One of the most vibrant and bustling areas of Manhattan is the Flatiron district, which boasts a gorgeous amount of architecture and fabulous restaurants to dine and dish with your friends and family. Patisserie Chanson, located on 23rd street between 5th and 6th Avenue, is a fantastic new concept that brings unique and choice ingredients that you would get out of a classic European Patisserie. I took my friend there the other day for this experience which literally transports you out of Manhattan and into the heart of European culture.
For those not in the know, a Patisserie is commonly known as a type of French or Belgian bakery that specializes in pastries and sweets. The great thing about Patisserie Chanson is that they excel in this, but they also provide a scrumptious lunch menu that will give you a reason to park your behind in the back of their gorgeous location and see what else is in store for you.
The brains behind all of this is Chef Rory Macdonald, who was born in London and has been featured in major publications including The Daily Meal and Village Voice just to name a few. The creations that himself and his team execute highlight the beautiful colors in everything from their salads to desserts, and is something that you don’t quite see that much here in Manhattan.
Here is what I recommend you trying the next time you are at Patisserie Chanson. For their lunch options, they have two salads that are so fresh and in season for the summertime that you must go and try. Their Melon & Mozzarella Salad over a bed of Arugula is light and fresh, and the combination of the cheese and fruit option with the bright greens make for a delicious and healthy dish. If you want something a tad more pungent, their Watermelon and Feta Salad with Lime will do the trick. Watermelon is so good this time of year, and they really highlight the dish with a splash of lime and the sharpness of the Feta to make this absolutely delicious.
I can’t rave enough about their Petite Gateaux’s, which is a dessert composed of a small chocolate cake with crunchy rind and mellow filling that is served hot with vanilla ice cream on a plate. If anything were to truly stand out about Patisserie Chanson, it is these decadent creations that are the stars of the show and found right when you walk into their location. The two that we tried were heaven sent- Carrot Cake for one, and Chocolate for the other. The Ice Cream added some depth to it, however each of these really stood out on its own for such a fantastic mixture of crunchy meets smooth meets decadent meets my happy mouth. These were some of the best desserts I have had in a long, long time.
For more information on Patisserie Chanson, please check out their official website.