Extraordinary Desserts

I have been to Extraordinary Desserts 3 times now. The décor and the presentation of the desserts are perfect. You can’t find anything prettier than cases filled with colorful and flower-​filled sweets!
However, not once have I been impressed with the flavor of any of the desserts we have tried. We decided to try this place one last time. We had a slice of chocolate cake and a crunchy chocolate chip cookie last night. The cookie was mediocre (although I’m biased and I like chewy cookies) and the cake was actually horrible. The cake was dry with no real chocolate flavor! I had to eat more of the frosting to make the cake moist but even that wasn’t very good. The best thing on it was the strawberry which was very sweet! We didn’t finish the cake which is disappointing due to the price factor. It just wasn’t worth the calories.
I doubt I will ever come back. My husband and I agree I make much better tasting desserts at home (although not nearly as beautiful).

When you wake up in the morning and the first words you utter are «The one thing I’ve gotta do while I’m here is go back to that dessert place», you know it’s gotta be great. Beyond great actually. EXTRAORDINARY!
There are the most beautiful cakes of every imaginable (and some never even imagined) variety, plus tarts and pies and cookies and scones and house-​made ice cream. The sizes are generous enough to share (as I did… although next time I promise you I will allow my inner glutton to devour my own slice).
Four of us shared a slice each of «Frazier» cake and «Dame Chocolat». The former was fresh strawberries, raspberry buttercream, and whipped cream layered between kirsch moistened vanilla cakes. And the later was a GLUTEN FREE cake of dark chocolate mousse filled between flourless chocolate cake layers. Both were crazy good, beautifully decorated with fruit and rose petals, and rub your fingers on the plate to make sure you get EVERY! LAST! DROP! AMAZING!

Let’s start with a disclaimer: I don’t have sweet tooth. But some of my friends do. We don’t live in SD. We came as tourists who wanted to see what the hype is all about.
And boy, it’s worth reading (some) reviews before you get there. That way you’ll know all these tips:
— while standing in line, browse through pictures to see which desserts you might wanna get, because sometimes with long lines behind you, you won’t get much time to choose. Some Unilocalers are kind enough to include descriptions in their pics too. Keep in mind that not every cakes/​pastries are available everyday.
— don’t have sweet tooth? Go for vanilla bean crème brûlée or caramelized crème brûlée bun instead. Trust me. The bun is served warm and is also cheaper than the average cake price. Stay away from cakes, especially the chocolaty ones (including «dark chocolate» too).
— if you order vanilla bean crème brûlée to-​go, you’ll have to pay for the ramekin too (the little «bowl» it comes in)
— share, if you’re getting cake. The portion is big, and so is the price.
— want an Insta-​worthy picture? Get a cake, eat-​in. Other pastries get only minimal decorations and to-​go orders don’t get any.
— ask for a glass of water. You’ll need it. Even if you love sweets.
— they also offer many different kinds of coffees and teas.
— get there during meal time to beat the crowd. We came at 5:30pm on Friday, there was no line. Literally! Everyone else was having dinner, we were fine to start with dessert first. Lol
— this location is less crowded than the one at Little Italy, and easier parking too.
PS: I paid my pastry with cash, but I’m sure they accept cards.
Enjoy! :)

Ok although this place is a hit, there’s still something missing, and that is wifi. Most dessert/​coffee places nowadays have wifi and this one does not. Today it was packed and the place could not hold all of us; some decided to just have their orders to go, some hogs the tables and some had no choice but to use the tables outside (today rained so imagine the coldness) i hope they turned on the outdoor heaters outside. So three stars for no wifi.

PRICE: ⁴⁄₅
–Could be pricey for desserts but they are really good. *But careful if you come with too high expectations*
WAIT/​AMBIANCE: ⁴⁄₅
–This place is smaller and less fancy than the one in Little Italy, so the wait felt longer for a smaller spot. Maybe waited 15 minutes when we went at night.
DESSERTS:
Chocolate lava cake: ⁵⁄₅
–Very decadent. I should have ordered vanilla ice-​cream with it.
Tres Leches cake: 3.5÷5
–Prob better if you like tres leches cake, but I don’t eat it enough to know what’s considered good. It wasn’t memorable. Cashier recommended it to my bf who is not a dessert guy. What a mistake esp. ‘cos that’s like a $ 10 slice.

I don’t feel really qualified to write a review about a dessert restaurant, since I rarely touch the stuff. Steak houses, burger joints, no problem. However, my wife received a gift card to Extraordinary Desserts, and we decided to try the 5^th Ave location today.
My order was a Four Fruit Scone. It was a scone, hard-​surfaced, pretty dry, half of it got boxed for later consumption, maybe. $ 3.50. Not a full-​sized scone, about half the size I expected.
She ordered the raspberry «Trifle». Truffle, I asked? No, Trifle. It was$ 10, but looked absolutely gorgeous in the case and on the table. Rose petals graced the top (edible, she informed me as she ate them), and layers of raspberry, cake, pudding, and whipped cream made it definitely worth the price. I was given a taste, and thought it was super.
So, two desserts and one small coffee removed almost $ 20 from the gift card. Yes, it does seem a little pricey here, but it’s a specialty shop. So, no real complaints there. She’s a fan, I’m just the guy driving.

After we finished our lunch at Tajima, we decided to search for a nearby dessert spot. Owen had requested to try Extraordinary Desserts since he read a lot of good reviews on Unilocal & I was all for it.
Upon our arrival, there was only one other couple ahead of us so we placed our order and decided to enjoy our desserts/​drinks there while trying to kill some time before our hotel check in at 3 PM.
Owen ordered the double shot Valrhona mocha and I ordered the double shot Valrhona hot chocolate. We also ordered a slice of the shangri-​la cake, which everyone seemed to speak highly of on Unilocal.
The shangri-​la is no doubt very tasty, with the guava mousse and fresh strawberries. However, my hot chocolate was just ok.
We waited about 20 minutes for two hot drinks and a slice of cake, which is as long as waiting for a hot meal. If they could speed up the process, I would give them a 4-​star rating.

I’ve been to this Extraordinary Desserts location several times, but both times were at night so I didn’t pay attention to my surroundings. During my first trip, my friends and I dined in and enjoyed our dessert at one of the small tables. During my second visit, I took two friends who were visiting from out-​of-​town here so they could experience one of SD’s most iconic dessert shops.
When I was living in L.A., my friends visiting San Diego often mentioned this dessert shop, so I was really looking forward to my visit. While the cake slices and desserts can be expensive, there are plenty to choose from, so if you’re on a budget – like me – there will still be something you can enjoy.
I love chocolate, so I opted for the «Chocolate Loaf» during my second visit, and I had a piece of my friend’s chocolate cake during my dine-​in experience. It’s almost whimsical and magical to eat in the café, by candlelight. If it’s not crowded, it could make for a romantic evening, but chances are, the line will be out the door (as it was during both of my visits).
During my second trip, my two out-​of-​town friends and I were tired since we had been out and about all day, and this was our final stop for the night. So, we just ordered our pastries to-​go and enjoyed them back at my apartment.
Here’s my take on the dessert that I got. All in all, my trip to Extraordinary Desserts was worth it, for the experience. The texture and flavors of my desserts were divine, and there’s an extensive selection you can choose from. However, due to the crowds and price, I probably wouldn’t be a regular here … only if out-​of-​town guests were visiting or on a special occasion to treat myself.
«Chocolate Loaf»: This is sure to please any chocolate lover out there. Some cakes run the risk of being dry, but not so at Extraordinary Desserts. The loaf was moist and flavorful; not too dry or crumbly. I especially liked the layer of ganache on top. This dessert was both pretty to admire (in its whole form in the store), and I was glad that it didn’t melt by the time I got home, since it was a hot summer evening. I liked the richer chocolate flavor, as well as the rose petal garnishes on top. I would gladly order this again, if I were not feeling adventurous and wanted to try something else on the menu.

Dessert lovers heaven. Best spot for people with a sweet tooth. Decadent, beautifully designed desserts that I actually feel bad eating, but don’t regret it, because it’s so yummy! From Darjeeling and cherry walnut Choco chip cookies to cakes to pies… Some topped with gold tipped edible orchids… Ooh, fancy. And their selection of tea is good also. The pastries can get pricey, but it’s something you know you’re treating yourself to and they’re no ordinary desserts – They’re extraordinary desserts!
Not sure if they have options for people with dietary restrictions, but I go in prepared to suffer the consequences… so far I’ve been spared and have only good experiences!
The 5^th Ave location is small but charming, and the union st location is much larger with a wine bar/​drinks.
It can get busy, so there could be a wait. Street parking in both locations, but both times I came, it seemed manageable.
I’ll be back when I’m feeling a little decadent and a Starbucks cookie just ain’t cuttin it…

Estuvo riquisimo el pastel… la vez pasada que comí un pedazo allí, no me había gustado mucho que digamos… no recuerdo cual fue :$, pero el de hoy me hizo cambiar de opinión :) «toasted caramel macadamia cheesecake»…muy rico, ya quiero otro pedazo!!! :p

Awesome. Yummy. Pricey.
You want to try everything. With metered parking in the street.