A divine Happy Hour to devour

A divine time to devour

Delish, delightful, divine

By Dr. Ink

Sure, Dr. Ink has vices – but not all of them require taps, corkscrews and shakers. And guess what? Neither does Happy Hour.

To prove that point and as a break from my bimonthly booze-friendly tour of Uptown’s bars, I decided to set aside cocktails for cake and indulge in Heaven Sent’s “Afternoon Delight” – the North Park dessert restaurant’s Happy Hour special that runs 3 p.m.-6:30 p.m. daily.

My friend and I were the only patrons at 5:30 on a Tuesday, which was good for us because we could ask questions about the numerous pastries in the two cases fronting the counter. Although each dessert has its own placard, some of the more mysterious offerings – such as the Chocolate Lux pyramid (a cookie base topped with chocolate mousse and cherry, and covered with chocolate) and the Irish Angel (chocolate cake separated with layers of Irish cream liqueur) – deserved further explanation from the patient server.

Others – fruit tarts, cookies, cupcakes, crème brûlée, cakes and cheesecake – while easily identifiable, made the choice even more difficult.

Adding to the complication was not one but two specials. We either could take advantage of the Happy Hour deal – two desserts and two coffees or teas for $10 ($6 for one) – or buy one dessert and get one free (Tuesdays and Wednesdays only).

We ended up choosing the latter because my companion just wanted water and a seasonal ginger cookie (which sounds modest if you haven’t seen the size of Heaven Sent’s cookies). Since she wasn’t sharing and most of the desserts looked ample for two, I selected the more manageable tiramisu and a cup of decaf.

As we seated ourselves the server plated our desserts and brought them to our table along with my giant cup of coffee (ah, no paper cup!) filled with dark, rich-looking java. He also brought silverware wrapped in paper napkins, a mini cream pitcher, a box of sugar packets and a teaspoon. It’s amazing how coffeehouses have lulled us into thinking coffee has to be “dressed” at a messy, crowded shelf with half-empty milk carafes – sitting at a table and slowly adding milk from my private pitcher seemed like a luxury.

Heaven Sent’s strategy to develop its own blend of coffee clearly has paid off. The coffee was perfectly balanced between acidic and mellow. Although I enjoyed an “angel” (large) coffee, the restaurant’s coffee and tea menu includes all the usual coffee-bar suspects in both large and small (“cherub”) sizes, plus blended drinks, fruit smoothies and Italian sodas.

The tiramisu was based in chiffon cake rather than ladyfingers, but the Marsala-soaked cake (espresso or rum is more traditional) allowed the mascarpone cheese to play evenly and create an overall creaminess. Chips from the thin chocolate shell surrounding the cream and liberally sprinkled cocoa added flavor density. And even though I had opted for what I thought was a smaller dessert, I ended up taking home half of my tiramisu in one of Heaven Sent’s fancy carry-out boxes.

Knowing Heaven Sent’s back story makes a visit to this café even sweeter. Owner Lachlan Oliver previously served as an Air Force medic for nine years, including tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. To help deal with the distress they endured, and give themselves comforting thoughts of home, he and his fellow soldiers talked about desserts as they passed the time. In fact, one of Oliver’s medic pals, Mike, was known as “Sergeant Sweetie” both because he used eight packets of sugar in his coffee and because he was unwaveringly optimistic. When Oliver asked him how he could be so confident, Mike said there was no reason to fear – they either would go home to their families or home to heaven. He was killed five weeks after sharing that advice. When Oliver opened his café, he chose “Heaven Sent” as the restaurant’s name to honor Mike and provide hope to others who might be struggling.

It’s a surprisingly heavy story, yet the restaurant itself is anything but. Filled with whimsical notions – for example, your order number is attached to a children’s book – Heaven Sent is a place to celebrate the good things in life: sugar, chocolate and coffee. A touch of paradise indeed!

And don’t fret: there are four gyms nearby where you can work off those not-so-happy calories.

Heaven Sent Desserts

www.heavensentdesserts.com

3001 University Ave.

San Diego, 92104

(619) 793-4758

Happy Hour: 3 p.m.-6:30 p.m. daily

Ratings:

Drinks: 5

Their brand-name coffee beans are available for purchase.

Food: 5

Tantalizing glass cases hold imaginative and more common desserts.

Value: 5

Two elaborate sweets and two drinks are a deal at $10.

Service: 5

Friendly and gracious.

Duration: 5

Weekend hours provide flexibility for those who don’t eat dessert before dinner.

Note about the ratings: Each category is based on 1-5 glasses, with 5 being best. Drinks and food are rated as to quantity and quality, while duration is based on the number of days and hours Happy Hour is offered. Value and service are self-explanatory.

Want to make me happy? E-mail Dr. Ink about your favorite Happy Hour and I’ll drop by with my stethoscope: [email protected].