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