Mark Birnbaum Excited The General's Bakery is Open

The General, New York City

Mark Birnbaum shakes up the breakfast world with The General's cereal-inspired doughnuts

In case you missed it, Lower East Side Asian hotspot, The General isn't only rolling out some great food for lunch and dinner, it also has a great bakery as well. The restaurant whose kitchen is run by Top Chef Season 3 winner, Chef Hung Huynh is rolling out cereal-inspired doughnuts along with a number of other great delicacies starting at 6 a.m. every morning. 

The General, which is owned by Mark Birnbaum of EMM Group boosts an elegant dining experience with environments ranging from the seasonal outdoor patio to the Cafe, pastry counter, social hightop tables nestled right around the bar and an elegant dining room to top everything off. 

In case you're wondering why The General, which is an Asian themed restaurant created a classic American menu for its bakery, you're not the only one. Pastry chef Thiago Silva recently sat down with DuJour Magazine to give them a sneak peak into what went into creating these cereal-inspired doughnuts and the rest of the items on The General's bakery menu. 

DuJour: The General is Asian-themed. Why create a classic American menu for its bakery? 

Thiago Silva: I wanted to do something that is familiar, approachable and something that everyone loves. I did manage to add Asian ingredients into a few donuts. For example, the Fruity Pebbles has a kaffir lime-infused custard, which makes it taste like the cereal.  

DuJour: What inspired the cereal donuts? 

TS: I'd been developing a doughnut recipe before we even had a concept for The General, and I came up with a great recipe for the dough. I wanted to stick to the breakfast theme, and I thought about how I always ate cereal for breakfast when I was on the go. Therefore I designed cereal-inspired doughnuts so people could come in and grab doughnuts before they start their day.

Aside from the cereal-themed doughnuts, Mark Birnbaum also says guests can indulge in a number of other delicious pastries and savoy foods including, pretzel bombs - pretzel rolls filled with egg, cheese and a choice of back or ham. 

When will you be visiting The General? 

Excerpt from DuJour Magazeine