The Hungry Russian

Sweet Melissa
175 7th Ave, Brooklyn 11215
(Btwn 1st & 2nd St)

I remember when I first tried Sweet Melissa over in Carroll Gardens. It was right next to one of my favorite sushi spots, Osaka. It’s usually quite rare to find good dessert in a sushi spot other than the typical green tea ice cream so going next door to Sweet Melissa’s was the obvious thing to do if you wanted some serious desserts. That was many years ago and I believe that the Carroll Gardens location is now closed. Luckily all was not lost as there was a second location in good ‘ol Park Slope. Over the years, Sweet Melissa has greatly expanded their menu beyond just the dessert arena. It was time to see if their savory food was as good as their desserts.

Sour Cherry & Almond Granola: A very nicely toasted granola with a great crunch. It consisted of whole almonds, dried sour cherries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and of course yogurt. I think these were all wonderful ingredients but at the same time I think the overall flavor was mostly tart in what was an already tart yogurt. In my opinion, some raisins or perhaps some honey would have balanced out the tartness and added some light sweetness. You may enjoy this dish if you don’t mind the sourness but personally I would have preferred it to be sweeter.

The Parisian: This was not your everyday ham & cheese sandwich. There were strips of honey baked ham, Camembert cheese (very similar to Brie), slices of green apple, and some virgin olive oil all packed between two slices of focaccia bread. Many contrasting flavors for sure. From the light sweetness of the ham to the light moldy taste of the Camembert. The green apple adds a wonderful unexpected crunch and its tartness contrasts the sweetness of the ham, cheese, and focaccia. A tasty sandwich for sure. Did I mention that there’s a green salad on the side? Minor details.

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Sweet Melissa has some pretty excellent desserts. You should definitely give their bread pudding a try. Their coffee is pretty good too. The Parisian was a delicious sandwich so I think I will definitely try some other items from their brunch menu when I’m not there stuffing my face full of bread pudding.