Best Desserts in OC

[Pinkwasabi]

I am trying to find the best desserts to buy for my birthday extravaganza ... whether its from a restaurant or bakery...tell me all the luscious details! Desserts from Zov's? Something unique?

[Das Ubergeek]

Another addition: the baklava stuffed with ashta (pastry cream writ rosewater) at Forn al-Hara in Anaheim's Little Arabia. It's a great dessert, especially paired with a meal at Olive Tree.

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Olive Tree
512 S Brookhurst St, Anaheim, CA 92804

[J.L.]

The date shake at Ruby's Shake Shack, in Crystal Cove, on PCH.

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Ruby's Shake Shack
7703 E Coast Hwy, Newport Coast, CA 92657

[I got nothin]

Just wondering if anyone had some new dessert recommendations to add to this old list; preferably something in the Huntington/Newport/Fountain Valley area to grab after dinner. If I don't think of anything else to get, I'll probably end up at the gelato place a block up from the Huntington Pier.

[JAB]

Tiramisu at Sabatino's in Newport with a side of chocolate sauce and a 20 yr Tawney Port.

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Sabatino's
251 Shipyard Way, Newport Beach, CA 92663

[kevin]

wow, that sounds awesome, is the tiramisu really good here, even better than pina's???

[JAB]

I've never had Pina's so I can't compare but, it is very good at Sabatino's.

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Sabatino's
251 Shipyard Way, Newport Beach, CA 92663

[Das Ubergeek]

Non-standard dessert alert: cheese (quark/tvorog)-filled blintzes with sour cream at Moscow Deli in Costa Mesa.

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Moscow Deli
3015 Harbor Blvd, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

[kevin]

that sounds awesome, i gotta get there on the double.

[Joani Macaroni]

At least one of these places is closed/closing - P.J.'s Abby. Soon to be a Mexican place (Avilla's???) .

[collegedad35]

Xanh Bistro on Brookhurst / Edinger behind Denny has good and different desserts. Fried Banana/Vanilla Icecream/Spicy Chocolate Sauce ($5). Coconut Creme Brulee, Bread Pudding w/ Coconut Tamarind Sauce. Their dinner menu is very good too. Reasonable prices.

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Xanh Bistro
16161 Brookhurst St, Fountain Valley, CA 92708

[emily]

I just picked up a few things at Cafe Blanc for the first time and was disappointed.

1. Yuzu gelato (or rather sorbetto): Yuzu is one of my favorite flavorings, but this tasted more like lemon to me. No distinct yuzu taste to speak of. Texture was a bit clumpy, as well. I'd hate for someone to try this and think this is what yuzu tastes like.

2. Sesame macaron: unless this was a total accident, someone should teach them how to make macarons. Macarons are not two completely dry and hard disks sandwiched with a tiny blurb of buttercream. I liked the sesame flavor, but, ugh, totally wrong texture.

3. Tart tatin: not bad. Not worth going back for, but nice caramelized apples. Didn't like the boring puff pastry on the bottom, which was soft and tasteless. I doubt this guy is making his own puff pasty or that it's an all-butter puff.

4. Cream puff: ok, so no one has recommended the cream puffs and perhaps for good reason. This puff is exactly why it took me so long to like them in the first place. Rubbery, soft, overly eggy pate a choux with a somewhat tasty cream filling. Beard Papa is much better with its light crispy shell.

5. Miroir: kind of boring. Chocolate mousse on a thin piece of chocolate sponge with some raspberries inside. Nothing excited me about this.

6. Sesame cream: a cup of sesame pudding or cream with what appeared to be coffee on the bottom and bit of whipped cream on top. I like sesame, but this was too faint and lacked pizzazz. Coffee was tasty on it's own, but an odd element to add to this dessert.

[quinntran]

Not sure if it has been mentioned but Blackmarket Bakery in Irvine is sooooooo good!
http://www.blackmarketbakery.com/

[Evan G]

Don't think you can do take-out, but for future reference, Shenandoah at the Arbor in Los Al has a very good creme brulee, but the best dessert I think is their German cake--can't remember the name of it--that's outstanding.

[kel]

Not the JJ Bakery chain. Lard and no taste.

[emily]

Actually, if it has lard in it, it probably has taste! Vegetable shortening = no taste.

[jenofkuo]

I LOVE PJ's Abbey’s bread pudding. Sometimes it's chocolate, lemon and I think sometimes she makes cranberry. I LOVE THEM ALL. Before PJ’s I never really craved bread pudding but she’s set my standard. She can NEVER retire or she must pass on the recipe.

Opah's chocolate croissant bread pudding is pretty good too.

I enjoy Rutabegorz’s seasonal pumpkin cookie. It’s massive.

Most of the times Citrus City Grille's chocolate soufflé is good. Once in awhile it's bit burnt. Their crème brulee is also yummy.

But I agree Café Blanc is a new favorite of mines. Late night (well I'm talking in Behind the Orange Curtain terms 9PM/10PM is pretty good) dessert place. So far all the desserts I have ordered were yummy, that one bite is just not enough, you crave for another. I really like how Japanese style French desserts are prepared meaning that they’re not overly sweet, it’s just a nice balance. They don't really have a menu since it's seasonal. Forget the hype with Sprinkles; this is how desserts should be made. On the pricey side but I feel like I at least get my money’s worth.

This can kind of be seen as a dessert, the Halo drink from Brodards.

Zov’s is good but unfortunately I can’t seem to remember a dessert that stood out.

Papa Hassan's Heaven dessert is light and yummy.

And I think Beard Papa’s NEEDS to open a store in OC.

BTW I’m a freak for things with pumpkin and if you can’t tell bread pudding. I love plum too but can’t seem to find anything amazing with Plum. I know Café Lucca has a Plum gelato or sorbet, the beginning taste was not bad but not a good ending, so in other words...eh.

Junk in the trunk is a good thing.

[AlwayzHungry]

What/where is "PJ's"?

[jenofkuo]

Whoops sorry for not replying earlier. PJ's Abbey is a sit down restaurant in Old Town Orange. http://www.pjsabbey.com The food tends to be a bit pricey but it's tasty enough for me but I wouldn't say enough to go to it religiously EXCEPT for the bread pudding, that's when you should endulge in sinful behavior.

[mizinc]

Beard Papa opening in Costa Mesa in the Marukai Market

[emily]

I was wondering when BP was coming to Costa Mesa (seems like an obvious choice). Do you know when they'll open?

ETA: never mind -- website says "early april".

[junglekitte]

brownies from the montage resort and spa. yum.

[Pinkwasabi]

At Zov's, you are so right...you can't go wrong but I think that Zov's has THE BEST creme brulee.....its the softest, most delicious and pure creme brulee I have ever tasted. It doesn't compare to anything in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, or Orange County...in my opinion.

The Chocolate Bombe is outstanding as well. A chocolate ball filled with mousse, creme brulee in the center and a light crust on the bottom. Her fruit tarts are wonderful..the fruit is so fresh and the pastry cream is right up there with her brulee. I've had all the desserts and everyone has raved about it all, the chocolate banana tart, cheesecake, lemon box, ....you can't go wrong. I wanted to get these for my party but with 100 people...yikes!

[ml22]

My favorite creme brulee is at French 75. yuuuummmmmmmmmm

[Gustavo Arellano]

You can try any of the ones I listed <a href="http://www.ocweekly.com/food/food/gus... couple of weeks ago</a>.

[Funwithfood]

Wow, quite a list--thanks for the link Gustavo!

Let Them Eat Cake in Costa Mesa has scrumptious 5-Chocolate Cookies--had them once while they were still warm...mmm.

The gelato at Gelato Paradiso in Newport is fabulous--may not quality as "dessert", but it is worth a mention.

Napa Rose in Anaheim does well with dessert IME.

[russkar]

FWF, your list is a lot stronger than Gustavo's. You named every Powerhouse Dessert in OC except Zov's, Five Crown's Cheesecake(same as Grill on the Alley's (BH) and the CANNERY'S Balboa Dessert Platter.

[Funwithfood]

It's been years since I've been to Zov's--what do you recommend russkar?

P.S. Napa Rose served a "Pumpkin Pie Creme Brule with Tangerine Sauce" a couple years ago--probably the BEST dessert I have ever had. (I'd love that recipe!)

[russkar]

EVERYTHING!
Zov knows her desserts and it's impossible to have a bad one.
Call NR and ask for the recipe?

[mtetlow]

Try the Chicken Pie Shop in Anaheim at Euclid and La Palma. Been in biz a LONG time. They are known for their chicken pot pies ($2.50 takeout). A lot of Seniors frequent here for the cheap,decent eats.

As to desserts, the bakery has those available for takeout. The Creampuffs are very good, but the Napolians ($2.50) are outstanding!

They also have breads that are reasonably priced. Enjoy!!

[elmomonster]

Fruit Tart from Le Croissant Dore in Little Saigon.

Dirt cheap. Delicious.

Check out pics and review on it here:

http://elmomonster.blogspot.com/2005/...

[kevin]

pina's bistro tiramisu.

caramel walnut apple pie or pumpkin pie at the filling station.

pain au chocolat at Village Bakery at the camp or lab in costa mesa.

gelato paridiso coconut gelato.

[gsdaniels]

No more Village Bakery now...

[cdmedici]

Zov's is a great place for desserts. As an alternative and more upscale and gourmet, Cafe Blanc in Costa Mesa is wonderful.

Their desserts are not overly sweet like so many places.

http://www.cafeblanc.us/index.html

[Pinkwasabi]

Thank you for the heads up on Cafe Blanc. After taste testing 10 desserts (omg)...and gaining major lbs....I will be going with thus wonderful bakery for my birthday party. Their desserts are beautiful and very delicious. If you like desserts that are not overly sweet and very subtle, this is your place.

[Funwithfood]

Is this place new, or did they have a name change?

(I tried a bakery on 17th a year or two ago--modern/sparse, wasn't impressed with what I tried--don't think the name was Cafe Blanc though. If this is a different bakery, I'll definitely stop by and give it a try :)

[kevin]

a couple year's back it was called RJ's Patisserie after the a taiwanese chef's and there he serves stuff like chocolate mousse with candied passion fruit, green tea mousse, mont blancs, etc.

so yeah, name change, and same style of desserts too if i'm not mistaken, but i don't know if it's the same ownershipl

[Funwithfood]

Yes, that was the name kevin. This style of baked goods just does not appeal to me...