Thoughts & Reflections

Tag: Bakeries & Cafés

Patisserie Burrow

If one walks to the very back of the lobby of a somewhat nondescript building in DUMBO, there is a reward waiting at the end of corridor. Tucked into the space is Patisserie Burrow. It’s about the size of a jewel box; very tiny but with such delicate and delicious treats.

I’ve had my eye on visiting for a very long time but logistically, it was near impossible until my week off. Burrow was only opened on the weekdays (it just started to open on Saturdays this past weekend) and there was no way I could have gone unless I had a day off. And it’s even better to go with a friend, as I did the day after my birthday.

I love how there are so many tasty delights stacked on the shelves while a few miniature pastries are encased in a small marble and glass counter. When my friend and I arrived, there were slices of cheesecake, a pistachio mousse cake, fig tart and a cupcake topped with a macaron shelf that looked very much like a mushroom found in fantasy realms. We had a hard time choosing what to order but in the end settled on a slice of apple pie (it was so, so very thin!) and the fig tart. The inside of the shop was very stuffy so I also got an iced green tea to help cool down while my friend ordered a coffee. Needless to say, everything was delicious.

And I just couldn’t leave without buying a few things to go. In this case, it was a small sampling of the cookies; they all looked so good. From the many varieties, I chose a chocolate-thumb cookie, a jam sandwich, three nut-based cookies (almonds; hazelnuts; and one with mixed nuts) and a palmier. And they tasted just as good as they appeared.

October 27, 2014
MatchaBar

With so many coffee establishments in New York, a new tea place is most certainly welcome for non-coffee drinkers like me. The latest tea shop just happened to open in my neighborhood last week so I went to check it out over the weekend.

Specializing in the type of tea as its name implies, MatchaBar is all about matcha. They sell prepackaged tins of if as well as offering matcha-based drinks to go. And for non-tea drinkers who were dragged in by tea-loving friends, coffee is also on the menu. The space itself is pretty nice; there is seating in the front by the window and a large communal table in the back. I also love the very appopriate leafy print that adorns the wall.

And so what to try from the menu? It was a warm day so I ended up ordering one of their specialty drinks: the iced watermelon and matcha. It seemed to be one of the more popular items the day I went. When I received my drink, the watermelon and matcha were separated in colorful layers that all turned to green once I mixed it up. It was tasty and definitely refreshing, not at all bitter.

They serve hot matcha-based drinks too, which I may try as the temperatures drop in these coming months. Some baked goods were also available as well for those that need something to go along with their drinks; since I went in the afternoon, there wasn’t much variety left but I think I did see some scones and muffins.

September 26, 2014
Sweet Treat: Yuzu Verbena Soft-Serve

It was a hot, hot day yesterday and after a somewhat light lunch, all I wanted was something cold and creamy. The only that fit the bill and has been on my mind for several days was soft-serve ice cream. But I wasn’t interested in anything from the overpriced ice cream trucks parked around midtown. I wanted something better.

And that was how I ended up at the midtown location of Momofuku Milk Bar. There were two soft-serve flavors available: cereal milk and yuzu verbena. The former is available at all locations of Milk Bar but the latter differs. Why try the basic signature flavor when I could get something much more interesting? The yuzu stood out so much it seemed to overpower any other flavors in the ice cream base; it ended up tasting more like a lemony sorbet than ice cream. Overall, it wasn’t too bad and it was light and refreshing to eat as I walked back to the office in the heat but alas, it did not satisfy my cravings. I think I should just go to the grocery store and stock up on my other craving instead: a classic ice cream sandwich.

July 10, 2014
Sweet Treat: Soy Milk Blancmange

One of my favorite summer treats is the soy milk blancmange from Panya. It’s creamy without (or with less of) the fat of dairy and it reminds me a little of the Chinese sweet tofu I love to eat at the end of dim sum. The blancmange from Panya is sandwiched between a match base and a layer of yuzu gelatin topped with fruit. It’s light, smooth and refreshing and for me, there’s less guilt when it comes to wanting something sweet on a hot day. One of these days, I shall have to learn how to make it so I can have it whenever I want.

June 3, 2014
Ovenly

When I was in Greenpoint a few weeks ago, I meant to drop in at Ovenly but somehow it completely slipped my mind as I went exploring up and down streets I had never walked along when I was younger (my family used to do much of our supermarket shopping in Greenpoint, years and years before gentrification took over). I was in the area again this past Sunday for a craft fair and I made the bakery my starting point lest I forget again. The day was beautiful and most of the seats were empty in the small shop when I arrived; many people ordered to go and likely took their food and drink to the riverside park down the block.

After browsing the day’s selections, I settled for a slice of the Brooklyn Blackout Cake and a Ginger Hibiscus Iced Tea. I’ve had Blackout Cake from other bakeries though none have been as black as this one; even the frosting had a matte finish to it and the appearance reminded me a blackboard. The cake was delicious: it was moist and surprisingly not as sweet as I thought it would be, which was a very, very good thing. And the iced tea was a wonderful and refreshing accompaniment.

May 21, 2014
Smile To Go

If I’m in Chinatown and looking for a quick bite to eat (that’s not Asian food), then I’ll drop by Smile To Go. It’s a tiny cafe, the takeaway shop of The Smile, a restaurant in NoHo. Smile To Go is on one of those side streets I often walk along when I’m heading east away from SoHo. And what I usually order is the Maple Bacon Slider and a cup of tea (in this case, it was Mariage Frères’ Earl Grey). The slider is tasty but not filling enough if one wants a more substantial meal; for that, they do serve rotisserie chicken, salads and sandwiches as well.

I never mind a smaller portion if I know I’ll be looking for something sweet to eat later.

April 19, 2014
Sweet Treat: MallowMore

It had been a rough week at work and I really wanted something sweet to help lift the mood. Fortunately, more bakeries have opened in the past few years in midtown so it’s easier to get dessert near the office when it’s time for a tea or coffee break. I stopped into Bouchon and ended up with a hot cross bun (for breakfast the next day) and a gourmet version of a mallowmar, which they call “MallowMore”.

When I was little, my grandfather would buy a pack of mallowmars from time to time and every time I see them in a store, I think of when he would give one to my sister and I as afterschool treats. The Bouchon version is of an extra large size, compared to the store-bought variety. It was just as sweet as the ones I remember and it took me two sittings to eat it all. Though, I think I prefer the pre-packaged ones since they are of a more manageable size (with a better ratio of marshmallow to cookie and chocolate) and they bring back some good memories.

April 8, 2014
Hester Street Café

While the weather remains too cold for any outdoor shopping, a few of the city’s flea markets have remained open during the winter thanks but in indoor spaces. The Hester Street Fair won’t return until next month but they’ve maintained a presence these last few months by running a café inside the New Museum. I’ve been the museum a few years ago with friends to check out a particular exhibit but I hadn’t been back since. What brought me back was the lure of afternoon tea served in the café.

And it was a proper tea set, sandwiches, scone and all. How marvelous! Tea for one included a pot of tea, a choice of two types of sandwiches, a scone and assorted baked goods. My pot of Keemun arrived first and then came the food. I chose Tarragon Chicken Salad and Salmon and Dill for my tea sandwiches. I ate most of the sandwiches but saved room for some of the other items on the tiered tray. The cranberry scone was served with butter and jam and I’m glad there was only one; I was getting nearly full after finishing it. There were no pastries but I was fine with what was offered: a macaron of your choice (I settled for a s’more one), two shortbread cookies (Earl Grey and Green Tea), a mini chocolate bundt cake and a lemon poppyseed cake.

For one person, it was plenty of food. I really couldn’t eat it all in one sitting and took home the remaining sandwiches (I finished them later that day) and nearly all of the baked goods (I ate the Earl Grey cookie at the café). Everything was really tasty and it was a reasonably priced tea service ($20 for one, $35 for two). The New Museum is a very unlikely place for afternoon tea but I would definitely go again.

March 28, 2014
Eclair Bakery

When it comes to éclairs, my personal favorites are those with vanilla cream inside and chocolate glaze outside. Unfortunately, this style is hard to find in the city; most of the éclairs I come across have the same flavor for filling and icing. If I have a craving, I will usually get a vanilla éclair if available; my second choice would likely be any that came with a vanilla cream. Chocolate éclairs end up being far too sweet for my tastes.

Thankfully, I now have more options than the usual chocolate, vanilla, coffee or caramel flavors. There’s really no better place to get them than at the aptly named Éclair Bakery. Though they don’t offer the old-fashioned version, I can still walk away with something I like. On my last visit, it took me a while to decide which flavors to buy but I settled on pistachio, maple pecan, coconut, and vanilla with strawberries.

At some point, I will try their other sweets as well but for now, it’s all about their signature product.

March 27, 2014
Rose Bakery Redux

Finally, I made it to Rose Bakery at the appropriate time to try the Cream Tea. It’s only served after 4pm as part of a lighter menu, reminiscent of British tea time. What arrived was nearly identical to what I ordered on my previous lunchtime visit: one scone (I chose the candied hazelnut scone), served with “clotted cream” (the menu stated clotted cream but I think it was actually butter) and jam, and a pot of tea (Earl Grey this time). The only difference is that the tea is included in the set, instead of having to order each item separately.

The scone was warm and delicious and the tea was good, but it felt as if something was missing (and I don’t mean tea sandwiches or pastries). There were a few mishaps with the service and I think that contributed to the general disappointment I felt. Maybe I should have ordered something else in addition to the Cream Tea. There was a Tea Quiche that looked interesting and I considered the Sticky Toffee Pudding but apparently it sold out earlier in the day. Ah well, I think the next time I’m in the area, I should just stick to ordering sweets (there are pound cakes and other baked goods available) to go.

March 26, 2014