Once upon a time there were three young men—roommates showbiz-bound for the lights of Broadway, but lucky in the unconventional sense of a dream deferred; as they soon found themselves hosting some of the best parties in all of New York City. Their taste was impeccable, and after several exclamations of “How much is this picture on the wall?” and “Where did you find this coffee table? I wish I could buy it,” they formulated a perfectly novel idea: “Let’s open a café; everyone loves our company and our cooking already!” Notoriety and fame found their doorstep with a pair of 50’s (the year 1954, and the Street, East 58th), and what began as a basement with white-washed walls hung full of Tiffany glass became a sensation with visits from the likes of Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams, and Greta Garbo. This left no question as to whether civilized folks would climb down into a basement, and before long the whole world was at their feet.
Thus began the offhand success of the Serendipity 3: Patch Caradine, Calvin Holt, and Stephen Bruce. Horace Walpole coined the term Serendipity and one day Patch Caradine inked out the word that would turn the fortunes of the three in a morning edition of the London Times crossword. “The Three Princes of Serendip” who gleaned lucky and profitable conclusions from obscure circumstances were the inspiration for the restaurant’s moniker.
“We may not have been princes, but we hoped we could be princes of the restaurant business,” says Stephen Bruce. Bruce is the only member of the trio that’s still around 54 years later, and he’s still spryly welcoming customers into the Alice in Wonderland-like interior. In 1958, the basement café relocated a few blocks away on East 60th Street; the second story of which was the setting for the 2001 film named after the dessert shop, starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale.
When asked about the menu selections, Stephen says that the wide array of cuisine was inspired by several sources; Patch and Calvin, both from Little Rock, Arkansas, came with family recipes to tide them over while trying their hands at show business. Stephen, not the best cook of the bunch, was shipped off to study under celebrated chef, cookbook author, and restaurateur, James Beard. “My first lesson was an omelet. James Beard sat me down next to a crate of eggs, and when I inquired as to why, James said to make an omelet; first you have to learn how to crack an egg.”
The Frrrozen Hot Chocolate & Beyond:
The trio of young restaurateurs wasn’t always ahead of the curve, but they shattered the mold for desserts forever when they started receiving more and more requests for something chocolate. “We decided to make a blended drink with 10-to-15 different kinds of chocolate.” The “Frrrozen Hot Chocolate” was born and the recipe kept under strictest confidence. Bruce wrote in his 2004 cookbook, Sweet Serendipity: “Jackie Kennedy once requested the recipe so that it could be served at a gala evening at the While House. I offered to travel to Washington to make it myself, but when my security clearance didn’t come through in time, I refused to hand over the secret formula—not even to the First Lady herself!”
Their desserts are not only delicious—they hold world records. A garden-variety frrrozen hot chocolate will run you $8.50, but for the discerning sweet tooth, Serendipity offers the Guinness World Records holder for most expensive dessert on the planet. The $25,000 “Frrrozen Haute Chocolate” is infused with 5 grams (0.2 ounces) of edible 23-karat gold and a side of La Madeline au Truffle from Knipschildt Chocolatier, which sells for $2,600 a pound. But wait—there is some added value for this ultra-luxury dish to the tune of a specialty diamond bracelet and a gold-with-diamonds spoon to take home after you lick it clean (the spoon, not the bracelet.)
To what does Mr. Bruce attribute the indelible mark on New York City that his restaurant has made? “New York keeps changing, sometimes in violent ways, but we haven’t and we won’t. This is a haven for everyone, from tourists to celebrities.” When asked if he had a favorite, celeb Stephen couldn’t really choose, but rather listed some of those at the top of his list. “Marlene Dietrich, Candice Bergen has been a regular; Cher has been absolutely enthused about our foot-long hot dogs. In fact, every time Cher has a new boyfriend she brings him in and makes sure we serve him a foot-long hot dog and a frozen hot chocolate. Recently, Kate Hudson and Lance Armstrong, Beyoncé and Jay-Z, and Leo DiCaprio have all been in. We do our best to accommodate them quickly, but we appreciate all of our customers and we enjoy everyone who comes in.”
Such is the tale of the little basement café that could. Whether you stop by for the Cher special or the lemon ice-box pie, it’s always been the sweet life for Stephen Bruce, the Serendipity 3, and all of their guests. Sun.-Thurs., 11:30am to midnight; Fri., 11:30am to 1am; Sat. 11:30am to 2am. 225 E. 60th St. btw. 2nd & 3rd Aves.; 212-838-3531; www.serendipity3.com
