Category Archives: Bakeries

Dollop Coffee & Hoosier Mama Pie Company

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*** (3 stars)

Uniting two local chains, this is a place to get coffee and pie. Ironically, the best offerings aren’t either of those, they’re the sandwiches.

The large open space is bright and friendly, a good place to relax or get some work done, and there is a fair sized patio out front. Service is friendly, although it’s odd how long it takes to do something as simple as serve a slice of pie, even when you’re the only customer.

The pies are good, but they won’t change your life, and the coffee is just adequate.

But the sandwiches are delicious. I had the Ploughman, a generous serving of ham and cheddar cheese with apple slices, chutney, mustard, mayo and lettuce on a fresh baguette. The combination worked great together. If I return it will be to try the other sandwiches, especially the BLT.

Dollop Coffee & Hoosier Mama Pie Company
749 Chicago Ave
Evanston, IL 60202
(847) 868-8863
http://www.yelp.com/biz/dollop-coffee-and-hoosier-mama-pie-company-evanston

Mars’ Cheese Castle

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**** (4 stars)

We passed this place on a drive to Milwaukee, and although we didn’t stop, I felt compelled to return.

It was everything I expected, and more. Actually I was expecting nothing but a tacky tourist trap. But you can’t really call it a trap, since hundreds of fans return here, again and again. Why? Because of the sheer volume of “stuff” they have.

Yes, there are T-shirts and souvenirs. But really the place is about cheese, beer, gourmet foods and wine, not necessarily in that order. They also have  a ton of hot sauces.

The beer selection alone is vast. And there were many gourmet honeys, syrups, seasonings and biscuits I’d never seen before. Unfortunately the prices are pretty much at the level you’d expect, so I didn’t actually buy anything, but plenty of people were loading up.

The cheeses I tried were actually fairly bland and forgettable, but then I’m more of a European cheese person.

Mars’ Cheese Castle
2800 W Frontage Rd
Kenosha, WI 53144
(800) 655-6147
http://www.yelp.com/biz/mars-cheese-castle-kenosha

Great Harvest Bread

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** (2 stars)

The bread here is okay, but a lot of the other baked goods always seem like they needed a few more minutes to brown up, and a little bit more texture or crunch to make them interesting. But the real downside are the people behind the counter. I hate to criticize, but I’ve been here three times, and felt unwelcome on each visit, like my presence was inconveniencing them. I’ve spoken with others who agree, so it’s not just me. As a result, I prefer to shop down the street.

Great Harvest Bread
2126 Central St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 866-8609
http://www.yelp.com/biz/great-harvest-bread-evanston

Stan’s Doughnuts

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***** (5 stars)

I can attest to the fact that Stan’s has been making the best donuts on the planet for forty years. My favorite is the glazed buttermilk bar, but anything with buttermilk or maple in the title is a winner. I don’t really understand why anyone would eat a donut from anywhere else. I’ve even ordered them shipped to Florida!

Stan’s Doughnuts
10948 Weyburn Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 208-8660
http://www.yelp.com/biz/stans-doughnuts-los-angeles

Mortensen’s Danish Bakery

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**** (4 stars)

In our taste off of four different Solvang bakeries, I found that Mortensens has the butteriest tasting cookies. I particularly liked the plain round ones with the curved tops. They have a long, buttery finish that is slightly salty and not as sweet as some.

Mortensen’s Danish Bakery
1588 Mission Dr
Solvang, CA 93463
(805) 688-8373
http://www.yelp.com/biz/mortensens-danish-bakery-solvang-2

Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery & Coffee Shop

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***** (5 stars)

This is one of four bakeries in Solvang where we purchased tubs of butter cookies for a taste off. They were among the best, but the real standout here were the pastries. The macaroon was the best I’ve ever had, with a perfect crispy crust and chewy but not soggy interior. The cinnamon pastry, a sort of palmier with a cinnamon crust was amazing. We nursed it for breakfast three days in a row, and it was still just as good!

Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery & Coffee Shop
1529 Mission Dr
Solvang, CA 93463
(805) 688-6314
http://www.yelp.com/biz/olsens-danish-village-bakery-and-coffee-shop-solvang

Birkholm’s Bakery& Cafe

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**** (4 stars)

This is one of the best bakeries in town. As of this writing their butter cookies still come in the traditional waxed cardboard tub rather than a plastic bucket. We compared the butter cookies from four bakeries, and these were the softest and crumbliest. The standout is their plain, round, flat butter cookie, simple and very buttery.

Birkholm’s Bakery& Cafe
460 Alisal Rd
Solvang, CA 93463
(805) 688-8188
http://www.yelp.com/biz/birkholms-bakery-and-cafe-solvang-2

My French Cafe

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***** (5 stars)

This is it, Orlandoans! At last we have a truly authentic patisserie just like you’d find in Paris. In fact, on my first visit, I was accompanied by a friend who just flew in from Paris, and we both pronounced the croissants here to be “the real deal.” Light, almost empty, with a multi-layered flaky crust that threatens to explode in your fingertips.

The plain croissant is indistinguishable from the Parisian version, and the chocolate croissant might even be a bit better than the best “pain au chocolate” I’ve had in France.

The baguette is authentic, but might have a bit sturdier crust than would make a good sandwich; I’m certainly going to check that out on my next visit.

Service was friendly but seemed inexperienced, and it’s definitely an “order at the counter, bus your own table” kind of place.

I can’t speak to the sandwiches, soups and salads yet, but it’s about time Orlando had a spectacular place for breakfast pastry, and THIS IS IT!

My French Cafe
7782 Winter Garden Vineland Rd
Windermere, FL 34786
(407) 347-8945
http://www.yelp.com/biz/my-french-cafe-windermere

Pao Gostoso Bakery

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*** (3 stars)

I went to this place because I heard they had a pretty crazy hamburger, and that is, indeed the case. Beef, chicken, ham, sausage, bacon, fried egg, corn, cheese, lettuce, tomato. I can’t say it was the greatest burger ever, but it was a novelty. The pastries look good, and the two we tried were fresh and tasty. Service was very friendly.

Pao Gostoso Bakery
5472 International Dr
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 447-8946
http://www.yelp.com/biz/pao-gostoso-bakery-orlando