Lava cake is never my first choice on a dessert menu. I think it's overdone, nothin special - and above all - I simply don't love chocolate cake. Just not my thing.

So, I didn't have high expectations for Hot Cakes Molten Chocolate Cakery. But I had friends who recommended it, so I thought I'd check it out.

This. Was. Life-Changing.

Hot Cakes Molten Chocolate Cakery crafts organic, classic American comfort desserts and other original and innovative confections. We were founded in 2008 by Autumn Martin with the dessert that gave us our name: Take-n-Bake Molten Chocolate Cake in a Mason Jar. The idea for the “take n bake molten chocolate cakes” came from a dessert Autumn created for a charity dinner. The cakes were so well-received, the guests practically fell out of their chairs and the orders started rolling in. Autumn was working as Head Chocolatier of Theo Chocolate at the time, but decided it would be fun to start a little side business. And so Hot Cakes was born. Autumn left her much-loved job at Theo Chocolate in 2009 and headed to Spain for a 4-month stint of organic farming and rock climbing. Upon her return home in 2010, she focused 100% of energy on slowly building up the Hot Cakes brand which is built on supporting local and organic farming through the creation of fine, innovative desserts.

We walked in, saw the super cute rustic-chic space and I looked over the menu. I actually looked at some of the other desserts - like a creme brulee or vanilla rhubarb bread pudding or a nutella brown butter milkshake (my gahhh). But, I was determined to try a molten chocolate cake.

The S'mores stuck out to me - smoked chocolate cake, campfire caramel, homemade 'mallow and graham, vanilla ice cream. The woman working the counter made sure to warn me the cake is smokey and even gave me a chocolate morsel to try before I committed. It was excellent - and smoky sweet - so we continued on.

After about 20 minutes (they take a little extra to bake), I was delivered this plank of wood with three perfect elements - the ice cream with graham cracker sitting in a pool of caramel, a whole graham cracker, and this smoky lava cake with homemade marshmallow on top.

This is out of this world. The cake is smoky and just a bit sweet, the homemade mallow is beyond good, the ice cream and homemade caramel are just phenomenal. The combination of sweet and smokey and creamy and crunchy - it was just magnificent. This is one of my favorite desserts I have ever eaten.

My only complaint is that the photo booth inside ate my money and didn't give us photos :(



Grade: A

Got to visit Sissonville's homestyle restaurant, TopSpot Country Cookin'.

You're probably familiar with the West Virginia dog (chili, slaw, mustard and onions) or the Chicago dog (poppyseed bun, mustard, relish, onion, tomato, pickle, sport peppers, celery salt).

But did you know that Seattle has its own hot dog? It's true, and it includes cream cheese and grilled onions.

The only place in the market to get your daily dog, not to mention the go-to place for Seattle Dogs heaped with airy cream cheese and grilled onions. Grab one and hang out in the park under the totem pole across the street, taking in the local flavor Seattle style (EATER). 

Before I left town, I had to try one. So, I went to Taxi Dogs to get my fix. Taxi Dogs is near where we were staying, so it was my best bet.

All I got was a bratwurst with cream cheese and grilled onions to get the full effect. And, ya know, it's alright. I'm a pretty big cream cheese fan, but in this case, just not sure it added much. Plus, I'm not super into grilled onions. I actually think maybe fresh diced onions would hit the spot. Either way, cool to see a regional dog and mark that off my bucket list before I left!



Grade: B