City Bakery + NY Cheesecake

I feel like since I've been on my own for the past three weeks, I'm realizing that the only thing that kept me eating meals and semi-normal foods on a somewhat regular basis was having a boyfriend to feed. When I'm by myself it's either easier or preferable (or both) to just snack all day long. This would probably be ok if it didn't mean that I ate cupcakes for lunch, cheesecake for dinner and equally-bad-for-me crap all other times of the day (and night). But I don't really feel too bad about it because I'm walking what seems like a million miles a day and I pretty much got zero exercise before coming to New York, so at least I'm doing something right, right? Anyway, I've managed to eat some pretty amazingly delicious things that I will now recap for you because I have exactly zero shame.

I went to brunch with a friend from high school last weekend — it's been ten years since we've seen each other, god we're old— and we met at City Bakery. It was my first time, but like most restaurants I eat at here in the city, I checked out their menu and read reviews on Yelp beforehand, so I felt prepared when it came time to order. They have a ton of amazing-looking baked goods and other delicious treats like mac n cheese (and a salad bar, but let's be honest, I didn't give that much thought), but I'd read so many good things about the pretzel croissants and hot chocolate that I knew I had to get both.

The rave reviews of both are completely justified. The pretzel croissant was salty and crunchy and incredibly flaky and delicious. My only complaint was that I wish it was warm, but make sure to ask for butter anyway. And don't forget napkins because it might have been one of the messiest things I've ever eaten — not recommended for a first date or any time you wish to look even remotely in control of your faculties. I've mentioned before that I hate to watch people eat and be watched while I eat and I apologize to anyone who saw me rip my way through it like a wild animal (I'm not that gross usually, Katie, I promise).

City Bakery is most famous for their hot chocolate, and rightly so. I read a lot of complaints from people who thought it was bitter, too thick, overrated or too expensive (hello, this is New York — I paid $5.75 for a small latte yesterday) but I thought it was heavenly. It's basically melted chocolate in a tiny bowl that's apparently totally socially acceptable to drink at any time of the day.

I had decided beforehand to forgo the marshmallow, but when someone asks you if you want a handmade marshmallow in your five-dollar hot chocolate, you say yes, yes I would. When forced to make a snap decision that will make my bad-for-me food even worse for me, I'll probably always say yes. I definitely didn't regret my decision, and was rewarded with the best-tasting, fluffiest, cutest cube of a marshmallow I've ever encountered.

Yes, the hot chocolate is a tad bitter but that's what I liked most about it, and don't worry because it's plenty sweet (especially with the marshmallow). So sweet and rich, in fact, that I almost couldn't finish it even though I had ordered the small, and I felt pretty sick after I did (apparently my barometer for declaring a food delicious). City Bakery is currently having their Hot Chocolate festival during the month of February, and every day they have a new flavor, most of which sound absolutely amazing — espresso! cinnamon! caramel! I'll definitely be back at least once this month to try a new flavor and maybe this time I'll give the salad bar more than a passing glance.

Also last week, I officially had my first piece of New York cheesecake, from Junior's. They're known specifically for their cheesecake (it's even in their web address), so when I found myself eating dinner at their Grand Central location, I knew I would have to take a piece to go. I love cheesecake so it's strange to me that I'm just now trying the New York variety, but I'm definitely glad I did.

Like the hot chocolate it was so rich that I could only eat half — the other half is currently hanging out in the fridge, waiting to be finished. I got mine with cherry topping and I'm not sure if that's the authentic or correct way to eat a slice of NY cheesecake, but I'm not sorry I did it. I'm also not sure what makes this cheesecake so different from any other cheesecake I've eaten, other than the fact that it was really, really good.

Add to that all the crap I ate at a Beyonce Concert Super Bowl party this weekend and I think I'm in desperate need of a vegetable. With all the bakeries, pizzerias and coffee shops on my New York to-do list, however, that salad bar might be lonely for a while longer.