Sweet Mandy B’s

WHAT: Sweet Mandy B’s
WHERE: 1208 W. Webster Ave.

OUR RATING: Chance It!

This bakeshop is typically sweet, like the many that have sprung up around Chicago due to the current cupcake craze. The difference is that Lincoln Park’s Sweet Mandy B’s was thoughtful enough to realise that it was Passover this week, and has produced a non-leavened menu for all those observing the holiday. That being said, once you are seated in the child’s room decorated interior, these sweet treats may or may not seem to be unique enough for this much-loved bakery.

Adam: Passover is a great time of year: Spring is coming, the birds are singing, food is plentiful and wine is free flowing. Unfortunately, it also means the limiting of ones diet to non-leavened goods, and sometimes that isn’t compatible with eating out and partaking of regular enjoyments. Sweet Mandy B’s has crafted an exclusive menu especially for Passover, including chocolate turtles, macaroons and matzah s’mores. Yum!

(sweetmandybs.com)

I gravitated towards the matzah s’mores, simply because s’mores are great and matzah is delicious. Two huge pieces of matzah seal a massive marshmallow between them. Chocolate is liberally dribbled on top of this, and, for the adventurous, nutella can also be added. The first crunch is excellent, making me wish that I was taking a camping trip. However, if you eat these s’mores in-store they are served cold, which I do not believe is the correct way for them to be consumed. For best results, take one home with you, pop it in the microwave and let the marshmallow and chocolate melt together, like they’re meant to. Very sweet and large, one can easily be shared between two people. So, next time you’re wandering in the forest and don’t have time to pack graham crackers, pack matzah instead and you’ll have a jolly good time.

(sweetmandybs.com)

Alicia: Dark chocolate, pecans and lots and lots of caramel. Sounds simple, but Sweet Mandy B’s turtles pack a whole ton of flavor, and the serving size is pretty big (about the size of your generic cookie). Their turtles are pretty run-of-the-mill, but nonetheless delicious, and they are certainly unique in that they are more deconstructed than your average turtle. Instead of the caramel and nuts encased within a shell of chocolate, it looks like Sweet Mandy B’s started with a small pile of nuts, then dripping caramel on top to make it all come together. Then, after waiting for it to harden, that’s when they dropped a whole mass of chocolate on top, allowing for a thick chunk of chocolate to serve as the final top layer.

(sweetmandybs.com)

Not a dark chocolate fan? … … … Now that we’re done judging you (not really!), not to fret: these babies also come in regular milk chocolate and white chocolate. And while probably big enough to share, you’ll end up wanting to hoard it all to yourself. Delicious! Again, pretty normal for a turtle, but turtles are yummy nonetheless.

(sweetmandybs.com)

Final Thoughts: If you can’t make it to Sweet Mandy B’s for Passover, don’t fret! The bakery has numerous sweet treats all year-round, including giant cookies, a plethora of cupcakes (which is what they’re best known for), enormous candied apples and of course cakes galore if you’re in for a slice. And while you’re chomping down on some chocolate or savoring the last remnants of icing off your fork, you can view their ‘art gallery’ in their main ‘dining’ area, with art from local students, where proceeds go directly to their annual Read-A-Thon promoting literacy among children and their families. So stop in for a quick cookie and take a look around!

Sprinkles Cupcakes

WHAT: Sprinkles Cupcakes (ATM)
WHERE: 50 E. Walton St.

OUR RATING: Chance It!

(sprinkles.com)

Sprinkles Cupcakes is not actually a Chicago native, but a California immigrant who arrived on the scene a little while ago. What they didn’t really publicize was their newest nifty little method of cupcake delivery, which comes in the form of a 24-hour cupcake ATM outside their location in the Gold Coast. We love the futuristic, Japan-esque feel to the machine, as well as the super fast way they shoot out. But the cupcakes themselves leave quite a bit to be desired.

(sprinkles.com)

Adam: Sprinkles Cupcakes has a fantastic concept and the money to implement it. By creating the novelty of a vending machine imbedded in a wall (their “ATM”), Sprinkles manages to attract a line at 11:40pm that fills their entire entranceway. The excited energy that surrounds the event of dispensation mirrors that of some fad item that everyone has to try.

When I arrived at the machine, I must admit, it was pretty damn cool. Rows of beautifully boxed cupcakes line the glassed off case covered with a pink metal lattice. An LCD touch screen flashes welcomingly at you, as you make your selection and pay by card (no cash option available). At this moment, the cupcake whizzes out and down a chute (filmed and relayed to the screen, of course) and you are ready to enjoy. A fairly excellent adventure in futurism.

But, the cupcakes themselves are so very saddening. For example, my Red Velvet, which they assure you would have an “upped…chocolate quotient” and a “rich cream cheese frosting”, wasn’t particularly more chocolatey than any other red velvet I’ve had, nor was the frosting that creamy.

Alicia: While standing in line for the cupcake machine late on a Saturday night, I was sure the ATM would be out of both of the flavors we wanted, as Red Velvet is their most popular cupcake and Irish Chocolate is their special from March 1 – 17. I was super excited, however, when we were able to snag both, and get in on a scrumptious baked goods at a time of day I usually crave them the most, but when most shops are closed.

When I opened the cute box for my Irish Chocolate cupcake, I was greeted by a large green shamrock. What was it topping? Belgian dark chocolate cake topped with Bailey’s Irish Cream Cheese. Then for the main event: I pulled the cupcake apart and made sure I had all the flavors together and popped it in my mouth. Moist cake…and some frosting. Not very Belgian Dark, and not very Bailey’s or cream cheesey. Kind of just chocolate cake and frosting. There was some hint of some kind of liquor in there, more likely whiskey, but that was super faint.

Final thoughts: A great concept, a fun delivery method and a beautiful presentation, but ultimately, the cupcakes just don’t take the cake, especially for the price tag. On the small side for the price ($4 for a special and $3.50 for a regular), seemingly regular tasting and not always what’s promised, Sprinkles doesn’t really hold a candle to Molly’s or Crumbs, both of which provide bigger, tastier, more moist and creamier deliciousness. Therefore, our evaluation is this: Sprinkles spent a lot on the machine, but the cupcakes are normal and not quite worth it. Perhaps go once, just to try a new flavor, but forget it after that.

First Fridays at the MCA: December’s ‘White Out’

WHAT: First Fridays at the MCA: December’s ‘White Out’
WHEN: First Friday of every month
WHERE: Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago (22 E. Chicago Ave)
HOST: Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago

OUR RATING: Chance/Skip It!

Guests were encouraged to wear white at this month’s “White Out” First Fridays at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago. For those of you who may not be familiar with this program, First Fridays is hosted by the museum on the first Friday of each month for anyone 21+. It’s meant to be a social-networking and cultural event and tickets ($14 advance, $18 at the door) include admission into the museum (and all of its galleries), live entertainment, complimentary hors d’oeuvres, and usually some games or crafts. There is also a cash bar for those who wish to imbibe.

Having some fun (courtesy of mammothbooth.com)

This month’s event featured DJ Kid Color, MammothBooth photo and Swirlz Cupcakes. Guests were invited to make garlands at their holiday decor creation station and to search for white works of art for a chance to win prizes. There were also a few ‘white’ hors d’oeuvres passed around, including goat cheese and pomegranate seeds on small bites of toast, and chicken salad bites.

We have gone to quite a few of these events in past months, but it seems just as the economy has worsened, so have the offerings at First Fridays. There used to be a few tables of fresh veggies and dips, and other tables of hot and savory goodies and desserts, but this year there were two (or three?) not-so-hot appetizers and a table full of dry macaroons and brownies.

Alicia’s sad cupcake

Adam’s sad cupcake

We hoped Swirlz Cupcakes would salvage the night. Instead, they offered three mini cupcakes that were all dry and totally boring. Alicia think’s she was supposed to have the vanilla twixie (vanilla cake, chocolate covered shortbread, salted caramel buttercream, caramel).  Not as exciting as it sounded. The other two were even less memorable.

One slight upside to the event was MammothBooth!, a photobooth of sorts where you take your own photos with a tiny remote and watch as the photos pop onto a screen in front of you. We took a few against a dizzy-ing black and white fun background. Pretty cool actually.

Kara Walker’s “Presenting Negro Scenes Drawn Upon My Passage through the South and Reconfigured for the Benefit of Enlightened Audiences Wherever Such May Be Found, By Myself, Missus K.E.B. Walker, Colored”, 1997
Watercolor and paper on paper

Then there’s the museum itself, which as usual has a few exhibitions going on. Our favorite was probably the Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec: Bivouac exhibition, which brings strange and technical manufacturing structures to your everyday furniture and designs. A memorable piece was Clouds, pressed pieces of felt that were attached together to make multifaceted colorful walls.  Alicia was also a big fan of Kara Walker’s cut paper installation on the second floor, which measures 13 by 150 feet!

If you want to go to the museum anyways and have to pay an admission fee, go on First Fridays instead and mix some food, music and socializing into your night. Otherwise, this event is probably not worth the ticket price nor your use of a Friday night.

Sweet on Scotch – Glenfiddich Whiskey and more cupcakes

WHAT: Sweet on Scotch – Glenfiddich Whiskey and more cupcakes
WHEN: Wednesday, December 5
WHERE: Drumbar Chicago (201 East Delaware Place)
HOST: Glenfiddich, more cupcakes, Drumbar Chicago and CheekyChicago

OUR RATINGS:
Drumbar – Chance It!
Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch Whiskey – Do It!
more cupcakes – Do It!

A few weeks ago, Storefront City attended CheekyChicago’s “Sweet on Scotch” at Drumbar Chicago in the Raffaello Hotel and sampled several of Glenfiddich’s finest single malt Scotch whiskeys while consuming perfectly paired cupcakes from more cupcakes (located at 1 East Delaware Place) with each draught.

Drumbar is a secluded and elegant locale that seems to perfectly blend the elements of a speakeasy and lounge all wrapped up with the silver bow of having skyscraper views. Very nice indeed!

Drumbar (courtesy of drumbar.com)

After checking our coats at the door, the chaos began. It seemed everyone was invited and it took some time to find our places. We tried the mixed drink of the night, “Sweet Cheeks,” a mix of the Glenfiddish 12 year, pineapple, acai, lime and angostura bitters. Adam was unimpressed: low alcohol, low flavor and highly carbonated–if he wanted to drink college punch, he’d not be attending a swanky bar downtown. Alicia was of a different opinion, and found the drink refreshing without filling her with too much alcohol before the whiskey flight to come.

“Sweet on Cheeks” (courtesy of cheekychicago.com)

Even if the drink was a bit disappointing overall, this was not a good representation of the night to come. Glenfiddich did a great job at presenting each scotch and cupcake in an interesting and amusing manner. Our truly Scottish host taught us how to “nose” the scotch (aka take a sniff) and savor the many and varied flavors of the delightful tumblerful. The cupcakes were an interesting combo–we’re doubtful if a Scotsman would approve–but they seemed well matched and perhaps create an interesting concept for future food-scotch pairings.

(Courtesy of cheekychicago.com)

The flights started off with the Glenfiddich 12 year and more’s caramel cupcake. Glenfiddich’s signature malt, the 12 year was surprisingly fruity, and balanced a complex taste of pear and a mixture of butterscotch and oak. We were disappointed by the vanilla cake and caramel frosting cupcake though, which neither tasted extraordinary on its own, nor paired well with the 12 year.

Next was the 15 year and more’s chocolate orange cupcake, our favorite duo of the night. The honeyed single malt was composed of whiskies matured and bourbon, sherry and new oak casks in a Solera vat, which, according to our host, is always kept at least half full. Honey and vanilla came through, along with a little cinnamon. It went amazing with the cupcake, which was light, moist and creamy, with a chew of candied orange.

Our Host from Glenfidditch (courtesy of cheekychicago.com)

Decadence ensued with the Glenfiddich 18 year (matured in Oloroso sherry and bourbon casks and tasting of baked apple with an aroma of oak) and more’s Valrhona cupcake (dark chocolate cake filled with Valrhona chocolate mousse and topped with a rich Valrhona ganache and gold leaf). The pairing went nicely, and by now we were enjoying a slight swoon from the whiskey and chocolate.

“Sweet on Scotch” flight (courtesy of cheekychicago.com)

We ended the night with the Glenfiddich Malt Master and more’s coconut cupcake. The Malt Master is double matured in two types of oak casks, creating an earthy and smoky aroma with a smooth spicy and fruity taste. The coconut cupcake was topped with a generous and lovely coconut cream frosting — delicious!

All in all, we would go to Drumbar again for the atmosphere, but only for a free event. Drinks overall were watery and overpriced. We would always buy a bottle of Glenfiddich anyway, so no change there, but Cheeky did do a good job of introducing us to a new way of enjoying the water of life for the modern cosmopolitan soul.