Location:
2403 Bull Street
Savannah, GA
31401
One thing at the very top of my Savannah list of places to visit was the Back in the Day Bakery. I'd seen it on Jamie Beck's blog and she highly recommended it on the list of must-sees she gave me.
On a rainy day it was an amazing, indulging breakfast pit stop.
I mean, biscuits and jam? I could have those every day.
(Also, who knew that I could have been sitting so close to one of my Instagram connections - wow, small world!)
Location:
144 Main St
Stowe, VT05672
On Main Street, is the Black Cap Coffee shop, a quaint, picturesque coffee house, exactly how you would imagine there to be in a ski town.
For coffee, teas, hot chocolates, you can't go wrong. I didn't try any of there delectable delights, although the Easter sugar cookies were calling my name...
A tea to go and ready to explore a bit, although everything was closed for Easter...except Shaw's General Store...still, it made it easy to go back to our hotel.
Location:
509 5th Ave
San Diego, CA 92101
To me, there's nothing better than a warm croissant and coffee or tea with breakfast.
Nothing.
Except, maybe with bacon.
Chocolat in the Gaslamp District of San Diego, appears to be a gelato/dessert bar, but they have warm croissants and pastries as well, served right to your table if you wish to sit down to eat for breakfast.
Which I did, savouring the moment (like this stylish patron was).
Their gelato spread looked divine, and is definitely worthy of a second visit!
Location:
564 Tremont St, Boston, MA
Everyone talks about the South End, so we made it there this past Sunday - it was cold you guys, and everything was closed! Why do they do that? Made it to Francesca's Cafe in a frozen state and thawed out nicely with a hot chocolate, tea and a tuna melt (apty named for this occasion). Oh, a pretty cupcake made the cut, too.
Location:
904 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA
Went to Jimmy's Coffee and got some Earl Grey (Mighty Leaf brand) and a banana caramel cake/bread - which was tasty but greasy.
Banana caramel cake
My tea has a funny aftertaste, which I can't pin-point, tastes like the cup?
Still, I like this place - it's cosy and they have a lovely sunny patio out back. Reminds me a bit of Moon Bean in Kensington although it's a lot newer and also trendier.
Love the photographs of all the Jimmy's on the walls.
And considering our old fave Le G is now shut down due to rent evasion, we'll be back!
Locations:
Over Easy 208 Bloor Street West, Toronto
www.overeasyrestaurants.com
Coffee Mill 99 Yorkville Ave, Toronto
www.coffeemillrestaurant.com
Our girlie gatherings usually revolve around food; specifically, brunch! What better way to start the day.
This time, our choice brunch location was Over Easy since the plan was to check out the latest addition to the ROM (mainly, The Lee-Chin Crystal addition) after brunch.
I think it's quite safe to say that brunch is easily unscrew-up-able. Am I right?
And while nothing was screwed per se, there was certainly nothing memorable about eating there (except for the company).
I do have one gripe, however.
My tea was lukewarm.
I truly dislike a lukewarm tea which brings to mind A Salmon of Doubt by Douglas Adams where he describesa perfect proper cup of tea.
I've noticed lukewarm tea all over the city - ya know, that "hot" water from that hot water machine just doesn't cut it.
Anyway, here's some of what was eaten.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="512" caption="Eggs and chicken sausage $6.99"]
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[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="604" caption="Spanish Omelette $9.99"]
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I must say, the pots that the hot drinks came in were loads of fun!
After a blustery walk from the ROM, all we wanted was a warm hideout and a hot drink to warm up our hands.
Starbucks was full, and the next best idea was the Lettieri but before we made it there, we found The Coffee Mill!
Interior of The Coffee Mill
Nestled within the shops at 99 Yorkville is the quaint old (est. 1963!) hideaway for just these types of gatherings. The pastry selection got us all salivating, so a chocolate cake and an apple (or was it rhubarb ?) strudel, it was.
Chocolate Cake
Strudel
Interior
As far as copy coffee shops go, this one has the cosy part down pat.
Location:
170 S. Market St. Suite 110,
San Jose, CA
Cost: ranges from $1.50 +
www.bijanbakery.com
After a much needed breakfast at Il Fornaio, we remembered (from having passed by it the night before), that Bijan Bakery had a magnificent array of desserts and pastries and both agreed we had only enough room to share a small treat.
I don't think I have ever seen so many pastries in my life! We got there when there was hardly a line-up but we took so long to decide what we wanted (read: overwhelmed with choices) that by the time we were ready to order a line had grown.
There were chocolate chip, almond, raisin, and various other cookies, baklava, marzipan, cinnamon buns, twists, strudels, biscotti, cookies with fruit centres, mousse pastries in a variety of flavours, cream puffs, fruits tarts, cheesecakes, eclairs, chocolate covered strawberries, napoleans, tiramisu, black forest...and....so much more!
We decided upon an apple tart (boring, I know, given all the selection! But anything else would have gone to waste since we were short on time and had already over-eaten at breakfast!)
Warmed, the apple tart wasn't bad, but it didn't blow my socks off. I should have tried their specialty Princess Cake (alas, if I had been plugged to trusty ol' Chowhound I would have known to do so!) They also serve soups, salads and sandwiches!
Bijan Bakery and Cafe certainly leaves MUCH to be desired....
Address:
423 Columbus Ave
San Francisco, CA
www.caffegreco.com
Cost: Items range from $1.85 (water) to $7.95 (panini)
Caffe Greco was another place we had walked past on the way to Union Square with the intention of coming back.
So, on Day 2 when we were looking for a place to have coffee, I was determined to find "the place with the posters" and we turned our noses on many other cafes in search of it, all the while ignoring our tired calves and thirsty throats. When we finally found Caffe Greco, and squeezed into the last corner window spot, and rested our aching feet on the worn wooden floors, with this view...all our effort was without a doubt, worth it.
With high ceiling fans and art nouveau playing fancifully on the cream-coloured walls to jumbo glass canisters filled with delectable treats and an open 'book' menu behind the counter, this place embodies everything that is caffe Italia.
Around since '88, Caffe Greco serves homemade (and award-winning, according to their website) tiramisu (I'm happy to say we tried it, and it's simply the best tiramisu I've ever had!), cannoli and gelato.
We also had a chai caffe latte ($4.25/5.75) which is a tea AND coffee latte.....and it was absolutely heavenly...a definite MUST-HAVE if you're ever in North Beach. My usual Earl Grey ($2.50), was divine and fared well with the large square of moist, creamy succulent tiramisu ($4.75)...it was so good, I wish the inside of my mouth were made of it!
Wooden chairs that creak with good use, illy coffee tins, leather benches and familiar wall hangings all gather together to make Caffe Greco a really warm and popular home for locals (I know it looks empty, but everyone happened to be either, out of shot, sitting outside or in the other room when I captured this photo).
Caffe Greco, I miss you. We'll be back again, someday. If you live in SF, and haven't been....what on earth are you waiting for? I'm so jealous.
Address: Two locations:
152 Spadina Ave., Toronto
20 Bloor St. East Unit R1-2, Toronto
Cost: $3+
www.legourmand.com
As I sit here writing this, I can hear thunder rolling in the distance and can feel a cool breeze on my skin. Perfect weather for some tea and cake, I think to myself. Although, anytime is 'perfect time' for tea and cake for me. Which is why, almost every week for the last two years, I've ended up at Le Gourmand Grocer Caf? sometime after 3 pm for my tea (and by tea, I mostly mean cake) break.
It must be the banana bread pudding which always brings me back, either for it's generous proportions or combination of flavours. One thing is certain, it's definitely best eaten fresh as I've learned after receiving the slightly hardened corner slices mid-afternoon. Still, when it's good, it's delicious; the bread soft with mashed banana and a crust thick with chocolate chips and icing sugar.
It's a tie for 'second place with the mini nocci cookie and the chocolate 'bomb'. While the nocci may be small, it's a crumbly mouthful of glorious chocolate, suitable for one.
The chocolate 'bomb', on the other hand, is suitable for two. Covered in a dusting of icing sugar, it appears robust on the outside but is in fact a delicate explosion of dark chocolate mousse on the inside. Still, it leaves you wanting something more. It needs an extra punch of something - Cardamom? Mint? Raspberry? Orange? Hazelnut? Chilli? Something.
Next on my list is most definitely the chocolate chip walnut cookie. It's quite simply, the best cookie in the world. Yes, that's what I said. After all this, there's still much to be had at Le Gourmand. The croissants are good although not great. The raisin croissant is decent; flaky but a little on the eggy side for taste.
The blueberry scone is delicious, but ask to have it warmed and buttered to really make it worthwhile.
The lemon poppy seed muffin is not terrible, but perhaps better when fresh out of the oven in the morning. I must say, it was a nice compliment to the "Taylors of Harrogate Lemon & Orange Tea"; a wonderfully invigorating tea.
I was unlucky with my chocolate raspberry tart I ordered one afternoon, which melted by the time I got home (it was a really hot day), but I'm glad to say it still tasted good. Although I am a fan of the occasional Turkish Delight of the rosewater kind, the mastic Turkish Delight was not to my taste. I found the flavour to be sickeningly sweet with an overwhelming aroma that wouldn't go away afterwards. During the summer season, they serve a selection of gelatos which, according to owner, Milton Nu?es, is brought in from La Paloma Gelateria & Caf? in Toronto. However, I have to say apart from the hazelnut chocolate, the gelatos are quite disappointing. The raspberry flavoured gelato tasted like a "maybe it's Maybelline's", while the mango had a very tart after-taste.
If you have time, you can sit in a cane chair under the high-ceiling with fans circulating lazily above you while you sip your tea and gaze up at the giant wall of goodies on one side of the cafe. They have a wide selection of chocolate bars, teas & coffees (Illy, Dean & Deluca); olive oils, pastas, sauces, vinegars and other products, which can be made into gift baskets if you so desired.
Le Gourmand's prices are a little on the high side, but the atmosphere is nice and the service is pleasing when you get an experienced staff member. The separate queues for ordering food versus drinks can be confusing if you've never been there before but because everyone is so friendly you'll find you aren't annoyed when you leave with your brown bag full of goodies.
