204 E. 10th St.
New York, NY 10003
212.995.9511
website
The ultra-tiny storefront along East 1oth Street in Manhattan looks like a wisp of a restaurant, but it’s a place highly in demand. Chef Chika Tillman launched this concept in 2003 with a focus on finding some very unusual and experimental dessert pieces. Yes, while a storefront across the street offers street desserts and common dishes, the small, 16-seat corner on the other side is a memorable experience. Expensive, but a worthwhile experience.
Some of the things that are worth trying:
- Amuse: The small dessert dish, this one a bite of cream. Wonderful!
- Fromage Blanc Island “Cheese Cake”: Not a cheesecake in the real sense of the word. Nor is it a lighter Asian version of the cheesecake, “Japanese Cotton Cheesecake.” But it’s about the lightest version of a cheesecake you’ll ever see. Light as a cloud and creamy and fluffy.
- Warm Chocolate Tart with Pink Peppercorn Ice Cream and Red Wine Sauce: This tart, with just a bit of chocolate almost has the feel of a brownie, but the fall-apart gooey tart is served in a very delicate shell with a little bit of a crunch. Alongside it, that bite of ice cream is meant to be savored with a little bit of a kick. Put a bit of that savory red wine sauce really made it work well. Get all three in one spoon! You have to.
- Petits Fours: This set of small finger food-like cakes is meant to be loved by a group. One is something like a coconut pound cake, white, light bite with bits on the edge. Another is something like a vanilla cake with a wonderful little bit of cream on it. The third is something like a chocolate mousse, thick and sweet, with a crunchy, cookie-like base.
The restaurant’s small size and small portions begat a place that is all about really experiencing the flavors that are in front of you. This isn’t a place where you go for something big, sweet and simple. Make sure you understand that! If you’re looking for that, there’s plenty of it across the street. Here, a bit of whimsical meets a bit of creativity.
You walk into this small shop not at all sure what you can get. But you will have some experiences here that you will never be able to experience elsewhere. It’s indescribably good. This is the kind of culinary experience you want to save for special occasions.
Recommendations
- This is a small place and reservations are absolutely recommended, especially in the evening.
- This is a great place to take a date after a night out; in fact I highly recommend you plan this to be a night with a date for a slow dessert.
- Get some wine with your dessert, there are pairings.
Another Food Critic 