Chandelier Bakery has got the goods

Why: Chandelier Bakery celebrated its one-year anniversary in February. The bakery is owned and operated by Monica Kersey and is in the historic Padden House on Northeast 78th Street between Northeast Andresen and St. Johns roads. Chandelier is open seven days a week with a few breakfast and lunch options, along with a full selection of baked sweets.

What I tried: I stopped in for a bowl of chili con carne, which is served with a cornbread muffin. I took home an assortment of baked items that included a cinnamon roll, an almond croissant, a classic whoopee pie, a cranberry orange scone, a peach and a lime macaron, a cheesecake bar and a breakfast vegetable strata.

The chili was served piping hot in a goodly sized portion. Everything about the chili was traditional and not too complicated — beans and meat in a tomatoey chili sauce, which was just spicy enough. There was a touch of corn in the mix, as well, which I found delivered a snappy element to the texture. The cornbread muffin that accompanied the chili was warm and soft and not too sweet. I appreciated that it was cornbread and not corncake.

Of the items that I brought home, I was most excited to try the cinnamon roll. I wondered if I had finally found one made in a cupcake tin that was not doughy. To my delight, it was perfectly baked through and did not posses any under-baked areas. The cream cheese frosting generously topped the roll and lasted, without need of rationing, to the last bite. In that the cinnamon roll is baked in a muffin tin, there is a minimal amount of golden brown crust to enjoy.

The almond croissant was not a light, flaky pastry. It was instead a doughy roll filled with sweet almond paste and topped with sliced almonds.

I enjoyed the whoopie pie: Two dense, chocolate cake patties bookended a creamy frosting center for a sweet indulgence you will not soon forget.

I found the peach macaron did not taste of peach, though the lime macaron’s flavor was true to its name.

The cheesecake bar was unique and not overly sweet. It had a thin, moist graham cracker base and was topped with coconut, chocolate chips and walnuts.

The scone was spot on and nicely accompanied a cup of tea.

I had the breakfast strata the next morning and it was hearty enough to stand alone. It had several layers of vegetables baked in an egg-and-cheese mixture, creating a quiche-like dish, without a crust.

Menu highlights beyond what I tried: At the time of my visit, there were some beautiful sugar cookies that were each decorated in a colorful bouquet of frosting flowers. There were also M&M’s monster cookies and no-bake chocolate cookies, as well as classic snickerdoodle cookies, chocolate cream puffs, lemon bars, carrot cake cupcakes and red velvet cupcakes.

Atmosphere: The historic house offers a quaint, one-of-a-kind setting with a petite dining area. A simple ivory palette is accented with teal green and black. Bakery display cases present all the colorful treats behind their spotless glass, and a chalk menu board lists other prepared options and beverages.

Other observations: There are a couple of picnic tables outside for seating. Display shelves in the bakery present a handful of handcrafted items for sale, such as aprons, jams, coasters and cake pedestals. The bakery specializes in custom wedding cakes. The bakery also has baked doggie treats for your K-9 buddy.

Cost: Biscuits and gravy are $5, and an egg and ham panini is $8. Lunch options are $6 to $8. Baked goods generally range from $2.75 to $4.50. Macarons are $1.75 each and cupcakes cost $1.50 to $3. Custom cake pricing varies. Italian cream sodas are available in 12-ounce, 16-ounce, 20-ounce and 24-ounce sizes for $2.50 to $4. Other beverages are available in 12-ounce, 16-ounce and 20-ounce sizes for $1.75 to $4.75.