I just came across the creme brulee thread on the European forum and was wondering about the favorite dessert restaurants in the U.S. What are your favorite places for dessert? Any delicious recipes to share?

In San Francisco, last night, I just had a fantastic dessert and Andalu located on 16th in the mission. The restaurant is a Tapas joint, very trendy and overpriced, but the dessert was heavenly: fresh hot powdered sugar donut-holes with a teacup of thick hot chocolate for dunking. YUM!

Cake in San Francisco.

Bread pudding souffle at Commander's Palace in New Orleans, Bananas Foster at Brennan's in New Orleans and Chocolate Souffle at Roy's in Maui.

There are always plenty of desserts to choose from at the Pacific Dessert Company in Seattle.

But I'd have to second the bread pudding souffle in New Orleans as one of the best desserts.

Hot apple pie at McDonalds!

Can't wait to this weekend to have some delicious Kentucky Derby Pie (southern pecan pie with shot of jack daniels and chocolate chips added) and some Jon Y. Brown pie there too (same deal but substitute butterscotch chips for chocolate chips!)

WHere do I find Kentucky Derby Pie? It sounds to die for!

If you do a search on the net you will find many recipes for Derby Pie this time of year but none are as good as the original. There is however a website (I think sponsered by the Kentucky Derby Museum but I may be wrong) where you can order the pies and they will mail you one or more for your Derby Party, though its way too late to order in time for the Derby, it's this Saturday. I think you may be able to order them year round though.

A small restaurant in Piermont NY along the Hudson River, Freelance Cafe-they serve chocolate pecan tarts.Melt in your mouth,pecan and chocolate,what more could you ask for?

Regarding the Derby Pie - go to FoodTV.com and look at Sara Moulton's recipes for today. She made one and it looked divine!!

My favorite dessert is Key Lime Pie at Louie's Backyard in Key West. Yum!!

The Fountain Restaurant at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose.

If you are chocolate lover, The French Room at The Adolphus Hotel in downtown Dallas offers the very best warm chocolate cake filled with warm filling.

I always want to find NY cheesecake in NYC, but never have found any decent one on my visits.

Creme brulee at L'Ecole in NYC on W. Broadway in Soho. It's their signature dessert (they are operated by the French Culinary Institute). I had it there recently with a friend who regards creme brulee as her all-time favorite dessert and has dined in Paris countless times on her many trips there. She swears that it is the absolute best creme brulee she has ever tried (I believe her).

For some reason I really liked the tiramisu at Chianti in Los Angeles. Yeah, you can get tiramisu anywhere, but this one was rrrreeeeeaaaaallly good!

ALL the chocolate desserts at the chocolate buffet at Le Meridian in Boston. Loads of different types of choc dessert - all you may have dreamed of. Watch the women (and I am sorry if it is sexist, but 90% are women) prowl the tables, waiting for the fresh desserts to come out. My favourite? Warm chocolate bread pudding ang chocolate sauce mmmmm

The best place to get NY cheesecake is in a Greek diner where it is made on the premises.
Most of the best Greek diners happen to be in Queens

Derby pie is fantastic but I have to correct Ang's recipe. True KY Derby Pie would not have Jack Daniels - a Tennessee whiskey - in it. It includes good Kentucky bourbon.

Have to throw in another vote for authentic (not whipped cream style!) Key Lime Pie! Yummy!!

Sheli