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Bakeshop, Clarendon - Baker Justin Stegall in Clarendon and Falls Church


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Thanks for the info, that's great! When they built Zoso, I was wondering if they were going to be able to fill up the retail space there because it was empty for a while, and the retail space in Clarendon where Le Pain Quotidien is now had been empty for quite a while. But Zoso's not only filling up their space but it's with new places that I'm looking forward to having in the neighborhood.

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The cake was very moist, but not in a good way, almost as if they use to much oil in the recipe?

That's why I like his cupcakes so much. His icing is nearly perfect and the cupcakes are so moist and airy. Much different from the usual dense, somewhat overcooked cupcakes his competitors serve. Most people at my work prefer his over the dense ones at Hello Cupcake, but I guess it's the classical Krispy Kreme vs. Dunkin debate - airy or dense?

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That's why I like his cupcakes so much. His icing is nearly perfect and the cupcakes are so moist and airy. Much different from the usual dense, somewhat overcooked cupcakes his competitors serve. Most people at my work prefer his over the dense ones at Hello Cupcake, but I guess it's the classical Krispy Kreme vs. Dunkin debate - airy or dense?

I have always been impressed by their tenderness. A big issue I have is with overmixed batter leading to overworked gluten. So the cupcakes have tunneling, peaked tops and a large crumb. I find the Georgetown Cupcake and Cakelove are both frequent offenders. And, I can't agree more about that frosting. It is crazy good.

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I ordered a cake from Justin a few weeks ago. Initially it sounded like pick-up would be at the new store, but then it changed to Chinatown Coffee. Website says November.

I just heard from Justin, and the current target is mid-December.

American Flatbread, Artisan Confections, Screwtop Wine Bar, and now Bakeshop DC - it's so refreshing to see independently owned businesses opening at Zoso Flats.

Cheers,

Rocks.

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I just heard from Justin, and the current target is mid-December.

The place is looking great. The butcher block counter he got is unreal and a beauty.

Health inspections this week and he's hoping to open a week or two after. He's going to have a wide assortment of cakes, cupcakes, cookies, etc. and will also be serving coffee with the help of Nick Cho. I'm very excited to see this place open soon.

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The place is looking great. The butcher block counter he got is unreal and a beauty.

Health inspections this week and he's hoping to open a week or two after. He's going to have a wide assortment of cakes, cupcakes, cookies, etc. and will also be serving coffee with the help of Nick Cho. I'm very excited to see this place open soon.

I can't wait. Clarendon desperately needs this.

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Stopped by today and met Justin (and his wonderful staff).The shop looks great. We sampled the strawberry vanilla cupcake and we were definitely impressed. We brought home a couple for later and I will report back. I am so excited to have Bakeshop in the neighborhood.

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The shop has been open varying hours (today it opened at 2, and I think the sign says it's going to open at 12 this weekend). I've had the red velvet cupcake, the white cupcake, the almond cupcake, and the coconut cupcake, and they've all been great. They were moist fluffy cakes with slightly crunchy top edges, and the frosting was light and creamy. It seemed to me that it was the same base frosting for all the cupcakes (and not cream cheese frosting on the red velvet cupcake). And, this doesn't bother me but fyi, the cupcakes are on the small side.

There's also an oatmeal blueberry cookie, an oatmeal cream sandwich, and a pecan chocolate chip cookie on the menu though the availability of the cookies and the cupcakes flavors varies depending on when you get there. I'm looking forward to trying the other items and seeing what else there is as the store ramps up.

They also had coffee and coffee beans for sale from wreckingballcoffee --

"Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters" will be a separate venture that we're working on. Hope to have some developments on that soon. Could come with some interesting surprises. Keep your fingers crossed for us!

He's going to have a wide assortment of cakes, cupcakes, cookies, etc. and will also be serving coffee with the help of Nick Cho. I'm very excited to see this place open soon.

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Stopped in the other night to pick up a coconut and almond cupcake for a friend I was meeting for dinner, who has a birthday today. We are big cupcake fans. Her Hubby decided to come to dinner, so I sent them home with them. After oogling the almond cupcake I went back to get another, but alas they were all sold out. But I got a chocolate with nutella icing cupcake, and I got a discount for them running out of almond, which was extremely nice (I will be back for the almond and maybe this strawberry talked about above).

The cake itself was extremely moist and flavorful. The icing seemed to be whip cream based. It was good, but the cake itself was better. But I was very impressed with the quality. I still really love my Georgetown Cupcake, but it has some fierce competition very close to my home. My friend loved her cupcakes too, so, we will both be back I am sure.

(Might want to move this thread to the shopping forum? Because I looked for it under bakeries int he guide, had to Google to find this)

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These cupcakes are awesome. The cake is moist and fluffy, the frosting is sweet but not overly so, and they use a good cake/frosting ratio. These high points hold true for the varieties I have tried so far: red velvet, cookies & cream, chocolate chip, and strawberry shortcake. For my money, this is the place to get cupcakes around here.

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I tried six varieties the other day. Without exception, they were very good. And I wouldn't even classify myself as a cupcake fan. The frosting is light and not too sweet. The cake is supremely moist. The best part, though, is the crusty edge on the lip of the cupcake--so good.

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Tried an almond cupcake yesterday. It was one of the lightest fluffiest cupcakes that I've ever had. The frosting was not overly sweet but tasty. Can't wait to try some of the other flavors.

We stopped by on a Saturday around 2 or 3 pm and ended up getting only one almond cupcake (which was pretty good), because all the other flavors we wanted were sold out.

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Fantastic cupcakes - fluffy and moist, as previous posters have said - with pleasantly sweet icing. A bit on the small side (warning for those who judge their dollars against quantity). And a peeve: yesterday every flavor but one (vanilla with vanilla icing) had chocolate in it in some form: chocolate with nutella, cookies and cream, red velvet, strawberry with chocolate chips... Hope that isn't always the case. Though the vanilla was one of the best cupcakes ever. (I need to do a side by side with Baked and Wired, just to be sure.)

Between this, the coffee at Northside, Andelman's place, and that beef-serving local chain, I almost want to move to Virginia.

ok, not really.

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Generally don't love the whole cupcake thing at all, but my friend is friends with Justin and brought some to a birthday party. The Irish apple was fantastic - like a really good carrot cake but with apple. Loved the crustiness of the top as well that wasn't obliterated by the frosting.

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I have some serious love for Bakeshop. Not only do they have really good cupcakes, but they made me a cake for Hubby's bday back in January that I took down to Miami with me, on fairly short notice. They kept it really cold that day for me so it would make the trip well. And it turned out great. It was 7-Up flavored, which I was a little curious about. Really liked it- moist kind of citrusy and light. So did Hubby. It is so nice to have a nearby bakery with people that are so nice and accommodating.

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I was harsh on the 'goods in the beginning, but I've come around (or have they). I think the quality of his baked good have gotten a lot better, though I still prefer the oatmeal creme pies and cookies to his cupcakes.

If they opened for breakfast to have muffins/coffee in the morning I think they could do some great business, but there is strong competition from South Block around the corner.

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How does the banana pudding compare with Bayou Bakery's? I'm such a big fan of Chef Guas's recipe, but, due to sheer laziness, Clarendon is much closer than Courthouse...

I liked the Bayou Bakery version but I loved the BakeShop one (even better..) Give it a try if just for comparison purposes!!

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I'd just like to thank Bakeshop for keeping a variety of vegan cupcakes in stock (at least on a Saturday). It would've been very sad to see a 15 month old with lactose issues watch her 4 year old sister devour some birthday cake, without getting something of her own.

Also, I think the link in the dining guide points to the old website, their new site is http://www.bakeshopva.com/, fully embracing their Clarendon home.

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I stopped at Bakeshop last week to order a Birthday cake for Marianne. She specifically wanted one baked by Justin in memory of his heroic effort to get to the store and prepare a cake for her in the midst of the 2010 Snowmageddon. His car wouldn't start, so he had to get a ride from a friend, and was waiting for the cake layers to cool when we first stopped by that February 9th. We were able to get a nice Birthday lunch nearby and came back to pick up what I think was one of his first cakes made in the newly opened store.

We don't live nearby, so we don't stop there for a bite as often as we would like, but when we do it's a special occasion. This last cake was terriffic - beautiful presentation,  just the right amount of sweetness and a perfect ratio of frosting to white cake with a slight rum flavoring.

It's been enjoyable watching Justin expand the range of offerings beyond the original cupcake focus thru the years. Now I have to decide between the cupcakes, cookies (Salted Oatmeal!), macarons and puddings when I stop by. I should also mention that he has flyers at the store announcing a 4th Anniversary celebration at Bakeshop on Saturday, February 15  (mentioning  that it will continue until they "run out"). Sounds like a great way to taper off after a frantic Valentines Day on Friday.

TSchaad

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Second location very recently opened in Falls Church, across the street from Takumi.  Coming from MD, it may actually be more convenient.

We still get cupcakes here every year for our son's birthday and will start doing so for our daughter too.  Quality remains great IMO, and hopefully none of that will change with expansion.  Perfect amount of sweetness, unlike the sugar bombs found at most other places.

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