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Category: Desserts
Neighborhood: East VillageAstor Place (6)
1st Ave-14th St (L)
8th St-Broadway (R, W)
Mon-Sun. 3:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
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ChikaLicious! It's so delicious!
I'd walk two miles in the rain
to have a piece of your nectarine terrine.
The white chocolate mousse eclair
is paired with sorbet and is pretty rare.
Parchment paper contains the vanilla-cinnamon baked figs
and you'll have to dig.
Do we mind? No because it's ChikaLicious and it's so delicious!
Chef Chika
Chika Chika boom boom
Chef Chika
Chika Chika boom boom
ChikaLicious! It's so delicious!
The plum tartare times two
is really a hullabaloo!
Who said the warm chocolate tart was hot?
With peppercorn ice cream it was not.
When you have a glass of Moscato
sometimes you'll want to scream arigato!
Do we mind? No because it's ChikaLicious and it's so delicious!
Chef Chika
Chika Chika boom boom
Chef Chika
Chika Chika boom boom
ChikaLicious! It's so delicious!
The best seats are at the bar
and if you sit at a table it becomes too far.
Learn the techniques of the trade.
It's only dessert don't be afraid.
Sometimes you'll have to wait an hour.
Consider it an act of patience and power.
Do we mind? No because it's Chikalicious and it's so delicious!
Chef Chika
Chika Chika boom boom
Chef Chika
Chika Chika boom boom
So Chikalicious... t-t-t-tasty tasty.
Chika, Don and staff are so sweet. They make sure you have a cute and nice dessert experience. Don always looks so happy pressing down on my french press when I order coffee - loves it! There is no reservations so if you go after dinner hours, you will probably see a crowd outside waiting for their name to be called. Due to the portion sizes, you probably won't be staying for a very long time, you just eat and leave or finish your wine/coffee/tea.
I love the changing menu. There has never been something I didn't like here. The Prix Fixe is a great deal in my opinion! The Amuse is small and quick, but gets you ready for your main dessert of choice, and the Petit Fours are so cute and yummy. Sometimes I don't even know what I'm ordering, I just wing it. The portions are correctly sized and not overwhelmingly heavy. You leave happy - not sick to your stomach with sweets.
If you get to pick, sit at the bar, it's way more fun to watch Chika make your dessert! And just throwing it out there, they have a cute bathroom too.
Long waits on the weekends -1
Small dining area = long waits -1
peppercorn ice cream...-1
chocolate tart + ice coffee.....+1000000000000
incredibly tasty.....
a hint to chikalicious lovers, go in the afternoon...yes, dessert is meant for after meals, but with chikalicious, it deserves a whole time slot dedicated to it...and why shove it to the end, when you're probably stuffed from dinner anyways? It deserves it's own timeslot. plus, there's no wait in the afternoon!
Came here to see what hype was about. Waited on line outside for about 30 min which I didn't mind. However b/c it was later in the night some of the dishes weren't available anymore, this I did mind. Since some of the dishes weren't available, the waitress gave us complimentary drinks. It was definitely an experience and I liked everything we had. The different flavors complimented each other and I liked the presentation of each dish. I think its def worth a try but might not be for me, as I kind of prefer plain chocolate ice cream as my dessert.
I had the dessert tasting menu, which I felt was very reasonably priced. We sat at the bar so we could see everything being made. The staff was super nice and polite, but we had to wait outside for a long time. It was totally worth it.
Attention all dessert lovers! If you haven't been to ChikaLicious yet, GO!
This teeny tiny 20-seat dessert bar located on 10th street between 1st & 2nd ave. is run by the super friendly chef Chika and her friendlier husband Don.
Some comments (which will hopefully be helpful):
1. SIT AT THE BAR. One of the best parts of the dessert dining experience is to actually see Chika create her cute masterpieces. It's so much fun watching her work while you wait, and I think it makes you appreciate her desserts all the more! Every order is made with extra TLC and you can really see that.
2. Stop by Dessert Club across the street for some sweets to-go. The vanilla custard pudding is AMAZING. Also, don't be fooled by the way the chocolate chip cookies look. They are alot chewier than they seem.
3. The menu changes all the time, but two dishes are staples:
FROMAGE BLANC ISLAND "CHEESE CAKE": If you think the crust is the best part of a cheesecake, there is a decent chance that you will not like it here... Otherwise, it is a very good dessert and definitely worth a try - really creamy and almost has the texture of greek yogurt. I'd suggest that you get another dessert as part of your prix fixe and order one these for you and your friends to share.
WARM CHOCOLATE TART: It may not be her most inventive dish, but it is still very good. You can practically taste the chocolate from the delicious smell while it bakes in the oven.
4. If you order iced coffee, your ice cubes are actually frozen coffee! No diluted coffee here.
5. The spoons are too big for the desserts...
In any case, ChikaLicious is a great place to stop by after dinner and make your night out last longer!
I LOVE the cupcakes from here!
I have never been so impressed before with the texture, flavor, and sweetness of cake like this before. It is only subtly sweet, so you taste the ingredients more than the sugar. Amazing! I am going to stop here every time I am in town and recommend it to everyone I know.
I must have tried just about every dessert on their menu. I can't claim to have loved every one of them, but that is more a reflection of my likes and dislikes in flavour and less of their expertise in making them. Each dessert is lovingly made, delicately plated, carefully decorated and always served with a smile.
I love how Chika and her staff make bold combinations like banana+earl grey or chocolate+peppercorn seem obvious and understated.
I know, sometimes it's hard to explain spending 25+ dollars on tiny dessert+wine, but my pitch to you is this: It's DELICIOUS! And the service is lovely. It's a small, warm place. And hey, they even throw in a tongue-tickling amuse bouche (tomato+pepper, melon+peach, espresso+banana,lemon+cream!) and delectable petit fours.
My favourites:
Warm (mmmm) chocolate tart with pink peppercorn ice cream: Smooth, warm chocolate at JUST the right temperature, which you can spoon out of the light crunchy tart bowl before you break it. There's a drop of red wine reduction on the plate which I barely notice.
Crustless cheesecake: Reputedly Chikalicious's signature dish, this is a smooth, slightly sweet mound of cheesy goodness served in a soup of milk placed on a HUGE bed of ice. It does tend to get a bit monotonous though but reaching out for your friend's plate occasionally is a good cure.
Caramel panna cotta: Kinda reminds me of Kyotofu's silken tofu, with the addition of caramel mmm. Also love the earl grey ice cream!
If someone asked me out for a date here, I would find it very very hard to refuse. (No online stalkers, No. This is not an open invitation to you.)
I love it here. I've heard it through the yelp grapevine that folks are disappointed with the portion sizes.
The thing is, you don't need huge portions. I hate to say it, but I think that we as Americans have been trained to expect ginormous servings when we go to restaurants and ChikaLicious clearly de-emphasizes this expectation by coupling great tasting food with an awesome dining atmosphere.
Much has already been written but Chika really does amazing & creative things with desert. All of her dishes are so light and delicate. Don (host) is a great guy too. You get the sense that he is genuine and wants you to enjoy yourself.
My TIP: Try, try, try to sit at the bar if at all possible. It is so awesome to watch Chika and her staff carefully prepare each desert course. You'll also have an opportunity to see all their nightly offerings. Most of all, it is SO ENTERTAINING to watch the chefs interact with each other (trust me - observe the nuances & you'll see what I mean).
Oh yea, order the fromage blanc cheesecake.
My friend is their #1 fan! She loves this place and the cheesecake waiting inside for her! The place is tiny, extremely clean, well tended to and the service is good too.
We go there when there are no waiting lines. I honestly can't be persuaded to wait.
In regards to the food, I'm impressed by the attention to detail and combination of flavors. However, though I enjoy the desserts and the petit fours call me crazy, it's just a matter of taste, but I'll hit Veniero's anytime with no convincing and I'll be having a lot more raving details to say in my review!
When this place first opened, I was excited. One it's a dessert bar and two is was a Japanese pastry chef. The place is tiny and the decor is simple, very Japanese. The menu is a 3 course dessert. The portions are small, but I think it's just right. All of the desserts I've had were excellent and I've yet to be disappointed. Chika's husband, Don is extremely courteous. I've always brought someone new when I come here just like Don had said customers do here. If you're in the area and need something sweet, indulge yourself and go to ChikaLicious.
This is a great place for dessert with a $14.00 prefix which includes one choice of dessert with four petits. I went with three friends and we shared different desserts.We choose the Warm chocolate tart, cheese cake, poached fig and the plum tartare and all were excellent choices. The warm chocolate tart is like a souffle when I broke the chocolate apart and put it in my mouth--chocolate was warm and melted in my mouth and the crust was crispy. The cheese cake was very tarty and little chilled on plate surrounded by ice. The poached fig is very tasty with two slices on fig on top surrounded by creamed corn ice cream. My favorite was the plum tartare--very refreshing and sweet similar to the kind of plum that you would get from a organic farmer market.
The place is very small with a bar top area to the left with 10 seats and three tables to the right. The decor is simple, classy and quite comfortable since we sat there for at least an hour to an hour and half.
The prefix and drinks cost us $20.00 per person and it is totally worth the experience and great desserts. I would travel across the country and come back for more of these great desserts since there is nothing like this in San Francisco.
Food: Beautiful display of desserts, not to mention tasty. Not a fan of the cheese-cake (goat cheese), but many people love it. Portions are on the tiny side, so remember to eat a dinner afterwards. Not before, the taste is too delicate for your palate to have remnants of anything offensive.
Drink: Good espresso. Wine pairings are correct and fairly priced. I would very much recommend the wine pairing when dining here.
Service: Attentive and polite service. Nothing wrong here. The line can get a bit lengthy.
Ambiance: Bright place. Ceiling to floor windows. Keynote color would obviously be white. English style plates and utensils. The tables are a bit cramped for my liking but the bar is decently spaced for NYC.
Have always wanted to try ChikaLicious and was definitely not going to leave NYC without coming here! First of all, i LOVE the concept. Prix fixe fine dessert on the menu... and dessert only! I kind of wish I could order more than 1 dessert from the menu though. Maybe they should let you add more courses for an additional supplement... that would be so cool!
When we got there, there was already a group waiting ahead of us. Oddly, they keep the door locked when the place is full, so that was weird because we didn't know what to do at first. They could at least post a sign outside about the locked door system... I guess we got there at a good time because shortly after we got there, the line grew quickly. Once we got in, we were seated at the counter. Kind of cool to watch Chika-san herself in the kitchen putting together the desserts!
Amuse bouche: kiwi soaked in lavender with yogurt ice cream - I really liked the light lavender flavor and yummy yogurt ice cream. Nice clean flavors and refreshing way to start the dessert.
Panna Cotta with strawberry sorbet and balsamic gelee - the panna cotta was so delicious! And the strawberry sorbet was excellent. Strawberry and balsamic go so well together. One of my fav combos! This was actually my husband's dessert... but I kind of wanted to steal it from him.
White chocolate mousse w/basil sorbet - Cool presentation with basil seeds surrounding the plate. The mousse was pretty good and the sorbet was yummy, but I was much more wowed by the panna cotta.
Petit fours: coconut covered marshmallows, pecan sandie, chocolate truffle - the marshmallows were yummy! I wish they gave us more...
Overall I had a great experience and I can't wait to try more things on their menu someday! Next time I'm definitely getting the cheesecake! I also liked how they have dessert wine pairings, which adds another element to the experience.
List: Sweeties
http://www.yelp.com/li...
Looking for dessert? Don't waste your money on Serendipity's mush of sugary goods. This trendy dessert bar will have you astonished at what comes out of the culinary arts. $12 prix fixe buys you an amuse, choice of dessert, petit fours, and for an extra $7, you get wine pairings. I suggest you dish out the extra 7, it's worth your while.
To start, Chika will make you an Amuse, or teaser. We had the Crisp Honey Apple Sorbet w/ Tea Jelly. It was unlike any other dessert I have ever had. What is it made of? The name says it all just like most Asian dishes :p. To think that was just the beginning. In talking with Chika, I soon learned that the sorbet is homemade. I'm beginning to think this $12 3-course dessert is a bargain.
This definitely one of the few nights where the taste is as superior as the presentation.
To finish the 3-course dessert, we were served some Petits Fours, which are small cakes generally eaten at the end of a meal. It's french for "small oven". You usually see these at the dessert bar in a buffet, with their dry cakes and sugar-filled sweets. I can't say that these were that much better, but at least they were pretty. In any case, Chika's work is all shown in her desserts.
If you're trying this place with a group, keep it to a maximum of 4, as per the limit, and do yourselves a favor by ordering various items to taste.
Chika's Fromage Blanc Island "Cheese Cake" is her signature dessert item. When we were watching her make it behind the counter, I could've sworn it was ice cream from the looks of it, but that just adds to the brilliance of this dessert item. Keep in mind that the menu changes daily, so you never know what surprises are in store.
It's important to separate the desert bar from the desert club, although to be honest, I was floored by both. I came here having no idea what to expect, I walked out incredibly satisfied.
Do the Prix Fixe. You just came to a dessert bar. Don't sell yourself short. This experience wasn't just presentation either. Things definitely looked pretty, but flavor wise, everything was astounding.
Things began with a honeydew sorbet. Between you and I, yes there was something else on the plate (yummy lemongrass pudding), but that was secondary to my unconditional love of all things sorbet. The texture was perfect and even. If I had the option, I would have had just that. Not because I didn't love everything else, but because the sorbet was just that good and perfect under the muggy NY sun. While I'm gushing about this sorbet, I'm crushed knowing when I come back here there's a chance it'll be out of season and therefore I'll be short on honey-dewey-sorbety-goodness.
The second item up was of your choosing. Upon Chika's recommendation, I had the cheesecake. Second to sorbet is cheesecake. So at this point, I'm already pretty sold as I'm being fed my favorite foods on a bar higher than I've had before. When the cheesecake came out, I was confused.
You would be too if it was a cheesecake with no crust resting on a bowl of ice. And then, like me, you'd place a fork carefully into the fluffy mass, bite down, and remain confused.
Things I learned in that exact moment:
1) You can make cheesecake without crust
2) You probably can't make it as good as her
I had to force restraint and not absolutely destroy the cheesecake set before me. I actually chewed on a bit of ice from the bowl just to slow myself down it was so delicious.
Finally was the petit fours. I was absolutely sugared out by this point- so something not so sugary and so basic was wonderful for coming back down off the high point of the dessert. To me, they weren't moving mountains like the other dishes, but I was incredibly okay with that. Had they been, I probably would have felt overwhelmed by the whole experience.
Round this out with a water glass that never emptied, every dish explained in detail by Chika herself, and a great conversation about how she got into a business like this, and you don't have anything less than a perfect 5-star experience.
---
New York with The Queen of Cupcakes
List: http://www.yelp.com/li...
Stop: 5 (Aug 10) Saturday Mid-Day
So yeah, this was round two of our magnificent dessert/dinner. Part one was at the Dessert Club (http://www.yelp.com/bi...); part two was here. We got in line at about 10:15 (the couple in front of us told us they had been waiting about 45 minutes). The place closes at 10:45. On the front menu, there's a sign that says they will seat everyone who is waiting in line before 10:45. At 10:45, one of the chefs came out and took down our names, letting the guy at the back know he was the absolute last person they were letting in. Past 10:45, no joke, people came and we told them to leave. Good cop, bad cop. At 11:30, the girlfriend and I finally got a table. She was jonesing for a seat at the bar, which they will usually try to accomodate. Alas, it was closing time, so they fit us in however possible. Table it was.
If you didn't already know, ChikaLicious features a prix fixe menu at $14 for with an amuse, your choice of dessert, and petits fours. You have the option of adding a wine pairing for $7, which seems good for dates. We added one, but it really doesn't seem necessary considering all the sweets you're about to devour.
The amuse was a cantaloupe sorbet (they love their sorbets) in coconut reduction, which was surprisingly delicious considering I love neither cantaloupe nor coconut. The main course features two standbys, the cheesecake and chocolate tart. The rest of the menu rotates on a daily basis. That night, the girlfriend went with a seared pluot accompanied with a basil sorbet, which she enjoyed to an infinite degree. I went with a blueberry-mango "salad" with lemonade sorbet, also very good. For the cost, the portion size is quite small, but the service and presentation are impeccable. Everything tastes incredible as well.
As we finished the main meal, a spot opened up at the dessert bar, and the waiter let us move up. The dessert bar is really the place to be, as that's where you're able to see what the chefs are doing and interact with them. That night, there was a petite Asian lady working, prominently displaying the nametag "Chika." So THAT"S where the restaurant name comes from! As we enjoyed our petits fours, we watched the chefs delicately prepare the desserts as they exchanged clever banter with each other and the patrons (apparently, Chika isn't a fan of Port). Now even though they're open from 3:00-10:45, they decide on the next day's menu the night before. The chefs then get there before noon and work all day, usually staying past one in the morning. Those are some long hours.
Just FYI, apparently the best time to get there is around 5, after the initial crowd dies down and before the post-dinner crowd strolls in.
Definitely make an event out of it. Usually long lines but go on a rainy day or before 6:15pm and you should get it no problem. Definitely opt to sit at the bar so you can see how they prepare the dessert.
Feel free to chat with the chef. He taught us a few tricks and described all the ingredients that went into our 3-course desserts.
I love desserts that are flavorful but not sugar-packed to give you brain freeze and this is where I found it. All desserts were light and flavorful. Take your time when there!
Wow, I must keep this review to remind myself that the Bar is better than the Club. I love to see how the food is put together.
I think Chika is so cute.
The flavors were surprising, fresh and wonderful. It was not a big sticky sweet mess.
Very good. Small space but they now have a bathroom.
My friend who was hosting me during my first visit to NY in seven years turned me onto Chika. I continue to be amazed by the foodie options in NY. I love how you can get such wonderful confections with awesome presentation but without the presentation. ChikaLicious gives off the casual vibe--you can go in in shorts and a T-shirt--but Chika and her crew put real care into your orders.
I'd never had a dessert preceded by "an amuse." Our amuse was orange ice cream/sorbet with caramel gelee. I then had corn ice cream in a cherry soup with corn meal pound cake on the side. I know some people may have thought the portions were too dainty but it was just right. And it makes the meal about savoring and not over eating. I love, love the petit fours that came at the end. There was a little chocolate mousse bit, a coconut cake and a hazelnut cream concoction.
The staff were nice and I love how Chika wears feminine hats while putting those desserts together.
Wow, is all I can say. I stumbled upon this place with my parents last night and we (a bit skeptically) sat down at the bar, unsure of what to expect.
Let me tell you, it was such a great experience. We ordered the "tasting", which for $14 gets you an amuse; a full dessert; and a petite four tasting. I had the warm chocolate tart (which was AMAZING), my parents had the cheesecake (to which they said "is the best I've ever had"), and the fig special.
I completely agree with the other reviews, sit at the bar! Watching Chika create these amazing desserts is just as fun as eating them.
One of the chefs told us that on a Fri/Sat night if you're in line by 10:45 pm you're guaranteed seating, but lead on that it might take until 12:30 am to sit!
All in all this place was a lot of fun, and a totally new experience! Give it a shot.
Taste *** Overrated. I think I came into this dessert bar with a much higher expectation. Prix fixe $14 with your choice of one main dessert and three other amuse samplings. The one thing I enjoyed most was from one of the petite amuse dishes, which was the lavender ice cream. My main dessert entree was the warm chocolate cake with pink peppercorn ice cream and red wine sauce. The peppercorn ice cream, indicative of the name was interestingly spicy in a subtle way... the chocolate cake was a bit on the rough and crumbled side... can't say I was too fond of it.
Ambiance ***** It's so tiny, but it's what makes it so adorable! A MUST to be sitting at the bar to watch all the delicacies being made!
Service ***** Really slow but really great at the same time. Didn't feel like i was rushed at all.
Overall: I liked the bite sized pieces watching petite, precise & introverted Miss Chika compile her magic (i.e. using a business card to cut the precise measurement of the cake) and the overall vibe and concept of the dessert bar...but I expected a burst of flavor to the point of ecstasy and well, that just didn't happen for me. It's a poor shame, I like this place for all the wrong reasons. Maybe I failed miserably in picking the right dessert.
This place has lost it's lustre. The desserts, creative when the place opened 6 years ago now just seem tired. Even the dishes that I used to think were charming now just seem old. It didn't help that the two male pastry chefs who were there the evening I visited looked like they were bored and would rather have been somewhere else. Not sure if it is worth returning to.
Perfectly orchestrated, perfectly decorated desert....and you won't feel guilty after eating them (the last part of comment is from my fem friends). Don is really nice dude, thou Chika could be more cheerful. Re/ the food, try the cheese ccake, it's nothing like you ever tried before. I'm not really into sweets, but I can eat like 10 of them. Yes it's pricy joint, but for the service and quality, I will gladly pay for that.
What can I possibly say about this place that hasn't already been said? If you like Japanese style Kaiseki dinners, this place is for you! Very small, and super cute, with exacting attention to detail.
We were greeted at the door by, first, a line (but not a long one!), but as we got closer, a distinguished gentleman of African descent came to ascertain how many people were in our party. He was the epitome of Southern graciousness! To be fair, the whole slamming of the screen door and locking of it in your face isn't exactly super welcoming, but potentially understandable, given the stampede worthiness of the food.
We went with the pre fixe option, with my boyfriend having the roasted peach and I went with the fig option (sorry that I can't be more precise, I was more fixated on the preparation of the food and the eating than the menu - a girl's gotta have priorities). We started with a honeydew/lemongrass sorbet, and it was heavenly. In fact, it might have been my favorite part of the meal. I could have eaten ten gallons of that stuff, and the beauty of it is that you wouldn't even have to feel guilty about it afterwards.
The entrees were fabulously presented (everything is fabulously presented, come to think of it) and both equally delicious. I don't think my boyfriend and I even spoke to each other during this course, because we were too engrossed in just enjoying the dessert.
Petit fours rounded out the meal, and were a little bit of an anticlimax, but by then, we were a little desserted out anyway, so it was fine. A very cute finish to a lovely dessert meal.
One note: sit at the bar if you can. To eat the food is divine, but to watch her put it together? Almost priceless. (having your boyfriend with you during the experience = priceless).
Candybar in San Francisco pwns this place. I thought dessert at Candybar was tiny, Chikalicious takes the cake in microscopic-sized desserts.
So I came here with my friend recently when I was in NYC, and we both ordered the darjeeling panna cotta. I love panna cotta and I love tea, so I figured, this would be the perfect combination. Except, the panna cotta looked more like a sliver fit to feed a baby, not an adult. So disappointed. But it tasted exceptional. It was, amazing. So this was the "main" course. Before the darjeeling panna cotta, we got this jelly looking substance which was okay. I wasn't blown away by it or anything.
And the third course were these little square cake looking things. There was a chocolate one, a plain cake-tasting one, and a marshmallow square. I don't eat marshmallow since I don't eat pig meat. And here's the biggest turn-off for that day: I asked one of the guys working if they could substitute the marshmallow for one of the other square pieces since I couldn't eat it. He said no. Umm, hello? Last I checked, this place is in NYC--a city filled with people from different backgrounds. And for a city with sizable Muslim and Jewish populations, both groups being restricted from eating any part of the pig, I would think businesses, to, you know, expand their business, would cater and accommodate both groups.
Take a note from renowned chef, Alice Waters of Chez Panisse: ALWAYS accommodate your clientele. Luckily, the owner did just this. When he passed by, I asked him if they could substitute the marshmallow for one of the other squares--I also let him know I didn't touch the marshmallow. But he not only let us keep that (even though it went uneaten), he brought out the chocolate square (or was it a ball?).
So in conclusion, I wasn't particularly impressed with this place and their microscopic-sized desserts, but the actual, "main" course, the darjeeling panna cotta, deserves 5 stars. Too bad it's a sliver of what's likely a larger, real-sized, panna cotta.
EDIT: The owner just messaged me apologizing for my less than stellar experience. Very impressed. THIS is what I call great customer service. I may even have to give this place a 2nd try next time I'm in NYC.
Yummmmm~
Thanks to Cindy C. I have found my new love!
Even though its a small place, it has a simple and modern lay out with white/ivory countertops and tables. Once you sit down either at the bar or table, you'll get served water in this super modern looking glass pitcher. The menus are absolutely adorable-from their from front cover design to the inside font characters. The plates that they give you the desserts in are all different - it absolutely adds to the vibe of the dessert bar and the appearance of the dessert.
My friends and I ordered the chocolate tart and the panna cotta to share amongst 3. The chocolate tart came with the peppercorn ice cream. The beauty of this desert for me was the breading on the tart meshed with the richness of the chocolate. The tart was a decent size for one or to share. The peppercorn ice cream was a bit strange at first but once I started to eat it together I can see how the flavors are complementary.
The panna cotta was refreshing on the side with the chocolate tart. There was a fresh fruit ice cream that came on the side to the panna cotta. The panna cotta was silky and soft and easy to dig you're spoon onto that bowl again and again.
It is a prix fixe dessert menu, so if you order the entree they'll give you appetizer, entree, and dessert... how can you not love that, dessert of the dessert!! yum! The appetizer was to cleans the pallette before you emerse youreself onto the entree, we had a melon ball gelee with a side of ice cream. I like trying new flavors and combinations and I really felt that the chef did a great job in pushing her creativity on this dish. As for the dessert, we had marshmallow covered in coconut, chocolate truffle coated in peppercorn, and soft and sweet cookie.
My favorite part of this experience was that you get the see the chef make you're food right in front of you... I felt that I was a food network show live AND you can eat the food afterwards!
If you're a dessert maniac who lives in New York who hasn't been to ChikaLicious yet, you should look into the mirror and tell yourself, "Vinny (some stereotypical New York name), WTF is wrong with you!?"
This place is hands down one of the best dessert places in NY. Not only me, every single person I took here was highly satisfied. All the desserts here are equally good so I'm not gotta tell you which one I like :) I ask you to try this place out and decide your favorite dessert!!
This place was a dream. I went on Monday night when the line was non-existence and boy was that a good choice. You order from the prefix menu for $14 where you get an amuse, choice dessert and 3 tiny little petite squares.
I got this dessert that I can't even describe. I do remember having the amazing jasmine sorbet and the floating cheesecake (the airiest -fluffiest thing you ever put in your mouth). It is a bit pricey for dessert, but it's good for a first time experience.
Came back here on a Friday night after a few years. The interior is still very trendy and nice. The prix fixe menu is now $14 which is a 3-course dessert. I had their fromage cheesecake and it was very good and different from anything I've had. The desserts are very good, but the service is very slow which results in the long line outside.
Overall it's a pretty good place, but the high prices combined with the long wait and the amount of time invested in waiting for your food drops this place to 3 stars.
When my childhood friend of 13 years told me about Chikalicious' 3-course dessert menu, I thought it was just a gimmick. Every doubt in me evaporated when I took my first bite into the amuse (course #1) - limeade sorbet served over a bed of wheat grass jelly. I was in dessert heaven.
Our party of 3 waited for an hour to get seated at the bar. It would have been 30 minutes if we settled for a table - the extra wait is totally worth it because you get to watch Chika and her assistant prepare the desserts.
Here's what we ordered:
Cantaloupe parfait with watermelon gazpacho and vanilla sablee
Coconut panna cotta with basil sorbet, garnished with mangoes and kiwis
Strawberry Cannoli
The last course, the petits-fours, were chocolate truffles, coconut covered marshmallows, and and cardamom biscuits.
Chika's assistant was super friendly, and he told us that the menu changes each day except for the chocolate cake and cheesecake, which are the signature dishes. That made me simultaneously sad and delighted. Sad because I may not ever have panna cotta as amazing as the one I had. Delighted because I will have something to look forward to next time I visit New York.
If you love desserts, this place will make you appreciate it on an enlightened level. If you don't love desserts, you will after visiting Chikalicious!
I would've given it 4.5/5 stars because I wish they'd magnify their portion sizes while keeping the price the same, but the taste of the desserts here is so light, fresh and crisp. I thoroughly enjoyed it all. The food and staff deserve 5 stars.
The poached peach tartare with nutmeg on crispy Katair? with fresh peach sorbet was stupendulous. That sorbet was the shit! It was the shit!
The amuse was a mango and yogurt? combo, and the petit fours included toasted coconut marshmallow, orange shortbread cookie, and a dollop of chocolate mousse sort of thing.
The bar is very clean and well-maintained. Everything in their fridge is dated. Everyone is nice. It's cool watching your food prepared before your eyes.
My friends and I came across the ChikaLicious take-out shop across the street from the restaurant after dinner at Moustache in the Village one night. We couldn't help but tried the cupcakes and they were DELISH! I really liked the creamy icing on the red velvet, banana and s'mores cupcakes.
I'm happy to see more dessert places like this in the city.
I've passed by this place soo many times without knowing what I was missing out on. One night on our way to a bar, I happened to see a small crowd forming by a tiny white room. Every time I see a line forming, my Japanese blood boils (Japanese people line up for everything from ramen to Louis Vuitton) so I went over to check it out. I got excited seeing the menu and convinced my group to skip the bars for a night of line-waiting and dessert-eating instead.
The amuse bouche was a jasmine flavored gelée that had the consistency of runny eggs but was light and creamy. My coconut panna cotta with basil sorbet was spot on and I was so sad when four spoonfuls later, it was all gone. Their sorbet tasted really fresh and I'm excited to go back for different flavors.
Being able to see the chefs preparing dessert in front of you is a treat, but be sure to have QUIET conversations with your group as I you will be seating elbow to elbow with strangers.
The desserts are so cute and creative, and just as delicious. Get a table by the bar so you can watch the chefs work. That was half the appeal of the place. Make sure to eat a small meal beforehand. The portions here are tiny, and aren't really meant to be a real multicourse meal. I normally like stop by if I want to treat myself to an amazing dessert after a lackluster dinner.
They also have an express dessert shop across the street. The bread pudding is pretty good.
Yes, it is Completely worth the wait. The wait and price are all worth it for an amazing experience in dessert dining. The cheesecake (crustless) is very popular, but we tried the White Mousse and Peppercorn tart - amazing. If you can, sit at the bar, makes the experience 10x better. Highly recommend going in pairs, its a small and quaint place but absolutely lovely with fantastic service.
After you're done, go across the street and pick up some cupcakes for a late night snack or with your coffee the next morning.
Such a cute place! I definitely recommend sitting at the bar to watch them create their perfect desserts. We were some of the only people there midday on the weekday, so the service from the chefs and waiter was great. The wine pairings looked great too.
$14 does seem a little pricey (more with the wine), but it is worth it for an intimate dessert with someone you enjoy spending time with.
The only drawback is that they don't open til 3pm, so you can't visit after lunch.
3.10.09
I am a huge fan of Kyotofu and was a huge fan of Room 4 Dessert (wtf happened to Will Goldfarb!?), so I was looking forward to finally trying the original dessert bar- ChikaLicious.
On a random Tuesday night at 9:30 PM, the place was surprisingly full (not that there are very many seats). I ordered the Fromage Blanc Island "Cheese Cake," which was ehh.. the accompanying bottle of Ice Wine, Vidal Vin Blanc Doux 2005 was also ehh.. needless to say, I was rather disappointed and would much rather Room 4 Dessert was still open. I will mention the service was very good.
I'm not sure I would return here, but I do respect it for being the first.
I don't like waiting so I will resort to unconventional eating patterns to avoid waits. The only way to avoid an atrocious wait to get into the 15 seat ChikaLicious Dessert Bar is to go at an odd time like my crew did. Dessert came first that day at 4:45pm. My group of four sauntered in and got seated immediately.
The only offering is the prix fixe menu for $12 which consists of an amuse bouche, choice of dessert and petit fours. There is an additional wine pairing for $7. The imaginative dessert options change on a daily basis and there are a handful to choose from.
Amuse bouche: Lemon milk sorbet with diced mango. The sorbet was refreshing and the mango was fresh and sweet. Great start to the "meal". (http://www.yelp.com/us...)
Dessert: Coconut Custard Soup with Pineapple Sorbet and Warm Biscuits. The coconut custard soup was thin, creamy and served at room temperature. The coconut flavor was not as intense as I would have wanted. The sorbet in this dish was also the standout. The scoop of pineapple sorbet was laid on top of a bed of diced pineapple. The sharp sweetness of the pineapple complemented the subtle coconut custard in each spoonful. The warm biscuits added a nice touch. (http://www.yelp.com/us...)
Petit Fours: Coconut-Covered Marshmallow. Perfect. Chocolate Ganache Ball. Perfect. Pistachio Shortbread. Perfect. (http://www.yelp.com/us...)
The space is intimate and the staff was gracious. The decor is minimalist but the dishware looks like it came out of your grandmother's assorted china collection. What lacks in presentation is made up in quality by tenfold. I love the dessert bar concept but I wish there were more seats. Sometimes I do want dessert after dinner instead of before.
Cappy Hour
Hoboken, NJ
Stimulus Plan Special
Neighborhood: Theater District
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Category: Desserts
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