Sugar Rush: Tiramisu at Paradiso

Posted by Kathy YL Chan, August 10, 2009 at 3:30 PM

Paradiso, on the corner of 7th Street and Avenue B in the East Village, is a sort of fairytale husband-and-wife cafe. The music is gentle, the WiFi free, the seating plentiful, and the service, nicer than need be. As for the food? The main attraction is the house-made tiramisu, offered in five flavors: classic, chocolate, amaretto, chocolate-banana, and strawberry.

On a late Sunday afternoon, I tucked into a window seat with a slice of the classic tiramisu ($5), plated and delivered to the table. Save for the unnecessary finish of chocolate sprinkles, which add a silly crunch, the tiramisu is quite good, though a touch sweet. Ladyfingers sponge up a jolting dose of espresso and the mascarpone-based cream is almost buttery, smooth and thick. Far better than the cake-and-fluff tiramisu found throughout most the city, this is one I would return for if in the neighborhood.

Sandwiches are also on the menu, as well as baked goods and baguettes from Balthazar.