Reviews

I ate every dessert on Bellini’s menu.

By Jan Walsh

Photography by Beau Gustafson

Bellini’s has a talented, new pastry chef, Amber Croom. She has a new dessert menu. And today I met her and tasted them ALL during lunch: Affogato, Bananas Foster, Bread Pudding, Gelato Flight, Key Lime Panna Cotta, Malt Chocolate Cake with Adult Milkshake, Red Velvet Cheesecake, and Tiramisu.

Not only did this bring many envious stares, the envy continued on social media with 50 plus Bellini’s patrons voicing their sweet opinions on Facebook. After I narrowed it down to my two favorites—the chocolate red velvet cakes, Bellini’s social media fans have since been waiting to check out this issue of B-Metro for my favorite dessert to be announced.

Although the desserts are all winners, the deep, dark chocolate cake and its Kahlua milkshake pairing are very hard to beat. Yet the winner is… Red Velvet Cheesecake! If the name brings memories of your grandmother’s red velvet, Christmas cake, forget it because hers is likely missing a layer. I have never had anything like it. Croom iced creamy white frosting—dotted with praline crumbles—over two tall, moist layers of red velvet cake. In the middle is the layer that takes this cake over the top—cheesecake. And two crunchy pralines accompany this slice of heaven. Pair this dessert with a glass of Vietti Barbera, which is also red with a velvety finish.

Published, B-Metro magazine, April, 2013