Dessert. It’s the last word, the sweet send-off, the goodbye kiss—and it just so happens to be one of our Inspectors’ favorite courses. They’ve sampled, savored and devoured plenty of delicious treats but some of their favorites this year are far from your average piece of cake. From creative takes on the classics to not-too-sweet treats, here are three of our Inspectors’ favorite desserts in New York this year.
Café Mars
Olive Marble Cake
A square of cake that looks like a typical marbled brownie, but as this kitchen excels at, the expectation is always flipped in some way. The lighter cake was a sweet olive oil pound cake batter while the darker was a black olive cake, which was more salty than sweet. It was finished with amaretto-soaked cherries and whipped cream. It was creative, and it came together well.
Bad Roman
Tiramisu Ice Cream Cake
Bad Roman may be on a lot of Instagram posts as of late, but there’s no questioning the desserts, especially this tiramisu ice cream cake with its distinct layers of sponge cake, vanilla ice cream, a thin layer of chocolate chips and espresso ice cream. It’s a proper wedge with clear flavors at every level—and shockingly easy to finish in its entirety.
The Modern
Mascarpone Sabayon with Espresso and Amaretto
A sophisticated interpretation of tiramisu, comprised of a creamy light base of mascarpone and delicate chocolate sponge, capped off with a crisp chocolate tuile and quenelles of a light espresso ice cream and malted milk chocolate crémeux. This dessert offers a lovely balance of coffee, chocolate, and sweet dairy flavors with a light touch, while the note of liqueur and spice lend a bit of intrigue.
Hero image: Nick Glimenakis/Café Mars
Thumbnail: Patrick Dolande/Cafe Mars
