Favorite Dishes #69: Crème Brûlée Truffle at Kee’s Chocolates

Kee Ling Tong started her eponymous Soho chocolate shop Kee’s Chocolates (80 Thompson Street, 212-334-3284) over a decade ago, and today the friendly and knowledgeable chocolatier sells her fastidiously crafted chocolates and macarons from a trio of shops and kiosks. Of her many flavors, which largely incorporate Eastern and Southeast Asian flavors to wondrous effect (like mango–green tea or white chocolate with yuzu), the hexagonal crème brûlée truffle reigns supreme.

Don’t worry if you get the impulse to scarf one down. “Eat the whole thing in one bite,” suggests Tong. Take her advice: Half-assing this chocolate yields messy results, thanks to the luscious vanilla custard locked within the dark chocolate shell. Tong also recommends eating them within two days. And while normally we’d consume our chocolate at room temperature, refrigerating these babies gives the chilled custard some welcome stiffness. Wonka can keep his factory — Tong’s created an enlightened, stylish dessert that’s halfway between an ice cream bonbon and a chocolate truffle.

The Village Voice is counting down to our Best of New York City issue in October. We’re combing the city every day, one dish at a time, to guide you to the most delicious food in NYC. These are our 100 Favorite Dishes for 2015, in no particular order, save for the top 10.

Here’s our countdown up to now:
#100: Laminated Blueberry Brioche at Dominique Ansel Kitchen
#99: Egg Shop’s Golden Bucket Fried Chicken
#98: Ramen Lab’s Torigara Shoyu
#97: Cannoli at Ferdinando’s
#96: Breakfast Sandwich at Dimes
#95: Banana Royal at Eddie’s Sweet Shop
#94: Fletcher’s Burnt Ends
#93: Almayass’s Mante
#92: Empellon Taqueria’s Fish Taco
#91: El Rey’s Sardine Tostada
#90: General Tso’s Pig’s Head at the Cannibal
#89: The Vegetarian at Meat Hook Sandwich Shop
#88: The 21 Club’s Creamy Chicken Hash
#87: Deep-Fried Olives at Via Carota
#86: Pougi at Loi Estiatorio
#85: Shelsky’s Hot Pastrami Sandwich
#85: Pearl & Ash’s Smoked Bread with Chicken Butter
#84: Gluten-Free Pizza at Rossopomodoro
#83: Perry St’s Chocolate Pudding With Candied Violets
#82: Whit’s End’s ‘Fuckin’ Bluefish Dip’
#81: Morgenstern’s Salt and Pepper Pine Nut Ice Cream
#80: Levain Bakery’s Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie
#79: Delmar Pizzeria’s Pizza
#78: Cafe Cluny’s Avocado Toast
#77: Brooklyn Star’s Cinnamon Bun
#76: Pork Belly Cotton Candy at Carnem
#75: Ippudo’s Pork Buns
#74: Mission Chinese Food’s Oil-Cured Anchovies
#73: Johnnycakes at LoLo’s Seafood Shack
#72: The Starving Artists Steak at Belle Reve
#71: The Spotted Pig’s Gnudi
#70: Xi’an Famous Foods’ Tiger Vegetable Salad