Sugar Rush: Kulfi Trio at Junoon

[Photograph: Kathy YL Chan]

On the dessert menu at Junoon, the classic Indian ice cream Kulfi ($12) comes by the trio. The seasonal flavors change with every visit; on my most recent venture, we indulged in the haunting flavor of cardamom and a bright mango accented with fresh mint, both creamy and dense with the slightest chew. The best of the set was paan kulfi (all the way on the right in front). Paan is a popular post-meal chew/digestive in Asia that combines betel leaf with areca nuts or tobacco. Alone, the betel leaf offers a clean, peppery flavor. That grey-green shade comes from the addition of green cardamom and a sweet rose petal spread (a common flavor pairing with betel leaves).

Junoon

27 West 24th Street, New York, NY 10010 (map) 212-490-2100
junoonnyc.com