babka

[offthebeatenpath1]

I have grown up only knowing one babka, the cinnamon at William Greenberg's. I am going home to visit my parents this weekend and I always bring one to my father, but he told me he is tired of Greenbergs. After almost dropping the phone, I said I will come up with a new one.

So, where are the best babka's besides Greenberg's, but are similiar in consistency? Also, it can't have nuts.

Thanks

[planojim]

I just got one the other day from the kosher bakery that's two storefronts down from Kossar's Bialys. Can't remember the name of the bakery, but the babka was delicious.

[stuartlafonda]

Babka update. I was at DiFara again today and made my visit across the street for Babka. The guy behind the counter said he had some comming out of the oven so I waited. In less then five minutes he was wrapping up a babka unlike the usual one he sells. Rather then a babka in an aluminum loaf container this one was round and open in the middle in a ring shape. The babka was a series of connected orbs of babka, more goey then usual but less so then the R&D version. It was awesome.

[offthebeatenpath1]

I believe the Polish version tends to be the round kind with the whole in the middle.

[ajt13]

Haven't been in years, but the chocolate and cinnamon babkas at Moishe's kosher bakery on Second Avenue at around 7th Street used to be pretty wonderful. Besides which you'd get to watch the two crabbiest old counterpeople in the world yelling at each other...

[addictedtolunch]

The old guy still works the counter. He looks like he died long ago, but he's still on the job.

[DarthEater]

Dean and DeLuca carries a delicious chocolate version. I don't know who makes it.

[pellegrino31]

I was going to suggest D&D too. Their chocolate one is great and I also like the cinnamon one too. I don't know where they source it from either.

[DarthEater]

All I know is its from a kosher bakery in Brooklyn.

[eve]

Besides R&D (don't laugh) I have had very good babka from Zaros bought at Penn Station and Port Authority

[ohromujici]

I am addicted to that one too. I also have a guilty pleasure of eating the one from Zabars. : )

[offthebeatenpath1]

I ended up getting a Zabar's babka and my father took the first bite and said to not listen to him and always buy Greenberg's.

[addictedtolunch]

Nothing wrong with the one from Zaro's anymore- the place has staged a bit of a comeback.

[offthebeatenpath1]

the zaro's in the grand central market has very nice looking products. I haven't tried any yet, but I have been meanting to.

[stuartlafonda]

I don't know who makes it but the one sold at Russ and Daughters is great. I grabbed one from the bakery across the street from Di Fara yesterday, my regular post Di Fara dessert, and it was excellent. The style was drier and more crumbly then the super soft almost gooey version sold by R&D.

[RussianGirl]

I must confess - stuartlafonda brought a babka over to my family's house from R&D back in november and they are still raving about it. DELICIOUS. i must confess further - i was with him yesterday on the trip to di fara and the subsequent stop at the bakery - the babka there was good, but not as good as R&D.

[valerie]

As soon as I saw the title of this thread, I thought of the chocolate babka at R&D. Amazing!

[offthebeatenpath1]

I will definitely keep R&D in mind for the future, but I just won't be able to get all the way down their this time. Any suggestions for above 34th street or thereabouts?

[Yaxpac]

try Andre's Hungarian Bakery on the UES

[addictedtolunch]

The "Russ & Daughters" babka is Green's, the same one as packaged in bulk and sold at Zabar's. I look for an especially "muddy" one in the carton when I buy.
Actually, this is not a traditional babka at all-it is good but too much like a fudge cake. Traditional ones are fast disappearing along with the single owner neighborhood bakery. The "traditional" is not as gooey, and has sugary crumbs on top. It is more of a cross between a chocolate cake and a coffee cake.

[thesu]

I have heard good things about Green's, but the ingredient list has palm oil and no butter. I'm a fan of butter-only desserts, so I'm wary of trying this.