Crumb's Bakery did it open yet and Stamford CT

[nbermas]

have you gone yet, how it is if it is open and what was good?

[bizdish83]

Just got back from Crumbs. I bought a dozen cupcakes and they were at HIT at the office. Here is my general overview of the place out of 10s.

Cupcakes are awesome - 10/10

Excellent Product presentation / selection - 9/10

Walls are plain and the "bench" on the left side of store is horrendous - 7/10

Staff is friendly but a little on the ditzy and "spaced out" side - 8/10

Coffee is great, but I had a pile of grounds in the bottom - 7/10

Tables and chairs looked dirty and the Self Serve Milk / Sugar stand was grimy - 5/10

Overall I give Crumbs a 46 out of 60 (77%). With a little work on the general layout, some more attention to the cleanliness of the area in front of the counter, and some social skill development for the staff, I can see that going up to an 85% in no time.

CHEERS!

[MommaJ]

If it's grimy in the public area, it makes me queasy to think what might be going on in the back.

[jfood]

jfood was called into service to bring an emergency package from Rye Ridge deli to little jfood so being the reasearch person at heart took a little extra time to try Crumbs.

First thing to notice is the bizarre layout. The display case is in the rear and faces sideways. Upon entering you can see none of the cupcakes and need to walk all the way top the back and look at 90 degrees.

When you see the choices it is a bit overwhelming. But in the end, jfood chose a Blackout Cupcake.

After dinner he dug into. A traditional blackout cake (ake Ebinger's contribution to great cuisine) has a layer of icing. This did not, just some wiggles on top with the extra cake crumbs. Then the first bite revealed a bit of a dry cake, and it could have used a little more chocolate. The interior had the "icing " and it was sweet and chocolatey. The elements together were pretty good, not great.

Would jfood run back, nope. If he were in the mall and had a chance, he would definitely give another cupcake a try.

BTW - Rye Ridge has a bunch of look-alikes from a different source.

[MommaJ]

I don't really get the cupcake mania thing, but I gave the place a try the other day (and it was really packed, so it looks like everyone is giving them a try). I had the chocolate pecan pie cupcake. The cake part was just okay--kind of a coarse crumb, and a bit oily. The frosting was disgustingly sweet and was really heaped on. I have a pretty big sweet tooth, but I had to take most of it off. And of course the cupcakes are quite expensive. So, I still don't get it. If I'm going to throw calorie caution to the winds and treat myself, I'd rather head down the street to Gofer Ice Cream

[lattelover]

I agree with you, Momma. Cake is oily and coarse. Frosting is OK for me. But I think a cupcake from the grocery store would be almost as good and a lot less expensive. Just doesn't have the hype or variety.

[sparkyspecial]

hey guys, just came back with 4. you have to kidding with this place. these cupcakes are right out of a duncan hines box. except for the lola la crumb, which should have been called lola la cardboard, way too dry to be duncan hines. at 3.75 you would think that they would at least make them from scratch.

[nbermas]

sparkyspecial: I had a feeling it wasn't going to be made from scratch but what other cupcakes are you comparing it to around here? I always believe in one store of great quality versus many spots that get much less love and quality.

[amanda3571]

Just finished a quick cupcake tasting - I gotta tell you, these are really really good. I bought 6 cupcakes tonight and I just had a little piece of each of them. Now please mind when I say tasting, I literally cut off a teeny bit of each and tasted - I did not make it anywhere near to the middle of the cupcake where buttercream may or may not be lurking. Tonight I tasted the Reeses, Carrot, Oreo, Devildog, Pumpkin, & Smores. I know, sounds disgusting. It wasn't though.

Hands down, the Devil dog was my favorite. The cake was so moist & soft, and the buttercream wasn't that sugary gross stuff - more like the texture of a sweet cool whip. Really light.

Overall, the chocolate cupcakes were far superior (Devil, Oreo, and Smores). The carrot cake was very good. Pumpkin was a little disappointing, as was the Reeses.

Please note, I will continue sampling these cupcakes STRICTLY for the sake of Chowhound later tonight & tomorrow, so these initial reactions are subject to change, particularly if I hit some sort of buttercream in the middle.
Then, I will be on the treadmill for 24-48 hrs :)

At $3.75 each, yes they are expensive. They do have regular cupcakes at $2.25 a piece as well. But the larger cupcakes, IMO, are worth the money. Each one is more than enough for 2 people.

[nbermas]

amanda351;

Thanks for the report, what a good excuse though. I will try that for now on whenever I want something to eat I really shouldn't eat, eat it for the sake of chowhounds. I am very happy that the chocolate is good what what other chocolate do you compare it to?

[A avenue]

I stand corrected! They are open today, 10/29!

[nbermas]

A avenue: Let me know if you go if it is worth the gas or not. Thanks

[A avenue]

Nbermas:
Just had half a red velvet cupcake from Crumbs. Half because the cupcakes are pretty big. They are moist and taste great even without the frosting (of which there is plenty!) I just wish I had some milk handy to go with it. It was good, but very sweet and will probably cost me an extra 20 mins of cadio at the gym. They also sell smaller cupcakes but those don't seem to be as fancy. A co-worker had a chocolate one with some type of chocolate custard in the center and chocolate frosting that looked absolutely decadent. She is a choco-holic and said it was one of the best chocolate cupcakes she'd had.

They had other things there besides cupcakes - cookies and some pastries - and a pretty serious looking espresso machine that looks like it might give Starbucks next door a run for its money (if they know how to work it right.) At $3.75 a piece, it's a bit of a sticker shock, but the cupcakes are large enough to split I think. A nice treat, indeed!

[nbermas]

Aavenue:

Thank you for the update, I will get there one of these days. Thank you very much.

[A avenue]

Here's the scoop, according to The Lunchbreak Chronicles blog on the Advocate:

1,000 FREE cupcakes to be given away beginning at 8 a.m. this Thursday (10/30) and Gary "Baba Booey" of Howard Stern show fame will be at Crumbs on Saturday at 4.

[stevel]

Do they sell anything besides cupcakes. Not a big cupcake fan.

[A avenue]

The word is it opens tomorrow, 10/28 according to their Web site: www.crumbs.com
Looks like Westport and New Canaan locations are coming in 09.

[louuuuu]

if so, supposedly according to Stamford Talk, they give away free samples the first day... limited, so you need to get there early.

[amanda3571]

As of last Thursday, it wasn't open yet.