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| - I haven't visited many bakeries in Pittsburgh. Of the few bakeries I have been to, Allegro is the best so far. The bakery smells great when you walk in. If there was a cafe area with tables and chairs, then I bet some folks would never leave because of the smell.
We picked up a box of five pastries, and I was very satisfied with all of them. I split the pastries with a friend so that we could try a greater variety. First, we tried the carrot cake. It was very balanced. It was moist and fluffy yet had a nice crunch. The icing was pleasantly sweet too. Second, we tried the Chocolate Petit Four. It was quite buttery, and one of the most compact chocolate desserts I've ever had. I'm perplexed as to how the bakers fit so much chocolate flavor into one pastry. Third, we tried the chocolate snowball which was lighter than the Petit Four and had a nice balance of chocolate and coconut flavors. Fourth, we had the chocolate walnut bar which, like the snowball, paired chocolate well with another ingredient: crushed walnuts. It was a bit drier than the other pastries, but I felt it added a nice contrast to all the butter and moist pastries we had eaten so far. Last, we had the chocolate macaroon brownie.
I felt that the brownie or the carrot cupcake were the best stand alone desserts in that they were well balanced. They both featured contrasts in texture and flavors which I liked. I will admit that the brownie was my favorite of the pastries, yet I wouldn't dissuade anyone from trying any of the pastries which I mentioned above.
AHB is certainly deserving of four-and-a-half stars.
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