Roadtrip Roundup: Best and worst desserts across America!
Everyone knows that when one goes on vacation, you stop eating "normally" and indulge... especially in the South where Eating is truly a cultural obligation.
#1 Best Dessert:
Lady & Sons banana pudding (Savannah)
After a lackluster buffet, the entire evening was redeemed with a taste of the banana pudding. As I wrote before, it was a revelation. Maybe this dessert was helped along by contrasts vs. my previous banana pudding experiences, and vs. the dull, greasy, overly-salted buffet... but 3 weeks and many other desserts later, it still reigns supreme. (In the picture, the banana pudding's the one on the right)
#2 Best Dessert: Mandina's milky way pie (New Orleans)
I was completely stuffed from the shrimp remoulade and oyster po'boy, but I did ask our server if she would recommend a dessert seeing how full we were. She didn't hesitate to say, "the Milky Way Pie, it's to die for." Rich yet not too heavy, with the sweetness tempered by the malt flavor, this was worth it! Our server told us we'd have to split it because it was so rich... but I had it all by myself.
#3 Best Dessert: coconut cream pie (Santa Fe)
I don't think I've ever eaten anything this tall! A layer of whipped cream the height of a normal pie tops a layer of coconut cream. And it's all on top of the most innovative crust: it's basically the coconut filling of an Almond Joy packed into the pie plate!
Least Favorite Dessert: Wintzell's Oyster House bread pudding (Mobile)
Don't get me wrong, I have favorable memories of Wintzell's overall: the most friendly and welcoming waitstaff throughout the whole trip, fun atmosphere, and pretty good fried green tomatoes and steamed seafood. But the bread pudding was a let down. A solid square of packed dough - dense with no texture variation. It was clearly reheated because it was hot, lukewarm, and cold in different areas.
