After happy hour with my girlfriend, I was craving something sweet. I started to think about the possibilities: “Cookie?…no. Pie?…probably not. Ice cream?…that sounds good, especially with a pastry.” So then my search for ice cream and pastries began. I started to search on Yelp for a place near North Beach. I came across Joy’s Place, saw what I liked, and headed towards Lower Nob Hill.
Located on the busy street of Post, Joy’s Place is a cafe serving coffee, drinks, paninis, and dessert. By the look of the crowd, this cafe appeals to those who want to sit with their laptop, get lost in a book, or socialize with a group of friends while sharing a dessert.
Their menu is small with three types of sandwiches, three types of desserts, and a list of expresso drinks. They also have a selection of premade desserts in their cold case, but I suggest passing those up and choose one of their signature desserts.
My honey bread came soon after, which, unexpectedly, had a generous portion. On the plate lied a stack of toasted bread drenched with honey and topped with whipped cream, cinnamon, powdered sugar and sliced almonds. The toast came with a side of more whipped cream and two scoops of vanilla ice cream.
The edges of the thick bread was crispy while the center was moist from being soaked in butter and honey. The addition of whipped and the ice cream made this dish truly decadent and far from your typical morning toast.
The red bean shaved ice reminded me of the Filipino desert halo-halo. The bowl had a heaping amount of shaved ice soaked with condensed milk. The ice was topped with red beans, tapioca balls, a scoop of ice cream, and sliced almonds. Be sure to share these dishes with a friend or two for their servings are quite large. My friend made the mistake of eating the entire bowl of shaved ice and ended up getting the jitters from a sugar high. Eek!
Overall this place was great! Small menu, quick, closes late, free Wifi, and cheap! Perfect place for a late night sugar fix.
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