I wanted to like the cupcakes that I heard were delish, at Lakeview's Phoebe's Cupcakes (3327 N. Broadway Ave.), but they just didn't have the sparkle like the others I've tried. They were dry, too sweet and lacked complex flavors--not rich and vibrant with a side of whimsy.

I did like their play with ingredients in the orange colored cupcake pictured above: orange and rosemary. The shop also utilizes interesting cupcake names like Broken Glass, Cat Litter and Eye Ball (though I wouldn't want to eat any of these items in their true form).