The ceci cela croissant - DessertBuzz (and Serious Eats) say this is the best in NYC

This past Saturday I had the pleasure of taking two up-and-coming chefs (one on the savory side and one in pastry) on a tour of some of New York’s best desserts.   One of our stops included the slightly under-the-radar Cesi Cela for their croissant and almond croissant.  The former is considered by many, including this blog (and SeriousEats), to be the best in New York City. At this level the things that separate the excellent from the very best are subtle.  The group agreed the flakiness of the crust was perfect along with a nice buttery finish that didn’t leave you too full. (more…)

Best of New York City, Ceci Cela | No Comments »

Pain D'Avignon pain au chocolat

On Saturday while traveling to the Hester Street Market to try multiple desserts for my adoring fan(s) of DessertBuzz, I decided I needed some additional calories to make it the three-plus blocks from Delancy Street to Hester.   So I stopped in the Essex Street Market and hit the Pain D’Avignon retail store. (more…)

Bouley Bakery, Ceci Cela, Francois Payard Bakery (FPB), Pain D'Avignon | 2 Comments »

Chocolate mousse cake from Ceci Cela

What always amazes me about New York is how many great bakery or dessert places there are that I have either 1) never been to or 2) never heard of.   When a member of the dessertbuzz team learned that I had  never heard of Ceci Cela Patisserie he forcibly took me there the same day.  ”How could you have never had their croissants or their French pastry?” he said.   [Dammit Jim, a man can only review so many desserts!]

French macaroon from Ceci Cela Patisserie

When we arrived, before I could even look at the full menu, my associate was shoving a hot croissant in my face, and then a macaroon.  ”Try this thing, it might be better than Balthazar!”  The Croissant was pretty damn good.  It was hot out of the oven and I couldn’t think of a better one that I had  eaten in New York City.  Ceci Cela is one of the few places that has fresh batches throughout the day rather than one delivery at 6:00 a.m.  I took a note to try and get a hold of a hot Payard or Balthazar croissant.

Fruit tart

The lemon macaroon was also very good.  It had a nice lemon flavor and the crust was soft and fresh.  They were keeping a pile of macaroons handy in a nearby fridge so they must move a lot of them- usually a good sign.

After the initial tastings, we ordered a traditional chocolate mousse cake ($5.50) and sat in the back and ate it.  My first thought was how much better it was than the “world’s best chocolate cake” which is located right next door.

A very good croissant

The cake had a sponge-like mousse and it seemed to have very little sweetness or sugar.  What I liked about this dessert, besides the dark chocolate flavor, was that it wasn’t just a solid column of mousse.   It had a cake layer that blended seamlessly with the mousse layer.  The top was dusted with dark cocoa as well.  All-in-all a very solid cake.

Recommended: Croissants (one of the best in the city), almond croissants, chocolate mousse cake and any Ceci  macaroons that were made recently.

Ceci Cela Patisserie is located at 55 Spring St.

Ceci Cela’s web site is here.

Best Croissants in New York City, Ceci Cela | 4 Comments »