5. Nostalgic desserts are in the works.
While Tran is focused on getting the savory side of things fully up and running, he has big plans for the dessert menu. “I think there’s a nostalgic thing that I really like with pastries,” he says. “You’ll probably see a lot of classics. I’ll try to push the envelope.”
There might be a stately slice of layer cake one day or various iterations of laminated dough cradling Vietnamese or Mexican-influenced fillings the next. Above all, expect sweets that are approachable and joyful, often with a clever twist. “I want people to be super happy with what they’re having,” Tran says. “One of the things that makes happiness, besides execution of the food, is hitting a memory or a feeling.”
Oh, and there’s a soft-serve machine. “A soft-serve sundae with Mexican hot fudge and peanuts?” Tran says. “That’s just fun.”
Falansai is open for dinner from Wednesday to Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m., and serves coffee and pastries daily from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Diana Hubbell is a James Beard Award-winning food and travel journalist whose work has appeared in The Washington Post, The Guardian, Atlas Obscura, VICE, Eater, Condé Nast Traveler, Esquire, WIRED, and Travel + Leisure, among other places. Previously based in Berlin and Bangkok, she currently lives in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Follow her on Instagram. Follow Resy, too.
Ben Hon is a New York-based photographer. Follow him on Instagram. Follow Resy, too.