Joe Allen’s
Joe Allen’s
326 West 46th Street
New York, NY 10036
212-581-6464
Joe Allen’s is a very famous pre and post theater hang out. The walls are covered in show posters and you are very likely to see a Broadway star or two while dining! I came to Joe Allen’s for one thing, their Banana Cream Pie. For years, my Broadway cast mates and friends have told me they have the BEST Banana Cream Pie! I was a little worried that my expectations might exceed the, “OH MY GOD THE BANANA CREAM PIE AT JOE ALLENS IS AMAZING!,” comments I have heard over the years! We also ordered the Berry Crumble, but a la mode instead of the side of whipped cream as the menu suggested. (Side note…if you ever see a crumble on a dessert menu and it’s not served a la mode, ORDER IT!! Why would anyone want a pie or crumble without a scoop of ice cream on the side!?) The banana cream pie arrived! Probably 5″ in height, 2″ of it was whipped cream! I grabbed my fork and went for my first bite as my husband looked on in anticipation! ”Well, the crust is good,” I said, “it is almost cake-like.” It was cake-like. Thick, bisquit/pound cake consistency, very different and unique, which was a plus. The banana filling, sweet and filled with copious amounts of banana. The whipped cream, light, creamy and smooth. All in all, it was a pretty good piece of banana cream pie. BUT, after frequent bites, I decided that something was missing. When I kept digging into the crumble instead of enjoying bites of my own dessert, I realized that my banana cream pie wasn’t measuring up. It needed texture. I frantically called our waiter over and asked, “Do you have any caramel sauce or hot fudge?” ”Hot fudge, yes…caramel, no.” Hot fudge it was! But, as I poured a little fudge over my pie, it still didn’t do the trick. I think what the pie needed was two things, a crunch and salt. I bet if they topped it with salted pecans, it would help to not only add texture, but break up the bland flavor from the the crust and whipped cream. The banana pudding layer was the only component holding it’s own. If there was a salted nut topping and possible drizzle of caramel sauce on the plate, we could have been in business! Turning to my husband with an empty plate, because I rarely not finish a dessert even if it’s not good, I said, “I don’t think that was the best banana cream pie I have ever had.” I still think you should go to Joe Allen’s and see for yourself because a lot of people love this pie. Sadly, I think Westway Diner has a better slice. I reviewed it while ago, check it out.
The Berry Crumble, however, was very good! The crumble base tasted like a shortcake you would bake from Bisquick. Thick, fluffy, and light. The brown sugar crumble top was covered in mounds of peaches, blueberries, and raspberries. The loads of fruit added to the shortcake feel of this dessert, combined with the vanilla ice cream was a perfect end to a warm fall evening! Adding the vanilla ice cream here was key! The crumble was so thick, from being biscuit-like, that you needed the ice cream to soak into the cake! Whipped cream would not have helped to lessen the crumble load. 
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