Mi Piaci, Dallas, Texas

Mi Piaci is Italian for “it pleases me.” An upscale eatery featuring fine Northern Italian cuisine.


Presentation:
Served in a medium height ramekin on a small saucer. Garnished with fresh fruit.

Crust:
Medium hardness. Sweet crust. I couldn't tell if the maple flavor that accents this desert is infused in the custard or the crust, but I'll get to that later.

Custard:
Cool in temperature. Very consistent smooth texture. A touch of vanilla taste and the aforementioned maple flavor accent. The weight is moderate to dense but not bothersome due to its smooth texture.

Overall Impression:
This is a fun crème brûlée while being mostly classic. You'll find it on the menu as Crèma Italiano, but don't be confused it's really crème brûlée. The hallmark is the maple flavor accent that as I mentioned before wasn't able to ascertain whether it came from the crust or the custard. The friendly server assured me that the maple is in the custard and I'll take her word for it. It otherwise is a classic and high quality crème brûlée. The custard is consistent in quality and overall the dessert works well with all it's parts.

Rating:
4/5

East City Grill, Weston, Florida - Part Deux

Still the same modern style dinner restaurant. With a destinctive flair and many exciting options. This is a second entry because the apparently the pastry chef has changed at East City Grill and with the changing of the guard so has crème brûlée.


Presentation:
Served in a traditional low-to-medium height ramekin on a decorative plate. Garnished with blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries. The easiest change to see initially is the change from the almond lace crust bowl to a standard dish.

Crust:
The crust has not changed remarkably. Crust is hard but not overly thick. Sweet and complements the dessert very well. This particular rendition had no hint of charring.

Custard:
The custard itself is also unchanged save for the removal of the submerged strawberries. This still stands as the best combination of strong vanilla taste with sweet taste and a very light pleasant texture.

Overall Impression:
Occasionally in life things come around that change the little things we so appreciated before. These changes are what makes one truly appreciate when those details remained in the original form. This crème brûlée is a very small example of such a change. The removal of the almond lace bowl and the slice strawberries in the bottom of the custard are small changes but remove two aspects that were the reasons I rated it so highly the first time. They were the incremental details that really made this unique. Unfortunately the inevitable drop in rating due to its more average appearance will be a slight black mark against what still is a superior crème brûlée. The taste of the custard still remains extremely fun tasteful. The combination of the crust and fruit (albeit on the side now) is still a flavor playground in your mouth. However, the small details which helped this dessert ascend to the top before will result in its drop to upper tier instead.

Rating:
4/5

III Forks, Dallas, Texas

Three Forks is an exquisite steak house which has an old Texas atmosphere and when it comes to steaks they are among the best in a state where steak is a big deal. The other amazing part is the "family style" sides which you are given and can dish out and get more of, if you run out.


Presentation:
Served in a deep ramekin on a dinner plate dusted with powered sugar and a variety of flavored syrups drizzled out. It also absolutely laden with fruit resting on the top of the crust. I thought for a moment that it was just a bowl of fruit until moved a few of them around.

Crust:
Medium thickness. Harder than many crusts. Slight hints of charring.

Custard:
Served cool in temperature. The density is very thick and reminiscent of a true custard. Similarly the taste is very much custard as its base. It is clearly prepared with Grand Marnier as it has a solid accent taste of orange. It is almost liquid in consistency as its custard heritage might suggest. However it is the same throughout the depth of the custard which is mandatory for a great crème brûlée.

Overall Impression:
This is my second crème brûlée that uses Grand Marnier to flavor its custard and I must say I think this is a better showing than the last one I tried (Delta Hotel, Sherbrooke, Quebec). The orange flavor is much stronger here, but not so much as to make it too sweet or unpleasant. There was a lack of vanilla taste which I found surprising, but not undesirable considering the other flavors being offered. The plethora of fruit on the top of the crust was very enjoyable. The crust really is the least memorable part of this dessert and some sort of flair there would have made this close to the top of the crème brûlées I've ever tried.

Rating:
4/5

Chez Queux, Montreal, Quebec

Chez Queux is a French restaurant in historic Old Montreal. The interior speaks volumes for the restaurant with it's old architecture and classic style. The flavors don't disappoint either as they offer a splendid selection for a 3-5 course meal. The word on the street is that their wine list is among the best in the world as well.



Presentation:
Simple presentation with a medium height ramekin on a paper doily. Garnished with a strawberry placed on the crust and a sweet wafer wedge.

Crust:
Crust is a touch thicker than a classic thin crust and is fairly delicate. Classic sweet taste. No hint of charring.

Custard:
The custard is cool and very light. The texture is a shade thicker than whipped cream, and much lighter than a classic custard. It verges on being closer to liquid than I typically prefer, but it does not detract from this dessert in the slightest. The main selling point of this crème brûlée is a orange flavor embedded within the vanilla custard. The custard almost feels like air in your mouth but explodes with delicious flavor.

Overall Impression:
I read on a different post that this was the best crème brûlée someone had ever tasted and I think it does rank right up there with some of the best. The thing that keeps you coming back for another taste is the almost nonexistent density of the custard that permeates an orange-tinged custard masterpiece. The crust adds little to the equation other than textural variety. The sweet wafer is also a pleasant accompaniment to the dessert and makes for a pleasant "cleanup" of the dish when you've eaten everything a spoon can easily reach. Overall this ranks among some of the most splendid crème brûlée on this blog.

Rating:
4/5

Restaurant Au Petit Sabot, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada

A cozy little restaurant that appears to be built into the lower level of what was once a home. The offer a traditional selection of French dishes whose taste gives evidence to the love and care that go into them.



Presentation:
Very straightforward low oval ramekin seated on a paper doilee covering a medium sized plate. No garnish. There is a trace of powdered sugar dusting the top of the crust.

Crust:
The crust is paper thin, delicate and renders a slightly buttery sweet taste that melts in your mouth. There is just a hint of charring.

Custard:
Traditional in every way, the custard is remarkably shallow. It has a strong vanilla taste that is not too sweet. It is served slightly warm and melts in your mouth in a very similar fashion to the crust. The density is light but still definitely custard. The texture is incredibly smooth.

Overall Impression:
This crème brûlée sets the standard for everything a crème brûlée should be. The flavors are strong but not flamboyant. The texture combination of the delicate crust with the heavenly custard is what truly defines this dessert. Locals have claimed that this is the best crème brûlée in the world. I don't think I can speak to that yet, but I can say that this leaves nothing to be desired except more of it so that it doesn't end so quickly.

Rating:
4/5