Moonstruck Chocolate Cafe
Since childhood I have always thought that Swiss Miss instant cocoa was the height of sophistication in the realm of hot chocolate. The powdery clumps bubbling on top, fishing out the marshmallows that never seemed to come in a sip. But now that I’m a little older I was curious to find this “gourmet hot chocolate” jazz everyone was talking about. I came across Moonstruck chocolate café after my Michigan Ave. shopping spree and I instantly knew that my daily sugar allowance may as well be thrown off the bridge right then and there. Moonstruck’s selection came as a sweet surprise with their amazing menu offering 9 different kinds of hot chocolate. Nine! From their double-dark to their Mexican vanilla spice blend, their cocoa selection blew every Swiss Miss mix out of the water. In addition to their cocoa, they also have a generous selection of chocolates and truffles (which they do, in fact, sample). Their knowledgeable staff also informed me that the chocolates are shipped daily from Portland and aren’t stocked up in some refrigerator. With more than just boring chocolate bars and cups of black coffee, Moonstruck Chocolate Café is sure to please any sweet tooth with their copious supply of chocolate goodies.
- Login or register to post comments
- Email this restaurant_bar
- 0 Comments
Finding Your Sweet Spot at Kyotofu Dessert Bar
You’ve tried the city’s best tofu salads, enjoyed a tofu wrap, and indulged in the latest tofu burger creation. Since there’s always room for dessert, be sure to head over to Kyotofu for an elegant preparation of your favorite soy-based necessity.
Less than a year in operation, Kyotofu is one of New York City’s sweet spots when that craving hits; this dessert bar will have you fooled into thinking it’s another sushi place with its modern Japanese décor and meditative environment. However, a quick peek at the menu proves that this isn’t the place for modest tastes; choose from a sweet sampler of fresh baked goodies (available at noon), and treat your inner chocoholic with healthful snacks such as Mini Miso Choko Cake or a cookie box to accompany your afternoon espresso. Kyotofu also serves up gourmet delights such as Warm Chestnut Mochi Chocolate Cake, tofu petits fours, and a unique Honey & Peanut Dorayahki Pancake. This crafty concoction is made with peanut butter white cream, red bean sauce, and mini sweet tofu. For those with an incessant sweet tooth, the vanilla-ginger tofu cheesecake or black sesame tofu are sure to satisfy.
- Login or register to post comments
- Email this restaurant_bar
- 0 Comments
New Yorkers Dipping Into the Pinkberry Lifestyle
It’s rising to fame as a swirly goodness for healthy-dessert lovers, a fresh low-fat/no-fat/no sugar concoction of frozen yogurt and fruit to tantalize your tastebuds. The Pinkberry concept has taken off on the West Coast with smashing success, and now New Yorkers are joining in the trend of indulging (sans dessert guilt) at the newest Pinkberry on the block. While the Beverly Hills location enjoys plenty of sunshine ‘swirling daily,’ New York is counting down to its fifth location in the West Village. Right now, the lines reach out to the curb during rush hour at 32nd Street, Chelsea, Spring Street, and the Upper East Side locations.
But what’s the fascination with this frozen yogurt sensation? The Pinkberry menu aims to please both exotic and simple tastes with clever combinations of green tea and vanilla, swirled with healthfully tasty toppings of granola, raspberries, dark chocolate, or mangos. . . better yet, try them all. The shaved ice plate offers mixed fruit, mochi, sweetened condensed milk, topped off with a heap of pinkberry swirl. Pinkberry stores are an amiable place to join friends for dessert; pebble floors and modern furniture come together for one of the latest ‘concept’ dessert and ice cream cafes.
Sprinkles Bakery for Your Cupcake Craving
Getting buff for summer season probably meant cutting back on dessert, but heading out to Sprinkles to conquer your cupcake cravings hopefully won’t do too much damage. Be warned thatyou’ll be asking for diet sabotage if you don’t plan ahead; the fresh bakery smell and gorgeous confections will draw you in from a one mile radius at the very least, but Sprinkles is one neighborhood bakery that is well worth a trip across town. An easy way to burn off the calories, perhaps?
An Oprah favorite, Sprinkles bakery serves up freshly baked goodies all day long with a rotating menu. Take your pick from a fine selection of imported chocolate cakes and snacks, all topped with a rich frosting. Each treat is made with premium ingredients and delightful infusions including imported chocolate and liqueurs.
If you live in LA, the signature Sprinkles box of a dozen cupcakes is sure to cheer up anyone’s day with a special delivery service. Carob cupcakes are a great alternative for vegans, and a coffee bar inside awaits with a rich menu of creative concoctions.
Best picks include the Pumpkin cupcake with a rich cream cheese frosting; Black and White, a Belgian dark chocolate cake with vanilla frosting; PB Chip, chocolate chip and peanut butter cake with peanut butter frosting; or just a plain vanilla made with Madagascar bourbon vanilla—ideal for your simply sweet days! Special holiday-themed cupcakes also make the rotating menu each season, so be sure to pick up a specialty item during peak season. And of course, there’s no better way to dress a birthday bash than a tier ‘cake’ made entirely of Sprinkles cupcakes. A tier tower is designed to hold 2-3 dozen cupcakes for a spectacular centerpiece (and post-dinner treat).
Each oversized cupcake costs $3.25 per piece; it’s a small price to pay for a heavenly treat that is sure to make you a lifelong fan after just one taste.
- Login or register to post comments
- Email this restaurant_bar
- 0 Comments
Yolato
My greatness weakness is ice cream. I can eat a pint of Häagen-dazs in less in two days easily. Obviously it’s really bad for those such as myself who wish to have the best of both worlds, which is having a great body while being able to indulge in desserts. Fortunately I just recently heard about this wonderful place called Yolato, where you can get delicious yogurt gelato. The best part is that it’s a lot healthier than ice cream (Yes! a dessert I can actually not feel guilty eating!). According to its website (www.yolato.com), Yolato contains less fat, cholesterol, and fewer calories than other leading brands of ice cream, plus it’s made fresh daily. Now usually I get turned off by this “low-fat” label because I expect it to taste a lot worse than the average (like drinking diet coke), but the mango and pineapple gelato I ordered was full of flavor and very refreshing to eat especially during these hot summer days.
What impresses me most about this place is its huge variety of flavors and types of desserts. Yolato offers more than 100 different flavors of gelato and more than 30 fruit sorbet flavors, for those of you who like non-dairy treats. You can also order Yolato frozen yogurt, crepes, smoothies, cakes, coffee and shakes. Currently, Yolato is available in three locations in Manhattan – one in the West Village, Upper West Side, and Chelsea. However, there’s new locations opening this summer and fall at Park Ave and 42nd St, and another at the Empire State Building! I’m sure this place will be all over Manhattan soon. Just take a look at these pictures and I’m sure you won’t be able to resist.
- Login or register to post comments
- Email this restaurant_bar
- 0 Comments










