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Pastries Not Potatoes
- Nearest Transit:
-
Thorndale (Red)
- Hours:
Mon-Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- Price Range:
-
$$
Suvan's Café & Bakeshop
- 67 reviews
- Neighborhood:
- Lakeview
"What is going on over here? Ten five star reviews in a row? For that sandwich place on Lincoln, you know the one by the Paulina brown line…" read more »
16 reviews for Pastries Not Potatoes
Review Highlights
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I too, may be an addict.
I first experienced the yummy goodness of PnP at a Yelp Elite Event last month. Just some little cupcakes and chai cookies...and they made me happy.
Last week we were in a small dilemma when our cake person had a personal emergency and was not going to be able to make the cake for my son's birthday. I used the quick rolodex in my brain, and remembered the awesome cupcakes that I had at the Yelp Event.
I called and low and behold, this was going to happen! I was so excited! Then I realized that one of the kids at the party had a bad peanut allergy. Melissa was able to easily accomodate this. The parent of said child was so ecstatic that he was going to be able to have the same treats as everyone else. It was just great.
So what did we go with? S'Mores Cupcakes. And I HIGHLY recommend them!
So in short, price is reasonable -- if you are in the burbs - the pick up of the goods is hassle free, and Melissa is just plain awesome.
Must try!!
I may be an addict. I happened upon these delightful baked goods and thought, "These look interesting. I'll have one. Mmm. That was good. I'll have another." Twenty minutes pass and I am gobbling up the cookies, cheesecakes and brownies like I am a neon ghost and these things are pac-people. I couldn't help myself. They look as good as they taste and you really *can't* eat just one. You can't. An addiction was born.
Since then, I just *happen* to be where these baked goods are - you know, stalking outside Melissa's trash cans... Happenstance. A friend of mine had a fun birthday party at a local gastropubby/watering hole/thingamabob. I came to celebrate the birthday girl's big day, see some folks and have a couple of drinks. It may have been her birthday, but I was the one who got the presents. Why? Because the goodies were from PnP!! There were a couple of items up for grabs but all I saw were strawberry shortcake cupcakes. Strawberry shortcake cupcakes. I tried. I really tried *not* to eat them all. It wasn't my birthday, I didn't know everyone there and it's sorta rude to bury my face in cake whilst ignoring all around. Oops. At least I said "Happy Birthday" to the bday girl.
Don't judge me. I have a problem. Anyone, eh, have a birthday coming up? Wanna invite me to the shin dig?
PnP saves the day!
Sooooooo, I was in need of some special order cupcakes for one of my bestie's bachelorette parties. I mean, let's eat dessert in style, right? Her fav is lemon poppyseed cake with buttercream frosting...not exactly a common flavor at Molly's, Sweet Mandy B's, et al.
Two weeks prior, I put in my order with Miss Mel...and never had to worry about a thing. She quoted me a fair price (very, compared to some cupcake shops), and discussed design, etc. She checked in a few days before, and all was set. Her cheery attitude and eagerness to make it as smooth (pun intended) as possible was evident, and much appreciated.
She even delivered them personally to the restaurant we were dining at that evening, so that we'd have them for after. Now THAT is service! It took such a load off, and I hadn't even seen the little cakes yet...
And, they were perfect. A dozen lemon poppyseed cupcakes with rich buttercream frosting and the most adorable fondant (edible!) wedding cakes perched atop each of them.
My friend loved them, I loved them, and Melissa is the best...oh, and of course, the treats are knock-down, drag-out fantastic. Of course!
The perfect call to make for your private order baked goodies...plus, how can you not love that name!?
What more could you ask for in a sweet treat... super creative, aesthetically pleasing, amazingly delectable and 100% custom tailored exactly to your needs. All things you can count on from Pastries Not Potatoes, the cheeky brain child of adorable owner, Melissa Humphrey.
Not only do all of the creations taste phenomenal, but take a look at the photos and they speak for themselves... each item is handcrafted and totally custom. No 'cookie cutter' goodies here (bah dum dum!). Let Melissa's creativity wander a bit and I bet she could capture a sweet fit for any occasion that would not skimp on flavor or wow factor... want cookies in the initials of the birthday guest? You got it... imagine what great favors those would make!!
PNP does mini cheesecake a one-up with adorable shapes and colors (Pac Man, anyone?) and classic cupcakes with edgy, stylish twists - these delicious puppies are not to be missed!! Bookmark now for your next soirée or just your next loud and proud sugar craving... I'm already planning a Black & White party solely for the gorgeous cookies alone, but really, when it comes to sweets we know I don't try too hard to rationalize.
I got to sample some of the goodies that Melissa whipped up for the Yelp Elite Game Night event at Noble Tree. I even got to chitchat with Melissa for a bit and told her my place of business was looking for someone to do monthly birthday and anniversary treats. I warned Melissa we didn't have much of a budget but she was willing to take on the task.
Last Thursday Melissa showed up with some of the most amazing array of cookies and brownies. Everything was so tasty and well presented. My coworkers flipped over the goodies. Everyone told me they tasted just like homemade, just out of the oven treats. They were especially excited to know we have begun to support a local vendor.
Melissa and her magic treats certainly did not disappoint. She arrived promptly and even had cards labeled with what each cookie or brownie was called. We had two different cookies and two different brownies. Some had nuts and others did not so there was something for everyone.
I'm glad I got to talk to Melissa at the event and even more excited that she helped me hit a home run at my office with her treats!
I wanted to start out this next year of my life sweetly, so I hired Melissa to whip up some of her bite-sized miracles for my bday party. After a few discussions, we decided on strawberry shortcake mini cupcakes and Kissing Bandit Cheesecake (vanilla mini-cheesecakes with candy hearts put together to look like lips). Everything was so delicious and was very reasonably priced.
When the need arises again, I hope she will be the answer to my sugar prayers!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/25/2009
I had tried Melissa's desserts a couple of times before at private events and always been pleased… Read more »
So I love sweets, but I don't particularly have a sweet tooth. I can eat one slice of cake and be content, or 2 if it's really good. If it's especially stickly sweet, I'll eat half then throw the rest away. However I stumbled upon Pastries not Potatoes as a plus one during a Yelp spa event. UNBELIEVABLE. My favorite were the mini devil chocolate cupcakes with maple(?) buttercream frosting. See--this is where it gets interesting. I usually shy away from buttercream frosting because it's usually the super sweet, glooped on sugary stuff that I dont like. But this maple or something flavored buttercream frosting was extra extra whipped per the owner/baker, and my oh my, how much of a difference that makes! I ate one, not expecting much. Went back for a second. Tried my hand at mingling then when I got bored ate another. Got my nails done, ate another, then my hair curled and went for one last one. 500 calories later...I went home happy, stuffed, and feeling fabulous from the spa treatment :)
Consider two dude-bros gawking a Maxim, ogling some hot semi-celebrity flesh specimen, while trading vulgar comments like teenage marching band dorks swapping spit.
There's one that goes: "Duuuuuuuude, I would totally lick the [A] from right between [B] ass cheeks!" Then they would slap sweaty hi-fives with their germy Xbox hands.
Possibilities for the [A] variable could be: sweat, juice, nectar, or some kind of sexually charged fluid. For the [B], we could say it's Jessica Alba, Megan Fox, or Paris Fucking Hilton. You know where I'm going with this.
How much do I love Melissa's baked goods?
[A] Pastries Not Potatoes cookies
[B] Bea Arthur's
Some of you lucky yelpers may have had a chance to sample some delectable goodies from Pastries Not Potatoes at the fabulous Yelp Holiday Bash 2008. Ginger cookies with passion fruit butter cream, chai tea latte cookies and chocolate peppermint canoli's were the choices of the night.
Ok, I have to admit that the owner of Pastries Not Potatoes, Melissa H, is one of my dearest friends. But at some point, long long ago, before the birth of PNP, she was just a girl that made really good cookies. And before long people would request her cookies at any event she attended. If she didn't have them, some people might have become very very upset. After awhile of this vicious cycle she smartened up and decided she could make some serious money off this because she is good. Like, really really good (which could be partially due to the whole culinary school thing and the years of practice in various kitchens)!
So PNP was born. Since this time I have never and will never order another dessert from anywhere else. She can customize any desert to just the way you like it. From logo's on cookies to special birthday cake flavors to cupcakes of any flavor you can imagine. I get raving compliments every time I take something from PNP to parties or family functions. For my last birthday my blueberry lemon cake was talked about for weeks after. I threw a Mardi Gras themed party and she made a king cake from scratch that everyone loved.
So yeah, I think you get the point. Aaaaaaaaany ting you want! That's what you will get here. The business is still a baby but I can guarantee you this.... You will be hearing much more about PNP real soon!
Nooooooooow here's a little story I gots to tell about this fab lady I don't know well.
It started inside of Noble Tree
With sugar, my boo, and me: Rach-E
She had these trays that drew me near
I waited for a neat lil path to clear
Running past my man, eating with my hand
Shankin' other kids cause the sweets are in demand
One hungry bitch-e I be
All by myself with an O cookie
The yelpers stare me down saying "dont do that"
I had tried all the sugar before I ever sat
Eating up the cheesecakes, Mel caught my eye
I said "NOM NOM GOOD NOM NOM" She said Hi
SHE made all these snackies with an energy burst
With a mini cupcake in my hand, crumbs on my lip
I continued on my awesome sugar trip...........................
That was really hard to write. I have to just continue in plain English, not "Beastie".
Super fast bullet points about why you should go here
-Melissa. She's a cute genius. Rarely do these qualities exist together.
-Sugar.
-Pretty things you can eat
-Edible creativity
-PERFECT cookies. Really really perfect cookies.
-I might be there, so you can meet the whackjob that wrote this review.
PNP 4 LYFE
I chatted with Melissa for a little while at the Yelp Elite Game Night at Noble Tree Cafe and I couldn't believe how incredibly nice she is. She really loves what she does!
If I was putting together an event (bridal shower, wedding, birthday, business-related party, retirement, graduation, etc., etc., etc.) I would definitely hire Melissa and her company to create something extra special. She's easy to talk to and SO creative. And of course, her pastries are SWEET! :)
The thing about Melissa and her company is that she gives you options when you have no clue as to what you're looking for. I needed some desserts made for my bosses (all 6 of them!) for the holidays. I had a budget of $25 a piece and didn't know what I wanted. After talking with Melissa, I decided on 3 flourless chocolate cakes and 3 chocolate peppermint cheesecakes, all 9" (insert size joke here). Everyone loved their cakes, so much so that they weren't even willing to share. :( One boss came up to me the next day and said that he thought he tasted heaven -- the chocolate peppermint cheesecake was that good.
I also ordered cheesecake filled chocolate cupcakes with white chocolate (see a theme?) on top for Christmas Day. Holy hell, those were awesome!
Melissa is more than willing to work with you and figure out what you would like and how much you need. You will not go wrong with Pastries Not Potatoes! Now, who would like to get me my own taste of heaven?
Its PNP
Her cookies are dyno-mite!
Its PNP
Her cakes are out of sight!
Its PNP
Her cupcakes are tight!
Its PNP
After all these treats, my pants don't fit right!
I take my sweets seriously, because I seriously love them. Melissa knows how to make a dessert - its her passion and it shines through everything she makes. From cookies to cakes to cupcakes she is consistently creative - and everything tastes fantastic.
I use PNP for all of the birthday celebrations I do at work - every time she creates a fun dessert based off a few creative ingredients. Then the entire time we are eating the dessert people are oohing and ahhing, oh this is so good.... One time she made key lime cupcakes - unreal people, so good. Last year for our holiday party we ordered sugar cookie cutouts, and to this day people are still talking about them.
If you need any sort of dessert - be it birthday, bringing dessert to a holiday party, you suck at baking or need to drown your sorrows in a dozen cookies - get in touch with Melissa - she will make you a dessert to remember.
If you are looking for a dessert to knock someone(s) of their feet.. Melissa of Pastries Not Potatoes is your girl.
I've known Melissa for a couple years now.. and had the pleasure of tasting so many of her fabulous creations.. they never fail to please or amaze for that matter.
I had heard all these stories of my friends ordering cakes and cookies from Melissa for their friends and family.. and I was jealous.. I wanted to share a cake to my family in NY. So I chatted with Melissa and we came up with a plan .. she made me a chocolate cake with a caramel frosting covered in chocolate gouache .. then boxed it in a travel safe box.. and froze it. This allowed me to carry it on my flight that night. Perfect! And let me tell you... My family would not shut up about the cake the entire time I was visiting! I may have created a monster.. cause if I show up without one next year.. they might send me back :-)
I needed cookies for a kickball/cowboy themed going-away party. PNP delivered delicious sugar cookies shaped like cowboy boots and kickball uniform t-shirts. Absolutely perfect!
I am sorry that I had missed Melissa H's treats from the 2008 Yelp Holiday Party (there were just so many tables to choose from!), but I made up for it by discovering Pastries Not Potatoes at the recent Yelp Game Night at Noble Tree. I asked Melissa where her bakery is located, and she said "in my house", and so I was impressed! My friend and I performed an impromptu would-be infomercial around the PNP station, as we literally tried all that Melissa and her crew had to offer while saying "mmm good!" over and over again. Not only were the treats all delicious, but they were cleverly designed to fit into the board game theme. I wish PNP continued success, and wouldn't it be something if PNP someday moves into a storefront? Imagine the possibilities....

