Can't decide what to give your friend for their birthday? Give them the gift of delicious memories, made-to-order at New York's premiere kitchen/bakery, Dominique Ansel Kitchen! At Dominique Ansel Kitchen on 7th Avenue in Manhattan, most items are "finished, assembled, or baked right when you order them." Grab your pal, walk in and order at the counter, then find a seat and wait patiently as Dominique Ansel's chefs prepare your food. Your meal is guaranteed to be fresh and absolutely delectable. While there are so many mouthwatering items to choose from, here is what we got, it scored a home run with our birthday guest!

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XL CROQUE MONSIEUR

This is the "chef's favorite" savory dish. Make sure you're hungry and order only one of these to split because this sandwich is indeed extra-large! The bread Dominique Ansel uses for his croque-monsieur is so rich, we were left scratching our heads as to how he was able to make such an incredibly complex and delicious bread. The sandwich, which is served warm, is filled with thinly sliced ham and gooey cheese and is then topped with a bubbly, cheesy béchamel (a white sauce made with flour, butter and milk). The taste and textures are so lavish that you'll be craving this sandwich for days afterwards. Use a fork and knife because this treat gets messy.

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BLUEBERRY LAMINATED BRIOCHE

This has to be our favorite of the items we tried. A fresh, buttery brioche is "laminated" in a peachy, sugary lacquer and then stuffed with a cool, sweet mascarpone cheese filling and a blueberry, balsamic compote. The sugary topping is so crunchy and perfectly compliments the flaky brioche, sumptuous cheese and tart fruit filling. You'll swear you're in heaven when eating this confection!

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WEST VILLAGE CHOCOLATE CARAMEL CAKE

Why go through the effort of making a birthday cake when the perfect chocolate cake is waiting for you at Dominique Ansel? This is the mother of all chocolate cakes. Moist cake is layered with decadent chocolate mousse, a layer of sweet caramel custard, all on top of a crunchy crust and topped with chilled shards or both dark and milk chocolate. Ask for the servers to bring out the cake after you've finished your other courses so that the cake doesn't melt. You'll probably already be full from the sandwich and brioche, but that won't stop you from licking your plate clean. This cake is that good!



This indulgent meal was a huge success and proved to be the best way to celebrate our friend's birthday. We can't wait to go back and try more gourmet treats from Dominique Ansel Kitchen!