Chicago eatery brings cupcake’s appeal to the homely meatloaf

After all the high-end desserts we’ve covered over the years, it’s become mouth-wateringly clear that there’s no limit to the heights of beauty masterfully prepared food can achieve. Recently, however, we came across a Chicago ‘bakery’ that has found a novel way to tap into the cake shop’s appeal. Whereas most visually tantalizing confections are desserts, Chicago’s Meatloaf Bakery brings beauty to one of America’s favourite — and yet perhaps most homely — comfort foods. The innovative store features an assortment of ready-to-go meatloaf “cupcakes,” full-size meatloaf “pastries” and bite-size “Loafies,” all prepared as beautifully as a high-end sweet. Mashed potato is typically the “frosting” used to decorate a meatloaf base, though vegetables and even pasta sometimes stand in instead. A variety of meats underlie the Meatloaf Bakery’s many offerings, and there are even salmon, chicken and gluten-free vegetarian versions. Sides and desserts are available too. Pricing on a single-serve meatloaf “cupcake” begins at USD 7.95. Most of Meatloaf Bakery’s business is carry-out, it says, but in-store dining and delivery are also possible. If there’s any better proof of our “everything can be upgraded” mantra, we sure can’t think of it. Meanwhile, the Meatloaf Bakery is working on developing shipping capabilities so it can spread the beauty of meatloaf nationwide. One to partner with toward that end — or beyond..? (Related: Vegetarian butcher serves up lupin-based meat substitutes — Butcher shop installs vending machine for service 24/7 — Bakery focuses on bite-size treats — Mini size me!.) Spotted by: Steven Sester