Recap of my thanksgiving in a city of food and food and food and food
(This is part 2 of a two-part NYC Thanksgiving post- checkout part 1 here)
Dominique Ansel Bakery
Finally had a chance to try this insta-famous place after passing by multiple branches of it in multiple countries multiple times lol. I didn't get the cronuts as the monthly special flavour didn't appeal to me, or the frozen smores as I almost froze to death everyday. I ended up ordering:
1. Chestnut rose mont blanc.
As a huge fan of mont-blanc and chestnut and anything rose, this flavour immediately called my name. The chestnut cream exterior was smooth with an earthy tone and not overly sweet. Underneath was a mixture of cream/cake that surprisingly did not taste too heavy. These decadent layers were perfectly complemented by the center, which was slightly sour with a hint of rose fragrance. Overall the rose element could be more prominent but this dessert definitely did not disappoint.
2. DKA.
"DKA" was basically a croissant on steroids. The outside was crispy, crunchy, flakey, and dusted with sugar crystals (almost like a palmier), while the inside still maintained the fluffiness of a croissant. This, plus a warm cup of coffee, is the perfect sugary way to start a day whether you are in a rush or just want to do nothing. (Warning- it's messy to eat cuz crumbs can fall anywhere)
DO, Cookie Dough Confections
A place that has been trending on the internet for a while now ,and as someone basic af it is no surprise that I must visit. Around 7pm and the store was crowded as expected but the line moved pretty quickly. I sampled: the heavenly (nutella + caramel + sea salt), nuts for nuts (as the name suggests), peanut butter snickerdoodle (as the name suggests). The pb snickerdoodle & heavenly stood out to me most as they were the most unique combos. I ended up ordering two scoops- confetti and salty & sweet - mainly for the looks haha. In terms of taste, they were somewhat generic and became too heavy and sugary the more I ate. I recommend sharing with a friend or getting the smallest size! Overall this place was more of a typical hyped-up-dessert shop...recommend it for the aesthetics.
Cha-Cha Matcha
Another place that has been trending for a white, and no surprise that I also visited. Upon walking inside I was immediately attracted by the insta-worthiness of the store from its pink and green decor to minimalist elements. I originally wanted to try the matcha-pumpkin spice softserve that everyone else raved about, but since I froze to death outside I was craving something hot and opted for a matcha-pumpkin spice latte with almond milk instead. Although basic as basic gets, the drink significantly exceeded my expectations- not overly sweet, earthy matcha taste, and a pumpkin spice flavour that surprisingly blended in well. Also, latte art was aesthetic af, another plus.
Jukai
The desserts were part of a larger meal which I will talk about in part 2 of this post. However, they stood out so much that I'm going to include them here.
1. Black tea panna cotta
As a lover of everything tea flavored, I had to order this dessert. Unlike a typical panna cotta, there was an additional black tea infused white chocolate top layer with a drizzle of maple syrup. Although I'm usually not a fan of white chocolate because it's overly sweet, I surprisingly enjoyed it as the black added an additional flavor dimension to the chocolate. The cream underneath had a strong black tea flavor as well, which made it almost reminiscent of milk tea, while also maintaining a light texture.
2. White sesame pudding
Also as a lover of everything sesame flavored, I had to order this as well. The texture of the pudding was on the creamier side, which worked perfectly with the creamy nature of white sesame paste. Cream to sesame ratio was on point as the sesame flavor was prominent without being overly dominating. The dessert was not overly sweet either, which I liked. Overall this and the panna cotta were the perfect indulgent way to end a meal and 100% satisfied my Asian dessert cravings.
END.
-SSS