7th Ave Donuts and Diner French cruller: Here’s another donut from a 24-hour shop, this time based in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Mostly diner but partially donut shop, 7th Ave Donuts and Diner has a selection of unfussy classics from glazed to jelly to toasted coconut. I judged the quality of their donuts from their French cruller. Its thick vanilla icing was far too sweet, but the donut itself was surprisingly good, with its toasted exterior, crispy at the edges, but eggy, slightly raw custard-like interior. I would gladly come back fo... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended nyc donut dessert 7thavedonutsanddiner French cruller 3.5
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
Lesser Evil No cheese paleo puffs : Here’s a surprisingly good find at Whole Foods. Letter Evil now has a line of paleo-friendly snacks that contain no grains or cheese (and are thus gluten-free and vegan). While the beige-colored macaroni-shaped pieces look a bit like maggots, they have a consistency slightly crunchier than crunchy Cheetos and a mildly sharp cheese flavor that builds over time. Kind of like how the soy mac and cheese flavor of Amy’s frozen pasta is better than their normal cheese flavor, this snack has a dist... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended wholefoods cheese vegan lesserevil no paleo puffs 4.0 organic
Bao Tea House Lava Bao: Baked buns with a crumbly, buttery coating similar in texture to pineapple buns, filled with an egg coconut custard. The stark black color comes from bamboo charcoal. Bao is fluffy and yielding. A not-too-sweet dessert for those who love coconut. Comes in a box containing two buns. 3.5/5.0
recommended nyc dessert coconut custard baked baoteahouse lava bao 3.5
Nong Shim Banana Kick Snack: Who would have thought that banana flavored puffs, airy and porous with a slight glaze and crispy texture, would be such a delicious snack? I'll admit that I purchased this bag from the narrow, never-ending aisles of Manhattan's HMart solely based on its cute packaging. Yet there was also a driving curiosity for what a sweet fruity version of a cheese puff might be. Texturally, they are far more interesting than Cheetos largely due to its crispy yet light consistency. Its flavor taste of ... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended puffs hmart korean nongshim banana kick snack 4.0