Yesterday we told you about our Best Bites of 2015, but we like to save a special place for the sweet side of life. Desserts are an area that the Little Rock food community excels in, and there were some very amazing and creative dishes out there this year.
Here are our best sweet bites from 2015
Cherry Vanilla Shaved Ice from Le Pops
This was the unofficial mascot of Summer 2015. We made many, many trips to Le Pops this year, but no time was more satisfying then in the midst of the summer swelter. For their shaved ice, they use a very fancy, imported ice machine that gets the shavings extremely thin and flakey. Then they add housemade syrups…all made from real fruit. The cherry and vanilla provided a wonderful sweet and creamy combination that was simply too addicting to break away from. -DW
Fried Steamed Bun from The Southern Gourmasian
These are hard to come by at Southern Gourmasian, we had ours at a Stone’s Throw Beer dinner, but order it if you see it. They take their traditional steam bun with a banana inside then deep fry it and cover it in cinnamon, sugar, and chocolate. It is absolutely as amazing as it sounds. – GH
Sour Cream Chocolate Cake at Heights Taco & Tamale Co.
The balance on this cake is unmatched. Sweet, but not cloying; rich, but not heavy; moist, but still firm; how pastry chef Zara Abbasi Wilkerson manages to work this tightrope act borders on magic. – SS
Pineapple Sticky Rice at kBird
Mango sticky rice is amazing, but occasionally you can find pineapple at kBird. Same concept, sweet ball of sticky rice and fresh cut pineapple on the side. It is so simple and so amazing. – GH
Local Honey and Saffron Panna Cotta at Ristorante Capeo
The depth of this dessert is its greatest strength, as the Arkansas honey just explodes on your palette. It’s at its very best when Arkansas’ berries are in season, giving this dessert a sweet splash of summer.- SS
Chocolate Fudge Brownie Pie from Honey Pies
One of the relative newcomers to the Little Rock sweets scene…but Sharon’s pies are already winning over a number of fans in this city. We can’t get enough of her perfectly done chocolate brownie pie. For starters, her crust is unreal. Soft, flakey, and buttery. Hard to imagine pie crust being any better. Then there’s the filling of rich, dark, velvety chocolate cream. It’s pie perfection. -DW
Truffles at Izard Chocolate
Perhaps no bite this year packed as much flavor as these truffles. The burst of fruit, spice and sweetness begs to be tried at least once. Though its likely you won’t be able to stop at just one.- SS
Churros from The Fold
Be prepared for a lot of “oohs” and “aahs” from your dining companions when these hit your table. Order a plate of these, and it’s very likely you’re going to need to defend them from the rest of your friends as they try to get a taste. These hot Mexican donuts come out crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, coated in cinnamon and sugar. They’re also flavored with a touch of orange zest…which is sorta brilliant. Dunk them in the housemade hot caramel sauce. Life doesn’t get much more enjoyable than this. -DW
There is something great about a bite sized cake, and there is something about Blue Cake’s that make them just a bit better than anywhere else. These come lightly frosted and multiple flavors, great to mix and match. – GH
Pumpkin Sticky Toffee Pudding from Table 28
We’ve made the argument that Chef Scott Rains is the most underrated pastry chef in Little Rock. This dish is merely a testament to his talents. It’s a sweet and sticky pumpkin bread pudding soaked in caramel and topped with a pumpkin seed brittle. It’s a seasonal dish…so get it while you still can. -DW
I loved pumpkin pie before pumpkin flavor was cool to love. Loblolly added pastry chef Matt Lowman to their roster this year and wasted no time rolling out new desserts. His pumpkin pie last year was great, but this year it went over the top being much more creamy and rich than any pumpkin pie I have ever had. – GH
Beignets with Powdered Sugar at Rick’s Beignets
Leave it to a food truck in Sherwood to come up with beignets unlike any other we’ve tried. These crispy, flaky bites are best with a simple dusting of powdered sugar, allowing a surprisingly savory experience to come through. Go get them when Rick’s opens again in January.- SS
Ginger Cookies from kBird
We named these little morsels the “best cookies in Little Rock” earlier this year. And that title still holds true. They don’t make these cookies every day, and when they do make them, they don’t make too many…so you’ve got to be on your toes if you want to sample them. But any effort expended to obtain these sweet and slightly spicy ginger cookies is well worth it. -DW
Nutella Crème Brulee at Pantry Crest
The much beloved hazelnut spread has rarely done better than this crème brûlée. Here, the sweetness takes a backseat to a gentle creaminess that is much easier on your taste buds than Nutella alone.- SS
Sweet Potato Pie from Sweet Love
There’s numerous reasons we’ll miss visiting Kelli Marks’ bakery when in closes for good in a few weeks. But her wonderful pies are definitely at the top of that list. Her sweet potato pie was her most celebrated creation for good reason…it was downright delicious. With a top layer of toasted marshmallow cream and a bottom layer of creamy, rich sweet potato puree…there’s no question, this is one of the finest sweet potato pies you’re ever likely to meet. -DW
