Posted by Allison Hemler, September 4, 2008 at 6:00 PM
On Labor Day, I walked across the Brooklyn Bridge for none other than my favorite food: ice cream. Having once visited the Blue Marble Ice Cream stand at the Brooklyn Flea, I thought it was time to visit the store on Atlantic Avenue in Boerum Hill. Two flavors immediately caught my attention for a "double" served in a compostable cup: peach sorbet, a seasonal offering, and culture real frozen yogurt, which beats Pinkberry by a mile. This version is made with Ronnybrook Farm Dairy yogurt and sweetened with organic evaporated cane juice. While any flavor would work with the frozen yogurt, I'd give more weight to the fruit options to create a refreshing treat that won't ruin your dinner (for those afternoons when you just can't wait).
It's difficult to finish ice cream and have room for more—especially when this is your second ice cream store visit of the day, but I could've eaten another serving.
Blue Marble Ice Cream
420 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11217 (nr. Bond; map)
718.858.1100
bluemarbleicecream.com
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, September 2, 2008 at 6:30 PM
It's the strangest looking creation, right? One you'd only find at a Chinatown bakery, alongside egg white custard tarts and spongy taro rolls. For $1.50, the tiger roll is a smashing good deal—one of the more memorable treats at the relatively new Hon Café in the heart of Chinatown. The four-inch long roll features airy light chocolate sponge cake hugging a cool center of sweet, soft fudge. Covering the chocolate surface is a thin layer of whipped cream and a yellow sponge—a touch firmer and cakier than its chocolate counterpart. The surface, though, is truly the oddest part. A peelable bumpy cover mottled in various shades of brown.
Hon Café
70 Mott Street, New York NY 10013 (nr. Canal Street; map)
212-219-1431
Posted by Robyn Lee, August 29, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Although I didn't get a cake on my birthday this past Wednesday, Erin gave me the next best thing: a plate piled high with a dozen birthday doughnuts! More specifically, apple cider doughnuts from her local Windsor Terrace Greenmarket. The light, cinnamon and sugar-coated cake doughnuts were gone by the end of the day, into the stomachs of the Serious Eats crew. I'll have to figure out a way to one-up Erin when her birthday comes around. Maybe with...two dozen doughnuts.
Windsor Terrace Greenmarket
Prospect Park West & 15th Street, Brooklyn NY 11215 (map)
Open Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, August 28, 2008 at 6:00 PM
This American bakery on the Upper East Side might be best known for their deep and dark Brooklyn Blackout Cake, but the cheesecake, sold both by the slice and whole, is an unsung wonder. Though perhaps it is better that way; that way you don't have to worry about the bakery selling out before you arrive for a post-work, pre-dinner treat, or a nighttime snack. The cheesecake is done in the classic New York style—incredibly rich and velvety with a buttery graham cracker crust. The wedge is generous and tall with a perfectly golden top, sinking into a seemingly endless depth of sweet, cheesy goodness. How it manages it be so luscious on the tongue, yet settle with the lightest of weights in your stomach, is beyond me—but who am I to complain?
Two Little Red Hens
1652 2nd Avenue #1, New York NY 10028 (nr. 86th Street; map)
212-452-0476
twolittleredhens.com
Posted by Zach Brooks, August 27, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Not everyone at Serious Eats HQ was on board with this treat, but I was all about the "honey toast" from the newly opened Cafe Zest by Zaiya in Midtown. Essentially a 2 inch slab cut from a pullman loaf of white bread, the inside gets squared before honey and sugar is dropped into the cracks. The inside is fluffy and sweet enough from the little waves of sugar and honey (but not overly so). You would think the outer crust would be dry and hard, but it ended up being much tastier than it looked. Not the sweetest of sugar rushes, but I can't imagine a more perfect piece of toast to enjoy with a morning cup of tea. Cafe Zest is owned and operated by Cafe Zaiya (on 41st Street between Madison and Fifth Avenues), and you can get the honey toast there as well.
Cafe Zest by Zaiya
148 East 47th, New York NY 10017 (nr. Third Avenue; map)
212-319-9378
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, August 26, 2008 at 6:00 PM
There's no shortage of flavor options at NYC ICY in Hell's Kitchen. The menu changes daily and is divided into two sides, with the right featuring "creamy" and the left showcasing the "dairyless." A recent Thursday night visit left us debating over Italian flan and Earl Grey tea on the right, and root beer and passion fruit on the left, just to name a few. But alas a choice had to be made, and while we sampled four flavors in total, the thai iced tea was the sure winner. It captured the complete experience of the well loved drink in a texture that married ice cream with sorbet and an extra touch of fluff—leaving us completely delighted.
NYC ICY
628 10th Avenue, New York NY 10036 (nr. 44th Street; map)
347-789-1849
Posted by Ed Levine, August 25, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Editor's note: Every afternoon we like to post a short Sugar Rush to end your day. Think of it as the dessert to your daily blog reading. —Zach
Although we've tasted a couple of other chocolate-bacon confections and have been underwhelmed, we are totally smitten by the "pig candy" ($9.50 a quarter-pound) at Roni-Sue's Chocolates in the Essex Street Market on New York's Lower East Side.
Note: Bacon snobs, please stop reading here. Rhonda Kave (aka Roni-Sue) takes a piece of Jimmy Dean bacon, supplied by butcher and market neighbor Jeffrey Ruhalter and fried by the good folks at Shopsin's (also in the Essex Street Market), and dips it in high-quality milk or dark chocolate.
Now that's what I call a food-community team effort.
Is it porky? Oh, yes. Is it chocolaty? You betcha. Is it salty? Uh-huh. Is it delicious? Insanely so.
Roni-Sue also makes a fine spicy bacon buttercrunch ($8 a quarter-pound), but it needs just a little more bacon for us to be ready to enshrine it in Pig Heaven (right next to the pig candy.)
Roni-Sue's Chocolates
Essex Street Market #24, 20 Essex Street, New York NY 10002 (nr. Delancey Street; map)
212-260-0421
roni-sue.com
Posted by Allison Hemler, August 22, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Photographs by The Wandering Eater
Our mouths watered at the sight of the milk chocolate bacon tart from Gramercy Tavern, offered only on the tavern menu served at the front of the restaurant. According to The Wandering Eater, the "sophisticated" tart is enhanced by the crème fraîche, which "cut the sweetness, and added [a] tangy tartness" to the dessert.
Gramercy Tavern
42 East 20th Street, New York NY 10003 (nr. Fifth Avenue; map)
212-477-0777
Related:
Sugar Rush: Blackberry Streusel Cake at Gramercy Tavern
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, August 20, 2008 at 6:00 PM
I arrived post-dinner and spotted a whole uncut carrot cake at the Bleecker Street location of Amy's Bread on Friday night. A strange shiver ran down my spine. It's the same sort of tingle that occurs every time I spot a whole untouched cake. The first piece can be mine. No fear of receiving a dried out slice because it has been ages since the previous slice was cut. Sure, turnover at Amy's is quick, but there are no worries when you're dealing with a whole cake situation.
The carrot cake here is nothing short of sublime with its plush and tender crumb made moist by an abundance of shredded carrots. Generously studded with large chunks of black walnuts and enrobed in a velvety cream cheese frosting, each slice is perhaps a bit larger than one person would be advised to consume in a sitting. The best part? A light hand with sugar and emphasis on quality leaves you more than satisfied, without the toothache.
Amy's Bread
250 Bleecker Street, New York NY 10014 (nr. Leroy; map)
212-675-7802
amysbread.com
Related:
Amy's Bread Cafe: A Go-To Sandwich Spot. What's Yours?
Posted by Zach Brooks, August 19, 2008 at 6:00 PM
I love tapioca pudding, but had never seen the Brazilian version made with red wine until this weekend at Pão de Queijo in Astoria. Known as sagu de vinho, the dessert is made from boiling tapioca pearls in red wine, and adding sugar and cloves. The resulting dessert lives somewhere between jello and pudding, and is a refreshing change of pace from your standard tapioca pudding. Unfortunately the alcohol from the wine gets boiled off during preperation, destroying its chances of being considered the best jello shot of all time.
Pão de Queijo
31-90 30th Street, Astoria NY, (nr. Broadway; map)
718-204-1979
newyorkpaodequeijo.com/
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, August 18, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Nestled between the golden breakfast muffins and blueberry scones at Soutine Bakery on the Upper West Side are wedges of ginger cake not to be ignored. Sticky, tender and just a bit spicy, these delightful squares prove to be a dandy morning treat. It's a wonderful break from your typical croissant or sweet morning bun, but be sure to arrive early—lest you be left with the last square. The end cut is a touch less moist than the rest.
Soutine Bakery
104 W 70th Street, New York NY 10023 (nr. Columbus Avenue; map)
212-496-1450
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, August 15, 2008 at 5:30 PM
Saint's Alp Teahouse in the East Village is best known for boba drinks in a rainbow of flavors: almond, lychee, and even gingerbread. Less noted, though fully deserving of the same degree of praise, is the "Classic Toast" with condensed milk and butter. A mere $1.65 buys a single slice of what very well be the ultimate pick me up treat. The toast is positively intoxicating, with melted butter seeping into every pore of the hot slice, while a glazy slathering of condensed milk drips off the edges. It's served with a fork and knife, but to get the full experience you must simply dive in and tear apart with your fingers. Reckless abandon and full gusto is much advised.
Saint's Alp Teahouse
39 3rd Ave, New York NY 10003 (map)
212-598-1890
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, August 14, 2008 at 6:00 PM
For breakfast or for lunch, the cherry clafouti at Margot Patisserie can do no wrong. Generous helpings of pitted cherries stud the custardy sweet batter, all tucked into a butter shortcrust and finished with a cloud of powdered sugar. Not unlike many rustic and homey desserts, clafoutis are best warm from the oven, but Margot's version is just as fantastic at room temperature.
Margot Patisserie
2109 Broadway, New York, NY 10023 (on 74th Street; map)
212-721-0076
Posted by Sarah Wolf, August 13, 2008 at 6:00 PM
I got a wonderful going away present today from a rather unexpected source—Shake Shack's Jonathan Vandegrift. As an apology for Monday's custard debacle, Vandegrift personally delivered three pints of sweet corn custard to the Serious Eats office today—even though it's Wednesday and therefore technically Mint Honeydew day (yum).
Some people may say that Shake Shack was trying to preserve their web reputation—webputation?—but I'd like to think they just felt bad that I got drenched. Either way it was ridiculously generous—and the custard was really good. Instead of being overpoweringly sweet or corn-flavored, it channeled a kind of creamed-corn subtlety which worked perfectly with the custardy texture. It reminded me of my favorite college dining hall's corn casserole, whose brunch-perfecting amazingness you will just have to take my word for.
In any case, it was the perfect end to an internship that's been full of both kind people and tons of good food. Thanks, Shake Shack!
Posted by Zach Brooks, August 12, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Billy's Bakery admits that their Hello Dolly Bars are "baked with everything but the kitchen sink," but that still isn't enough to prepare you for this monstrosity. Chocolate and butterscotch chips, graham cracker crumbs, coconut, pecans, and for some unknown reason, sweetened condensed milk. Some here at Serious Eats HQ complained it was too sweet (imagine that!) but for me this sugar bomb was just right. Diabetics beware.
Billy's Bakery
184 9th Avenue, New York NY 10011 (nr. 22st Street; map)
212.647.9956
billysbakerynyc.com/
Posted by Sarah Wolf, August 11, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Replacement custard
The staff here at Serious Eats: New York has been dreaming of the Monday sweet corn custard special at Shake Shack ever since we read about it on The Strong Buzz last Wednesday. So at around 12:30 today I eagerly headed out to pick up a pint for the office (and a few burgers too). I'd just finished placing my order an hour or so later when I heard some ominous rumblings of thunder. But before I had time to worry about my lack of an umbrella, I glanced at my receipt and noticed a much more concerning problem: I'd ordered three pints of custard—chocolate, vanilla, and sweet corn—but had only been charged for two.
"What happened to the third pint?" I asked the cashier.
"Oh, we're not serving the sweet corn today," he said. "It's just not up to par."
And that's when it started to pour.
A soaking wet, disgruntled customer wants to know: Shake Shack, what gives? I guess I respect your decision not to sell inferior custard to the public, but you could at least warn your customers on your website or anywhere in the vicinity of the Shack itself.
More importantly, did anyone go to Shake Shack last Monday? Were they serving the sweet corn custard last week, and if so, was it any good? Please describe it detail, because that's all we have to tide us over until next Monday—if we're lucky.
Related:
Sugar Rush: 'Coffee and Donut' Custard at the Shake Shack
Posted by Zach Brooks, August 8, 2008 at 5:00 PM
Editor's note: Every afternoon we post a short Sugar Rush to end your day. Think of it as the dessert to your daily blog reading. —Zach
Photograph by Blondie and Brownie
Congratulations to bloggers Blondie and Brownie, their cookie "The Jamwich" was selected as runner up in the Treats Truck's "Name a Treat" contest. The creation, a peanut butter sandwich cookie filled with peanut butter and jelly, is already for sale on the truck. The winner of the contest—a nut studded oatmeal cookie called The Nutty Co-worker—is also available. treatstruck.com
Related:
Sugar Rush: 'Swirly Dots' from the Newly Unveiled Treats Truck
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, August 7, 2008 at 6:00 PM
In late 2007 the tiny storefront opposite ChickaLicious Dessert Bar opened as ChickaLicious Pudding. The menu: three puddings, and nothing more. Reviews were lukewarm, with many preferring the nearby Dessert Truck which provided a better value. The owners, Chika and her husband Don, responded by overhauling the menu, and replacing ChickaLicious Pudding with ChickaLicious Dessert Club. Though puddings remain on the menu, they now share the spotlight with a whimsy of cookies, cupcakes, and sorbets. But their claim to fame, especially after the recent NYT article, is the soft-serve ice cream. Full, rich and wonderfully creamy on the tongue, the vanilla bean studded soft-serve is a warm summer night's dream—if you can overlook the somewhat odd, plastic aftertaste. Perhaps a little tweaking is necessary, but they are headed in the right direction.
Chickalicious Dessert Club
204 E 10th Street, New York, NY 10003 (map)
212-475-0929
Posted by Nick Solares, August 6, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Bread Pudding with Cinnamon Ice Cream
Having grown up in England I have been subjected to a fair amount of stogy and uninspired bread pudding. I wonder if Francis Drake would have repelled the Spanish Armada with quite as much vigor if he had known what a Spanish spin on the dish might have tasted like. Such is the case with the bread pudding served at Casa Mono, Mario Batali's Gramercy Park Spanish restaurant.
Served with cinnamon ice cream, macerated raisins and an orange (naranja) compote the bread pudding is buttery and tender. A puff of steam escapes when you crack the exterior crust, revealing a delicate and moist interior infused with orange zest. The acidity of the orange compote balances the sweetness of the pudding and richness of the ice cream, while the raisins add a nice textural balance to the dish.
Casa Mono
52 Irving, New York NY 10003 (nr. 17th Street; map)
212-253-2773
Posted by Ed Levine, August 5, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Editor's note: Every afternoon we post a short Sugar Rush to end your day. Think of it as the dessert to your daily blog reading. —Zach
I'm an affogato freak, so I really appreciated Robin Raisfeld and Rob Patronite's affogato roundup in yesterday's New York Magazine. They are partial to the affogati served at Barbuto, P*ong, I Sodi, Fiamma, Otto, and Wakiya. The Otto version is pretty great, but I don't care how good the affogato might be at Wakiya—I'm still not going to plunk down my hard-earned money there.
Robin and Rob failed to mention one of my faves, whipped up at Esca by pastry chef Alicia Richards. A shot of espresso, a scoop of housemade caramel gelato, with some crunch-adding crocante (pralines made with nuts and caramel) as the pièce de résistance. It's a creamy jolt of heaven. 402 W 43rd Street, New York NY 10036 (on Ninth Avenue; map); 212-564-7272
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, August 4, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Editor's note: Every afternoon we post a short Sugar Rush to end your day. Think of it as the dessert to your daily blog reading. —Zach
Grub Street is reporting that when Momofuku Ssäm Bar expands next month, it will be rebuilding the kitchen to make way for a "proper pastry program." From our perspective, Ssäm Bar seems to be doing a pretty serious job already. Take its rhubarb shortcake, which we first wrote about two weeks ago.
Since then, they've replaced rhubarb with a bounty of gorgeous Tristar strawberries, and have given the dessert a double dose of corn. First, in the form of dehydrated corn powder lightly dusted over whipped crème fraîche. And second, incorporated into the cake itself, introducing a cornbread-esque element while retaining the integrity of shortcake.
Some favor the rhubarb shortcake, while others enjoy the rise of the strawberry and corn creation. Either way, if this is what they're capable of in an inadequate kitchen, we're pretty excited to see the outcome of a "proper pastry program." 207 Second Avenue, New York NY 10003 (near 13th Street; map); momofuku.com
Related: Sugar Rush: Rhubarb Shortcake from Ssäm Bar
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, August 1, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Olive oil gelato, while justly delicious, seems to be the only thing everyone talks about with regards to dessert at Otto. Let us not forget that there remains a plethora of sublime flavors deserving equal attention: salty caramel, hazelnut stracciatella and balsamic strawberry, just to name a few. And how can we neglect other desserts, like the brioche sandwiches, coppettas and my current favorite, the black and white. This aptly named creation features alternating layers of milk chocolate chip and creme fraiche gelato, with crackly shards of hazelnut brittle. Warm chocolate sauce and a generous turn of plush caramel crema make it perhaps a touch too indulgent—but then again, is indulgence not the purpose of dessert?
Otto
One Fifth Avenue, New York City NY 10003 (nr. Eighth Street; map)
212-995-9559
Posted by Hannah Howard, July 31, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Photograph by Phoebe
This pistachio apricot tart from Bouchon Bakery is more cake than tart, but I'm not complaining. It is supermoist, superdense, and super pistachio-y. Upon being sliced, the "tart" oozes a filling of thick apricot slices. The slippery, apricot insides and the crumbly outsides make for great textural contrast and happily mingling flavors.
Bouchon Bakery
10 Columbus Circle (3rd Floor), New York, NY 10019; (map)
212-823-9366
Posted by Zach Brooks, July 30, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Posting a photo that is meant to convey size is always a tricky thing. Sure, the cookie looks big, but maybe my hands are freakishly small. In this case, you are just going to have to take my word for it: the chocolate chip cookie at the Bryant Park Le Pain Quotidien is gigantic. It's also pretty tasty too. Making the cookie chewy isn't really a practical option for a cookie this size, so they go with the thin and crunchy approach. As somebody who normally likes my cookies soft, I found the crunch to be strangely appealing; the perfect companion to an afternoon cup of tea. Admittedly, it's probably not the best chocolate chip cookie in the city (especially if soft cookies are your thing), but the look on your co-workers' faces when you whip it out will be completely worth the $3.50 price tag.
Le Pain Quotidien
70 West 40th Street, New York NY 10020 (nr. Sixth Avenue; map)
212-354-5224
Posted by Zach Brooks, July 29, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Photograph by Front Studio
Lunch w/ Front Studio has the low down on Sage American Kitchen's carrot cake cupcakes: "The cake is almost always moist and all of their frostings have a wee bit of cream cheese that distinguishes them from everyone else." Available at many locations around the city, this particular cupcake was purchased at the McNally Robinson Tea House in SoHo. 52 Prince St, New York NY 10012 (nr. Lafayette; map)
Posted by Ed Levine, July 28, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Photograph by Gordon Mark
How much did the serious eaters want to try a Swingle, the frozen chocolate-covered mini-key lime pie on a stick at the Steve's Authentic Key Lime Pie shop? (Can you call a ramshackle hut on a pier a "shop"?) Enough to risk life and limb walking there in a violent, windy, and lightning-laden post-meet-up thunderstorm. And you know what? It was damn well worth it. The spicy tartness of the key lime pie filling, the crunch of the graham cracker crust, and the perfectly balanced bittersweet chocolate, all come together perfectly on the little wooden popsicle stick. Oh yeah, you'll have to take the same risks we did, because the only way to get one of these babies is to head to Red Hook. Steve wholesales the pies but not the swingles.
Steve's Authentic Key Lime Pies
204 Van Dyke Street, Red Hook Brooklyn, NY 11231 (Pier 41; map)
888-450-5463
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, July 25, 2008 at 6:00 PM
After reading Nick's post on J.G.Melon last week, I quickly hustled my toosh over to the UES...need burger ASAP. Conclusion? The burger and cottage fries are delicious indeed, but don't pass up on a slice of Apple Sour Cream Walnut Pie. The generous wedge is served warm and has a buttery crust. Thinly sliced apples and sour cream are slipped between every layer, and the whole thing is topped with plush ribbons of whipped cream, which hides a sweet, crumbly topping—walnut-studded, of course.
J.G. Melon
1291 Third Avenue, New York NY 10021 (at 74th Street; map)
212-744-0585
Posted by Erin Zimmer, July 24, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Cookies are nice, but waffles are also pretty magical when sandwiching ice cream. Blondie and Brownie have the skinny on this fat dessert. I was lucky enough to join and watched the Louie G staffer in action, pulling down on that waffle iron. Orders require ten minutes for waffle heating time, but you'll need that long to decide among the uncle's forty flavors.
Uncle Louie G's
157 Prospect Park SW, Brooklyn NY 11218 (near Vanderbilt Street; map)
718-438-9282
Posted by Zach Brooks, July 23, 2008 at 6:30 PM
Photograph by thewanderingeater
From the Gramercy Tavern restaurant week and regular dessert menu: "My blackberry streusel cake with blackberry lime sherbert was simple yet so delicious. The cake was moist [and] densely dotted with whole sweet-tart blackberries, the streusel added a crunchy dimension, and the sherbet added a touch of creamy-tartness." Read about the whole meal on The Wandering Eater.
Gramercy Tavern
42 East 20th Street, New York NY 10003 (nr. Fifth Avenue; map)
212-477-0777
Posted by Zach Brooks, July 22, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Photograph by wEnDaLicious
Vanilla profiteroles served with a side of warm butter sweet chocolate sauce. Wow.
L'Absinthe
227 East 67th Street, New York, NY 10065 (nr. 3rd Avenue; map)
212-794-4950
labsinthe.com
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, July 21, 2008 at 6:00 PM
For a spin on the typical doughnut twist, head to Koryodang Bakery in K-Town. The flavor and texture of a classic yeasted takes a turn with this aptly named "Sweet Rice Twist" in which mochi flour gets used in both the dough and in the mix sprinkled over the fried pastry. Couple that with high-gluten All Trumps flour and the end result is a subtly sweet, chewy doughnut that never comes close to embodying the word "fluffy" but bears a slightly nutty charm all its own. It's the one doughnut you can have for breakfast without suffering a sugar high.
Koryodang Bakery
31 W 32nd Street, New York, NY 10001 (nr. Broadway; map)
212-967-9661
Posted by Zach Brooks, July 18, 2008 at 6:00 PM
In the right corner, wearing blue and white striped trunks, Duane Park!
Earlier today, Grub St. posted a great round up of restaurants offering ice cream to go this summer. The list includes Quality Meats, Seymour Burton, Kyotofu and the two competing Tribeca ice cream stands, Duane Park and Odeon. Oddly they picked Odeon for "Best Taste" which directly conflicts with findings from the side by side taste testing we conducted last month. We do however agree that mochi and mugi-choko make for some pretty great toppings.
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, July 17, 2008 at 6:00 PM
While Asian ice cream flavors like taro and black sesame bring crowds to Sundaes and Cones, don't forget that other flavors are also worth a visit. Steer away from the somewhat boring chocolate and a strangely unsatisfying wasabi. Instead go with cookies and cream, soft vanilla with a pleasurably high ratio of smashed Oreo cookies to ice cream. 95 E 10th Street, New York, NY 10003 (nr. 3rd Avenue; map)
Posted by Zach Brooks, July 15, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Photograph by Front Studio
I read about this perfect-for-summer fruit eclair from the Almondine Bakery in Dumbo, on the Front Studio Lunch blog. According to them, "the barely present cream filling lets the fruit really fill every bite, with some crunchy almonds for textural contrast." Sounds good to me. 85 Water Street, Brooklyn, NY; (nr. Main Street; map)
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, July 14, 2008 at 6:00 PM
No matter what anyone tells you, summer dreams are most certainly made of the rhubarb shortcake with whipped creme fraiche found at Momofuku Ssam Bar. A duo of golden shortcake rounds - buttery crisp with a most delightful crumble sinking into a sweet and tart bath of poached greenmarket rhubarb. But the crowning joy is without a doubt, billowy clouds of Kendall Farm's creme fraiche whipped into a fantastic frenzy. Who needs pork buns when you've got shortcake? 207 Second Ave., New York, NY 10003 (near 13th Street); momofuku.com
Posted by Ed Levine, July 11, 2008 at 5:45 PM
Certain classic combinations never get old. Consider the Levain Bakery baguette with butter and jam. Levain cuts off a third of the thin, tubular, just-crusty-enough sourdough baguette and fills it with seedless Polaner raspberry jam and soft, sweet butter. "Polaner!" You outraged locavores must be scoffing. Shouldn't the Levain folks be using some Hudson Valley jam made in a ninety-year-old's farm kitchen?!
One bite of this glorious sandwich and you realize it's plenty deliciouso, just the way it is. No need to change a thing, as far as I'm concerned. Levain Bakery: 167 West 74th Street, New York NY 10023 (just east of Columbus; map); 212-874-6080; levianbakery.com
Posted by Adam Kuban, July 10, 2008 at 6:30 PM
7-Eleven is giving out free Slurpees tomorrow in honor of it being "7-11 Day"—July 11. (Find a location near you, but call ahead, as not all are participating.)
People outside New York can stop reading this post now. You all are not Slurpee-challenged. You see, one thing I've noticed is that New Yorkers don't know how to pull a proper Slurpee.
I'm a child of the Kansas City suburbs, where 7-Elevens are at every intersection, so this stuff is second nature to me. But as I went to the 7-Eleven today to make a training video for my clueless New York friends out there, I watched as the guy ahead of me did everything wrong. First, he didn't cap his cup prepour. Then he pulled the dispenser lever slowly, guaranteeing an anemic dribble of syrup instead of a full-on rush of ice-cold Slurpness. No, no, no. I'm sure this comes from the lack of 7-Elevens in the area, but this is no excuse. After the jump, I'll teach you all how to pull a Slurpee, in pictures and video. With a (small) list of participating 7-Elevens in New York.
Continue reading »
Posted by Erin Zimmer, June 30, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Photographs by Raphael
Planning ahead is important at Toby's Public House. While the brick-oven pizzas are tasty, don't you dare fill up prematurely. And don't go alone. Sweet tooths should plan around the $13 calzone dessert, stuffed with Nutella and fresh ricotta. Adam purposely left this monster out of his Toby's review on Slice today, sending me on special assignment.
Dusted with powdered sugar, the smile-shaped pocket "serves two," but that's two stomachs deliberately saving room. So massive, the calzone needs a metallic pizza round instead of a normal plate, and doesn't even merit the normal fork-and-knife routine; it's a hands-only food. Stumped, our own Ed Levine didn't even recognize the curious combo, but instantly wanted one.
What other cheese is soft enough to handle the brick oven heat without melting? And calm enough to let the Nutella do its rich, hazlenutty thing?
A chef at Toby's Public House birthed the combo, but according to a Frank Bruni review, a similar one exists at Gemma. Toby's waitstaff recommends washing it down with Frangelico, the Northern Italian hazlenut liqueur. Serious Eats New York editor Zach Brooks said it best: "this is a gross abomination in the best possible way." Another seductive photo after the jump.
Continue reading »
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, June 26, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Editor's note: Every afternoon we like to post a short Sugar Rush to end your day. Think of it as the dessert to your daily blog reading. Today our resident Sugar Rush expert Kathy YL Chan hits up the new Van Leeuwan Ice Cream Truck. —Zach
Manhattan has recently been bombarded (and that's a good thing!) with new ice cream trucks, shops, and stops. Our own Ed Levine just checked out Duane Park and Odeon, and the other night I was lucky enough to happen upon the Van Leeuwen Ice Cream Truck parked on the corner of University Place between 11th and 12th streets. The prices at the truck range from $3.50 for a small to $6.75 for a large. I recommend the small; they'll let you combine two flavors and it's just the right size.
With tempting sirens of currants and cream, pistachio, gianduja and a few more calling on the brief menu, I indulged in scoops of espresso and ginger. Both flavors were promising upon the first spoonful, especially the dark, almost chocolately espresso, but a few more dabbles proved otherwise. The ginger was marked by icy shards that outweighed the speckles of candied ginger, while the espresso left memories of gritty bits. With that said, Van Leeuwen has potential, especially with the quality of ingredients employed. Let's hope they're simply working out initial kinks and will be part of the community long enough for improvement.
Set times and locations for the truck are still being worked out, but you are pretty sure to find them seven days a week from Noon to 7 p.m. on the corner of Greene and Prince in Soho. After 7 p.m. they have been parking on University between 11th and 12th streets, but that spot is not entirely solidified. A second truck will likely be unveiled in the next week or two, and at that point locations will be finalized, and availalbe on their website.
Posted by Ed Levine, June 25, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Editor's note: Every afternoon we post a short Sugar Rush to end your day. Think of it as the dessert to your daily blog reading. Today, the Godfather of Serious Eats New York, Ed Levine, hits up two new ice cream places in Tribeca. —Zach
Strawberries and clotted cream ice cream from Duane Park. Photograph by Gordon Mark
A couple of weeks ago I hit up two new spots for ice cream in Tribeca.
The folks at Duane Park Cafe opened up a tiny ice cream scooperie in the window. The bourbon butter pecan ice cream was outstanding, creamy, smooth, and full flavored. The strawberries and clotted cream is simply the creamiest strawberry ice cream imaginable, though as is often the case, the frozen strawberries were a deliciousness hindrance. The apple pie made great use of what we assume must have been last night's dessert at the restaurant. Peanut butter is a flavor that doesn't often work in ice cream, but Duane Park's peanut butter ice cream tasted like ultra-creamy smooth peanut butter of the highest quality.
The flavors vary from day to day because they're made entirely from organic ingredients and will vary depending on what is available to the chef; you may want to call first unless you're willing to play ice cream bingo. Skip the sorbet and the frozen yogurt. Both were icy and kind of nasty. 157 Duane Street, New York NY 10013 (near West Broadway; map); 212-732-5555
Right around the corner from Duane Park, The Odeon has set up a little ice cream cart in its outdoor cafe. All three house-made flavors were icy and pale-flavored. Did anybody taste these before they were put into the cart? I doubt it. 145 West Broadway, New York NY 10013 (near West Broadway; map); 212-233-0507
The winner of this taste-off? Duane Park Cafe by at least a gallon.
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, June 24, 2008 at 6:00 PM
Those who consider Midtown a dessert wasteland clearly have not hovered over the sweets lining the walls of Oren's in Grand Central. It's there that you can find the ever-elusive Cestropbeau ganache brownie, made in Smithtown, New York. A deep, dark creation that will satisfy lovers of fudgy brownies, the treat is a tempting blend of Belgian chocolate with demerara sugar, sea salt, espresso, and Saigon cinnamon. Perfect for the afternoon break or to nosh on during that long Metro North ride home.
Oren's Daily Roast
105 East 42nd Street, New York NY 10017 (inside Grand Central Terminal; map)
212-338-0014
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, June 20, 2008 at 5:30 PM
Meet Russ & Daughter's Chocolate Covered Halvah Bar. Not quite a candy bar, not just halvah alone, but a combination of all of it in the best possible formula. Priced at just under $2, it is quite possibly one of the best dessert deals in the Lower East Side. The nutty ground sesame seeds crumble oh so easily into a decadent mess with every bite, but man, it's hard not to keep on munching away. Couple that with a rich dip of dark chocolate, just enough to cover, toasted almonds slivers, and you're bound to be addicted.
Russ & Daughters
179 E. Houston St., New York NY 10002; (b/n Allen and Orchard Streets; map)
212-475-4880
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, June 19, 2008 at 6:00 PM
A breakfast luxury, or afternoon snack, sometimes nothing quite satisfies a sweet (and deep-fried!) craving like one of the legendary creations from the Doughnut Plant on the Lower East Side. My personal favorite? The Tres Leches Cake Doughnut. Make sure to get the cake doughnut, which the Doughnut Plant has established their reputation on, and not the heavier and bread-y yeast doughnuts. Like the Latin American cake where it gets its name from, the tres leches doughnut is a glorious concoction infused with a triple dose of evaporated milk, condensed milk and cream. The texture? Right at that very thin line where snowy white powdered sugar meets butter cake. It's indulgent to say the least.
Doughnut Plant
379 Grand St., New York NY 10002; (map)
212-505-3700
doughnutplant.com
Posted by Zach Brooks, June 17, 2008 at 5:45 PM
Left: Chocolate mint; Right: Lemon Raspberry
"Swirly Dots" made their debut today when Treats Truck owner Kim Ima drove "Dot", the second truck in her growing fleet, into Midtown Manhattan for the first time today. These sugar cookies with frosting will be available with many different flavored swirls (today was Mint Chocolate & Lemon Raspberry), but you will only be able to buy them from "Dot", so check the Treats Truck website for the daily schedule. $2 each. treatstruck.com
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, June 13, 2008 at 5:30 PM
The custard flavors at the Shake Shack this month are particularly intriguing, Coffee & Donuts or Raspberry Jalapeno, anyone? The popular Salted Caramel is back on the custard calendar [PDF], along with a refreshing Yogurt and Strawberry Swirl on weekends. The B line wait on Wednesday afternoon for the "coffee and donuts" custard was short; two minutes and $2.75 later for a single dip, I was happy as a plum. Dark and speckled with coffee grounds, it was more a coffee custard with few doughnut chunks folded in, than a half coffee/half doughnut creation. Nonetheless, it's tough to complain while luxuriously creamy custard is slipping down your throat on a warm afternoon.
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, June 11, 2008 at 5:45 PM
While the lines for matcha frappes at Café Zaiya, custard at Shake Shack, and ice cream at 'wichcraft seem endless during these scorching summer months, it's is indeed curious that the crowds aren't pouring out of La Maison du Chocolat. How could it be that no one knows they carry a line of housemade ice cream and sorbets at just $4 for a generous scoop? There are plenty of drool inducing fruity and chocolatey options, but your best bet is the sultry dark chocolate sorbet which is every bit as delicious as their signature truffles, only turned into a refreshingly icy summertime treat.
La Maison du Chocolat
30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10020 (49th b/n Fifth and Sixth; map)
212-265-9404
Posted by Robyn Lee, June 10, 2008 at 5:30 PM
People frequently tell me to go to Chinatown Ice Cream Factory for dessert when I'm in Chinatown, but already having been there many times, I'd rather walk to Sundaes and Cones in the East Village to get my Asian flavored ice cream on. Sure, it's just a little over a mile away from Chinatown, but it's worth the walk (besides that, after a night in Chinatown, I probably need to burn some calories anyway).
What's Good
Taro and black sesame. Oh yes. Granted, this just happens to be my favorite flavor combination, which I think Sundaes and Cones does better than CICF. Black sesame gives every dessert it touches a warm, toasty, nutty flavor, a flavor that for some reason I'm unable to resist. (In a similar vein, I'm also addicted to hazelnut and pistachio-flavored ice creams.)
Many people ask me what the taro flavor, a staple of ice cream shops I used to visit in Taiwan, tastes like. As the purple vegetable is potato-esque in non-ice cream form, I'd say "starchy" (the taro's texture is a bit denser than the black sesame) in addition to "purple" and "sweet." I'm fully aware of how unhelpful these adjectives are. Make my life easier by just eating it yourself.
Continue reading »
Posted by Robyn Lee, June 9, 2008 at 5:45 PM
Editor's note: I don't know how things work at your office, but around this time of day, our collective sweet tooth starts acting up at Serious Eats HQ. Enter Sugar Rush. Every afternoon, we'll point you to something sweet—as an inspiration for your sugar fix. Enjoy! I know we will. —Zach
This isn't just any stack of fat, soft, chewy cookies—these cookies are from the Upper East Side's Two Little Red Hens, a bakery that seems unable to make anything less than delicious. I once ordered a custom birthday cake from Two Little Red Hens—which I highly recommend—but hadn't tried the cookies until last Friday. I tried some of them again after they had been sitting in the Serious Eats kitchen over the weekend and they're still deliciously moist and chewy. These large cookies are worth more than the $1.60 price tag, which is a bargain in New York City's cookie market. My favorite was the orchard cookie, a unique cookie filled with trail mix (like a deluxe version of an oatmeal cookie), but standards like chocolate chip, ginger spice, oatmeal, and snickerdoodle are also worth getting.
Two Little Red Hens
1652 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10028 (map)
212-452-0476
Posted by Zach Brooks, June 6, 2008 at 5:45 PM
You may say the secret ingredient is homemade jam. Photographs by The Wandering Eater
We already wrote that our new favorite doughnut is the bomboloni from Sullivan St. Bakery, leaving us to post about our second favorite doughnut on National Doughnut Day: The raspberry jam doughnuts from Bouchon Bakery in the Time Warner Center. Only available on Saturdays, and usually not until Noon, these doughnuts are well worth planning your weekend around.
CORRECTION: We're sorry to report that Bouchon no longer makes this doughnut and does not know if it plans on resurrecting it any time in the near future. The editors regret the error.
Bouchon Bakery
10 Columbus Circle (3rd Floor), New York, NY 10019; (map)
212-823-9366
Related
Happy National Doughnut Day
Sugar Rush: Sullivan St. Bakery's Bomboloni
The Serious Eats National Doughnut Honor Roll
Posted by Zach Brooks, June 3, 2008 at 5:30 PM
Bo Lo Bao from Ping's Seafood Restaurant in Manhattan's Chinatown. Sweet and crusty on top, custard filling with chunks of pineapple on the inside, these buns are available as Dim Sum on the weekends. Usually they run out, so it helps to start asking for them the minute you sit down, that way you increase your chances of getting them before you're done eating.
Ping's Seafood Restaurant
22 Mott St., New York 10013; (nr Mosco;
map)
212-602-9988
Posted by Ed Levine, June 2, 2008 at 5:30 PM
We're not worthy. We're not worthy.
In New York magazine's "Best Breakfast Meals" list, Robin Raisfeld and Rob Patronite called the bombolinis at Jim Lahey's Sullivan Street Bakery the "best doughnuts" in the city. That is a powerful claim, so we bought a bunch to taste to see if it was accurate. After the first bite, we found it hard to disagree. The dough is impossibly light, the outer crust is crisp yet pliant, and the filling is so creamy and vanilla-y it tastes like great vanilla ice cream. After the second bite, we have decided to up the ante and call it the best filled doughnut we've ever had. After the third bite, we decided that we are simply not worthy of this most excellent doughnut.
Sullivan Street Bakery
533 West 47th Street, New York NY 10036 (Tenth/Eleventh; map)
212-265-5580
Continue reading »
Posted by Robyn Lee, May 30, 2008 at 4:00 PM
Editor's note: I don't know how things work at your office, but around this time of day, our collective sweet tooth starts acting up at Serious Eats HQ. Enter Sugar Rush. Every afternoon, we'll point you to something sweet—as an inspiration for your sugar fix. Enjoy! I know we will. —Zach
Sesame paste dumplings, or tang yuan in Chinese, are balls of glutinous rice filled with black sesame paste. Bite through the sticky, elastic outer skin and you will be rewarded with a center of toasted nutty goo. The paste isn't very sweet, but the warm sweetened ginger-infused black tea soup makes up for it. Get your sesame paste dumpling action on at Chinatown's Green Tea Cafe, where you can also get dumplings filled with peanut or red bean paste. 45 Mott Street, New York NY 10013 (map); 212-693-2888
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, May 29, 2008 at 5:00 PM
On the corner of Waverly and West 11th Street is a bakery with glass windows and an interior done up in bright pink, the word "Royale" boldly splayed across the wall in white cursive. Aside from the shock of color, the interior is sparse and sparkling clean—it's the kind of bakery one would pop in for a daytime treat but never stay long to linger. If you look carefully at the pastries neatly arranged on the counter and the hefty cookies in glass jars, they may appear oddly familiar. Do a double take—yes, that's
