Cafe Lalo

201 West 83rd Street New York, NY 10024 (212) 496-6031 http://www.cafelalo.com/

Best known as the cafe where Meg Ryan was supposed to meet Tom Hanks in the movie, “You’ve Got Mail”, Cafe Lalo has fast gained popularity, attracting both locals and tourists into its European inspired, charming little cafe. Cafe Lalo is easy to find and is quite pretty, with its perfect location in one of the Upper West Side’s brownstone and tree-lined streets, pretty flowers lining its steps and the tall windows that allow the sun to brightly shine through and within the cafe interior.

Stepping inside though, you will immediately be overwhelmed with the number of cakes and pastries that they offer. More cakes than pastries, it seems that they have more than a hundred cakes in their coolers! Being that, it was quite difficult to actually choose what to try and it took me a while to decide. Finally, I tried the Tres Leches cake and the Capuccino Cheesecake. The Tres Leches had delicious buttery sponge cake moistened with milk and topped with lightly sweetened cream. A nice, simple dessert to satisfy a craving without overindulging. The Capuccino Cheesecake however, was quite ordinary compared to the sinfully luscious Junior’s Cheesecakes that I love.

The vast cake selection is consistent with Cafe Lalo’s menu, offering an array of themed breakfast sets (think Viennesse, Irish, Italian, Swiss, Morroccan and Parisian), eggs cooked in every way possible, salads, sandwiches, soups and beverages (alcoholic, coffee, teas, shakes, smoothies and juices). So many that they will not make it easy for you to choose. However, despite the choices, I cannot say that anything I have tried in the cafe (whether salad, smoothie, bread or cakes) got my attention or made me forget my name. On top of that, I find the food and desserts quite pricey for the taste as well as the portions ($7 for a small slice of cheesecake or a simple smoothie). Lastly, an important thing to note is that Cafe Lalo does not accept anything but cash, which I only found out as I was paying. No signs on the door or on the menu – something that may be quite inconvenient for customers who frequently use their debit or credit cards to pay.

On the positive side, Cafe Lalo has good service and a great selection that you will always find something you may be interested in trying out. Unfortunately, I believe it is the ambience that you pay for the most and which may not be something that is attractive or satisfying to most customers like me. Will I be back? Yes, I probably will, to have dessert and coffee once in a while and enjoy this lovely little place. And believe me - it will take a long, long time before I get to try even half of their cakes.

The Bread Factory Cafe

785 Lexington Avenue New York, NY (212) 355- 5729 http://www.breadfactorycafe.com/

Intrigued by this cafe chain (with locations on 7th and 9th Avenues), I passed by the one along Lexington Avenue, which was packed with people enjoying brunch. Seemingly like many other cafe or deli chains in Manhattan that offers pizzas, pastas, sandwiches and salads, what called my attention to The Bread Factory Cafe was their store window decked with delicious looking cakes and pastries. And I love delicious looking cakes and pastries!

Obviously a busy cafe, all tables were taken with people enjoying their meals and the friendly staff were efficiently taking orders from the line by the take out counter. The set-up, products and vibe were indeed very similar to the usual Manhattan cafe or deli chain, what I found different was the immense selection of Breads, Cakes, Pastries, Pies, Rolls and Tarts as well as traditional cakes like Babka and Hamantaschen.

I was so tempted to try out the cakes and pastries, but being “The Bread Factory” I opted to try bread instead and ordered the Semolina Loaf. A bit worried at first that the Semolina Loaf did not look like the usual ones that I knew of from Amy’s Bread and Orwasher’s, being covered in sesame seeds (that kind of reminded me of a hamburger bun) I was not sure that this would not be something I would enjoy.

Surprisingly though, it was moist and soft, slightly buttery with a tender texture and the nutty taste of semolina. I toasted some slices and had these with butter and then with my Orange Apricot Marmalade from Sarabeth’s, which I found pleasing. However, with the price of $4 per loaf, I cannot help myself but compare with Amy’s and Orwasher’s, bake shops that make bread that I am completely in love with - at the same price.

So what do I think of The Bread Factory Cafe? It is definitely an option if you want to have a wide selection of Breads, Cakes and Pastries and are in search of something quick and inexpensive. But when it comes to bread...I would highly recommend artisanal breads to satisfy, especially for those who are passionate about and take pleasure in having their bread.

La Bergamote Patisserie

Chelsea 169 9th Avenue New York, NY, 10011, (212) 627-9010. Clinton 515 West 52nd. Street New York, Ny, 10019, (212) 586-2429. http://www.labergamotenyc.com/.

One of the bake shops that I have read a lot of good reviews about is La Bergamote Patisserie. Opened in 1998 by Executive Pastry Chef Stephane Willemin and Managing Director Romain Lamaze in Chelsea, they have now expanded and opened a new location at the Clinton area. What makes La Bergamote successful, according to their website, is their consistent product quality and use of fresh ingredients. According to customers, it is the consistently delicious food and heavenly pastries, the nice ambience and the good service by their friendly staff.

Dropping by to check La Bergamote at their Chelsea location, I was immediately greeted by an array of delicious-looking fruit pies and tarts. As I moved into the bake shop, there were more luscious and decadent looking miniature cakes (not your typical bake shop ones but more extravagant concoctions), colourful macaroons, and an assortment of freshly baked breads (brioches, croissants, baguettes and many more).

Again, trying not to overdo my orders, I opted to try a Raspberry Brioche and several small tarts and pastries – a Kiwi Fruit tart, a Chocolate & Hazelnut layered square and a mini Vanilla Cream Eclair. Not surprised, all turned out to be delicious little pastries! The Chocolate & Hazelnut layered square had a slightly bitter chocolate and bits of hazelnut that made each bite so sumptuous. The kiwi fruit tart had a crust that was firm but had a slightly buttery taste. The Vanilla Cream Eclair had a creamy filling embedded in a crusty pastry. The Raspberry Brioche was moist with a delightfully sweet and fruity topping.

These were wonderful little creations and I can imagine how the regular sized versions must taste like. Prices are a bit on the high side compared to other bake shops in the areas well as patisseries I have been to in NYC. But not exaggeratedly so. The miniature bite-sized pastries were $1.75 a piece and the brioche at $3.40. But I recommend that if you want a treat and want to enjoy delectable cakes, pies, pastries or viennioseries in a comfortable, casual (quiet was how I would describe the Chelsea location) atmosphere, then La Bergamote is the place to go.

Oh yes, and I have heard that they serve wonderful breakfast and coffee as well. Some recommendations are the Mushroom Tartine and Eggs Benedict. Of course, I have to try their Almond Croissant. I will definitely be back... this time for breakfast!

Three Tarts

164 9th Avenue New York, NY 10011. (212) 462-4392. www.threetarts.com.

I found Three Tarts Bakery while exploring the quaint Chelsea area, on my way to the Chelsea Market. What caught my attention were the very pretty window displays of adorable little flowering plants and cute little boxes on one side and pastries on trays and more cute packaging materials on the other. Interestingly too, one could easily see inside the store which drew my attention to the various colourful items displayed and the array of wonderful looking pastries.

Stepping in I find a boutique with a selection of giftware such as bottles, paper materials, mugs, teas and tea sets. Of course what caught my attention was the counter with a selection of miniature bite sized desserts of unusual and interesting flavours, shapes and colors. They all looked beautiful!

There were cookies with nuts, dipped in chocolate and spiced with cardamom, tarts with honey caramel and pine nuts, kumquat and lemon curd with meringue filling that all looked yummy, creamy looking parfaits in petite cups, luscious-looking truffles in bowls and pastel-colored delicate-looking mallows... and much more! To pair with these sweet treats were in-house specialty drinks such as Lemonade with Wildflower Honey, Limeade with Agave, Chai Latte and Pear Cider.

What did I try? The tarts of course...and the almond cookies! I must say that the tarts had delicious crusts, crisp but did not crumble. The flavours were refreshing, the Lemon Curd with a delicate meringue cookie on top was perfectly tangy and the Kumquat-infused almond frangipane was smooth and sweet. The almond cookies were just a bit too sugary and hard for me since I like my cookies moist and chewy...but would be perfect for those who love crisp and tasty cookies.

As I got home I decided to do a little research about Three Tarts and found out that it was created by a group of girls who were classmates at the Institute of Culinary Education (I.C.E.) here in NYC, and that the name came from the girls’ nickname back in school - “Three Tarts.” Visiting their website will lead you to discover that they have more merchandise for sale, gift sets and boxes of pastries – all with the same delicate, exquisite and elegant look.

What’s great about Three Tarts is that the desserts are in miniature pieces at affordable prices. Cookies are $.70 to $1.70 and tarts at $1.50 each. There are a variety of specialty desserts and would be perfect for people who want to savor delectable treats and eat pretty little things that are not overwhelming to one’s sight and tummy. The cookies and pastries in the fine looking boxes are perfect gifts for special occasions, and giving these you can be confident that they will taste as good as they look.

Ceci-Cela Patisserie

55 Spring Street New York, NY 10012 (212)274-9179 http://www.cecicelanyc.com/.

I discovered Ceci-Cela Patisserie by reading through NY Magazine’s critic’s pick list of Bake Shops. Founded by pastry chef Laurent Dupal, who was trained at the prestigious Compagnons du Devoir du Tour de France, this charming little shop in SoHo has been creating the most delectable pastries using the best ingredients in the highest artisanal quality in New York for 15 years now. More recently, Chef Dupal has expanded his business into a full-range online wholesale operation where he will accommodate special requests and together with his staff, will make new creations just for you.

Chef Dupal’s core product line is known collectively as Viennoiserie, these Croissants, Pains Aux Chocolats, Chaussons Aux Pommes, Pains Aux Raisins, and Brioches are delicately made by using only 100% pure butter, the best flours and complimentary ingredients. To complement the Viennoiserie, Ceci-Cela also offers luscious cakes with an array of textures and flavor combinations that include Poire William, Fraisier, and Black Forest, as well as other traditional items such as Quiches, Flans and crumbly butter crust Tarts filled with delicious Crème Patissière, and topped with fresh sweet fruit such as raspberries, kiwi, and strawberries.






The very simple, nondescript store front of Ceci-Cela along Spring Street and the small, unfussy space inside are the complete opposites of the splendid quality of coffee, cakes and pastries that this little gem of a place serves. And despite the number of people who walked in the store to buy coffee and pastries while I was excitedly deciding what to try, the man at the counter was kind enough to entertain my quick questions on what the must-tries in the store were.

 After a tough decision, I settled for buying an Almond Chocolate Croissant (I was informed was the best seller, $3.75), a Caramelized Pear Tart ($5.25), a Financier ($3.00) and a cup of skim Cafe Mocha ($3.75).

The Cafe Mocha, had a creamy cocoa taste that I found delicious and being not too sweet, perfectly complemented my Almond Chocolate Croissant. A perfect combination of the two of my most favourite ingredients – chocolate and croissant- the Almond Chocolate Croissant had a generous amount of crunchy almond slivers on top and was flaky on the outside, while remaining perfectly soft and moist with a creamy chocolate filling inside. A lover of almond croissants, this is the best I have tried in and outside of New York.

The Caramelized Pear Tart had a delicate pastry that melts in your mouth topped with a moist pear slice slightly sweetened and spiced with cinnamon. While the Financier, an Almond flour-based tea cake topped fresh berries, was crusty on the outside and moist on the inside with surprising bits of almond to enhance your experience with each bite.

How did I find Ceci-Cela’s pastries? Scrumptious and definitely heavenly!!!

Though the store is simple and too small to eat at, reviews of Ceci-Cela having “exquisite concoctions” and “impossibly delicious pastries” do not exaggerate. With an array of mouth-watering cakes and pastries, you will surely find something that will suit what you’re craving for. Either for special occasions or to please your own palate, Ceci-Cela will not disappoint. I have found a new favorite!

Orwasher's Bakery

308 East 78th Street, NY, NY 10075. (212) 228-6569. http://www.orwasherbakery.com/.

I first heard about Orwasher’s Bakery from an article I read in Time Out New York as one of NYC’s best when it comes to bread. Purchased from its founding owners who made kosher bread back in 2007, owner Keith Cohen of Oven Artisans has since turned it into a bakery of classic and artisan breads, as well as cookies, cupcakes, pies, specialty cakes and pastries. Oven Artisans are makers of artisan breads and supply to retailers and restaurants in the city such as Dean & Deluca, Artisanal, Agata & Valentina, Zabar’s , Citarella and Gourmet Garage.



So one afternoon, my husband and I excitedly headed off to Orwasher’s at the Upper East Side to experience what it was all about. Inside, we found a brightly-lit, yellow and white tiled bakery that gave off a cheerful cafe feel. Though there was only a small counter on one side with some bar stools to have your coffee, there was a lot of space for the numerous shelves of freshly-baked bread, cookies, pastries, jams and cheeses. So many kinds of bread I could not make up my mind as to what I should buy. I literally wanted to try everything but of course, had to be realistic that I could not buy 10 different loaves of bread to try at one time.

I approached one of the staff who was just looking at us, impatiently waiting for us to order. I asked for their specialty and was told that it was their bread, which were freshly made in the store. Upon my further prodding on what the best seller was, she finally recommended their wine bread – either chardonnay (“if you want rye”) or cabernet (“if you like white”). I finally decided to buy a loaf of their Cabernet Rustica, the cinnamon raisin bun, a slice of chocolate strudel and a chocolate marshmallow butterscotch bar – all for $11 (the loaf was pretty large and sold at around $4.50). There was no line while we were there, but it was obvious that many regulars frequent the store because they knew exactly what to order and left just as quickly.

When we got home and tried our baked goodies, I realised that Orwasher’s specialty was really their bread and not their pastries. Though not bad, the chocolate strudel (with heavy doses of chocolate filling that was not too sweet but with crumbly bread that tasted old) and the chocolate marshmallow butterscotch bar (with a very sweet and very crumbly butterscotch brownie) were average at best.

The Cabernet Rustica bread though, which my husband and I ate with our home made herb balsamic vinaigrette and olive oil concoction, was wonderful. Crusty on the outside, it was airy but very moist and very tasty on the inside. Even my husband, who is not really a bread lover, could not stop eating it. Being wine lovers, we are now curious to try the other types of their Artisan wine breads.

Upon doing more research on Orwahser’s on their very informative website (I wish their staff could have been a wee bit as helpful as the site) it was interesting to note that Oven Artisans was created to “give New Yorkers different breads that represent our current culture”. Owasher’s alone specialized in 3 major types of bread: Artisan Wine (made from natural yeast found in grapes that carry the complex flavour profile of wine), New York Originals (such as Jewish Rye, Pumpernickel and Cinnamon Raisin) and Classic European (Ciabatta, Swiss Health, Sourdough and Multi-Grain). Their artisan wine selection each had their own style, flour, character, taste profile, and paired well with a certain types of food and wine. Now that I know all this, the Olive Bread- a soft, chewy and savory bread, made of unbleached wheat, and paired with antipasti, artisan cheeses, olive and wine- is next on my list.

So what do I think of Orwahser’s? They are indeed wonderful creators of fine, artisan bread. With the price as varied as their bread, I believe that the makers are truly creative, the breads delicious and the bakery worth being loyal to (once you actually know what your favourite is). One should not forget though that bread IS their specialty and NOT their pastries.

What was disappointing to me was the service. The staff could have been more knowledgeable and helpful in providing recommendations. With such a large array of these delicious breads, that each had their own character, it would have been much better if they asked questions and made recommendations for you to be able to decide which bread to purchase. Differentiating such wonderful wine breads as “if you want white or rye” truly destroys the care and creativity that the bakers have put into making these breads. Will I be back? Definitely. But this time I will come in much educated on what is worth trying. Suggest you visit the web site before you do too.

Two Little Red Hens

1652 Second Avenue New York, NY 10028. (212) 452-0476. www.twolittleredhens.com.

To begin my journey, I came to an "American Bakery" called Two Little Red Hens, a place which had been highly recommended by girl friends who are fellow foodies and which, based on my research, had numerous positive reviews on thier cupcakes.

From the outside, it looked like a little country store beside the numerous establishments along a very busy Second Avenue. Inside, it looked like your neighborhood bakeshop, with small tables and chairs, shelves of coffee and chillers of freshly baked, pretty-looking cakes and pastries.

I was cheerfully greeted by the ladies behind the counter, but as friends have told me that the cupcakes were the best here, I did not waste any time an ordered a box of cupcakes to bring home – Red Velvet, Banana, Chocolate Marble and Vanilla Butter Cream. The average price for a cupcake would be around $2.75 for regular sized ones and around $1.75 for the mini cupcakes. Not bad, I thought, and definitely comparable to most bakeshops around the city.

I was not disappointed! I have tried a number of bakeshops in Manhattan since I arrived (Chikalicious, Crumbs, Magnolia and Buttercup included), and Two Little Red Hens had the moistest cupcakes (even after days in my refrigerator as I could not eat all at once, of course) and the creamiest icing with just the right amount of sweetness! It was definitely bliss with each bite! Since then, I have returned every other week to Two Little Red Hens and have excitedly tried the rest of the cupcakes - Carrot, Brooklyn Blackout (this is the best choice if you are dangerously craving for chocolate) and Vanilla with Chocolate Fudge. Again, these had consistent moistness to the cake and just the right amount of sweetness to the creamy icing. I had found my cupcake heaven!


But I did not stop there as I became mighty curious about their cakes, pies and pastries as well. This is after all, a search for the best local bake shops. So I tried their Chocolate Chip cookies, Lemon Bar, Banana and Carrot Slices (exactly like the cupcake version but these are cut like cakes), Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Cream filling, Chocolate Mousse Pie and the Key Lime Pie. Rest assured, I did not enjoy all of these in one sitting but did so over a number of weeks while making sure I continued with my weekly physical activities – we all know what happens when you enjoy these things TOO much.

Anyway, I can say that the pastries (though I have only tried a few) are not as heavenly as the cupcakes. Quite a bit ordinary actually and not something I would tell everyone about. I had another wonderful discovery though – the Chocolate Mousse Pie and the Key Lime Pie were to die for! The Chocolate Mousse Pie had a thin light, buttery crust, creamy mousse that had just the right amount of chocolate, and lightly sweetened whipped cream on top. The Key Lime Pie was the best I have ever tasted, with a nice graham crust and creamy, sweet with a nice little bite of sourness from the lime that tasted fresh. It was definitely unforgettable!

So what is my opinion of Two Little Red Hens? It is definitely one of the best local bakeshops in Manhattan, not only for their to-die-for pretty little cupcakes and their deliciously unforgettable pies, but also for the homey, little neighborhood feel of the place, their always cheerful ladies ready to take your order, and the variety of cakes and pastries you may indulge in. Yes, there is a line sometimes but they efficiently take your orders and normally do not take a lot of time packing them for you. And yes, it can get crowded since it is a small place so, I recommend buying to go. Just a tip too, the Key Lime Pie sells out easily, so Friday (the day they make these wonderful pies) is usually the best time to go.