I do not remember exactly how I found out about Patisserie Chanson here in New York – it was probably researching about dessert places in the city. The venue opened in September 2017 with two places: Patisserie, with sweets, bread and some snacks and quick lunches, and the Dessert Bar, which is located in the basement and offers a complete dessert tasting experience. The Dessert Bar took a while to open and eventually I forgot about it. Until I passed in front of the place a few weeks ago and I remembered that I had to research it and make a reservation. And so I booked for a Friday at 9:15 p.m. And seriously, it’s on the list of our best gastronomic experiences we’ve had in New York.
We arrived around 9pm and were invited to sit down and wait, that someone would call us back soon. Soon after, everybody of the 9:15 time was there and a member of the staff came up, greeted everyone and invited us down to the Dessert Bar. The place is super intimate and small – there are about 10 seats at the counter and six more seats divided into three small tables. My tip? Do not forget to select the Dessert Bar option – not Dessert Bar Adjacent, so you guarantee your seat at the counter and, believe me, your experience will be super complete.
Note: Everyone needs to get the tasting menu – which can be matched with wine and cocktails pairing. You can ask for a pairing per person or just one. In our case we chose a pairing for each of us, but then we ended up regretting because the wines and drinks were super well served and I ended up not drinking all of them.
The experience begins with the team’s welcome, and they explain how everything will work. Incidentally, it is worth noting the impeccable service and the friendliness of all of them, who make us feel practically at home. The experience begins with some salty small appetizers to prepare the palate. First, a popcorn with chilli and lemon, a delight. Then a special treat-with vegetables served on skewers in a vase. Then, to clean the palate, a drink served in a spoon, in a kind of bubble that you burst in the mouth. Super refreshing!
And it is after that that the tasting itself begins. And the cool part of it all is that the team putt everything together in front of you – so the cocktails and wines, which are prepared / served / presented to you as new desserts are served. It is also important to emphasize that the experience involves not only the taste, but also the smell and even the hearing, since the soundtrack of the place is a delight. And in total, there are six courses:
- EVOO Eucalyptus, olive-oil gelato garnished with lemon, olive oil, and sea salt. It’s served with liquid nitrogen, which releases the aroma of the eucalyptus as you eat the ice cream.
- Honey Rice Pudding, a rice pudding with honey.
- Blk Sesame Chocolate Yuzu Ginger, dumpling filled with chocolate, served inside a tea cup.
- Flavors of Thailand, coconut mousse, with pineapple, mango and white chocolate.
- Strawberries & Champagne, with fruits and a sour flavor.
- Boozy, Bears,alcoholic gummy bears.
The whole experience lasts more than two hours. In the end, we could not eat anymore lol, but we left there super happy and satisfied with the experience we had. Everything was delicious and the flavors surprised us with every dessert served. The tasting menu costs $75 and the pairing is plus $58. Recommended for anyone who is a foodie and likes to enjoy new experiences! Highly recommended to make a reservation as there are only two sessions per night. You can make the reservation here.
Addresss: 20 W 23rd St.
Laura Peruchi is a Brazilian blogger, author, and entrepreneur. She has lived in Manhattan with her husband since 2014. Since then, she has shared on her blog varied content about the Big Apple. From travel tips, including unusual things to do, shopping tips, etiquette, restaurants, and a lot more, her blog has become a reference in Portuguese (also available in English) for anyone planning a trip to New York City.