Tres leches cake at Cuba Libre.

Dish of the Week: Tres leches cake
Where: Oyamel, Cuba Libre

The recent closing of Cafe Atlantico reminded me of the first time I had tres leches cake. Tres leches cake is a spongy cake soaked with “three milks” — evaporated milk, condensed milk and heavy cream. This mixture makes the cake moist and rich.

That first, definitely untraditional, tres leches at Cafe Atlantico in 2003 was three cubes of cake that were each saturated with a different flavored milk blend — rum, almond and coconut. Caramelized almond powder played off the creaminess of the milk, balanced by the acidity of a pineapple trio — carpaccio, gelee and chip. Even eight years later, the cool interplay of moist cake and dairy still looms large in my mental bank of desserts.

Now that Atlantico has closed, the search continues for great tres leches cake. Oyamel and Cuba Libre both have it on their menu. But neither quite match that very first experience. Are there other places worth visiting for their tres leches?

Small Bites

Most Interesting Blogger?
Dos Equis is sponsoring a national contest to determine the Most Interesting Blogger in the World at the Uncle Sam Jam at National Harbor on July 2. How is the winner determined? Log rolling! Our own beer writer, John Fleury, will be participating. The competition begins at 5:30 p.m. for those who wish to cheer him on. (And you know you do!) Admission to the Jam is $40, and features music by Blind Melon, Pat McGee Band and others.

Doko Mr. Yogato
in celebration of their third anniversary, Mr. Yogato will host a free scavenger hunt on June 25 at 7 p.m. Register your team of 3-5 people at 6:30 p.m. and go on a two-hour hunt to win a variety of prizes.

Somewhere in between
The third Grey Market of the season will take place on July 16 at Liberty North Community Market near 5th and K Streets NW. Admission is $2. (Consult our primer for what to expect.)