Sugar, spice and everything Bittersweet

Bittersweet, located at 1114 W. Belmont Ave. in Lakeview, is an absolutely charming little pâtisserie I pass on the way to Tim’s place. Every time I pass it, I look in the window at the cleverly crafted cookies, nearly perfect wedding cakes and adorable cupcakes that seem to call my name. Yesterday I finally caved and decided to indulge in a breakfast/lunch (not to be confused with brunch) at Bittersweet with Tim.

I thought the pâtisserie would only sell baked goods, but it turns out they do way more than that…and they do it well. The shop is also a boulangerie and offers up a whole lunch menu composed of soups, salads and sandwiches.

In addition, they brew french press coffee and a mean un-sweetened vanilla iced tea which is so delicate and understated that it should be enjoyed first as though it were a meal. My best guess is that they brewed vanilla (black) tea and let it steep for longer than usual (when you are icing tea you can lose a lot of the flavour if you are dealing with a weaker, less bittered brew). The notes of caramel and bouquet of vanilla make this tea as enjoyable as a fine wine…for way cheaper.

I do suggest getting a glass, but at home, you can make this tea for way less than $2/cup. Just brew a cup of robust black tea like Bigelow’s Vanilla Caramel for four minutes (no less!), add a tablespoon of honey (optional), let cool for 20 minutes and serve in a glass over ice.

For a real kick, add half-and-half or a dash of whole milk to the top of your tea to give it a creamy finish and bring out that caramel! Mmmm!

For lunch, I chose this absolutely vibrant carrot jalapeno soup served with a thick hunk of fresh-made multi-grain bread that you see above.

Surprisingly, the soup is not fiery. The sweetness of the carrot and the kick of the jalapeno even each other out, making it a delight and something Tim wishes he ordered! Just be careful as you get to the bottom: Since the soup is made fresh in-house you will encounter some jalapeno seeds that have not managed to meet the blender and you will get a surprising kick in the pants!

Scones are difficult to make well. When it came to decide what baked good I wanted to try, I stared at the raspberry scones thinking that even though they looked beautiful they must be rock hard and disgusting – most scones are. Plus, being a citisen of the UK, living in England and having an auntie who is a professional chef has spoiled me. Nothing compares to her tender cheese and dried tomato or blueberry scones.

If there was ever a scone I would choose to go in the ring with my auntie’s creations, it would be the scone you see above.

Raspberries are not in season, but the vivid raspberries in this scone were ripe, tangy and sweet. Plenty of them were nestled in between the pillowy soft layers of airy dough. The only thing that would have made it better is if it were served with clotted cream. Regular unsalted butter just does not do it justice.

For dessert (yes, because lunch needs dessert, too!) I asked the server her opinion on the house specialty. Without hesitation she recommended the pear pistachio cream tart. Sold.

Tender pieces of cooked and lightly spiced pear lounge on top of a layer of pistachio cream made from butter, eggs and vanilla. The slice was lightly dusted with sugar, sprinkled with pistachio pieces and served with a dollop of sweet crème fraîche. A close-up picture of the filling can be seen below.

The inside of Bittersweet was lovely and classy, letting a lot of bright sunlight in and providing a great view of Belmont.

If you have a chance, you should definitely visit Bittersweet. Here are more pictures for your viewing pleasure:

Me eating the delicious carrot jalapeno soup

Another look at the pear pistachio tart!

Dev xx