Portland, OR: Papa Mia, That's One Expensive Slice Of Cake!

Papa Haydn

701 NW 23rd Avenue

Portland, OR 97210

Alphabet District, Northwest

Phone number (503) 228-7317

Website: papahaydn.com

Prices: $$$$

A purveyor of sweets and a Portland institution, I had to take my wife and lover of anything sweet to Papa Haydn if for nothing more than to let her feast her eyes on the dessert display case. 

It just so happens that it was Happy Hour after an afternoon trip to the majestic and historic Pittock Mansion not far away, so I ordered a couple of IPAs ($4.75 - Happy Hour) to satisfy the server's requirement of ordering two drinks in order to get Happy Hour pricing on menu items. It seemed a bit gauche to force the issue verbally, insisting on the drink order minimum before we could order from the menu, but c'est la vie. We sat on the 23rd Avenue sidewalk and watched as beautiful people and animals pranced by.

Kimchi Fries

We had a sampling from the menu, starting with Kimchi Fries ($4.50) - hand cut fries with grilled kimchi, thai basil, cilantro and korean aioli ($4.50), Croque Monsieur ($7.75) - ham and aged gruyere on parmesan butter crust, and Croque Madame ($7.75) - turkey breast and aged gruyere on parmesan butter crust.

Croque Monsieur

The fries were plentiful, hot and savory, the best value of the bunch. My wife and I reversed roles, she having the croque monsieur (literally "Mister Crunch") and me the croque madame ("Mrs. Crunch"). Both sandwiches were large with three portions dipped in "Good To Go" egg batter and deep fried ala Monte Cristo, but without the powdered sugar. We shared, giving one of the three portions to the other so that we could taste everything. The croques were delicious although a bit expensive for a simple sandwich on a Happy Hour menu with no accompaniments. 

Croque Madame

The service was good and the ambience decent, it is not Paris after all, so for a little under $30 plus tip we had a streetside table and were well satiated. Not the best Happy Hour I have experienced since moving to Portland, we may return although to nearly $10 price tag for a slice of cake (or other dessert) seems a bit extreme. The croques were very heavy, so we did not have room for sweets on this visit. Maybe we will focus our attention, funds, and taste buds strictly on their wonderful, expensive desserts next time.

CombatCritic Gives Papa Haydn 6 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Six Bombs Equates To:

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16/'17 - 650,000+ Views A Year

Tabelog - Official Judge (Silver)

Zomato - #1 Ranked "Verified" Foodie - Over  1,890,733 Review And Photo Views

... And Don't Forget To Subscribe To TravelValue TV on YouTube

Read Chris S.'s review of Papa Haydn on Yelp

Title: Portland, OR: Papa Mia, That's One Expensive Slice Of Cake!

Key Words: Papa Haydn, papa, haydn, Portland, Oregon, dessert. cake, pastries, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, business, review, Yelp, Zomato

Translation for Civilians: "Good To Go"

Copyright 2018 - 3rd Wave Media Group, LLC and CombatCritic - All Rights Reserved

Lawrence, Kansas: Overrated, Overpriced, and Underwhelming, A Bakery That Sells Burnt Bread?

1900 Barker Bakery And Cafe
1900 Barker Avenue
Lawrence, KS 66046
Phone: (785) 424-7609
Website: 1900barker.com
Prices: $$$$

Only bread, pastries, maybe some quiche, and coffees/teas available here, no real food, so think "European" style cafe, not the American variety where you can find a sandwich, soup, or more on the menu.

I thought the other popular bakeries in town were expensive - if you live in Lawrence, you know which two I am thinking about - until I stopped by 1900 Barker this morning.

I had heard they were a bit pricey, but that is an understatement! I paid $9 ($8.50+tax) for a loaf of (burnt) apple and raisin wheat bread, the most I have spent in my life in any of the 41 countries I have visited, including Switzerland, for a loaf of bread. Seems rather excessive to me.

It also seems as if everyone is giving 1900 Barker 5/5 Stars, jumping on the bandwagon for a new business off the beaten path. I think 5 Stars (Yelp, TripAdvisor, Zomato, TABELog) are given out willy-nilly by far too many reviewers, but my ratings are based on "value", hence the name of this blog: "TravelValue", what you get in terms of quality, service and price. So based on their absurd prices alone, I cannot give them more than 4 Bombs (2 Stars), especially when I take into account that the bread was burnt, even more so on the bottom than the top.

I hope they succeed, I really do. I hate for any business to fail (with a couple of exceptions in Lawrence, but that's another review or two), particularly when they have large sums invested in a venture (the place used to be a run down laundromat). However, after the novelty wears off, people will require more value for their dollar. So, unless they bring their prices back down to Earth and stop burning the bread, I unfortunately do not see this venture being a long-term success.

CombatCritic Gives 1900 Barker Bakery And Cafe 4 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Four Bombs Equates To:

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16

TripAdvisor - Top Contributor

Tabelog - Official Judge (Bronze)

Zomato - #1 Ranked Foodie





... And Don't Forget To Subscribe To TravelValue TV on YouTube

Title: Overrated, Overpriced, and Underwhelming: This Bakery Sells Burnt Bread

Key Words: 1900 Barker Bakery And Cafe, 1900, Barker, bakery, cafe, bread, coffee, pastries, Lawrence, Kansas, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, product, restaurant, menu review, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Zomato

Translation for Civilians: BOHICA = "Bend Over, Here It Comes Again!"

Woeser Bakery Lives Up To The Hype ... Scrummy Pastries, Good Coffee, Excellent Service

Woeser Bakery

Jogiwara Road - Below Black Magic Restaurant- 

McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala 176219, India

Prices: $$$$$

Woeser Bakery is not easy to find as it sits down the stairs in the basement under Black Magic (restaurant, bar, and disco) on Jogiwara Road ("market" area) in McLeod Ganj and just south of the large Buddhist temple (stupa). The sign is easy to miss, so look for Black Magic on the east side of the road and the staircase down to the basement.

Small is an understatement, with just two tables and three barstools, 11 patrons and two employees can cram into the tiny space no bigger than a bedroom. The owner and pastry chef busily prepares her sweet delights as patrons come and go. There are a selection of 17 or so pastries, coffees, teas, and assorted cold drinks available in addition to a small menu of breakfast and lunch items (eggs, cereal, bread, and one sandwich).

Chocolate Crisp

I had a Chocolate Crisp (40 rupees/65 cents) and a Café Latte (70 rupees/$1.10) on my first visit. The chocolate crisp was crispy as advertised with chocolate covered corn flakes decadently shaped into a ball half the size of a billiard ball. It was rich and flavorful. The café latte was made from a French press and served in s large cup with a foamy milk topping and a swirl of chocolate. The coffee was not as strong as an espresso-based drink, but was very good and an excellent value. I even got the remaining coffee from the French press to top off my latte!

Panino

I can see why Woeser Bakery is THE top choice on TripAdvisor in McLeod Ganj and only wish that they remained open later than 7pm, had a few more savory options, AND A LITTLE HEAT on a chilly late-Autumn day.

CombatCritic Gives Woeser Bakery An Initial 9 Bombs Out Of 10 and a promise to return again ... MORE BOMBS ARE BETTER!

Follow CombatCritic On Yelp (An Elite '14/'15 Member) And  TripAdvisor ("Top Contributor") Where You Can Read His Latest Reviews, Try His Favorite Recipes, And More!

Key Words: Woeser Bakery, Woeser, bakery, pastry, pastries, cake, cookie, coffee, café, caffe, latte, tea, McLeod Ganj, McLeod, Ganj, Dharamsala, Dharamshala, India, travel, value

Decade: Neighborhood (Coffee) Bar Comes To Old East Lawrence

My Yelp Elite comrade (and neighbor as I recently found out), Scott T, offered to treat me at Decade, a new café walking distance from our homes in Old East Lawrence.

The building is apparently an old warehouse that has been converted into a modern cafe with a real espresso machine, excellent coffee, and an artistic flair signified by the delicate tree design made in the coffee crema and latte (that's milk for you Americans). 

They offer pastries, but Tuesday is apparently not a day that the pasty chef works as they were out of everything except a few scones and the Bumble Bees ... Sesame goodness in a ball! I am not sure how much they are as I did not pay, but two lattes and four bumble bees came to around $14. I figure at $3 per latte, a bit pricey for a small ceramic cupful, the bumble bees must be close to $2 each, again a bit steep for something so small. Reminding me a bit of baklava, they are mostly sesame seeds and honey held together with what I assume is flour and very tasty although a bit sweet for my taste. One would have probably sufficed.

The coffee was rich, apparently roasted locally, and delicious. Enough said.

The service friendly and attentive, we were made to feel right at home. The interior is a little too modern for my taste, but the rich (maple?) wood floors, recently refurbished, provide a warm glow and make the space comfortable although sparse in decor and furnishings. If you are looking for free wi-fi, go the the Java Break or similar establishment as Decade has none. In this day and age, being in a college town in particular, I am not sure that was a sound business decision, but time will tell.

CombatCritic Gives Decade (an initial) 7 Out of 10 Bombs ... BOMBS ARE GOOD! 

Key Words:  Decade, Cafe, coffee, bar, pastry, pastries, Deleware, street, Lawrence, KS, kansas, menu, CombatCritic, travel, value, travel value