Chikalicious, dessert bar

East Village | 203 East 10th Street (1st & 2nd Ave) | NYC, NY | 212-995-9511

Subway 6 Astor Place | L 3rd Avenue

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I think my friend brought me to a tea parlor. OK, I had fair warning. His girlfriend said I wouldn't like it. I insisted that we go so I could experience a place New Yorkers love to wait in line for. New Yorkers really love to wait in line. It's a form of self-torture. I really don't mind a short wait but I am likely to walk away if there is a line or a wait longer than 15 minutes. My rule of thumb is to double whatever wait time they give you.

Tonight we are in luck. We call Chikalicious in advance and they tell us there is no wait. Perhaps because it's a Sunday night or maybe because everyone was at the "festivities" in the city all day and just went home and had a Devil Dog instead.

Chikalicious is a dessert bar and one of the most unique in New York City. The interior is stark white and very modern. There are a few tables and a counter and the eatery seats 20 people. They say it's more fun to sit at the counter because you can see the desserts being prepared. Since we are sitting at a table, I have no idea what we will be served. The menu is a 3 course prix fixe for $12 per person and changes seasonally. A wine pairing is an additional $7. Along with your main selection you get an "amuse, dessert of choice and petit fours. 

[amuse?]

Tonight our "amuse" is a sweet green tomato puree with lemon sorbet. I hope I got that right but I was more "amused" by the "amuse" because of it teenie, tiny size. I feel so dainty. I guess this is a palate cleanser.

For our main dessert I don't remember the exact name of mine but it was a pat of wine flavored ice cream topped with marinated cherries and a thin slice of cinnamon shortbread. My friend got the Warm Chocolate Tart with Pink Peppercorn Ice Cream and Red Wine Sauce. Both desserts had amazing flavor and are truly inspired by creativity. This is not a gooey dessert place. It's a treat for the taste buds and art to the eyes. Sensory overload. At Chikalicious you get everything, except full.

[the tease]

After the main dessert they bring a small plate of petit fours. Petit four is French for a small bite size cake. On each plate is a small homemade marshmallow, a almond cake and a chocolate truffle. Each one is delicious and had a great depth of flavor. One catch. The pieces were so tiny I remarked to my friend that, "I could snort each one up my nose". Don't worry, Mom, I didn't.

[in my opinion...]

OK, I joke. Everyone knows I love desserts. I tend to like homemade stuff like fruit tarts, crisps and layer cakes. It's unlikely that you will find any of these at Chikalicious but for a nice experience which is sensual to the eyes and palate, it's a good and fun choice. I give them a lot of credit and a 4 heart rating for originality and sensuality. Can we go for a big dessert now?

Oh, and please, don't snort the petit fours!

Comments

[David Lebovitz]

Sounds like fun, I've been wanting to go there for a while. WIll have to try it out next time I'm in NYC. (Reminds me of Espai Sucre, in Barcelona, where they only serve multi-course dessert menus). David

[Robyn]

I thought Chikalicious was a cute and fun place to watch the chefs make your desserts (if you sit at the bar area at least; I took lots of photos). I think I may have gotten the least interesting dessert though, so I wasn't as impressed with it as I thought I would be. And...um, I'd rather have a cupcake. (cough)