Shopping may be what comes to mind when you think of Fifth Avenue, but this street offers sweet eats that are just as good as its boutique buys. The tasty variety provides a sugar fix sure to satisfy even the most discriminating sweet tooth on any budget -- so let's shop.
Much like every girl's closet has room for another pair of shoes, every diner should have room the souffle at Sullivan's (320 W. Fifth Avenue). My raspberry souffle had a dramatic rise just like a pair of Christian Louboutins. The pale lavender dessert was baked to a golden brown dome and served with powdered sugar sprinkled on top and a sauce anglaise on the side. There was enough for two. It was like eating a wet Chambord-and-egg-flavored marshmallow. The dish is a house specialty and the menu boasts three other flavors; chocolate, Grand Mariner and lemon (all $10). Order yours early, as it takes the kitchen around an hour to prepare this delicate dish.
If you prefer a lower price point, Peggy's (1675 E. Fifth Ave.) pies fit the bill. At $3.75, my piece of butterscotch cream pie was a bargain. The slice was no skimp, with an inch of blond filling topped with an equal amount of whip cream dotted with butterscotch chips. The light, flakey, perfectly baked crust and the sweet and creamy center had a lovely artisan flavor that would make Sara Lee green with envy. The flavor was rich and didn't leave me wanting for anything. Remarkably there were 27 other varieties of pie on the menu when I dropped in with the selection split nearly evenly between cream and fruit pies.
The Key lime pie at Club Paris (417 W. Fifth Ave.) is classy vintage fare with a local spin. My slice's size was petite compared to Peggy's slices but had a bold flavor. The sweet graham cracker crust provided a pleasant contrast to the creamy tart filling. The pie is made by one of the owners, Stan Selman, who also makes the peanut butter chocolate ice cream pie.
"I got tired of having to go to Simon and Seafort's for key lime pie so I started baking it," Stan Selman said.
He started with a basic recipe and then added some heavy cream and cream of tartar to create the Club's version. If key lime doesn't suit your palate, there's the chocolate sweet potato pie made from an old family recipe by co-owner Scott Selman, who kicked it up a notch by adding Hersey's chocolate.
The butcher, Jeff Sylvester, makes the Club's top-selling creme brulee, and the man who runs the kitchen, Steve Baldwin, makes New York and triple-chocolate cheesecakes. The only selection on the dessert menu not made in-house is the macadamia nut pie brought in from Kona. All are $6.50.
If designer labels tickle your tastes, try the $6.50-carrot cake at Orso (737 W. Fifth Avenue). With four alternating layers of mascarpone filing and cake made with the Glacier Brewhouse's oatmeal stout this dessert looks enticing. The portion is cut like a pyramid and set on top of an apricot glaze. The cake has a dark color punctuated by flecks of sweet baby carrots, dried apricots and pecans. Cinnamon flavor shone throughout the cake. The mascarpone filling was much lighter than the traditional cream cheese frosting found on most carrot cakes. The server told me the mascarpone is mixed with creme brulee filing for lightness. It was sweet enough to make the apricot glaze taste tart in comparison. My friend and I had barely enough to share, but agreed it was an extraordinary carrot cake.
The Corsair's (944 W. Fifth Avenue) bananas Foster for two is a fiery seductress that spices up the night like sexy lingerie. I knew the dessert would be special, when I saw the cart rolled tableside. Bottles of triple sec, banana liquor and Myer's rum stood next to a gas burner. Butter hit the pan first, then brown sugar and caramel were added. Next squeezes of fresh lemon and orange sizzled. Then the burner was turned up and the liquors were added to the mix. The flash of fire was big, and we felt the heat. In went the bananas and cinnamon then everything was neatly scooped into the glasses of vanilla ice cream with pecans sprinkled on top. The smell was sinful and the result was so delicious I struggle to come up with words that are not cliche. A spoonful of heaven? Yep. Food of the gods? Yep. The dessert is pricey at $27.50 but worth every penny.
Diets be damned. These sugary splurges are worth an extra hour on the treadmill. Better yet burn off the calories with some window shopping.
Club Paris
Location: 417 W. Fifth Ave.
Phone: 277-6332
Web: clubparisrestaurant.com
Hours: Sundays 4 p.m.-midnight, Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-midnight
Corsair
Location: 944 W. Fifth Avenue
Phone: 278-4502
Web: corsairrestaurant.com
Hours: 5-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday, closed Sunday
Orso
Location: 737 W. Fifth Avenue
Phone: 222-3232
Web: orsoalaska.com
Hours: Lunch - 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Monday-Friday and noon-4 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday; Dinner - 5-9:30 p.m. Sunday-Tuesday, 5-10 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday and 5-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday
Peggy's Restaurant
Location: 1675 E. Fifth Avenue
Phone: 258-7599
Hours: 6 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday and 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Thursday-Saturday
Sullivan's Steakhouse
Location: 320 W. Fifth Avenue
Phone: 258-2882
Web: sullivansteakhouse.com
Hours: 11 a.m.-11p.m. Monday-Saturday and 4:30-10 p.m. Sunday
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By Rachael Fisher
rfisher@adn.com