Clear all
Sweet tooth alert! 😛
Every respectable gourmand in New York knows Dominique Ansel, a.k.a. the Cronut Master. If you’ve stood in line for a taste of the iconic pastry, and know what DKA stands for (Dominique’s Kouign Amann duh!), you’ve surely gotten excited about Dominique Ansel’s U.P., short for Unlimited Possibilities. U.P. is a dessert-only tasting-menu supper club, privately held on the second floor of Dominique Ansel Kitchen in the West Village
Tickets open on the 1st of every month at 12pm and sell out fast!
Launched in the summer of 2015, this after-hours dessert tasting table takes place in the production kitchen for an intimate 8-person seating (expect a predominantly feminine crowd!). The menu changes every six months and consists of eight sweet courses centered on a specific theme. More than a culinary experience, U.P. is an artistic performance.
Will not accommodate any dietary restrictions
Table descending from kitchen ceiling
After being courteously welcomed at the West Village bakery’s store front, you will be escorted up a private staircase into the production kitchen, where a table will theatrically descend from the ceiling into the center of the room. This “ooh-aaah” moment sets the tone for the entertainment ahead.
A table of 8 gourmandes!
I was super excited to discover the “American Dream” theme that was on the menu. I skipped dinner and made sure to calorie-count every bite that day to be ready for the sugar overload. The eight desserts are ceremoniously served, each chronologically highlighting different decades of “American dreams”, along with a story line and appropriate background music. The friendly servers were practiced orators, and every dessert preparation was whimsical, colorful, playful and fun! You can tell a lot of thought and preparation went into conceptualizing this clever and creative menu.
Savory amuse-bouche to cleanse the palate before the 8 desserts
Eureka! – Dreams of wealth represented by the California Gold Rush – a pot of “dirt” (coffee) in which you had to find the gold nuggets (made of ice cream and cream)
Eureka! – The gold nugget made ofsourdough, acacia honey, cold brew – paired with coffee, hazelnut shells, vanilla bean, orange zest
Carpe Diem – The Roaring 20s, with champagne, gin & huckleberries – served by Ansel’s Executive Pastry Chef Karys Logue herself
Carpe Diem – huckleberries, buddha’s hand, brioche, cream, juniper, paired with Sloeberry Gin, Citrus, Champagne
White Picket Fence – the American dream of home ownership, represented by a pop-up paper cut-outs – Apricot, blood orange, raspberry, shisho jicama, confit strawberry, cherry tomato, chervil, paired with Sake, Vodka, Jasmine
Peace – The groovy age of peace & love: chamomile, milk, aged apple vinegar – paired with Apple Brandy, Lillet Blanc, Chamomile, Peychaud’s Bitters
Peace – The groovy age of peace & love: chamomile, milk, aged apple vinegar – paired with Apple Brandy, Lillet Blanc, Chamomile, Peychaud’s Bitters
Wall Street – a cigar represents the dream of money & success – crispy potatoes, chocolate, caramel, grains of paradise- paired with Cabernet, Scotch Whisky, Curaçao, Crème de Cacao, Black Pepper
Tech Boom – Most creative and fun: representing the Tech age, you had to insert a disc into a fake old computer and a waffle (sassafras, tonka bean ice cream, celery maple) would pop out of the machine – paired with Flaming “Dr. Pepper,” Belgian Wheat Ale, Amaretto, Rum.
#GoingViral – The age of selfies and Instagram filters
#GoingViral – Sherman Sheep & the age of selfies and Instagram filters : Manchego, Marcona almonds, quince, olive oil – Each “filter” has a different characteristic of wine – paired with Manzanilla Sherry, Quince Vinegar, Honey
A Wish – a chocolate wishbone to end the dessert tasting, served with coffee or tea
At the end of the tasting, each guest goes home with a gift: a silver balloon with a secret fortune message inside and the menu tied at the bottom, as well as a coffee beverage to enjoy the following morning.
The tasting menu is not a cheap fare, priced at $112, including tax and service charges. A beverage pairing is available for a $45 extra, with specially crafted wine and cocktails by a collaboration between mixologist Jim Meehan of PDT and the Dominique Ansel team.
All ticket sales are final
So did the overall dessert and cocktail spectacle live up to the high gourmande expectation? Sadly not. Although it is undeniable that the overall experience is unique, inventive and fun, my picky palate was disappointed in the quality of the dessert recipes. They try so hard to impress with the presentation and performance that it overshadows the flavor. Dominique Ansel has always been a synonym for deliciousness and a guaranteed treat, but the desserts at U.P. simply didn’t measure up to what Ansel has spoiled us with. To top it off the cocktail pairing was horrendous (and I like my liquor!).
Although disappointing from a gustatory perspective, Dominique Ansel’s Unlimited Possibilities is indisputably a unique concept for a one-of-a-kind dessert experience and unmatched sugar rush! U.P. deserves 4 ♥ for the experience, presentation and dedicated staff, but a mere 2 ♥ for the taste and gourmandise satisfaction…
Tickets for U.P. open on the first of every month at 12pm ET for the following month’s seatings.
They offer two seatings on Wednesday-Sunday nights at 7:30pm, and at 9:30pm. Book in advance!
