Cha-An’s Former Chef Is Opening a Dessert Bar Off of McCarren Park

Tomoko Kato, who helped open the Cha-An tea room in the East Village in 2003, is opening an eponymous dessert bar on the Williamsburg-Greenpoint border.

The chef, who cut her teeth at top-notch restaurants like Le Bernardin and Bouley, tapped designer Hiromi Tsuruta (who gave Momofuku Noodle Bar its chic look) to create a hybrid dessert bar and takeout pastry shop. Patisserie Tomoko will offer pastries such as green-tea truffles and black-sesame creme brulee, as well as savories like Italian-style breads stuffed with meats and vegetables — all artfully packaged. “It’s like a gift box, something you want to give your friends and bring to a special occasion,” Kato said.

Kato, who lives in Williamsburg, said she felt lucky to have snagged a retail space inside of a new building, The Union, about a year ago. “There weren’t a lot of things going on at the time we found the space and now there are a lot of condos and restaurants coming in,” she said. But even if apartments at The Union go for about $2,500 and up, the desserts at Kato’s 8-seat dessert bar aren’t outrageously priced. The $13 three-course menu features an amuse (e.g. ice cream, fruits), a choice of dessert (e.g. creme brulee, homemade ricotta cheesecake) and petit fours. To drink, there’ll be the option of a $9 wine pairing as well as Toby’s Estate coffee and In Pursuit teas.

The patisserie launches October 26, assuming the buildings permit arrives in time, and will be open Tuesday through Thursday from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from noon to 11 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 10 p.m.

Patisserie Tomoko, 568 Union Ave., bet. Richardson and Frost, Williamsburg; (718) 387-0459