The Italian equivalent for ice cream is a known staple at this shop and they surely take pride in it. With so many different flavors and boat loads of different toppings and options, this place is definitely worth checking out.

A few weeks back while I was visiting some friends in Queens, we headed over for some gelato in the area. The restaurant has small meals such as panini sandwiches but we came for dessert. The service at this restaurant isn’t the greatest and on a busy weekend, be prepared to wait for a table. After being seated and checking out the menu, I opted for hazelnut gelato sundae. They have great custom creations as far as desserts go, so you shouldn’t have a problem.  The best flavors are  chocolate, passion, lemon, mocha & strawberry.  The good thing is you can you try as many gelato flavors before ordering to get a feel of what your going to be getting it.

Overall, this is a great little place to stop and have some desserts if your in the area and craving something sweet & creamy.

Pictures

Recommendations

• Any Gelato your in the mood for
• Food isn’t the best, but you got options.

Rating

• Food: 4.0 - Great gelato and a vast variety of flavors
• Value: 3.5 – Not the cheapest gelato; but worth it!
• Service: 2.0 – Needs improvement
• Lota-Pani: 3.5 - Clean floors, but the bathrooms could be cleaner
• Decor: 2.5 -  Decent decor; could use some improvement

Overall

Halal Rating

• Non Applicable

Location

70-09 Austin Street Forest Hills, NY 11375

Contact

Phone:  (718) 268-4400‎

Website: www.piubellogelato.com

Last week, I happened to be in the neighborhood and went in with some friends to have a nice little dessert. We ended up getting a bunch of things including chocolate cake. The place is small, cozy yet sparsely decorated.  After being seated we were greeted with chocolate in a small spoon to try, which tasted quite good.  The servers leave more to be desired overall, but they are nice and courteous people who just happen to serve too many tables at once.  We ended up ordering  a chocolate fondue, some hot chocolate, brownie ala mode (Chocolate brownie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream) and of course a piece of chocolate cake.

The food came out after a few minutes and was very chocolaty which may and may not be a good thing depending on your tastes on the intensity of chocolate. The chocolate cake was delicious, but I have had better. The hot chocolate was just okay; nothing great. The ice cream that came with the brownie was amazing. It came with fudge but it wasn’t overly sweet. I would say that this is something that everyone should order. If not that, then definitely check out the fondue. It was probably just as good as the brownie ala mode (make sure to only order one with milk & dark chocolate), because it was nicely melted and the flavors really came out with every bite.

In closing, if you’re in the area then this is definitely a nice place to check out. Honestly speaking though, I wouldn’t make a plan to go here specifically since I’m not much of a choco-lover, but if you’re around and have a need for a chocolate fix, you can’t go wrong.

Pictures

Recommendations

• Chocolate fondue
• Any Ice Cream type dish

Rating

• Food: 3.0 – good chocolate desserts & drinks but nothing more
• Value: 3.5 - reasonable prices/ looking at around $4-8 per item
• Service: 3.0 – service is nice, but place needs more servers & it can be pretty busy at times
• Lota-Pani: 4.0 - pretty clean, okay bathroom
• Decor: 3.5 – simple design, nothing amazing

Overall

Halal Rating

• Non/Applicable
• Ask before ordering if in doubt

Location

86 5th Ave (between St. Marks & Prospect Pl.)
Brooklyn, NY 11217

Contact

Phone: (718) 783-2900

Website:  www.thechocolateroombrooklyn.com

Everyone knows New York Cheesecake is a big deal and the place that gets noted as probably one of the best cheesecakes in the city is Junior’s. Junior’s started up in 1950 as a restaurant founded by Harry Rosen and Master Baker Eigel Peterson, and they created and produced what is now known as the “World’s Most Fabulous Cheesecake”. So enough of the history lesson, let’s get down to the cheesecake!

From the get go, Junior’s already had a lot to live up to with its history and awards.  I decided to be a bit more critical and see what the hype was all about. Passing by the original restaurant in Brooklyn one night, I knew I had to go in. After being seated and ordering an original slice of the cheesecake & a cup of hot black tea  (I prefer PG Tips), I couldn’t help notice how at 1 am this place was still buzzing and busy as ever. After a couple of minutes, the server came back with the drinks and cheesecake. The hot tea water was served in a nice little plastic 80′s style bowl (see pics below) which was a clever way to brew the tea, with the only sad part being that it was Lipton tea. The cheesecake was served in a little saucer and the cake looked delicious. After the first bite, you’ll know what the hype is all about. This was probably one of the best cakes I have ever had. The cake is well balance, not too sweet and not too creamy, but just right. The taste is amazing (especially with the tea) and I didn’t even realize how good it was until I looked down and saw I ate half the cake. Now, don’t get it twisted, is everyone going to love this place? Probably not, but there is definitely something about this cake and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for authentic New York style cheesecake.

Pictures

Recommendations

• Cheesecake (duh!)
• Key Lime Pie
• Strawberry-shortcake Cheesecake

Rating

• Food: 4.5 – Great cheesecake, extensive menu with vast options,
• Value: 3.5 – Not to expensive if you factor in the size and venue
• Service: 3.5 – Good staff, nice people
• Lota-Pani: 3.5 - Nice and clean venue. No complaints!
• Decor: 3.0 – Has the old school 1970′s look to it, could use an update.

Overall

Halal Rating

Non Applicable

Location

386 Flatbush Ave Brooklyn, NY 11201

Contact

Phone: (718) 852-5257

Website: www.juniorscheesecake.com

Red Mango is a franchise yogurt shop that competes with Pinkberry. It originated in South Korea and have been popping up all over the United States and chances are they are very close to where you live. One of the main questions, everyone asks is what is the difference between Red Mango and Pinkberry?  And even though both are yogurt, anyone who eats can tell you that Red Mango is creamier and heavier in flavor than Pinkberry and that’s due to the fact that Red Mango uses real yogurt, whereas Pinkberry uses a mix and water.

This review however, isn’t about Red Mango as it’s more about the pumpkin. So the management heads at Red mango knew that I would only review them if they had a pumpkin flavor, they decided to add to their menu for a limited time. I checked it out at the local shop and it’s very interesting. The yogurt is surprisingly delectable, and the flavor isn’t too harsh either. The yogurt goes well with granola, dark chocolate, almonds, and of course graham cracker toppings. Therefore, if you’re watching your weight and still want a frozen treat, this is the way to go!

Pictures

Recommendations

• Pumpkin Yogurt
• Graham Cracker & Almonds

Rating

• Food: 4.0 – One of the best pumpkin flavor things; real actual yogurt!
• Value: 3.5 – For the price, it’s priced right
• Service: 3.0 – No complaints; no compliments either!
• Lota-Pani: 4.5 - Very Clean
• Decor: 3.0 – It is what it is!

Overall

Halal Rating

• Non Applicable

Location

63 W. 14th St. New York, NY 10011

Contact

Phone:  212 414 3009

Website:  www.redmangousa.com

First of all, everyone should understand the difference between ice cream and gelato. Its easy to get them confused since gelato looks the same as ice cream and only someone with a real palate would be able to tell the difference; that being the creaminess. Unlike ice cream, most traditional gelato places don’t use egg and have less air, so it has a more dense & creamy flavor. So after the geography and culinary lesson, let’s get to the juice of what happened!

It was a Friday night and the weather was very nice so a nice line around 9pm was expected. After getting to the counter and seeing the different flavors, I ended up ordering Caffe and Stracciatella. I must say that the servers aren’t the nicest people in world. It just seemed none of them really wanted to be there. After ordering, I ended up eating outside in the little seating area they have that looks out to the street. The gelato, I must say is some of the best I have had, but the flavors could be a bit intense on a empty stomach. Other than the cost (9.75 for a large) its a great little dessert spot.  Overall, it’s a nice little place to take someone, but it might not be the best place to sit down and relax.

Pictures

Recommendations

• Try the Stracciatella gelato
• Seating can be a problem
• Popular during Friday night & weekends, be prepared for a line!

Rating

• Food: 4.0 - Amazing and real Italian gelato; Great ingredients
• Value: 2.0 – $7 bucks for gelato, really!
• Service: 1.0 – More could be desired from the servers!
• Lota-Pani: 3.5 -Place is clean
• Decor: 3.5 – Good outside seating section

Overall

Halal Rating

Non Applicable

• Tiramisu made using mascarpone
• Check the ingredients before ordering

Location

233 Bleecker St (Carmine St) New York, NY 10022

Contact

Phone: (212) 206-1738

Website: http://www.grom.it

Sugar Sweet Sunshine is known for cupcakes and I will do a full review on them at a later date (inshA.), but for now, I am going to only focus on the popular pudding they churn out everyday. First off, I must say, I’m not much of a pudding guy but they have some of the best pudding anywhere. There is the infamous Banana Pudding and the very loved Chocolate Bomb Pudding, which are available year-round, but only in the autumn months does the pumpkin pudding make its appearance. The pudding doesn’t look to appetizing, but trust me,  it’s very delicious. After the first bite, you’ll know what the fun is all about. The pudding is fixed up with crumbled pumpkin cake layers thrown around with eggnog pudding and topped with whipped cream. So, if you are in the area (around the Lower East-Side) and looking for something sweet and different, it’s definitely worth it!

Recommendations

• Pumpkin Pudding (at this time only)
• Banana Pudding

Rating

• Food: 4.0 – Delicious pudding, other stuff as well
• Value: 3.0 – $4 for a good portion size
• Service: 4.0 – Good staff, no complaints
• Lota-Pani: 3.0 - Place looked very clean
• Decor: 3.0 – Nice setup, a bit cozy

Overall

Halal Rating

• Non Applicable
• No alcohol used in eggnog

Location

126 Rivington Street, New York NY 10002

Contact

Phone:  212-995-1960

Website:  sugarsweetsunshine.com

Pictures

Recommendations

• Pumpkin on Sugar Cone!
• Pistachio is delicious as well

Rating

• Food: 4.0 – Different and delicious flavors
• Value: 2.5 – A bit expensive for just ice cream
• Service: 4.5 – Great staff!
• Lota-Pani: 3.0 - Fairly clean
• Decor: 2.0 – Not really much going on

Overall

Halal Rating

Non Applicable

Location

95 E 10th St (at 3rd Ave) New York, NY 10003

Contact

Phone: (212) 979-9398

Website: www.sundaescones.com

Martha’s Country Bakery opened its doors in 1972 in NYC in Hell’s Kitchen and then had relocated to Astoria, then opened another shop on Austin Street in Forrest Hills (that’s the one we visited if you weren’t following). The shop is  small and is literally packed day and night. We arrived there after 10pm and still had to wait for a table in the back to open up. The people behind Martha’s Bakery have set up their store and seating in a way to literally make you into a fat ass (let me explain how);  As soon as you walk by the store, you’ll see delicious looking icing oozing over the top of the cupcakes just glaring at you through the window and as soon as you get in, it gets worse! The place has an ultra-long glass counter where all of their mouth-watering confections are on display; tempting and tantalizing you in every little way. And its just not the cupcakes either, they also have on display all their cookies, cakes, pies, gelato, brownies, blondies, espresso and the list goes on & on.

After finally being seated and going through the menu (its only a dessert menu; no food) I had decided that everyone would get something different so we could get a taste of everything. The waitress was nice and gave her recommendations and observations. We ended up getting a couple of pieces of cake (black forest & strawberry shortcake), a couple of cupcakes (coconut & red velvet), a baklava and few coffee based drinks. The cakes aren’t good, they weren’t moist as to my liking and seemed to be without the basic flavors I was expecting. The cupcakes on the other hand were very delicious. The red velvet was good (nothing like our trip to Cakeman) however, the coconut cupcake was very gratifying. It tasted like real coconuts and the creme icing was not too overpowering either.  The baklava was different; not in a bad sense but not the usual Middle-Eastern/Greek type I am used to, it was more sweet and came with a honey based syrup. Lastly, the drinks were as expected and the cafe late is my recommendation to anyone looking for a warm drink.

Overall, this place is worth checking out and probably one of the best bakeries in Queens. As far as the dent in the wallet, the cakes were around $4 the cupcake around $2.50 and depending on the drink, it was  around $3, so its not expensive at all and adding the good service, it’s worth going to.

Pictures

Recommendations

• Any cupcake here is toothsome and a safe bet
• Skip out on the slices of cake
• Try the baklava if your looking for something ethnic
• They have a sugar-free cookie selection

Rating

• Food: 4.0 -Mouthwatering and savory cupcakes and pastries; However nothing overly-spectacular
• Value: 3.5 – Really does vary by what is ordered, but reasonable for most items. Cupcakes are priced right, while cake pieces should be cheaper.
• Service: 4.0 – Great servers and hostesses; drinks can end up taking some time coming out
• Lota-Pani: 4.5 - Relativity pristine; clean tables, chairs and location
• Decor: 3.0 – decoration could be improved; very cozy spot

Overall

Halal Rating

Non Applicable

• Fondant Cupcakes are not Halal

Location

70-30 Austin Street Forest Hills, NY 11375

Contact

Phone: 718.544.0088

Website: www.marthascountrybakery.com

If you go to their website or look at the menu, it seems as though this place has a wide variety of cakes and pastries. Let me tell you one simple thing, that is not how it is at all. The only thing they have to offer is the southern style red velvet cake. There is a small place to sit upstairs, but this is more of a “grab and go” type of place. The cakes are priced at $6 a slice, which at the time I thought was a little steep. The portions are pretty big so that helped ease myself into buying it. However, after the first bite, I realized it was worth each and every penny. I can honestly say, I have never had a cake that was as moist and flavorful as this in my life. The cake is sweet and creamy but in no way overpowering or sugary. The frosting is the most flavorful part, it’s sweet and creamy but not sugary at all. Go try their cake, believe me, it’s worth it!

Pictures

Recommendations

• Red Velvet Cake (duh!); have it with nuts, cause we all know your are one!
• Cupcakes are okay.
• Small seating section up stairs

Rating

• Food: 5.0 – Best Red Velvet Cake; Great icing and moist cake
• Value: 2.0- Economy is bad; cant say $6 slice is ever a good value
• Service: 4.0 – Great people behind the counter; fast and helpful
• Lota-Pani: 4.5 - Spotless & clean location
• Decor: 3.5 - more of a bakery shop, good option to sit outside

Overall

Halal Grade

Non Applicable

Location

708 Fulton St Brooklyn, NY 11217-1625

Contact

Phone: (718) 694-2253

Website: www.cakemanraven.com/

The difference between BabyCakes and all the other cake places is that BabyCakes is primarily vegan. BabyCakes uses coconut oil, date sugar(you know you love that stuff), garbanzo flour, agave nectar, and homemade rice milk sub for gluten, wheat, dairy, refined flour and for certain desserts, even sugar, which ends up resulting in full flavored sweetness (a welcome change from the over-sugary goods peddled by other cupcake-pushers in town).  Another great advantage of BabyCakes is that since most of their cupcakes are available with agave nectar, it is suitable for people who are diabetic (who don’t take insulin shots) to have as well.

The venue is very cozy with little seating, so I wouldn’t recommend taking a bunch of people. The cupcakes are moist and as flavorful as can be with a creme filling that is rich and bold with flavor. Pumpkin Spice muffins especially hold a moist, fruity sincerity and it’s very hard to believe that there isn’t a single drop of sugar in the chocolate chip cookies, though they are a bit brittle. Cupcakes (of course) are the most popular item and due to how the icing is made, it requires speedy eating. You can take them with you, but in the warm weather, the icing will melt. Overall, you really can’t go wrong with this place. It is a bit expensive, but you get what you pay for. I would recommend it to everyone due to the ingredients they use and their consideration towards a healthier lifestyle (remember, just because it’s healthier, doesn’t mean you should have more than your usual intake!).

Pictures

Recommendations

• Definitely get the mocha, vanilla or brownie cupcake.
• Any donuts flavor is also worth trying out.
• Peach muffins

Rating

• Food: 4.0 – Very delicious pastries. Great icing and flavor; all-natural, organic & lastly no by-products
• Value: 3.0 – Pastries are on the expensive end, but figure in the ingredients it’s understandable
• Service: 3.0 – Fair and pleasant service
• Lota-Pani: 4.0 - Clean tables & counters
• Decor: 3.0 – Nice setup; more of a place to “buy and go”

Overall

Halal Grade

• Non-applicable (fully vegan, so technically halal)

Location

248 Broome St New York, NY 10002

Contact

Phone: (212) 677-5047

Website: www.babycakesnyc.com