I’ve gone twice in the past two weeks to Poppy—not just for its quiet garden seating and always seasonal, flavorful thalis, but really because I’m crushing hard on a dessert they’re currently serving: a sage custard tart with port cherries and goat-cheese ice cream. The custard is light and eggy, the sage providing the subtle herbal note that the restaurant so often excels at. The Bing cherries preserved in port bring a rich, intense sweetness—not the savory, pickled taste that too many restaurants are adding to their desserts lately. The delicious ice cream allows it all to come messily together in one perfect bite. I’m told that even though cherry season is nearly over, they’ve preserved enough of them to keep the dessert coming for another couple of weeks.

nsprinkle@seattleweekly.com