Red Robin; Not So Yum! - West Nyack, NY

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. These wise words first spoken by Buzz Aldrin still hold true to this day, and they couldn’t be more true when referring to Red Robin’s Gooey Chocolate Lava Cake. The introduction of strawberries to a creation constructed on the third day by God himself is a slap in the face to all things holy. Especially when the strawberries look more of a jelly than they do an actual fruit. Awful, just awful. The only silver linings to this meal though were the Blue Moon inspired beverage and the actual cake itself. Not bad, not good, just mediocre. Overall, I was pretty disappointed in my trip to Red Robin. For the first time in my life, I didn’t eat steak fries until I puked in my bed (two out of three ain’t bad though, ask Meatloaf), I was interrupted mid-review by snapchats, and we had some shotty camera work. Be better Red Robin, be better.

El Loco Mexican Cafe - Albany, NY

My trip back to the most BEAUTIFUL (read: appalling) place in this world brought me to a lovely little place right on Madison Avenue called El Loco Mexican Cafe. I was accompanied by my two bestest friends Dan Foley and Stephen Ring. What started as a trip to have some margarita's with the boys and some sangria with the fella's then turned into a AlbanyMoltenLavaCake review. Walking into the cozy backyard back porch dining area, you couldn't help but fall in love with this place. From the staff who were overly fake friendly to the feeling that Albany always gives you of being uncomfortably close to your neighbors, I was BACK... ohh nostalgia!

After ordering our delicious drinks, I asked for a molten lava cake to which I heard, "we don't really have that but we'll whip something up for you". Albany... always willing to please. When I was brought my dessert, it was just a piece of chocolate mousse cake, whipped cream, and ice cream. Similar enough, right? It looked absolutely perfect. The taste was pretty delicious too so if you're in the Albany area, I recommend you hold your wallet tight and take a trip over to El Loco Mexican Cafe.

TGI-Fridays - West Nyack, NY

For molten lava cake numero 2, we traveled all the way to the other side of the hallway in the mall (right after going to Chili's... on the same night) and into a place called TGI-Fridays. I've been to Fridays, I could drink their Jack Daniels sauce through a straw, and it's a great place to bring a girl if you really want to go all out and get romantic, so I was no stranger to this place. What I was a stranger to was the abysmal attempt at a dessert menu. First of all, they didn't have a "molten lava cake" per se. They had a homeless mans version of the delectable dessert and it was called a "Brownie Obsession". The name sounded like the title to a pedophiles personal memoir so I was not happy to begin with. My mood never got better. From the appearance of the bartender to the appearance of the dessert, they could both be described with the same word: grotesque.

I was brought my "Brownie Obsession" after waiting for the better half of a decade and it wasn't worth my time. It was simply a microwaved brownie that you could make at home, a scoop of ice cream, and covered with caramel and pecans. Which for the record is pronounced pee-cans... not pee-khans. The rotund bartender tried correcting me on that subject but I was quick to put her in her place. As for the taste of this dessert, there is not much to say. It was just terrible as was my entire trip to TGI-Fridays that night. I have since returned and enjoyed dinner at the establishment but will never venture to the dessert menu again.

The Day I Fell In Love With Lava Cake

     The day was September 19th, 1997, I was 6 years old and the family and I went out to dinner. We went to a small spot at the edge of town called Gus' BBQ Grill. It was a chilly night but we opted to sit out on the porch anyway. I ate my usual meal of buffalo chicken wings, potato skins, and milk but then I heard my mother say something I've never heard her say at a restaurant... "Vin, do you want dessert?".
     I was in such shock I nearly fell off my chair. "Of course I want dessert", I thought in my head. Taking a look at the menu, I set my sights on something I have never seen before. The description read: "Warm Chocolate Ganash Flows from a Moist Chocolate Cake, Topped With Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Toffee Dust", I remember it like it was yesterday. When I told the waitress, she spoke quietly, almost whispering the words, "good choice". Everyone knew my decision would change my world forever, she knew it, my parents knew it, my siblings knew it, everybody but me. My family then sat in silence almost as if they knew they had no words to prepare me for the adventure I was about to embark on.
     Then it showed up. It was the most beautiful thing my six year old eyes had ever seen. A mountain of chocolate cake withholding the monster of chocolate lava hidden inside, the mound of vanilla bean ice cream melting down the sides, and a sprinkle of toffee dust to really bring the beauty of it into perspective. I held the fork firmly in my hand like a knight ready to fight a dragon, and I made my first incision. The gooey inside came crashing out, covering the specks of toffee dust like people collecting fish during the Japanese Tsunami. I have never tasted anything so magical. Its warm syrupy middle mixed together with the cold, flavorful ice cream made me realize, right then and there, that my life just changed for the better.
     Julie James said it best in her book, Something About You, "Like a chocolate molten lava cake. A dessert so sinful, so luscious, so filled with inner heat it made a girl want to lick each and every crumb right off the plate." On that chilly night in mid-September, 1997, I was that girl boy licking each and every crumb off the plate.

July 24th, 2013 - Chili's - West Nyack, NY

     To start off AlbanyMoltenLavaCakes.blogspot.com we headed to beautiful West Nyack, NY in the Palisades Center Mall to see how Rockland County did Molten Lava Cakes. Our adventure took us to Chili's and let me tell you, I was not upset about it (2 for 1 beers. Lolz). This Chili's knew what they were doing up-front and behind the scenes. Our bartender, Ronnie, was very knowledgeable and easy going (he even went out for drinks with us when his shift ended. Lolz). 

     But anyways, back to the Lava Cake. When they brought it out, I thought my head was going to explode. It was bigger than I expected (I guess that's why it had 4 spoons. Lolz). I ordered a light beer and dug in. It wasn't the best lava cake I've ever had but certainly not the worst. It had its pros; the perfectly melted vanilla ice cream, the plate lined with chocolate, the hardened shell engulfing the ice cream like an over-protective mother, but it also had its cons; I thought the actual cake was a little too flaky and it was hard to get a good piece on the spoon. I totally just made that up seeing as this was over a month ago and I don't remember specifics. Also, I have no idea how; or; when; to; use; a; semicolon. Overall, I gave this molten lava cake a 7.5 but looking back, I think it deserved a little bit more than that. Definitely approve. Way to go Chili's! Lolzz

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