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It's the last day of 2017!! Hope your year was as sweet as mine. Here's my "Top 10 Sweet Bites" for the year. It was pretty hard to narrow it down. Y'all know I lurrrv my desserts.
These are not ranked btw... I love them all. But I've definitely have some more than others. And SERIOUSLY craving some right now...
- Starbucks Reserve (Legacy West).
This place has made me like coffee. Even if the coffee is topped with a scoop of ice cream. haha. :P The House Affogato from Starbucks Reserve is delicious. And I'm obsessed with this place. I love sitting at the bar so I can watch the baristas demo the siphon coffee. One of these days I'll have to go to one of their workshops! Also fantastic... the Cold Brew Malt... basically a coffee milkshake - Cold Brew, 2 scoops of ice cream, Starbucks' malt powder.
- Bisous Bisous Patisserie (West Village).
I've definitely spent a lot of time in West Village this year. Between Pok and the Summer Sammie pop ups from Bisous Bisous, it's like I lived there. I went almost every weekend they were available. Warm and flaky croissant waffles made to order with seasonal ice cream flavors sandwiched in the middle. So yummy!
- Val's Cheesecakes (Maple Ave, Lower Greenville).
Best cheesecakes ever. I definitely ate A LOT of his cheesecakes this year, include TWO whole ones. They make a great addition to any special occasion and he can do anything you want in his custom creations. My all time favorite... the Classic Blueberry. I still have a few jars in my fridge, better go get those now!
- Everett & Elaine (Legacy Food Hall & Dallas Farmers Market)
I first stumbled upon E&E earlier this year at the Dallas Farmers Market. They makes some of the most delicious looking desserts and pastries. But since they've opened their stall inside the Legacy Food Hall, I've discovered my favorite thing there. The Tiramisu Cotton Cheesecake. It's an Asian style (super fluffy) cheesecake with a decadent tiramisu topping. It's on a whole different level. You cannot compare it with anything else. Every single person that I've recommended it to has loved it.
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| Photo by @_rachelann_ |
- Commissary (Downtown).
Again, one of my favorite places this year. They have a gorgeous dessert display and so far everything I've tried is good. However, the first thing I had there, the Triple Chocolate Eclair, remains one of my favorites. It's like a Ferrero Rocher, which is one of my favorite candies. Plus it's fancy.
- North Italia (Legacy West).
Again, one of my favorite spots this year. Make sure you make room for dessert after all those amazing pastas. Their Tiramisu is probably one of the best I've had to date. Rich espresso flavor and cream, lots of chocolates, and the crunchy chocolate balls totally makes it.
- Tommy Bahama (Legacy West).
I didn't even know TB had restaurants until I went to the Legacy West grand opening. The decor is so festive and the food is quite fantastic. But... their desserts are definitely the star. One of the prettiest desserts I've had this year... and definitely the BEST creme brulee ever, imo. Their Pineapple Creme Brulee is baked inside an actual pineapple!! So bright and fun and fresh.
- District Food & Wine (Design District).
This is definitely a hidden gem. They're only open for lunch during the week so I don't think most people know it's there. But the BEST Lemon Cake of my life! I don't even really like lemon desserts very much and I chose this over the chocolate cake. What?? Not too tart or too sweet, the cake is fluffy and perfect. I still think about it from time to time.
- Emporium Pies (Bishop Arts District, Deep Ellum, Downtown McKinney).
This is my favorite pie place in Dallas so it's really hard to pick a single one that I love. But I found my absolute favorite pie this year... and that's a pretty bold statement coming from me. The Nutty Honey from the Fall Menu... peanut butter and honey. Please bring it back!!
- We the Birds Macarons.
So... these are not limited to 2017, but I've got to give a shout out to my friends at We the Birds for having the most beautiful and delicious macarons ever. I prefer theirs over Ladurée. Yes, you can quote me on that. I gifted several of their custom flavors to friends this year so I think it's relevant. :P Love y'all!
Sweet Dreams everyone! And have the most amazing 2018!
~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~
I love afternoon tea, high tea, any kind of tea + dessert type events where you can relax, eat, and hang out with your friends. :) I went to a few tea places while I was in Vietnam in August, so it was fresh on my mind. So me and another blogger friend of mine decided to take action and actually plan one. We were searching for some options of places to go when I came across someone's Instagram post on the tea at Bangkok on Beltline. Now this was already on my radar, but I had for some reason forgotten about it. They only have high tea on Saturdays from 2-4PM and it's by reservation only because they have to prep all the goodies. The date we had planned was a Saturday so this worked out perfectly. And to our luck, the PR company for Bangkok saw my comment to that post and reached out. Yay!
Bangkok on Beltline - Thai High Tea
100 S Central Expy #108
Richardson, TX 75080
(469) 930-9755
http://www.bangkokatbeltline.com/
Price: $35 per person
Most of the group were already food bloggers so now we are being hosted! Woohoo!! All of us got half off the regular price. It was great, since we were initially planning this as just a casual outing with friends. Yay. Thank you so much for hosting us, Bangkok on Beltline and Red iD Agency!!
I had seen pictures, but it was even prettier in person. We arrived on Saturday and the table was decked out with three 3 tiered tea trays FILLED with beautiful and colorful creations. I think it took us a full 30 minutes to get all of our photos taken... haha. Food bloggers, amiright? :P
We then met the owner of the restaurant and he proceeded to explain all the different items and the progression of the tea service.
We started with the Bottom Tier and work our way up. It has all the savory items. It is also paired with a Chinese Green Tea. With unlimited refills. I think I had 4 cups of this. I drink a lot of tea.. haha. Especially when I'm eating sweets too. The tea is light and unsweetened. There are sugar cubes for those who wanted sweetness.
Pad Thai Croissant. What a creative combination! East meets West. I wished the pad thai was warm, but I think that's kind of hard to do since the tea trays have to be prepared before the party arrives. Also... we took forever taking pictures. haha. The pad thai had a sweetness to it which I wouldn't have liked if I was eating it for dinner, but since this is mainly pastries and desserts, it worked well with the buttery croissant.
Chicken Satay Sandwich. This was my favorite. It had really great flavor. Almost a curry flavor in there.
Yellow Curry Puffs (filled with potato). This was also really good. The crust was flaky, not dry. The potato had good flavor. I'm assuming this is a vegetarian friendly item.
Middle Tier:
This one is paired with Chrysanthemums Tea, one of my favorite teas of all time. When I go to dim sum, I ALWAYS have to order this. It's a flower, and you can definitely get the florally fragrance when you sip it. I lost count on how many cups I had of this one. haha.
This tier had most of the Asian influenced desserts.
Black Rice Pudding (with coconut milk, palm seed jelly on top). Reminded me of all those Asian desserts I grew up eating. I enjoyed the rice pudding texture and I love coconut milk. Can't say I've had palm seed jelly before though. Yay for trying new things!
Rice Crackers with Caramel Coconut Sauce. The rice crackers were Asian style... so there's basically no sweetness to it. Just the slight nuttiness from the rice. If you are expecting a rice crispies treat, this ain't it. You can spread some of the caramel sauce over the rice crackers. The sauce itself was quite interesting. It was almost more savory than sweet... reminded me a bit like peanut sauce in Vietnamese/Thai cuisine.
Sticky Rice (with Thai Coconut Custard). I still don't fully know what all is in this. But the sticky rice was inside a layer of pastry or something. I liked this a lot, especially the coconut custard.
Top Tier:
Unsweet Thai Tea was served with this tier. I was curious to try it because I've never had Thai tea without the condensed milk or sugar... I really liked it. It almost tasted sweet on its own without adding sugar. It went really well with this tier. Actually all of the teas were paired really well with their respective tiers. I was quite impressed!
Pistachio and Raspberry Macarons. Beautifully made macarons. The colors were so pretty with the Matcha Tiramisu. The textures of both macarons were both really good. I especially loved the pistachio's flavor.
Green Tea Tiramisu (with red bean). This was the favorite of the group. Not only was it beautiful, it was delicious. The matcha cream had a rich matcha taste. I was surprised to find a layer of red bean in there, which added an interesting texture. Again, this is where the Asian influences play into a typical dessert. Definitely one of the best desserts in the display. I wished I could've taken some home... but it was in a glass so I couldn't.
We also got some of their signature Flower Sesame Cookies. These are light and crispy and really cool looking!
We were all stuffed! Some people couldn't even finish all of the different items. A few of the girls came in and scoffed at the amount of food saying they were still gonna be hungry after. They ate their words. It was a lot. I would recommend eating a very light lunch or none at all before you go to high tea in general. You'd be surprised how much little sandwiches and cakes can fill you up! Plus you're drinking a ton of tea. Well, at least I was. I had to go to the bathroom twice!! haha. I think I drank well over 10 cups total.
We had SO MUCH FUN! It was a super unique experience with the Thai inspired flavors. I've definitely never had a tea experience like this before. For the price point, this is a great value in Dallas for high tea. Most other places I know are at least $50+ a person. I highly recommend you try this. Great for a girls' day out, or a bridal shower. I'd even do this for a birthday party! :)
Thanks again for hosting us!! :)
Quality of Food:
Service:
Ambiance:
Value:
Overall Experience:
~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~
Back in March, I attended an amazing Flower Crown Workshop produced by Three Twelve Company, a flourishing new business that curates special/customized events, workshops, and collaborations.
I don't usually write about events, but this one included food! The whole event featured a flower crown workshop by the talented Lauren from The Backyard Bouquet, who also did my flowers for my wedding. Yay! She is super awesome and uses very unique flowers and plants in her creations. It also included a waffle brunch prepared by Lauren, the founder of Three Twelve Co. (She did some of my wedding cakes!) Yes, they're both Laurens. :P Other activities include: braid bar by Revel Workshop, makeup by Love Dose Beauty, craft cocktails by Austin Cocktails, mobile photo booth by Photo-Wagon, shopping with Shop Haute Wheels, and amazing photos taken throughout the day by Beckley & Co. (See vendor list at the end of the post.)
Event Details:
Saturday, March 5, 2016
11:00AM - 3:00PM
$90~
Summerfield at Tate Farms
13502 FM548
Rockwall, TX 75032
I had gone early to help them set up. The venue was in Rockwall... super close to me! Which was a plus. My friend who was attending the event rode with me and went to lend a hand as well. When we got there the space was pretty bare with some long tables set up. Within the hour, we had unloaded all the flowers, set them up on a long table in the front of the room. Laid out place settings, name cards, flower supplies, tools, etc. on all the tables. Everyone worked hard and well together. The place was looking great once all the guests started arriving.
Snacks were placed on two tables at the front. People were getting some munchies, getting their hair braided, getting their makeup done, or just visiting with other guests as we waited for the workshop to begin. And don't forget there are cocktails!
The flower crown workshop was super fun. Lauren showed us how to get started on the crown and we got to pick our own flowers from the bundles and bundles she brought. She locally forages most of her flowers and uses a lot of different textures, which I love. Everyone had something different because we had so many flower options to choose from. During the workshop time, some girls went off to get their hair braided, or make up done. As I looked around the room, everyone's crowns all turned out so great! Some were big and rustic, packed with flowers and leaves, and some were prim and demure. Everyone was having a great time!
As we waited for the food to be served. People were exploring the farm, taking a million photos (it was a beautiful day), more braids, and just enjoying themselves. So much pretty that day. :)
When the food came out, OMG, these beautiful plates of waffles were lined up on a long table. Love!! There were several choices of toppings/flavors and also a gluten free option (from Double Dose Bakery - @doubledosebakery).
The Oak Lawn (kiwi, banana, strawberries, blueberries, cinnamon, maple syrup)
The Oak Cliff (chocolate, banana, peanut butter, salted dulce de leche)
The Uptown (strawberries, toasted almonds, coconut flakes, maple syrup)
The Deep Ellum (avocado, local honey, pinch of cayenne)
I got The Oak Lawn with gluten free waffle. I was technically on a diet all of March to prep for the wedding so this was my cheat day. haha. I still got the fruit option to try and be good. It was loaded with fruits and so pretty and colorful. Wasn't too sweet. Yum!
My friend got The Oak Cliff, which I really actually wanted. So I got to try some. Soooooo good!
Beautiful and tasty food, surrounded by more beautiful flowers and people who are just having the greatest time. It could not have been a better day. AND... all the guest were gifted with a stunning (and yummy!) rose flavored macaron by We the Birds Macarons, a sister-duo team that makes the prettiest custom macarons! @we.the.birds
What a wonderful event. It was the nicest day and people were creating beautiful things. I'm glad I got to be a part of it. Keep you eye out for Three Twelve Company... she holds different events monthly. You can stay up to date by following her Instagram: @threetwelveco.
All the lovely ladies and their businesses can be found on Instagram.
The Backyard Bouquet - @thebackyardbouquet
Revel Workshop - @revelworkshop
Shout out to Shelley from @hairbyshelleyxo who also came to help out with the braids. And she did mine. :)
Love Dose Beauty - @lovedosebeauty
Austin Cocktails - @austincocktails
Photo-Wagon - @photowagontx
Shop Haute Wheels - @shophautewheels
Beckley & Co. - @beckleyco - You can find the professional pictures from the event on their website under "Petal Party".
And thanks to Summerfield at Tate Farms for hosting the event!
**ATTENTION:
Three Twelve Company has another Flower Crown Workshop + Brunch coming up THIS Saturday, August 27th, from 11AM-2PM. With rosé, and a acai bowl bar! :) There are still spots available!! Click here to grab your ticket!**
~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~
Back in March, I attended an amazing Flower Crown Workshop produced by Three Twelve Company, a flourishing new business that curates special/customized events, workshops, and collaborations.
I don't usually write about events, but this one included food! The whole event featured a flower crown workshop by the talented Lauren from The Backyard Bouquet, who also did my flowers for my wedding. Yay! She is super awesome and uses very unique flowers and plants in her creations. It also included a waffle brunch prepared by Lauren, the founder of Three Twelve Co. (She did some of my wedding cakes!) Yes, they're both Laurens. :P Other activities include: braid bar by Revel Workshop, makeup by Love Dose Beauty, craft cocktails by Austin Cocktails, mobile photo booth by Photo-Wagon, shopping with Shop Haute Wheels, and amazing photos taken throughout the day by Beckley & Co. (See vendor list at the end of the post.)
Event Details:
Saturday, March 5, 2016
11:00AM - 3:00PM
$90~
Summerfield at Tate Farms
13502 FM548
Rockwall, TX 75032
I had gone early to help them set up. The venue was in Rockwall... super close to me! Which was a plus. My friend who was attending the event rode with me and went to lend a hand as well. When we got there the space was pretty bare with some long tables set up. Within the hour, we had unloaded all the flowers, set them up on a long table in the front of the room. Laid out place settings, name cards, flower supplies, tools, etc. on all the tables. Everyone worked hard and well together. The place was looking great once all the guests started arriving.
Snacks were placed on two tables at the front. People were getting some munchies, getting their hair braided, getting their makeup done, or just visiting with other guests as we waited for the workshop to begin. And don't forget there are cocktails!
The flower crown workshop was super fun. Lauren showed us how to get started on the crown and we got to pick our own flowers from the bundles and bundles she brought. She locally forages most of her flowers and uses a lot of different textures, which I love. Everyone had something different because we had so many flower options to choose from. During the workshop time, some girls went off to get their hair braided, or make up done. As I looked around the room, everyone's crowns all turned out so great! Some were big and rustic, packed with flowers and leaves, and some were prim and demure. Everyone was having a great time!
As we waited for the food to be served. People were exploring the farm, taking a million photos (it was a beautiful day), more braids, and just enjoying themselves. So much pretty that day. :)
When the food came out, OMG, these beautiful plates of waffles were lined up on a long table. Love!! There were several choices of toppings/flavors and also a gluten free option (from Double Dose Bakery - @doubledosebakery).
The Oak Lawn (kiwi, banana, strawberries, blueberries, cinnamon, maple syrup)
The Oak Cliff (chocolate, banana, peanut butter, salted dulce de leche)
The Uptown (strawberries, toasted almonds, coconut flakes, maple syrup)
The Deep Ellum (avocado, local honey, pinch of cayenne)
I got The Oak Lawn with gluten free waffle. I was technically on a diet all of March to prep for the wedding so this was my cheat day. haha. I still got the fruit option to try and be good. It was loaded with fruits and so pretty and colorful. Wasn't too sweet. Yum!
My friend got The Oak Cliff, which I really actually wanted. So I got to try some. Soooooo good!
Beautiful and tasty food, surrounded by more beautiful flowers and people who are just having the greatest time. It could not have been a better day. AND... all the guest were gifted with a stunning (and yummy!) rose flavored macaron by We the Birds Macarons, a sister-duo team that makes the prettiest custom macarons! @we.the.birds
What a wonderful event. It was the nicest day and people were creating beautiful things. I'm glad I got to be a part of it. Keep you eye out for Three Twelve Company... she holds different events monthly. You can stay up to date by following her Instagram: @threetwelveco.
All the lovely ladies and their businesses can be found on Instagram.
The Backyard Bouquet - @thebackyardbouquet
Revel Workshop - @revelworkshop
Shout out to Shelley from @hairbyshelleyxo who also came to help out with the braids. And she did mine. :)
Love Dose Beauty - @lovedosebeauty
Austin Cocktails - @austincocktails
Photo-Wagon - @photowagontx
Shop Haute Wheels - @shophautewheels
Beckley & Co. - @beckleyco - You can find the professional pictures from the event on their website under "Petal Party".
And thanks to Summerfield at Tate Farms for hosting the event!
**ATTENTION:
Three Twelve Company has another Flower Crown Workshop + Brunch coming up THIS Saturday, August 27th, from 12-3PM. With tasty acai bowls. :) There are still spots available!! Click here to grab your ticket!**
~~ CHOMP CHOMP ~~
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