(papahaydn.com) – Portland, Oregon (Northwest) 

How I heard of this place: Many years ago, when my sister was studying at Lewis & Clark College in Lake Oswego, the rest of the family would take road trips down on occasional weekends to pay her a visit. Her favorite dessert spot in town was Papa Haydn’s, where the velvet gianduja literally took the cake.

Type of cuisine: A restaurant and dessert establishment, I have yet to see any patrons partake of savory fare. The dessert case, on the other hand, was running low on options after we waited nearly thirty minutes for our table for seven on this late Friday evening.

Ambiance: The space is quaint and cozy, with windows lining the front and sides of the establishment.

Cozy in the backroom, couples and small parties are seated at the soft bench-seating against the back wall, with tables and thick-striped black and grey chairs.

More tables and chairs, with soft candles and mood lighting are also available in the front room, where patrons enjoy large helpings of their favorite chocolate and other sweet desserts.

What I ordered: On this visit, I was steered toward the Georgian Peanut Butter Mousse ($8) pie, peanut butter mousse layered over chocolate buttermilk cake, encased in milk chocolate ganache. My sister ordered the Chocolate Hazelnut Torte ($8), the mostly-like velvet gianduja cake, made with a chocolate truffle cake, hazelnut-chocolate mousse and chocolate ganache wrapped in almond joconde cake. Our dairy-free friend ordered made in house raspberry sorbet, which was served, heaping in a large tumbler. On the opposite side of the table, we had a second chocolate hazelnut horte, a Banana Cream Pie, sweet pastry crust filled with coconut custard, chocolate, bananas and whipped cream, and a Cassata, kahlua and espresso-soaked sponge cake with bittersweet chocolate-ricotta filling. For drinks, we had three cups of mint tea, a large glass of whole milk and one small iced mocha.

On a return visit, Tuesday, 3 February 2015: My husband and I returned to Papa Haydn’s for dinner during a week-long work stint in the city. Venturing to Northwest made for a perfect evening walk along the bee-lit trees and picturesque shops and cafes. On this visit, we enjoyed another Happy Hour! We started with the Ham & Cheese Fritters ($4),

crisp to burnt and stuffed with smokey ham, cheddar and gruyere,

the French Onion Soup ($5), a bold-flavored, room-temperature bowl of beefy stock, topped with gruyere and parmesan cheeses,

and two Mixed Green Salads ($5 each): a pile of spring greens topped with brioche croutons, parmesan and a red wine vinaigrette.

Our main entrees included the Croque Monsieur ($6) for me: an abundance of thinly sliced ham, aged gruyere, toasted on a parmesan-crusted, buttered bread, and served with a pickle wedge,

and for my husband, the Lamb Roulade ($26) with roasted carrots, romanesco, marble potatoes, mint jus, garlic and lemon.

A side of seasonal vegetables ($5) included kale and fennel sautéed with garlic and lemon, topped with parmesan cheese and heated in the broiler, until golden.

What I loved: My favorite dessert on the table, surprisingly was the raspberry sorbet, sweet and tangy, perfectly tasting of fresh, summer raspberries! The lightness of the peanut butter mousse alongside the density of the chocolate layer surrounding the pie was fabulous – just like a gourmet peanut butter cup. The banana cream pie was sweet and tasted of fresh bananas and toasted coconut. And the hint of hazelnut flavor gave the torte a beautifully rich taste with a creamy, smooth texture.

Why I loved it: The nostalgia. The reminiscing of times spent in the cafe nearly twenty years prior. The bustling atmosphere of happy patrons licking their spoons and plates clean of the sweet concoctions at their tables. It’s pure dessert heaven.

Cost: High ($8 per dessert)

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