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This past Saturday we went downtown to the Dallas Burlesque Festival at the House of Blues. I was pretty excited. I've never been to a burlesque show! They said doors open at 8PM and show starts at 9. Since we had standing room only tickets we got there right before 8. Obviously I don't go to events like these often because apparently it's normal to wait around for a longg time. We didn't even get into the venue until about 8:45PM. And the show definitely did NOT start at 9. Finally the show starts and there were some good acts but overall disappointing (very amateur dancing/routines imo). And standing around in 3 inch heels for 2+ hours in a room full of people and bright lights didn't do me any favors. I got really nauseous and dizzy all of a sudden... could barely make it to the side of the room before falling over. Yikes! So my bf took me to get some air and ultimately decided to leave. I felt bad leaving our friends at the show but they seemed to be having a good time.
So what's the best cure for lightheaded-ness and nausea? SUGAR!! haha. I felt like I needed to eat something sweet so we finally got the chance to go check out Glazed in Deep Ellum! I love donuts but I try not to eat them too much for the sake of my diet. But this is a sugar emergency! :P
Glazed Donut Works
2644 Elm St.
Dallas, TX 75226
(214) 741-2275
http://glazeddonutworks.com/
https://www.facebook.com/GlazedDonutWorks
Price: $
I've been dying to try their donuts since they opened but their hours and location never mesh with my schedule. :( They're usually open in the mornings and have late night window on Friday and Saturday nights. I checked their Facebook page to double check and turns out it was their 6 month anniversary! Now I really must go! :P
So we drove by the shop to see if there was a line and there wasn't! But as most of you know, the parking situation in Deep Ellum sux ballz. So my bf just dropped me off and circled around. I went straight up to the window. It's a to-go window so there's no place to sit and eat. They had some donuts on display and they all looked amazing. Which ones will I ever choose?!?
I already knew I wanted this one... Strawberry Mascarpone $3.50~
I actually wanted their normal blueberry mascarpone but they said they changed to strawberry for Valentine's day. So pretty. It was delicious! The flavor of the glaze with the strawberry filling and the dollop of mascarpone cream on top just all worked together so well. The donut was soft and fluffy but yet still had a denseness to it that I really liked. Sometimes I feel like eating donuts is like eating calorie-laden air. This had substance! I sooooo wanna try the blueberry one now!
Banana Pudding (banana and cream inside, topped with nilla wafer crumbles and toasted meringue) $3.50~
My bf requested this one. And if he didn't, I would've gotten it anyways. haha. I think this was his favorite out of the bunch, and a very very close second for me. It had a ton of banana flavor. I like the added texture of the nilla wafer crumbles on top. And I think it was a dollop of toasted meringue on top. (Don't quote me on it, it could've been marshmallow fluff??) Anyways, amazeballs. And it was also very pretty!
Creme Brulee (filled with vanilla custard and bruleed sugar coating) $3.50~
I almost didn't get this until I heard the lady describe the components. Bruleed sugar coating on top! SOunds awesome. This was my favorite but that's by splitting hairs. The top was crunchy just like breaking the sugar crust on a creme brulee. The vanilla custard inside was smooth and creamy and paired so well with the texture of the dough. Just then, I had a brilliant idea. They should take the bananas and cream filling from the Banana Pudding donut and put it inside the Creme Brulee donut!! Then it would be the best of both worlds! Please do this!!!! :P
Chocolate Cherry Stout (uses Deep Ellum Brewing Co.'s Cherry Chocolate Double Brown Stout) $3.50~
I wanted to try a chocolate one but they didn't have many options that night. She told me they used the local beer for this so I thought it sounded interesting. This is more of a cake donut so slightly denser than the others. I liked it because you can taste the chocolate but it wasn't too sweet and the glaze just gave it the right amount of sweetness on top. My bf didn't care for it. He normally doesn't like stouts plus he likes LOTS of sugar. haha. Maybe it wasn't sweet enough for him. Probably the least favorite out of the bunch but I still liked it.
The lady at the window was super nice. Big smile the whole time! I congratulated them on their anniversary. :) Also, I asked about their donut truck.. she says they might be out and about by March. I said maybe they should think about coming to Plano! *hint*hint* hehe.
I had high hopes for Glazed, but they blew my mind! This was the perfect cure for my nausea and beats boobies with tassels any day! LOL! At $3.50 a pop, I'd have to say the quality and size is pretty good. And for specialty donuts in Dallas, I think they trump Hypnotic Donuts (sorry to say, Hypnotic is still good tho). I can't wait until the next time I have another chance to go visit them. Keep up the good work, Glazed! And consider Plano or Richardson for your next location!!!!! :D
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The last day in Chicago we met up with another friend of mine for breakfast. She suggested The Bongo Room because she's heard it was good and also it was close to where we were staying. I've also heard that they have the best pancakes. I looked at their website and I have to say the pictures look phenomenal.
The Bongo Room - Wicker Park
1470 N. Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 489-0690
http://www.thebongoroom.com/
Price: $$
I think they change their menu every season since we were given the Fall 2011 Menu. I also saw lots of pictures of dishes online that is no longer on the menu. So you can always get something new there!
They don't take reservations and on the weekends it gets super packed! Luckily we went on a Monday morning so it was pretty empty. The menu looked really good but I knew I wanted to try their pancakes.
My friend got the Breakfast Burrito (cilantro-jalapeno tortilla filled with guacamole and scrambled eggs topped with melted cheese and sour cream, salsa on the side; served with house potatoes) $8.95~
It was a nice hefty portion. I didn't try the burrito, but the flavor of the potatoes were pretty good.
My bf got the Tomatillo Salsa Scramble (three egg whites scrambled with grilled chicken, spinach and topped with diced avocado; served with tomato slices and choice of toast) $9.95~
This was also a big portion. Everything was fresh, there were lots of spinach in teh scramble, which I liked. It's definitely healthier than what we've been eating all weekend! haha. There were tons of diced avocado on top and the flavors were good. I liked the tomatillo salsa mixed in with everything. The one thing my bf said was that he preferred if they diced up the tomatoes and put it on top instead of the slices on the side.
I had 2 choices for pancakes and the waitress totally recommended the Pumpkin Spice & Chocolate Chunk Cheesecake Flapjacks (graham cracker crusted pumpkin flapjacks with chocolate chunks topped with warm vanilla bean cream) $9.95~
Good...cuz i was leaning towards that. hehe. It sounded so decadent. And it was!! 3 huge pancakes covered with the vanilla bean cream. It was utterly fabulous. One of the best pancakes I've had I think. Plenty of pumpkin flavor, I could taste the chocolate chips and the vanilla cream was divine. Surprisingly it wasn't too heavy or sweet. The texture was fluffy. Delicious! I would've liked a little more chocolate chunks but that might actually push it over the edge. I really wanted to eat the entire plate, but the portion was so large it's probably a good idea that I didn't. haha. I am still thinking about these pancakes from time to time. It would say it's one of the best things I had on this trip! :)
It took a while for the food to come out so I would say if you want a quick breakfast before work, this is probably not the best choice. But if you have the time to relax and enjoy some great food, especially pancakes, you need to go to The Bongo Room. I soo wish there is one in Dallas...
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I bought a coupon for Gigi's Cupcakes wayyy back at the beginning of the year from Yollar. I noticed it was expiring next week...I gotta go use it!! I've been waiting for some event or get together to use it but the timing was never right so I just went last week and brought it back to the office.
Gigi's Cupcakes
5454 W. Lovers Lane, Ste. 130
Dallas, TX 75209
(214) 352-2253
http://www.gigiscupcakesusa.com
Price: $
If you go to their website, you'll see that it's bright and cheerful and full of amazing looking cupcakes. Upon entering the store, the cupcakes were displayed front and center, right when you walk in. And they looked amazing! Just like the pictures on the website. I would have to say that these are one of the cutest/prettiest cupcakes I've seen. Some of the toppings were more elaborate than others, but they all look clean and polished and extremely appetizing. You eat with your eyes first and they've definitely got an A+ there.
They bake their cupcakes daily, so the menu from day to day varies a bit. Make sure you check their daily menu so you can make sure they have the flavor you want.
The girl at the counter was super nice and very accommodating. They had my 6 cupcakes in one big box and I asked if I could change it to 2 small boxes (one for office and one to take home! :P) She was like "oh yea no problem"...all with a smile. :)
I got 2 of each. This way I only need to sample 3 of them. haha....trying to watch the carbs and sugar there... Oh and I also got a mini cupcake sample to go! Each cupcake is $3~ If you buy a dozen it's $33~ (But I got it for half off with the coupon!!) 
These were hefty cupcakes. They were heavy!! I joked that they weighed 2 pounds each! :p And definitely a fork and knife cupcake... I really can't see anyone just picking these up and taking a bite without getting it all over their face.
Wedding Cake (White cake topped with a vanilla buttercream frosting and sprinkled with white nonpareils). 
This was simple but looked elegant with the mini pearls on top. The cake was moist (which normally I find white cakes drier...) and not too sweet. The frosting was quite sweet but paired well with the cake. I normally lean towards chocolate cupcakes but I liked this one a lot. The only thing is the giant amount of frosting...as you can see on all of their cupcakes. I guess it's their "thing". haha. I mean I get it...the frosting is what makes them so pretty! But after a while it's just wayy too much and wayy too sweet. I didn't finish all the icing.
Hunka Chunka Banana Love (Banana nut cake with dark chocolate chips topped with a banana buttercream frosting dipped in ganache and a banana chip). 
I actually really wanted to try the Banana Cream Pie but it wasn't sold today. This was quite interesting. First bite...the banana flavor in the frosting was a little strange but paired with the ganache it was quite good! The combinations of all the flavors were very intersting. I liked the banana nut cake with the mini chocolate chips inside but it could've been a little more moist. It's a pretty heavy cupcake. I couldn't eat all the frosting on this one either.
S'mores (milk chocolate cake with chocolate chips baked in, topped with vanilla fluff, toasted marshmallows, graham cracker crumbs and a milk chocolate square). 
This one wasn't supposed to be available today but I saw it in the display case and I was sooo happy! It looked amazing!! I really enjoyed the combination of it all. The fluffy marshmallow with the graham cracker crumbs and the chocolate chips inside the cake. The cake could've been a little more moist too, but with the marshmallow topping it all worked! The marshmallow topping was surprisingly not super super sweet. I ate all the frosting on this one! hehe. Probably my favorite one out of the 3.
The little sample cake was the biggest surprise. The cake was very moist and not too sweet! Typically I find mini cupcakes drier because they are smaller. This one was pretty good!
I was pleasantly surprised that I liked these as much as I did. I was actually expecting them to be like all the other places I've tried in Dallas where they are overpriced and dry... However, I DID get these at a discount. I'm not sure if I would pay full price for them. I find cupcakes in general to be insanely overpriced. But at least you are getting a giant cupcake at Gigi's so it's better bang for your buck. Plus there's more creativity with the decorations that differentiates them from others. The only big negative is the insane amount of frosting. Even my co-worker, who typically enjoys more frosting over cake, said it was a bit much... After eating a slice of each, I'm wishing I had some milk to go with them. haha. You WILL get a sugar high from these!
But definitely go check them out. With the cute decorations and interesting flavors, it's a great thing to bring to a party! :)
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Cafe Flair Bubble Tea and Crepes
3231 Preston Rd, Suite 13
Frisco, TX 75034
(214) 864-9124
Price: $
I recently discovered this crepe place in Frisco, TX. It's located in the shopping area behind Stonebriar Mall next to Cotton Patch Cafe and Genghis Grill. I couldn't seem to find a website but was able to view the menu through urbanspoon.com. The menu looked pretty tasty so I went with my friend to check it out.
The place is fairly small and completely empty. :/ I almost changed my mind and almost walked out. But we decided to give it a try.
The lady at the counter was pretty nice...giving us some recommendations on the menu items.
We decided to get 1 savory crepe and 1 dessert crepe to share...just to try it out first. The crepes are actually quite large!
Chicken Supreme Crepe (Grilled chicken breast, fresh spinach, onions, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, balck olives, bechamel sauce) $6.75~ 
This was really good. Lots of flavor with all the different ingredients. It was very light, not at all heavy or greasy. Feels like you are eating healthier! Imagine a quesadilla but with a crepe instead of tortilla. I would prefer the crepe to be a little more crispy but it was still very good.
Banana Nutella Crepe (freshly cut banana slices with hazelnut spread, topped w/ almond slices) $3.75~Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream $0.99~ 
Can't go wrong with nutella OR ice cream! This was yummy! It was the same size as the savory crepe. Initially I thought we weren't going to be full after this meal, but after the dessert, we were both pretty full. At least it'll tie us over for a couple of hours.
All the ingredients were very fresh and the crepes were nicely made. Once we got our food, business picked up a little bit and more people came in.
I would definitely return in the future. If you want something light and healthy, I would recommend this place. I hope business picks up more so they'll stick around for the future!!
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**Update 12-30-10**I went back last month again because they now have a gluten free and a vegan Red Velvet cupcake. I was interested to see how it compares to their regular ones. I only tried the vegan and it's sooooo much more moist!! I totally believe it's because they are not using butter (which I still think no cupcake places should ever use butter...). It was lighter and not as overwhelmingly sweet. The frosting was also lighter (not as stiff as the original frosting). I liked it wayy better than the original. Next time I'll have to go back and try the gluten free one.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The cupcake battle continues…Hey Cupcake in Austin is still the reigning champion so far…next contender…Sprinkles!
4020 Villanova Drive
Dallas, TX 75225
(214) 369-0004
http://www.sprinkles.com/Price: $
I finally got a chance to check out Sprinkles Cupcakes on NW Hwy and Preston. I’ve been trying to go even though I’ve heard it’s expensive because everyone raves about it. I had a feeling that it was going to be just a big hype like Magnolia Bakery up in NYC, but I had to check it out for myself…and hopefully prove myself wrong.
It’s a small little place, very nicely decorated: clean, cute and modern. It was also packed with people…constantly coming in, in waves… The cupcakes were neatly displayed in the glass display case. Each one consistent with the other, very cute and pretty and all looked delicious! This was the opposite of Society Bakery which had a homey/made-from-scratch feel.
We waited awhile before we could place our order. Each cupcake is $3.25. We got the Red Velvet (southern style light chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting); of course…Red Velvet is my favorite!
And also the Vanilla Hazelnut Chocolate (Madagascar bourbon vanilla cake with creamy hazelnut chocolate frosting), which is their latest limited edition flavor only from September 18-27. 
We cut each one up into 3’s so we can all sample. They were ok… Quite disappointing to say the least. I guess I already knew this was going to happen but I was still bummed out. The Red Velvet cake was not bad, it was moist and the flavor was good…but the cream cheese frosting was a little too sweet. It totally dominated the cupcake. The vanilla cake was dry. :( I hate dry cupcakes! But I do have to say that we all loved the hazelnut frosting. The texture was great and it wasn’t overly sweet. Now if only the cake was moist, then it would’ve been a great cupcake. I will give Sprinkles an A+ on presentation though. They were very pretty!
So hands down, Hey Cupcake is still my #1!!! All the way! They really need to open one in Dallas…Austin is way too far. As far as getting a good cupcake in Dallas…I would rather go to Society than Sprinkles. Society's is bigger and slightly cheaper, also feels more homemade. I was very impressed by the traffic they got in Sprinkles, but I’m a bit shocked and confused by how many people are willing to wait in line and pay a good chunk of change for mediocre/small cupcakes… Sigh~~
The search for the best cupcakes in Dallas continues…
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