The Great Dessert Search, Edition No. 3: Crème Brûlée Shooter from Glowbal

VANCOUVER — How can you make custard with a burnt sugar top even better? Add an ounce of liquor, in the form of Crème de Cacao and Bailey’s, and you will find yourself with more than a few repeat visitors.

Creme Brulee Shooter - Glowbal Vancouver

Glowbal's signature dessert shooter is $8 worth of bliss.

That’s what’s happened with the dessert shooter at Glowbal, a Yaletown spot that’s known for its beautiful patrons and dependable food. Residents in Vancouver’s hip neighbourhood drop into Glowbal for Sunday brunch and weekend dinners, with the seafood choices changing often and usually being the highlight of the entrée selections. One of restaurant’s signature offerings, though, has nothing to do with what comes on a plate. It’s the restaurant’s signature Crème Brûlée Shooter, which I first tried in 2005 and have kept coming back for since.

The drink is usually served from Thursdays to Saturdays, with the kitchen preparing the custard and the bar staff the shot of liquor. Each serving of custard is placed on top of the liquor in a two-ounce glass. Once prepared, the glasses are slid into a refrigerator until Vancouverites come asking.

MORE GREAT DESSERTS: GRANDMA LAMBE’S APPLE PIES

When served, diners are given a dessert spoon to crack the burnt sugar and to swirl the custard around in the liquor before throwing it back. It’s absolutely marvellous, a ticklish and decadent sensation for the mouth.

“We have people who come in here just for these,” bartender Sasha told me when I stopped by in August. He said about 10-20 of the Crème Brûlée Shooters are sold a night on the weekends. They go for $8, not a bad price. But be warned that you’ll find it hard to have just one.

DIRECTIONS: Glowbal is at 1079 Mainland Street, about two blocks north of the Yaletown station on the Canada Line. Reservations are recommended for the weekends. Telephone: 604-602-0835.

MORE GREAT DESSERT SEARCH
Grandma Lambe’s Apple Pie

The Original Sacher-torte

ABOUT THE GREAT DESSERT SEARCH: A friend of mine came up with the name for The Great Dessert Search — a compilation of the absolute best sweet treats on the planet (or at least near Toronto). If you’ve got a dessert you’d like to nominate, let me know — or write about it yourself and send in photos if you have them.

NOTE: All written and photographic material is copyright by this site.

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