Crumbs Leaves No Crumbs

A few weeks ago, I was charged with bringing dessert to a friend’s dinner party. Though I love to bake, I didn’t have time this particular Saturday afternoon to pull out my mixing bowls and cookie sheets to whip something up. And so I knew exactly where to go: Crumbs.

Crumbs Bakeshop first began serving their Signature cupcakes in 2003, when their Upper West Side location opened. About four years later, I tried my first Crumbs cupcake, and, as I sank my teeth into a soft and spongy chunk of yellow cake topped with a heavenly smear of buttercream frosting, I was hooked.

Now, six years after the original Crumbs opened its doors, I must not be the only one who is hooked, because Crumbs currently has ten locations here in the city—and the franchise is growing like, well, someone who has been chowing down on way too many cupcakes.

At last count, there were three Crumbs Bakeshops on Long Island, two in Connecticut, two in New Jersey, and five on the West Coast, all in and around Los Angeles. Traveling coast to coast like a celebrity who has just hit it big, these are some popular cupcakes—and rightly so.

On this particular Saturday, I made a trip to Crumbs, eager to pick out an assortment of cupcakes to share with friends, some of whom had never tried the rich and creamy deliciousness that is Crumbs before. I walked up to 78th and 3rd—and my jaw dropped in horror when I saw that Crumbs’ Upper East Side location had been boarded up. Utterly disappointed, I was on the verge of shedding tears when I happened to notice a little handmade sign with an arrow pointing to the left. I followed the arrow and, lo and behold, there was a brand new Crumbs just a few doors down.

After shedding tears of joy and relief, I pulled myself together and entered the new Crumbs. The bigger and brighter space lit up the cupcakes, cookies, and other treats, allowing them to be displayed in all their glory. It also afforded room for twice as many tables up front, where patrons can enjoy their treats over Crumbs’ various coffee and tea concoctions. I made my way to the counter and began the arduous task of deciding which of Crumbs’ many cupcakes to choose.

The Crumbs Signature cupcake is a mound of moist cake topped with creamy icing in a variety of lively colors and flavors. At $3.75, it is bigger than my fist (and probably the fists of people who are much larger than me, as well) and the perfect size for sharing—though you’ll surely be tempted to eat it all yourself. My original plan was to purchase three or four of these, to be shared between five people. But when faced with all of Crumbs’ marvelous flavors, I began to second-guess myself.

There was chocolate, vanilla, chocolate-covered strawberry, devil dog, fluffernutter, cappuccino, cookie dough, peanut butter cup, red velvet, vanilla coconut—the possibilities were really endless. My head spinning—and my stomach growling quite loudly—I tore myself away from the oh-so-enticing display counter and instead selected a package of assorted minis.

With twelve pint-sized cupcakes, including a black-and-white, a red velvet, a vanilla coconut, an Oreo cookie, and classic chocolate and vanilla, the pre-assembled pack looked to be the perfect size for our party of five to share—and it was. It was also the hit of the dinner party. After we had all dug in, cutting the tiny cupcakes into quarters so we could each taste a bit of every one, there was not a single crumb left.

But five very happy Crumbs fans remained.

From UES Brasseries to LES Bistros

This past Friday, a group of friends and I decided to venture down to the Lower East Side to check out something called the 2009 Rooftop Films Summer Series. Held on a rooftop either in the LES or Brooklyn, where viewers are invited to get cozy with blankets and picnic fare, Rooftop Films screens a variety of new and independent films, both feature-length and shorts, on a weekly basis from May through September. The event also features live music before the screening, as well as an open bar after. The best part? Tickets are only $9. For that price, we thought Rooftop Films sounded well-worth checking out.

Before heading downtown, I met my friend Ruth at Brasserie 360, the Parisian-themed bar and grill on the corner of 60th and 3rd recognizable for its dark wood exterior and upstairs balcony, as well as its location across the street from both Bloomingdale’s and Dylan’s Candy Bar. Since it was a warm and sunny spring afternoon, we were hoping to sit at one of the front tables, near Brasserie’s wide windows that open out onto the sidewalk. We made our request to the hostess, but it was subsequently denied when we revealed that we were there only for drinks, not dinner, and we instead seated ourselves at the long oaken bar.

Though we weren’t sitting by the windows, we were still able to enjoy the gorgeous afternoon from the bar, as the sun came streaming in and brightened the charming, European-style space. We also enjoyed happy hour prices, which generously allowed us to order glasses of wine from Brasserie’s rather extensive list for just $6 each. While we didn’t order food, we did spy a few dishes that looked quite tasty—including a basket of fries that were mistakenly placed in front of us for just a minute before being tauntingly taken to their proper patrons—and we agreed that we would have to return to Brasserie again for both happy hour specials and dinner.

When we finished our glasses of wine, we hopped on the 6 train to meet friends at the Rooftop Films location, where we were planning to purchase tickets and then pick up sandwiches and snacks for our picnic. We arrived right at 7pm, the time when tickets would be on sale at the door, to find that quite a few people had the same idea as we did. The ticket line stretched around the block, making it clear that we should have ordered tickets online beforehand—or arrived much earlier. Within a few minutes, an announcement was made that all tickets were sold out, but that there might be a few spots available at 8pm, when the doors were scheduled to open, if some advance ticket purchasers didn’t show up.

Rather than wait around for an hour on the slim chance that a bunch of people wouldn’t show, we decided to take the opportunity to explore the Lower East Side, an area I’m not particularly familiar with—and one that tends to leave me a bit turned around every time I visit, what with its lack of numbered streets and all. We wandered around for a while, browsing the area’s slew of quaint and eclectic restaurants, and, suddenly hit with a craving for Spanish food, we wound up at Paladar, the self-described Pan-Latino restaurant on Ludlow.

With bright Latin-themed décor and a lively and original menu, Paladar cured us of any disappointment that may have been lingering from our failure to get into Rooftop Films. A pitcher of sangria, several margaritas, and an assortment of tapas-like dishes later, we were quite pleased that our night hadn’t turned out exactly as we had planned. Instead of a sampling of short films, we instead sampled chicken empanadas, Venezuelan corn cakes topped with tomato and chorizo, swordfish tacos with avocado and mango salsa, wild mushroom quesadillas, and pork spare ribs with guava barbecue sauce. The food was delicious, the service excellent, and the prices very reasonable.

While we do plan to try Rooftop Films another time, it’s reassuring to know that, should we not make it in once again, we have plenty of other options.

Mother's Day Brunch

This Sunday is Mother’s Day, a holiday that always poses a bit of a gift-giving challenge. When I was little, Mother’s Day gifts were typically made in school and featured pieces of dried pasta that were spray-painted pink and glued to a picture frame made out of popsicle sticks, or handprints set on paper with fingerpaints and signed with a name, a date, and an “I Love You, Mom.” These gifts might not have been very practical, but they came from the heart and were pretty darn cute, if I do say so myself.

As I’ve gotten older, however, gifts made from miscellaneous household items no longer seem appropriate, and I don’t know that mom would find as much charm in a 28-year-old’s fingerpainting skills as she did in an 8-year-old’s. But somehow it also doesn’t seem right to give her a regular old grownup gift. “Thanks for reading to me, wiping my nose, feeding me, clothing me, and shaping my character for countless years—here’s a sweater” doesn’t exactly sound very grateful. And what purpose is a gift that doesn’t show our mothers just how thankful and appreciative we are?

This Mother’s Day, instead of trying to figure out whether your mom would prefer flowers, a sweater, or a bottle of perfume, give her what she would most appreciate—time spent together. And what better way to spend time together on Mother’s Day than at a lovely Sunday brunch? Here are a few spots that are sure to please both you and your mom this Mother’s Day.

Alice’s Tea Cup: With its whimsical Alice in Wonderland murals, delectable menu, and ample amounts of fairy dust, Alice’s Tea Cup is a mother-daughter dream come true. Treat your mom to tea and scones, crepes, eggs Florentine, smoked salmon, and maybe even a pair of fairy wings at one of Alice’s two UES locations.

David Burke Townhouse: Formerly davidburke & donatella, the upscale restaurant on 61st between Park and Lexington, the newly-renamed David Burke Townhouse is featuring a posh prix-fixe Mother’s Day brunch. For $48 per person, you and mom can enjoy a three-course meal featuring dishes like a pretzel-crusted crabcake, a lobster scramble, a chocolate-chip pancake sundae, and something intriguingly called a cheesecake-lollipop tree. Call 212-813-2121 for reservations.

Fred’s at Barney’s: Head to Barney’s for a little shopping, followed by brunch at Fred’s. Featuring huevos rancheros, steak and eggs, and challah French toast, among many other delicious-sounding items, Fred’s is sure to satisfy.

One83: On 1st Ave. between 83rd and 84th Streets, One83 offers a breezy back deck and a classically ambient interior, where you can indulge in an extensive brunch menu that features dishes like smoked salmon eggs benedict, Tahitian vanilla French toast, chicken Milanese, and rigatoni with yellowfin tuna meatballs and broccoli rabe. Oh, yes, and a complimentary mimosa, bellini, or bloody mary. Need I say more?

JoJo: The Jean-Georges creation on 64th between 3rd and Lexington is currently featuring a brunch special well-worth taking advantage of. For $24.07, you can choose two small plates from a list of dishes that includes a warm asparagus salad, spinach ricotta ravioli, buttermilk pancakes, and a goat cheese frittata, plus a dessert. Sounds like a deliciously good deal to me!

Sarabeth’s: No mention of brunch would be complete without a mention of Sarabeth’s, the restaurant on 92nd and Madison known for its heavenly—and very generous—brunch portions. Porridge, omelettes, frittatas, burritos, salads, and an assortment of “sweet breakfasts” like lemon and ricotta pancakes, pumpkin waffles, and cheese blintzes are all eye-catching items on the substantial menu. Top one off with a milkshake or an ice cream float, and you and mom and sure to go home happy.

So forget the sweaters this Mother's Day and take your mom to brunch. It's a treat you'll both be sure to enjoy!

And you could toss in a handmade popsicle stick frame, too. Just for old time's sake.