This is a very annoying and strange food habit I’ve developed, but I don’t normally eat/enjoy eating cupcakes. And when I do eat a cupcake, I only eat the icing. Unless the cupcake is really moist or delicious. But since I ate every crumb of the cupcake I got at Georgetown Cupcake, I think this cupcake store has won me over.
all the pink to-go boxesrows and rows of cupcakes
In addition to cupcakes, they have an extensive tea and coffee menu, which I did not know about until I entered the store.
For $3, you can choose any of the delicious cupcakes on today’s flavor list. I was looking for lavender early grey! But alas, they didn’t have it when I went. I heard every day on Twitter they post a flavor of the day. And if you go to the store and name that flavor, you automatically get a free cupcake? Well isn’t that convenient 😉 I’m also in love with the boxes they put the cupcakes in. Pastels and pinks, what can go wrong?
So I got a gluten-free strawberry lava fudge cupcake for myself and a vanilla chocolate for my friend. My diet is not gluten-free, but the regular cupcake didn’t have the lava version. So…
The frosting with strawberry candy bits was fluffy (definitely confectioners’ sugar and other fine sugars involved instead of just granulated), creamy, and not too sweet. That was key, because the lava fudge inside the cupcake was very, very sweet and decadent. The cupcake itself was moist and chocolatey. The fudge combined with the cupcake morsels made the cupcake easy to finish.
What J.P Licks brought me was not just ice cream, but happiness and memories of childhood. It was delicious, creamy, smooth, and consistent ice cream. I got two flavors in a cup: butter almond and cookies’n’cream cheesecake. For an extra dollar or so, you can add toppings, but I didn’t want to because I needed to taste the ice cream by itself. It was a decadent treat on a hot summer day.
The ice cream was very solid and cool in texture, but not frozen hard. So there was no runny cream that turns warm under the sun business, which I think is just yucky. The layers of Oreos swirled into the cheesecake flavored ice cream was a great complement. The butter almond tasted like a butter cookie, with loads of real almonds to add some crunch. They also serve coffee and other frozen treats like sundaes and ice cream sandwiches. Did I mention the entire ice cream shop smelled like sweet cream? It was heavenly.
Ah El Pelón Taqueria, how I’ve missed you! I came to this Mexican tacos and burritos joint twice before when I stopped in Boston for a short while. Imagine my excitement when my friends and I found this place close to the movie theatre where we watched the most recent Pixar animation and Disney film: Inside Out (great movie by the way, gotta give Disney credit for making attempts to address mental health and bring about social awareness regarding teenagers’ internal struggles).
a caricature of the hairless hero, who looks like the boss from their website haha
Pelón in Spanish literally means hairless (pelo being hair). The interior décor is as quaint as the eatery’s name. There are pictures of families and customers lining the walls. And the place has little to no room to sit, but plenty of outdoor picnic tables for a nice day!
the wallmore wall decorations
Their menu is not large, but every item is distinctly authentic, cheap, and DELICIOUS. Seriously, I would not keep coming back to the same place for Mexican if the food were not on point.
the entire menu fits on this tiny brochure
In addition to the regular menu, they have the daily specials written on small chalkboards. I made sure to try them.
Ok. The food. The food is hearty, quick, and everything you want Mexican food to be: fresh, flavorful, guac-filled, and heartwarming. The tacos caramelos under tacos de la casa (house-special tacos) are my go-to. For $8, you get two overloaded soft shell tacos filled with amazingly juicy and plump carne asada (grilled steak), fresh guacamole, hot sauce, melted cheese, and salsa fresca. I like spicy food so the hot sauce was not hot enough for me, but it was homemade and packed with boldness. The juices from the steak mixed with the melted jack cheese was so decadent, and complemented well by the fresh salsa fresca and guac that brought me to a sea shore. Lastly, the double-tortilla was warm and inviting as I sunk my teeth into the meaty umami of the steak. The wedge of lime on the side is a perfect kick to add to the whole ensemble if you are so inclined.
And because I love this place so much, I also ordered a daily special, which was the Sonoran hot dog. Hot dog wrapped in bacon, topped with more bacon, onions, diced tomatoes, mustard/mayo/ketchup, and guac, all on a grilled bun? Yes please. I admit, this hot dog is not for everyone. I personally normally stick to just relish and/or mustard on my hot dogs, so I was quite surprised at my decision to get this, especially since it has ketchup. (Ketchup on hot dogs is like… ummm what? I mean the hot dog is already quite a sweet meat with such a weird flavor profile… but to each his own, right? Who am I to commentate on other people’s condiment options.)
fully loaded Sonoran hot dog
Ok back to the Sonoran hot dog. It was delicious! Flaws: a little salty, the hot dog was floury, and definitely I didn’t enjoy the mayo nor the ketchup, but mixed with the mustard, they were bearable. The bacon had a smoky flavor and the tomatoes and onions were nice condiments. The toasted bun sealed the deal for me. Nicely done.
My friends got the carnitas (braised, shredded pork) burrito and the tacos Americanos (grilled chicken instead of steak), respectively. Both enjoyed their meals and commented on the nice mix of flavors and the heartiness.
a HUGE carnitas burritotacos Americanos with lettuce
For dessert, I had a coconut flan. Yeah I know, I pretty much tried everything. The flan was not as smooth as I had hoped. In fact, there were a lot of curdles in there. Maybe that was what authentic Mexican flan should be? Or maybe it was overcooked? I loved the shredded coconut hidden in there, and the caramel coconut syrup was not overpowering but instead subtly sweet, subtly nutty. Very satisfying.
coconut flan
Also, try the fish tacos. They will change your life for a moment while you are eating them. At least they did for me.
If you need a refreshing, cold drink as you walk around Back Bay, I would recommend ChaTime (“cha” being the Chinese phonetics for tea). They offer a variety of tea drinks and bubble tea series. I like how they give you options; it’s all about options. You choose your sugar level, ice level, type of bubble, and flavors. Remember how I wrote in a previous blog post about bubble tea at TeaDo being a little watered down due to all the ice? Well, this won’t be a problem here because I asked for less ice. And for the health-conscious consumers who don’t want to overload on sucrose, they offer as little as 30% of regular amount of sugar. Did I mention their decor is super chic?
I chose a drink from the QQ series, which means the drink is saturated with coconut jelly bits and chewy tapioca pearls. I could only imagine why it’s named QQ. Millennials in China/Taiwan grew up eating this type of juicy, chewy fruit gummy called QQ candy. But this was just a guess haha. The lychee syrup with the jasmine tea base against the coconut flavored jelly made up a fresh flavor profile. Thumbs up for lychee!
One of my friends got the pomelo juice that had bittersweet pomelo marmalade bits in the drink. So the texture and flavors were quite interesting, in a good way! The juice was only lightly sweet but the citrus game was strong. By the way, the scientific name for pomelo is Citrus maxima. Haha. Ok maybe that wasn’t as funny as I had thought.
pomelo juice
And my other friend got the taro milk tea with 30% sugar. The lady was so nice and gave her a ton of extra tapioca pearls since she was the last customer of the night. It was very hearty! ChaTime’s taro powder is very rich and not finely milled, so the drink had a semi-rough texture that was fun and delicious!
taro milk tea with extra boba
Also, this is a bonus picture of the esplanade at night. The crescent moon was beautiful.
Whoohoo for another day of exploring Chinatown and tasting around the little shops here and there. Growing up in an Asian household, pineapple buns were constantly in our diet. My friend and I went on a mission today to find the best pineapple bun in Chinatown, but we stopped after 2 bakeries because we were too full haha.
What I love about Cantonese pastries is that they are not based on cream and sugar but instead on flour and a variety of fillings. Texture is also really important. Each different pastry has its own crunch level and layers of flavors. Take the pineapple bun for example. The top layer is crumbly pineapple flavored crust while the bottom is lightly fluffy bread with a hint of sweetness. And the coconut bun is a long, oil-glazed roll with a slightly savory coconut and sesame paste inside. The pastries could get a bit heavy and uncomfortable on the stomach though because they are kind of oily. So eat sparingly :p
pineapple bun at Eldo’soutside the coconut buninside the coconut bun
The pineapple bun at Ho Yuen had a better pineapple crust, while the bread at Eldo’s was more aromatic. Both came straight out of the oven though so we were quite lucky to have them deliciously warm. Also, shoutout to these ridiculously low prices and good deals. The pineapple bun at Ho Yuen is 80 cents, and the one at Eldo’s is 70 cents. I haven’t bought food for so little in recent memory. Even the chips in the vending machines at school are $1.25! No wonder we saw a lot of customers buy stuff in bulk, as in buying pans and pans of pastries. Even then, it was only around $10.
I wanted to try a lot of more things, but was too full. So I’ll display a few more varieties below. I think Eldo’s has more Western pastries than Ho Yuen. Though admittedly, I like both stores for their distinct take on baked goods and desserts.
Eat on!
moon cakes with fruit and nut fillingradish cakesnut cakes
This gelateria and dessert parlour located among a row of shops on Newbury Street is truly a place to treat yourself. They serve fresh gelato, granita, sorbet drinks, a variety of coffee drinks, macarons, and even waffles and crepes. I also spotted a display case selling $85 gourmet balsamic vinegar.
the expensive Balsamicrows of gelato
There are more than 20 mouthwatering flavors with beautiful names, so choose carefully. There’s also a seasonal flavor of Lime Basil sorbet. I tried it and it was a bold mix of Mediterranean flavors. The basil comes after the lime and provides a delicately surprising twist.
more gelatostill moreand more gelatoand macarons…
I love how the gelato masters serve your flavors to you in a flower shape on top of a cone. For $5.50, you can get a regular scoop of pure decadence in as many flavors as you would like. I got pistachio sublime (a favorite ice cream flavor of mine and also Amorino’s founder’s hehe), mango Alfonso d’India, and the seasonal lime basil. The mix of flavors worked well! I especially enjoyed the creamy tropical mango in the center after the nutty pistachio and fresh lime basil.
My friend got frutto della passione (passion fruit), fragola camarosa (strawberry harvest), sorbetto al cioccolato bio (an organic chocolate sorbet), and organic Sicilian citrus fruit.
We all had a tough time eating the gelato flowers but it had to be done. Definitely highly recommend this place. Whether you need a sugar pick-me-up or an act of kindness for your sweet tooth, Amorino’s gelato is where it’s at.
storefront
Update: I came back to Amorino for a second time and got 2 macarons al gelato. They are macarons with Amorino gelato as filling. This time, I would give a rating of 3 for the macarons.
I got a mango flavor and a pistachio flavor, which came down to $5. I’m sorry but I did not enjoy the gelato filling. It lost the light and fluffy nature of the macaron, and the macaron shells tasted a bit off with the ice-cold gelato. The almond mill? Yeah that was hardly detectable.
the line was quite long on a Friday evening close to closing time
I like the idea of a macaron al gelato, but I think the gelato in the middle needs to be somehow made fluffier and creamy if that were the case.
Ah, the famous Mike’s Pastry. I was very excited to spot one in Harvard Square because I thought they only had one location on Hanover Street. Please don’t hate me when I say I’ve had better cannoli. BUT it was still a good fix for my sweet tooth. Their cannoli shell is very crunchy and tasty. The filling was a little much. I got a pistachio cannolo for $4.50, and after I got through the bits of pistachio at either end of the pastry, I had a hard time eating ALL THAT RICOTTA FILLING. Though this is can be a good thing for some people who like plentiful cannoli filling. For me, it was just a tad too sweet.
I think next time I’ll get the limoncello because I like lemon flavored pastries.
I also got a lobster cream puff ($2.50). Looked and tasted like a glorified Boston Cream pie in a puffy shell.
Mike’s is also famous for their ricotta pies and rum cakes. And they have homemade gelato. Ooo.
Sorry Mike’s, not totally in love with you just yet like a real Bostonian. But I can see why so many people fall in love with their hearty pastries and crunchy cannoli. Also, I saw that they have pizzelles, undoubtedly my favorite Italian pastry. There were whole stacks for $6.50.
After walking around Cambridge for a little after dinner, we decided to stop for dessert at Berry Line.
Here’s a view of Cambridge at dusk by the way. It’s beautiful here.
Cute frozen yogurt hangout place tucked into a corner on Arrow Street. I like how they only have a few flavors per day, so you know it’s not the commercialized froyo from elsewhere. It’s a great place to come for dessert after a big meal. The yogurt is light and rejuvenating. They have people serving behind the counter so that’s good because you don’t have to exercise self control like you do when pumping from froyo machines.
Some of their toppings are made fresh in store.
I got lime coconut with mango and mochi toppings. I felt like I was taken to an island off of Southeast Asia. The yogurt did not taste artificial at all and was very creamy. The mango was fresh. The mochi was lightly sweet and incredibly chewy.
Super cozy spot with lots of heavenly baked goods and pastries to admire and try! I took a lot of pictures so feast with your eyes! They also have a delicious looking breakfast/brunch menu with croques and frittatas and a variety of coffee and drinks. If you are looking for a nice place to catch up with friends, this is the place for you. The baristas are so friendly. One of them totally photobombed my pictures. They have locations all over Boston so be sure to try them out.
They are famous for their nut bars, which they sell in bulk, fruit boxes, and cakes.
They have a special called cinnamon pecan roses. Today, they also had a rose with Halva, a sesame/honey confection.
I got a meringue cloud, a huge piece of crumbly meringue infused with your choice of pecans, Belgian chocolate/coconut, or pistachio rosewater. I chose the Belgian chocolate/coconut. The pastry came on such a pretty plate, just like the whole interior of the cafe. The meringue melted on my tongue and was very delectable. However, I didn’t really taste the coconut because it was very sweet, though I could feel the coconut shreds on my tongue so I know they were there. For $4.50, it was a pretty large piece of meringue and a good sugar pick-me-up. I also wanted to try the plum tart but thought I had enough sugar for the day.
inside the cloud
My friend got the poached pear and almond cupcake for $2.50. The pear pieces were huge in the cupcake, and the cupcake was incredibly moist because of the fruit.
The pastries were on the pricey side, but definitely worth a trip. At least, the effort they put into the pastries really shows. Next time, I also want to try a neighboring cafe, Voltage Coffee and Art.
(Eats) By the Esplanade 