Mezcal Restaurant, Worcester, Massachusetts

A small warm Mexican hot-spot in downtown Worcester. The house specialty is guacamole and tequila and I can vouch that the guacamole is second to none I've tried. They offer a Jericaya for which is described as a Mexican style crème brûlée.


Presentation:
Serve in a deep circular ramekin on a square plate. No garnish.

Crust:
Brown sugar crust which is very hard. Slight charring in the middle. The brown sugar definitely comes through in the taste of the crust.

Custard:
The custard is warm towards the top and graduates toward cool on the bottom. The density slightly lighter than average, and extremely smooth. I has a noticeably spiced taste which overpowers the vanilla.

Overall Impression:
I think this is the best crème brûlée I've had that I don't particular prefer the taste of. I regularly do not find spiced custard favorable in these desserts. However, the custards smooth texture and density of the custard is enjoyable. I think the crust is a bit too hard, but that is expected when using brown sugar.

Rating:
2/5

Ciao Bella, Boston, Massachusetts

A casual, chic Italian restaurant in the heart of downtown Boston. It can be found among the lively restaurants and shops along Newbury Street.


Presentation:
Served in a medium height round ramekin on a dinner plate. Garnished with fruit.

Crust:
Medium crust with classic sweet taste.

Custard:
Served warm. Very thick density. There is a very curious taste within the custard of this dessert. It almost tastes like a hint of cookie batter or something similar to that. There is no vanilla taste to it.

Overall Impression:
In general, I do not prefer the taste of the custard so that really reflects on my review. The taste of the custard was really the only thing that stood out to me. The crust and garnish are unremarkable. The texture and density did not combine well in comparison to many other crème brûlées.

Rating:
1/5

InContro, Franklin, Massachusetts

A warm Italian restaurant with a cozy interior and billiards hall.


Presentation:
Served in a large medium height oval ramekin on a dinner plate. Garnished with two sigaretta cookies and drizzled with warm chocolate and powdered sugar.

Crust:
Thick crust with a grainy texture. There is a bit of charring in the center.

Custard:
The custard is served cool. It has a medium density. It has a strong custard taste and no real hint of vanilla except the vanilla shavings on the bottom of the dish.

Overall Impression:
While mostly a classic crème brûlée, the charring on the crust and the lack of vanilla in the custard stand out as significant drawbacks. On the plus side, the chocolate drizzled on the top serves as a nice accent. The cookie garnishes are also pleasant. Overall this creme brulee suffers from severe mediocrity. You do get a large portion on the plus side.

Rating:
2/5