Photos by Steven
"Muffin Mania" has descended upon the East Village.
This morning, Isshiki Matcha at 138 Second Ave. between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street is (was!) serving up the fudge-centered chocolate muffins that became a thing during the Paris Games.
It started when Norwegian distance swimmer Henrik Christiansen posted some TikTok videos raving about the creations served at the Olympic Village. You know the rest!
So Isshiki Matcha said they "imported 300 muffins from Coup de Pates France, the actual supplier of the Olympic Village muffin."
The line started about 100 feet east on Saint Mark's, split into at least two lines on Second Avenue, and wrapped around Ninth Street.
An RSVP was required, by the way.
No word of any selfie-related injuries while posting photos and videos of the muffins.
Wow a long line like that just to get muffins? I hope they have some good weed in them.
ReplyDeleteMan, people truly have nothing better to do!
ReplyDeleteDid no know sheep eat muffins.
ReplyDeleteIt did not take long to hear from the boomers who hate everything, including themselves. Let people enjoy what they want. Life is short, as you know.
ReplyDeleteToo short to waste on standing in endless lines. But when you're young, you don't know that, yet.
DeleteBoomers > Sheep
DeleteI thought that New Yorkers were smarter than that but then again most trust fund little punks don't know any better and do what everyone tells them to do
DeleteI remember when Dominique Ansel invented the cronut the lines were several blocks long. A few years after that when the raw cookie dough place opened on LaGuardia Place the lines stretched past Houston Street. I'm sure there must have been something else since then? Anyway, we were due for another one of these and here it is, more or less on schedule.
ReplyDeleteLafayette bakery crossaints
DeleteYes yes let people live, it's just that this crowd is already so close to the Upper East Village bakery district™ and it would be nice to see them patronize one of our MANY fine bakeries and not a pop-up. (Personally, I don't get standing in line for a lowly muffin. I can make my own damn muffins, call me when the line starts for vegan baklava.)
ReplyDeleteI'm going to take a wild guess that 50 percent of this muffin crowd also stands on line for bagels ("beggels") every weekend.
correction: vegan baklava *cheesecake* 👍
DeleteCould've just counted 300 people to know if there's a point standing there.
ReplyDeleteNot hating on these people in any way. But, this really shows how much this neighborhood has changed over the last 20-30 years. Back then the only place people were lining up at was dope spots. It's hard to argue that this isn't better.
ReplyDeleteNot waiting on line for this when C&B has the best cromuffin with Nutella in the middle ! 🤤
ReplyDeleteThose "muffins" are the most disgusting thing I had ever heard described.
ReplyDeleteMight as well tip head back and dump in a bottle of Bosco.
And the last few punk shows that I went to see at the Knitting Factory on A were pretty empty. Most of the people I talked with lived in Queens or Brooklyn. People who live in this hood now don't want live music, they want viral foods.
ReplyDeleteThis is the new thing. See it on IG / TikTok, show up at the store.
ReplyDeleteThat is so not new by now!
DeleteAbout 15 years ago there was an insane line on St Marx, close to A, for 8 cents crepe... we were next door at 10 Degrees, laughing at the young millenials stading there for an hour.
Right. Then you stand on line all morning to try one and document it all on YOUR IG/TikTok.
DeleteThe medium is the muffin.
There were IG and TikTok videos driving people to boutique stores 15 years ago?
DeleteThe NYT published a version of the Olympic muffin recipe; it's apparently slightly more muffin-y than cupcake-y. I've seen other versions of the recipe that involve more work and more dirty dishes, so this is the one I'd try. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025839-molten-chocolate-muffins
ReplyDeleteWhy does this generation love waiting in lines !!! We ( gen x) would DEF not have done this for a freaking MUFFIN!
ReplyDeleteRight, you were too busy with your weird angst to enjoy life.
DeleteEnjoying life is waiting for 2 hours to try something and post it on social media? Dont think so pookie
DeleteThe same people who probably claim to be so concerned about climate change are lining up for muffins that are flown in from Paris?
ReplyDeleteHaha!! Good one.
DeleteOverall the generational conflicts and micro aggressions on this blog r entertaining!
I only wait in line at the DMV.
Yeah those 300 muffins are the problem, unlike, let's say, Taylor Swift 2 private jets.
DeleteWhy do I only find about these things AFTER they happen? Reminds me of the Brooklyn Blackout cupcake from Two Little Reds Hens.
ReplyDeleteI’d rather wait in line for a bag of dope
ReplyDeleteSkip the chocolate muffins....do not miss the yummy tres leches cake at Tres Leche Cafe - 160 Orchard Street; terrific pastries at Epices Bakery - 104 West 70th St; and amazing flan at Claudy's -5981 Broadway in Riverdale (by the No. 1 stop)
ReplyDeleteSomeone mentioned the changes from 20 years ago but 20 years ago it was the same thing, long lines for: Pickle Guys, Pomme Frits, Pinkberry, expensive gourmet sandwiches, etc.
ReplyDeleteok then, let's go back 40 years ago. the only people standing in lines were drug addicts looking to score. People were plenty pleased with what was available in local stores and inexpensive, immigrant restaurants. No these muffin / cakes are not immigrant food.
Delete40 years ago parents waited in long lines for Cabbage Patch dolls. They were dopes then and these are dopes now.
DeleteI understand being curious, but just because someone calls something "viral" doesn't mean you need to go stand in a line for an hour-plus to participate. It's an allegedly tastier-than-average chocolate muffin! Younger Millennials/Gen Z seem to have no resistance to manufactured hype. I blame the way the economy distorted their upbringing, mostly, but they could try a *little*. (Also, yes, there are some amazing bakeries around there who could use the patronage! Get a chocolate chip cookie from From Lucie, they're great!)
ReplyDeleteThanks for ruining society social media
ReplyDeleteRidiculous to waste ur time on a line for sweets. Wouldn’t do it for tickets either.
ReplyDeleteHey! Nice to see muffin mania taking off at a small business in the east village rather than Whole Foods or Dunkin’ Donuts. This is the kind of energy it takes to make money in the restaurant biz at the moment and keep chains OUT of the east village. This hype actually kind of reminds me of the 1960s “latest fashions from Paris” etc. I’m into it
ReplyDeleteI’d go for the chocolate cake at the Little Pie Company, cupcakes at Molly’s Cupcakes, and tiramisu at Chanson Patisserie (chainlet)
ReplyDeletePeople have been standing in line since the Egyptians first started brewing and hyping their beer 5,000 years ago. Save for the technology nothing new going on now.
ReplyDeleteI think for many young people, "the treasure was all the friends we made along the way" or some such shit. that is to say, the waiting in line is as much the draw as the actual muffins or whatever. a place to see and be seen, or something.
ReplyDeleteAs long as we’re mentioning supporting local sweet deliciousness, I would give a reminder shoutout to Le Fournil (aka, previous Moishe’s)
ReplyDeleteIt’s perhaps one of the finest viennoiseries - bakeries in the city (in my opinion) and right in our neighb. Incredible stuff. And cool space after they exposed all the original walls.
Interesting. Are you the owner? I tried that place a few times over a year ago and the pain au chocolat was dry with hard chocolate in the middle, and the baguette was whatever. And service rude and slow. Maybe I'll try again if it changed.
DeleteWaiting in line for a muffin? No thanks.
ReplyDeleteSad.
ReplyDeleteAlso odd in that muffins are made with oil. A chocolate cupcake made with butter - that might be worth a few minutes in a line…
ReplyDeletePeople on-line getting bent spending their time complaining about people spending their time standing in a line. Now that's funny.
ReplyDeleteON MY WAY FROM FRANCE!
ReplyDeleteCan we separate the 'on line' commenters (NYers) from the 'in line' commenters (Ohioans...or something). Then discount the latter.
ReplyDelete