il laboratorio del gelato on FreshDirect!

Yay!  So I've been meaning to write about this, but a while back FreshDirect (my savior for groceries!) started carrying il Labortorio del gelato!  Super exciting - no more having to go all the way down to the LES and enduring those lines...

Now it comes every Sunday morning with my groceries - all packed up and delivered to my door.  It's like Christmas every Sunday.

They don't carry a ton of flavors, but I expect that will change over time and seasonally.  One of my favorites is the Thai Chili Chocolate.  Delish.

It's not cheap, $9.99 for 20oz container, or 2 for $18 right now.

One note - which is odd to me, on their website you can order a giftpack of 4 20 oz containers for $60 + $10 shipping = $70.  On FreshDirect, you can get 2 for $18, or 4 for $36 - with free delivery with the delivery pass.  AND you can only buy 1 if you want.  Sure they don't have all the flavors, but that sounds like a good deal to me!

The Meatball Shop! Get it to go and eat at the park

Skip the 2 hour wait at The Meatball Shop and get yours to go and enjoy a nice night at the park (or the benches on Allen St...heheh)

Last Friday my boyfriend and I went to The Meatball Shop after hearing raves about it from everyone.  Everyone I know was so surprised I hadn't been yet, so I had to change that status quickly.

Upon hearing that the wait was at least 1 hour and 45 minutes - we proceeded to head straight to the take out counter and get our sandwiches to go.  Note - no sliders to go, you an only do the hero sandwiches.

No problem as I had already heard the spicy pork really was the must have meatball of choice.  We went with one spicy pork and tomato sauce and one with parmesan cream sauce.  I was partial to the parm cream sauce, but the tomato sauce is a pretty good classic choice as well.  The meatballs were made to order - perfectly juicy and seasoned nicely.  Not really spicy, just packed more of a punch than your usual ground meat.

Surprisingly the sandwiches weren't even that messy!  Paired with the salad garnished with crisp sliced apples - for 9 bucks, this was a pretty good deal.

And definitely don't forget dessert - the ice cream sandwiches are amazing.  Mix and match your favorite freshly baked cookie with your ice cream of choice.  I went with espresso and chocolate chip cookies, while my boyfriend did the blackberry/raspberry with brownie cookie!  Yum!!!  And since the cookies are soft and fresh - the sandwich is pretty manageable to eat without it totally falling apart.

The worst thing about most ice cream sandwiches is a stale cookie.  No chance of that here!

The Meatball Shop
84 Stanton St.
NY, NY 10002

Shake Shack B Line - Concretes/Custards Galore - but NO SHAKES

So now that I live very close to Madison Square Park, I've been trying to take advantage of my proximity to Shake Shack!  Unfortunately I haven't been too successful, as during the summertime the line NEVER seems to cease.

Your best bet for a burger may be near closing time....

However - I have discovered the merits of the B Line.  The often ignored line.  The line that isn't a line.  Fastest way to a delicious dessert anywhere!  Custards, concretes, you name it!  Just no shakes...

The custard is somewhat described as a blend of premium ice cream (hard) + soft serve. Put them together and you get a perfectly rich thick and creamy dessert that proves that the sum of to things is often better than the parts.

I usually just go for a sundae - part vanilla, part chocolate with nuts on top!  But you could also make your own blend with a variety of mix-ins (cookie dough, toffee, shortbread cookies....etc) or choose from any of the special blends.  I kinda think of it as a fancy upscale version of the old McDonald's McFlurrys or Dairy Queen Blizzards.

Or if you are feeling more daring - you often can't beat the concrete special of the day....

Gives you an excuse (or me an excuse) to pick up dessert here everyday of the week!

Yummmm.....

Jacques Torres Ice Cream in Dumbo - Ice Cream Sandwiches!

The much hyped Jacques Torres Ice Cream Parlor in Dumbo is worth the trip across the river.  Especially for the chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich.

Comes with three different choices of ice cream filling - vanilla, peanut butter or chocolate - the sandwich is huge!  Definitely shareable for two, or frankly even three people, it is chocolately heaven.

The cookies are a bit hard - I mean they are somewhat frozen so what do you expect...but they are filled with chocolate chunks and make for a very nice and cool refreshing treat on a hot summer afternoon.  I don't know why more places don't serve cookie sandwiches - they are a great memory back to my childhood.

I went with the chocolate ice cream filling - rich and creamy and deliciously chocolatey.  Ask the counter to slice it for you as I can only imagine how hard it would be to eat whole.  Kind of like biting into a big burger and having all the insides spill out.  Except in this case it is the wonderful ice cream that would be exploding.

If you want to go with a regular scoop - Jacques Torres offers a changing roster of flavors including several kinds of chocolate - wicked chocolate (think Mexican chocolate but with a spicier kick at the end), chocolate raspberry and their classic chocolate chip cookie dough. Yummmm......

Jacques Torres
62 Water Street (Between Main and Dock)
Brooklyn, NY
212-414-2462
M-Sat 1pm - 8pm
Sun - 1pm - 6pm

Ronnybrook Farm Dairy @ Union Square Greenmarket

I finally tried some of Ronnybrook's products at the Union Square Greenmarket on Wednesday. Delicious!

Much better than their outpost at Chelsea Market - the food there was just ok - Ronnybrook is really primarily the go to place for yummy milk, cheese, butter, yogurt and ice cream of course!

Since flavored milks seem to be all the rage these days, I went for the coffee milk and chocolate milk. Delicious - reminding me of a much better version of yoo-hoo, with a hint of bottled Starbuck Frappuccinos.

Onto the butters - I had to go with garlic butter. Slabbed it on toasted bread and it was instant garlic bread! Definitely A++

Finally, the ice cream - I went with ginger creme brulee. Deliciously milky and rich with a bit of spiciness that cuts into the creaminess. Next time I'm going for the butter pecan. Mmmmm.....

Ice Cream Social Sunday @ Murray's Cheese

This Sunday from 1pm to 4pm go on over to the West Village and Murray's Cheese shop for an ice cream social!

$5 bucks gets you an awesome sundae made up of Van Leeuwen ice cream, Knipschildt chocolate sauce and fresh-whipped cream from Hail's Family Farms.

Murray's Cheese
254 Bleecker St. (Between 6th and 7th Ave.)
212-243-3289

Stogo - Gourmet Organic Dairy Free Ice Cream?

Located on what I now like to call Ice Cream Corner - 10th and 2nd Ave - home to Dessert Club Chikalicious and its Vanilla Bean Sundae, 16 Handles self serve yogurt land and the new Van Leeuwen Ice Cream truck - Stogo is a wholesome opti thaon for the dairy challenged or vegan inclined.

Now I was very skeptical about the idea of "dairy free ice cream."  I mean my first thought was it was like eating low-fat mayo, non-fat mozzarella, or light cream cheese, all of which are on my no go list.

Made with organic dairy-free ingredients, no refined sugars, no animal products, no preservatives and no artificial flavorings - how could it taste good?

Well, I guess it's basically like your average soy ice cream or lactose free variety you can get at the grocery store.

But with more exotic flavors like coconut chocolate, pomegranate chocolate chip and salted caramel pecan.

At $4.25 for a small (only 1 flavor allowed!) - it's pretty pricey.  But given its oh so special ingredients, you get what you pay for.

As for taste - definitely less creamy and less sweet than regular ice cream.  But pretty good nonetheless.  A great option for vegans.

For the rest of us, I'd still go with Van Leeuwen's ultra luxe, rich and creamy variety around the corner.

Stogo
159 2nd Ave (at 10th St)
212-677-2301

Dessert Club Chikalicious - 3 chocolate chip cookes for $1.95

So this is just a pet peeve of a post. 

Last night I wanted to try the chocolate chip cookies at Dessert Club Chikalicious since I had heard a lot of wonderful things about them and time and time again they've been sold out.

Anyhow - I decided to order 2 cookies, not looking at the menu at first.  After handing me 2 cookies - I was told "$1.95 please."

No problem.  Didn't seem too unreasonable.  Until I looked down at the menu and saw this:

1 cookie = $1.00
3 cookies = $1.95

So I asked, "Oh!  It's 3 for $1.95 right?  Can I have a third cookie?"

Response, "You told me 2 cookies, I give you 2 cookies.  If you say 3 I give you 3."

Okay......

Now why would I want 2 cookies for $1.95, if I can get 3 cookies for $1.95?  Kind of like when Starbucks had their $1.95 iced coffee deal which was the price for either a tall or a grande.  Did anyone order the tall @ $1.95??

Aside from the peculiar and somewhat abrasive service, the cookie was delicious.  Kind of like Mrs. Fields, but better.  Rich and chocolatey from start to finish.  And I ate all 3 cookies.

Dessert Club Chikalicious
204 East 10th St. (Between 2nd and 1st Ave)
212-475-0929

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream - Yay for East Village Truck!

Now that Van Leeuwen has a new ice cream truck parked on 10th and 2nd, Chikalicious and 16 Handles better be scared.

If not for their entrance I would have gone for my usual Vanilla Bean Chikalicious sundae fix.

Van Leeuwen's artisan gourmet ice cream is wonderfully rich and creamy with a super smooth taste.

Made from fresh dairy from Lewis County, New York, Van Leeuwen uses only superior ingredients in its gourmet ice creams.  You can be sure the cow your ice cream came from spends its life happily grazing on pastures the way nature intended.

$3.95 gets you a small scoop of ice cream - but rest assured the small isn't quite as small as many of the other purveyors of gourmet ice creams dole out.  One small gianduja (chocolate and hazelnut) was big enough to feed me and my boyfriend.

For take home - a handpacked pint is $8.00.

What a great addition to the East Village!

DBGB - Not sure if it lives up to the hype

Last night I went down to DBGB for dinner.

After hearing the over extensive coverage on Eater and Grub Street, I figured DBGB was one of the new spots I had to try.

I went to DBGB harboring a pretty neutral opinion of Daniel Boulud.

Now I have never gone to Daniel or Cafe Boulud - but then again I've never really had the itching desire to.

I have however been to Bar Boulud on the upper west side and didn't care for it that much.  Too expensive for what you get - and a bit too pretentious...I don't really get it. 

Anyhow - seeing as DBGB is Boulud's try at downtown low-key bar fare, I thought I would give it a try.  The decor is very "downtown" - I want to say it's a rich man's The Smith.  With a downtown vibe, I'm not quite sure why they insist on having a very uptown host - seemingly quite pretentious.  First turnoff of the night.

We started off with the chop chop salad.  I loved this salad.  It was delightfully light - a perfect summer salad of romaine, cucumbers shaved carrots, avocado, and watermelon.

I saw the watermelon as a replacement for tomatoes - and it's this genius that makes this a DBGB salad and not an ordinary chop salad.

Slightly Asian inspired with a crisp sesame and ginger dressing - this salad is just about perfect.  If I go again - I'm just ordering that salad + the lobster.

Next I tried the DBGB dog - your pretty basic beef weiner dog with the added bonus of sautéed onion, mustard and relish.  I would say the caramelized onions were the best part of this very ordinary hot dog.

At $7 bucks, it's not super expensive, but frankly I didn't taste any difference from your Costco variety.  The extra $6 bucks is for the mustard, onions and relish.  First disappointment of the night.

Second, I tried The Frenchie -  a burger topped with grilled pork belly, arugula, tomato-onion compote & morbier cheese on a peppered brioche bun with cornichon, mustard & fries.

$17 bucks for a burger of this size is pretty steep - but I was really hoping for some magic with that grilled pork belly.

After this try I am yet again convinced that the best rendition of pork belly in the city belongs to Momofuku's pork buns.  Pork belly should melt in your mouth.  DBGB's didn't.

More like thick bacon, topped on the burger - the whole combination was surprisingly dry.  When compared to the likes of Shake Shack, Corner Bistro and even The Smith...this burger came up pretty short as I resorted to the ultimate sin of dipping it into ketchup!  One should never have to dip a burger in ketchup.

As for the fries- they were pretty good, but a bit salty.  And nothing ever can beat the fries at Balthazar.

Finally for dessert I had to try one of the sundaes.  I went with the coffee caramel sundae which was fabulous!

While I was disappointed with the DBGB Dog and The Frenchie, I would definitely come back for dessert.

The sundae was huge - definitely enough for two people to share.  My favorite part was all the toppings - candied pecans, brownie bits and chocolate cookies.

Topped with a heavy dose of whipped cream and hot fudge - this sundae was to die for.

All in all - I'm glad I tried DBGB, but the highlights for me were really the beginning and the end with a very forgettable middle.  The chop chop salad and the sundae were worthy of a second trip.

That being said, I would probably wait till the hype dies down and waits go under 2 hrs.  If you go on the early side - grab a seat at the bar for their bar bites menu - good enough for now.  Plus DBGB has an extensive selection of draft beers to try.

DBGB Kitchen & Bar
299 Bowery between Houston and 1st Ave.
212-933-5300

Pinkberry July Deal - $1 off flavors

Just went to Pinkberry today to get my fix of their new passionfruit yogurt.  Unfortunately their passionfruit machine was broken so I got pomegranate.

On the plus side I was delightedly surprised that the flavors which usually cost $1.00 more are now the same price as original - for the month of July.

Although I think it might end up getting extended.  Cross your fingers!

A small with toppings still runs you $4.82 including tax.  But that's better than $5.82 right?

Milk Bar at Chelsea Market - Fresh Dairy from the Farm

Ronnybrook Milk Bar at Chelsea market offers up fresh dairy products from Hudson Valley - pints of ice cream and jugs of milk fill the fridge.

I think the main reason to drop into milk bar is for takeout - as in takeout ice cream pints or ice cream sandwiches, milk or a milkshake and ice cream float.

The dining menu includes expected country favorites like "egg in a hole" and country baked mac'n'cheese.  I stopped in for lunch the other day and tried the mac'n'cheese and a roast chicken sandwich on olive panini bread.

Unfortunately both were a bit underwhelming as the mac'n'cheese looked more like the Kraft version rather than a baked mac'n'cheese.

The sandwich was good - but nothing special - somewhat like the standard fare you could find at any deli around town.

I almost was going to try to blended frozen mint lemonade - but thankfully the guy sitting next to me had one that looked a very suspicious color of green - maybe a bit too much mint?

Anyhow, he had one sip and told me not to order it.  Save my $4.50 and apply it toward a shake!

All in all - Milk Bar is probably really only good for one thing: milk.  Stick with what you know - and always order the house specialty.

Ronnybrook Milk Bar, Chelsea Market
75 9th Ave (Between 15th and 16th)
212-741-6455

Jacques Torres Ice Cream in Dumbo

As Brooklyn increasingly becomes the go to place for food lovers, the entrance of Jacques Torres Ice Cream parlor is no exception.

Homemade ice creams, sorbets, and frozen yogurts + fresh baked waffle cones = delicious treat on a hot summer day.

Flavors like chocolate banana, sweet pink strawberry - and top off your treat with chocolate covered cheerios!

Favorites also include ice cream sandwiches and sundaes galore.

Grab a slice of pizza at Grimaldi's or chow down on one of Red Hook Lobster Pound's heavenly lobster rolls at the Brooklyn Flea and then head on over to Jacques Torres for a sweet treat.

Jacques Torres
62 Water Street (Between Main and Dock)
Brooklyn, NY
212-414-2462
M-Sat 1pm - 8pm
Sun - 1pm - 6pm

Blue Marble Ice Cream in Brooklyn

After finishing off my two delicious lobster rolls I went for a scoop of ice cream from the Blue Marble ice cream cart.

I have an endless appetite as you can tell, haha...and I'm never too full for good ice cream.

Blue Marble is a super cute ice cream and coffee shop with two locations in Brooklyn - one in Boerum Hill and one in Prospect Heights.

Started by two friends joined via Craigslist who are devoted to locally sourced and eco-friendly ingredients - Blue Marble ice cream is made on a Hudson Valley farm by a third generation ice cream maker, Matt White using premium grass fed organic dairy and organic sugar.

At the Brooklyn Flea in Dumbo on Sundays they have an ice cream cart serving up select flavors.  Today I chose the cinnamon since I've never had cinnamon ice cream!  It was rich and creamy with specks of cinnamon.

Blue Marble ice cream is for true ice cream lovers, reminding me of traditional 1950's style ice cream parlor ice cream.

Too bad it doesn't come at 1950's prices.  At $4 bucks a scoop - it certainly is on the high end.  Just take comfort that you are supporting the local farmers!

Blue Marble

Boerum Hill
Subway
A/C/G at Hoyt-Schermerhorn, 2/3 at Nevins, F at Bergen,  4/5N/R/B/D at Atlantic Ave.
420 Atlantic Ave.
Brooklyn, NY
718-858-1100

Prospect Heights
Subway
2/3/4 at Grand Army Plaza, B/Q at 7th Ave.
186 Underhill Ave.
Brooklyn, NY
718-399-6926

Sunday at Brooklyn Flea in Dumbo.

Free gelato tomorrow @ L'Arte del Gelato

Given Pinkberry's free yogurt event this Friday it seems like all the ice cream/gelato places are stepping up to the plate.

Free gelato tomorrow (June 25) at L'Arte del Gelato from 12:30pm - 2:30pm.

Grab a quick lunch at Chelsea Market and finish it off with some creamy gelato...just don't go expecting Vanilla.

L'Arte del Gelato
75 9th Ave (Between 15th and 16th)
212-366-0570
http://www.lartedelgelato.com/

Free Pinkberry this Friday 5pm-9pm

In the ongoing yogurt wars from last summer, Pinkberry is going one step further to gain an edge.

Mark your calendars - to introduce new flavors coconut and passionfruit - Pinkberry is giving away free yogurt on Friday from 5pm - 9pm. What a great way to start off the weekend! Although- expect long long lines...

Dessert Club Chikalicious Update - Sundaes and Cupcakes oh my!

In my previous post about Chikalicious I pretty much just talked about their much praised Vanilla Bean Soft Serve.

In addition to the soft serve - Dessert Club also serves up a mean sundae - not your average sundae - it includes Vanilla Bean soft serve, hot fudge, chocolate pearls, kataifi and pistachio nuts.

For $4.95 I consider it a steal when compared to the mighty expensive Pinkberry and Red Mango.  Plus it's real soft serve!!!

As for their cupcakes - they are delicious.

Small, petite, perfectly sized - they have two levels - regular (red velvet, banana, coconut and black & white) and premium - we're talking s'mores, triple chocolate, caramel and mocha.

Yum... - perfect for a bridal shower, baby shower or other special event as well!

In addition to the soft serve and cupcakes, Chikalicious serves a variety of bread puddings, cookies, and other specialty desserts.

Dessert Club Chikalicious
204 East 10th St. (Between 2nd and 1st Ave)
212-475-0929
http://www.dessertclubchikalicious.com/

Otto - How To Stay Trendy During A Recession

Otto - While Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich standby Otto has always been great...In tough economic times like these, I tend to appreciate its true value proposition even more.

And given the crowds on a recent Saturday night, I'm not the only one trying to save a little more these days. My boyfriend and I arrived at 5:45pm thinking we were early and sure to beat the crowds...

Little did we know that "beating" the crowds is not possible at Otto on a Saturday night.

We were given our ticket and told the wait would be 45 minutes! Resigned, we joined fellow diners in the packed bar area to settle in for the wait.

As we looked around I was continually surprised by the mixed crowd at Otto - on one hand you have the young, trendy 20-30 something former investment bankers and their girlfriends who have been forced to trade down from Babbo to Otto...

While at the same time you are just as likely see 3 generations of families bouncing babies on the tables at the bar...(and changing diapers in the already tiny 2 stall bathroom).

Looking around, we decided it would be more fun to just have our dinner at the bar - I usually love eating at the bar as I find it to be a more social experience. After spending 10 minutes hovering and stalking a twosome at the end of the bar we realized there was a separate wait for the bar.

Big Tip: If you are a deuce and want a shorter wait than the dining room (which I think seems more appropriate for a family affair) - dine at the bar...BUT make sure you tell the bartender you would like a seat.

Otherwise you could be like the older couple stalking our table and wait forever...only to be scolded by the bartender for not telling him you wanted a seat...not fun.

As for the grub - A large variety of antipasti for $4 bucks a pop - a variety of veggies from "Cauliflower alla Siciliana" to "Brussel Sprouts con Vin Cotto" whets your appetite.

Be sure to try the Bruschetta of the day - large pieces of bread smothered with the vegetable of the day - ours was delicious "lillies" sauteed with a spicy peppery finish that gave it just the right amount of heat.

Pizzas and Pastas range from $9 to $14, and just one pizza and one pasta was enough to fill the two of us.

For pasta I am always a fan of Spaghetti alla Carbonara, creamy with pancetta, pepper, egg - thick, served al dente.

Another good choice is the Rigatoni Con Stracotto - pork shoulder (mmmmm) + tomato and basil.

As for pizza I am always partial to the classics like Margherita D.O.P - tomato, bufala mozzarella and basil or the Pepperoni - tomato, spicy salami, cacio and mozzarella. The pizzas are thin and crispy - perfect as an entree or to share as an appetizer depending on how hungry you are.

Finish the meal off with one of the unique desserts. A must try for the adventurous - Olive Oil Copetta - olive oil gelato, concord grape sorbet, candied clementines, lime curd and fennel brittle. I know it sounds weird and frankly unappealing - but the mixture of sweet, tart and tangy is certainly unique. It is worth a try - you may love it or you may hate it...but either way aren't you curious?

Another favorite is the Tangerine Parfait - this flavor combination of coconut creme, tangerine sorbet, candied pineapples, passion fruit granita and a flicker of pomegranate is a sure thing. Sweet and refreshingly crisp.

Oh- and I'm not a big drinker, but the wine list is amazingly long with plenty of choices by the glass - plus the glasses are served with mini carafes - more like 2 glasses per selection.

I along with most other ladies love the classic Blood Orange Bellini - While it's no Cipriani Bellini, at $8 bucks it's one of the most reasonable bellinis in town.

Until times get better, fat chance finding me at Babbo or Del Posto.

I'll be sitting right here at the bar at Otto.
(picture from NY Mag)

Otto Enoteca Pizzeria
1 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10011
212-995-9559
http://www.ottopizzeria.com

Momofuku Milk Bar - Has David Chang gone too far?

Momofuku Milk Bar - Last week I paid a visit to Milk Bar, a small spot located in a corner tucked behind Ssam Bar, serving up a variety of desserts and snacks ranging from soft-serves, cakes, pies and cookies.

Now as you can see from past posts, I am a big David Chang fan and have followed his meteoric rise in the NYC food scene over the past couple of years. However, with the opening of Milk Bar- I have to wonder if he has gone too far out of his comfort zone.

I'm afraid this might signal the beginning of the end of an empire...

Initially Momofuku did not serve desserts at its original conception, and when it started adding desserts they were certainly not the highlight of his menu.

At Ko, the desserts at the end of a glorious tasting menu were a big disappointment for me.

So...why on earth did he open a bakery and dessert bar?

It may take me a while to figure this one out- but the only reason I can come up with is to exploit his growing fame and ride the wave of "Momofuku" love that the city has given him.

For me, the desserts I tasted were awful. Just awful. There is no other way for me to describe it.

The Salty Pistachio Soft Serve - Salty. Salty. Salty.

The Candy Bar Pie (basically a Reese's pieces pie with pretzels) - Salty. Salty. Salty.

Now I know some people love the "salty/sweet" combo for breakfast - but for dessert- sweet is usually better than salty.

The Snicker Bar Soft Serve - Salty Chewing Gum. Just plain weird.

Compost Cookie - Cookie dough mixed with granola, chocolate chips, potato chips... the name of the cookie leaves much to be desired. As did the taste...

It was only after I walked a couple blocks down to Dessert Club Chickalicious and got their fantastic Vanilla Bean Soft Serve with hot fudge sauce that I could finally get rid of the awful salty aftertaste of Milk Bar.

Maybe my taste buds are just not sophisticated enough for Milk Bar, but if you ask me - this place is not dessert in the conventional sense of the word.

Caution: Children will probably beg for Serendipity or Max Brenner's afterwards. And at $5 a pop it's a pretty expensive experiment with a low expected success rate.

My tip- skip Milk Bar and head on down to the myriad of nearby dessert options - Dessert Club Chikalicious, the Dessert Truck, or Max Brenners. Any of these options will satisfy the sweet tooth without the sodium overdose.

Momofuku Milk Bar
207 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003
http://www.momofuku.com/bakery

Max Brenner - Willy Wonka Come to Life

Except Willy Wonka wasn't bald. Max Brenner - Chocolate by the Bald Man. Chocolate. Chocolate. Chocolate.

That's all I can say.

Nah, Just kidding.

Max Brenner is a dessert place with two locations in NYC, one on the southern tip of Union Square and the other located in the East Village. Now that I think about it- people uptown like chocolate too! Come on Bald Man, time to open a location above 14th Street already!

WARNING: Don't go to Max Brenner if you don't like chocolate. It is for true chocolate lovers. Seriously.

Classic desserts include everything from waffles with chocolate, of course, to s'mores, to chocolate fondue. Now I love making s'mores at restaurants. Ever since I tried it at Cosi, toasting s'mores has become my favorite post-bowling activity. Or post-anything activity. Max Brenner's rendition includes peanut butter, toffee bananas and raspberry sauce. Delicious.

Favorite waffles include the Munchies Waffles - topped with your choice of vanilla, chocolate and dark chocolate ice cream and crunchy waffle balls with warm melted chocolate. Ahh...the perfect breakfast, don't you think?

However, with all the decadent desserts offered...sometimes it's best to go with simple good 'ole ice cream. I love the Eskimo. Your choice of two scoops (dark, milk or vanilla), served in a cone with toppings on the side. Warm chocolate sauce, crunchy wafer balls and candied hazelnut bits. Yes - you get to top it yourself. Isn't that the best part of ice cream? The toppings. Brings back childhood memories of "making your own sundaes" on a warm summer afternoon.

Except, this is good all year around.

Warning- Both locations can get quite crowded, especially late at night with the post-movie, post-anything crowd. Wait is unpredictable and the service can be choppy...it all depends on how badly you want that chocolate.

For those in a hurry, there is both a take-out counter and an in-cafe shop to get your chocolate fix ASAP. I need my chocolate now. I really need it. Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen...I am a chocoholic.

Chocolate Coma Guaranteed.
(picture from nymag.com)

Max Brenner
Union Square
841 Broadway, New York, NY
212-388-0030

East Village
141 2nd Ave, New York, NY
212-388-0030
http://www.maxbrenner.com/home.aspx