I’ll admit it. I have a serious sweet tooth. I think most of us like to indulge in something sweet now and again. So as a favor to my readers who crave confections, I went out and did a little research on some local sweet spots. Oh, it was such a hardship, but here they are...
Dylan’s Candy Bar
In 2001, Dylan Lauren, daughter of designer Ralph Lauren, opened Dylan’s Candy Bar; her flagship candy store on Manhattan’s Upper East Side - three floors of the most sugar-rific creations this side of Willy Wonka’s factory. Anyone who’s been there knows it’s an eye-popping shrine to the candy maker’s art, and one of the happiest places in town!
More recently, a second location has opened at 33 Union Square West, and while the storefront is small, and the shop consists only of one floor, the space is surprisingly large and the experience just as tasty! Not only do they have the same dazzling array of loose candies in clear plexiglas bins, ready to be scooped into plastic bags, but they carry candy-themed clothing, toys, and custom fillable containers of all shapes and sizes! You’ll find an M&M’s station, a fudge counter (with tastings!) and my favorite area, the Nostalgia section - candies from my generation; Pop Rocks, Necco Wafers, Charleston Chews, Laffy Taffy and more. They even sell the politically incorrect, but still alluring candy cigarettes and bubble gum cigars! Exploring the Union Square area and need a little break? Grab a scoop, sundae, or milkshake made with Dylan’s homemade ice cream, take a seat at the small outdoor cafe, and watch the world go by. There are also baked goods and coffee drinks if you need a little recharging.
Now, while I believe it’s simply part of their everyday decor, one display that seemed perfect for NYC Gay Pride month was a selection of candies, separated into the colors of the rainbow, under a sign which read “Color Your World.”
Let Dylan’s Candy Bar color your world...with deliciousness!
For more info, go to www.dylanscandybar.com
Tipsy Scoop Barlour
Do you like ice cream? Do you like a nice cocktail? Then Tipsy Scoop Barlour is the place for you! Opened in May of this year, and located at 217 East 26th Street, this barlour (bar & ice cream parlour) serves irresistible liquor infused ice cream inspired by the flavors of classic cocktails!
Tipsy Scoop was founded by Melissa Tavss, whose great-great-great grandfather sold homemade ice cream from a pushcart in Glasgow, Scotland. Tavss worked in liquor marketing for years, and eventually combined her family tradition, with her knowledge of booze. Voila! Tipsy Scoop was born! She originally sold pints of her innovative product to upscale NYC grocery stores, but when videos of Tipsy Scoop’s ice cream hit Facebook, demand exploded, so Tavss created the barlour.
I had heard of Tipsy Scoop from a friend who is a private chef and mixologist, so my friend Jimmy D and I paid a visit to the shop. It was small and simple, but still warm and welcoming, with exposed brick walls, ice cream themed artwork, and bar rail type counters where you can sit and eat your tipsy scoops. It can get uncomfortable, however - as you sit, you can get jostled by customers waiting in line. The menu is simple - 15 flavors of ice creams and sorbets, available in single or double scoop cups, handmade ice cream sandwiches, and even Flights - a selection of 4 small scoops for those who can’t choose just one! Jimmy and I ordered three double scoop cups - 6 flavors altogether. I chose the Raspberry Limoncello Sorbet paired with the Mango Margarita Sorbet - the first had a strong raspberry flavor, with a lemony undertaste that wasn’t too strong. The Margarita, however had the flavor of a ripe mango, but with a strong tequila kick! Jimmy selected the Dark Chocolate Whiskey Salted Caramel, which had a deep chocolate flavor, with subtle caramel undertones, but to my palate, not much whiskey flavor. His second scoop was Maple Bacon Bourbon - the perfect blend of sweet and savory, with a nice bourbon flavor that complimented the sweet maple and the slight saltiness of the bacon. Bits of real bacon in the ice cream were a nice surprise, too. Our final pairing was the Red Velvet Martini, one of my favorites, which tasted most like a creamy cocktail to me, with a mild chocolate-cherry taste and a hint of cake flavored vodka, and the Tequila Mexican Hot Chocolate, with the luscious taste of real hot chocolate, boosted by a powerful jolt of tequila; to me this was the booziest of the lot!
I left Tipsy Scoop Barlour with a pleasant little buzz, so if you’re planning on indulging, remember to follow the rule printed on the Tipsy Scoop cups...Enjoy Responsibly! But by all means, enjoy!
For more info, go to www.tipsyscoop.com
La Maison du Macaron
At 132 West 23rd Street, you’ll find a lovely tea salon and patisserie called La Maison du Macaron, and while they serve gorgeous pastries, chocolates, cookies, coffees and teas, my advice to you is to sample their specialty: Parisian Macarons!
Macarons are sweet, meringue based confections, with two almond meringue discs sandwiching a layer of buttercream, ganache or jam filling. They’re delicately crispy outside, mildly moist inside, and come in a variety of flavors. La Maison du Macaron was New York City’s first boutique dedicated to these colorful treats, and Chef Pascal Goupil has created more than 150 flavors, of which 20 are usually available daily at the shop.
I had walked past the shop before, but never sampled their macarons. I figured this article was the perfect opportunity. I purchased a box of 14 to sample with my husband Vincent.
A few of our favorites were the Rose - mildly floral and not too sweet; Banana Nutella - a hint of banana flavor with the Nutella right upfront. Yum! The Chocolate was perfect and exactly what you’d expect from a traditional macaron. The Raspberry was tart and fresh, the Graham Cracker Key Lime Pie tasted exactly like a seaside dessert, Lavender Vanilla had a lovely flowery note balanced out nicely by the vanilla, the Cassis had a deep berry flavor, the Lychee Liquor was exotic and vaguely tropical, the Fleur de Sel Caramel - one of their best sellers, had a subtly creamy caramel flavor accented by a hint of saltiness, and the Coffee macaron was like eating a great cup of coffee, so genuine was the flavor!
Together, we discovered the secret to enjoying these delectable little cookies: eat them slowly. The taste doesn’t hit you all at once; you need to let them rest on your palate, and then the full flavor blooms in your mouth, like a delicious surprise.
If you want a taste of Paris, but can’t make it to France, get to La Maison du Macaron!
For more info, go to www.nymacaron.com
See? NYC can be a very sweet place!
