The Donut Pub Blueberry donut: This 24/7 West Village donut shop has been open for over 50 years. I asked what the least sweet options were which led me to purchase this blueberry cake donut. I’m used to fried donuts with a light and fluffy consistency - their cake donuts are pretty much the exact opposite. Crumbly and a tad dry, the blueberry flavor was decent nonetheless, and it wasn’t too sweet. It reminded me of a less sweet version of blueberry flavored muffins I had growing up from Costco. I would say Donut Pub is a... (read more) 2.5/5.0
dessert nyc thedonutpub blueberry 2.5 donut
Cha Cha Matcha Matcha lemonade with mint: More mint than matcha, this chilled lemonade is refreshing but doesn’t quite hit the mark as far as green tea flavor. It has a slight bitterness that sets it apart from a normal lemonade, but it would be hard to guess it contains matcha if you were to drink it without first seeing its identifying dark green color. Purchased from the ultra trendy matcha shop Cha Cha Matcha, a cafe seemingly built for Instagram, replete with a faux living wall and lifestyle neon signage. 3.0/5.0
drinks nyc chachamatcha matcha lemonade mint 3.0
Golden Steamer Sweet pork bao: Here’s another bao from Golden Steamer in NYC. Filled with sweetened pork in a thick savory gravy, it’s like the enhanced version of a dim sum favorite. Lightly sweetened, pillowy white bread is the centerpiece - there’s much more of it than the meaty filling, and that’s fine by me. It costs $0.90. 3.5/5.0
recommended bao nyc bread goldensteamer sweet pork 3.5
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
recommended cheesecake nyc strawberry dessert pistachio cake leonellifocacceriaepasticceria 4.0
Matchabar Rose matcha milk tea: I really enjoyed a bottled Fuji ginger matcha drink from Matchabar a few months ago and decided to try a freshly-made beverage from their small to-go window in Soho. This rose matcha milk tea, while colorful, was actually quite bad - very sweet, and quickly diluted. Hardly any green tea flavor, and tasted like watery milk after only a few minutes. Definitely $5 wasted. 1.5/5.0
avoid drinks nyc matchabar rose matcha milk tea 1.5
Superiority Burger Apricot and Labne ice cream: Two flavors, apricot and labne, ran for about $6 at this cramped East Village vegetarian spot. The apricot ice cream was strangely warm, very lightly sweetened, and faint though slightly tangy in flavor. The labne sorbet, on the other hand, was sharp and refreshing, tasting of high quality yogurt. Both had a slightly sticky texture reminiscent of Turkish ice cream (but not quite as elastic). Would definitely enjoy the labne again - the apricot, not so much. 3.0/5.0
nyc yogurt dessert sorbet icecream superiorityburger apricot labne ice cream 3.0