Dominique Ansel Bakery: I went twice

Hi guys~ hopefully you enjoy pastries as much as I do, because I'm super excited to share my experience with you. Whether you're in NYC, London, or Japan Dominique Ansel Bakery is definitely worth a visit. If you're interested in seeing some more photos and some helpful tips, keep reading!

Dominique Ansel Bakery

189 Spring Street, New York NY 10012

The first time we visited, Lili and I made sure to arrive around 9:30 AM (the bakery opens at 9 AM on Saturday and Sunday). Saturday was a great day to go, there wasn't even a line for the infamous cronut. Unfortunately we skipped out on the cronut the first time around (we knew we were going to come back with a friend) and I also heard it could be pre-ordered  two weeks in advance online.

This time we got the DKA (Dominique Ansel Kouign Amann), freshly baked madeleines, and the frozen s'more. The cookie shot is only sold after 3 PM (you can buy prepackaged shots with a bottle of milk, but it's a pack of 5 and it was a hot day). We went straight up to the register because we weren't waiting for the cronut (they separate the lines). They ask for your name and you have to wait by the pick up area for items that are made to order (the madeleines and the s'more). They called my name and I picked up the madeleines, later Lili picked up her frozen s'more, and they torched the marshmallow in front of her. A+ for the experience.

I first heard about this pastry on The Great British Baking Show. But this was totally different from what I expected. Think croissant (flaky, buttery and layered) but sweeter, with a satisfyingly crispy outside. It was seriously delicious. I 100% recommend giving this a try, it's definitely one of those underrated pastries here.

The madeleines were hot, light, and fluffy with a strong lemony flavor. To top it off they were doused generously in powdered sugar. Personally, I like it when they're a little bigger. The madeleines I've had in the past were denser and more cake like, but these were good.

Unfortunately, I thought the frozen s'more was a bit over-hyped.The marshmallow didn't get that caramelized flavor (despite what the color may lead you to believe). Overall there just wasn't enough contrast in texture, it was mushy. Soggy graham crumbs with a small bite of vanilla ice cream, tons of chocolate, and it was all encased in melted marshmallow. I wouldn't get it again.

If you see the box on the table, I got a set of 4 canneles because the dessert sounded really interesting to me. From the city of Bordeaux, it's a vanilla and rum flavored pastry, caramelized and crisp on the outside, with a custardy interior. I tried it once I got home. It's definitely an acquired taste if you're not particularly fond of rum, but it was tasty.

It was the perfect day (weather-wise) so if it's not too hot, sit outside in the garden.

Second Visit

I'm not sure if it was the day (we went on a Sunday) or if it was just a weekend that many tourists were visiting, but there was a long wait outside. We arrived close to 10 AM this time, and the line went down the sidewalk. This time we were getting the cronut, so we got in line. Fortunately there were three of us, so we took turns sitting on the benches in front of the nearby basketball court, and the trees provided some shade. We had to wait a little over 35 minutes. A worker brought out some madeleines and promised us drinks, since it was well over 90 degrees. Once we got inside we saw an ambulance come, apparently someone waiting outside passed out. All for a cronut.

As a side note, you can pre-order the cronut two weeks in advance. But if you're going on a Sunday make sure its three weeks prior. According to their calendar, Sunday is the start of the week, so I missed the cut off date and failed to make a reservation. So we waited outside. If you pre-order  you can simply skip the line and go to the pick up area. You have to do this starting Monday (2 weeks prior) at 11 AM. Click here.

A woman at the door asked how many people were in our group, and then we went inside. We walked all the way down two the left and had to wait another 10-15 minutes. The bakery is very narrow, so there's not much room to stand and people are constantly pushing by. On the bright side, there's always plenty of seating in the back and it's a pretty large space. Once we got up to the register we were given all of our items right away (none of them were made to order, other than the cronut of course, which they keep making until they run out). This month's flavor is Lime with a Dulce de Leche filling. We also got a vanilla macaron and the Salted Caramel Eclair.

There's is no clean way to eat the cronut. Pick it up and bite it. Honestly, we didn't taste the lime until we got to the very end. I didn't take any cross section photos, but the inside is layered and filled to the brim with custard. It was very sweet, and a little oily, but so much better than the lemon flavored dupe I tried in Paris Baguette. Was it good? Yes. But was it worth the wait? Not really. The DKA was amazing, and by far my favorite pastry served at the bakery.

The macaron was unexpectedly disappointing. It had a very sugary taste with very little vanilla flavor. It was chewy and cake like. The best macaron I've ever had is probably from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and the famous Laduree's macaron was definitely better than this one.

The eclair had a great texture, but I personally found the caramel filling too sweet. I wish it was a touch saltier.

If you're ever in NYC definitely pay DAB a visit. The pastries were good, but the wait can be daunting. Just make sure you pre-order your cronuts and don't stand outside in 90 degree weather. Until next time~