Is Spring Just Around The Corner?

I don't know, but the folks at Minamoto Kitchoan seem optimistic. Gone are the flavors of sweet potato and squash in their seasonal pastries; the Japanese bakery is now offering hanamurashi (cherry sponge cake), white peach jelly, and cherry blossom rice cakes to remind us that spring is fast approaching. But if your tastes are still firmly ensconced in winter territory, you could end a meal at Sushiden NY with the rich pumpkin flan.

Minamoto Kitchoan: 608 Fifth Avenue, (212) 489-3747. Sushiden NY: 123 W. 49th St., (212) 398-2800.