[Photo: Kathy YL Chan]

Tartufo: this is how one ought to end every meal at Lupa. A large chocolate-covered orb of hazelnut gelato with crushed biscotti cookies and a single cherry at the center. This gelato is quite something—purely hazelnut in flavor, more nutty than sweet, with a dense and smooth body. Crushed hazelnuts adorn the exterior for extra crunch with an incredible warm, fudgy dark chocolate sauce pooled around the tartufo. (They ought to jar the sauce and sell it for use at home.) A thick layer covers the gelato, at an ideal temperature that's neither hard nor soft, but gently gives with a push of the spoon. The tartufo goes for $8, and is generous enough for two to share. If you don't feel like having a whole meal, drop by the bar during off-hours for just the tartufo.

Lupa

170 Thompson Street, New York NY 10012 (map)
212-982-5089
luparestaurant.com