Hello LilyOnTheLam.Com Readers:
If you are a regular reader, you will know that this is the 2nd installment of "The Brandy Chronicles" - New York City travel tips for friend and NYC novice Brandy. If you're not a regular reader, I have to ask - why not? Ahem, let me rephrase that -- one lone tear running down my cheek, clutching my chest, agony filling my face -- "WHHHHHHHHY NOT?" (You can read Part One - Introduction to the Brandy Chronicles here.)
Side note: Can you believe Brandy has never been to NYC before? Obviously I need to screen my friends more thoroughly ... usually the interview stops after "Are you willing to keep a life-size cut out poster of me in your home, displayed in a place of prominence with specially ordered lighting fixtures to make sure my creamy olive skin and killer seductive dark brown eyes sizzle and pop?" But evidently I need to add "Are you a NYC travel virgin?" to the 90,278 question interview as well. That would then be 90,279 questions. I'm half-Asian, so you see I am half a math wizard.
But enough about me (for now), let's get back to Brandy!
Miss Brandy is planning her first ever trip to New York City and asked me for some travel tips. Now I'm no hillbilly hick, I know when someone asks me for "travel tips" - it really means "Lily, can you write a series of blog posts named after me?"
Now I don't just give "travel tips" to anyone, however Miss Brandy participated in the St. Jude Give Thanks Walk with me - so I think that somehow created an oral contract where I agreed to create "The Brandy Chronicles" for her. I'm not really sure - I had to leave my house for the walk at 7:30 a.m. but really didn't wake up mentally until about 2 p.m. Typical Saturday.
After my scintillating Introduction to the Brandy Chronicles, I had to decide what were the most important things Brandy needed to know about traveling to NYC.
Is it which airport is closer if you are staying in Manhattan (answer: Laguardia Airport). Nah, that's not the most important thing.
Is it how much is typical cab fare from LaGuardia to Manhattan (around $35 plus tip)? No, that's not the most important thing either.
Clearly the most important thing to know about traveling to NYC is: "WHERE CAN I GET THE BEST DESSERT?"
And by "best dessert" I obviously mean whatever dessert makes Lily's stomach the happiest. In honor of Brandy, on my most recent trip to NYC (Thanksgiving weekend 2012 - I'll be back Spring 2013 when hopefully there is no snow), I made sure I savored many desserts. What can I say, people? I'm obviously all about self-sacrifice for a friend. I usually make sure to have many desserts whenever I am in New York, because you see I am psychic and I knew that in 2012, Miss Brandy would ask me for NYC tips. So here are some pictures from my last couple NYC trips ...
Drumroll please ...
The best New York City dessert I have had in a very long time is ...
1) The Veselka Bowery S'more from Veselka Bowery:
I am not a fan of the big chocolate smear as decorative garnishing technique, but other than that - this dessert is amazing. A moist, lush, chocolatey brownie topped with a gigantic pillow of bruleed marshmallow and on top of that gelato with a bit of a salt crust and on top of that a graham cracker which is dipped in milk chocolate on one side. This dessert will blow your mind it is sooo good.
It is probably the best spin on the s'more that I have had (other than my own Golden Grahams S'mores Bars with chocolate marshmallows - that I will blog about another time). My favorite dish at Veselka Bowery is their short rib pierogis, but their s'mores dessert is currently my favorite dessert in all of New York. You have got to try this s'more!
September 2013 Update: I am very sad to learn that Veselka Bowery is closed. I still love the original Veselka at 2nd Avenue - if you have a late night pierogi craving, be sure to check it out!
2) Sweet Potato Doughnuts at Red Rooster
I had recently read Top Chef Masters winner Chef Marcus Samuelsson's book "Yes, Chef: A Memoir," so I knew I needed to try his restaurant Red Rooster when I was in NYC. Luckily, friend KT was in town house-sitting about ten blocks from Red Rooster, so she joined me for dessert.
I had the sweet potato doughnuts - think jelly donuts but instead of jelly a lightly spiced sweet potato cream filling the inside. KT had the red velvet cupcake with ice cream.
Side Note: The real reason I write LilyOnTheLam.com is because then when I go out with friends and they order something really yummy, I stick my spoon in their food and say "RESEARCH! I need to personally taste your food so I can write about it on my blog!" It is an excellent excuse for why I need to eat some of their food. Hopefully none of my friends are reading this ...
Now KT and I are from the South (OK does living in Florida mean you can say you are "from the South"?), so we know our Red Velvet Cakes ... While the Red Rooster Red Velvet Cupcake was nice - it was not a proper Southern Red Velvet Cake. It was too heavy and dense. It tasted like a bran muffin trying to pretend it is Red Velvet. (I see right through you, sad wannabe bran muffin.) The quinelle of vanilla ice cream and the cupcake frosting were both delicious however.
If you're not "from the South," I think you would find this dessert quite nice. But if you are "from the South," have the collard greens instead. Red Rooster's collard greens are the best I have ever had ANYWHERE. And in Florida, I have had the pleasure of trying a lot of collard greens.
The sweet potato doughnuts were divine and more than made up for the Red Velvet Cupcake. I was expecting some heavy, sweet potato and spice cake style donut - but these were light poofs of deep fried loveliness filled with sweet potato cream. And served in the cutest wire basket. Think the airy lightness of Krispy Kreme (sans the glaze) filled with cream.
Plus the doughnuts were served with delicious fresh whipped cream on the side. I took great pleasure in dunking the warm doughnuts into the cold, thick, sweet whipped cream. Sinfully delicious and absolutely amazing.
I will be blogging about my lunch at Red Rooster in a future blog post, but spoiler alert - it was fabulous and everyone should go to Red Rooster! Not only is the food good, but the customer service is truly top notch.
3) Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich at Schmackary's Cookies
I devoted an entire blog post to the most delicious ice cream cookie sandwich I had at Schmackary's, so read about it here.
4) The Banana Pudding at Magnolia Bakery
I was walking back to my hotel after seeing the jaw-droppingly good Patti LuPone and Debra Winger in David Mamet's The Anarchist on Broadway. (Side note: the show was fabulous - Patti LuPone was divine. I have been holding a grudge against Ms. LuPone since the time I went to see her in Sweeney Todd on Broadway and found out she was out that week and I had to see her understudy instead. The understudy was good, but when you are expecting Ms. LuPone your expectations are HIGH!)
I will spare you my favorite scene in the TV show "Will and Grace" where Jack (the delightful and effervescent Sean Hayes) tells off guest star Patti LuPone.
OK no I won't spare you it, because it is soooo good - oh how I miss "Will and Grace" ... here it is, thanks to a MySpace posting.
Although it was quite warm for New York City in late November, my Floridian blood was freezing. I saw a long line of people through the glass windows of Magnolia Bakery. The little voice inside my freezing head said "I bet they have hot apple cider!" I went inside and sure enough they did ... I'd just have to wait for the 800 million people in front of me to get their orders before I could place mine.
As I stood in line, I kept watching people get handed squat little tubs. They looked like short pints of ice cream or like the tub you get from Wendy's if you order chili. What the heck could be in those tubs? They looked too small to be cupcake tubs. Could it be buttercream frosting? Yes, I was pretty sure it was buttercream frosting. But seriously, would like 30 people be getting buttercream frosting at 11:30 p.m. on a Saturday night? It didn't seem likely. What on earth could be in those darn tubs?
I had already had my heart set on a slice of pistachio cake and the largest cup of hot apple cider that Magnolia Bakery is legally allowed to serve me (thanks a lot, Mayor Bloomberg), but I couldn't get the mystery of those squat little tubs out of my head.
Finally when I got to the front of the line, I was told that they were out of apple cider. GRRRRR! Way to ruin my plan, Magnolia Bakery!
So I asked exasperated - "what's in those tubs, anyway?" Banana pudding, the clerk said cheerily, seemingly oblivious that she had just destroyed my world by telling me they were out of apple cider. Banana Pudding? Puh-lease, I am from "the South," there is no way that Magnolia Bakery's banana pudding could be better than what I can get at home. I ordered a slice of pistachio cake to go - and then said "Oh and throw in one of those tubs of banana pudding too."
The pistachio cake was dry and tasteless but with a nice Southern-style whipped frosting. I took a few bites and then chucked it - it was not worth the calories.
But the Banana Pudding - BAM! Hello sweet thing, where have you been all my life? My friend LM's version of a Paula Deen recipe of Banana Pudding is still the epitome of best banana pudding for me, but Magnolia Bakery's banana pudding has to rank in the Top Five of my heart - and definitely the best banana pudding you can get above the Mason-Dixon line.
So if you happen to be at Magnolia Bakery in New York City, look past the cakes and the cupcakes and give those squat little white tubs a try - you'll be happy you did.
5) The Chocolate Bar at Marie Belle Chocolates
Now when I say "chocolate bar" - I don't mean brick of chocolate. I mean the dessert cafe in the back of the wickedly good Marie Belle Chocolates in SoHo. A place you just have to try.
I am 99.2% sure actor Gabriel Byrne was sitting behind me when I was at Marie Belle in July 2012. If it was not him, then it was an alien clone because the gentleman looked exactly like him. While I was casting sly glances behind me, I had a frozen iced chocolate drink and their dessert special - these amazing profiteroles - ice cream stuffed cream puffs. Delish!
6) If you're in the Cupcake Mood ... Crumbs Bake Shop
One of my friends told me that she read an article claiming that pie is the "new cupcake" when it comes to dessert trends. One only has to search my blog for the word "pie" to know that I have been riding the pie trend for YEARS! I love pie, but because NYC still seems to be all about cupcakes I am including a cupcake recommendation here. So if you're craving a cupcake in New York City, try Crumbs Bake Shop. There are many locations around the city. I had the Grasshopper cupcake - it was a bit dry but I also had put it in the refrigerator overnight, so I suspect that may have been the culprit.
7) My favorite cheesecake in New York City
My favorite chicken pot pie, my favorite macaroni and cheese and my favorite cheesecake in New York City can all be found in one place ... Brooklyn Diner. Which despite the name is not located in Brooklyn, it has two locations in Manhattan and bills itself as "The Finer Diner." I love diners, but diners that serve upscale versions of diner food? Yes, please! Did I die and go to heaven? I love Brooklyn Diner! It is an absolute must visit on my NYC trips.
Their "Strawberry Blonde" cheesecake with side of whipped cream and pitcher of Valrhona chocolate sauce is a symphony of cheesecake lusciousness. You have to have this cheesecake. It is a moral imperative.
8) My favorite afternoon tea and pastries in New York City
I have written an entire very lengthy blog post on my love of Podunk Tea Room. See all the delicious tea pastries in my post here.
9) My favorite black and white cookie in New York City
I haven't had a black and white cookie in a long time. The ones in Florida simply do not compare to New York City ones. Sorry I don't have a photo, but my absolute favorite black and white cookie in NYC comes from Ben Ash Deli at 55th Street and 7th Avenue. They have a bakery counter on the side of the deli, so you can quickly pop in to pick one up. Soft, pillowy cookie with rich vanilla and chocolate glaze. Yumtastic!
Other dessert mentions:
Junior's Cheesecake - I have heard that Junior's has the best cheesecake in New York City. I visited the original Brooklyn location and was not impressed at all. Read about it here.
What are your favorite desserts in New York City? Please leave your feedback and tips for Miss Brandy in the comments section below!
Google Affiliate Ads:
If you are a regular reader, you will know that this is the 2nd installment of "The Brandy Chronicles" - New York City travel tips for friend and NYC novice Brandy. If you're not a regular reader, I have to ask - why not? Ahem, let me rephrase that -- one lone tear running down my cheek, clutching my chest, agony filling my face -- "WHHHHHHHHY NOT?" (You can read Part One - Introduction to the Brandy Chronicles here.)
Side note: Can you believe Brandy has never been to NYC before? Obviously I need to screen my friends more thoroughly ... usually the interview stops after "Are you willing to keep a life-size cut out poster of me in your home, displayed in a place of prominence with specially ordered lighting fixtures to make sure my creamy olive skin and killer seductive dark brown eyes sizzle and pop?" But evidently I need to add "Are you a NYC travel virgin?" to the 90,278 question interview as well. That would then be 90,279 questions. I'm half-Asian, so you see I am half a math wizard.
But enough about me (for now), let's get back to Brandy!
Miss Brandy is planning her first ever trip to New York City and asked me for some travel tips. Now I'm no hillbilly hick, I know when someone asks me for "travel tips" - it really means "Lily, can you write a series of blog posts named after me?"
Now I don't just give "travel tips" to anyone, however Miss Brandy participated in the St. Jude Give Thanks Walk with me - so I think that somehow created an oral contract where I agreed to create "The Brandy Chronicles" for her. I'm not really sure - I had to leave my house for the walk at 7:30 a.m. but really didn't wake up mentally until about 2 p.m. Typical Saturday.
After my scintillating Introduction to the Brandy Chronicles, I had to decide what were the most important things Brandy needed to know about traveling to NYC.
Is it which airport is closer if you are staying in Manhattan (answer: Laguardia Airport). Nah, that's not the most important thing.
Is it how much is typical cab fare from LaGuardia to Manhattan (around $35 plus tip)? No, that's not the most important thing either.
Clearly the most important thing to know about traveling to NYC is: "WHERE CAN I GET THE BEST DESSERT?"
And by "best dessert" I obviously mean whatever dessert makes Lily's stomach the happiest. In honor of Brandy, on my most recent trip to NYC (Thanksgiving weekend 2012 - I'll be back Spring 2013 when hopefully there is no snow), I made sure I savored many desserts. What can I say, people? I'm obviously all about self-sacrifice for a friend. I usually make sure to have many desserts whenever I am in New York, because you see I am psychic and I knew that in 2012, Miss Brandy would ask me for NYC tips. So here are some pictures from my last couple NYC trips ...
Drumroll please ...
The best New York City dessert I have had in a very long time is ...
1) The Veselka Bowery S'more from Veselka Bowery:
I am not a fan of the big chocolate smear as decorative garnishing technique, but other than that - this dessert is amazing. A moist, lush, chocolatey brownie topped with a gigantic pillow of bruleed marshmallow and on top of that gelato with a bit of a salt crust and on top of that a graham cracker which is dipped in milk chocolate on one side. This dessert will blow your mind it is sooo good.
It is probably the best spin on the s'more that I have had (other than my own Golden Grahams S'mores Bars with chocolate marshmallows - that I will blog about another time). My favorite dish at Veselka Bowery is their short rib pierogis, but their s'mores dessert is currently my favorite dessert in all of New York. You have got to try this s'more!
September 2013 Update: I am very sad to learn that Veselka Bowery is closed. I still love the original Veselka at 2nd Avenue - if you have a late night pierogi craving, be sure to check it out!
2) Sweet Potato Doughnuts at Red Rooster
I had recently read Top Chef Masters winner Chef Marcus Samuelsson's book "Yes, Chef: A Memoir," so I knew I needed to try his restaurant Red Rooster when I was in NYC. Luckily, friend KT was in town house-sitting about ten blocks from Red Rooster, so she joined me for dessert.
I had the sweet potato doughnuts - think jelly donuts but instead of jelly a lightly spiced sweet potato cream filling the inside. KT had the red velvet cupcake with ice cream.
Side Note: The real reason I write LilyOnTheLam.com is because then when I go out with friends and they order something really yummy, I stick my spoon in their food and say "RESEARCH! I need to personally taste your food so I can write about it on my blog!" It is an excellent excuse for why I need to eat some of their food. Hopefully none of my friends are reading this ...
Now KT and I are from the South (OK does living in Florida mean you can say you are "from the South"?), so we know our Red Velvet Cakes ... While the Red Rooster Red Velvet Cupcake was nice - it was not a proper Southern Red Velvet Cake. It was too heavy and dense. It tasted like a bran muffin trying to pretend it is Red Velvet. (I see right through you, sad wannabe bran muffin.) The quinelle of vanilla ice cream and the cupcake frosting were both delicious however.
If you're not "from the South," I think you would find this dessert quite nice. But if you are "from the South," have the collard greens instead. Red Rooster's collard greens are the best I have ever had ANYWHERE. And in Florida, I have had the pleasure of trying a lot of collard greens.
The sweet potato doughnuts were divine and more than made up for the Red Velvet Cupcake. I was expecting some heavy, sweet potato and spice cake style donut - but these were light poofs of deep fried loveliness filled with sweet potato cream. And served in the cutest wire basket. Think the airy lightness of Krispy Kreme (sans the glaze) filled with cream.
Plus the doughnuts were served with delicious fresh whipped cream on the side. I took great pleasure in dunking the warm doughnuts into the cold, thick, sweet whipped cream. Sinfully delicious and absolutely amazing.
I will be blogging about my lunch at Red Rooster in a future blog post, but spoiler alert - it was fabulous and everyone should go to Red Rooster! Not only is the food good, but the customer service is truly top notch.
3) Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich at Schmackary's Cookies
I devoted an entire blog post to the most delicious ice cream cookie sandwich I had at Schmackary's, so read about it here.
4) The Banana Pudding at Magnolia Bakery
I was walking back to my hotel after seeing the jaw-droppingly good Patti LuPone and Debra Winger in David Mamet's The Anarchist on Broadway. (Side note: the show was fabulous - Patti LuPone was divine. I have been holding a grudge against Ms. LuPone since the time I went to see her in Sweeney Todd on Broadway and found out she was out that week and I had to see her understudy instead. The understudy was good, but when you are expecting Ms. LuPone your expectations are HIGH!)
I will spare you my favorite scene in the TV show "Will and Grace" where Jack (the delightful and effervescent Sean Hayes) tells off guest star Patti LuPone.
OK no I won't spare you it, because it is soooo good - oh how I miss "Will and Grace" ... here it is, thanks to a MySpace posting.
Although it was quite warm for New York City in late November, my Floridian blood was freezing. I saw a long line of people through the glass windows of Magnolia Bakery. The little voice inside my freezing head said "I bet they have hot apple cider!" I went inside and sure enough they did ... I'd just have to wait for the 800 million people in front of me to get their orders before I could place mine.
As I stood in line, I kept watching people get handed squat little tubs. They looked like short pints of ice cream or like the tub you get from Wendy's if you order chili. What the heck could be in those tubs? They looked too small to be cupcake tubs. Could it be buttercream frosting? Yes, I was pretty sure it was buttercream frosting. But seriously, would like 30 people be getting buttercream frosting at 11:30 p.m. on a Saturday night? It didn't seem likely. What on earth could be in those darn tubs?
I had already had my heart set on a slice of pistachio cake and the largest cup of hot apple cider that Magnolia Bakery is legally allowed to serve me (thanks a lot, Mayor Bloomberg), but I couldn't get the mystery of those squat little tubs out of my head.
Finally when I got to the front of the line, I was told that they were out of apple cider. GRRRRR! Way to ruin my plan, Magnolia Bakery!
So I asked exasperated - "what's in those tubs, anyway?" Banana pudding, the clerk said cheerily, seemingly oblivious that she had just destroyed my world by telling me they were out of apple cider. Banana Pudding? Puh-lease, I am from "the South," there is no way that Magnolia Bakery's banana pudding could be better than what I can get at home. I ordered a slice of pistachio cake to go - and then said "Oh and throw in one of those tubs of banana pudding too."
The pistachio cake was dry and tasteless but with a nice Southern-style whipped frosting. I took a few bites and then chucked it - it was not worth the calories.
But the Banana Pudding - BAM! Hello sweet thing, where have you been all my life? My friend LM's version of a Paula Deen recipe of Banana Pudding is still the epitome of best banana pudding for me, but Magnolia Bakery's banana pudding has to rank in the Top Five of my heart - and definitely the best banana pudding you can get above the Mason-Dixon line.
So if you happen to be at Magnolia Bakery in New York City, look past the cakes and the cupcakes and give those squat little white tubs a try - you'll be happy you did.
5) The Chocolate Bar at Marie Belle Chocolates
Now when I say "chocolate bar" - I don't mean brick of chocolate. I mean the dessert cafe in the back of the wickedly good Marie Belle Chocolates in SoHo. A place you just have to try.
I am 99.2% sure actor Gabriel Byrne was sitting behind me when I was at Marie Belle in July 2012. If it was not him, then it was an alien clone because the gentleman looked exactly like him. While I was casting sly glances behind me, I had a frozen iced chocolate drink and their dessert special - these amazing profiteroles - ice cream stuffed cream puffs. Delish!
6) If you're in the Cupcake Mood ... Crumbs Bake Shop
One of my friends told me that she read an article claiming that pie is the "new cupcake" when it comes to dessert trends. One only has to search my blog for the word "pie" to know that I have been riding the pie trend for YEARS! I love pie, but because NYC still seems to be all about cupcakes I am including a cupcake recommendation here. So if you're craving a cupcake in New York City, try Crumbs Bake Shop. There are many locations around the city. I had the Grasshopper cupcake - it was a bit dry but I also had put it in the refrigerator overnight, so I suspect that may have been the culprit.
7) My favorite cheesecake in New York City
My favorite chicken pot pie, my favorite macaroni and cheese and my favorite cheesecake in New York City can all be found in one place ... Brooklyn Diner. Which despite the name is not located in Brooklyn, it has two locations in Manhattan and bills itself as "The Finer Diner." I love diners, but diners that serve upscale versions of diner food? Yes, please! Did I die and go to heaven? I love Brooklyn Diner! It is an absolute must visit on my NYC trips.
Their "Strawberry Blonde" cheesecake with side of whipped cream and pitcher of Valrhona chocolate sauce is a symphony of cheesecake lusciousness. You have to have this cheesecake. It is a moral imperative.
8) My favorite afternoon tea and pastries in New York City
I have written an entire very lengthy blog post on my love of Podunk Tea Room. See all the delicious tea pastries in my post here.
9) My favorite black and white cookie in New York City
I haven't had a black and white cookie in a long time. The ones in Florida simply do not compare to New York City ones. Sorry I don't have a photo, but my absolute favorite black and white cookie in NYC comes from Ben Ash Deli at 55th Street and 7th Avenue. They have a bakery counter on the side of the deli, so you can quickly pop in to pick one up. Soft, pillowy cookie with rich vanilla and chocolate glaze. Yumtastic!
Other dessert mentions:
Junior's Cheesecake - I have heard that Junior's has the best cheesecake in New York City. I visited the original Brooklyn location and was not impressed at all. Read about it here.
What are your favorite desserts in New York City? Please leave your feedback and tips for Miss Brandy in the comments section below!
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