NYC Food Guy Recommends… The Always Room For Dessert Edition

March 22, 2008

Dessert time New York! Why? Because NYC Food Guy said so. Leave some room or skip dinner all together because it’s time to satiate your sweet tooth in a whole new way and I’m going to tell you how.

Read on for some mouth-watering desserts that flip the script on the old standards…

Charbonnel et Walker

8th Floor inside Saks Fifth Avenue

611 5th Avenue and 50th St.

(212) 588-0546

One of Britian’s oldest chocolate makers, Charbonnel et Walker, has a fantasy-like outpost on the 8th floor of Saks Fifth Avenue. Brave the shoppers and make your way up there for a chocolate bar that’s centered on a massive chocolate fountain with a conveyer belt of chocolate goodies circling it. Be careful though, you pay for whatever you snag (I found that out the hard way). The hot chocolate was decadent and rich as was the frozen variety; the latter topped with some seriously heavy whipped cream. Open until 8pm Monday through Friday, 7pm Saturday and Sunday.

Mama’s Mudsliders – THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED

120 Christopher St b/t Bedford and Bleecker

Phone: (646) 414-4447

I’ve never been here but what you’re looking at above are Mama’s Mudsliders or chocolate cream-filled beignets, which despite being deep-fried, are lighter and less greasy than zeppoles. Citysearch says “Retro-American desserts rule at this warm yet modern space… Options include Mudpie (chocolate chip brownie, coffee ice cream, chocolate mousse, and chocolate ganache); Frozen Banana custard with walnut caramel sauce; and made to order beignets served with chocolate or vanilla cream and topped with powdered sugar… Drinks are also geared for the dessert minded. Shakes, malts, and birch beer floats can be made with any of their ice creams (peanut butter, chocolate, vanilla, coffee and strawberry). Egg creams, flavored sodas, french press coffee, and expresso drinks round out the drink menu.” I am so there.

Wafles & Dinges Truck

Location Changes, Click here for the latest

Arguably the most delicious addition to the Mobile Food movement, this big yellow truck serves up fresh Belgian Wafles & Liege (chewy) wafles. Yes, that’s how they spell it, they’re Belgian. You want the liege and you want to go with the cinnamon version. Get Nutella, whipped cream, and powdered sugar (pictured). Ask if there are fresh ones made, if not, it’s worth the wait because you’ll eventually be handed something that tastes like a Cinnabon with Nutella and the consistency of an amazing cinnamon danish. I’m drooling just thinking about it. $4 for a wafel and $1 for each topping (dinge) of which you can choose strawberries, whipped cream, Nutella, Dulce de leche, maple syrup, and Belgian chocolate fudge.

Milk & Cookies

19 Commerce St. off 7th Avenue

(212) 243-1640

Fresh baked cookies and Il Laboratorio del Gelato. How could you go wrong? Well you can’t as long as you stick to the chocolate chip cookie (nothing compared to Levain) and classic gelato flavors like vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. Something to avoid: The Grasshopper (Chocolate-Mint Gelato/Chocolate Choc. Chip cookie) which tasted like mint toothpaste. Good news, this place was recently taken over by the Director of the French Culinary Institute, so the baked goods are only getting better. Shareability is lacking, it’s tough to break one of these cookies in half without gelato going everywhere, but combo deals are coming soon so you can spread the love though it will cost you, each cookie is only $1 but each small-sized sandwich costs $4.88.

Isabella’s Oven – THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED

365 Grand St b/t Essex Street and Norfolk Street
(212) 529-5206

Nutella pizza topped with sliced strawberries and bananas. I mean, it’s Nutella, how could it be bad. Nutella is good on everything, especially light, crispy, and airy pizza crust as it turns out. The fruit that you’ll find on top is seasonal. Right now they actually have kiwi, which is intriguing. $6 for an individual, good for 2, $15 for a large which serves 4. Isabella’s Oven is open every day except Monday and stays open until 12AM. It’s off the beaten path location is validated by its massive outdoor patio out back which opens April 1st. Doughnut Plant and Kossar’s Bialys are on the same stretch of stores, so get down there and kill three birds with one stone.

OTTO Enoteca & Pizzeria

1 5th Ave. at 8th St.

(212) 995-9559

No picture unfortunately but your imagination is all you need:

Butterscotch & Bananas – Butterscotch pecan gelato, chocolate crumble, caramel bananas, mascarpone cream, and coffee bourbon sauce all for $9. This is a Mario Batali restaurant and based on the size of that guy it’s fair to say he knows his dessert. Plus, with all those ingredients, how could you possibly go wrong. Open Monday through Sunday 11:30AM to 12AM.

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