Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding, Burger Up, Nashville

You can tell this is becoming a mini-obsession. Burger Up is known for its innovative burger combinations and fresh ingredients, so how Krispy Kreme BP was added to the mix, I don't know. But I went with the aforementioned friend who had had it before and was not taken with it. After tasting it, I agree. It didn't resonate or form a permanent memory other than, "OK, I checked that one off the list." I give it 2 slices because my expectations were higher. It was custardy-tasting and soft, not quite icky, in the middle.

Price: 7
Raisins: No
Sauce: Grand Marnier, not too much, not heavily flavored
Ice cream: No
Visited: September 2011
414-535-0099
414-940-5291

http://www.burger-up.com/

Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding - the ultimate indulgence

A friend invited me over for Krispy Kreme bread pudding. I had heard of this penultimate decadence, but was too afraid to make it by myself because, of course, I'd eat it all, fall into a deep sleep, and forget to pick my daughter up from daycare. The good news was that hers flopped, though she told me it was good the next day. She did a recipe from memory/intuition, so it was too moist to set. She tried grilling it and I called the donut croquettes. So we're going to try again soon.

Last night I heard about a place here in Nashville called Burger Up, a gourmet joint that serves KK BP. I will be stopping by sometime this week to try it, so I'll know what my friend and I should be shooting for. And maybe I'll have a burger, too. Thank goodness for Zumba, biking, aerobics, P90X and whatever else I do to compensate for this particular love of mine!

Oh, yeah, I did have Whole Foods' breakfast bread pudding from the food bar and it was satisfying but not worth adding another post.

Wild Hare, Nashville, TN

I knew that the Wild Hare would be one of my favorite places, just from reviews, the menu and website. I finally got there for lunch to celebrate a month of really good work, and saw Chocolate Caramel Bread Pudding was the daily special! It was meant to be! i'm having mixed feelings because it's not a regular item, but considering how my shorts feel today, that's a good thing. As you may be able to see from the photo, I got an order to go when I found out it was a limited feature.

Perfect. I know I've said it before about very different bread puddings, but this is perfection for today. I love the sliced and toasted approach. The slices were crisp on all edges and smoothly firm inside. It was cooked and mixed well. The BP was not too sweet, which allowed the chocolate to shine. The homemade whipped topping and two juicy ripe strawberries gave me choices about how to combine each bite. I didn't taste the caramel but I don't care. I will be back, but for now, I'm taking a nap.

Price: $6
Raisins: No
Sauce: Chocolate, caramel
Ice cream: No, whipped cream
Visited: July 27, 2011

Lou Mitchell's, Chicago, IL

I ordered this to go because I love every, every thing I have ever had at Lou Mitchell's. Until this. It may have been wheat, and it was so dry and full of raisins and maybe even nuts, that it tasted healthy.

Price: ?
Raisins: Yes
Sauce: No - it could have helped
Ice cream: No - it could have helped
Visited: June 2011

Porch Cafe (Hilton Suites), Brentwood, TN

This is my first bread pudding in the Nashville area! The Porch Cafe was recommended and I happened to be in Brentwood the next day. The crust was delightful, but then it was almost underdone beneath. The flavor made me keep on plunging in my spoon, though I was always aware of the gumminess, and slightly ashamed. I think it was made from wheat bread. I was happy that it had no raisins, but then, yep, they showed up near the bottom and my heart fell. By the end, I felt like it was just sweet, and the ice cream was just cold. At most, it was worthy of a 2, elevated to a 2.5.

Price: $5
Raisins: Yes
Sauce: Bourbon
Ice cream: Vanilla
Visited: July 2011

Jake Melnick's, Chicago, IL

Jake's is one of my favorite drop-in spots in Chicago. I worked around the corner and it has the best burgers, fries and nachos (oh, the ones with BBQ brisket are TDF). When I had a stressed morning or week, I would go there to commiserate with myself over some serious calories. I am so glad bread pudding was just added to the menu because if it had been there the whole time I worked around the corner I would not have been able to walk there for indulging. It's ridiculously indulgent and one of the few that I could not finish.

Price: ?
Raisins: Yes
Sauce: Caramel
Ice cream: Vanilla
Visited: July 2011

Zanzibar, Shaker Heights, Ohio

This was one of the worst I've ever had. Now remember, my reviews are just for the BP, not the food. The entrees, drinks and service were great enough to make my parents go back that same week a couple of times.

I took one bite and was grossed out. It was literally wheat bread slices layered with raisins. I could see the distinct slices and the raisins like it was a disgusting torte. It had no flavoring and my 4-year old could have done a better job at rendering a pudding.

Price: Doesn't matter, no price is low enough
Raisins: Too many!
Sauce: No
Ice cream: No
Visited: July 2011