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In case you haven't already heard, or spotted the stunning pink blooms yourself during your walks, it's officially cherry blossom season in New York! And the floral fun isn't just happening at the best NYC parks and botanical gardens—restaurants are getting in on the springtime celebration, too. You'll find pretty proof at Sake No Hana, which is launching a Cherry Blossom Dessert Platter to pay homage to Japan's Sakura tradition and the beauty of the annual bloom.
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The modern Japanese spot inside the Moxy Lower East Side wants you to "immerse yourself in the timeless tradition of hanami" (literally, "flower viewing") with the sweet new special, which will be available through Sunday, April 21. The platter includes six seasonal desserts, which can be paired with yuzu sake for an additional $75: a Swiss roll made with a yuzu sponge and matcha cream; raspberry mochi filled with white chocolate; a lychee coconut jelly; a strawberry profiterole with Sakura-strawberry cream; a chocolate-covered banana; and a praline Dorayaki, a Japanese pancake sandwich filled with a macadamia-praline ganache.
Crafted by the restaurant's pastry chef Erin Cayaban, the dessert platter takes inspiration from the cherry blossoms in both taste and presentation—seriously, between the colors, garnishes and shapes, this thing is primed for Instagram posting and packed with enough pink to make Barbie squeal with glee. The six-plate special costs $48 and is perfect to split among friends, though we wouldn't blame you for wanting to eat the entire platter solo. Check out the gorgeous spread below:
Checking out the cherry blossoms every year is one of the best things to do in spring, with glorious floral displays popping up between late March and early May everywhere from the Reservoir to Roosevelt Island to Riverside Drive, home to the fittingly titled Sakura Park. And we love to see food-and-drink spots around New York City getting into the springtime spirit with their own cherry blossom specials.