Serendipity 3: Great desserts and pretty good dinner too
Written: May 14 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Fun casual atmosphere, exceptional desserts, great prices for dinner
Cons: Crowded, unattentive service, loud, messy desserts
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| garypai's Full Review: Serendipity 3 |
ser·en·dip·i·ty (ser' uhn-dip' uh-tee) - The art of finding the pleasantly unexpected by chance or sagacity. Menu, Serendipity 3.
Over the years since its founding in 1945, the namesake of this restaurant has since lost touch with its definition, as shown on the front of its large menu. In fact, it has come to be expected that each experience at Serendipity 3 will be enjoyable and pleasant. Any surprise at this place would be largely unpleasant, in other words, unserendipitous.
Serendipity 3, named for its three founders rather than being the third restaurant bearing this name, boasts great fame, including visits by rock stars, Hollywood icons, and political celebrities. Most recently, the upstairs dining area was re-created in a Hollywood studio in the movie One Fine Day starring Michelle Pfeiffer and George Clooney. Proud of its rich history and reputation as one of the last great ice cream shops, which are highlighted on the front page of its menu, Serendipity 3 pulls all the stops to give all patrons the same enjoyable experience that patrons have become an expected part of every visit.
While reservations are never required at Serendipity 3, this immensely popularity usually warrants waiting times of 10 to 20 minutes for groups of two to four, and anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour during peak times on Friday and Saturday (7 PM until closing). It is advised that reservations be made up to 3 hours in advance to minimize the waiting time. Groups larger than 4 should plan at least 2 days in advance, as there are relatively few tables that can accommodate tables of these sizes.
However, regardless of whether you reserve ahead of time or walk in, as you approach the restaurant, you will notice an exterior that resembles an old-fashioned candy shop. Filled with beanie babies and vintage Americana novelty souvenirs in display cases on either side, the lobby feels like an over-stuffed antique store. Past this narrow entry are two the two floors of the restaurant, both bearing unique decorative motifs. The first floor feels more like a museum dedicated to old amusement park relics. Items such as large clocks, funny mirrors, and faded paintings adorn the wall in a fairly homely, yet colorful setting. The upstairs is a stark contrast, displaying more elegant wares and décor. Decorative trim accents various contours of the wall, and is accented with pastel colors. A variety of elegant and pricey mirrors adorn the walls, including a couple of particularly interesting butterfly shaped pieces hanging from the ceiling. However, regardless of which floor you are seated, it is assured that the atmosphere will be loud with conversation, and walking space between tables will be impossible without twisting and turning. But despite these inconveniences, both floors of the restaurant also exude a fun atmosphere.
While the main impetus in coming here was to eat their world-famous desserts, I still had to make my way through the nutritious stuff. Looking down the menu, I was first struck by how aesthetically creative it was. The menu is enhanced by black and white caricatures inspired by early 20th century themes, such as waiters in tuxedoes, women from the roaring twenties, and circus-like body builders. In addition to the fun drawings, the text of the menu seems to poke fun at you, almost daring you to order that dish. Some classic examples of this are:
· Bi-Sensual Burger ($12; Cheddar, bacon, chili, and onion)
· Serendipitious Chef's Salad ($13.50)
· A la Garden of Allah ($15.95; "A sautéed chicken breast covered with chilled cucumbers, tomatoes, basil, and black olives.")
· Yudu fundu (~$10; fondue dessert)
The dinner fare is American, including categories such as casseroles, seafood, hamburgers, salads, omelets, and sandwiches. The full menu (excluding desserts) can be found on their website, which is listed at the end of this review. According to our waiter, the most notable appetizers are the Hot Spring Wings ($6.95) and Blue Corn Nachos with Cheddar Cheese ($5.00). Of these, I ordered the Hot Spring Wings, which was coated by a spicy sour sauce. The sauce had a vinegar flavor, and when complimented with the spicy chili powder, creates a very delightful contrast to the traditional sweet and smoky buffalo wings. The accompanying bleu cheese dip was, to put it bluntly, gross. Fortunately, it is not needed to enjoy this dish. Another appetizer ordered by my party was the New England Clam Chowder, which as far as this dish goes, was satisfactory. However, the soup was initially bland and almost too creamy. The addition of pepper compensated, though it was a little disappointing to have to add additional seasoning to bring the dish a satisfactory level. Most of the other appetizers and soups ranged between $5 and $10.
From among 40 or so choices, the entrées recommended by the waiter were as follows: Lemon Sole ($17.95), Country Meat Loaf ($13.50), Hamburger ($6.95), and Seafood Fettuccini ($17.95). As far as meat loaf goes, it was surprisingly good. After experiencing some of New York's finest and juiciest steaks at other establishments, I was surprised to feel the chunks of meat break apart in my mouth. However, it was also juicy and had a pleasant, sweet barbecue taste. The mash potatoes and gravy that accompanied it were of average quality that can found at any standard diner. The only representative of the seafood group in the Seafood Fettuccini was shrimp, as this dish was topped with a basil fettuccini sauce. The shrimp was passable, more on the fresh side, but certainly nothing to boast about. Furthermore, the pasta was slightly tough. However, the sauce was excellent, with an extra touch of basil to compliment the sweet creamy pesto sauce. This easily covered up any shortcomings from the other components of the dish. Vegetarians will be happy to know that the vegan-friendly dishes are far more creative than salad. These dishes include Dijon Tortellini Salad ($10.50) and Fresh Fruit and Cottage Cheese ($12.00).
One thing I was worried about was the size of the portions. Seeing how generous all of the portions were, I knew if I left clean plates for the bus staff to clean, I would have no room in my stomach for desserts. Also, I figured given the lack of attention to food presentation on the part of the restaurant, I thought I would put in a little less attention on my end to the presentation of the plates upon collection of the waitstaff by leaving extra morsels of leftovers. However, I also did not feel the usual guilt associated with leaving food on my plate because given the quality and quantity of food, the prices were extremely reasonable.
Finally, when all was done with dinner, I was more than happy to look at the plentiful dessert menu. Everything on the menu implies indulgence, cavities, and big money. The large majority of the desserts are over $10.00 and cap out around $15.00. Some of the more popular choices are Banana Split ($15.00; or the "Coward's Portion" - $9.00), the Mmmm… Sundae (~$11) which is a chocolate ice cream concoction covered with fudge, peanut butter sauce, whipped cream, and a maraschino cherry. I decided to experience the hype and ordered Serendipity 3's most famous dessert, Frozen Hot Chocolate ($6.50). Conceptually, it is really just Swiss Miss hot chocolate mix blended with crushed ice, topped with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles, oozing over the rim of an oversized coffee mug. In actuality, they don't use Swiss Miss, as the hot chocolate was of an extremely sweet variety and tasted like chocolate milk with twice as much chocolate as necessary. In fact, the frozen hot chocolate was so sweet and chocolaty that I was unable to taste the fresh whipped cream or the chocolate sprinkles. While I thoroughly enjoyed the frozen hot chocolate, there is a lack of the bittersweet flavor that makes chocolate ice cream so enjoyable that I would have rather ordered an ice cream sundae. Any ice cream sundae is guaranteed to be delicious and messy as all ingredients are of premium quality and the final product can barely fit within the confines of the large bowls used to serve the desserts. In fact, it is so messy that it is common to see children walking out of the restaurant with big smiles on their faces, and chocolate stains on their clothes.
I enjoyed my experience here, even though the service was adequate at best. The waiters were efficient and fast in getting plates on and off the table, though were not very proficient on providing the ultimate full-service experience that is expected in more upscale restaurants. However, this is a moot point given the fun environment and tasty offerings. While I enjoyed the food, I still have a hard time in viewing the restaurant as an ice cream parlor rather than a restaurant. Most of the clientele come here solely for desserts as well, as people of all ages frequent this establishment. Parents bring children en masse here, as well as couples of all ages coming here for a nice casual date. In fact, this restaurant is so family oriented that alcohol is not served. Dress here is casual, and if you are a messy eater, you may be best to not wear your favorite cashmere sweater, just in case.
In coming here, I was already expecting great desserts and a fun experience and was not disappointed. However, true to the name of the restaurant, I found the serendipity to come from discovering a reasonably priced dinner menu with good food. While this restaurant will always be a top choice for desserts rather than dinner, for an overall dining experience, I think I enjoyed this restaurant as much as most other people who have frequented this place during its rich history in New York.
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Serendipity 3
225 E. 60th Street (between 2nd and 3rd Aves)
(212)838-3531
Su-Th (11:30A-12:00A); F (11:30A-1:00A); Sa (11:30A-2:00A)
http://www.serendipity3.com
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
garypai
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Location: New York
Reviews written: 43
Trusted by: 119 members
About Me:
I enjoy dining out, going to shows, and enjoying all the city has to offer.
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