Beignets at Resto

Having dined on a somewhat extensive selection of Resto's Belgian fare, I hardly had room for dessert. But the perfection coaxed from all things fried throughout our dinner courses rendered me unable to deny the beignets that I saw listed on the dessert menu. 

When the beignets arrived, I was not disappointed. They came lightly fried in a charming little paper bag, dusted with sugar as opposed to confectioner's sugar. Presentation aside, they were hot and airy inside with a toothsome crust. The sugar dusting added a little sweetness. The dipping sauces were, clockwise from the left, a berry compote (blueberry), a caramel sauce and a chocolate sauce. Surprisingly the blueberry compote might have been my least favorite. The creamy caramel sauce and the rich chocolate sauce were all but finished when I was done with the beignets.

If you aren't sure about Belgian food, though you need not have any worries because Resto delivers, there is a bar where you can sit and enjoy a drink with an order of these delicious beignets. Try the seasonal Apple & Cinnamon made with Hudson Valley Apple Vodka and cinnamon infused simple syrup.

Resto. 111 East 29th Street, New York, NY 10016

http://www.restonyc.com/

Spiced Pumpkin Doughnuts at Doughnut Plant

I am the kind of girl who spends every Autumn in a frenzied attempt to consume all that is seasonal. I'm a sucker for almost every kind of pumpkin or apple flavored treat I can get my hands on and, luckily for me, they are very easy to find this year in NYC. Just imagine my delight upon seeing that a beloved doughnut purveyor had incorporated a flavor that was ever so Fall.

As with most Doughnut Plant creations, you can choose between the denser cake doughnut or the airier yeast doughnut. I generally tend to prefer the cake doughnut varieties but I could not resist how big and fluffy and, frankly, attractive the Spiced Pumpkin yeast doughnut looked sitting there on display in front of me. 

The lighter and chewier yeast doughnut maintained a nice pumpkin flavor that was complimented by the spiced glaze (I love cinnamon). A sprinkling of crunchy toasted pumpkin seeds gave it a little texture. I left happily swimming in Fall feel-good sentiments about my favorite season of the year.

Doughnut Plant. 279 Grand Street, New York, NY 10002

http://www.doughnutplant.com/

Gelato at Eataly

Brave waiting in the line for the gelato at Eataly because it is nearly perfect. I tried the nocciola (hazelnut) and the pistachio and found that the flavors were spot on and the texture was just right. It was the best gelato I have tasted since I was in Italy in early 2008. 

The only issue to note is that they only make a certain amount of each flavor daily and the crowds ensure that the most desirable flavors are often gone by the afternoon.

Eataly, 200 Fifth ave New York, NY 10010

Toasted Marshmallow Shake

At Stand, they make their shakes out of gelato instead of ice cream. This substitution gives the shakes a uniquely creamy and rich texture, making them more satisfying than your average milk shake. 

Stand acquires their gelato from Il Laboratorio del Gelato, an acclaimed gelato maker in the Lower East Side, which is probably a better choice than any misguided attempt to make a house variety. As a side note: despite certain press, their burgers are over-seasoned and regrettably textured in a very unpleasing manner. 

The Toasted Marshmallow Gelato Shake, however, was incredibly delightful. It was rich and smooth and dizzyingly sweet, though somehow not overpoweringly so. A generous swirl of whipped cream on top adds little to the dessert/beverage, but the toasted marshmallow sitting atop the whipped cream is a cute and novel topping that made me a little nostalgic for my childhood days when I would toast marshmallows with my siblings over a campfire in the summer.

Stand4, 24 East 12th Street, NY, NY 10003

Ben & Jerry's NYC Summer 2010 Truck Tour

I serendipitously found the summer 2010 Ben & Jerry's truck after brunch when I went shopping. I was pleasantly surprised to find a full-sized tractor trailer truck as opposed to a dinkier traditional-sized ice cream truck. Despite being full from brunch, I still managed to swallow a single serving cup of their new Berry Voluntary ice cream. Berry Voluntary is Raspberry Cheesecake Ice Cream with White Chocolate Chunks & Raspberry Swirls. It was summery and fresh, but far from light. The cheesecake ice cream was very rich and the white chocolate just made it richer. Still, it was an imaginative flavor that I was happy to try.

Last Sunday, I found the truck on 58th Street and 5th Avenue.

Locanda Verde's (Perfect?) Brunch

I've done it before, but I can't imagine ever getting enough of Locanda Verde's brunch menu so long as they keep Andrew Carmellini and Karen DeMasco. Especially since there are so many stellar options for sweet tooths like myself!

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with blueberries and meyer lemon curd. The pancakes were fluffy and light. The lemon curd, made from the sweeter meyer lemons, was such a remarkable topping that I almost forsook the syrup.

Toothsome Blueberry Doughnut - the cake doughnut kissed with just the right amount of fruity blueberry glaze and a slight crunch to the outer layer was as close to a perfect doughnut as I have ever tasted. It was somehow light but still a bit chewy. The glaze added depth and the doughnut was not too sweet. Seasonal and inspired, I'm already craving another one.

 The Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnut was good. There was an excess of sugar; it seemed the doughnut was too heavily rolled in the stuff. But the texture was right; it was still a little crunchy on the outside and moist and soft on the inside. Unfortunately, the mounds of sugar (and probably cinnamon, though I mostly just tasted granulated sugar) overpowered how good the dough seemed to be.

Was I ashamed to have brunched my way through a Sheep's Milk Ricotta and burnt orange toast, an entire order of Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with blueberries only to follow it up with multiple doughnuts? Not really.

377 Greenwich St., NY (212) 925-3797

Fraise Sauvage at Employees Only

The Fraise Sauvage was Plymouth Gin shaken with wild strawberries and Tahitian Vanilla topped with Zardetto Prosecco di Congeliano Brut. The perfect kind of sweet that goes down just right.

Employees Only

510 Hudson St. (212) 242-3021