Last night, I left Pure Food and Wine mildly satiated and was in search of a filling desert joint.  I was craving cake to be more exact.  Plugging in the word “dessert” into the Yelp search bar, Momofuku Bakery and Milk Bar popped up and it was just two blocks away.  Seeing that Angela and I had never been there, there was no better time to go and get a sugar fix.

Upon entering, the senses are filled with scents of butter and sugar, it’s exactly how a bakery should smell.  There are no stools to sit at, just long wooden tables.  The place looks to be designed for quick eating, get in and get out.  The place offers soft serve, milks, shakes, cookies, cakes, pies, breads, pork buns, and even spreads such as kimchi butter, miso butter, and burnt honey.  Looking at the paper menu, the Crack Pie and Pistachio Cake looked to be the winners, but then after a quick glance at the chalkboard menu hanging above the counter and cake display case, we saw the words Dulce de Leche.  Well, so much for the Pistachio cake.

The Delicious Crack Pie – I didn’t want it to end.

The slice of Crack Pie was small, but don’t let the size fool you.  It’s a concentrated slab of sugary and buttery goodness.  Appropriately named, the sweetness alone will drive you into a sugar rush, and the smooth, gooey and buttery filling just tops everything off.  You’ll probably want more after the one slice.  I’m disappointed that I just discovered this place.  I’m moving to Chicago soon and I’m going to miss New York City even more now.

Dulce de Leche

The Dulce de Leche cake isn’t as memorable as the Crack Pie but it’s still good.  It’s nowhere as sweet as the Crack Pie, but it’s just right.  I’ve had better Dulce de Leche cakes at other places, but Momofuku’s version still holds up rather venerably.  What threw me off were the milk crumbs in the filling.  They are these milky and hard clusters that worked against the soft and moist texture of the cake.  Imagine driving down a newly paved road and then running over a pothole.  It’s not a good transition.  I like it when the cake slowly dissolves and melts in the mouth, and having to bite down on something that’s rock hard just takes away from the cake eating experience.

Literally 5 minutes later…

While the Crack Pie and Dulce de Leche might have given me the quickest sugar rush in a long time, it’s good to be cake whore from time to time.  Recommended, especially for those with a sweet tooth.

Momofuku Bakery and Milk Bar
207 2nd Ave
(between 12th St & 13th St)
New York, NY 10003

Food: 4 out of 5

Service: 3 out of 5

Ambiance: 3 out of 5