MARCH: La La Land Kind Cafe

So... I was actually a little worried on my pick for March. I have had some good food but nothing came to mind on what to feature. But then my friend told me about this coffee shop called La La Land Kind Cafe that was having their soft opening around the end of March. I was like "huh?" I've never heard of this place, but the day after, I saw an article out on it. Turns out this is the new business venture by Francois Reihani, one of the minds behind Pok the Raw Bar, my FAVORITE poke place. He also went on to open Bar Stellar. This guy just has the talent for business ideas. I DEF gotta check this place out!

Soft opening was on March 23rd. As I drove up this neighborhood road behind Lower Greenville, I see this bright white house. Incredibly cute and cheerful. With a white picket fence and everything! When you walk in, OMG, the cutest. The white and bright yellow accents, it just cheers you up. I remember it was kind of an overcast, meh day, but the colors at La La Land will make you smile. :) Oh.. and they have a doggy friendly area on the side of the house. D'awwww!

La La Land Kind Cafe
5626 Bell Ave.
Dallas, TX 75206
(214) 579-9550
https://lalalandkindcafe.com/
Price: $-$$

As soon as you enter, several people greet you. You order at the counter, they give you a number, and they bring the food and drinks out to you. Guess what, they have an entire menu section for MATCHA! Pok gets the best matcha, so they must have high grade matcha powder here as well. They have some very interesting combinations of flavors too. The other half of the menu are different coffee offerings. They also have a really interesting loose leaf tea section (which I discovered 3 visits later. haha.) Plus they have most of the available Alternative Milks (almond, oat, coconut, soy) +$0.75~

On our first visit, it was so hard to pick what to order. We went with what was prettiest. :P
Campfire Latte (toasted marshmallow, chocolate, graham cracker, hot) $5.20~ The melted marshmallow over the edge of the cup is such a cute idea. My friend ordered this and I got to try it. It's really good!

French Toast Latte (cinnamon, maple syrup, hot or iced) $5.20~ This is the cutest!! They've really got the presentation down. Flavor wise, you can definitely taste the cinnamon but I'm not sure if I think french toast when I drink it... still tasty tho!

La La Avocado Toast (mashed avocado, lemon, red pepper flakes, cilantro garnish) $6.20~ I think the price has increased on this btw... but I forgot to snap a pic of the menu last time I was there. The bread they use for the toasts is really great with the avocado. I love the crispy edges, and it's a hearty toast. It's one of the only savory options on the menu right now. I'm hoping they'll add more food options soon!

Banana Brulee Toast (hazelnut spread, caramelized bananas) $5.50~ OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG. I mean, just look at the picture. It tastes just as decadent as it looks. So simple... nutella and bruleed bananas, but just perfect.

Chocolate Chip Cookie $4~ And then I fell in love even more. This cookie, y'all. It's the best (and worst*) thing to happen to me in the past month. It is my dream cookie. HUGE, for one. Perfectly crispy on the outside with so many nooks and crannies. I have no idea how they make it that perfect on the outside. Inside is still soft, but NOT under baked. It's my idea of a perfectly textured cookie. And of course chocolate chip cookies are my absolute favorite. When it comes to you warm... ERMUHGUH! I can't contain my drool right now. *The reason I say it's the worst thing to happen to me is because, within 1 week of their opening... ONE... I had about 5 cookies. XD Bye bye, beach bod! Haha.

Thanks for the hat!! :D

At the end of our first visit, we each got a matcha drink to go.

Matcha Latte (iced) $3.50~ I felt like there wasn't enough matcha. But I have been informed that since the soft opening, they have increased the amount of matcha in the lattes. Gotta give it another try!

Strawberry Fields Matcha (matcha latte, strawberry, beetroot, hot or iced) $5.20~ Pretty! And really delicious. I'm kind of a matcha purist so I don't like to mix things with it, but this was a really good combo.

Here are some other menu items I've tried throughout my many visits. I think in the first 2 weeks I was there almost every other or every 2 days. :P

Flat Green $3.50~ This is matcha with milk, but the ratio is less than a latte so you get a stronger matcha flavor. Loved it.

Mighty Mocha (cold brew, espresso, cacao, iced) $5.20~ I wanted to try this since I love mochas. But WHEW! Too much coffee for me. This is definitely not for weak hearted! There's a lotta coffee and caffeine in there, folks. For those of you that get 3+ shots of espresso in your drinks, this may be for you! They were nice and gave me a regular mocha instead.

Breakfast Empanada (baked egg, bacon, potato) $4~ I liked this. It went well with the salsa they gave me on the side. I just wanted more! It's definitely not enough to fill you up if you want it as a meal. Better order like 4+. haha.

Ice Blended Drink (espresso base, thin mint flavor) $5~ It was a warm day, so I wanted something cold. This was yummy! Wished it was a bit creamier though. Definitely tasted the chocolate mint flavors.

So... do you love it as much as I do yet? If not, this will get ya. La La Land Kind Cafe serves a much bigger purpose than just serving us great drinks and foods. It supports Reihani's nonprofit, We Are One Project, which "provides the right tools for businesses to come together and employ foster youth". "La La Land is a training ground for aging out foster youth. At La La Land they will learn the basic the fundamentals of job skills. Timeliness, cleanliness, customer relations, productivity, and teamwork." (from We Are One Project website). SO. FREAKING. GREAT. This is definitely a mission and business I can stand behind. And as long as they keep making those cookies... just TAKE ALL MY MONIES! :P

This place has been packed every single day since it's opened, so I'm sure a lot of you already know about it. But what great concept, purpose, and quality. The menu is 100% organic, btw. No big. Haha. Plus they're open early, and they close late. Perf.

~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~

Your Pie - Frisco

There's only one location of Your Pie in DFW right now and it's located in Frisco. It's a really long way from Rockwall but I'm so glad I decided to go to their media dinner a couple weeks ago. The concept is like a Chipotle but for pizza... you basically build your own. They also have Signature pizzas if you don't want to byo. We were there celebrating the first day of summer as well as the limited release of their Peach Prosciutto Pie.

Your Pie - Frisco
5110 Eldorado Pkwy.
Frisco, TX 75033
(469) 664-0768
https://yourpie.com/stores/el-dorado/
Price: $

Your Pie first started in Georgia in 2008. In 2016, they started expanding out of the Southeast. They have over 50+ locations across the US now. Quite impressive! I didn't have much expectations going in, to be honest. We have plenty of build-your-own pizza concepts in Dallas already and they're all pretty decent. But I was in for a very pleasant surprise!

When we arrived, we were warmly greeted. The PR ladies did a fabulous job at this event. They socialized, helped serve when needed, and came by to check on us frequently. :) Since it was a media event, we asked what we were supposed to do. They said just find a seat and they'll be bringing out some of the featured pizza.

Their pizzas are 10 inches... perfectly individual sized. And all $7.99~

Peach Prosciutto Pie (olive oil, mozzarella, ricotta, parmesan, fresh peaches, prosciutto, chopped basil, honey balsamic glaze) Seasonal. Back for a LIMITED TIME. 

I really didn't know what to expect from this pizza. It's definitely the first time I'm going to try a pizza with peaches on it. Y'all... it rocked my world. First of all, the pizza dough/crust is one of the best I've ever had. Ever. I was told that it's the owner's recipe. Well done, sir, cuz it's fantastic! The crust is just the right thickness and the texture was perfection. It had just the right amount of chewiness and the edges were crisped just enough. They cook all their pizzas in a brick oven, like they do in Italy. Plus the peach and prosciutto combo is kind of a popular pairing now. The peaches were juicy and not overly sweet. But the sweetness paired with the light ricotta cheese and salty prosciutto was just the perfect flavor. It was extremely popular with the media crowd that night. I ate a whole one by myself. And even when cold... it's still good! I never really eat cold pizza. So you better get your butt over there soon since this is limited time!!!

The Nat (basil pesto, mozzarella, feta, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, chicken). 

We wanted to try another pizza so we ordered this... also one of their signature pizzas. It was good, but after the Peach Prosciutto, it wasn't as interesting. haha. I think the main issue is that this pizza didn't have ricotta. The ricotta in the pizza really adds a light creaminess to everything. I think that should be a standard now. haha. But the chicken was super tender. And honestly, it was a great pizza, just overshadowed by the peach prosciutto perfection.

Southern Heat (buffalo sauce, mozzarella, red onions, jalapenos, chicken; served with ranch or blue cheese dressing). 

I got to try a slice of this. It was good that they didn't bring me a whole pie because I would've devoured it and hated myself. haha. This was sooooo good! It really does have some heat to it, so only get it if you can stand spicy. There's actual heaps of chopped jalapenos throughout the top. A friend ordered one and added bacon on top. Genius!!! I highly recommend this one as well.

Well... I pretty much ate TWO whole pizzas by myself that night. Great self control, amiright? :P But serious, that dough... it's just that good. I couldn't stop.

But then... we had to have dessert!! They offer several flavors of gelato. The flavors change often and they also feature seasonal flavors from time to time.

Gelato:
1 scoop $1.99~
2 scoops $2.99~
3 scoops $3.99~

After trying EVERY SINGLE flavor. I settled on the Strawberry Balsamic which is limited edition too. It was so good. You can see there are actual chunks of strawberries throughout. It wasn't overly sweet or heavy, so I didn't feel more guilty about more eating. haha.

What a fantastic dinner. I was beyond impressed with the quality of food. That dough.... OMG. I can still remember the texture of it while chewing. Droolingggggg! I really hope business continues to boom for them. And pretty please open up a few more locations in Dallas (ahem*Rockwall*ahem). That would be great, thanks. :P

*The meal was comped but all opinions are my own.*

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~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~

Berrynaked - New Richardson Location!

Y'all. You have no idea how freaking EXCITED I am that Berrynaked has opened their 2nd location in Richardson! Not only are they just a short drive from my work, it's also so much close from Rockwall! This could be dangerous!! Berrynaked makes high quality products. I've tasted their popsicles over the past 2 years and continue to see them evolve and improve. I think they have pretty much perfected their craft at this point. Everything is spot on... the right textures, consistency, and flavor. And I never feel guilty after eating one of their pops. :D

I got to have a preview on Wednesday before they have their Grand Opening this Saturday. The space is awesome! It's much larger than their Lovers Ln. location... there's chairs and tables and sofas. Definitely a cool place to hang out. And they have new menu items! Specifically their new Puree Bowls. You can choose between "Soulful" or "Sinful", or be like me and have both. haha. The Soulful selections are healthier... lots of fresh fruit base, topped with more fruit toppings. The Sinful is more fun imo... and definitely more decadent. But yet... it's still healthier than eating ice cream because they use all fresh ingredients and still some with a fruit base. I can eat their bowls instead of ice cream and be completely satisfied!

Their Grand Opening is THIS SATURDAY, JUNE 17th. You better make sure you mark it on your calendars! This is the full info on the event. It's gonna be super fun, yummy, and benefits the American Heart Association too! My favorite way to contribute to charity... eat! :P

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Berrynaked | Richardson Grand Opening Block Party

Saturday, June 17, 12pm – 2pm

326 W. Campbell Road | Canyon Creek Shopping Center

#Berrynakednation

Dallas-based Berrynaked is bringing it's organic popsicles and purees northward with the opening of a flagship location in Richardson! Stop by for family fun at the grand opening block party, benefiting the American Heart Association. Enjoy music, face painting, balloon art, and a variety of activities and giveaways from neighbor businesses like Pure Barre Richardson, Sun Lee Taekwondo, Smoothie King and more! Berrynaked will donate 20 percent of Richardson grand opening day sales to the American Heart Association, which will also be on site, along with 20 percent of Vitality Pops Series sales at both stores (Inwood Village and Richardson) for the entire month of June.

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Here's a peek at some of the menu items!

Soulful:
- The Runner: Pitaya (dragon fruit) base, pineapple, banana, coconut water, organic coconut butter, organic blue agave. This seemed to have been the crowd favorite of the night. I think it was the vibrant color of the dragon fruit!

- The Yogi: Acai base, strawberries, banana, coconut water, organic coconut butter, organic blue agave. My personal favorite. I've had several acai bowls in Dallas now and I thought this was by far the best. From the flavor to texture of the puree... it's on point!

- The Swimmer: Mango base, strawberries, coconut water, organic blue agave. I'm allergic to mango so I didn't try this. But it was my friend's favorite.

Sinful:
- Da Beach Bum: Strawberry base, cream, sour cream, condensed milk. It's served in a waffle bowl, topped with whipped cream, chocolate drizzle, crushed chocolate cookies, and 2 chocolate pirouette rolled wafers. This was freaking amazing. It's like fresh strawberry ice cream, with actual chunks of strawberries in the cream, and all that chocolately goodness.

We also had some Poptails!! Cuz it's not a party without some champagne! And how cute are the mini pops in each glass. All sorts of different fruity flavors... Great idea for your next party?? :)

Definitely go check them out, and bring your friends. I'm certainly going back soon!

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~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~

Hypnotic Emporium

Our 2nd dessert stop was Hypnotic Emporium. I've been dying to go here forever! I'm finally close enough to stop by. It's a cute shop right next to their donut shop by White Rock Lake. The front of the store is a old school candy shop with all different types of treats you may not find in a typical store. I went straight to the back tho, to where the ice cream/soda shop is. They don't have much seating, just FYI.

Hypnotic Emporium
9005 Garland Rd #150
Dallas, TX 75218
(214) 354-3414
www.hypnoticemporium.com
Price: $

They use ice creams from Beth Marie's which is a shop in Denton that makes some amazing flavors. Their ice cream is classified as "premium quality" which means more butterfat (14% to be exact), which makes it more rich and creamy. They have some interesting flavors such as Jack & Coke, and Bee's Knees which is honey lavender.

 

I'm here for only one reason. Well... two. 1) to treat the birthday boy to a dessert of his choice, 2) to try their donut ice cream sandwiches. No one wanted to share, so I had to get my own. I was pretty full already but since I'm here, I gotta get it.

Dream (Donut Ice Cream Sandwich) $6~
After sampling a ton of flavors, I decided on half Lemon Drop, half Banana Cream Pie. 

 

The Banana Cream Pie was everyone's favorite flavor. One friend got 2 scoops of it in a waffle cone. And the bday boy got it too. It was so good I got a pint to go before we left to take home to my husband. The donut sandwich was yummy. Too bad I was so full, I couldn't finish. :( I can't eat like I used to. Damn you, low metabolism!! The donut is unglazed and warmed when served. I really liked it. The donut was fluffy and I liked it unglazed. Glazed would've been too sweet and just a mess to eat. This way I could pick it up with my hands and not be too sticky. I was a little confused when they gave me the sandwich tho, they never asked me if I wanted toppings. So I assumed they were extra... but when I got one for the bday boy, they asked him what he wanted. Oh well, this time around, I probably couldn't have taken any additional food anyways. haha.

The bday boy got the same thing. Dream $6~ (All Banana Cream Pie ice cream and loaded with all the toppings: whipped cream, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, strawberry sauce, peanuts, pecans, sprinkles, waffle cone crumble topped with a marachino cherry). 

Damns! You couldn't even tell what was under there after they put all the toppings on. You definitely can't pick that up with your hands! haha. It was a big ol' mess to eat, but he ate it all. He also ate the 2nd scoop and waffle cone from my other friend. This boy can put down the sugar for sure.

A little pricey but it is more of a novelty and they use really good quality ice cream. And I think I like donut ice cream sandwiches better than cookie ice cream sandwiches. It's a little less sweet and much easier to eat! I'll go back next time when I have someone to share with!

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~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~

Cow Tipping Creamery

*EDIT*
They now have donut cones!! Whoa. I've gotta go check it out some time. If you've already tried it, I'd love to hear your feedback! :)

Photo cred: Cow Tipping Creamery

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I've been wanting to go check out Cow Tipping Creamery since they opened. I've seen a million pictures of their epic soft serve stacks on Instagram and people telling me how awesome it was. It just so happens that it was next to our dinner spot one night. (20 Feet Seafood joint was bomb btw!) It might've played a big role on the final decision on the dinner location. haha.

Cow Tipping Creamery
1146 Peavy Rd.
Dallas, TX 75218
(512) 538-4039
www.cowtippingcreamery.com
Price: $

We were going to 2 different dessert locations that night. Cow Tipping Creamery was first. It's inside the same shop as Good 2 Go Taco, so look for that. I can see how some people said the seating is limited since they share a space, but Good 2 Go Taco closes by 3PM so the seating opens up for the afternoon/night customers. I like their chalkboard menu.

They're most known for their Stackers. Which is just soft serve flavor of your choice layered with different toppings and sauces so you get something in every bite. Why other people don't understand this concept of layering is beyond me. I remember once asking a girl at Red Mango to layer my toppings with my froyo and she gave me a confused look. Who wants to only eat toppings and then run out when you hit the actual ice cream/soft serve/froyo?!?!

They feature 3 different flavors each day and it changes, I'm not sure how often. That night the flavors were Triple Vanilla Bean, Milky Chocolate, and Peanut Butter. You can pick one of their suggested Stacker combos or make your own.

I needed to pace myself since we have another location to go to. So I just ate off some of my other friends' orders. A few bites here and there.

The birthday boy chose Gimme S'more (soft serve of choice, hand-toasted marshmallows, semi-sweet mini-chocolate chips, molasses graham crumb, dark chocolate sauce) 8oz. $6~

He chose the Milk Chocolate soft serve since he absolutely loves chocolate. Their Stackers definitely are pretty epic looking. It's basically double the height of the cups they're in. They melt pretty quickly too, so eat fast or it'll be all over the table, or you! haha. This was pretty good. He doesn't really like marshmallows so I ate all of them. I felt like most of them weren't really toasted tho. There was a ton of chocolate chips. I feel like that's all we were eating towards the end. Overall it was good, but wasn't anything spectacular.

CTC Banana Split (soft serve of choice, caramelized bananas, macerated strawberries, honey dusted pecans, rummy caramel, brown sugar hot fudge) 8oz. $6~ 

They chose the Triple Vanilla Bean soft serve. A few people ordered this together. They really liked it. I thought it was good, but never got the banana in any of my bites. My favorite part was the honey dusted pecans because it added texture. This one wasn't overly sweet so that was good. I still prefer ice cream over soft serve. I think if all of these were done with ice cream, I'd love it more. haha.

A friend did the Make Your Own - You start with 1 soft serve, 1 sauce, 2 toppings and any additional is extra cost I guess.
Peanut Butter Soft Serve (with nutella sauce, caramelized bananas, toasted almonds, and triple fudge brownie chunks) 8oz. 

I liked his best. I think cuz the peanut butter soft serve was delicious. Although... I would've preferred fresh banana slices over the caramelized ones.. I think it's a texture thing. The peanut butter soft serve was my favorite flavor of the night. It wasn't super sweet and was really nutty. It actually reminded me of peanut butter flavors from Asia, where it just tastes like the actual nut (less sugar taste). His was falling over! Gotta eat fast. haha.

Everyone enjoyed it. I liked it well enough but probably won't go out of my way to get it. I rarely go to this area. I do, however, want to try their Earl Grey soft serve flavor. So whenever they have that next, I'll have to venture out there. And my favorite part about their concept is the layering. All other soft serve/ice cream shops... take note!

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~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~