EM3ESH2GD8JV

“18% gratuity for table service? $8 for a latte that was just average? A 45 minute maximum loitering time? The M should stand for moneybags, lady!”
- A numbers guy prior to head exploding (taken from Yelp)

That’s probably as negative as reviews for Lady M get.  The cakes are undoubtedly divine, the displays are gorgeous, and the service is genuine. At the same time, I walked out of the boutique bakery thinking- should I be concerned that I just shelled out more money for a slice of cake and coffee than my brunch at Delicatessen?

It’s a rare occasion that I actually drive into the city, but I did so this past Sunday morning and let me tell you- driving in the city on a rainy Sunday is awesome. I guess everyone just stays indoors because there was absolutely no one on the road. When the streets of New York are bare, you begin to see the genius behind the architects of the grid system and the programmers behind the traffic lights. All you need to do is wait through one red light because when that light turns green, the rest do so in a sequential succession, like God parting the Red Sea for Moses. I got us from Union Square to the Upper East Side (78^th St) in literally 5 minutes. I kid you not. According to Yun, I’m more efficient than a cab.

The other great thing about Sundays is free parking! So we were easily able to find a spot a block and a half away on a residential street. Lady M is pretty low key. If you’re not looking for it, you could easily miss it. It was a lot smaller than I thought it’d be. Essentially, it’s a large glass door that enters into a long narrow display of cakes and tables lined against the walls.

We walked in, with the Mille Feuille prominently displayed by the window, followed by a Strawberry Shortcake, a Meringue Cake, and then the Green Tea Mousse Cake. I asked permission to take photos (I read somewhere on Yelp that photos were forbidden but since I didn’t see any signs, I figured I might as well ask) to which they readily honored my request.

Lady M Mille Feuille ($40-75)

Strawberry Shortcake ($80)

Strawberry Mille Feuille ($70)

Lemon Meringue ($80)

If you just want a slice of cake, you’ll have to decide long and hard because sitting down will cost you 18% of whatever you pay. That’s right. An automatic 18% gratuity tacked on to the bill of ALL parties. That’s a bit ridiculous, but anyway… They do serve brunch but most people grab slices of cakes and dessert with tea or coffee. I can’t even imagine trying to eat brunch on those tiny round tables that barely fit our three coffees and three slices of cake. The cakes aren’t labeled with prices per slice, but I think as a general rule of thumb, you can count on them being around $8.

Here were my thoughts:

Lady M Mille Feuille: $7.50/slice

This is Lady M’s signature cake. In fact, our server said that most people come in with their hearts set on a slice of this beauty. Translated literally from French as a thousand leaves, think about layers of crepes delicately stacked on top of one another with a thin layer of sweet crème. There’s a sugary glaze on the top most layer to seal the deal. Each bite is light though clearly, this is somewhat of a dense cake. While I thought it was absolutely delicious, it actually fell a bit under my expectations, especially for a $7.50 slice! At $7.50, I would have much rather ordered a slice of cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory.

Blasphemy you say? Well, even so, I guess it’s one of those things that you have to try if you’re at Lady M’s.

Strawberry Mille Feuille: $8/slice

This is another type of Mille Feuille, and at Chinese bakeries, we call this a “Napoleon.” Our server told us that while fewer people order this cake, those who do always love it. This was the cake that I chose and I have to say, it was indeed delicious. It’s a bit messy to eat just because of how flaky the layers can be, but the flakes of pastry crust are just so delectable with the slightly sweetened cream. There’s a thin layers of free strawberries on the top most layer (I wished they weren’t so stingy and actually used some slices on the bottom layer) but oh wells. It was like floating on clouds, eating strawberries and whipped cream.

However, at $8 a slice, I think next time I’ll go to Chinatown and buy a Napoleon cake for $10. Clearly, the cake won’t be as good, but there is only so much of a difference that I think that quantity makes up for the lack in quality.

Green Tea Mousse Cake: $8/slice

If you like matcha flavored desserts, this is for you.  The matcha is really strong and you can tell that a good grade of matcha powder was used. The cake itself is spongy and light and the mousse compliments it really well.

Once again at $8 a slice, I’m not sure if I’d ever order it again. It was good, but not fantastic. I think even a slice of cake at Magnolia sells for around $5.

As expensive as the slices are, if you want to buy a whole cake, that will really set you back. The Strawberry Shortcake will set you back a whopping $80. The Strawberry Mille Feuille will set you back $70. The signature Lady M Mille Feuille will set you back anywhere from $40-75 depending on the size.

So looking at it from that perspective, I feel like we got off relatively cheap. The slices aren’t huge, but I don’t think that they’re really making any extra money off of you if you order by the slice.

Iced Cafe ($4.50)

We all also got coffee. I got the iced version, which is priced the same as the hot coffee. The coffee was actually a bit sour; I doubt it was cold brewed. But I do have to admit- when they brought out the liquid sugar,  I was like WHOA! This is awesome and so clever! It totally solves the problem of sugar not being able to dissolve in cold coffee! They also bring out a ton of milk, cubed sugar, and even rock sugar. So even though it was the most expensive coffee I’ve ever bought, that liquid sugar almost justified the price.

Cafe ($4.50)

Yeah, rock candy!

My conclusion? Come here once, but not again. It’s an experience in itself but that’s it. The only time I’d ever buy a cake from there is for a really special occasion. Even so, there better be flakes of gold garnished on the frosting for me to pay that much. I’m willing to pay for good food, but I realized that philosophy does not extend to slices of cake…

MENU
41 E. 78th St.
New York, NY 10075
nr. Madison Ave.  See Map | Subway Directions
212-452-2222 Send to Phone

You should also check out:

• Crif Dogs (take 2)- best hot dogs ever
• Saturday brunch at Locanda Verde
• Bobo in the West Village
• Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill: Brunch
• Five Napkin Burger

Mocha Maldon Salt Caramel ($2.75)

Wow! It took me like a month to realize that Pichet Ong, the owner of Spot Dessert Bar, is this tiny bubbly Asian guy from Amy Blogs Chow’s “stupidly simple snacks”. I think it was awesome of him to appear on the video while giving away two of his recipes from his other restaurant, Village Tart. I loveee this video, and if you haven’t checked out Amy’s blog, you should because her videos are super cute (and I don’t use the word “cute” liberally).

Spot is located on St. Marks, a ten minute walk from NYU, a two minute walk from Astor Place, a 30 second walk from Yoga to the People, and last but not least, a 10 second walk from Red Mango. It opened in late 2009, and if you haven’t paid attention, you might have missed it. It’s underground, although there’s this magnificently large window that you can peer through and the doors are pleated with glass. Oh, and there’s a giant chalkboard menu outside, marked with the menu in bright pastel-y colors. In order words, you really have to be blind to miss this place.

The story behind Spot is basically this- American desserts with an Asian influence. The menu boasts of hot and cold drinks alike, from bubble tea to Thai tea floats. There are cupcakes with their domed icing and cakes drizzled with olive oil. Even better, Spot makes a conscious effort to go green. The dessert bar is set against the backdrop of repurposed raw barn wood and glass, and 80% of the decor and packaging is made of repurposed or recycled materials. How do I know this? Well, it’s on their website.

Adhering to its geographic roots (on St. Marks),  Spot is reasonably priced. Besides purchasing a-la-carte, you can divulge by ordering dessert tapas in three’s for only $19.95.  I think that’s loads better than the $14 you pay at Chikalious a few streets/avenues away, as you get quite a decent portion.

And yes, $7-9 desserts may sound expensive. But if these desserts don’t wow you with the ingredients, they sure will with the presentation and the way all the flavors complement each other in this mind blowing experience that we call taste.

Soft Cheesecake: Orange blueberries with walnut cookie crumbs ($7.50)

This was Sabrina’s pick. When it came out, we were so confused. “Uh, is this all three? In a glass?!” Deep down, I secretly prayed it wasn’t so and a few seconds later, the server (who by the way was super nice and quick) came out with another dish.

We didn’t know how to eat it. Were we supposed to lift the glass upside down and dump it all out? Or use a spoon? Or… lick it?

We chose the spoon method.

The top layer of the cheesecake was as soft as whipped cream and the strawberry sauce was foamy. But as we dug a bit deeper, our forks picked up this rich, creamy filling that was simply divine. A blueberry jam-like taste hid in between the crumbled crust and pineapple. Essentially, it was three carefully chosen but different fruits, all beautifully melded into cream and contained within glass. While it wasn’t our favorite dessert of the night, it came first in presentation. It’s a shame that we saved this for the end, despite it coming out first (the two other desserts both involved ice cream or sorbet), because we were too full to finish it all.

Thai Tea Float ($4.95)

I’m not exactly sure why I ordered this float. I think it was the thought of having two of my favorite things in a narrow glass with a straw thrown on top. I asked the server to use cold tea (I think it would have been similar to affogato where they pour the hot tea over a scoop of ice cream, had I not specifically requested this). While there was nothing special about it, as in I could easily make this at home, Thai iced tea is always satisfying. Would I order it again? No. But, Sabrina and I felt like indulging and this definitely satisfied my craving for something cold and creamy.

White Miso Semifreddo: Olive oil cake, raspberry sorbet, candied sesame ($8.50)

This was my pick. Ironically, I had just made olive oil ice cream a few days ago, so I knew I had to try this. What was most intriguing was not the olive oil- it was the white miso semifreddo. We had no idea what that even meant. Later we realized that the white miso semifreddo was the ice cream-like substance layered in between the olive oil cake. Semifreddo, Italian for half cold, is made with equal parts of ice cream and cream. If I remember correctly, the server said it was made of soy. But what I loved about this dessert was not the semifreddo, nor the miso, nor the olive oil. It was the burst of concentrated raspberry that came from the sorbet. Oh my. I could almost imagine raspberry fields exploding in my head as I took each bite.

Hands down, my favorite dessert of the night. I learned that raspberry + olive oil = deliciousness.

The dessert is garnished with more miso, olive oil, blackberries, and raspberry syrup. One day, I’m going to recreate this at home. It’s going to be a hit.

Five Spiced Fennel Cake: Caramel citrus with peach frozen yogurt ($8.00)

This was the one dessert and Sabrina and I chose together. I don’t know about Sabrina, but I chose it for the peach sorbet. Surprisingly, the peach sorbet was a bit of a miss for me, or at least when I had it by itself. I mean, since this came out last, the raspberry sorbet from the dish before set such high expectations that nothing could have shattered that bar. In contrast to the light, sweet, and salty play from the White Miso Semifreddo, the Five Spiced Fennel Cake is exactly what it sounds like. Instead of raspberry fields, imagine pumpkin fields.

The fennel cake had this warm and and earthy taste to it. Imagine all of those deep spices that we all bake with- like cinnamon, five spice, nutmeg, pumpkin spice… Then blend that all together deep into a moist cake. The peach sorbet, which contrasted against the intensity of the raspberry sorbet, was light in comparison. But it was perfect in complementing the cake, balancing out all of those loud flavors. The caramel citrus was also a thoughtful addition, providing sweetness above all else. This would be the perfect dessert to order on a hayride (or in front of a fireplace).

And there you have it. Three gorgeously prepared desserts, influenced by both Western and Eastern cultures. As we ate, we watched the pastry chefs prepare other desserts. It’s a small, open kitchen, and it was humbling to see how such creativity can be produced in such a confined space.

By the time we finished, neither of us could move, so even contemplating the prospect of finishing off a cupcake would have been absurd. All their cupcakes run at $2.75 a pop, which is the standard for the city. Which one would I have tried? The green tea or the mocha with the sea salt for sure.

If you’re ever nearby or are just craving something sweet, I definitely suggest coming here. If Spot Dessert Bar was in the West Village, I think they could increase their prices by 20% and easily get away with it. For someone who is frugal and is constantly on the lookout for a deal, I really loved this experience. For $20, you’re not only paying for quality dessert, but you’re paying for the ingenuity behind the creation of pairing flavors that you won’t be able to find easily elsewhere and for the craftsmanship of Pichet Ong.

You should also check out:

• Crif Dogs (take 2)- best hot dogs ever
• Saturday brunch at Locanda Verde
• Bobo in the West Village
• Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill: Brunch
• Five Napkin Burger

This post is getting stale from being exactly a week old, which means  Si really has left America. It’s such a odd feeling- going home after being abroad for good four months. You think that your time is unlimited when you first arrive. “I’ll go there next week or I’ll check that place out soon. I have plenty of time.” But you really don’t. Leaving a place that you’ve grown to love is possibly one of the hardest things to do.

Literally 45 minutes before Super Shuttle was meant to pick her up, Si, Angela, and I met at City Bakery. I’ve heard great things about this place- like how they serve hot food, not just pastries and desserts. And yet, I totally forgot about the hot food part until we left and saw the “Macaroni and Cheese” sign near the back.  So if you want real food, just head to the back because there’s a separate section.

I asked the cashier for her recommendations and she raved about the breakfast muffin (I think that’s what it was called?). Anyway, it has heaps of confectioner’s sugar and you can peel off the top like flakes from those Chinese cakes that look like sweet rectangular spanakopitas. In every other bite there were walnuts and raisins. Did I like it? Yes. Did I love it? No. And it was $3.95 (although it was pretty giant.

We also shared a blueberry corn muffin, which I liked better (Si and Angela thought the muffin was better). It’s also pretty giant, and I’m almost sure it took a stick of butter to make that one muffin. It’s crumbly but moist and just slightly sweet.

They sell loads of other pastries including very overpriced cookies. $25?!

There are seats both on the ground level and second floor. It’s a pay and go place so no tip necessary here.

BYE SI

I wasn’t too impressed with their sweets but I think I’ll have a go at that mac and cheese next time.

MENU
3 W. 18th St.
New York, NY 10011
between Fifth and Sixth Aves.  See Map | Subway Directions
212-366-1414 Send to Phone

You should also check out:

• Crif Dogs (take 2)- best hot dogs ever
• Saturday brunch at Locanda Verde
• Bobo in the West Village
• Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill: Brunch
• Five Napkin Burger

One of the biggest disappointments is when you come back home with a camera loaded with pictures that you think are super-stellar except… they’re not. I should have checked the ISO before I took the pictures, but since I didn’t, they were set at 1600 for the day and hence- the “noise” in the background for these pictures.

Enough about the photos and more about the chocolate. I first came to Jacques Torres in freshman year of high school where after walking out the door, our hot chocolate began to congeal into a solid form, literally within minutes. Patrick, who has recently been watching what I assume to be a ridiculous amount of Food Network shows, wanted to check this place out because “Giada came here!”

I love their hot chocolate chocolate because it just tastes like liquid chocolate that’s not too thick to stuff your throat. Ever have European hot chocolate? It’s like having a shot of just melted solid chocolate. It sounds good, but if you have an espresso sized one of them, it’s almost sickening because of how sweet and chocolaty it is.

Jacques Torres’ hot chocolate comes in two different options:

1. Classic: famous dark chocolate drink
2. Wicked: classic w/ a hint of ancho & chipotle peppers

And then from there, there are even more options!-

• White Chai: white chocolate with a chai tea twist
• Orange: classic w/ a swirl of candied orange
• White Mint: white hot chocolate w/ a hint of mint
• Peanut Butter: mixed with peanut butter
• Caramel: classic hot chocolate w/ a swirl of caramel

The above three cost $3.50 for a small cup but if you just get the “Classic” or “Wicked,” it’s only $3.25. That being said, that extra $0.25 is DEFINITELY worth it.

Their whipped cream is freshly whipped each day!

I ended up getting a Wicked Orange Hot Chocolate (recipe here, courtesy of Jacques Torres himself!) and Patrick the Wicked Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate. I felt that his was a bit too peanut-buttery and therefore a bit too thick to consume in mass amounts (aka, a small cupful). My Orange, on the other hand, was the perfect balance of sweet and spicy (from the “Wicked” peppers). I loved the tiny clumps of candied oranges at the end so it’s better to use one of their thin straws to mix everything up instead of leaving the best parts to the end.

Of course, as a chocolate shop, they also tons of chocolates as well as prepackaged chocolate goodies. The stuff here isn’t cheap, but if you’re going to spend the same amount of money buying Max Brenner, Lindt, or Godiva Chocolates, you might as well come here because it’s so much better.

I felt like I was back in Belgium at all those chocolate shops!

That’s where they crank out their hot chocolate and espresso drinks!

We also ended up splitting a Bombolini.  We asked for the chocolate filling and funny thing was, it took them forever to find one because I guess they don’t really label or have a structured way of placing the chocolates on one rack and the plain on another. But it was indeed chocolate when she cut through it.

Although I liked it, I’d have to say that at $1.50 it’s way overpriced. Patrick and I both agreed that it almost tasted like a Dunkin Donuts donut. That’s probably really offensive to anyone who works at Jacques Torres, but it’s the truth! The filling reminded me almost like a cream puff filling from Beard Papa’s.

And yes, they sell sliced cake- or pies too.

Those are some giant cookies there…

MENU
350 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014
at King St.  See Map | Subway Directions
212-414-2462 Send to Phone
See other locations >>

You should also check out:

• Crif Dogs (take 2)- best hot dogs ever
• Saturday brunch at Locanda Verde
• Bobo in the West Village
• Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill: Brunch
• Five Napkin Burger

Meet Yun. Doesn’t she look snug and warm with her fingered mittens and large warm latte? Those gloves do look nifty…

After those filling noodles at Sammy’s, Yun and I couldn’t resist a peek into Royale. She mentioned something about “cupcakes,” and “next door” when we were eating and so I asked, “dessert?” to which she replied, “of course!” That’s what I love about Yun. She’s never one to resist dessert.

That’s essentially everything- in that glass case. It’s not a whole lot and so Yun and I were wondering how this place possibly make money, especially considering how they actually charge less than most bakeries. There are a few stools but other than that, this is one small shop.

While everything did look somewhat enticing, I had to go for that cupcake. At $2 a pop, they’re pretty decent especially since I’ve been shelling near $3 at some other places recently. I did enjoy their handmade signs though.

The red velvet cupcake was different from most others that I’ve had. The cake part wasn’t anything special, but I really loved how the frosting actually wasn’t a cream cheese base! If anything, it tasted like a whipped frosting, making it light and airy, which is a welcoming combination with the somewhat dense cake.

Red Hook: red hot red velvet cake with a hint of valrhona cocoa topped with cinnamon buttercream

The one thing that I did NOT like, however, was that red dot. It was hard and a full on burst of cinnamon exploded into my mouth when I chewed it. Yuck!

So overall, the cupcake was good, but not great.

Yun came out with a large latte at only $2.50. What a steal! I’d probably come back for coffee and maybe for a cupcake. After all, cupcakes are the exception to not visiting a restaurant more than once.

MENU
461 Sixth Ave.
New York, NY 10011
At 11th St.  See Map | Subway Directions
212-255-5236 Send to Phone

You should also check out:

• Crif Dogs (take 2)- best hot dogs ever
• Saturday brunch at Locanda Verde
• Bobo in the West Village
• Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill: Brunch
• Five Napkin Burger