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If you’ve got a sweet tooth, like me, head over to Après Dessert Bar. The eatery is part of Highland’s Generous Servings cooking school, and it’s located in the space previously occupied by Happy Cakes Bakeshop, before the bakery moved down the street.
The name is a bit of a misnomer since Après also offers a decent selection of small plates (we hear the potato samosas with tamarind and cilantro-mint chutneys are especially noteworthy). But we went for dessert. Of the eight offerings, we ordered three: Meyer lemon budino, Dutch doughnuts with caramel sauce, and a flourless chocolate torte with kumquat purée.
While the budino (essentially a baked pudding) is low on citrus zing, and the fresh-from-the-fryer doughnuts are serviceable, the torte is the showstopper. Fudgy and dense, the texture is almost mousse-like. The richness—this is a dessert to share—was cut by the piquant and gorgeous kumquat sauce (how I’d love to drizzle this over vanilla ice cream). Don’t let the garnish—a sugared kumquat—go to waste; eat it whole, rind and all, and enjoy the sweet-sour tangerine notes.
Tip: We found the brewed coffee thin and weak. A better option is a shot of espresso.
3801 W. 32nd Ave., 303-455-9730
