Just Desserts: Dead Delectables at Q Mex

Tomb Sweeping Day in China is a fairly somber event that seems to pass foreigners by with nothing more than the occasional fire on the side of the road. Chinese family members quietly pay respects to their departed without much fanfare. The Mexicans, however, turn death into more of a colorful celebration with Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, on November 1 and 2.

If you're still celebrating, what better excuse could you have than to seek out something sweet from Mexico? What we found was a simple but devilish piece of chili chocolate cake, the Torta Popocatépetl, served up at Mexican restaurant Q Mex. Named after the Popocatépetl volcano that has been bubbling and spurting this year, it couldn’t have been more appropriate.

The Torta Popocatépetl is an unpretentious square of spicy chocolate satisfaction, although it might not be what you expect. If what the name and the menu suggest were true, the cake would offer mouthfuls of “molten chocolate.” It doesn’t and no fiery hot chocolate lava oozes from its core, but that’s not to say it wasn’t good. It was a uniformly dense, rich and moist slab of cake, about an inch thick, dusted with icing sugar and accompanied with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The chili bite was subtle and balanced, and though the heat built with every bite, it never overpowered. Added to that, the serving was generous. A single diner might be hard pressed to get through an entire piece. However, no celebration should be done alone, so it is a perfect portion if you’re up for sharing.

Have a sweet tooth? Check out more dessert reviews in the Beijinger magazine. Read it online.

Photo: Sui