Kulu Desserts

GET THE GROUPON DEAL!$ 10 for $ 20 credit.
Stopped by to pick up some desserts for the old folks.
This place is a really really tiny area. Don’t even consider sitting down here and
to enjoy your dessert.
With the Groupon deal I was able to get almost one of every pudding flavor. Nothing too unique about the puddings, but it’ll be a cute gift.
The Sawdust puddings are the best out of all the puddings. Its topped with extremely lightly finely grounded nilla (?) cookies. At least it taste like nilla cookies to me.

Small grab & go spot with extremely limited seating (no more than 4). I really wish there were more places like Kulu as these deserts and «sweet soups» were exactly what I needed. Back in Toronto, I had these available all the time and I was really missing it here in Manhattan. The mango pomelo, purple/​black rice, glutinous rice balls, papaya and white fungus, everything. I’m still waiting for the day to try the Durian Supreme, as I’m never in the right company to eat it, if you know what I mean. The people who man the counter are super sweet and always have smiles on their faces.

Literally no place to sit, more like a grab and go place. Ordered mango pomelo — very disappointing, it wasn’t even sweet at all! Ordered matcha waffle — only HALF a waffle and not a full one? Tasted ok. Came here because of groupon but wouldn’t pay full price.

Whenever I have a sweet tooth for Asian desserts, I come here. The employees are always very nice, and patient. I take forever to decide on a dessert because there’s so much to choose from! My absolute favorite is the black glutinous rice with the sweet balls. It’s nice and hot, which is fantastic for a winter dessert. I’ve tried the red bean frappé and it was pretty yummy but the BGR will always keep me coming back for more.

This is a small grab & go place. Although, There’s a small area for a group of 3 to eat at on the left its gets pretty cramped.
The employee was really nice & answered all the questions I had for her. I ordered the mango sago pamelo with no citrus fruit & she was happy to accommodate me. Our food came out fast as well
It was really good & it tasted like real mangos! Although the fresh mango slices were too hard & a little bitter (mostly because it’s not mango season at the moment). But the sago & the tapioca pearls tastes great. The tapioca pearls were soft & melts in your mouth like how they are suppose to be. Towards the end it started to lose the mango taste & it just tasted like water which is disappointing since the first half was so good. I ended up throwing it away.
I don’t think I would be coming back. I’ve had better mango sago at other places, but it’s definitely worth a try if you never had mango sago before.

I absolutely love this place, probably because I have a slight obsession with Mangos. Of course, I got the Mango Pomelo which was amazing. Every bite tastes like sweet mangos! I also tried the Sesame Tong Yun in Black Sesame Tong Sui. It was good too but if you’re only going to get one thing, get the Mango Pomelo!

Anything with the word green tea matcha is a must order.
I purchased a groupon and ordered:
— Fuji mountain with green tea matcha waffle and green tea matcha ice cream
— Red bean matcha tofu pudding
— Taro sago with coconut juice
— Black sesame
From the above, the only dessert I fell in love with and wanted more of was the fuji mountain. The worst was the red bean matcha tofu pudding because the flavor was lacking in every aspect. It’s great for people that want to stick with a bland food diet but if you’re going to eat dessert, you might as well go all the way. The taro sago and black sesame were normal soup desserts so it was less impressive. But overall, the waffle with ice cream was the bomb; they sprinkle sliced almonds and condensed milk on top and the waffle sits on the red beans.

Wasn’t a fan of the desserts, but the 2 young ladies were so phenomenally kind, patient and helpful that this place deserve a 8 stars for service (and a 3.5 for food ha)
We had the choconana waffle with matcha powder in the dough, topped with banana, chocolate sauce, shaved almonds, whipped cream and matcha ice cream. My favorite part of the waffle was the ice cream. I wish they had Nutella, chocolate sauce is never as good as Nutella can be.
We also had the mango pomelo, this was my favorite. It’s super fresh and generous in mango. It comes in some sort of custard and there is some sort of a mango jello at the bottom. Very refreshing.
Then we had the durian fruit with red bean and rice, and various layers of unidentifiable custards stuff. This was actually very interesting. The durian fruit is very pungent but super tasty and this combo bowl was either awesome or awful, I really can’t tell!
All in all, fun dessert experience because I have never heard of half the menu so it’s definitely worth to try! The staff will be so so so kind and help you decipher the menu. I would actually go back and try other stuff such as the sweet balls and their yogurt. Also, I think it takes a certain palate to like the items on the menu.

Tiny spot (3 seats) and definitely not meant for eating in, but the desserts are simple and good.
I came in here with a Groupon ($ 20 value), and I wasn’t hungry at the moment so I wanted more portable desserts, so I got a variety of their puddings. (Thai Tea, Matcha and Black Sesame Milk Puddings; Original Sawdust Pudding). I also got Black Glutinous Rice with Peanut Sweet Balls.
Their milk puddings are good — creamy, rich and flavorful. They’re similar to the Royal Pudding at Paris Baguette or the panna cottas at Bibble & Sip. I liked the Thai Tea one the best.
The sawdust pudding is not great — I’d recommend away from it. It’s thick layers of tea biscuits with cream. It’s on the blander side and it’s really dry.
I really like the black glutinous rice with peanut sweet balls. If you’ve never had them before, this would bemy recommendation. It’s unique, nutty, and balanced in flavor.
Employees were really nice about the Groupon and about my order, so that was good as well.

Amazing amazing amazing. A small dessert place with limited seating. The most amazing thing is that they always have a smile on their face. I have tried almost all the desserts on the menu. Not a fan of Dorian. LOVED 3 desserts– kulu special with coconut milk, icecream mario with mango pudding, mango pudding with grapefruit. This place is the best for desserts. Wen u want healthy and delicious and not heavy. Dont get me wrong– i love chocolate fudge brownies n bakhlawaz and rice puddings but sometimes all u need is something light and sweet but niot too sweet– that is wen kilu comes in.

So glad that NYU area finally got an authentic asian dessert place. Gotta say, it is easy to miss this unkempt looking almost-​hole-​in-​the-​wall place, but it is at least clean, unlike Chinatown. Menu is pretty extensive, offering a wide variety of true Chinese sweets, and at super low prices! I had the red bean soup which tasted just like it does in Asia. I guess it is hard to mess up red bean soup but I’ll definitely be back to try at least a dozen goodies next time.

Redeemed their Unilocal checkin discount for the Thai Iced Tea Milk Pudding from the very sweet staffer, which was pretty tasty but unsubstantial for the price (though the glass container alone may be worth the price of admission). (Their display is currently broken, so I assumed they’d closed, so that’ll certainly take a chunk out of sales until that’s fixed because you see nada as you walk past aside from a lot of knick-​knacks crammed in the tiny space).

If you like Asian Desserts then you’ll love this place. There’s also a bubble tea place right next door!!!
My friends got the Mango Pomelo, Kulu Mix Fruit Special, and Sesame Sweet Ball w/​Ginger Soup. The girl at the counter warned us that the mango wasn’t in season but my friend still wanted it… turned out still pretty good.
I would recommend coming here for Asian Desserts… barely any lines and friendly service! There’s only 3 spots to sit inside so you might have to just take it to-​go.

If I were simply basing this review on their watermelon and pudding dessert I’d give this place 2 stars. I’ve made my own sweet coconut tapioca soup and I found Kulu’s watery. I think they just boiled the tapioca in water and added coconut milk. This would make sense as the sales woman asked if I wanted the pudding with coconut or mango juice. Traditionally the taro is boiled with the coconut milk, which results in a thicker consistency. I wasn’t expecting the mango pudding. I’ve also made better mango pudding. I initially thought it tasted like boxed mango pudding but without that off-​floral flavor that the boxed stuff usually has. But it’s more like creamy jello dyed a sherbet hue. Their mango pudding didn’t have a hint of mango flavor :(. Actually, it tastes a bit like coffee.
There are three seats in here, so don’t come with a large party and expect to be seated, but I knew this going in and just took out. Service was good. The server was informed, even warning me that there is a bit of dairy in this dish. But the dessert really wasn’t so great. I would probably return though because I like coconut tapioca, grass jelly, and black glutinous rice.
Here’s my aunt’s recipe for mango pudding:
2 mangoes– peeled and pitted. I’ve used «Champagne» mangoes. They hardly have fibers and are really sweet.
1 ½ pkg knots gelatin
½ cup sugar
1 ½ cups hot water
1 cup fresh milk
2 egg yolks– whip first so that it incorporates better
1. Purée the mangoes in a blender or food processor– you don’t have to do it until it’s liquified. It’s better to just blend a little, so you’ll have some mango chunks in your pudding.
2. Add the hot water to the sugar and gelatin. (Most recipes that ask for gelatin have it added to cool water and just spinkled on top, but I find it hard to ensure the gelatin is fully melted that way. You’re going to have to stir and press down on all the lumps because the gelatin tends to clump.) Set it aside and let it cool a bit before adding the rest of the ingredients.
3. Distribute into serving cups and cool in the refrigerator until solid. I think at least half an hour.

Yummy puddings in a cute cup. Tried their matcha and Thai tea flavors and they were creamy soft and melt in your mouth. Not too sweet but enough to be enjoyed as good dessert after a meal. sample durian and wasn’t for me, so if you are curious sample before buying durian.

Kulu, I approve. Thank you for not being in Flushing or Chinatown, first of all. However, you need to sort out your cleanliness issues — see below.
I purchased 3 $ 10 Groupons for Kulu and the SO and I decided to use one this past weekend. The store is quite tiny with barely enough standing space and seating for a grand total of 3 whole people at a tiny counter. That being said, it’s better as a takeaway spot.
Since the SO is allergic to mangoes (that poor soul), he got the black sesame glutinous rice balls with ginger soup — huge balls. Yep, huge balls — I said it. He said it tasted good, but I didn’t have any. What I did notice was the cashier was the only person working and she went and picked up the frozen rice balls with her bare hands after taking cash from us… that’s kind of gross. No gloves, nothing. Makes me wonder how sanitary this place is, since its 1 person working and she handles cash and cooks the food with no proper washing or gloves.
Anyway, cleanliness aside, I had the mango pomelo — a true test to whether or not a dessert place like this is good or not. The «mango juice» was more creamy that I’m used to and was kind of like a less-​sweet melted mango ice cream. The mangoes were yummy, ripe, and very sweet and there was plenty of it. Sago was proper texture and since its pomelo season, the pomelo was good as well.
Will try to ignore the sanitary issues and will return, as I have 2 Groupons left.

I will never go back to (well, this is an exaggeration but you get the point…) typical American desserts like cookies, cakes, and brownies after tasting the unique Asian fusion desserts at Kulu. I have always been a pretty big fan of green tea, mochi, and sweet red beans — and Kulu has them all!
The dessert selections at Kulu Desserts in West Village range from familiar items like waffles and pudding to ethnic desserts like Hong Kong style sweet soups and jelly. My friend and I ordered the cold Sweet Potato soup ($ 3.95) in sweet ginger broth, red bean soup with sweet ball ($ 3.95), and Fuji Mountain waffle ($ 9.50). The portions are appropriate for the price, but the waffle is a bit expensive.
The Sweet Potato Soup had diced cubes of Asian sweet potato (these have light yellow color, not orange) in a sweet ginger broth. The broth was too sweet for my liking, and the sweet potato could have been cooked longer. This was probably my least favorite of the three items we ordered, and I wouldn’t recommend it.
I liked the Red Bean Soup with Sweet Balls, or glutinous rice balls with sesame paste inside. We added additional sweet balls in the soup — I would definitely recommend the regular sized ones, not the mini balls, because you really get to taste the chewy texture and the delicious sesame paste inside them. Unlike the ginger broth, the red bean soup could have used a bit more sweetness.
Finally, the Fuji Mountain waffle includes a choice of waffle (original, matcha, and special of the day), and topped with sweetened red bean paste, condensed milk, black sesame mochi, matcha ice cream, granola, and coconut flakes. We asked for the matcha waffle, but unfortunately they onlyl had original that day. Oh well. The waffle is sweeter than usual. They add mochi in the squares, but I didn’t taste any sesame flavor. I loved the crunchiness of the coconut flakes and the granola with the creamy matcha ice cream and warm waffle. You only get ½ of the waffle though so the portion is pretty small for the price.
I’d be interested in trying their best-​seller pomelo next time.

This new store in Greenwich Village is super cute! There are a couple of seats in here.
Kulu Mix Fruit Special: This dessert had strawberry, pineapple, mango, dragonfruit, kiwi, cantalope, papaya, and vanilla ice cream. You can choose between a mango or coconut sauce. This dish is not to sweet but the vanilla ice cream definitely adds more sweetness.
Mango Pomelo with Grass Jelly: This dessert had mango, sago, tiny tapiocas, and grass jelly. It had a very similar feel to the Kulu Mixed Fruit Special except it had no ice cream. I preferred this one more because I really like grass jelly and mango. It’s also not too sweet, but just sweet enough.
Original Milk Pudding: I got this pudding to go. It was really cream and milky and the little glass container is so cute.

Feels like I’m back in Hong Kong with these awesome Asian desserts. I had the delicious mini sweet balls with black glutinous rice. Sounds odd but you gotta try it. If you want something fruity go for the mango and sago.

Asian desserts in West Village?
This Asian approves.
The space is VERY small. Most dessert shops if not all are designed to be sit downs because no one really wants to lug that shyt around unless you are on a date and want to stroll and eat. Even so, the store is clean and neat.
The service is friendly.
The price is well pricey. I haven’t been to the Kulu’s in Queens yet but I will. Even so the price is affordably.
The desserts were REALLY good. Rarely, does food pictures on advertisements or in store displays replicate what you get when you order. However, at this Kulu’s the dessert I ordered looked EXACTLY as advertised. That in itself is an impressive feat.
I ordered the KULU MIXED FRUIT SPECIAL ($ 7.50). I think it’s just better to look at the picture that I took of it. It’s worth plenty of words. The only one you need to know? DEEEEE… LICIOUS.
I ordered the RED BEAN TONG SUI W/​GRASS JELLY ($ 4.50) as well. This dessert was just okay. I’m a big fan of grass jelly and red bean. It wasn’t a home run for me.
Going on dates in the upcoming NY summer? You just might find yourself here.
It won’t increase your chances of getting laid but it just might make help you deal with the summer heat.
FAN.