Amai Tea & Bake House (CLOSED AS OF 4/19/09)

I have a free-floating scone obsession. It first attached itself to the oat scones at Balthazar Bakery. Then, it was transferred to the buttered walnut scone at Cheeks. (That scone is lovely with an apple slice and a bit of cheddar.) After that, there was the sugarless fruit scone at Joe Coffee. My obsession briefly morphed into a muffin obsession, which was satisfied only by the diminutive maple muffins at Kyotofu. But today, in full force, it returned to its original manifestation when I entered the new Amai Tea & Bake House.

I had been watching the space for ages, ever since I first caught sight of the owner's popular Lovescool blog, which announced the impending opening of the cafe. Finally I went in tonight, and became starry-eyed with scones! Earl Grey currant? Greenmarket cheddar with pepper? Vanilla bean? I thought I would go insane. And then there was the lavender butter...

(... and dark chocolate brownies, and quince chocolate brownies, and green tea cupcakes with nice big swirls of green buttercream on top, and butternut squash tarts adorned with pumpkin seeds, and chocolate espresso tarts...)

Did I mention they serve tea?

Amai Tea & Bake House: 171 3rd Ave., (212) 863-9630.