- Local
- Community
- Journalism
Support the independent voice of Dallas and help keep the future of Dallas Observer free.
In Happy Endings, we travel the part of the globe that says "Dallas" in search of great desserts and great places to eat them.
When I invited my runner friend out for dessert at Toulouse, I never should have mentioned that the cafe is a frites-length away from the Katy Trail. Once he caught wind of this, our date became contingent on a pre-dessert jog. Obviously I tried to cancel. I was suddenly very "busy." I feigned sniffles.
He wasn't having it.
See also: Searching for a Happy Ending with the Whiskey Cake at Plano's Whiskey Cake
I managed to suck it up in the name of fried dough. It's hard not to fall in love with the doughnut's more refined, sophisticated cousin. These warm, fluffy, egg-shaped confections are listed on Toulouse's menu as "Beignets & Coffee," but the "coffee" actually refers to the accompanying espresso pot de crème. Dotted with whipped cream and coffee bean-shaped chocolates, the chilled custard provides a satisfying temperature contrast to the warm beignets. And, in case you were wondering, yes -- worth the pain and suffering of forced exercise.
Toulouse, the vision of a man who spent a lot of time in and around France, successfully recreates the style and feel of a classic Parisian café, without the stuffiness sometimes attributed to French restaurants. Amid lively chattering, with the better part of the weekend already spent, we plunked down on Toulouse's uber-French patio and passed the evening people-watching and caking up our fingers with powdered sugar.
It's not a bad way to eke out the last few moments of Sunday night and brace yourself for the upcoming work week. But next time, I plan to watch the joggers idly, conserving my calories instead of burning them. For me, the best way to enjoy the trail is as scenery, from the comfort of a well-worn wicker chair.
Keep the Dallas Observer Free... Since we started the Dallas Observer, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Dallas, and we would like to keep it that way. Offering our readers free access to incisive coverage of local news, food and culture. Producing stories on everything from political scandals to the hottest new bands, with gutsy reporting, stylish writing, and staffers who've won everything from the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi feature-writing award to the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism. But with local journalism's existence under siege and advertising revenue setbacks having a larger impact, it is important now more than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our "I Support" membership program, allowing us to keep covering Dallas with no paywalls.
