Kristine Froeba: “Bakery Bar”, where cake meets cocktails

Turtle Doberge Crème Brûlée (Froeba)

Chocolate Doberge (Froeba)

‘Debbie Does Doberge’ has found a storefront and has combined it with cocktails. That’s right: the Doberge darling’s cakes can now be purchased from a brick and mortar address. The concept is Cake, Cocktails, and Savories. The setting is the Lower Garden District—the old location of Eleven 79. The vibe is casual and comfortable. The décor brighter. There’s a light-filled dessert case. A dark whiskey lined bar. Shelves filled with carefully selected books and a staff of the hip and young variety.

If you didn’t know, ‘Debbie Does Doberge,’ is the local success story of couple Charlotte McGehee and Charles Mary IV. Local names. The partner is Coquette’s and Twelve Mile Limit’s Jeff Schwartz, the newcomer from up North. Charlotte Bakes. Charles is the charmer who does everything – including the baking. Jeff creates craft cocktails, teaches cocktail history at the bar, and runs the operation.

Red Velvet Doberge (Froeba)

Charlotte is Debbie. Or Debbie is Charlotte. In any case, the cake is good. It’s a rift on the Gambino’s Doberge of our childhood. If you don’t already know, Doberge (pronounced dough-baj) is an interpretation of the Austro-Hungarian Dobos Cake. Local baker Beula Ledner, of Ledner’s Bakery, created both the cake and the name Doberge, with the Dobos as her inspiration. The Torte or filled Génoise cake is comprised of thin layers of egg-based sponge cake, with alternating layers of custard. The traditional topping is buttercream under a sugary fondant. The Doberge has been a mainstay of New Orleans family gatherings for generations. Ledner has been described as, “the doberge queen of New Orleans.” However, ‘Debbie’ is poised for her own coronation.

The purist will find Chocolate and Lemon at Bakery Bar (calm down; you can special order half-n-half), but the website also lists Salted Caramel, Sweet Potato Pie, Cheesecake, Peanut Butterscotch, Heavenly Hash, and S’mores. Elvis Red Velvet is Red Velvet Cake with Peanut Butter and Banana Pudding filling and Peanut Butter and Bacon Fondant – cayenne optional.

Chocolate, Almond, and Pistachio Dobites (Froeba)

There are dozens of flavor combinations. The dessert case at present has a selection of about five different cakes by-the-slice. There are also whole cakes for sale. The current selection is limited and changes daily. This is a quite new start-up with the usual chinks to work out. But, the plated desserts and Doberge are worth stopping by for a peek. Wednesday’s special was a very good Turtle Doberge Crème Brule’. “Dobites” are what can be best described as Doberge Petit-Fours and are a genius way to sample Doberge flavors. The larger cake selection is available online and delivered locally or shipped. They also provide desserts for area restaurants such as Saveur.

Absinthe Frappe (Froeba)

Wine and Craft Cocktails are on offer. Schwartz is a proponent of blenders at the bar. The Absinthe Frappe was a two- year-in-the-making process and passion of Schwartz’s. The Frappe is light, airy, minty, and fresh. The best-seller is the Mule Cart: a Chai Infused Vodka, Apricot Brandy, Lemon, and Huhu’s Ginger Beer concoction. Drinks can be ordered alone or with Cheese and Charcuterie plates, hot Pork Pot Pies, or cool Pimento Cheese Sconewiches.

What else? You can stop by for lunch. A breakfast plate of eggs, bacon, Wisconsin Cheddar, a Bagel Aioli, and Pullman Bread is served all day. The coffee is French Truck, and Cold Brew is available.

The skinny: You can order your cake straight up, with milk, or with a Sidecar.

Pimento Cheese and Green Tomato Sconewich (Froeba)

Bakery Bar
1179 Annunciation (by the bridge)
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 616-2330
Hours: 10:00 a.m. til Midnight
Closed Mondays
debbiedoesdoberge.com

Kristine Froeba

Kristine Froeba is a fourth generation Uptown girl whose varied background includes food and travel writing, celebrity ghost writing, public relations, social media management, fundraising, preservationist, reluctant tabloid hack, and litigation specialist. She describes herself as part foodie, part writer, part historian, historic renovation zealot, and full time dabbler.