[Photo: Kathy YL Chan]

Chocolates and cozy cups of hot chocolate are the draw at L.A. Burdick in Flatiron, but the house-baked pastries here offer numerous reasons to return. The Chocolate Lemon Cake is worth an order, as is a slice of the namesake Burdick pastry featuring pistachios, rum, almond meringue and chocolate all in one. But if you come early in the morning, keep an eye out for the Brown Butter Tart ($4), which makes a great breakfast pastry. The fruit filling changes seasonally and they're currently featuring the tart with sweet plum slices. Thick slices are baked to a rich, golden shade, the center sunken in, edges crisp and the browned butter coming though with a deep nutty flavor. Layers of fresh plum meet a frangipane filling, sweet with almonds and keeping the entire tart moist; it's simple and balanced and sized just right for a solo breakfast.

L.A. Burdick

5 East 20th Street, New York, NY 10010 (map)
212-796-0143
burdickchocolate.com

About the author: Originally from Honolulu, Kathy YL Chan blogs at Kathy YL Chan, 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.