THE PLACE: Both times I’ve come to Hani’s for breakfast pastries, I managed to avoid any sort of hyped up queue. I did walk by the bakery later in the day once and saw the crowds congregating, so I must have just been lucky. It’s one of the newer gourmet bakeries with a fine dining pedigree (the Eastern European baker and owner used to work at Gramercy Tavern) and a fascinating line-up of pastries. There is also more of an incentive to sit down at the bar or one of the tables and make a social gathering out of the experience.
THE MENU: The menu changes but there are lots of regular specialities, like the malted cinnamon bun, brown butter carrot cake, and the signature honey cake (the bakery’s name Hani’s is pronounced “honey’s”). There are also lots of constant changes and unique surprises, like that incredible seasonal sweet-savory Sweet Potato Spinach Loaf. Honestly, everything here looks so innovative and if the two things I tried are any indication, they all work.
THE DISH: I didn’t think I’d be writing about another pastry here so quickly, but I had to share the Turkey Swiss Croissant with the world. I literally said wow out loud at least three times while walking with this masterpiece down the street. I’ve never had anything like this before as the buttery crackly croissant pastry breaks open to reveal a filling of savory turkey, Swiss cheese, and gochujang. The entire thing is glazed with a salted honey which might be too much if it weren’t for the other ingredients. The fermented Korean chili paste provides a funky, unique spice build balancing the ingredients and taming the sweetness. The only word that keeps coming to mind is “Wow!” Price: $7
| HANI’S BAKERY |
| 67 Cooper Square (between East 7th Street and St. Marks Place), East Village |
| hanisnyc.com |
