Ah, the brisk winds of Manhattan in late autumn—a time when the streets come alive with swirling leaves and… bone-chilling winds. If you’re planning to wander the avenues, soaking in the city’s bustling energy, do yourself a favor: grab a heavy coat and a hat. Without them, you’re at the mercy of gusts so fierce they feel like they’re burrowing into your brain. I learned this the hard way, scurrying down the street hatless, like a desperate New York rat. Except, while rats have their cozy little hideouts, us humans have the next best thing—cafés!

Lucky for me, Manhattan’s got cafés aplenty. In fact, you’re rarely more than a block away from one. Feeling windblown and weary, I found myself wandering through the East Village when fate (or my growling stomach) led me to the place I’d been interesting to try—La Cabra Bakery, a café with good pastry recently making waves among NYC foodies. It was time to seek shelter and treat myself.

The moment I stepped inside, I knew I wasn’t alone in this plan. The place was packed—a shoulder-to-shoulder sea of pastry and coffee lovers, with the line nearly spilling out the door. Thankfully, I snagged my spot just shy of being exiled to the chilly sidewalk. Looking around at the crowd, I quickly ditched any dreams of dining in and opted for a strategic retreat: a pain au chocolat and a fancy chestnut & Currant tart, neatly boxed up and ready for a pastry-fueled escape to a quieter café nearby

chestnut & Currant tart

• The Appearance

When it comes to croissants, judging their appearance isn’t the ultimate decider—they can be delicious even if they aren’t visually perfect. But tarts? That’s a whole different story. Tarts are an artistic presentation where aesthetics and taste merge seamlessly. For this reason, their appearance deserves to meet higher standards.
La Cabra Bakery’s Chestnut & Currant Tart certainly delivers on visual appeal. Its minimalistic design features a smooth layer of cream topped with a light vanilla glaze, elegantly accented by sliced almonds along the edges. It’s simple yet harmonious. However, at first glance, you might mistake it for an almond tart or even a vanilla lemon tart. Without glancing at the menu, you wouldn’t guess it contains chestnut and currant filling hidden within.

• The Flavor and Texture

One bite, and the rich cream and buttery tart shell melt together beautifully. The flavors are well-balanced: the sweetness of the chestnut filling is offset by the tartness of the currant filling, which helps cut through the richness of the cream. That said, I personally found the chestnut filling a bit too sweet, overpowering the natural nuttiness of chestnuts. Similarly, the currant filling leaned too far into tartness, creating a flavor profile that was heavy on acidity and sweetness but lacked freshness or subtlety.
The cream and vanilla glaze were delightful on their own, but I couldn’t quite discern the role of the sliced almonds in the overall flavor—perhaps they were added purely for aesthetic value?

Final Thoughts

If you enjoy desserts with bold sweet and tangy contrasts, the Chestnut & Currant Tart is certainly worth trying. While it didn’t leave me particularly awestruck, it’s worth noting that La Cabra Bakery consistently maintains high standards in sourcing its ingredients. Their commitment to organic, locally-sourced produce and seasonal flavors reflects a deep respect for their craft.
Here’s hoping they continue to uphold these standards and resist the urge to follow fleeting trends.