A Much-Needed Vacation

Even the most die-hard New Yorker needs a break from the action once in a while. To that end, I am going on vacation for about a month. In my brief absence, I recommend that you make several trips to Ama (CLOSED AS OF 6/09) to enjoy such delights as: panzarotti (miniature fried calzones bursting with melted cheese), rock shrimp scattered over fava bean lasagne, and orecchiette in an intensely buttery sauce with crumbled sweet sausage. Oh, and I mustn't leave you without a chocolate suggestion: the cioccolato caldo e freddo, a scoop of pudding-rich chocolate gelato next to its warm, cakey counterpart. Enjoy!

(P.S. Since I am never far from a computer, or for that matter, a restaurant, I may decide to post at Salli Vates' Traveling Food Page... but only if I consume something sufficiently delicious.)

Ama: 48 MacDougal St., (212) 358-1707.

The Ten Best Pastry Chefs in America

Last night, I lived every dessert lover's dream: I attended Chocolatier's "Ten Best Pastry Chefs in America" awards! Fortunately for us New Yorkers, six of the chefs can be found concocting their sweet creations right in our city. So, when you dine at Daniel, Babbo, Chanterelle, Spice Market, 66, WD-50 or a B.R. Guest restaurant, make sure you leave room for dessert!

A Very Important Sweets News Item

Pastry lovers rejoice: the Bouley Bakery re-opened yesterday! Triple-chocolate muffins, dense dark chocolate brownies, orange tarts, palmiers and more are now available right across the street from the restaurant. (And for those more inclined towards the savory, the next-door market, "Upstairs," will soon feature a sushi bar and cooking classes.)

Bouley Bakery Market: 130 West Broadway, (212) 219-1011.

Cafe Regular

Although Brooklyn seems to be a controversial subject lately, even the borough's detractors must admit that one of NYC's best cappuccinos can be found there. Where, exactly? At Cafe Regular, on 11th Street off of 5th Avenue.

This tiny cafe, so narrow that you can almost reach an arm across it, offers only the bare essentials: a few beverages, baked goods, and hard-boiled eggs. But what essentials they are! La Colombe Nizza beans, which are billed as boasting a "sweet flavor and a softer Northern Italian style," provide the basis for the cafe's espressos, cappuccinos and lattes. Cappuccinos sport a thick layer of fluffy foam. You can accompany your drink with a slice of cinnamon-striped pound cake from Marquet, or just a copy of the London Review of Books (several editions are draped across the doorway for your reading pleasure).

Cafe Regular: 318A 11th St., Brooklyn, (718) 768-4170.

Sweets News

Here are your Sweets News items for May 3, 2005:

If you're a fan of the Apprentice, you may have noticed that in one episode, contestants were given the task of creating two new flavors of Ciao Bella Gelato. While watching the program, you probably longed for a refreshing scoop of Red Velvet or Vanilla Doughnut. Now, you finally have your chance to try these intriguing new flavors. The new Trump Ice Cream Parlor opened up last Saturday, and Ciao Bella is serving up its delicious premium gelato. So don't be out of the scoop! Trump Ice Cream Parlor: 725 5th Ave., (212) 715-7290.

This may not be news to you, but it was to me! The famous floral cupcakes of Cupcake Cafe are now being sold at Books of Wonder, a children's book store at 18 West 18th St. What better incentive is there for your kids to improve their reading skills?