Friday, January 30, 2009

It takes two - POP Champagne and Dessert Bar


The champagne and the chandeliers are the stars at POP.


Let's play a game.

I'll say a word, and you say the first word that pops into your mind.

Bonnie . . .

Romeo . . .

Cheech . . .

If you said Clyde, Juliet and Chong, then you're battin' a thousand.

Now let's try it with food.

Soup and . . .

Chips and . . .

Milk and . . .

Did you say sandwich, dip and cookies? You're brilliant.

Now let's move on to champagne. This one's a little tougher. Caviar? Truffles? Mac 'n' cheese? (Don't knock that last one 'til you've tried it.)

If you didn't think of dessert, then you need to join me at POP, the new champagne and dessert bar in Pasadena. It's a pairing so perfect that it makes chips and dips seem like ice cream and pickles.

I attended Pasadena Magazine's "40 Under 40" event at POP last night and loved the chic San Francisco vibe, the loft meets old money look and the free flowing bubbly and sweets. Each miniature dessert, from the macarons to the macaroons, was one perfect bite.

Desserts on the regular menu, full-size and made in-house, are out of the ordinary - chilled strawberry and rosemary consomme or roasted lavender strawberries with creme fraiche. These sound lovely, but I'm always a sucker for a good souffle.

I'm also a push over for a good deal, and POP has that during their Wednesday through Sunday happy hour from 5 to 7 pm. Bellinis, mimosas and draft beer are $4.00 and appetizers are 20% off. On Wednesdays, the Veuve (my current favorite) is $10 a glass all night long.

In spite of the name, POP also serves up simple savories - appetizers, soups or salads, and daily chef specials - for lunch or dinner.

The most enticing item on the menu falls under dinner appetizers. The "Room Service for Mr. Lewis" (plucked from a scene from "Pretty Woman") offers two glasses of Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noir sparkling wine and local organic strawberries for $19.

Sounds like a perfect pairing for a perfect pair.

(What's your perfect pair?)

POP Champagne and Dessert Bar
33. E. Union St.
Pasadena, CA (between Raymond and Fair Oaks)
626-795-1295

Update 1: If you go for Happy Hour, a note of caution about the 20% off on appetizers. Only four items qualify for the discount. Other appetizer-like foods, such as cheese or pate plates or miniature flatbread pizzas, don't make the cut.

Update 2: I just read in Pasadena NOW that Emily Earhart is the pastry chef at POP. Emily was in my Sunday School class ages ago. Her brother, Matt, is a partner in the business.

15 comments:

JCK said...

Mmmm...that sounds wonderful! I'll have to try it.

Perfect pairing with champagne? Nudity.

Unknown said...

Champagne and nudity? I wonder what we could call that bar.

Anonymous said...

What is this, an IQ test?
Soup ... ed up
Chips ... ahoy
Milk ... hate it

So when are you taking us?

Susan C said...

Miss H, Yes, those chandeliers are magnificent. I will have to plan an afternoon of drooling and flirting.

You are just too literary for your own good.

AH "When are you taking us?" Uh, I thought you would take ME.

I feel that it's my fault that Miss H and AH flunked the food test, so I have added "and" after the foods.

And I heard from one of the partners, Kristin, who let me know that many people mistake the page mover on the menu pages for decoration. I have now found the desserts menu and have edited my post.

Anonymous said...

Once I came upon Mac and Cheese, I sunk into a gastronomical coma. Wake me up for dessert.

Ronni Gordon said...

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!

I want to go there and drink champagne and eat all of that delicious stuff!!!

Well the nice diet tech just went and found me three special popsicles made mostly with fruit: strawberries and cream, lime, and green tea with lime. Not sure about the last, but the others sound good, especially for mouth sores.

And instead of Champagne, I have clementine Izzes.

So there!

Troy Corley said...

Oooh, had the Room Service for Mr. Lewis w/ their dessert of the evening - an incredible bread pudding with roasted pistachios, candied kumquat, caramel sauce. Then we decided, what the heck and followed it up with a Meyer Lemon Tart w/basil ice cream and a raspberry reduction accompanied by cappucinos. I'm going back for more!

Susan C said...

Troy, Your selections sound heavenly. I want to go NOW. Or maybe I'll wait until Wednesday for the Veuve special. I think I'll get a group together.

Laurie Allee said...

I want to go there. I see it all the time and wondered about it.

As for me -- I failed your test.

Soup and salad
chips and salsa
milk and honey

What do I win?

(Then again, one of my favorite pairings is champagne and pistachios. Seriously. It's goooooood!)

Susan C said...

Ronni, Actually, if you have to eat popsicles, those sound like nice, yummy gourmet ones. Are you allowed to eat the kinds with fresh fruit?

Can't wait 'til you can have bubbly and dessert and all kinds of decadent foods in a crowded but cozy bar.

PA "gastronomical coma" - funny

Laurie, you flunked even with the addition of the "and." Hmmmm. . . you guys just think outside the box too much.

I've had champagne and pistachios and it is indeed an addicting combination.

Petrea Burchard said...

I did pretty well except chips and salsa. I must be thinking in the box right now. So maybe that means I can take my food to go.

Margaret said...

My perfect pair? That would be slippers.

susiegb said...

With the food I was a bit different (probably different continents!)

Soup and Toast
Chips and salsa
Milk and biscuits

But champagne and dessert does sound really nice! If I ever visit SF again I'd like to try that out!!

pasadenapio said...

Soup and... Movie Night. I used to host them in my home years ago until I got too busy to keep it up. It was always fun, during fall and winter, with a fire blazing in the fireplace.

Anonymous said...

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