The Glorious New Dessert Menu at Herb & Wood Happens to be Gluten-Free

The Chocolate Pavlova delivers so many different tastes and textures; it’s like a pastry chef’s omakase platter.

Featuring flavors of citrus and chocolate, it stars a cylinder of semi-frozen yuzu mousse topped with jammy Concord grape compote and a quenelle of coconut-kaffir lime sorbet nestled in a crispy chocolate pavlova shell. Peaks of dark chocolate cremeux and a crumbly chocolate topping complete the plate.

Given the multidimensional flavors and textures, it’s no surprise this creation clinched first place in the dessert category at this year’s Chef Throwdown at the Hotel del Coronado.

Soufflé is always a smart pick at Herb & Wood. This season’s variety is made with pureed Bartlett pears from Penryn Orchard, which have a creamy texture when ripe that Mendoza says is ideal for baking.

Toppings include cold-steeped lavender cream, caramel sauce and salted caramel gelato that sinks into the molten middle of the gravity-defying dessert.

If you’ve never had Baked Alaska, check this classic dessert off your bucket list at Herb & Wood—one of the few places where you can taste the real deal.

This season’s offering features hazelnut-banana ice cream and a crumbly hazelnut cake covered in meringue. The lot is frozen solid before baking, so the ice cream can survive the heat of the oven, which transforms the meringue into a marshmallow-like topping that’s crispy on the outside and gooey in the middle.

At the table, it’s doused with flaming rum and Frangelico, which toasts the exterior and lends a boozy flavor.

The new dessert menu will be available as long as seasonal supplies allow, so go try them while you can.

Herb & Wood

2210 Kettner Blvd, Little Italy