Showing posts with label nyc. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nyc. Show all posts

lower priced dessert

Posted on 12:38 AM under , , , | Be the first to comment · edit

Dessert Club ChikaLicious

Triple Chocolate (Ganache-filled) Cupcake

Red Velvet Cupcake

Cheesecake with Strawberries (foreground) &
Chocolate Chip Cookie (background)

Blue Raspberry Shaved Ice

She says: This is my type of place, not so much frills like the one across the way but still "grown-up" enough to make you justify your indulgence in some chocolate chip cookies and cupcakes! Normally, I'm not a big cake or cupcake fan (mainly because I can't deal with the sugary icing, where you can literally feel your teeth falling out..hm..maybe I'm not so much of a sweet tooth person after all!) but I recently heard that this joint was rated as having the best cupcakes in NY magazine by Nancy Olson, a pastry chef at Gramercy Tavern. To my surprise, the icing on their red velvet (super deliciously moist -- I really don't like that word and Paul likes to make fun of me but I can't describe it otherwise...it was one of the most spongiest cakes I've had yet!) wasn't too sugary or dense like the norm cream cheese frostings I'm used to. Instead, it was very light and a bit airy. Kind of reminded me of those Asian cake icings! I'm a cookie monster. I prefer cookies over cake. And this chocolate chip cookie was one of the BEST I've consumed! Buttery, crispy edges (my favorite part!) and melted rich chocolate...need I say more? Next time, I would like to try the green tea shaved ice w/azuki beans and ice cream..the "real" shaved ice of hawaii! It's also not group-friendly like their other counterpart at the Dessert Bar...just FYI. Other than that, I really liked the place a lot...could be a new dessert hotspot!

He says: The more affordable sister location across the street from ChikaLicious Dessert Bar, Dessert Club ChikaLicious is the place to be for all things delightful, chewy, slushy, frozen, and moist. Nothing is too heavy nor too sweet. Everything, really, is just right. From taste to price, you will not be disappointed. I believe on our first trip here, we spent a whopping total of $11.15 for all of the below. I haven't really deviated too much from this price range on future trips. I have to admit that I have a pretty sweet tooth so I might be a little biased here, but I am fairly certain that my bias will appeal to those with sweet teeth. My favorite is definitely the red velvet cupcake and the blue raspberry shaved ice (which has vanilla frozen yogurt hiding within). The seating is minimal (maybe 8-10 people with 3-4 standing by the bar) but if you get the table by the door (which is wide open during the warmer months) then you have the money spot. I usually recommend this place to friends and co-workers who ask for a dessert place in the East Village (over Max Brenner's, what!) and I tend to bring my out-of-town or new-to-New York friends here after having dinner around the area and they usually walk away telling me that they have tasted the best that NYC (East Village) has to offer.

She rates: ****
He rates: ****

expensive dessert

Posted on 11:16 PM under , , , | Be the first to comment · edit

Note: One of the primary reasons we started this blog was because of the many eateries we've been to together, since the day we started dating. This was on January 9 of this year when the new year really started to kick off, as well as our dining dates and sweet tooths.


ChikaLicious Dessert Bar

She says: I'll admit it. I have a sweet tooth. Like they always say, "there's always room for dessert!" Ain't it the truth. After meeting up with a friend earlier for dinner, we met up with Paul for dessert. It was her first time meeting him and I valued her opinion. Paul heard about ChikaLicious Dessert Bar and suggested we try it out. Rather neatly tucked away in the chaotic scenes of east village, you could easily pass by it without a second glance. There are no large signs out front but just a large glass window that looks into a cleanly lit, white-walled boxed room with of dessert patrons and connoisseurs of the like rubbing elbows (it's a tight squeeze in there). We chose to do the prix fixe dessert menu ($14) with wine pairing (additional $7). It's a bit more high-end than I had anticipated, but I was ready to try out their modern and innovative take on dessert.

He says: If Jenn has a sweet tooth, I have sugar cubes for teeth. I knew about this place as the higher priced older brother of the ChikaLicious duet that's right across the street from the more reasonably priced Dessert Club, ChikaLicious. I wanted to impress Jenn and her friend (Note: We were still in the honeymoon period.) so I thought I'd take them to a place that I'm pretty sure they never heard of. Hell, I never been to the place myself so I was winning on dual fronts: impressing my lady and her amiga AND trying out a new sweet spot. We got lucky and did not have to wait as we were seated immediately. The host was cordial and so were the servers/chefs. We actually sat at a table but after I scoped the place out, I saw that the bar was actually the hot spot as they chefs made the dessert right in front of you (The bar seat would also help if you were in awkward company and had a ready excuse to not talk to them.). Obviously, this place is a bit pricier than your neighborhood Coldstone's but I assume we are paying for the ambiance and prestige and other intangible invaluables that sky rocket the fare of such bite-sized desserts. I swear the menu was made for Munchkins. The dessert is good but I'm just not used to forking over $14 per plate for what is essentially dessert teasers. The champagne/wine being $7 per glass is expected in NYC so I'm comparatively okay with that. I guess if you want to impress someone with some fine desserts and have some paper to burn, then this is great place to go; but otherwise, if you just want something sweet and not pricey try out Dessert Club, ChikaLicious.

Petits Fours
She says: I'm not quite sure what the thinking process of the Petits Fours was but it could be a decompressed s'more? The chocolate truffles were an all-around favorite. They were rich and delectable with the outer layer crusted with some chocolate bits gave that little morsel the crunch it needed. The handmade marshmallow cubes covered in coconut flakes were a second favorite. I could've done without the biscuit.

He says: It's aite.

Warm Chocolate Tart with Pink Peppercorn Ice Cream and Red Wine Sauce

She says: Hmm..this was the dish I ordered...it was interesting. There were a lot of complex flavors going on. The red wine redux really went well with the chocolate tart (which was pretty rich--kind of tasted like a brownie). The peppercorn ice cream threw me off. It was spicy but subtly spicy. When you think of ice cream, you think of something sweet but it wasn't. Love it or hate it, I was in between with that one.

He says: Looks better than it is.

Kiwi Shaved Ice with Cream Puffs

She says: The kiwi shaved ice was a refreshing and pleasant surprise! I loved how you could taste the hint of kiwi in it and the kiwi sauce on the plate added that extra oomph. The cream puffs were ok. I was expecting them to be lighter and fluffier.

He says: Me likey.

Melon Panna Cotta with Sparkling Wine sorbet in a Bubbly Bath
She says: This was by far my favorite dish of the night--hands down. It was sweet and refreshing and the bubbles from the champagne created that tang and crispness you needed from the panna cotta. The gelatin cubes were fun and were more "grown-up" than the Jell-o ones we were used to it. I loved this one. I would definitely go back and order this dish!

He says: Dayum.

Because we went here awhile back, I can't remember their names but they paired us with (from clockwise) a dessert wine, a port and champagne to go with our desserts.

She rates: ****
He rates: ***