Balthazar Blueberry cheese danish: Purchased from Harney & Sons tea shop in SoHo, this blueberry cheese danish from Balthazar was a delicious sweet treat. Flaky pastry with sugar crystals surrounds a sweetened egg and cheese custard. Fresh blueberries at the center are bright and fresh. A nice dessert to eat alongside tea, or by itself. 4.0/5.0
recommended pastry nyc dessert balthazar blueberry cheese danish 4.0
Golden Steamer Egg Yolk Bao: This is one of my favorites from Golden Steamer, which I liked so much that I purchased it twice (I haven't done that for any other bun, mostly because I wanted to try buns I hadn't had before every time I went). It is a steamed white bun filled with an egg custard, textured like a cross between pudding and paste. It is very simple yet delicious and costs only $0.90. The best of the dessert bao offerings at this hole-in-the-wall bakery in NYC's Chinatown. 4.0/5.0
recommended chinatown nyc dessert bread goldensteamer egg yolk bao 4.0
Annie’s Organic cheddar cheesy smiles: Like many American kids, I grew up eating Kraft boxed mac and cheese, which I still find appealing today. In grad school, with my limited budget, I upgraded to Annie’s mac and cheese. My favorite is their Yummy Cheese flavor with bunny-shaped pasta. This cheese puff snack, made with organic cheddar, tastes just like their Mac and Cheese with a slightly creamier flavor than normal cheese puffs while still maintaining the sharp cheddar taste I love. Very yummy - would purchase again. 4.0/5.0
recommended organic wholefoods annies cheddar cheesy smiles 4.0
PaTea Brown sugar oolong milk tea with boba: I really love living in NYC, but one thing that was missing for me was a mom-and-pop super-asian bubble tea shop, the kind that has an overwhelming number of flavors that isn’t a major chain like Gong Cha or Coco. Those types of shops are omnipresent in the Bay Area, but not so much here. However, that gap has now been filled by PaTea, a very small bubble tea shop a few blocks away from Union Square. There, they have the “chubby” bucket-sized bubble tea cups in a variety of milk and fruit te... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended nyc bubbletea drinks milktea chinese asian patea brown sugar oolong milk tea boba 4.0
Cones Lychee and ginger sorbet: Cones in the West Village never disappoints with its superbly fresh sorbets. I realize in the handful of times I’ve been to this independent ice cream shop, I’ve never had any of their actual ice cream because I’m always lured by their excellent sorbets. This time it was their lychee and ginger sorbets, which were both very sharp and clean tasting. The ginger had a great level of spice, which paired well with the tropical lychee scoop. Smooth and consistent texture as well. 4.0/5.0
nyc dessert cones lychee ginger sorbet 4.0 recommended
Keki Modern Cakes Cheesecake: Keki is a mini storefront in Chinatown selling a small selection of baked items. Their cheesecake must be purchased as a whole cake (no slices available). If you’re looking for a non-traditional dessert to bring to an event, this cheesecake may be it. It’s a Japanese style cheesecake, so it’s fluffy in texture, yet deeply rich in flavor. Definitely not diet food, but it’s so light and airy that you won’t feel heavy eating it. One of the more distinct and delicious cakes I’ve had in some time. 4.0/5.0
recommended nyc dessert cake kekimoderncakes cheesecake 4.0