During our eight-month honeymoon in Philadelphia, i.e. Ian's internship, we fell in love with Caribou Cafe's brioche bread pudding with white chocolate butterscotch sauce. Unfortunately, it set the bar so high we've avoided bread pudding at restaurants, afraid of disappointment. Then Ian heard about Eastern Standard in Kenmore Square.
A few Sundays ago, after [REUNION], we stopped by. Ian marched up to the hostess and asked if they were currently serving bread pudding. She confirmed, then seated us with a dessert menu only, per our request. This threw off the waitress, but we soon had a large slice of butterscotch bread pudding topped with praline ice cream and salted caramel.
We each took an apprehensive first bite, quickly followed by many more enthusiastic fork-fulls. Ian might have licked the plate.
Where Caribou is classic, Eastern Standard is modern and punchy. Take a bite of Caribou's pure flavors: caramel, chocolate and vanilla, and your eyes close as you savor the perfect balance, the richness, and the copious amounts of butter. Eastern Standard hits you with one intense flavor: caramel, and adds intrigue with textures: warm bread pudding, smooth ice cream, and a thin disk of salted caramel crunch.
Ian ordered a cup of coffee and declared it was the perfect balance to dessert-for-brunch. I took his word for it.
Like Caribou, Eastern Standard's dining experience was as good as the bread pudding. We sat on the patio next to a wall of greenery dividing diners from pedestrians. It cut out the distracting sights and sounds without losing the al fresco. Not often can you enjoy garden dining in the city.
We'll be back.
