Wrigleyville is my least favorite neighborhood in Chicago. Sure, it's home to the Cubs, cheap beer and endless parties. But all that gusto brings the flip-sided madness of slack-jawed tourists, boisterous frat boys and incessant traffic jams. I was stuck in the thick of it for a good thirty minutes after yesterday's game-- and that was on foot.

Already late to my destination, I decided to extend my detour for a visit to one of my favorite sweet spots; Sensational Bites. I first visited this local pastry shop last summer and indulged in a shameless variety of cookies. Repeat visits included little bags crammed with everything from chunky peanut butter bars to gooey dark chocolate brownies. This time the well-stocked case of cupcakes was calling (OK, more like screaming) my name. But there were far too many choices and I'm an anxiety-ridden freak when faced with such options.

So I did the logical thing and asked the woman ahead of me. She already had bags brimming with her favorites and clutched them with the kind of confidence only the most discerning pastry geek would understand. This woman didn't even hesitate with her recommendation. She asked nothing about my palate and never stopped to consider whether I'd be better suited for something of the chocolate or vanilla persuasion. Instead, she looked me straight in the eye and said in a commanding, yet delicate voice, "You want the Boston Cream Cupcake, honey. Trust me, you won't be sorry." The cashier nodded in approval and plopped one of the cream-laden cakes on a plate before I had a chance to comply.

Not wanting to argue, but still unsure whether this was the right cupcake for me, I grabbed the thing and nestled myself at a table near the window. The little cake's thick chocolate coating glistened in the sun, warning that a cocoa meltdown could occur if I put off tasting it any longer. Gingerly, I took a stab with my fork and a smooth puddle of cream oozed from the center. Rather than trying to keep everything intact, I used the sweet milky center as a dip for the cakey parts. The wise woman was right when she said I wouldn't be sorry, unless you count the guilt I was racking up just thinking about how much butter went into this decadent treat. No matter, it was perfect and exactly the fuel I needed to head back out into the raucous streets of Wrigleyville.

Sensatonal Bites
3751 N Southport Ave., Chicago
(773) 248-2271
www.sensationalbites.com