The Crooked Tree

Crooked Tree (The) - 110 St. Marks Place
It's Belgian, not Asian - but they're worthy of note for serving Belgian Waffles, Ice Cream, and $4-$6 crepes that are small, but extremely yummy with various toppings like fresh fruit, Nutella, or Belgian Chocolate.

Chocolate Bar

Chocolate Bar - 48 8th Avenue
Again, not Asian. But worth a quick note as one travels through the West Village area. A popular coffee/chocolate joint - stylish, upscale and known for celebrity sightings. A quick summary says it all: tasty chocolate (though surely not the best in town) - with prices that are too high, though fair for the image that they're trying to project.

Lula's Sweet Apothecary

Lula's Sweet Apothecary - 516 E. 6th Street (Avenue A/B) (Vegan ice cream)
All I can say is...it's about freakin' time! Yes, now the East Village boasts a fun and tasty (albiet small) vegan ice creamery...offering all of your childhood favorites, from hot chocolate sundaes, to banana splits...complete with a bunch of "Cold Stone" type toppings...including coconut, sprinkles and even vegan gummy bears (YUM!). Made in-house, the ice cream's good, and reasonably priced for the Manhattan crowd (around $6 for a sundae.) The size is slightly small (at least compared to my memories of Friendly's), but it definitely satisfies an ice cream craving. A quick conversation with the proprietor revealed that there'll be even more options in the future...including raw ice cream and lots of other sweet stuff. So give Lula's a shot...especially if you're in a treat-yourself mood.

Magnolia Bakery

Magnolia Bakery - 401 Bleeker Street (off 11th Street)
Made famous by Sex and the City, the cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery are touted as tasty, superlative...and generally irresistable. Today, I strolled over to Magnolia - to test the theory myself. The counter offers an array of cupcakes with do it yourself service, as well as several other sweet desserts (such as cheesecake and bread pudding.) The atmosphere is preppy, and the space a little crowded (expect a line, though it moved fast for me.) As for the cupcakes? Surprisingly reasonably priced (given the location), they only cost about $2.00 a pop - and the super sweet icing was the best part. The cupcake itself was no great shakes - and certainly not worth the return trip. Bottom line? If desserts are your thing, its probably worth checking out once. But don't expect an earth shattering experience...

Cake Shoppe Cafe

Cake Shoppe Cafe - 152 Ludlow Street (Vegetarian/Vegan)
A little LES joint with alternative/college sensibilities - complete with a downstairs bar, a backstore record shoppe...and a snack counter upfront serving teas, soups, and a few vegan desserts (including cakes and cookies.) During my visit, I passed on the savories - choosing instead a prepackaged type of eskimo pie. Filled with peanut butter mousse, the choice proved tasty in a junk-foodie way (though not awe-inspiring.) Still, the sweets are relatively cheap - and convenient for a grab-n-go. Though not all vegetarian--and hardly gourmet--the soups looked promising, especially as options for any future visits.

Chikalicious

Chikalicious - 203 E. 10th Street (Dessert and Wine Bar)
I'd heard about Chikalicious, and had wanted to try it for awhile. Finally I was in the neighborhood (actually, I'm around there often), and stopped in. The place is small, pristine, with an upper middle class preppie vibe. I must say this: the service is a real class act - nice, sweet friendly people that go out of your way to make it a pleasant experience. As you probably already know, Chickalicious only serves desserts and wine (usually paired), with a prixe fixe available. So I had some. The dessert was nice, enjoyable - the port wine was terrific. The sizes...well...I had been forewarned, and the sizes were nouvelle cuisine, laughably small. And the tab came to $20 plus tip. Now, I'm famous for being a skinflint with money. I'm also more comfortable in places with a homey slightly grunge touch. I am glad to have tried the place out. It was fun., and I recommend everyone either try it once, or just stick your head in to take a look. But honestly? Once was just enough.

Minamoto Kitchoan

Minamoto Kitchoan - 608 5th Avenue, Ste. 1 (on the SW corner of 49th) (Japanese)
An exquisitely packaged Wagashi shop, near Rockefeller Center.

I'd been here years before, and recently revisited. Same as I remembered, the shoppe was full of mochi, yokan and lots of sweet bean paste confectionaries - done up in delicate, wonderful wrappings. Unfortunately, the prices are strictly Fifth Avenue - daifuku (for instance) costs three times what you'd pay at Sunrise, JASMart or even closeby Katagiri (on 59th and 3rd Ave.) But its very, very pretty - and worth window shopping, at least once. You might even try some, if the urge strikes deeply enough. I'm sure they're quite tasty. On the other hand, you could head down to St. Mark's...for the better value/bargain...! (Besides, then you won't have to deal with the *&()&*&(^% crowds!!)

Max Brenner

Max Brenner (Chocolate by the Bald Man) (Dessert) - 841 Broadway (in Union Square, off 14th Street)
Newly opened, and decorated in rich brown hues, Max Brenner's is a Willy Wonka wetdream - complete with a matrix of chocolate colored pipes crossing the ceiling, and sample tubs of varied confections gathered at the mini store near the entrance. Beautifully rendered, the glossy menus are pure (chocolate) food porn, with artfully photographed pictures of shakes, fondues and other chocolately goodness. Does the concept work? Mostly. The atmosphere is fun, and the service...acceptable. Of the three items that we personally sampled, only one was truly great. The cookie shake was good, but powdery (though fun to drink, presented in an "Alice in Wonderland" sipping cup, complete with metal straw.) The peanut crepe was rich - too rich, with an overpoweringly peanut butter flavor. Ah, but the chocolate pizza with marshmellows? Now that was inspired - complete with rich, melted chocolate and gooey marshmellows. Half a pizza was enough - and definitely worth the overall trip. As for the atmosphere - suffice it to say that Max Brenner's isn't haute cuisine in the chocolate dept. - the vibe is strictly Cheesecake Factory, so those with higher pretentions will probably be turned off. But for the rest of us Max Brenners might be the perfect celebratory stop, say - once every year? Go at least once - and experience Max's Love for yourself.

Sweet N' Tart Cafe

Sweet N' Tart Cafe - 76 Mott Street (Other locations include 20 Mott Street, and Flushing, Queens) (Fusion)

I am so glad I found this place!

The 76th Mott Street version (the Cafe) is a small, hidden nook down a flight of stairs. With the small tables, sitting across from a stranger for your meal, it has an sleek, modern cafeteria feel. And its a treasure trove of exotic snacks. They have sago drinks, blood congee, meals with duck tongue, snow frog jelly, you name it. It's a little more expensive than usual for me (my snacks are usually $1.50 or less), but more than reasonable for the average person. At an average cost of $4.00 per item, it's very much worth it. The Restaurant is 20 Mott Street - it's bigger, with a bigger selection of stuffs such as ice cream, and more entrees. I kind of like the Cafe better - it has a more inviting vibe. But they're both worth a visit. 3.75 stars!

2/21/06 Update - It appears that Sweet n' Tart is gone, replaced by a new bubble tea type cafe. (It took me a while to realize the big new sweet and red sign was pasted over the place that Sweet n' Tart used to be. The restaurant down the street is still there...but the cafe? Kaput. What a shame. But - eventually I'll try the new place, and let all and sundry know the verdict.

Rice to Riches

Rice to Riches - 37 Spring Street (between Mott and Mulberry)
Located on the edge of Chinatown - a small, unique dessert shoppe specializing in rice pudding (available in a myriad of flavors, from coconut coca to rest in peach. The sweets are delicious and healthy (at least in theory.) The decor is classy, and the sweets are positively yummy - complete with a full range of toppings (including oatmeal cookie crumble and mixed nuts.) If you have the slightest sweet tooth, you have to give this place a try. Because rice pudding deserves another chance...!

Healthy Desserts

Healthy Desserts - 150 Centre Street
I've walked by this place many times, wanted to go in, and never did. Today, I did, and I'm really glad.
It's a very friendly, open and accessible smoothie-dessert type boutique. Bright, and clean, and just lots of nice, neat, different type treats. On my first try, I had a more expensive dessert - Sago pearls with bird's nest, papaya and watermelon. But they also have more affordable drinks, like Bird's Nest and Honey Jelly, at $3.20 a pop. Definitely gotta go! Several stars! (Let me go a few more times, and I'll give a definitive rating.)

9/2/06 Update: Upon walking down Centre Street today, I found a new sign in place at 150 Centre Street: an establishment called Whatever. Either Healthy Desserts has been renamed - or removed. The menu appears to be the same, leading me to believe the former. But only time (and a trip) will tell...

Fusion Crepes

Fusion Crepes - 125 Bowery (Fusion Asian Fare)
Located at the corner of Bowery and Grand - a fantastic little nook serving sweet & savory crepes - many with an Asian bent. On the savory side, creative menu items include salmon or sardines, potato curry crepes and spam and cheese (9 alternatives in all). Dessert options include classic nutella/fruits and ice cream wraps (including durian flavored, yum!) For group noshes, there's even a a $40.00 cake - featuring 20 layers of stacked crepes, loaded with fillings of your choice. (Regular menu items are priced reasonably, running around $5.00 for savory, $3-4 for sweets.) On my visit, I found myself actually preferring the savory crepe, called Nippon No Aji - a spectacular blend of tofu, mushroom, bonito flakes, okonomiyaki sauce and seaweed. But go for yourself - and try one of each. For me, this place is an instant favorite - and those ooey-gooey crepes really hit the spot!

Chinatown Ice Cream Factory

Chinatown Ice Cream Factory - 65 Bayard Street, off of Mott
A famous ice cream store. And a favorite of my husband's. Exotic flavors available include lychee, almond, and taro, as well as the more conservative flavors like strawberry and pineapple. They say it's one of the best ice cream shoppes in the city - and they're a regular stop for Phil (my erstwhile husband.) Myself, I prefer Cold Stone Creamery...

Babycakes

Babycakes - 248 Broome Street (between Orchard and Ludlow)
A small (non-asian) bakery, located on the northern edge of Chinatown. An unassuming shoppe (with almost no signage), Babycakes specializes in healthy sweets, made with no wheat, gluten, eggs, dairy or even refined/artificial sugars. It's like Magnolia, done vegan style - offering snacks such as chocolate cake, cupcakes, gingerbread and cookies. Though somewhat expensive--averaging $3.00 per piece--the snacks are tasty. (The banana bread was particularly nice - with a sweet, moist texture.) Great for a change of pace - for those times when Taipan Bakery just doesn't get the job done!

2/4/07 Update - Since my visit to Babycakes, I've been around the block a few times...sampling the desserts available at several vegan joints (most on the westend). The results have been outstanding, and much more memorable than the sweets offered at Babycakes. So if you really, really want the perfect brownie or chocolate cake...consider Blossom or Sacred Chow as well as BC. Sorry baby - you've been outclassed!