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
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Keki Modern Cakes Milk soft serve: When I went to Keki to try their cheesecake, they had a promotion where they were giving away free soft serve. Their only available flavor was milk, and while the texture of the softserve was good, it tasted very simply of rich whole milk. It’s not a flavor that develops in any way, and it was too rich for me, so I did something I’ve only done once before in the history of Tasty Snacking and threw it out. 1.0/5.0
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Kopitiam Lychee Bandung: Kopitiam is everything I want in a restaurant – it's unfussy, always introduces me to new flavors, is dependably delicious, and a great value. And I love their drinks, which are always served in pouches. Their current seasonal drink consists of lychee and rose syrup, with a generous helping of whole pieces of lychee fruit. I'd normally find it a little too sweet, but with the extremely hot weather in NYC, it was the perfect thirst quencher. Its floral notes are present but not overly dom... (read more) 3.5/5.0
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Lava Cookies Chocolate Chip Lava Cookie: These massive cookies (about 4" in diameter and 3/4" thick) are available at pastrami shop Harry and Ida's in the East Village. Each cookie costs a little under $6 each and are large enough to be easily shared. I'm not one to purchase a cookie in a bake shop, as I generally prefer other pastries and breads, but I can easily say this is one of the top cookies I've had in my life. On the interior is a molten chocolate filling whose consistency just holds together, while the cookie itself is... (read more) 4.5/5.0
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Leonelli Focacceria e Pasticceria Cheesecake: New York, the city of cheesecakes, squeezes in another well-executed rendition at Leonelli Focacceria e Pasticceria, the bakery adjacent to former Lincoln’s chef’s namesake restaurant. A hockey-puck-sized cake is light and airy, not overly sweet yet still uniquely creamy. Topped with slightly tart but mostly sweet sliced strawberries, as well as halved pistachios. No one is asking for yet another cheesecake, but when it’s done well, it falls into place as if it always existed. 4.0/5.0
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Leonelli Focacceria e Pasticceria Hazelnut Cookie with Chocolate-Orange Ganache: Partnering with non-profit Cookies 4 Kids, Leonelli in NYC has created their own set of shortbread sandwich cookies, with 100% of the proceeds going towards raising funds for pediatric cancer research. The michelin-shaped cookies are made by hopeful pastry chef Lindsey Bittner, and they are perfectly executed, with the most excellent shortbread I have had anywhere. The cookie yields almost immediately, with a rich, buttery texture that you have to taste to fully appreciate. Inside, the Va... (read more) 4.0/5.0
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