Top Five

Tropical Desserts

You toughed out the blizzard—and now you deserve an island vacation, full of icy pink drinks and pineapples. Oh, what’s that? The flights are all booked? Ah, well—these restaurateurs can give you a taste of what you’re missing.

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By Lauren DeCarlo

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The caramelized-banana tart at SushiSamba.

Candied lemon cake (filled with lemon curd) is served with coconut sorbet and topped with mango, papaya, and pineapple. Let the sorbet half-melt and seep into the cake for pure bliss. (W Hotel Times Square, Broadway at 47th Street; 212-918-1400.)

2. Sushi Samba

Follow the delectable sushi and cocktails with a caramelized-banana tart with rum espuma and coconut sorbet. Even more exotic: coffee-and-coconut flan with candied chestnuts and passion-fruit sorbet. (245 Park Avenue South, near 19th Street; 212-475-9377.)

3. Dos Caminos

After the fab guacamole, you wouldn’t think it could get better. Then the dessert menu comes: Martin Leahy makes a semi-frozen lime-and-coconut Napoleon served with a chopped-mango salsa and citrus mousse. (373 Park Avenue South, near 26th Street; 212-294-1000.)

4. Bull Run

Mikael Andersson’s milk-chocolate-and-pecan-brittle parfait is served with a mango-raspberry coulis (a fancy word for syrup) and deep-fried coconut ice cream (less messy and eccentric than it sounds). (52 William Street; 212-859-2200.)

5. Union Pacific

Rocco DiSpirito will rock your taste buds with a mango-and-papaya carpaccio and pineapple sherbet. Or have the lemon three-way—lemon cookie, lemon sorbet, and lemon charlotte, all served with pistachio cream. (111 East 22nd Street; 212-995-8500.)