Dominique Ansel's Dessert Tasting Menu Is All About the 'Firsts' in Life

Pastry savant Dominique Ansel is busy making made-to-order pastries at his new Dominique Ansel Kitchen, but sometime this summer he will debut his after hours dessert tasting counter, Unlimited Possibilities (aka U.P.). From the ceiling of the second floor of DAK, a table will descend for an eight person, eight course dessert menu with cocktail pairings designed to make diners remember all of the "firsts" in their life, from first word to first kiss, to first job. Ansel explains: "Our goal here was not just to focus on ingredients and flavors, but the emotion behind a dish." So what does a first kiss taste like when it's served on a plate? Raspberry, fresh mint, and vanilla cream, according to Ansel and his pastry chefs Karys Logue and Noah Carroll, and butter popcorn rum and cola, according to mixologist Don Lee.

U.P will take just two seatings a night (at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.) on Fridays through Sundays only, and will only accept parties of two or four. Tickets for the experience ($75 with a $35 cocktail supplement) will go on sale in late May through Tock, the ticketing system developed by Alinea restaurateur Nick Kokonas, but there's no official start date quite yet. Keep in mind, the "first" theme will only be around for half a year before Ansel changes it entirely.

First Menu