Allen gave himself the luxury of hiring a pastry chef, one with another impressive local pedigree: David James, whose work I liked at Harvest (I didn't try it at his next stop, No. 9 Park) but admire more here. The handmade puff pastry is impressive, though it could be a bit lighter. There's the obligatory chocolate dessert: milk chocolate semifreddo ($8), too cold and hard as everywhere else these days, but smooth and satisfying, layered with impressively thin coconut florentines. The fruit cobbler ($9) is lovely – a huge portion served in a wide baking pan and always on the menu. It can easily serve two. James told me he was amazed at how many people polish it off by themselves after dinner. I wasn't amazed. I was just wondering which fruit would be under the bubbling, light, sconelike crust the next time I visit.