So in my quest for delicious desserts in New York, and, well, anywhere really, there has been one place in particular that I’ve been dying to try. The problem was that the timing/location/company/ect was never quite right for a visit. But everything finally came together last night, for my first (and most certainly not last) visit to Café Lalo.
The cafe is located on West 83rd and Amsterdam, and just might be vaguely familiar to some of you out there. This patisserie happens to be the exact place used for the scene in the film You’ve Got Mail, where Kathleen (played by Meg Ryan) is anxiously waiting with book and flower to meet her pen pal for the first time. It’s a great movie, and a wonderful scene.
(Sorry for the poor picture qualities. My cell phone camera is good, but not as good as my actual camera.)
I always wondered if that place was real, and if so, where it was located. Sure enough I found it on-line, and immediately knew that I had to go. Not just because it was “famous”, but because they have the longest list of desserts I have ever seen at one place. No joke. It puts places like The Cheesecake Factory to shame. They have 47 types of Cake, 18 types of Tarts, 26 types of Cheesecake, and 26 types of Pie, not to mention their Café Cakes, Cupcakes, Canolis, Brownies, Cookies, Rugalach (they have 11 different kinds), Biscotti, Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream, Sorbet, and Gelato. AND you can get any of these with Fresh Berries, Whipped Cream, Nuts, Hot Fudge, Tropical Fruits, Berry Sauce or a Liqueur Splash. If you don’t believe me check out their menu at http://www.cafelalo.com/. Last night I had the Chocolate Silk Cake, a la mode of course, and it was divine.
Not only was I in love with their endless list of desserts (they serve brunch every day as well!), but also with the atmosphere. A wall's worth of vintage Italian posters (similar to the ones I own), huge bay windows propped open to let in the cool summer's night, intimate marble-top tables, and tall trees outside lit with tiny yellow bulbs. It was romantic. I can only imagine how many first dates have concluded at that spot. While my first time there was not with a date, I was in the company of dear, old friends as we chatted over our decadent treats and fresh coffee.
If you ever come to New York, and have half as much of a sweet-tooth as me, then you have to visit this little jem.
4 comments:
Your post reminds me of a favorite moment in the Jumper books by Steven Gould.
(Plot synop: a young runaway discovers he can teleport - as a means to escape his abusive father and other problems. But he can't teleport from himself.)
"I walked along Main Street and thought about how different this stupid little town was from New York City. ....
"It was pointless to compare restaurants, but the variety and range of them hit home when I came to the Dairy Queen. It was brick with high glass windows and bright fluorescent lighting. It had all the atmosphere and charm of a doctor's examining room. I thought of seven spots in Greenwich Village that would serve me anything from gourmet ice cream to "tofutti" to frozen yogurt to Bavarian cream pie.
"I could be at any of them in the blink of an eye."
What is tofutti?
It is true, the variety of eating establishments here is staggering, and continuously changing. Don't get too attached to a restaurant here, because it could be closed in a month.
I've never had Tofutti, but apparently its a milk-free ice cream. Here's more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tofutti.
Yeah a new post! I'm so glad!
TWO new posts, Erin! Love ya! :)
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