1. Coffee Milk: A nice nod to the Rhode Island tradition that somehow surpasses the original in intensity without losing balance of flavor. Captures the smell of coffee in taste form. A rare feat that Chef Tosi somehow pulls off. This is everything a Dunkin’ Donuts iced coffee–with its beady, come hither photos–promises and fails to deliver.
2. Tuesday Focaccia: Selections vary from week to week. Best of all was a candied kale number soaked in bacon fat and drizzled with honey. Sriracha cuts through the sweet and brings out the savory. Sounded like overkill, turned out to be a neo-Baroque delight. But six dollars for a slice of focaccia? Even the Vinegar Factory and Jim Lahey’s bakery offer better prices for their versions.
3. Day old cookies: Blueberry cream and chocolate chocolate chip hold up well on day two and ring in at half price. Under a buck makes them worth it. Tosi hasn’t entered the straight chocolate chip cookie wars yet, and for good reason. These are fun little numbers, but they’re nowhere near Levain Bakery’s or Jacques Torres’ league.
4. Le Cirque prices: The ingredients all come with stories, but provenance doesn’t explain the customer hating prices, especially when combined with tattooed hipper than thou service. In Chang’s world, enlightened hospitality meets its evil counterpart, unenlightened hostility.
5. Soft serve: Flavors are best enjoyed in sample sizes. Cucumber and horchata are two bite pleasures, so no need to order more. Cereal milk is the one glorious exception to the “more interesting than delicious” rule. Taken in milkshake form, it’s one for the ages. NB: Avoid stuffing ice cream at all costs. Utterly repulsive.
Gray and Grizzled Food Fan 
January 22, 2010 at 8:33 pm |
A second on the stuffing soft serve comment. Wouldn’t eat it on Thanksgiving if my jaws were wired shut.
January 24, 2010 at 4:39 pm |
Stuffing ice cream? Really? I thought you surely weren’t talking about the kind of stuffing you cram into a turkey, but the comment above makes me think you were.
It truly does sound awful, but I’m afraid I couldn’t resist trying it. Is it sweet, or could it be better enjoyed as part of a savory meal, a la the everything bagel ice cream at wd-50?
January 24, 2010 at 9:56 pm |
Yes, it’s the kind you cram into a turkey. wd~50 does strange and interesting. This was just plain strange.
March 3, 2013 at 9:55 am |
Hi! I’ve been reading your wesibte for a long time now and finally got the bravery to go ahead and give you a shout out from Kingwood Tx! Just wanted to say keep up the fantastic job!
October 21, 2013 at 4:24 pm |
Information is power and now I’m a !@#$ing dictator.