It's almost redeemed, however, by the accompanying sweet-potato mousseline, topped with a thin, crisp layer of toasted marshmallow.

His brandade is a neat trick: a "pastry" made with crisp layers of fried boniato and a filling of creamy salt cod puree accented with lemon sage.

It was served properly, with a cool layer on the bottom and warm cream on top supporting a crisp bitter layer of caramelized sugar.

Chicharrones of pork ($6) is another such dish - chunks of pork, each with a crisp layer of skin, a glistening line of fat over tender meat.

Spanakopita ($4.50), crisp layers of phyllo encasing spinach and feta cheese, was fresh and savory, while saganaki ($6.75), fried kasseri cheese, was nutty and rich.

Pan-seared duck came with a blessedly thick and crisp layer of skin.

Each bite had a crisp layer of prosciutto and a tender bit of veal.

Use its two crisp layers to scoop up the custard, syrup and berries.

The clue here is a crisp layer and a soft, creamy layer.

There are endless combinations of crisp layer and filling.