Big City, Little Kitchen

New way to feed a macaroon addiction: pay a visit to MacarOn, a little French bakery and sandwich shop tucked into the Garment District.

The namesake macaroons, while perhaps not as ethereal as those at Laduree in Paris or at Maison du Chocolat in Manhattan, are an appealing mid-afternoon treat, provided you choose your flavor(s) carefully. I am fond of the violet and the dark chocolate; sadly, the salted butter caramel cannot stand up to similarly-flavored sweets elsewhere. I found the exteriors to have the requisite crispness, and the insides to be chewy, if a bit heavy. In some cases, the fillings were slightly too soft; instead of cementing the two layers together, it caused them to slide around when I bit into the cookie.

I noticed some crepes under glass, presumably prepared-to-order with the nearby Nutella. This is a major selling point for me, as I’m not aware of any other source for crepes in midtown. The sandwiches, none of which I have tried, looked quite good as well. As such, while not a destination, MacarOn seems to have secured a foothold in the neighborhood, serving those who work in the area or frequent Penn Station: this place is infinitely more appealing that most of the fast-food options in that area.

MacarOn
161 West 36th Street, between Seventh Avenue and Broadway
646.573.5048