Reminiscing About Pretty Food From 2019 - Coffee and Donuts edition
Just as I write this title, I realize we had no clue how important of a year 2019 would end up being. For lack of a better phrase, it was truly the last year of the open world feeling like a 24/7 playground.
With that being said, one of my favorite things to do was take overly edited pictures of the prettiest food I could find. Ever since I was a kid my grandma always thought it was strange to take pictures of food, and looking back some of those shots didn’t do the food justice. But I can’t explain why it’s so fun other than some pretentious reason for why food is another extension art! (Which is 10000% true, have you seen a GOOD pastry chefs work?)
To start off the new year right, I went to Cafe Dulce in Little Tokyo, CA. It was my first time there and my eyes lit up like light bulbs when I saw the window of choices. Everyone has heard of fancy donuts before but there was just something about these ultra yummy & fruity combinations. I decided to go with the Strawberry Cream Donut, and let it be known that first bite was pure magic.
The cream had the perfect fluff to it, not too light like canned whipped cream & not too heavy like buttercream frosting. I’m unsure if it was my tastebuds playing tricks, but it carried hits of banana that were unexpected yet highly welcomed. The donut cake itself was moist and lightly covered in a strawberry frosted glaze, was simple enough to let the cream be the star of the show. Oh my mistake, Strawberry called and said she was the star… sorry miss thing. That angel kiss of a topping was the perfect fruit choice to bring everything all together. It was juicy & tart enough to break up the sweetness of the cream.
I can’t forget the best part, the strawberry was dipped in this beautiful glaze with edible glitter! If i can have fun with my pretty food, I consider that to be a huge success. All in all, an excellent dining experience.
Next stop is Birdies in Downtown LA, CA. Back in March 2019, an old friend & I stopped in here thinking we were only coming here for chicken sandwiches but we were so wrong. For dinner I ordered the Birdies Spicy featuring Cole Slaw, Fresno Peppers Ghost Pepper Mayo, Pepperjack & cured pickles - YUM. The bun was also delicious and stayed in place, which is overlooked when it comes to a cohesive chicken sandwich.
While waiting in line to order, I tried to use my precious time wisely to make an informed decision. I absolutely could not fuck up and get the wrong donut. I take that back, it was impossible to pick the wrong one since every choice looked like it was crafted by a god. I kid you not, there was a 24k Golden donut. We were getting closer to the register and I was dreading having to narrow down my choices. It was between Oreo Overload or Cinnamon Rainbow. Usually I would have gone for the Oreo because that is typical of me or even the strawberries & cream, but I was eating at a new fun place so I thought I’d try something different.
The Cinnamon Rainbow donut was as delicious & scrumptious as you can imagine it to be. There were the right amount of spices and of course the cake was made to perfection. If my memory is correct, the glaze was a vanilla flavor and the rainbow sprinkles had a good little crunch to break it all up.
It turns out the real prize was being served by such amazing staff! There were two lovely ladies playing the best atmospheric music, creating such welcoming & exciting vibes. As the night was winding down the only people left were my friend & I, so the staff decided to let loose a little, started dancing and encouraged us to dance! It as such great way to cap the night in the bustling city. Every corner is filled with so many surprises.
Our last stop will be Home Coffee Roasters in San Francisco, CA. It was the last month of summer and I was visiting a good friend in my favorite city. This place was highly recommended to me & truth be told I wasn’t sure why there was so much hype for a little cafe (I didn’t do a Google search prior). Well once I got in there, it all made sense. Before we even touch bases on the gorgeous coffee, the atmosphere was top tier. It was minimalistic yet cozy, with plenty of tables space go get work done. Sometimes it can be hard to have the minimalist aesthetic without it looking like a doctor’s office (sorry!). The decor had shades of white and light grays, so when the sun hit just right it was almost like a hazy dream. Even the location was ideal because I was able to take a lovey stroll around Golden Gate Park.
Something you should know by now is that I am horrible at making a final decision, especially when it comes to food. This situation was no different with all the yummy choices available. I decided to go with the Birthday Cake Latte because any chance I get to have colorful food - I will take it! The rainbow foam felt like I was drinking clouds in a cup. I am unsure what sorcery they use to create the rainbow designs but I know they garnish the top with round candy sprinkles, which creates more color as the dye runs on. The latte itself did a great job of balancing out the nutty taste of coffee beans with the sweet birthday cake twist. Again I’m not sure how they do it but they DID it. Hopefully I can return soon and enjoy another rainbow coffee in my rainbow city.
