I used to think that the Mall of America had limited options in terms of satisfying my sweet tooth. However, on a recent trip there I found I was terribly mistaken. First off, I am a lover of crepes. Not the ham and cheese variety, but the ooey gooey chocolatey kind. The Magic Pan Crepe Stand totally fits the bill. I was celebrating a recent job offer a week ago and decided to indulge in the Chocolate Nutella and Cherries Crepe. OMG. This thing is humongous, stuffed to the gills with sweet, syrupy dark cherries and rich, creamy Nutella. In case that's not enough, they serve it with a heaping mound of whipped cream and chocolate drizzle on top. My favorite local crepe place in Woodbury, MN is Sati Coffee. They have awesome crepe flavors such as the Cinnamon Roll crepe and the Bananas and Cream crepe. I usually need two of them to satisfy my appetite. Not the case at Magic Pan. I gobbled that crepe up at lightning speed and ended up with cherry goo smeared on my purse handle when it flopped over into my plate. However, my tummy forced me to slow down at the end of my sweet journey and I actually left a couple bites on the plate. Even the Cheesecake Queen has to say no sometimes.
Bottom line: next time you decide to tackle the parking ramp and crowds at MOA, take a load off and stop by the Magic Pan for a very yummy reward.
Website: http://www.leye.com/restaurants/directory/magic-pan-crepe-stand
Rating: 4 of 5 Cheesecake Slices
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
The Cheesecake Factory (Edina, MN)
Given that cheesecake is my favorite sinful dessert of all time, there is nothing I love more than the Cheesecake Factory (except perhaps my husband). Here is my formula for the perfect Saturday: Step 1: Drool over the bakery case at Cheesecake Factory and finally settle on your absolute favorite Ultimate Red Velvet Cheesecake for the hundredth time. Step 2: Take that bad boy to go and pick up a Caribou Coffee white chocolate mocha to go with it. Step 3: Get yourself situated in a comfy chair in Southdale Mall. Step 4: Devour your cheesecake and gloat while skinny girls walk by and wish they had your slice. Step 5: Work off every single one of those devilish calories by exercising your credit card at Macy's, Coach, and Ann Taylor.
If you have never tried The Cheesecake Factory's cheesecake, please, for the love of God, go there. Stat! My favorites include the 30th Anniversary, Brownie Sundae, White Chocolate Macadamia, and of course, the Ultimate Red Velvet Cheesecake. If you want some fruit in your diet, try the Pineapple Upside Down Cheesecake or Dutch Caramel Apple. You'll thank me later.
Website: http://www.thecheesecakefactory.com/
Rating: 5 of 5 Cheesecake Slices
If you have never tried The Cheesecake Factory's cheesecake, please, for the love of God, go there. Stat! My favorites include the 30th Anniversary, Brownie Sundae, White Chocolate Macadamia, and of course, the Ultimate Red Velvet Cheesecake. If you want some fruit in your diet, try the Pineapple Upside Down Cheesecake or Dutch Caramel Apple. You'll thank me later.
Website: http://www.thecheesecakefactory.com/
Rating: 5 of 5 Cheesecake Slices
Trung Nam French Bakery (St. Paul - Frogtown)
Just when I thought life couldn't get any better, I found Trung Nam. Hubby and I ventured there this past fall to pick up the famous croissants I'd been hearing about. Holy cats, were they good! The croissants have just the right crunchy outer layer that breaks into warm, BUTTERY, soft layers as you sink your teeth in. And then comes the fillings - the almond and chocolate fillings melded with the buttery flavors oh so perfectly. We also tried the apricot and coconut varieties, which were still good, but more subtle in flavor. Basically, though, you could fill these croissants with brussels sprout puree and it would still be awesome.
Everything is cheap here. We bought 4 croissants and 2 sandwiches (banh mi) and our total was $12.25. Please note: cash only. The banh mi are good, but the almond croissant is where it's at.
Website: N/A
Rating: 4 of 5 Cheesecake Slices
Everything is cheap here. We bought 4 croissants and 2 sandwiches (banh mi) and our total was $12.25. Please note: cash only. The banh mi are good, but the almond croissant is where it's at.
Website: N/A
Rating: 4 of 5 Cheesecake Slices
Sunday, March 27, 2011
A Piece of Cake (St. Paul - Cathedral Hill)
If you are a lover of frosting, this place is for you! Their bakery case has a display of about 10 cupcake varieties, each piled sky high with rich, perfectly creamy and sweet frosting. The gentleman behind the counter was more than happy to describe each of the flavors to me and let me know that the Spiced cupcake with Caramel Cream Cheese frosting was his favorite. I said sign me up and I took that baby home. Oh my, was it ever delicious! The cupcakes are so big that I ate mine on a plate with a fork. They also have slices of cake, of course, with classic flavors such as Red Velvet and Carrot Cake. And don't miss the dainty sugar cookies, again piled high with a heavenly buttercream frosting. Oh mama, I could have eaten a dozen of those! The shop is on Selby Avenue and it's easy to find parking nearby. They also make coffee drinks and have a few tables available if you want to stay to devour your goodies. The shop is bright and white - it almost feels like you've dropped by for a tea party. Love it!!!
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The cafe is large and has many window seats, large tables for gatherings, and couches for a good afternoon read. Service is friendly and helpful in making selections. Sandwiches and salads are also great - the Croque Madame (think ham, gruyere cheese, and bechamel sauce) is definitely the star of the show in the sandwich department. But let's be honest, I'm all about the desserts here. Residents of Eagan, thank your lucky stars you have been blessed with one of the best dessert cases in the Cities.