New York loves its food fads—from the Cronut to the ramen burger, denizens of the five boroughs can’t help but get in line for the next unusual food combo… then Instagram it.
If you’re a lover of rice pudding, the Rice Pudding Pocket from the recently opened Rice Cream Shoppe, at 195 Bleeker Street, might just be that next thing.
For $4.75, you can pick up a hand-held treat that sees creamy rice pudding slathered between a brioche bun, leaving your other hand free to snap and share the concoction.
The reason this sweet sandwich, which comes in a combo of chocolate or jam, rings trend alarm bells is partly because rice pudding has been so hot on the NY scene (proven by its being featured in Season 5 of Girls no less), but also because the brioche has held top spot as the sandwich bread of choice.
The hashtag-worthy partnership of rice pudding and bun passes the flavor test, too. While a bowlful of rice pudding can feel a little daunting, with its heaping, starchy richness (even the smallest serving feels more than enough), the schmear-like portion between bread feels just right (Goldilocks would approve). And the brioche does a nice job of changing up the mouthfeel of the pudding.
If you’re a purest, however, the classic rice pudding at the Rice Cream Shoppe stands up on its own—but with 10 different flavors rotating on a daily basis, this joint may not be for the purest. Flavors we sampled on a recent trip included dulce de leche, banana toffee, Cocochoconut and cinnamon, and while they were all yum—I still felt myself drawn to the familiar taste of the latter.
With bubble tea giving a new life to tapioca, and now this, it’s clear pudding is having its heyday in this city. It might be just what you need—or it might have you pining for your grandma’s recipe, whatever happens, it’ll have you hungry for more.
Twisted Talk: What’s your favorite New York food trend? Would you try the Rice Pudding Pocket? Discuss below!
