It occupies a middle ground between gelati on brioche and sangkhaya with soldiers. Morgenstern's avocado toast ($6) is in fact avocado ice cream toast — a firm shmear on a stalwart, lightly browned slice, dressed with pepper, sea salt, olive oil, and condensed milk that's been thinned out so it drizzles better, and so it isn't overly sweet. This is a breakfast toast, after all. Available as part of a strange and beautiful morning-only menu (February 2015 only) to help fund the second issue of Brutal magazine.
Previously: In a two-scoop cup of jaggery atop durian-banana ($6), you'd expect the latter — which features the infamous "king of fruits" — to have the stronger flavor. Jaggery, you may know, is an unrefined sugar usually made from palm sap. Often it has a golden brown color and molasses-like undertones, both of which were nearly absent in the scoop on top.
The paleness of its company, however, didn't diminish the durian-banana. To my delight that scoop tasted very little of banana, which is employed more to temper the durian pungency and to help smooth the texture. What comes through is the lush and fragrant flavor of the best durian ice cream in the city.
Morgenstern's Finest Ice Cream
2 Rivington St. (Bowery-Chrystie St.), Manhattan
212-209-7684
www.MorgensternsNYC.com
