Posted by Robyn Lee, September 25, 2008 at 6:00 PM
When I told Serious Eats dessert maven Kathy YL Chan that I was going to the Flushing Mall, she said, "You have to get the Mango Special at the shaved ice counter!"
And special it was, consisting of a heaping mound of shaved ice—unfortunately on the crunchy, not fluffy side—topped with chopped ripe mango, sweet condensed milk, and a huge scoop of creamy mango ice cream. My two friends and I polished it all off despite the decreasing space in our stomachs. I don't understand how frozen yogurt could become a huge craze while something as awesome and simple and refreshing as as shaved ice topped with ice cream and mango bits is hard to find.
Flushing Mall
Food Court (basement level)
13333 39th Avenue, Flushing NY 11354 (b/n Lawrence Avenue and Prince Street; map)
718-358-1618
Posted by Ed Levine, September 16, 2008 at 8:30 PM
Square Meal
East 92nd Street, New York, NY 10128 (near 3rd Avenue; map); 212-860-9872; squaremealnyc.com
Service: Friendly but slow
Setting: Long, narrow dining room filled with warmth and noise
Compare It To: Sarabeth's
Must-Haves: Dessert, dessert, dessert, watermelon and strawberry salad, vichyssoise, chive and cheddar scones
Cost: $60 for two courses, tax and tip (it's BYOB)
Grade: B+
You know that silly t-shirt, "Life is short, eat dessert first?" Well, last week I went to a restaurant, Square Meal, where the desserts were so good, I could have eaten them first, last, and in between, with no main course necessary. Square Meals' owner Yura Mohr has run a Manhattan catering business and take-out storefront for almost 20 years (before that she owned a luncheonette in Brooklyn Heights and cooked at the Heights Casino athletic club) in various locations around her stomping grounds, Manhattan's upper east side. Denizens of that tony 'hood know that as a comfort food-style baker Yura has very few peers in this country.
So it's no surprise that desserts at the recently opened Square Meal, a long and narrow, simply painted and furnished room catty corner to her take-out storefront, are stellar in that Yuraesque, if-your-grandmother-was-a-phenomenal-baker-who-shopped-at-the-greenmarket way. Go soon or you risk not finding the wild Maine blueberry pie ($8.00) on the menu. Imagine a pie loosely packed with tiny, still intact wild Maine blueberries splashed with lemon juice, with almost no blue goop whatsoever, surrounded by a flakey, buttery crust so fine you think you've been taken to a farm cafe in Iowa.
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Posted by Robyn Lee, September 15, 2008 at 6:00 PM
While I find vegan restaurants to be disappointing about 50 percent of the time (I like to accommodate my vegan friends when I eat, alright?), I have much better luck with vegan baked goods and sometimes even prefer them to the "real" thing. When I went to Penny Licks—a candy, ice cream, and vegan bake shop in Williamsburg—the beautiful and pristine strawberry vanilla mousse cake jumped out at me. I devoured about a third of the ginormous $6 quadruple-layer cake wedge before fullness kicked in. But I kept going—the fluffy, lightly sweetened and strawberry-flavored mousse went down a lot easier than conventional frosting, and the cake, while a bit dense, was satisfyingly moist and not too sweet. Maybe I'll just meet my vegan friends at Penny Licks from now on.
Penny Licks
158 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11211 (b/n N 8th and N 9th; map)
718-384-0158
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 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 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 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 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 Ed Levine, July 29, 2008 at 11:00 PM
Photographs by Robyn Lee
Amy's Bread
Location Visited: 75 Ninth Avenue, New York, NY 10011 (Between 15th & 16th Streets); 212-462-4338; amysbread.com.
Additional locations at 672 Ninth Avenue, New York NY 10036 (Hell's Kitchen) and 250 Bleecker Street, New York NY 10014 (West Village)
Service: Friendly, accommodating, and quick (except when you order a pressed sandwich)
Setting: Bakery counter with some tables and chairs. Look to the left and you can watch bread being made.
Compare It To: Balthazar, Sullivan Street Bakery, Mangia
Must-Haves: Ham and cheese biscuit, grilled cheese and tomato sandwich, Cuban sandwich, cherry cream scone, butterscotch cashew bar, lemonade, lemon mouseline cake.
Cost: $10-15 for a sandwich, cookie, and drink.
Grade: B+
Here at Serious Eats world headquarters we work in what can only be called a sandwich, bread, and baked goods-challenged neighborhood. For sandwiches we have Salumeria Biellese, but it limits itself to big, meat-centric sandwiches on unsatisfactory bread (they still haven't taken me up on my suggestion to carry Sullivan Street Bakery stirato). The bread and baked goods situation is even more dire. Basically, we've got nothing unless we're willing to brave the line at Whole Foods.
Over the past few months while going down to Chelsea Market for various meetings, I rediscovered Amy's Bread. To the people who live near or work in Chelsea Market, Amy's Bread is a godsend. And to those people I say, do not take Amy's Bread for granted. Proximity should breed support, not contempt.
Almost everything Amy Scherber and her hardworking crew make—from bread to cake, from cookies to sandwiches, from pizza to focaccia—is damned tasty, with a few items reaching the level of serious deliciousness. Scherber brings a taste, know-how, and pride to everything she sells here, and the result is an eatery I would kill to have in my neighborhood. She has proven herself to be a dough wizard; the breads, cookies, and cakes all have a chance for greatness. And even though all the sandwiches at Amy's Bread are premade, usually a sandwich no-no as far as I'm concerned, she manages to transcend the limitations of that tired genre.
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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 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 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 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 Gordon Mark, June 20, 2008 at 6:00 PM
First, I'm sure there are some of you that are sick of hearing about the new Ikea in Red Hook. You've heard about the people who lined up for free stuff, you heard about locals' reactions to having the store in their neighborhoods. But you haven't really heard about the food at Ikea. Granted, that might not be the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about Ikea, but I had heard the food was good, cheap and worthwhile. That said, I went yesterday to check out what they had to offer.
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Posted by Ed Levine, May 22, 2008 at 2:00 PM
"These little squares of chocolate-nut heaven are the brownies of my dreams."
I don't know why exactly, but lately I've been exploring the brownie culture of New York. On one foray to Chelsea Market, I tried brownies from Sarabeth's, Amy's, and Fat Witch, and found all of them lacking in one way or another. I despaired of ever finding a truly terrific brownie in New York until I came upon one in a truly unlikely spot: the cookie plate at Del Posto. I know brownies aren't Italian, but Del Posto executive pastry chef Brooks Headley insists that his brownies are really just a slightly gussied-up version of a torta Caprese, a traditional Italian dessert. In the end, it really doesn't matter what Brooks or anyone else calls it. These little squares of chocolate-nut heaven are the brownies of my dreams. Brooks generously agreed to share his recipe with serious eaters (and even suggested a baking soundtrack). Thank you, Brooks. Here's what he had to say about it:
This is a new addition to the Del Posto cookie tray. It's a really simple and fairly traditional Italian sweet. I bake it in a sheet and then cut it into miniature squares. I like to top it with a sliver of walnut that I roast with olive oil, sea salt, chili flake, and a pinch of cumin, then finish with a single drop of aceto balsamico tradizionale for a much-needed umami blast. It ends up looking like a "brownie alla Nonna," ("grandma brownie")—rustic but full of chocolate and nut flavor. It also seems to capture that perfect Italian dessert feel—kind of crumbly and just barely supporting its own structure.
This is also a very easy recipe, good for busy parents, beginner pastry cooks, and lazy folks. You almost cannot mess it up. It's best made while listening to the first Ramones record. Keep it simple and fun. It's also gluten-free.
Here's the recipe »
Posted by Kathy YL Chan, May 21, 2008 at 5:45 PM
Editor's note: I don't know how things work at your office, but in the late afternoon, our collective sweet tooth starts acting up at Serious Eats HQ. Enter Sugar Rush. Every afternoon, we'll point you to some sweet something—so you can rush out and get your fix. Today, you'll have to make do satisfying your virtual sweet tooth, as Brooklyn Flea is open only on Sundays. Until the weekend, you can use this post as a guide to your Brooklyn Flea visit. —Zach
Perhaps the only thing in the world that delights me more than a bakery, is, many bakeries clustered together. Enter the Brooklyn Flea Market, a weekly Sunday event featuring dozens of local vendors with plenty to offer: bikes, jewelry, vintage clothing, antiques—anything you could imagine. The vendor list sounded fascinating, but the only thing that caught my attention was a category most properly titled, "Tasty Treats." Edible treats? At the Flea Market? With a list of three particular bakeries in mind, I made it top priority to visit the Market the following Sunday.
At Salvatore Brooklyn Ricotta they were selling fresh ricotta by the pound, the luxuriously thick and creamy cheese a tempting siren. As to not to be lured by the possibility of consuming pounds of ricotta for lunch, I dived straight for the filled-to-order cannoli ($3/piece). I wasn't sure what to expect, though honestly did not anticipate biting into doubtlessly the most delicious cannoli my tongue has ever welcomed. A perfect three bites in length, the crispy powdered sugar dusted shell shattered into a expertly piped mass of ricotta tangled with sharps hints of lemon, marsala and little chocolate bits. The first bite left me in awe, the second clamoring for more, and the third and final, in utter bliss. Nothing wrong, and everything right, so very right, be it the visual contrast between the yellow zest and chocolate speckled ricotta tucked in golden brown fried pastry, or the sweet flavor combustion rewarded by silky light mouthfuls alongside the sharp crackling shell.
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Posted by Zach Brooks, May 15, 2008 at 9:30 AM
Even if it was 100 degrees out, I would still eat you.
Got a message from The Dessert Truck last night saying that they have phased out the Gianduja pot de creme and the hot chocolate from their menu, and plan on slowly getting rid of the rest of their hot items in favor of more spring and summer desserts. So if you are as big a fan of the molten chocolate cake and slow-baked apples as we are, you may want to hit up the truck soon, before they're gone. (Although if it gets any hotter, it may be tough to not order the brand new special, Pavlova.)
Related:
The Dessert Truck: For Desserts on the Go
Posted by Alaina Browne, May 13, 2008 at 4:30 PM
Cookies, jam-filled biscuit, and cupcakes from Babycakes.
Yesterday, Restaurant Girl Danyelle Freeman posted her list of the best Vegan Dessert Spots in New York City. We are well aware that for most people the words "Vegan" and "dessert" and "delicious" are words that when spoken together don't normally evoke a pavlovian response, but that being said we think there are a few vegan sweets in the city that could convert even the most hard core butter and egg lovers. Two of our favorites made Danyelle's list, but one we were sad to see left off.
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Posted by Robyn Lee, April 9, 2008 at 8:30 AM
Have you ever ambled around your town thinking, "My god, I could really go for a fresh crème brûlée right now; if only there were a conveniently located truck selling high-end desserts for reasonable prices. If only."
Whether or not this thought has crossed your mind, you willdevelop a craving for crème brûlée when you come across the welcoming window of the Dessert Truck at 8th Street and University Place in New York's Greenwich Village. Not in the mood for crème brûlée? How about chocolate bread pudding or molten chocolate cake, just two of the six options on the truck's dessert menu? Thanks to the truck's founders, pastry chef Jerome Chang (formerly the pastry sous chef at Le Cirque) and Columbia business school student Chris Chen, your blood sugar will be less at risk for dipping to a suboptimal level.
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Posted by Ed Levine, August 4, 2006 at 9:21 AM
These last few days have almost done me in. So I've been treating myself to one scoop of ice cream a day (no more, no less, given my "eat less" diet, which has me down 40 pounds). Here are my NYC faves:
1. Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory: Old-fashioned American, not particularly high in butterfat, ice cream.
2. Otto cart in Washington Square Park: The cheapest way to sample Meredith Kurtzman's amazing gelato.
3. Shake Shack: I know it's a cliché, but the frozen custard here rocks, and the ice cream and shake only line is consistently short.
4. Il Laboratio de Gelato: Where Ciao Bella (see below) founder Jon Snyder now plies his trade.
5. Ciao Bella: It's still pretty damned fine, even without Snyder, especially the malted milk ball.
6. Cones: I love the fruit-based gelati and sorbetti here. Bleecker Street, just east of Seventh Avenue South.
7. Eli's: Eli is a ganef, but the man knows how to make great food.
8. Creme Cremaillere: Try the Mission Fig. Sold by the scoop at Manhattan Fruitier, 29th Street, between Park and Lex.
9. Emack & Bolio: I know they're from Boston, but the ice cream is really good.
10. Eddie's (Maspeth): For old time's sake.
Have I missed any?
Häagen-Dazs is by far my favorite mass-produced ice cream, a rare example of a formerly boutique brand that's maintained its quality standards after being bought.
Posted by Ed Levine, April 11, 2006 at 10:59 AM
Is Bouchon Bakery overpriced? To help me answer that question I have decided to eat lunch at Bouchon Bakery in the Time Warner Center (3rd fl.) every Saturday after squash, until I have sampled the entire menu. This time I had a really good Pork Tonnato sandwich ($8.25) along with a bowl of chicken soup ($9.25!) . The soup was a rich brown color, obviously made from a dark stock, which is fine by me. There were a few inconsequential herb dumplings, some al dente vegetables, and a few pieces of tender dark meat chicken floating in the broth, but I actually liked the taste of the soup more after I had eaten all the other stuff. That has never happened to me before, and I can't for the life of me figure out why. The soup itself had great chicken flavor. For dessert I had a serious peanut butter sandwich cookie ($2.75) that may have been the finest peanut butter cookie I have ever eaten. The cookies were light and flavorful, and the filling tasted like an intensely flavored peanut butter mousse.
Note: All of my Bouchon Bakery meals are being eaten and purchased in the retail bakery and not the sit-down restaurant.
