Dominique Ansel - A Little Taste of Paris in Soho

Dominique Ansel has been showing up everywhere since it opened in Soho in November 2011.  My general rule of thumb is if I read about a new bakery more than 3 times, and the word 'best' is included  somewhere in the review, it gets added to my neverending list.  I saw mentions of Dominique Ansel in NY Mag, Time Out NY, Serious Eats, Dessertbuzz - all my go-to sources for everything chocolate related.

My initial problem with Dominique Ansel, was that every time I tried to go there - it was closed!  The first time I went after the gym around 7:30, to find that they closed at 7. The next time I tried to go with a friend, we got there to discover they're not open Mondays.  I mean, for the city that never sleeps, this place sure does seem to get it's share.  Yesterday I finally made it there, on a Wednesday, at 6:30, and I was good to go (finally!)

Dominique Ansel (who is a man, which I just learned when doing my background research) who used to work as the Executive Pastry Chef for the restaurant Daniel, which I've never been to and probably never well since it's way out of my price range.  Originally from Paris (obviously), Dominique has risen to pastry stardom, and has been named one of the top 10 Pastry Chefs in the United States.

Dominique Ansel has a selection of sandwiches, salads, and soups, if you choose to stop there for lunch, which isn't a bad idea since they have a cute little garden area in back.  But I was there for the liquid caramel chocolate tart.

I definitely had my choice of desserts that looked amazing there.  There was a dulce de leche cup, filled with orange blossom milk chocolate ganache and caramelia rice krispies (that are also gluten free - I probably would've tried that too if I'd realized it yesterday).  There was a chocolate soft bun - milky chocolate bread with a chocolate ganache center.

But on to more important things - the liquid chocolate caramel tart.  Even the name makes me excited.  Who doesn't like liquid caramel with gourmet chocolate.  You really can't go wrong here.  The tart was a decent size - easily split between two people but not overwhelming for you to enjoy solo.  The chocolate shell was too thick to cut through with a fork, so you had to eat it by hand.  I was nervous the 'liquid' caramel would spill all over the place, but while it was liquid-y, it was also thick enough that it didn't ruin any article of clothing :)
The combination of thick caramel and soft ganache was perfect.  It was rich and creamy and each bite was thoroughly enjoyed.  There was a layer of chocolate cake with espresso, where I couldn't actually taste the espresso but it contrasted well with the sweetness of the caramel to dim down the sweetness.  The tart was $5+ tax, which is on the pricey side, but - it's in Soho, and it's French, and it's some sort of celebrity-type pastry chef, AND it was really good, so - I'll have to let it slide.

To be honest, after I finished the tart I wished I could try every other dessert in the place.  I was curious if everything could be that good.  I'll definitely be heading back here to try the chocolate bread and a cappuccino, and probably 3 or 4 other things that will definitely break the bank.

Dominique Ansel bakery is located at 189 Spring Street between Sullivan & Thompson. 212-219-2773

Their hours are 8-7 Tuesday through Saturday, and 9-6 on Sundays.  CLOSED MONDAY! DO not make the same mistakes I did - do not go on Monday, and don't show up at 7:30.  I promise, they will be closed :)
www.dominiqueansel.com