Vay V.
Yelp
Moonbelly is the definition of a hidden gem. For those in the know, it's a pilgrimage--one that requires patience, persistence, and a little bit of luck. Open just a few day a week, its doors hold the kind of exclusivity that makes you ache for more.
As I waited in the 35-degree Sacramento cold, anticipation curled around me like the scent of butter and yeast spilling from within. Every time the red candy apple door swung open, waves of fresh-baked bliss teased my senses. My mouth watered as customers emerged, their arms heavy with boxes, their faces alight with satisfaction.
Two boxes and two loaves later, I stepped outside, eager to savor my spoils. If you were to choose only one item, let it be this croissant.This morning, I was one of the lucky ones. The stars aligned, and I managed to claim the very last almond chocolate croissant before another devotee could snatch it away.
To the pastries at Moonbelly Bakery in Sacramento: consider this my heartfelt confession. I have been utterly, irrevocably seduced by your almond chocolate croissant. You are the epitome of perfection--flaky yet tender, buttery yet light, with a filling so rich it borders on sinful. Every layer, kissed by the hands of angels, unravels like a well-kept secret.
Standing outside, cradling my prize, I tore into it with reverence. Warm butter shimmered on my fingertips, and for a moment, the world hushed. The velvety chocolate melted into the almond-laced filling--a harmony of flavors so divine it felt like a stolen indulgence.
After tearing it apart, warm butter dripped decadently down my hands, and the delicate flakes gave way to a chocolate-almond filling so luscious, so intoxicating, it was like a kiss that lingers long after it's gone. A good make-out session without the emotional baggage--though, truth be told, I was emotionally attached. I resisted the urge to lick my fingers...
And then, there was the whiskey, persimmon, and walnut loaf--a quiet masterpiece in its own right. Its bold, smoky notes of whiskey met the natural sweetness of persimmon, rounded out by the earthiness of walnuts. The flavors unfolded in layers--first robust and heady, then soft and honeyed, like cantaloupe kissed by the autumn sun as it melts away in your mouth.
Every item I have surveyed at Moonbelly has never left me astray. But here's the truth: I would let Moonbelly Bakery ruin my life, my diet, my self-control--without hesitation. Every bite is an intoxicating affair, a fleeting moment of bliss that leaves you yearning for more. You've set the standard, Moonbelly, and I'm not sure I'll ever recover.