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In my opinion, the single best dessert to have after a hearty restaurant meal is to walk five to eight blocks to the nearest ice cream shop for a double-scoop in a cone. But if the atmosphere at the table is carefree and worth prolonging, or if there are no decent ice cream parlors in range, it’s time for the second-best post-dinner dessert: sundae. Despite its visual complexity—a jumble of ingredients with different textures, colors, temperatures, and viscosities—the sundae remains the most emotionally simple and sincere of desserts. It makes no pretense at nutrition or sophistication: it is a simple expression of joy. The dish is a staple in eateries of all genres, cuisines, and price points, largely due to its practical aspects—it can be made without the help of a trained pastry chef; its ingredients are easy to come by and have a long shelf life, so finding a particularly excellent, made-to-order specimen is truly something to celebrate. Most sundaes are satisfying, but only a few really stand out. These three are, in my opinion, among the most outstanding in New York City, and they make a great end to any meal or, when summer really kicks in, can be served as mini meals in their own right, eaten alone at the bar.
Chow Nai Sunday with Pork Floss at Bonnie's
Like much of the menu at Bonnie’s, Chef Calvin Eng’s Cantonese-inspired take on the sundae, the ice cream sundae is a reference, a rigorous, wild, wonderful fusion of flavors. The base is an almost imperceptible scoop of vanilla ice cream, topped with an avalanche of toppings: caramelized buttered peanuts, dark, crunchy, malty Ovaltine hot fudge, and golden cubes of fried milk, a Cantonese delicacy made from sweet milk immersed in a soft custard, then sliced, dipped in batter, and deep-fried to leave a crispy outside and a sweet, gooey inside. The cherry on top—it’s actually a cherry, sweet and neon red, but I mean that metaphorically—is the optional addition of pork floss, crumbled bits of salty-sweet pork that’s been ground and dried until it takes on the light texture of cotton candy. It’s a powerful, compelling addition, giving the ice cream a savory underlayer that elevates every element around it.
Passion Fruit Sundae at Gramercy Tavern
Pastry chef Karen DeMasko is a legend among dessert lovers and a genius of frozen delicacies. She almost always offers some kind of sundae on the Gramercy Tavern menu, adapting it to the seasons. Right now, before the summer rush, she’s using passion fruit, with layers of fresh pulp studded with crunchy poppy seeds, vanilla ice cream, passion fruit sorbet, coconut tapioca pearls, and lime-scented meringue shards. Each bite offers a wealth of flavors, shapes, and temperatures. This is definitely a sundae.
Sourse: newyorker.com
