*The* Iced Tea, Brunetti

I am a man of simple pleasures. And for those who know me, Iced Tea is my simplest pleasure. Which reminds me, I need to go place my iced tea bottle into the freezer for a quick chill.

Where was I again? Right, so this afternoon we strolled down to one of my favorite dessert shops, Brunetti. Jumping straight for the usual suspects, their little tiramisu container and some cappuccino, we wandered around to see what else attracted our eye. Their cheesecake looked alright, but sitting smugly next to it was a pear and cheese crumble that we proceeded to...crumble. Good stuff.

We also came across a Bacio. This was pretty much a chocolate mousse with some hazelnut but it looked oh so pretty with the little layer of chocolate around it.

As we started ordering drinks - we went with a cappuccino, espresso and an orange juice, I started fumbling, unable to decide as my impatient company towered over me telling me to hurry up, unable to understand why I needed more time than I was given while they decided. I tried to read a very italian name (which I will need to go back to Brunetti to get exactly and then update here Te freddo al limone) and was like man, I can't imagine what that would be...until in little tiny characters I read the words that always get me going: homemade iced-tea with lemon. Voila!

I've got to set up a disclaimer here. When in the US, reading those words were like gold. It meant I was in for a treat. Out here sadly, the words iced tea tend to be abused pretty easily. So despite reading those words, and my general affinity for Brunetti, I expect little until this mammoth glass was deposited on the table.

The hell was this...?

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Evil Mud Cake @ C’est ici Brasserie

Say hello to the newest kid on the block (wow, I need new band references) and our very own resident food explorer, Siddhi!

A self-confessed lover of food that's been plated well, Siddhi is known for snapping up dishes all around town (and beyond), and starts off with the extremely craving-inducing dessert all the way from C'est ici Brasserie in London. 

Presenting the Evil mud cake with a dark Belgian chocolate center and chamomile ice cream. Quite a mouthful. She claims it took her mere seconds to devour!

Mascarpone Cheesecake with Fresh Strawberry Drizzle

My Flake 99, courtesy @desertchill

The Cheesecake factory

Molten goodness, or not?

A late night after movie chocolate craving brought me right in front of Starbucks, one of the only cafe's open at midnight. After going through the selection of desserts, I decided to devour a Molten Chocolate Cake (who can say no?)

Now before you go all how-can-you-commit-a-sin-against-the-holy-grail-of-molten-chocolate-cakes(Chillis to the non enlightened crowd) I merely wanted to try it. Besides, I didnt have much choice a that time of the night. So how was it? Bad.

Dont get me wrong here. Molten Chocolate cake in my opinion, has to be made in a particular manner- Rich chocolate cake with a soft, liquid chocolate center. Oh, and served hot.

Naturally when a friendly(sarcastic) waiter asked if I would like my cake heated up, I was taken aback.. But of course it needs to be served hot! Cardinal rule in molten goodness isnt it? So it was popped into a microwave and was merrily swirling around while I made myself comfortable, ready to dive into the warmth of molten chocolate heaven, with rich, moist cake and oozing molten center (yes I was dreaming Chillis here)

What I ended up getting was lukewarm cake — I admit it was rich and moist and not crumbly — with a HARD center. You read that right, it was not a liquid center, rather like having a bar of chocolate stuck into your cake. I finished the cake bit and left the center. Sigh.

Apart from bursting my dream sequence bubble, Im sure I could hear a snigger or two from the Chillis.

Lesson: Never mess with Chillis.

PS: I was so disappointed, I only took one photo.

Oh, Tiramisu!

If you've never been there before — something they ask you — they'll walk to you to the table via the kitchen, which is a fun part of the experience considering you're greeted by smiling chefs and waiters as you walk through. 

Buca is considered a family style restaurant, meaning that — contrary to normal places where each person gets their own plate — everything is served in huge sharing portions, and comes in 2 "sizes": for 2, and for 4. Their Caesar Salads are among the best, their garlic bread is amazing and all the food is very fresh. But most of all, I *love* their tiramisu. Just like everything else, this comes in a huge portion that you need at least two die-hard tiramisu fans to finish, but it's such a delicious and cold blend, it leaves you wanting more, and more. Thank goodness it comes in a size that's capable of being a one person meal all by itself!

All in all, my experience was the same as it had been when I last visited the place over three years ago — great atmosphere, amazing food & desserts and great company!