[Photo: Kathy YL Chan]

April is the month for chocolate bunnies and chocolate eggs—often overwrought, tacky caramel-drizzled structures made more for looking than eating. But not so at Café Kristall, where the chocolate eggs are made by in-house pastry chef Matthew Lodes. These eggs are delicate and restrained, and most importantly, taste as good as they look. In the dark chocolate version pictured above, a thin shell (literally eggshell thin) of dark chocolate is streaked in gold. A white chocolate version features a swirl of dark chocolate. Give the egg a gentle tap and...

...crack! Out tumble two dozen toasted chocolate-dipped almonds dusted in cocoa powder. Which do you go for first? The crisp almonds, letting the cocoa melt in your mouth before crunching in? Or the smooth chocolate shell? I couldn't decide so had both parts simultaneously. Eggs are $18 each and are available at Café Kristall until this coming Monday the 25th. And after that, keep in mind that chocolate-covered almonds are for sale throughout the year.

Café Kristall

Inside the Swarovski Crystallized Boutique
499 Broadway, New York NY 10012 (map)
212-274-1500
kg-ny.com

About the author: Originally from Honolulu, Kathy YL Chan writes A Passion For Food, where she chronicles her eats and travels adventures between Hawai'i, New York and beyond. She firmly believes that there is always room for dessert.