Etno Village Grill

Location: 2580 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL 60614

A Quick Word:
After driving by Etno Village Grill several times and always noticing that huge cow, I decided to buy the Groupon that gave a 50% discount.  I had heard mixed reviews so I figured a Groupon would help. I knew they had free parking in the back, but when I arrived, noticed new construction and a blocked off parking lot... worst luck--they are expanding.  Eventually, some street parking opened up and my friend and I ordered our burgers.  Everything is made to order, so it does take some time, making it better than fast food.  The burgers are pricey and the sizes vary.  I recommend the larger size because it still isn't as big as many of the burger joints in the city.  The toppings are fresh, but rather than their topping bar they used to have, you now have limits on what to put on your burger with increasing price on each choice.  The burgers were average and the fries subpar.  Staff was friendly, but without the Groupon, probably wouldn't be back too soon.  Its an OK burger place so an OK rating of 3-miles was given.

What We Ate:

The Cason Burger

With not too many burger choices, besides the build-your-own, I decided to try the cason burger.  The main reason was the poached pear on top.  Served on a pretzel roll (despite asking for the other option), the burger was a little overcooked from my requested medium rare.  It was topped with camembert cheese, the poached pear, applewood smoked bacon, and supposedly some dijon mustard.  In terms of size, the burger is big, but nothing compared to Kuma's or those other specialized burger bars.  The toppings were also subpar compared to Kuma's.  But, I will say, the burger was fresh with a nice meat taste to it.  The bun was great and the cheese a little pungent, making that part fantastic.  The burger did lack condiments so I ended up dipping my burger heavily in their Ketchup 78 Spicy.  Best Ketchup I have ever eaten.  It runs about $10 without any fries, so it can be pricy for a lunch.

The Classic Burger

My friend ended up getting the classic burger.  This burger (also the large version) was topped with cheddar cheese, bacon, tomato, onion, homemade pickles, and a mayo-ketchup sauce that everyone claims to be their "special" or in their case "fancy" sauce.  As you can see by this version, their sizes do vary... this burger didn't even fill up the entire pretzel roll.  The burger was juicy and the toppings kept with tradition.  Nothing too fancy here... not even that plain sauce.  Must dip in either the spicy ketchup or dijon mustard that each table offers.

Parmesan French Fries

Wow!  I was EXTREMELY disappointed with this side.  The cashier recommended the parmesan fries and said these are something special.  I thought their would be some kind of oil or sauce with these fries, but the dish was just french fries with a little parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.  The bottom fries didn't even get parmesan.  I would never recommend this because you end up dipping the fries in ketchup which masks all the parmesan cheese.  Waste of money here.

The DOs/DON'Ts:
DO:
- Do look for a Groupon or Livingsocial Deal.  I wouldn't be back unless I had some kind of coupon.
- Do try their Ketchup 78 Spicy.  It is incredible... in fact, I found the original company in Pilsen neighborhood and bought some for home.

DON'T:
- Don't count on parking to be available.  We drove around for several minutes before finally finding a spot.  They are expanding so their free parking is not available anymore.

How far would I walk for this food?

Roy's

Location: 720 N. State St., Chicago, IL 60654

A Quick Word:
On a random Monday night and after a stressful day of work, my friend and I decided to grab a bite to eat.  We encountered a couple of closed restaurants before she suggested Roy's.  Located near the Magnificent Mile, Roy's is what I consider a "semi-chain" restaurant.  There are several locations located throughout the country, but each one has an executive chef that creates his or her own menu, catering to the local cravings.  They feature Hawaiian fusion cuisine... so more of an Asian spin on several dishes.  Roy's is my family's go-to restaurant on any given night.  They are always busy, but tend to always have a few tables open for the people that just stroll in.  Roy's is also home to MY FAVORITE DESSERT IN THE CITY.  Their chocolate soufflé is to die for.  The atmosphere is very classy, but that doesn't mean you need to wear a shirt and tie.  People dress in shorts and t-shirts during the summer and are still welcome.  For their classy, yet laid back feel, and their excellent food with a few flaws, I decided a 4-mile rating was perfect for Roy's.  Come try their soufflé!

What We Ate:

Edamame

After ordering several dishes, we were given a free appetizer of edamame.  These soy bean pods are lightly seasoned with salt and other spices following their cooking process.  If you haven't had them before, only eat the inside soy bean... leave the pod.  Can't complain for a free dish.

Pork Belly Dim Sum

Both of us are huge fans of pork belly.  So for our first appetizer, we chose the pork belly dim sum.  These dumplings remind me of tortellini but are made with wonton wrapper instead of pasta.  Inside is a mixture of mashed pork  belly and veggies.  They rest in a puddle of mint-cilantro oil and are topped with sesame seeds.  These were delicious.  The pork belly filling was extremely rich and very smooth.  It left that strong pork belly flavor on the tip of your tongue, making you want to come back for more.  The portion size is on the smaller side, but the richness definitely makes up for it.  I would recommend this appetizer to anyone. 

Coconut Curry Mussels

After deciding on the pork belly appetizer, we wanted to get some sort of seafood appetizer as well.  It was a toss up between the mussels and the lobster potstickers, but I had the lobster potstickers previously and wasn't impressed.  So we chose the mussels which were cooked in a coconut curry and white wine sauce and served with a couple pieces of a toasted baguette.  The dish was mediocre.  I wasn't too impressed with the mussels.  They were on the smaller side.  The sauce was delicious though, having a nice spiciness to them.  But with only two slices of the baguette, it was difficult to soak up that sauce.  Everything was a little on the salty side, so I couldn't say much more than average comments for this appetizer.

Beef Short Ribs

Once again, it was a no-brainer to order the beef short rib entree.  At Roy's, the short ribs are slow cooked until tender.  They are plated on top of yukon gold mashed potatoes, lightly steamed broccolini, and a buttery tomato topping.  Honestly, I have had this dish several times, and every time, it gets better.  I am never prepared for how tender the meat is and it continues to blow me away.  The broccolini is seasoned nicely and the potatoes are rich and creamy.  I would lick the bowl if I ordered this meal to go.  Highly recommended dish!

Misoyaki Butterfish

We decided to also share one of Roy's speciality fish dishes.  After much thought and several eliminations, we ended up with the butterfish.  Another great decision.  The fish is pan seared before being finished in the oven.  It is topped with sautéed tomatoes and sesame seeds.  Along side the fish, the chef plates steamed bok choy and a log of sushi rice dusted with sesame seeds and seaweed.  The fish was a generous filet cooked with traditional Hawaiian sauces... it has that sweet teriyaki-like flavor.  Eat it together with the sticky rice and it reminds you of a sweet sushi roll.  The bok choy was awful.  No flavor whatsoever and was sort of soggy.  This dish doesn't come close to the short ribs, but still pretty filling and packed with different, sweeter flavors.

Roy's Melting Hot Chocolate Souffle

If you choose any other dessert on the menu, you definitely messed up.  Roy's chocolate soufflé is MY FAVORITE DESSERT IN THE CITY, and possibly the best dessert I have ever eaten.  This chocolate soufflé is filled with a molten chocolate center.  Alongside the soufflé is a vanilla bean ice cream and a raspberry syrup.  This dessert takes 30 minutes to make, so place your order as soon as your entree arrives.  The waiter or waitress is usually pretty good at reminding you.  When it arrives at your table, it doesn't look like much.  But, bust into that soufflé and you will encounter a liquid center of piping HOT chocolate.  Now make sure every spoonful has a little raspberry, a little soufflé, a little liquid chocolate, and a little ice cream.  I promise you, you will not be disappointed.  Definitely share this dessert with one other person because of how sugary the entire dessert is.

Mango Mojito

Even though it was a Monday night, we decided to each have a drink.  She ordered a mango mojito which contained Bacardi Limon, mangoes, mint, and lime.  The drink was tasty.  Reminded me of mango juice from a can.  Definitely on the sweeter list of cocktails.

The DOs/DON'Ts:
DO:
- On Monday nights, Roy's offers a 2-course create-your-own prix fix for $29.95.  You get to choose an appetizer from the stable menu and one of their entrees (not including the butterfish trio or lobster).
- A 3-course prix fix is available for $35 and has several seasonal items, not included on their traditional menu.

DON'T:
- Don't miss out on their Melting Hot Chocolate Souffle.  It takes 30 minutes to prepare so order it when entrees arrive at the table.  If you miss this dessert, you are making a huge mistake.

How far would I walk for this food?

DISCLAIMER:  

I WOULD WALK 5 MILES FOR THE DESSERT!!!

Sanity Scene--New Orleans, Louisiana (Part 3 of 4)

For the third part of this four part series, 

I decided to group the restaurants based on SWEET options.  

This includes CANDY STORES and BBQ.  

I was lucky enough to stumble across several praline options and also attend
the BBQ and Blues fest, which featured BBQ from all over Louisiana.

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Leah's Pralines

I never realized NOLA was known for its pralines and candies as much as their cajun cuisine.  After bypassing several of the larger establishments, I found Leah's Pralines.  This small, family-run shop is located off the main streets but is home to wonderful candies.  Their pralines were just OK in my mind, but their Bacon Pecan Brittle was to die for.  Large chunks of candied bacon and halved pecans are encountered on each bite of this brittle.  You may wonder why I could only give it at 3.5 mile rating... well when you shell out more than $10 for a small bag of brittle, you make think twice about coming back.  Yes, I do crave it, but I can suppress that craving to save some cash.

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Southern Candymakers

As previously mentioned above, dozens of candy stores line the streets of NOLA.  When it came to toffees, I only came to Southern Candymakers.  Here, they make several versions of the classic english toffee candies.  Some topped with milk chocolate and walnuts, while others had white chocolate and pistachios.  A dark chocolate and pecan option was also available.  These are extremely sweet and the toffee has the perfect crunch to allow it to stuck to your teeth, but melt away.  Super buttery and rich, make sure you only eat half at a time.  I tried toffee elsewhere, but it didn't match up.  Unfortunately, at two to three bucks a piece, the prices add up fast.

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Walker's Southern Style Bar-B-Que

At the BBQ and Blues fest, I was able to sample several different restaurants and their championship-style BBQ.  After pacing back and forth several times, I finally chose Walker's Southern Style BBQ as part of my meal.  Here, I ordered their FAMOUS Cochon de Lait Po' Boy.  This coveted sandwich used to only be available at the blues fest; however, after by popular demand, a store front was finally opened.  This po' boy starts with the typical hoagie roll then a thin layer of slaw before literally two handfuls of their pulled smoke pork.  It literally weighs more than a pound.  The meat is plentiful and has some of the best smoke flavor I have ever tasted.  The slaw is just enough to cut that smoke and give it a vinegary crunch.  I wish I had time to get another one, but with so many options I decided to diversify.  I crave this po' boy more than any po' boy in NOLA and for that reason I decided a 4.5 mile rating was easily worth it.  This sandwich almost tipped the scales to perfection.

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Squeal BBQ

The other stand at the Blues and BBQ fest I decided to try was Squeal BBQ.  I saw the actual restaurant near Jacquimo's in Uptown, but wasn't able to try it due to lack of a car.  Luckily for me, they had a stand.  They offered two dishes... the first was pulled pork polenta and the second was the NOLA classic, boudin balls.  When it came to the polenta, I loved the creaminess and the amount.  They were very generous with both meat and polenta.  Unfortunately, I didn't really see how the two ingredients mixed... in fact, I found so much disconnect, I decided to eat them separately.  The polenta had no smokiness or BBQ aspect at all.  And the pulled pork just sat on top of the polenta.  Eating them together didn't even help.  Now the boudin balls, these were the best I had while visiting NOLA.  I know that isn't saying much since I only found two places that offered them, but still I was glad to have them.  Boudin balls are their rice and "left over" pork sausages rolled into a ball before being deep fried and served with some kind of mustard dip.  The sausage itself is a little strong for many, but when it is deep fried, it loses that game flavor.

The blues fest was a beautifully orchestrated in one of the squares near the central business district.  Despite the rain, there was still a huge turnout.  Tons of BBQ smells filled the air making me want to come back for more.

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Simone's Bar

Location: 960 W. 18th St., Chicago, IL 60623


A Quick Word:
One of my "go-to" bars is Simone's.  This bar is located in the Pilsen neighborhood making it one of the better options around UIC.  When you arrive, you will notice the bar uses old pinball machines as shelves and other decoration.  They have swinging chair seats as their booths and other interesting trinkets.  After you take in all their weird decorations, you realize they have an extensive craft beer list and a rotating list of mixology cocktails.  I also really enjoy this bar because of the specials they offer.  As a student, it is amazing to finding a place that offers a burger and beer for five bucks or pizza and beer for six.  Unfortunately, the area is not as nice as the River North neighborhood and not even close to that mainstream crowd.  This is a place to come for a chill night or a quick dinner.  Don't get me wrong, the bar does get packed, just not like the downtown joints.  After trying a bunch of their food (sorry only pizzas described below), I can safely say they are above average and for that reason, I gave them a 4-mile rating.

What We Ate:

Pilsen Pizza

It was a no brainer choosing the $6 any pizza special with PBR tall boy.  The hard decision was which pizzas to choose.  For the first, we stuck with "The Pilsen."  This pizza has a thin crust base and rather than a tomato sauce, it uses a black bean emulsion for its sauce.  Then, the pizza is topped with your typical taco ingredients... pico de gallo, mexican cheeses, and ground beef.  A few tortilla chips top the pizza.  After the first bite, I realized this was a weak attempt at CPK's tostada pizza, just lacking the lettuce.  The pizza itself was extremely salty.  So how to make it better?  Add shredded lettuce, chopped onions, and less salt.  Then it would be stellar.

Simone's Pizza

The second pizza  was their bar's speciality.  The "Simone's Pizza" was built on the same crust, but was a white or sauceless pizza.  Instead, it was topped with sliced red potatoes, parmesan cheese, and a rosemary simple syrup.  This pizza was absolutely delicious.  The potatoes were soft, but not overcooked.  The parmesan cheese added the needed sharp flavor and that rosemary simple syrup reminded you of the holidays.  I wish they added honey or a little more of the simple syrup to give it a sweet and salty profile.  I highly suggest this pizza and will be back to get it again!

The DOs/DON'Ts:
DO:
- Huge variety of cocktails.  They are strong drinks and use ingredients from jalapeños to egg whites.  You really can't go wrong if you like strong, mixology-type cocktails.
- Call ahead for their daily special.  We had the Any Pizza and a PBR Tallboy for $6 total.  Other specials I have stumbled across includes Burger and PBR for $5 and Free Fries with any drink purchase.
- Plenty of parking on 18th Street and also the side streets

DON'T:
- Walking around the area at night is not the safest.  One of my friends even had a her car broken in to, so don't leave anything in plain sight.

How far would I walk for this food?

Mercadito

Location: 108 W. Kinzie St., Chicago, IL 60654

A Quick Word:
A lot of my friends kept asking me my thoughts on Mercadito.  And, I was always against having EXPENSIVE Mexican food, especially with the Pilsen neighborhood so close.  Anyway, one of my friends and I headed to Mercadito after a night of skating.  On a random Monday night, the restaurant was crowded.  In terms of the atmosphere, think modern design, yet packed in tight.  Our tables were essentially on top one another, making it easy to eavesdrop if that is your forte.  And, with such a busy restaurant, the service didn't keep up to par.  When it came to the food, I was impressed with the guacamole and all the tacos we ordered.  In fact, these were extremely authentic and at the same time, unique enough to make me want more.  They offer specials, which for us, included an Asian-inspired duck taco.  But once again, price was the deciding factor keeping it from a higher rating.  At $16 for an order of 4 tacos and $13 for the guacamole duo, you can just imagine how fast a final bill can add up.  And for that reason, the 4-mile rating is fair.  Great food, but River North prices.  If they allowed a mix and match for tacos, I would feel more comfortable paying those prices.

What We Ate:

Guacamoles (Tocino & Pera)

I had heard great reviews about Mercadito's guacamole,  mainly because of the many different choices. Ordering just one is a rip off, so we stuck with the guacamole duo for just a few bucks more.  Our first guac was the tocino.  Imagine bacon, roasted sweet potato, tomatillo pico, serrano peppers, and topped with fried sweet potatoes... can't go wrong!  The other guac was called pera.  This one had pears, chipotle meco epazote, and pico all mixed in.  The tocino guac had a nice bacon flavor to it, which made it extremely savory.  The sweet potatoes didn't add much except for a crunch factor on top.  The pera guac had a nice sweetness to it, but not enough spice.  They were both delicious, but a little something extra on both is needed to elevate it to the next level.  Highly recommended, but not even close to extraordinary.

Tacos de Camaron

For our first set of tacos, we stuck with camarones aka shrimp.  Each order comes with 4 tacos of the same type, NO MIXING.  These tacos had shrimp sauteed in a roasted garlic and chipotle mojo sauce before being topped with a slice of avocado.  They were served on a lightly warmed corn tortilla.  Each taco was packed with shrimp... in fact, the shrimp would fall out on each bite with how overloaded each one was.   The avocado added a nice rich creaminess to the tacos, but not much flavor.  Definitely add some of the pear guac to these tacos to help cut the heat.  That chipotle sauce is spicier than you think, but still be aware what you are ordering.

Duck Tacos

After going through all of the choices, my friend and I had a hard time deciding on our final taco order. But once she heard duck, the decision was made.  This day's special was a roasted pulled duck taco topped with sliced radish, an onion chutney, and hoisin sauce.  Once again, the tacos were served on corn tortillas.  This taco reminded me of a pecking duck or even a bao.  The only difference was the taco shell instead of the white asian bun.  The chutney had a wonderful sweetness, but didn't distract from the taco taste.  The meat was extremely tender.  Without question the best dish of the night.  Hopefully any other day's special is as good as this one.

The DOs/DON'Ts:
DO:
- Make reservations.  This place gets extremely packed at all times of the week and night.  We went on a random Monday night... somehow the entire restaurant was packed at 8PM.
- Definitely share.  Each order comes with 4 smaller tacos, making it a perfect dish to share.

DON'T:
- Service can be kind of slow and tables really jam packed together.  Don't expect a fast or quiet dinner at this restaurant.

How far would I walk for this food?

Husky Hog BBQ

Location: Varies
Twitter: @HuskyHogBBQ


A Quick Word:
While walking across campus to grab a quick bite to eat at the student center, I stumbled across this blue food truck parked just a few feet away.  I decided to check out their menu and noticed it was BBQ.  I was pretty excited until I noticed the prices.  This food truck features BBQ sliders (meaning very small sandwiches... small enough that the owner told me I would need at least two and a side to be somewhat full).  The food itself was tasty for sure, but not worth the cost.  The people on board were all friendly and the service was real quick.  If I want good BBQ, I know I shouldn't go to a new food truck in Chicago.  And, for that reason, an average rating of 3-miles was awarded.

What I Ate:

$10 Combo Box

For my meal, I stuck with the $10 box... pretty expensive for lunch.  Anyway, it came with my choice of two sliders (I chose the pulled pork slider and the burnt ends slider), a side of Mac n' Cheese, their bacon baked beans, and the guys were generous enough to throw in some corn bread.  The sandwiches were served on sweet slider buns and topped with something unique.  For the pulled pork, it was a pickle, and for the burnt ends, they used pickled red onions.  Both sandwiches were pretty tasty, just extremely small for your money.  The mac n' cheese didn't really have a specific cheese flavor, but it did have one of the best crusts I have had.  It was extremely crispy (It was obviously sprinkled on before serving).  And those beans... he told me it was the 2nd most popular, and I don't see how it could be.  The red onions over power everything... Add some of the meat into the beans and extra BBQ sauce and it tastes a little better.

The DOs/DON'Ts:
DO:
- Combos are definitely the best deal... but that isn't saying much.  If you are really craving BBQ and can't find other places, then this is an OK place to settle.
- Ask them to not pre-sauce the food.  This way you can add whichever BBQ you prefer.

DON'T:
- Don't expect to get full.  I sure wasn't and I already splurged for the $10 box.

How far would I walk for this food?

The Barrelhouse Flat

Location: 2624 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL 60614

A Quick Word:
Cocktail bars and craft beer bars continue to expand in the Chicago area.  Somehow, I kept forgetting to post about Barrelhouse Flat, possibly my favorite bar in Chicago.  This bar located in Lincoln Park offers dozens of cocktails (in fact, they have a menu with over 6 pages full of cocktails).  From your typical whiskey stirred drinks to those creative egg white infused cocktails, there is something for everyone.  The feel of the bar is a speakeasy/lounge type.  Downstairs is a huge bar displaying the variety of whiskeys, liquors, and other mix-ins.  If you get lucky, the upstairs has more of that lounge feel to it.  I definitely love this bar and I think their drinks rival some of the better bars in New Orleans (home of drinks like the Sazerac).  And for that reason, I decided to give them a 5-mile rating because I would definitely work the 5-miles for these drinks.

What I Drank:

Sazerac

Having spent a month in New Orleans until just a few weeks ago, I was hoping for a place that served up a great sazerac.  I had been here before, but forgot about their cocktail list.  In their sazerac, they use a very common recipe consisting of rye whiskey, a simple syrup, bitters, and of course, some form of absinthe.  I was surprised not to find a swirl of lemon peel garnishing the glass.  Anyway, it was made perfectly.  Great aroma from the absinthe and of course the use of a good rye whiskey.  Still love this place.

Old Fashioned

(sorry, no picture--too dark to post)

After a couple sazeracs, I decided to switch it up.  An Old Fasioned is my next favorite drink.  Thankfully, here, they refrain from using cherries (which I just don't enjoy).  They use a bourbon whiskey, syrup, orange, and bitters.  Another strong, yet tasty drink.  The orange actually stood out, especially if you smash up the peel just a little.

Manhattan

(sorry, no picture--too dark to post)

For my last drink, I figured why not order a different whiskey drink.  I kept with the same stirred theme when I decided on the Manhattan.  This drink is made with a rye whiskey, sweet and dry vermouth, and of course... bitters.  No surprise there.  Honestly, I don't remember this drink too much, but if you enjoy whiskey drinks like a sazerac, this is another great option.


The DOs/DON'Ts:
DO:
- Immediately put your name down for the lounge seating.  It can be up to a 2 hour wait, but well worth it to go upstairs!
- Tables and bar seating on the first floor are all FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE.  So if you see someone leaving, stalk that table.

DON'T:
- No driving here... parking is difficult and why would you not want to take advantage of their huge cocktail list.

How far would I walk for these drinks?

La Boulangerie

Location: 2569 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60647

A Quick Word:
After having my car washed at the Logan Square Car Wash, I figured it was time to explore the area just a little more.  Driving around, I found La Boulangerie just about a block or two down the road.  I had heard about this French-inspired bakery in the past, but somehow it slipped my mind to ever come out and try it.  Upon walking in, you find plenty of small tables for dining in, as well as a beautiful display case filled with colorful pastries.  A smell of fresh crepes fills the air, which pairs nicely with the  scent of brewing coffee.  I believe they are known for the macarons, which in my opinion, were just average.  They had some great ones, but also had ones I never want to eat again.  Their other pastries are also rich and wonderful for dessert, but you are definitely paying for that French-style cuisine.  Personally, I wasn't that impressed, but my friends definitely loved the desserts.  I think a 3.5 mile rating is good.

What We Ate:

Macarons

Macarons are one of my favorite desserts or snacks available at bakeries.  I would always skip the croissants or the freshly baked bread or fine sandwiches in Paris bakeries just to have room for a macaron or two.  Here, they have many flavors that rotate seasonally.  Their current flavors are--from left to right--carrot cake (orange), hazelnut (brown filling), cherry (red), pistachio (green), caramel (light tan), passion fruit (yellow), and chocolate (cookies n cream-like).  I wasn't a big fan of several of the macaroons, including the pistachio and chocolate.  But the more exotic flavors like passion fruit and carrot cake where on point.  They completely fooled my taste buds because I truly thought I was biting into a slice of carrot cake.  These definitely aren't as high quality as Paris macarons or even Hendrickx Belgium Bread Crafter (located in downtown Chicago), but they do fulfill your macaron cravings!

Chocolate-Peanut-Caramel Tart

After seeing this chocolate tart and finding out it was basically a Snicker bar, I had to order one.  It was a chocolate tart filled with peanuts and caramel.  This tasted exactly like a Snicker, just looked much more presentable.  The caramel was still in that gooey phase despite being in the fridge for a few hours. Definitely worth trying!

Coffee Eclair

Before leaving the bakery, I needed to sink my teeth into one of their pastries.  I choose the coffee eclair.  This light flakey dough pastry is filled with a coffee cream before being covered in a coffee-sugary glaze.  The eclair was definitely on the richer side and surprisingly very sweet for having a coffee quality to it.  It was also a little pricier at three bucks a pop.

Burnt Sugar Cream Puff

With just a little space remaining in the box, I decided to order one more pastry.  I went with the burnt sugar cream puff.  This cream puff was topped with a thick disk of burnt sugar before being chilled.  This pastry saved my review on La Boulangerie because I truly enjoyed eating every bite of it.  The cream puff was light and airy with a vanilla bean cream filling.  The puff was filled to max capacity with the cream before that sugary treat was placed on top.  The burnt sugar gave a little smokey flavor without overwhelming the vanilla.  It was just sweet enough to satisfy a sweet tooth, but not make you nauseous.  I could eat a dozen of these if it wasn't for the $2.50 price tag.

The DOs/DON'Ts:
DO:
- Remember that this place also serves Crepes.  I haven't had any, but will definitely try them out next time.
- Plenty of street parking!

DON'T:
- Don't order all of the macarons.  Some of the flavors are just not that great.  I suggest just ordering one or two that you really want to try.  And just because they are seasonal, doesn't mean they are tasty.

How far would I walk for this food?