Dominique Ansel Kitchen

Sweet Sweet sweets for breakfast today! This guy is the famous French chef that 1st did the cronut that people stood in line for hours here for. We got the prosciutto & Boursin croissant (savory) and the blueberry laminated Brioche (sweet). Even the savory one was a really sweet treat. I love the stacking seating idea. This is a must do again and again

A lot has changed in the life of Dominique Ansel since I first encountered his Desserts at Daniel, the restaurant then 3* from Michelin with its Pastry Chef soon to leave for Soho, my next experience coming shortly before the Cronut with his creative collection already including the DKA and a Paris Breast that tasted like a Reeses’ Peanut Butter Cup.

Visiting the small Bakery three times in its first year and a half, one of them involving a nearly two-hour wait for the hybrid Pastry that has now been replicated countless times, it was nearly four years and the 2017 Best Pastry Chef Beard Award later that a stop was made at Dominique Ansel Kitchen on 7th Avenue South, the upstairs “Unlimited Possibilities” space currently closed for a menu change while the downstairs was sparsely populated thanks to Memorial Day.

Focused on the concept of “Time as an Ingredient,” the focus on creating as many items as possible made-to-order in the same way that Jacques Genin carefully stacks his Mille-Feuilles in Paris a la minute, Ansel goes on to describe his Kitchen as “the next hybrid bakery,” and for those choosing to dine in the experience is a lot like many high end kitchens, the mise en place all set with most items assembled as guests wait at tables beneath an awning outdoors, or on tiered steps inside that are more than a little impractical.

Smartly opting not to continue the Cronut craze at Dominique Ansel Kitchen, lines at the Spring Street Bakery still stretching down the block prior to opening, it was after a bit of browsing and discussion with the clerk that decisions were made to dine in three rounds, everything coming out precisely as requested with a total cost for six items just over $43.

Not a cheap place, but also not as overpriced as High Street on Hudson or Union Fare despite the Chef’s accolades and a largely superior assortment of products, Breakfast began with Ansel’s newly famous “Egg-Clipse” featuring Brioche blackened with Squid Ink beneath mashed Potatoes, Mushroom Cream and two Confit Egg Yolks that burst with just a bit of pressure, the flavor pure umami and probably best shared by those with small appetites while the torched-to-order Blueberry Laminated Brioche took Croissant Dough and split it in half, filling it with Blueberry Balsamic Compote and Mascarpone that eats very light with a flavor not dissimilar to Cheesecake.

Scaling back the ‘hybrid’ items a bit to focus on presentation, though smart to capitalize on higher outdoor temperatures by hemisecting his famous Kouign Amann and filling it with housemade Salted Caramel Ice Cream for a more-or-less fool proof Ice Cream Sandwich, take away items for this visit included the straight-forward flourless Chocolate Cookie studded with Pecans and a fluffy Croissant filledd with Marcona Almonds and floral Frangipane, the “Sage-smoked Brownie” probably something that would have been better off eaten on-site warm, though the layers of melted Chocolate were still soft and rich at room temperature with a subtle herbal linger.

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Sunday afternoon brought an unexpected friend passing through New York City. As she had also studied pastry arts, it seemed fitting to take her to Dominique Ansel Kitchen. The place is far smaller than we had expected not counting the outdoor patio with tables and chairs. We splurged on several desserts at once but this is what we used to do on our many outings sampling the sweet side of life here.

First we ate the chicken salad pistachio pesto sandwich which we both enjoyed particularly with the addition of the tarragon spread with butter on the brioche. Then we ordered the famous brown sugar DKA or the chef's version of kouign aman which is a Brittany native. The strawberry confit lemon grass panna cotta tasted bland which was a pity as the layers looked inviting. A Tuscan raspberry tart with fromage blanc, micro basil and black pepper was superb. We ate every last crumb. Then we had to have three macaron to round out this feast.

Highly recommended!

Ok seriously? Burrata ice cream? Yeah that's right! Cold, creamy, and every bite delicious. It was fantastic with the crunchy bits and balsamic drizzle on top. Make sure to visit when in NYC!

Dominique Ansel has opened up a totally different kind of dessert shop not too far from his hit bakery. At his new endeavor – Dominique Ansel Kitchen there are no “Cronuts” or “Milk and Cookie Shots”. The goal here is to serve pastries à la minute which means that about 70% of the menu is completed right as you order it. Time is treated as an essential ingredient here in serving the freshest, tastiest desserts and small plates possible.

I liked this place. The desserts are made with a lot of love and it was nice looking into the open kitchen. I like that they had out door seating. The service was very friendly. In comparison to the bakery he owns it seems a bit flat. There was no real buzz when you enter the venue. It is defiantly worth a visit