Spot Dessert Bar

I am all for the expanding Asia-fication of Saint Mark's Place. The ongoing boom in noodle bars, sushi dives and the refurb of Panya (near St. Mark's Bookstore) into a full-fledged minimart is a good thing. Consider the other alternatives for late-night beer-induced grazing: falafel and gyro joints? more mediocre doughy pizza? I'll take make-your-own-cotton-candy and soba noodles at Kenka any night.

Chef Pichet Ong opened Spot Dessert Bar on the heels of shuttering P*ng earlier this year (see Belly Up review) and he adds to the swelling tide of alt foodie Asian eateries in the neighborhood. Located in a subterranean slot on the St. Mark's strip, Spot is all things darling: soft lighting, under age-friendly non-alcoholic beverages and a long bar of treats, bolstered by a tempting "look book" of past, present and future sweets near the cash register.

Knowing full well that that diners will come in groups prepared to share, Ong has organized the menu so that each dessert can be ordered tapas-like. An order of four desserts is $26, while single orders are $7 each. While the whole thing capitalizes on the cute appeal of dessert, it does so without overstepping into the weird cupcake fetishization that inexplicably continues (cupcake photo above excepted.)

Our cheerful waitress was eager to share her favorites (Yuzu Eskimo and Five Spiced Fennel Cake) as we compiled a hearty order. While the setting was distinctly 16-year-old-on-a-first-date, the desserts are anything but and can stand up to any of the downtown foodie temples. The savory-style desserts, such as the Avocado Parfait and Yellow Corn Crema are adventurous choices, but I personally stuck to my favorite flavor combination of chocolate, strawberries and cream in the Yuzu Eskimo. The sweet shop closes at 1 a.m. and all the baked goods (try the Chinese Walnut cookie) are half-priced in the hour before closing. –CN

Where: 13 St. Marks Place, New York, NY (212) 677-5670

p*ong

Pichet Ong wants to know if it's too much dessert. We are sated and tipsy, having nibbled our way through the 13 course suite ($79). Nah, we tell him, it was just right. We are the last diners in the restaurant on a Thursday night and he has come out from the kitchen to chat.

Ong's new restaurant p*ong is 9 weeks old and after the glowing review in the Times, we went for a test drive. The menu is divided into three parts: savory, sweet and savory and sweet. Plates are priced between $10 and $15. He is famed for his desserts, as his roots are as a pastry chef. But it was the dessert-like preparations of savory dishes that I personally liked the best. Foie gras brulee is a 1" round of foie on a toast and torched to crunchy perfection and served with cherries and a biscotti jelly, which is deliciously light and translucent. The burrata with the frozen roasted tomato was also a wonderful combinations of temperature, taste and texture. Our least favorite was the stilton souffle, which was a little too heavy for a summer evening, although the basil-arugla ice cream was delicious and worth having a scoop on its own. The fresh dates seemed a little too simple - served with shards of aged Spanish mahon - after the artistry of the other plates. As we finished our sparkling black muscat we chatted with Ong. He told us he is planning to open an ice cream shop next door in the near future and signed a cookbook for us. The service was wonderful - both the host and our server were very friendly and warm, creating a great and comfortable experience. I give p*ong four belly ups.

Where: 150 West 10 Street, 212-929-0898