeles (Downtown)

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Remember that little statement I made in my Squid Ink profile about being the type of eater who waited for good reviews to roll in before slapping down my credit card to try a new restaurant? Well, there should have been an asterisk next to it. Positive buzz or not, I’ll be the first in line to test out a newly opened eatery if it specializes in Belgian waffles. While I’ve never had the pleasure of biting into a piping hot waffle on the streets of Belgium, I’ve tasted an adequate approximation stateside at Bonté in Philadelphia and have been enamored ever since.

When I received news that Syrup Desserts would be offering Belgian waffles in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, a huge smile swept across my face. It’s been years since I’ve experienced the crisp, chewy sweetness of a Belgian waffle and was giddy for another go.

My posse of late night revelers, including The Astronomer, Diana Takes a Bite, Eat, Sip, Chew, Naked Sushi, The Roaming Belly, and L.A. and O.C. Foodventures, arrived on the Syrup Desserts scene minutes before eleven. We’d just finished a night of celebrating and boozing at The Association and were ready for a sugary nightcap.

Syrup Desserts is a two-story temple of crepes, waffles, and sweet grilled cheese sandwiches. After placing our order at the counter—one waffle and one grilled cheese—we hoofed it to the second floor and settled into a table fit for six. The upstairs decor reminded me of a set from a Bunim/Murray production.

The Astronomer’s grilled Muenster cheese sandwich with blackberries and walnuts ($5.50) tasted much more impressive than it looked. The thin slices of white bread were smeared with butter and sprinkled with sugar, which created a toasty and caramelized exterior.

The innards spewed sweet berries and gooey cheese. The kitchen did not skimp on the fresh blackberries, which resulted in a sweet and savory amalgam of flavors. What a delight!

Syrup Desserts didn’t offer an unadorned Belgian waffle, so I went with a Blueberry Lemon Drop that was served with powdered sugar and whipped cream ($1.95). Upon receiving my waffle, I pushed the whipped cream aside in order to taste it in its simplest state. The bites where the cream hadn’t soaked in were crisp, but sadly not caramelized, and tasted doughy rather than chewy. The waffle had a certain appeal, but I was hoping for a Liège waffle with chunks of pearl sugar and caramelized ridges.

We’ll be back for the Honey Pot.

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Syrup Desserts
611 South Spring Street
Los Angeles, CA 90014
Phone: 213-488-5136

Restaurant Review

06 Sep 2009

Polkatots – Pasadena

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Whereas most cupcakeries are located in hip neighborhoods with heavy foot traffic, Polkatots is tucked away in a deserted mini-mall across the way from a botánica. In spite of its unlikely location, Polkatots has found an audience and a great deal of success. Most notably, the cupcakery won two first-place prizes at the 2009 Cupcake Challenge—the Dolcissimo cupcake took Best Original and Best Overall at the competition.

For the longest time I thought the shop was named Polkadots. It wasn’t until I snapped the picture above that I realized it wasn’t the case at all. I’m quite used to establishments with nonsensical and awkward names in the San Gabriel Valley (See: Ducks, Mama’s Lu, JTYH, and Qing Dao Bread Food), but it’s a rare occurrence when it happens in Pasadena. What the heck is a “polkatot”?

Anyway, as is tradition with cupcakeries across the land, Polkatots is dolled up in pretty pink tones with colorful candy accents. There are fourteen standard flavors available each day and a featured flavor of the month. Regular-sized cupcakes, also known as “Biggies,” are priced at $3, while “Minis” go for $1.50.

With an extra pair of chompers in tow, I was able to sample four flavors, including (clockwise from top left) the Lucky Charm, Red Diva, Strawberry Shortcake, and Dolcissimo. Each cleverly named mini-cupcake was meticulously decorated and provided 3.7 bites of joy.

The Lucky Charm (pistachio cupcake with pistachio buttercream) successfully captured a pistachio ice cream experience, minus the chill factor. The Red Diva (red velvet cupcake with cream cheese icing) was appealingly chocolaty, but the crunchy sprinkles detracted from the icing’s tang. The Strawberry Shortcake (strawberry cupcake with strawberry buttercream) was a favorite of mine because it tasted like real strawberries were employed in the cake and batter. However, I could have done without the coarse red sprinkles. The Dolcissimo (dulce de leche cake with dulce de leche buttercream) was sticky and sweet, just the way dulce de leche ought to be.

In regards to texture, Polkatot’s cake was moist and dense, with just a wee bit of gumminess. The frostings stayed true to their flavor and weren’t overwhelmed by sugary sweetness. Overall, Polkatot’s straddles the fine line between in-the-box and out-of-the-box cupcake experiences.

POWER RANKINGS

Sprinkles Cupcakes > Dots Cupcakes > Vanilla Bake Shop > Polkatots > Crumbs Bake Shop > Auntie Em’s Kitchen > Yummy Cupcakes > Violet’s Cakes.

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Polkatots
720 North Lake Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91104
Phone: 626-798-3932

Giveaway

04 Sep 2009

GIVEAWAY: Septemberfest Tix

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Septemberfest is America’s answer to Oktoberfest. Having felt shorted for years by German food, Polka music, and Lederhosen, America finally claimed its own tradition of BBQ, rock music, and daisy dukes. The one constant? Beer.

Septemberfest will feature over 150 beers, BBQ, and live entertainment. Music will be provided by “Stepping Feet,” a Dave Matthews tribute band, and “Petty Cash,” a tribute to Tom Petty and Johnny Cash. Food will be provided by the Border Grill Taco Truck, as well as burger and sausage vendors.

Festivities begin at 2 PM at the Paramount Studios in Hollywood. Admission is $40 and includes unlimited pours. Proceeds from the event will support Noah’s Bark Animal Rescue. For more information, visit the event’s website.

Septemberfest Tix Giveaway

Join The Astronomer and me at Septemberfest! I have TWO tickets to give away to ONE lucky gas•tron•o•my reader. All you have to do is leave a comment with your name, email address, and the name of your favorite beer. If you don’t drink beer, just type ‘Zima.’ Only one entry per person, please. I’ll be using a random number generator to choose the winner. All entries must be received by Wednesday, September 9, 2009 at midnight PST. Good luck!