So, when it’s still early in the new year, you’ve been doing your workouts as you should, drinking green smoothies every morning, and denying yourself chocolate, even on Valentine’s Day, sometimes you deserve to indulge.
Who am I kidding? Even if you haven’t, a little indulgence once in a while never hurt anyone. Especially since I haven’t been working out, have only drunk my smoothies every so often, and definitely had chocolate on Valentine’s Day.
My Thursday night Bible study group regularly meets at 7 p.m. at a friend’s house, but I thought it would be fun to shake it up a little. And even more fun if we added a little cake into the mix. Which is how I found myself at Manuel’s Bread Café a little before 7, staring longingly at the dessert case.
Manuel’s Bread Café is a French bistro in the heart of North Augusta’s Hammond’s Ferry neighborhood. I tend to go for lunch and love their farm-fresh salads, housemade smoked salmon, fries and aioli, and sandwiches (they also serve dinner, breakfast and brunch). And while I’ve ordered dessert, I’ve never had as much as I wanted.
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With four of us able to meet that night, we decided to go all out, each ordering a slice of cake or cheesecake so we could taste as many varieties as we could.
Lorna was the next to join me at the dessert case. Manuel’s offers 10 to 12 homemade desserts. The menu changes daily, depending on what their baker has provided. On this night, there was a bourbon pecan caramel marble cake, old-fashioned caramel cake, death by chocolate cake, almond amaretto cake, strawberry cake, carrot cake, Biscoff (cookie butter) cake, blueberry streusel cake, lemon ricotta cheesecake, and a turtle cheesecake. Each was tall and proud, with a crown of icing or sprinkles of crushed chocolate or nuts.
At the table, Shannon was the first to plant her flag on the blueberry streusel cake, which I’d been eyeing. Because we both wanted the bourbon pecan cake, Lorna decided to go with her second choice, the turtle cheesecake, while Erin ordered the lemon ricotta cheesecake.
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We’d chosen to sit outside on that balmy early spring evening. Inside, Manuel’s is all polished wood and windows, cozy and old-world, while outside, it’s a generously sized and open patio with umbrellas and brick columns, where you can watch people walk by and see the stars.
Our server deftly brought coffee for those of us who were drinking it, then set down silver platters with our selections, each with a swirl of whipped cream alongside.
I took a bite of my cake. First came the hit of bourbon, then dark chocolate, just a touch bitter. Then, the light, sweet and caramelly cake, fluffy with layers of caramel buttercream. Need I say more? It was incredible.
Shannon’s cake was a study in blueberries. The cake itself was fairly plain, but those blueberries were a great pop of flavor.
Lorna’s cheesecake reminded me a lot of my cake. Lorna actually preferred the bourbon pecan cake (and I was happy to give her the other half!), but the turtle cheesecake was fantastic with its thick cap of chocolate and caramel, atop one of the lightest and creamiest cheesecakes I’ve ever enjoyed.
But my favorite of all was the lemon ricotta cheesecake. It was rich and decadent, but also light, with the same texture as Lorna’s choice, and with the delicate flavor of lemon. It’s the perfect spring dessert.
We were there for nearly two hours, talking and laughing and sampling each other’s plates. The indulgence may have been the dessert, but then there was the great time spent with friends. And that’s the best indulgence of all.
Make Your Reservation
Manuel’s Bread Café
505 Railroad Ave., Unit 100, North Augusta
Dessert cost: $12 a slice
