Best of Dessert: Part One

Otto Enoteca and Pizzeria
15th Avenue and 8th Street
212-995-9559
If you haven’t already noticed, olive oil gelato is currently seizing its moment in the restaurant limelight.  But Otto’s rendition is the real deal: Sprinkled with sea salt and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, its subtly sweet and mellow.  Likewise, the hazelnut stracciatella harkens Nutella, and the pistachio proves itself profoundly creamy.

Levain Bakery
167 West 74th St, nr. Columbus Ave.
(212)874-6080
A permanent fixture on our “Favorite Desserts List”, we’re humbled in the over-sized presence of this UWS bakery’s cookies.  In a nutshell, you’re simply not going to find a better cookie – chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, dark chocolate chocolate chip, or dark chocolate peanut butter chip – in New York City.   Just yesterday we learned by way of Eater, Bobby Flay couldn’t Throwdown with these talented bakers.  Every scone-sized variation proves exceptionally moist and divine.  Levain also peddles fresh-baked breads, including ciabatta and black & white sesame-studded semolina. (It’s a shame we don’t own stock in this spot.)

Something Sweet
177 First Ave., at 11th St.
(212)533-9986
This old school East Village bakery has been around for ages, but it still stands up to more youthful competition.  Our favorites include the raspberry macaroons, creme brulee cake, banana cookies and truffle buttons.

Chinatown Ice Cream Factory
65 Bayard Street btwn. Elizabeth and Mott Sts.
212-608-4170
Though this bustling shop offers traditional flavors, opt for the exotic, Asian-inspired varieties: Black sesame boasts hundreds of crunchy seeds; lychee evokes floral aromas and a creamy texture; while the honeydew pearl tea is dense, sweet and stocked with chewy tapioca balls.

Cendrillon

45 Mercer St. btwn. Broome and Grand Sts.
212-343-9670
This Filipino restaurant offers a medley of ethnic
desserts, but your first stop should be the Halo-Halo, an exotic ice
cream sundae of sorts. Topped with taro ice cream, the combination of
shaved ice, red beans,
toasted rice, coconut flan, and jackfruit is luxuriously fruity
and defiantly light

Bouchon Bakery

10 Colombus Circle, at 60th St.
(212)823-9366
This French patisserie does justice to both an apricot tart and chocolate bouchon, but our favorites are the haute riffs on the nutter butter and the oreo.  Deemed the TKO (Thomas Keller Oreo), a rich
vanilla ganache replaces the usual vanilla crème middle.

Betsy & Claude’s

betsyandclaude.com
(917)225-6058
Admittedly not the most health conscious eater, I’m partial to
taste over calories (especially when it comes to dessert).  I’d
normally opt for chocolate chip over an oatmeal raisin cookie, but this is an unique exception to the rule.  Gluten, dairy and nut free, they’re also chewy and crunchy.  Strange but true.

Amy’s Bread
672 Ninth Ave., btwn. 46th & 47th Sts.
(212)977-2670
Though they do have a handsome array of breads, Amy’s Bread’s also has some of the best fresh-baked scones  in the city.  Crusty on the outside and fluffy within, favorites include the oatmeal with cranberry & walnut as well as the cherry cream scones.

Until we eat again,
Restaurant Girl
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