☞ EAT: Lee Lee's Baked Goods

Where in Manhattan can you find that elusive, rich, moist dessert: Rugelach? The thing about most traditional baked goods is that they are dry and drier. Maybe 20th century bakers wanted to improve the shelf-life, or special ingredients became a cost factor, but many New York pastries are mere crumbling cookies. Anyhow, the secret to success is something French patisseries have always known: butter.

Mr. Lee at Lee Lee's adds this special ingredient, baked on site at his shop on Frederick Douglass Boulevard in West Harlem. "Rugelach by a Brother" is made with enough butter to make it moist but still retain its crispness. Although it comes in only traditional cinnamon, Lee's pastry is considered one of the best in the city. There's also other baked specialties, such as bread pudding and Red Velvet cake, for those looking for other options. All that with a traditional striped awning and topiaries out front to boot. 283 W. 118th St., between Frederick Douglass Boulevard (8th Ave.) and St. Nicholas Avenue. Tel. 917-493-6633