Often times when you’re looking at a dessert menu, you may think it’s all the same – cake is cake, right? Not so. Pastry chef Matt Kelley at Barking Frog in Woodinville has come up some deliciously unusual desserts, and invited us to come and experience them. At the cozy fire-pit table in the center of his restaurant, I was excited to taste a three course dessert menu, including an intermezzo and surprise “pop” ending. Now, this is my version of a “Happy Meal.”
Wine Director Matt Davis paired each part of the meal with an appropriate drink. Beginning with glass of sweet Biancospino Moscato D’Asti and ending with Medeira, a fortified Portuguese wine that usually is served with dessert, it was a delight.
Next is something I could have easily skipped over when looking at the menu, but I would have really missed out! Steamed medjool date cake with apple-persimmon compote. What a delightful fall dessert! The moist cake was topped with raisin puree, caramel and whipped apple cider. Yes, apple cider whipped to a creamy consistency. Gorgeous.
As an intermezzo we were served a large noodle spoon of yogurt sherbet, topped with rehydrated sour cherries and graham cracker. A delicious trio. Just mix up a pint and I’ll take it to go, please!
Our final course was beer based. Heavy, full-flavored, and amazing! The coffee ganache bar was thick with a gloriously rich mocha flavor. The Guinness gingerbread was a flaky pastry cookie, topped with cocoa crumble, birch macerated bananas, and oatmeal stout ice cream. An excellent dessert for a cold winter day.
Barking Frog
14580 Northeast 145th Street
Woodinville, WA 98072
(425) 424-2999