Sweet. Cupcake Love.

Obviously it has been awhile since I have updated anything. What can I say? I've succumb to the infamous I'll-pretend-I'm-on-a-hiatus-but-really-I've-been-lazy-and-putting-things-off-then-getting-more-lazy-and-still-putting-off-updates-even-though-pictures-have-been-taken mode.

As of recent (within the past year) I have fallen for red velvet cupcakes and whatever creative siblings a bakery might be able to conjure up. Also, exploring new places while visiting my better half is always nice. So here it is: Love at First Bite.

Yum carrot cupcake. This is not the first time I've been here but I do not recall if I have pictures from last time. Grabbed some mini cupcakes to go and I like trying the things this cute bakery has to offer. These little cupcakes are a nice intro to flavors you might want to try so I always go for those just in case I might not enjoy the baked goods. The cupcake has a fair amount of air incorporated into the body of the cake without being intrusive. Its texture is not too dense, it does not suck up all the saliva in your mouth when you're chewing and it doesn't make you scream for a cup of water or milk. I like these cupcakes. The cupcake frosting is usually very good, compliments the cake. Some have more sugar than others, maybe a little more tart for some, etc. The bakers at the store have thought out how to make the frosting bring out other flavors in the cake and not just be an overbearingly sweet addition.

I would like to point out my significant other and I both are not sugar heads and probably only consume about 15% of the frosting you see. The rest gets scooped off. Is it nasty? No. Was there a hair in it? No. Did I just say we're not sugar heads? Yes.

We. Just. Don't. Like. Consuming. All. That. Frosting. Period.

Green Tea Cupcake front and center. To the left is the Red Velvet. I'd have to say it has a nice tea flavor without having the bitterness of tea leaves. Consumed it but if you don't enjoy green tea that much I'd have to say pass. The Red Velvet oh yum. There is no ridiculous amount of red food coloring, nicely colored, good cocoa taste, moist, and the frosting just dances with the cake in your mouth. If you're in Berkeley, try this place out. Yelp reviews are a hit or miss apparently. I can say the two times I have been, the cupcakes were moist. Then again can't really count on Yelp for anything accurate (will babble about this later on). Perhaps little hard to find, but right past Shattuck on Walnut.

Love at First Bite
1510 Walnut Street
Berkeley, CA 94709
510-848-5727

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Cold Night. Add Some Soup.

I have been putting off updating for awhile because I wanted to just come home, be lazy, and stay a bit away from the computer. Haha, so anyway, I felt it was definitely time to update a bit on where I have been recently. There's more places that I went with my better half but I decided to just add this place first.

So, little background ... we already had dinner but I was craving the tomato pastry soup ... and it was very cold out that night in Yountville. Hahaha, so what is the best way to warm the body up? Yes, alcohol. Yes, fire. Yes, more clothes ... or no clothes *wink wink* Haha. Back to what I was saying, we already finished dinner but it was freezing and since I have not had this soup in quite some time I said "Tomato soup!"

End up in front of small intimate French bistro. Weekends are usually busy so as I open the door for my beautiful date I'm just telling myself "I hope there's space for a quick soup." And they did!

Waiter gave us some complimentary bread with some delicious butter. As you can see I was not able to help myself from the soft bread centers because one of the baguette pieces on the left is missing the middle portion. Little hard on the outside and soft, warm, and chewy in the center. Only a few pieces were eaten, I mean hell we already had our dinner no need to blow up.

Better half was craving some fries so here they are. Seasoned very well, sometimes a little too salty (and in this case it was but still tolerable and delicious). Usually we get the rib eye steak with the frites and bearnaise but pomme frites by itself is very satisfying. Who needs McDonald's? Oh yeah, not everyone wants to pay $6.50 for a large serving of fries. Haha.

The tomato pastry soup before digging in and destroying it. I love this tomato soup. Very very rich with lots of butter and lots of cream. Do you like tomatoes? Do you like puff pastry and all it's flaky buttery goodness? Do you enjoy your clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl? If you answered yes to any of the above then you must go and try this.

Aftermath. This soup is served in this awesome mini cauldron thing with lion/tiger heads on two sides and they just stick it in the oven and bake it until it reaches its destination: Splendidton. Be careful, this soup is hot when it comes out. Like I mentioned earlier if you like any of the above you need to try this. The restaurant is known for this soup. If you dislike tang then best not to give it a whirl since ... its a tomato based soup.  Yum, craving satisfied.

And a dessert wine for my sexy date. Asked for a sweeter wine for my better half because she wanted to try, got the Moscato. She took a couple sips and did not really want that alcohol taste on her taste buds. So ... it was passed on to me. Very good, aromatic, light fruit taste. Alcohol content obviously is not high and (for me) it was only noticed a bit before swallowing the wine. Leaves my palate very satisfied as a sweeter, dessert wine should. Although not full bodied, it was what I would want to end the meal.

Environment: very intimate and small as mentioned before. What else is a French Bistro supposed to give? The service is very good and attentive. I have never experienced problems with this place. Price, it is so so. I would say for two people without drinks for dinner probably $40-70. Just really depends what you plan on eating. Stop by this place for a quick bite or for lunch/dinner. Great place in Yountville.

Bistro Jeanty
6510 Washington Street
Yountville, CA 94599
707-944-0103

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