New York’s Most Noteworthy Winter Desserts
It’ll be ice cream season before you know it, but until then, you might as well get your last licks of winter’s most swoonworthy sweets — from Michael Laiskonis’ Candied Chestnut Monte Bianco at La Sirena to April Bloomfield’s Parsnip Chiffon Pie at Salvation Burger & the Coffee Almond Date Cake at High Street on Hudson. There are some delicious doozies this season…
La Sirena
Located in the Maritime Hotel, La Sirena is the first new Batali & Bastianich project to launch in almost a decade. So it’s no wonder foodies are flocking for regional Italian eats like leek and spinach Panzotti, Beef Braciole with spicy breadcrumbs and — considering they’ve nabbed former Le Bernardin pastry chef, Michael Laiskonis — inventive sweet treats, like a “Monte Bianco,” made with candied chestnuts, roasted pear, and whipped cream; a “Baba Amaro” with citrus and amaro-soaked cake, basil gelato and bergamot, and a “Torta Ubriaco” with brioche, rum custard, roasted pineapple, and fiore de latte gelato.
Read MoreSalvation Burger
Yes, burgers are at the forefront (made with house butchered, dry-aged and ground meat) at April Bloomfield’s newest juggernaut, but any comfort food haven worth its french fries requires an equally sinful lineup of desserts. And Salvation’s offerings don’t disappoint — from a duo of deep-fried Hand Pies (filled with luscious lemon curd or cinnamon sugar-dusted, cider-soused apples), or a quadrant of slices, including slightly savory Parsnip Chiffon Pie with a gingersnap crust, a Grapefruit Sesame Pie, rich was rosewater cream and candied ginger, and an Amaretti Ice Box Pie, stacked with anise cream and amaretti cookies.
Read MoreHigh Street on Hudson
Since High Street is all about that bake (we’re talking incredible breads, courtesy of the James Beard Award nominated Alex Bois), it goes without saying that desserts are noteworthy too. In addition to daytime pastries, such as Kabocha Cake, Meyer Lemon Cream Puffs and Hazelnut Fig “Escargot,” dinnertime delights include a slightly savory take on Affogato; stiff espresso poured over caraway-rye ice cream, and topped with a smoked malt graham cracker.
Read MoreUntitled
Michael Anthony and his pastry chef, Miro Uskokovic (formerly of Jean-Georges and Aldea), have been a dream team since 2013, and the pair recently parlayed their success at Gramercy Tavern into an equally strong showing at Untitled. Uskokovic has won raves for his Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies, but it’s only one of a slew of killer sweets, including a hot Fudge Truffle Cake with candies kumquats, a Sticky Toffee Cake with pears and chai, and a to-die-for Banana Cake with hazelnut brittle and concord grapes.
Read MoreCharlie Bird
If you can’t snag a spot at the hotter-than-hot Pasquale Jones, consider trying your luck at its enduringly popular big sibling, Charlie Bird, for chic Italian dishes like Octopus Saltimbocca and Crispy Chicken with herb salad, followed by Sicilian Panne Cotta with gingerbread or Winesap Apple Olive Oil Cake with mascarpone and a salty oat crumble.
Read MoreAcme
In its considerably more approachable iteration (the New Nordic Acme originated under Noma co-founder, Mads Refslund), Acme is serving French brasserie classics, accompanied by newly rustic desserts, including Ricotta Cheesecake with raisins and rum, Orange Sherbet paved with chocolate crumble, and a cool weather Quince Tart, flavored with saffron and caramel, & accompanied by tart yogurt ice cream.
Read MoreRebelle
Rebelle has one of the city’s most talented young pastry chefs in its corner (Per Se’s Jessica Yang), so be sure to save room for winter-inspired sweets, such as a Coconut Cream Tart, a creamy Chocolate Torte with caramelia ganache and sheep’s milk sorbet. Lest we forget the shareable Flaugnarde Pruneaux, heady with dates, walnuts and cognac.
Read MoreIndian Accent
An outpost of New Delhi’s most esteemed fine dining restaurant, the just-opened Indian Accent offers gorgeously plated, beyond-curry fare, such as Baby Squid with crispy rice and everything chutney, as well as Wild Boar Pickles with prawn balchao, along with refined sweets like silky Makhan Malai with saffron milk, Doda Barfi Treacle Tart, Besan Ladoo Cheesecake with amaranth, and Crispy Seviyan Rice Pudding, topped with coconut jaggery ice cream.
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