Watching the famously delicious flatbread pizzas going in and out of the ginormous stone hearth wood-fired pizza oven at Full of Life Flatbread in Los Alamos is a lovely way to spend a Sunday evening. But on a recent rainy visit, something new (to me) and equally enticing caught my eye as I watched several large mystery plates being constructed and fired up throughout our drinks and starters.
Always game to try something new, we flagged down a staff member and asked, “Was that thick white blob on top of the brown square some kind of yummy handmade burrata on pumpernickel?”
He laughed. “Oh no, that’s our most famous item that’s not on the menu.”
Turns out we were way off, it was an amazing off-the-menu dessert called “The Beast.” Good thing I have an extra stomach for such sweet dreams as this one.
Reportedly the brilliant brainchild of a clever customer almost 20 years ago, the Beast is a warm, gigantic, and gooey homemade chocolate brownie, topped by a house-made, and equally gargantuan, marshmallow. Both are then stacked up high as a tower and perfectly wood-fired into a caramelized, smokey, delightful treat. Served with two scoops of Strauss Family Creamery vanilla-bean ice cream, this Beast is like a s’more on steroids, bringing up all of my sweetest campfire memories — then mashing them up with the most decadent gourmet treat you can imagine.
Come for the flatbread, but most definitely save room for dessert.
Full of Life Flatbread, 225 Bell St., Los Alamos, (805) 344-4400, fulloflifefoods.com. Open Thursday-Sunday only.
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