The continued rise of South-East Asian desserts in NYC.
Our experience
As we wrote in an earlier post (see here), if 2020 was all about dessert deliveries, 2021 is the year of dessert pop-ups. 2021 may also well be the year of a strengthening South-East Asian dessert trend in NYC (see here). Well, let’s combine both dessert trends!
A group of six Filipino-American small businesses recently collaborated together to bring to NYC, a sample box of their signature desserts. We first read about this on Instagram, and pounced on the opportunity to order such a sample box via “The Boiis Co.” For $50, the sample box contained a rather generous amount of desserts!
The Boiis Co specializes in “Mooks“, also known as a mochi cookie. In the sample box, there were three flavours: ube, matcha and champorado (inspired by the eponymous sweet chocolate-flavoured, glutinous rice porridge). The cookies have a shortbread texture, and a chewy mochi centre. They are very addictive!
The second dessert that we sampled was Whisk‘s “Calamansi Tart.” This was zinging with the tart tones of its namesake fruit, and we would love to order a full-sized version of this for the next dinner party!
The next dessert may look familiar, and that is because we have previously featured Kabisera‘s “Biko” on this dessert blog. See previous review here. Presented on a banana leaf boat, it was properly chewy and bouncy, and dusted with toasted coconut flakes.
The fourth dessert was a “Buko Pandan Donut Cake” from Purple Dough. The doughnut was, as its name suggests, a cake-style doughnut. It was dense in texture, and light in pandan flavour.
The fifth dessert was Eunecakes “Ube Flan Cake.” We love flan — its light silken texture, those irresistible caramel tones. And paired with a layer of ultra-moist ube cake…this is next level.
And the final dessert was FliRo‘s “Halo Halo.” [We still need to unfreeze this to drink, so do come back for more photos soon!].
Our verdict
A few months ago, we noted (here and here) the emergence of what seems to be a new dessert trend in NYC — specifically, that of the growing prominence of South-East Asian desserts. This dessert sample box from six Filipino small businesses is a reminder of NYC’s multicultural, innovative and entrepreneurial spirit. It is available for another week, so run, don’t walk! But, if you miss out, don’t fear! You can order full-sized desserts and other treats from each of the six dessert small businesses via their Instagram accounts (hyperlinked above).
Dessert adventure checklist
- ☑ Dessert destination: There were six Filipino small businesses featured in the above-reviewed dessert box. Orders for the dessert box are placed through The Boiis Co, via their website here. We picked up from Essex Market in the Lower East Side, but there are other pick-up locations available. If you want to order full-sized desserts, each of the businesses can be contacted via their respective Instagram and websites (as hyperlinked above).
- ☑ Budget: $$-$$$ ($50 for a box).
- ☑ Sweet irresistibles: South East Asian desserts.
- ☑ Must-eat: All spectacular, but in particular, The Boiis Co’s mochi cookie, Whisk’s calamansi tart and Eunecakes’ ube flan cake.
- ☑ The short and sweet story: The continued rise of South-East Asian desserts in NYC.
Dessert Correspondents 