André's Confiserie Suisse, Kansas City (MO)

For my birthday brunch this year, Debarshi took me to a new place - André's. This is a Swiss confectionery and you guessed it right, this place is loaded with varieties of delicious chocolates! They not only look pretty but taste amazing as well. Here you will be able to enjoy premium chocolates which will make you feel you are actually in Europe. The flavors are strong and rich and they are so fresh and tender that they melt in your mouth within seconds.

If you love chocolates, then this is a chocolate paradise for you. You can also find gift boxes for special occasions. 

The best part is, they have a Tea Room where you can sit and relax and enjoy delicious chocolates and sweets. 

Well, we went for brunch and it was pretty packed at that time. Mind you, we are not early risers whatever the occasion. So I was really surprised to see all that crowd so late in the day. Just goes to show that when food is delicious people prefer to wait rather than go some place else. Thankfully we didn’t have to wait for long and were soon seated. 

As I have told you before, both Debarshi and I love going to places with a unique character. This whole place is decorated with Swiss flags which I read somewhere represents the 26 member states of the Swiss Confederation. They also have many beautiful paintings which make the place quite unique. 

For lunch they had a pre fixe menu which simply means that instead of serving a variety of items like most restaurants, the chefs decide one or two dishes as special meals of the day. This helps them to present their specialty dishes at an affordable price. So you will have a choice of two entrées at a fixed price with drinks and dessert included. 

We were greeted by an elderly gentleman who was our waiter. He welcomed us and explained about the pre fixe menu of that day. We had a choice of Beef Brisket with Polenta or Croute Zurichoise (toasted French bread topped with tomato, melted cheese & mushroom sauce) as entrées. Coffee and Iced tea were included in the menu with unlimited refills. Within minutes we were served coffee with bread and a sweet cream butter. 

Personally I love this whole idea of pre fixe menu. By limiting your choices to a few dishes the chefs get more time to create and present every dish with equal attention. Plus, we get to spend a lot of time with our loved ones which otherwise is spend in deciding what to eat. Service is fast and efficient and everyone knows what they are doing and exactly how much time it will take for the order to be ready. 

Photo shows our entrées. Needless to say the food was as good as it looks. Very different flavors and so fresh! And do not get disappointed by their portion sizes they do fill you up! 

Once we finished eating, the waiter came back to us with a number of choices for the dessert. I selected a Rum Ball which is basically yellow cake soaked in rum. It is then mixed together with rum butter crème and rolled in chocolate decorates. Delicious!

Debarshi selected a piece of Chocolate Raspberry cake which has layers of chocolate cake with raspberry jam and chocolate butter cream. It’s a piece of absolute heaven!

We enjoyed every bite and the experience was wonderful. Once our brunch was over the waiter brought our check with little pieces of chocolate mints. It was a “Wow more chocolate!” moment for me.

Can you guess how much we paid for all this? Well it was my birthday brunch so obviously Debarshi didn’t tell me the amount but I later checked it on their website and it states: 

Lunch Price is $16.52 +1.73tax = $18.25

So, if you are in the mood for a special lunch or want to indulge in chocolates or a different cuisine, André's is the place for you. As for us, I think it is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. 

Recommended Reading:

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• Restaurant Review: Rumi’s Kitchen, Atlanta (Georgia)
• Amelie’s - French Bakery and Café, Charlotte, North Carolina
• Cafe Du Monde and New Orleans
• A Special Day!

Chocolate Raspberry Cake with Chocolate Ganache

For this week, I bring to you my special sweet treat - Chocolate Raspberry Cake with Chocolate Ganache. This cake is sure to win the hearts of everyone - its rich, has lots of Chocolate and is super soft. Although this looks like a huge cake, believe me the knife runs through it like butter. Smooth and creamy, it is everything you love in a cake, together. The best part is, this cake can be baked in advance, like I did this time, and it just gets better every day. Keep it in the fridge and eat the leftovers for a week.

If you have already read my article - A Special Day, you know how much I love planning and celebrating birthdays. So obviously I started bugging Debarshi about two months prior to his birthday to make plans. I love to bake and his birthday was the perfect opportunity for me to try a new recipe. Last year I tried baking a Pecan Cake with Rum Frosting on his birthday which turned out to be pretty good so this year I was really excited and feeling confident. I decided to step up my baking game and told Debarshi that he can choose any cake and I will bake it for him on his special day.

(Happy Birthday Dr. Debarshi on a Pecan Cake with Rum Frosting)

Finally, Debarshi told me his wish for this year’s birthday cake which was Chocolate Raspberry. Now, Raspberry is not an Indian fruit and although I won’t be surprised to see it in the grocery shops in metropolitan cities these days, I would like to describe its taste and appearance to all my readers who have never actually tasted or seen a Raspberry.

Raspberry is a berry just like blueberry or blackberry. It has a delicate sweet taste and a subtle tart undertone. I love the texture of Raspberries; they are so tender, just a little pressure is enough to crush them and let me tell you something interesting, Raspberry is actually a member of the Rose family which may be the reason for its fragrance. Raspberries are easily perishable so do not buy them in advance. Wash them before using and do not keep them at room temperature for too long.

I used fresh red raspberries for decorating the cake and I am mentioning the color because they come in different colors like black, purple and gold. You can use whatever color you like best. Do not get this confused with Blueberries or Blackberries as they have a slightly different taste.

Let’s talk about the flavor blend - Raspberry and Chocolate, this combination is almost a match made in heaven. I have had Chocolate Covered Strawberries quite a few times but the flavor of Raspberry with Chocolate is so unique, it just touches your soul. Debarshi loves this combination and it is almost an unsaid rule that whenever we are buying ice creams we get a pack of Magnum Raspberry Chocolate Ice Cream Bars. So when Debarshi asked for a Chocolate Raspberry cake, I said, “Challenge Accepted!”

Now my favorite method to look for a recipe is browsing online. I find it fun and quick. Isn’t it wonderful to have the whole world to help you find that unique recipe you are pining to cook and eat? So I did some research and finally settled on this recipe.

This recipe overall seems quite complex to start with. There are two layers of cakes and homemade Chocolate Ganache with a Raspberry topping. You must be thinking this sure looks yummy but can I get it readymade somewhere? Worry not, all you need to do is get all the required ingredients and tools and follow the recipe step by step. Do not get overwhelmed and give it a casual try first time. That is exactly what I did a month back when we had another reason to celebrate. I don’t know how but Debarshi knew that I have already found a recipe for his birthday cake and he told me to give it a try. I was happy like a kid with an ice cream, we got everything and I started baking the cake. After 4 hours of working on it, we finally had our first bite of this beautiful cake and I cannot describe it in words how mesmerizing that moment felt to us. Truly decadent!

This cake is perfect for big celebrations. The warmness of the Chocolate with the fruitiness of the Raspberries slowly melts in your mouth, your tongue feels that silky touch, your eyes and hands focus on cutting your next bite. It’s like every sense of the body only feels one thing – “This is so good!” So believe me when I say, it is worth putting those few hours of your precious time for this cake because what we get in return is truly out of this world and the happiness that we prepared it ourselves from scratch is truly incomparable.

“Happiness is knowing there is Cake in the oven”.

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

Dry Products:

• All Purpose Flour - 2 Cups
• Sugar - 1 and ¾ Cups 
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – ¾ Cup 
• Baking Soda - 2 Teaspoons 
• Salt – ¼ Teaspoon 

Wet Products:

• Water - 1 Cup 
• Buttermilk – ¾ Cup 
• Vegetable Oil – ¾ Cup 
• Eggs - 3 Large 

Others:

• Cake Pans - 2 of 8.5* 1.5 Inches 
• Vegetable Oil Spray – 1
• Parchment Paper – 1
• Wisk – 1
• Spatula – 1
• Cake Stand or a Heavy Big Plate
• Piece of cardboard or a thick paper plate

For the Chocolate Ganache and Raspberry topping:

• Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (60% Cacao) - 18 Ounces
• Heavy Whipping Cream – 2 and ¼ Cups 
• Seedless Raspberry Jam or Preserve – 3 + 3 Tablespoons 
• Fresh Red Raspberries – 1 Box
• Powdered Sugar – ¼ cup 

Let’s bake the Cakes:

For this cake we will be baking two layers which means we will be using two cake pans. Now you can get two Springform cake pans. I prefer to use two round aluminum cake pans. 

• Let’s cut the Parchment Paper. Place the Pan on the Parchment paper and draw a circle on the outer edge of the pan.
• Coat the cake pans with the nonstick spray. 
• Line the bottoms with the Parchment paper rounds and spray the rounds. 
• Take a large bowl and sift all the dry products (All Purpose Flour, Sugar, Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, Baking Soda, Salt) into it.

• Whisk to blend and form a well in center. 
• Take a medium sized bowl and whisk all the wet ingredients together (Water, Buttermilk, Vegetable Oil, Eggs).
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the well of the dry ingredients (the well ensures the wet ingredients do not flow all over the bowl but just inside). 
• Whisk just to blend (this is important do not over mix). 
• Divide the cake batter between the two prepared pans (about 3 cups each).
• If you are using the aluminum pans, its best to put them on metal pans first then slide in the oven. This ensures a better grip when removing from the oven. Use a big cookie or pizza pan. Place the pans on the bottom rack of the oven.
• Bake the cakes for about 30 minutes. I use a tooth pick to check if the center has been cooked. Very carefully insert the toothpick into the center and pull it out. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is ready. Otherwise, cook for a couple more minutes and don’t forget to use the timer every time.
• After 30-35 minutes (or whenever the toothpick comes out clean), its time to take out the cakes from the oven. I recommend slightly pulling the rack outside the oven so that we can get a better grip while holding the hot pans. Place them on cooling racks.
• I usually wait for about 5-10 minutes then remove the cakes from the pans (run a short knife around the edges to release the cakes) and invert them on the cooling racks. This ensures the cakes do not have a soggy bottom.
• Peel the parchment paper.

Let’s make the Chocolate Ganache:

• Take a microwave safe medium bowl.
• Add the Chocolate Chips in it.
• Add Heavy Cream in it and place it inside the microwave.
• Bring the cream to a boil about 3-4 minutes. 
• Take the bowl out from the microwave (careful its hot!)
• Let it stand for a minute
• Now let’s start the stirring and remember this is important. We need to stir it slowly, gently and continuously so that the chocolate mixes well with the cream. Believe me this makes a shiny ganache. Keep stirring until the Ganache is all melted and smooth. 
• Cover and refrigerate for about an hour until the Ganache is thick enough to spread. Stir occasionally. If the Ganache gets too firm in the fridge, heat it in the microwave for about 30 – 40 seconds. It should be thick enough to easily spread on the cake with a spatula.

Tip: Use a whisk to mix the chocolate chips and Heavy Cream smoothly and quickly.

Time to assemble the yummy Cake:

All right, do you have a cake stand? If no, then use a heavy big plate. If yes! Awesome!

• Take a piece of cardboard and cut it in a round shape (of cake’s size). I didn’t have a cardboard so I used a thick paper plate. Cut it to fit the bottom of the cake. Place it on the cake stand or the plate.
• Place the first layer of cake onto the cardboard round or paper plate. I ensure the bottom part of the cake (the part with the parchment) is now on top. I carefully trim the dome shape formed on the top of the cake and turn it upside down so that the perfect flat shape is in the middle. This ensures the Ganache and the Jam are perfectly spooned over the layer. This also ensures a firmer stability between the two layers.
• Now let’s spread 3 tablespoons of Raspberry jam over this layer. Using a spatula spread the jam evenly all over the top of the layer. Now pour about ½ cup of chilled Ganache over the layer and spread evenly.
• Place the Cake inside the fridge for at least 15-20 minutes so that the ganache layer sets. I did this twice because this layer should have 1 and ¼ cups of ganache on it. 
• The second time I poured the remaining ganache on it and after spreading it evenly, I placed the second layer of the cake onto this frosted cake layer. Keep in mind that the bottom part of the second cake layer (the part with the parchment) is now in the middle. If the cake top has a dome shape, you may trim it a little. 

• Place the cake back in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
• Now let’s spread the remaining 3 tablespoons of Raspberry Jam over the top of the second cake layer. If the ganache is too thick to spread, melt it a bit in the microwave. Pour about ½ cup of barely lukewarm Ganache over the cake, spreading over the sides to cover. Place the cake back in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
• Now pour the remaining Ganache over the cake, allowing to drip down sides. Keep spreading it evenly with the spatula over top and sides for an even coverage and to smooth the edges. 
• Arrange the Raspberries in circles on top of the cake. 
• Sift Powdered Sugar lightly over Raspberries and place the cake back in the fridge till you are ready to serve.

Tips:

• I created a molten wax effect on Debarshi’s birthday cake by using White Chocolate Chips. I mixed a 16-ounce packet of White Chocolate Chips with about a cup of Heavy Cream and heated them in the microwave till the cream was boiling hot. Then I gently stirred it till the chocolate melted and poured it over the cake using a fork. Try it, its fun.
• While baking the cake, do not forget to start a timer for 30 minutes. Keep an eye on the timer.
• If you do not have Buttermilk, mix Yogurt with some Heavy Cream and mix well, its consistency should be like the Buttermilk. Usually ½ cup of Yogurt with ½ cup of Heavy Cream does the work.
• One of the best things I like about this cake is the time. For Debarshi’s birthday, I baked the cake in the morning and placed them on the cooling racks. When they got completely cooled, I started the Ganache. Remember the more time you put in the cake, the more delicious it will be. One step at a time.
• Its important to keep a space all cleared out for transferring the hot pans from the oven. I usually transfer them on a cooling rack on the kitchen counters.
• Do not skip the cooling rack stage otherwise the cake bottoms will become soggy.
• If you are using aluminum pans, you may want to cut the sides of the cake for an even round shape.
• The bottoms of the cakes will be in the middle on top of each other this ensures a better balance and you can easily put Jam and Ganache on it.
• Use a cake stand with cover. This is a really handy thing, makes it easy to pour the Ganache and assemble the cake and looks great while serving.
• If you have a kid interested in baking, ask them to help you out to spread the Ganache. Afterwards they can have the spatula and the bowl to lick and enjoy.
• Cover the cake with the cake dome whenever you are keeping it the fridge. This is a beautiful cake and the dome prevents any mishaps.
• Remember that the baking time will change if you are changing the pan size. So keep an eye on it.
• Its important to use slightly lukewarm Ganache otherwise you will have difficulty spreading it. it melts quickly so do not set any long microwave timers.
• The thick paper plate on the bottom of the plate comes very handy. It prevents any scratches on the serving platter and the cake holds beautifully on it.
• A new baker may feel tempted to apply the second layer of Ganache too soon. Have patience and let the ganache chill properly.
• If the room temperature is too warm the ganache will start to melt so keep it a bit cool and as soon as you are finished spreading the Ganache, transfer the cake to the fridge without any delay.
• To sift the powdered sugar over the raspberries, use a salt shaker or a tea strainer.
• I substituted the sugar with zero calorie sugar (Truvia) to cut down let’s say a few hundred calories.

Debarshi is happily cutting his birthday cake – Chocolate Raspberry Chocolate Ganache cake with molten wax effect (made with White Chocolate)

Recommended Reading:

• A Special Day
• Remember the characteristics of a good quality Cake
• Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake
• Pecan Cake with Rum Frosting
• Basic Kitchen Measurements
• Chocolate Coconut Cake (with Coconut Pastry Cream filling and Buttercream Frosting, topped with Chocolate Glaze and Toasted Shredded Coconut)
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A trip to a Log Cabin in the North Georgia Mountains

A few months back Debarshi and I went to a log cabin in the North Georgia Mountains. It was beautiful, serene and relaxing. We could hear different types of birds and see the mountains from our cabin. The night sky was so clear we could count the stars. If you are a nature lover, you will love to go on a log cabin trip.

Although Debarshi and I love to cook, this time we decided not to cook anything. The log cabins are usually away from the cities and cooking means taking all the groceries with us so we thought this time we will just order take outs from our favorite restaurants. The idea was to do stuffs which we don’t usually do, like play cards and board games and spend some quality time with each other.

Our first stop was the Cheesecake Factory where we had a hearty lunch and ordered a take away Pizza and Cheesecakes for our trip.

I ordered my favorite lunch item – Club Sandwich and it came with crispy French fries. What I loved about the sandwich was the toasted breads and fresh ingredients. Debarshi was impressed by their pasta menu and ordered a Shrimp with Angel Hair Pasta which had Shrimps sautéed with tomatoes, lemon, garlic and basil served with al dente pasta.

I know I have written about the Cheesecake Factory in my article – A Special Day! But their menu has so many exciting items to try that I couldn’t stop myself from writing about it again.

Now let me tell you about our take out orders which we enjoyed at the log cabin. We ordered the Everything Pizza which has Pepperoni, Sausage, Peppers, Onions, Mushrooms, Mozzarella cheese and Tomato Sauce. Now although the pizza was really good, I was not very impressed with it and it may have been due to the fact that we have had some really good pizza from the local restaurants of all the cities we have been travelling and they have set the Pizza Taste level bar pretty high!

We also ordered two cheesecakes and they were awesome! We specially loved the Mango flavor in the Mango Key Lime Cheesecake. This cheesecake is just full of sweet surprises. It has a crust of Vanilla Coconut Macaroon and the cheesecake is topped with Mango Mousse. Absolutely delectable!

Our second cheesecake was a Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake and its specialty is a cream cheese frosting. It’s a delightful treat for the red velvet lovers.

Believe me when I say that if we were a tad disappointed with the Pizza, these Cheesecakes scored all the points, they were creamy, buttery and sweet pieces of happiness.

Now after we ordered our lunch we started talking about the quantity of food as we were going to stay at the cabin for two nights and three days. We decided to get some Indian food as well because for us, a vacation is incomplete without some Naan and Biryani so we looked around and luckily there is a very good Indian restaurant near the Cheesecake Factory in Atlanta – Swapna. So we ordered a second round of take outs from Swapna which included Goat Biryani, Garlic Naans, Lamb Pasanda and Goat Masala.

If you like Indian cuisine, you must have had Biryani. Here at Swapna, Goat Biryani is prepared in its traditional gourmet style. You can see layers of colored and white rice with succulent pieces of meat. The spices are just right with the wonderful aroma of nutmeg and mace. It was an absolute delight eating such a flavorful Biryani while resting in the log cabin.

Although all the dishes were delicious, I really liked the Lamb Pasanda, it is prepared by marinating Lamb in Yoghurt, Ground Almonds, Onion, Ginger and Garlic. It is creamy and mild in taste and is flavored with cardamoms, cinnamon and other Indian spices. This dish is not too hot which makes it my favorite. Pair it with a Garlic Naan – Yum!

Debarshi loves Garlic Naans. They have a garlicky buttery taste and go very well with all types of curries. They are prepared like regular Naans but once they have been taken out of the Tandoor (Clay Oven), they are brushed generously with Butter and minced Garlic. They are flavorful and aromatic and at Swapna they are baked fresh and you can tell that by just eating one bite. We kept all the food in the fridge and they were still fresh and soft when we ate them after one day hence proving my point.

The photo below features Goat Masala and this is one of those delicious curries which have been slow cooked with aromatic spices. The result - tender meat with bold flavors. We were really glad that we ordered all this delectable food as it made our stay in the log cabin all the more special and I know you must be thinking, that this is a lot of food for two nights and three days but believe me when you are going on a vacation and not planning to cook, you should order extra so that at the end of the day you don’t have to worry about going out and getting food.

So the next time you are in Atlanta and looking for some authentic Indian food, do go to Swapna. This restaurant always delivers tasty food with quality. I am really looking forward to our next log cabin trip when we will once again explore some more food places.

North Georgia Mountains are an absolute treat to the eyes. I loved our road trip, there were green trees all around with clear blue sky. On our way back from the log cabin, we went to an apple orchard - Mercier Orchard. This was recommended by one of our friends who told us that we can find not only fresh fruits from the orchard but also other products made with farm fresh ingredients. So, we went there and although we didn’t have an orchard tour, we bought a lot of stuffs.

Mercier Orchard has a big bakery with all sorts of breads, pies and even ice creams. I had a few samples and bought a lot of fruits, cakes and pies. Debarshi bought a few varieties of their gourmet coffee.

They also have a wide variety of dressings, ciders, jellies and preserves. Everything has been decorated in a unique farm style pattern. You can also find other products like body wash, lotions and creams as well as home fragrances, candles etc. made with honey or flower extracts.

On our way back from the Orchard, we went to a local coffee place - The Martyn House in Towne. The café was decorated with different types of quotes and had a character of its own.

I had a Parfait (It had yogurt layered with granola, some nuts with strawberries which I loved) and Debarshi had a Coffee. The café also had a personal book collection. There was a big room adjoining the café for people to sit and read while sipping a beverage or enjoying a snack. I wish we had some more time before heading back for home, I would have loved to sit there and read a book with a cup of hot tea and a muffin.

This whole trip was simply delightful and we drove back home refreshed and relaxed. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone who likes spending some time away from the hustle and bustle of city lights and noise.

Recommend Reading:

• A Special Day

A Special Day!

There are two types of people in this world, one who love to celebrate their birthdays and always try to mark it as a special day and the other who treat it as any other day. I belong to the first group. I love my birthdays and I love planning birthdays for others. I feel it must have been such a special day for my parents to hold their new born baby into their arms and just forget about everything else in the world. It is that one day when everyone thinks about me and send their wishes. It makes me feel so confident and grateful that I am loved by so many. I read this somewhere, “If you cannot truly love and be good to yourself, you will never be good to anyone else” and I believe in it. I feel that it is very important to do things for yourself because at the end of the day your personal happiness and satisfaction matters. Therefore, I try my best to spend every moment of this special day happily.

Lucky for me, Debarshi loves to celebrate my birthday and he starts planning for it in advance. Personally I don’t expect grand celebrations like a big party or dining at a super pricey restaurant. Rather, I like to spend time with my loved ones and eat delicious food at a decent place. A birthday card or a bouquet of flowers is enough to set the birthday mood.

I have spent my last three birthdays in the States away from my parents and Debarshi has made each of them memorable. The first year after our wedding, Debarshi baked a cake for me using the ready to bake cake mixes and it made me feel really special.  Then he made a dinner reservation at the Cypress Inn restaurant (Tuscaloosa) which has a beautiful river view. It was lovely but the real surprise was yet to come.  After the dinner he took me to another restaurant where he had planned a surprise party with all our friends.   That was a special moment for me, away from home, in a new country and yet I felt so loved.

At the Cypress Inn restaurant in Tuscaloosa (2014)

Last year (2015) for my birthday, Debarshi took me to Atlanta. He booked at room at a 5 start hotel which was a pleasant surprise. We spent a couple of days visiting the Zoo, Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca Cola and Museum of Natural History. We also visited our friends – Angela and Ferosh. Ferosh and Debarshi are very good friends since their PHD days at University of Alabama. It is wonderful that Angela and I have become the best of friends as well. They are the bright and shiny people who always make everyone happy with their sweet nature and smiling faces. So going to Atlanta always means spending some quality time with them. On my birthday eve, they prepared Korean barbeque and it was delicious. At 12 am everyone started singing the birthday song and Debarshi brought in a big ice cream cake. Sometimes a delicious home cooked meal and a movie with your friends is all you need for your special day.

I know now you have started thinking hey! I can plan something like this for my sweetheart on his/her next birthday, so let me tell you what Debarshi planned this year.

Two things I really like are desserts and surprises and that is what this year’s birthday was full of. There was a beautiful and delicious birthday cake. I spent the whole day getting pampered with spa and makeup sessions, flowers, and fabulous gifts one of which I am using to write this article. No points for guessing. In the evening Debarshi took me to a restaurant which is famous for its deserts (hint: Cheesecakes). Can you guess the name? Yes! The Cheesecake Factory!! I have always wanted to eat there but unfortunately it was never available locally. We wanted to try The Cheesecake Factory at the Union Square in San Francisco on our trip and even though we really wanted to eat there we just couldn’t find time. Finally, we decided that since it is a chain and there’s a restaurant in Birmingham (AL), 60 miles away from home, maybe we will go there sometime.

 At Angela and Ferosh’s place last year

Now although there are over 250 dishes in the menu the dessert is their main attraction. I took the first photo at the front bakery in the restaurant.  You can see the many different varieties of desserts in that display. I ordered a Black-Out Cake which is a deep and rich Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Chips and is finished with Almonds. Debarshi ordered a Chocolate Tuxedo Cream Cheesecake which has layers of Fudge Cake, Chocolate Cheesecake, Vanilla Mascarpone Mousse and Chocolate. 

The food including starters, main course and dessert was delicious and the service was quick and attentive. The entrée and dessert portions were big and the restaurant is not that pricey but surely tasty!  Maybe next time I will just go there and order a dessert and that will be enough to satisfy both my hunger and sweet tooth.

I had a great time on my birthday and the good food doubled the celebration. If you have a Cheesecake Factory in your city I recommend you to go there and indulge in some serious desserts. I had a Jamaican Rice with Shrimp and Black Beans in my entrée and it was delicious. I am going to write another article on Debarshi’s birthday celebrations but I hope you got some nice birthday ideas for your beloved from this article.

Remember “Birthday Cake Calories Don’t Count”.

At the Cheesecake Factory in Birmingham, Alabama. The display shows different types of yummy desserts.

My Birthday cake – The Black Out cake

Debarshi’s cake - Chocolate Tuxedo Cream Cheesecake

Jamaican Rice with Shrimp and Black Beans

Recommended Reading:

• André's Confiserie Suisse, Kansas City (MO)