The Best and Worst Places to Order Tiramisu

I have made it my personal mission on earth to find the best tiramisu in the United States. So far, I've found some amazing samples and some that are hardly worthy of the title 'tiramusu'. This is a guide to finding the best tiramusu at a restaurant near you. A good tiramisu should be sweet, satisfying, and subtle. Tiramisu is perhaps the only dessert that can pull off coffee, chocolate, and rum in one recipe. For that fact alone it deserves a standing ovation. That fact is also the reason the flavor of tiramisu must be subtle. Each flavor much have it's own place, without overpowering the others.

Well, onto the ratings of the best and worst tiramisu. The best shall be saved for last.

The Worst
The Cheesecake Factory: While their cheesecakes are exceptional, their tiramisu leaves something to be desired, a lot in fact. It's missing a little something called flavor, along with another little something called texture. If you decide to order tiramus here, prepare to be presented with mush topped with whipped cream. In my opinion whipped cream should never be served with tiramisu as it tends to overpower the other flavors. I could not distinguish one of the three essential flavors mentioned earlier as I was so overwhelmed by the whipped cream. Bottom line: when dining at the Cheesecake factory stick to the cheesecake for your dessert.

Honorable Mention
There are two that fit this category. The first is Olive Garden and the second is Carrabba's Italian Grill. For the sake of convenience the review written here will cover both restaurant's tiramisu as the two recipes are practically indistinguishable from each other. These restaurants make a much higher quality tiramisu than the Cheesecake Factory and are a good dessert choice. Flavorful and with a firmer texture, this tiramisu delights the tastebuds. However, there is nothing that makes the tiramisu stand out from the restaurant's other desserts and I would venture to say that you might want to try some of the other desserts first. Bottom line: Both of these restaurants have very good tiramisu and you will not be disappointed.

The Best
Buca di Beppo: Far and beyond the best tiramisu I have ever tasted. Each flavor is delicate, yet noticeable. The texture is just right. Creamy and smooth where it needs to be and occasionally crunchy (they top it with crumbled biscotti cookie). This tiramisu is very rich and filling, you won't need much. As is custom with Buca di Beppo they serve this dessert family size so you will want a to-go box to take home some of this delectable dessert. Bottom line: This is the best tiramisu money can buy. You must eat here if only to taste the tiramisu.