Spot Dessert Bar

Post-Recette, we hopped in Blue Thunder and headed up to Spot on St. Mark’s Place for dessert.  StB had been there before and liked it a fair amount, and I love the location – exactly where I hang out all the time! 

I started off with a hot Thai tea.  Yummy. 

Someone had the kabocha roll with rice krispie things.  I know they liked all of it but the pumpkin puree, saying that didn’t quite go well with the dish.  Not overwhelmingly sweet, just right. 

StB and I opted to split two cupcakes – Maldon Sea Salt caramel cupcake first…

And Vietnamese coffee cupcake. 

Inside shot. 

Neither cupcake was too sweet, which is a complaint I have about a lot of desserts, but these were just right.  However, the flavor profiles were not as pronounced as I’d have liked; I would really prefer to really taste the salt and caramel in that cupcake, and the coffee, even as coffee-forward that one could be, just didn’t do it for me.  Despite my lukewarm opinion on the cupcakes – StB agreed – I bought one for the BF, and though he ate it, he later told me he really did not like it, comparative to many other cupcakes I’ve brought him. 

SpB ordered the yuzu eskimo – ‘oreo, strawberry, raspberry foam’ – and totally loved it.  I mean, she was raving about it. 

Despite the FAIL on the cupcakes, I still liked the place – atmosphere, great service, location, and all – enough that a week later, after a double-date, I suggested the place for a nightcap and took BF, TT and CT over to the place.  The wait was quick and again, the service was super friendly and accomodating. 

See the menu above?  This becomes important in a second. 

CT ordered the yuzu eskimo as well, especially after I mentioned that SpB had really liked it.  Our waitress (same as the one last time) said that this was one of the most popular desserts they have, actually.  CT also really liked it, and gave it high marks. 

When the waitress came over, she mentioned that the poached persimmon had been switched to poached lychee.  This was a bonus for me, since I prefer lychee to persimmon, so I decided to order it.  When she brought it, the above is what I saw.  See those white shreds sprinkled on top?  Quite honestly, they look like white chocolate shavings, but something niggled at the back of my mind, and I asked, “Um, is that coconut?”  We’d switched waitresses by this point – to someone who I think was new, so she went in the back to check for me.  The menu above does not mention coconut at all.  I know it’s not a common allergy, but it is what it is, I am allergic to coconut.  (I will not die, but eating real/fresh coconut can close my throat up; it hasn’t happened before but generally, I avoid real coconut meat though I’ve had bits of shreds, and coconut milk in small quantity before, which makes me uncomfortable but will not kill me.  Well, so far it hasn’t, anyway.) 

The girl came back and told me that yes, it’s coconut, do I want something else?  I wanted just to have it without the coconut shreds but after a lot of back and forth, the waitress seemed frustrated and finally told me that the lychee was poached in coconut [milk].  This confused me only insomuch that it isn’t mentioned on the menu, and honestly, coconut is a very distinct flavor.  You’d think it would be mentioned on there in case someone just flat out doesn’t like coconut.  In any case, I declined a new dessert because I was really frustrated and at this point, I just didn’t care anymore.  I didn’t really want a dessert, I just wanted to sit and enjoy conversation with BF, CT & TT. 

(A side note: I know full well that occasionally, Thai tea has coconut milk in it.  This may be one of the places that includes it – my tongue did feel a little off both times that I’ve been here – but as I said, I will not die, I will just be very uncomfortable.  The worst that’s happened thusfar in my near-30-years with this allergy has been my tongue swelling up such that I couldn’t speak properly, or another time when I blew up in hives all over my face.  One day, to eat Thai curry, I will push it and probably die, but it’s fitting for a food fanatic to die from a food allergy, no?) 

TT ordered a green tea cookie.  When it arrived, the first thing I noticed was its visible textural similarity to a dog cookie – dense, piped out, and unappealing.  He gave me a little bit and I remarked on its actual similarity to a dog cookie.  Not good.  No one liked the cookie very much, to our disappointment. 

Point to note, though: on this pretty busy Saturday night, a glance into the corner revealed that Pichet Ong (part owner), Michael Huynh (owner of nearby Baoguette and other places) and Ace Watanasuparp (part owner) were hanging out, chatting (along with a fourth person I didn’t recognize; possibly Pichet’s date?).  Those in the group who are interested in chef/owners thought that was cool (sorry, I’m not one of those who even recognizes these people generally – I could make a list of people who have had to explain to me who they are… bad Yvo).  The Power Corner, I guess that was. 

Yvo says: Despite a few less-than-awesome desserts, I definitely will be returning here to try more desserts.  Why?  Because I like the Thai tea, the atmosphere, the service, and I love the location.  Nothing was offensively disgusting or bad, though I will have to try that yuzu eskimo that everyone raves about – I mean raves about, it has to be good, right? – it’s just what I think is a very cool place to hang out, have a (non-alcoholic) nightcap and/or dessert.  I do wish they would improve the baked goods – and include on the menu when things contain coconut! – but overall, I’m into it.  I like it.  I’ll be back.  (Note: BF ordered an iced ovaltine and was really horrified that it was $3.45.)
recommended lil spot for post-dinner yumz