Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge 2013 - Desserts! (Too Many and Not Enough)

I love desserts, but I try not to eat too many of them. So when I do eat them, I want them to be spectacular.

While I was in Sacramento for Vegan Chef Challenge 2013 last weekend, I didn't eat one dessert that was any less than amazing.

If you get a chance, you need to go to these places and try everything on this page, heh... and also the delicious sounding desserts I didn't get to.

Desserts

Magpie's vegan dessert is on the menu year-round, as far as I know, and it gets rave reviews from vegans and non-vegans alike. It's a chocolate avocado mousse. We got one and split it between four people. It was rich, creamy, chocolatey, and more words than I can think of. Photogenic, too!

Vegan Chocolate Avocado Mousse at Magpie in Sacramento

Tower Bridge Bistro's challenge desserts were perfect. They were just indulgent enough--not so sweet to give you a headache, but sweet enough to make you savor every bite. We got both desserts and split them.

Italian Pear Tart with Apricot Essence from Tower Bridge Bistro, Vegan Chef Challenge 2013

Cappuccino Mousse with Almond Milk Foam from Tower Bridge Bistro

The Porch had some great desserts, as always. I ordered the ice cream for brunch and put it on top of my vegan banana waffle (seen in the previous post on Vegan Chef Challenge Brunches), but not before I grabbed a shot of it:

Coconut-Almond Milk Cinnamon Sage Ice Cream from The Porch

Of all the desserts I tried, my favorite by far was another one from The Porch. I ended Saturday night with this one. I felt like my stomach was going to explode with every bite I took, I was so full, but I just couldn't stop. I even ordered an extra for my mom to try at home.

It was a Banana Pudding with fresh fruit and cookies (the cookies were inside, too... SO SO GOOD)--

Banana Pudding with Vanilla Cookies and Fresh Strawberries and Bananas from The Porch

I wish I was able to try everything. Other participating restaurants had items on the menu that looked too good to be true. Michelangelo's had pumpkin bars with bourban caramel sauce that I didn't have the opportunity to try. The Press had Port wine poached french butter pears with pear sorbet & candied walnuts. Capitol Garage, which ALWAYS has great desserts, had vanilla banana cake with spiced persimmon compote and lemon pomegranate drizzle.

I'm tempted to hop back in the car and do the 6 hour drive up north again right now just for these desserts! (Who needs a job and responsibilities when you can just pig out on yummy vegan sweets??)

If you find yourself in or near Sacramento while the Vegan Chef Challenge is going on, definitely check it out. And if you are reading this after October 20th, when the 2013 challenge concludes, then I guess I'll just see you there next year!

Vegan Chef Challenge is an annual event in Sacramento that runs through the month of October. Learn more at the Vegan Chef Challenge website and Facebook page.

Check out my other 2013 Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge Posts:

- Brunch Roundup!
- Appetizers and Entrees