A Must Try: Gourmet Crispy Rice Treats From Treat House
Mock all you want, but there seems to be no end in sight to the trend of turning humble food items into gourmet parlors. Popsicles, mayonnaise, rice pudding, grilled cheese, and, of course, the grandmommy of them all, cupcakes. Just a few of the ordinary snacks and desserts given the artisanal treatment in recent years, with mixed degrees of success.
And now, in a charming little cafe on Amsterdam Avenue, the Upper West Side welcomes Treat House, perhaps the first-ever shop on the planet dedicated (almost) entirely to Rice Krispie… er, sorry, to “Crisped Rice” Treats. Yes, New Yorkers are nothing if not optimistic that everything can be turned into a viable business.
Gourmet Treats For a Good Cause
Not that Treat House is some sort of cynical money grab…. not at all. In fact, co-owner Chris Russell got the idea for Treat House when some of the unusually-flavored crisped rice treats he made for his son’s school proved to be the hit of the bake sale. So, in keeping with the “for a good cause” spirit, Treat House is donating ten cents to the Food Bank For New York City for each treat sold. And based on the variety of creative, crowd-pleasing flavors here–Chocolate Peanut Butter, Pretzel Caramel, Bubble Gum, Blueberry Pie, to name just a few–all of which can be mix-n-matched in fun, four- and twelve-pack boxes, AND the fact that the back seating area is decked out like some sort woodsy clubhouse, I’m guessing that will add up to significant amount of donated dimes.
A Variety of Rice Treats to Choose From
I went to Treat House the other evening, and made short work of four of these chewy little delights: a Birthday Cake (the most sugary of the bunch), a S’Mores, a Dark Chocolate Chili (actually pretty spicy!) and, best of all, a Caramel Sea Salt, whose “victory” was mostly due to the actual caramel sitting on top on the thing rather than with the treat itself… honestly, there wasn’t a whole lot of difference in the “body” of these. But that’s what’s clever about Treat House treats: not only are the flavors appealing, but each one comes with an appropriate topper, so they’re as cute and festive looking as they are sweet and marshmallowy tasting. A favorite from fellow food bloggers, Han+Diana, was the ice cream bar- which, I didn’t try, but from the pictures, I wish I did. Overall, bring home a few of these and you’ll definitely be the dessert hero of the night. And if you’re looking for more of a caffeine rush than a sugar high, Treat House also serves Stumptown coffee.
More Information: Treat House on UWS
Treat House is located on Amsterdam Avenue between 82nd and 81st Streets, and is open weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and on weekends from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Visit the Treat House online for a complete menu and information about, among other things, catering.
Posted in NYC Dining, Westside | Tagged treat house gourmet treats • treat house nyc • treat house rice treats • treat house treats • treat house upper west side • treat house uws
