dessert Archives - Page 2 of 17

In curbside pickup

Glenburn Soda Fountain & Confectionery: Build Your Own Dessert in a Box

April 5, 2020

Glenburn Soda Fountain has found ways to innovate during the Covid-19 crisis. With dining rooms closed, they really worked fast to keep customers supplied with their delicious treats. I was very impressed that they listened to customers to see what they would want during this time.

They have their regular menu for delivery on Skip the Dishes.

They are currently offering a few limited features for curbside pick up.

Build Your Own Sundae Box
Float Pack for 2
Take Home Pints
Pop Shoppe Soda
Callister Soda
DIY Banana Split Kit

In a span of 2 weeks, our team ordered the Build Your Own Sundae Box, Float Pack for 2, and the DIY Banana Split Kit.

These items are very customizable. You order it in the morning and then it is available for pick up from 4-6pm. Things do change quickly, so make sure you follow Glenburn on social media to see what the latest offers and prices of their different kits.

Build Your Own Sundae Box

It was a Friday, so the end the week off right, we decided to get one for our family. We were able to pick it up with no issues. The packaging is quite nice and easy to carry back home.

We got our sundae kit with strawberry marble ice cream, chocolate ice cream, pretzels, cookie crumbs, almonds, and their hot fudge. It’s very customizable, so next time, we will definitely add brownies into our box.

We had fun layering the toppings with the ice cream. Such a fun activity to end the day with the family. A real treat that we highly recommend. Easily feeds 4 people but we had 7 adults sharing this and had a little nite each. With the leftover hot fudge, we made mochas for the rest of the week.

Float Pack for 2

The float pack comes with cups, straws, vanilla ice cream, and your choice of 2 Pop Shoppe beverages. We went with Black Cherry and Root Beer. Two very classic flavours.

Once you bring it home, just pour the soda right into the cups. Its pretty big, so you can easily turn this into 4 smaller portions as there are 4 scoops of ice cream.

DIY Banana Split Kit

I haven’t had a banana split since 2018 and I was really excited to have it again. Their Banana Spit Kit comes with all the staples that you need to make 2 delicious and beautiful banana splits at home.

The kit includes:

2 banana split boats
2 bananas
3 – 12oz tubs of ice cream – chocolate, vanilla and strawberry
3 – 3 oz tubs of sauce – hot fudge, strawberry and pineapple
1 canister of whipped cream
Your choice of walnuts or sprinkles
3 cherries

It was fun to make together with the family and we had debates about how to make the perfect banana split. They did put together a video on Facebook on how to create perfect banana split, but we don’t follow instructions and go with the flow.

Final Thoughts

I love these fun dessert kits where you can make them at home with your family. It’s a perfect thing for the end of the week and just have fun. Sundae in a box was my favourite kit, but you can’t go wrong with any of them.

Follow them on Facebook or Instagram to see what they are offering daily as these kits may change over time.

I love supporting local small businesses during this pandemic in any way I can. If you are looking for a sweet treat and looking for a way to support Glenburn, I highly recommend it.

Website to order Build Your Own Dessert in a Box
https://glenburn-soda-fountain-109212.square.site/#uxVaKL

Address:
4090 Hastings St, Burnaby, BC

In Coquitlam

Walnut Cake and Mini Taiyaki Food Truck in Coquitlam: Review

March 11, 2020

Walnut Cake and Mini Taiyaki Food Truck is located in Hanin Village of Coquitlam on North Road. This is the same plaza where H Mart is located. I’ve see Walnut Cake and Mini Taiyaki Food Truck many times but I usually don’t have cash with me, so I always tell myself I need to visit.

Today, I finally had some cash and saw them open, so I decided to go grab some as a pre-dinner snack.

Walnut Cake (호두과자 hogugwaja)

I went with the 7 pieces for $5 as it’s a good size to share with the family. It is filled with red bean in the centre. The walnut cafe was soft and squishy with the mixture of red bean in the centre. It was good and not too sweet.

Mini Taiyaki (붕어빵 Bungeoppang)

These mini taiyaki are really cute and they are filled with custard on the inside. At 10 for $5, it’s not a bad price either. The custard filling was very delicious. It was also soft, squishy, and looks very cute.

Final Thoughts

Overall, Walnut Cake and Mini Taiyaki Food Truck is pretty good. I know a lot of people will ask how it compares to Kim’s Korean Waffles & Pancakes across the street and it’s all comes down to personal taste. I like my waffles crunchy, so I gravitate towards Kim’s. My family likes the softer waffles, so they like Walnut Cake and Mini Taiyaki Food Truck.

While you’re here, you might as well go to both places.

Address:
329 North Rd, Coquitlam, BC

In Cafe

Billy Button Dessert Bar: All about the Aesthetic Looking Dessert in Vancouver

March 9, 2020

Billy Button is a Dessert Bar in Vancouver and they serve up the most aesthetic looking desserts in town. Each piece is a work of art. I came with my foodie friend right before the last call at the end of the night.

They still had many items left on the menu, so we ordered one of each item.

Interior

The space is small but very sleep looking. There aren’t many tables inside, so it’ll be hard to fit a large group unless you go at off hours.

Kids

They have high chairs if you toddler needs one.

Orange

Is this a real orange? Nope. This has orange marmalade and white chocolate whipped ganache. It really is stunning. You take your spoon and smash it open. In terms of taste, it was alright.

Strawberry

Strawberry or Tomato? I think it looks more like a tomato, but it’s a strawberry. It is made with house made sorbet jam blend with fresh strawberry and then coated with white chocolate ganache. The taste was also ok.

Blueberry Tart

This blueberry tart has blueberry jam, pasty cream, and an almond sponge cake. Pretty good item and the blueberry are so pretty.

The Garden

The dessert is stunning and I love the name. It has cucumber, yogurt mousse, yuzu cremeux, raspberry powder, and house made crostini. Very innovative, but the cucumber doesn’t work in this dish.

Osmanthus Udon

This is another creative dish. The ‘noodles’ are made of osmanthus panna cotta, then paired with berry sauce and crumble. Stunning but I wasn’t a fan of this.

Matcha Green Tea Tart

The Matcha Green Tea Tart has matcha soufflé, matcha sponge cake, and matcha ice cream. I enjoyed this Matcha Green Tea Tart.

The Autumn

This fun dessert has a red wine poached pear, chocolate cake, and red wine sauce. This dessert was ok as well.

Salted Caramel Brioche

The salted caramel brioche is paired with a salted caramel sauce, brown sugar crumble, vanilla Chantilly cream, and dark chocolate. I really enjoyed this one. It’s not as innovative like the other dishes, but it’s solid.

Final Thoughts

Billy Button Dessert Bar is very creative and innovative when it comes to stunning desserts. I love the look, but the taste feels a bit disconnected. The desserts I liked the most were the ones that look very boring- the salted caramel brioche and matcha green tea tart.

Address:
144 E Broadway, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.billybuttondessertbar.com/

In Cafe

Gram Cafe & Pancakes: Souffle Pancakes in Metro Vancouver

March 6, 2020

Gram Cafe & Pancakes is now open in Richmond serving up the popular souffle pancakes. People go nuts over these in Japan with long line ups for a taste of their fluffy pancakes.

There are 4 Gram Cafe & Pancakes set to open in Metro Vancouver – Robson Street, Kerrisdale, The Amazing Brentwood and Richmond. The Richmond location inside Aberdeen Mall is the first to open and we came during their soft opening to check out the space and the unique menu items. No date is set for the Grand Opening yet as they are still working out kinks.

Interior

The space is large and lots of space. If you are in a large group, it might be hard to get a spot unless you come early.

Kids

The seating is comfortable and the tables are spaced a distance from other tables, so if you bring in strollers, there is plently of room to move around.

There are also high chairs available inside. Changing tables are a short distance away and since it’s in Aberdeen Mall, there is changing tables outside.

We did notice a few kids dining here as well when we were here.

Premium Pancake Line Up

Something you might not know about Gram Cafe & Pancakes is that there is a line up for their Premium Pancakes. They are open 11am-9pm daily and serving three time slots of Premium Pancakes at 11am, 3pm, 6pm with 30 orders at each time slot.

As most guests want the premium pancakes instead of their regular items, you will need to go ahead of time to get a token and come at at the next time slot available.

It is suggested to come 1 hour to 1.5 hours in advance to get the token. Best to grab it, then walk around the mall until it’s your turn. Of course with more locations open, lines may die down.

Taste Test of Premium Pancake

We had our tokens on the table with ’08’ and ’09’, so we had to wait till they served the people ahead of us. It wasn’t a long wait once all the pancakes started coming out. The servers are quick and have to balance the pancakes very well so it doesn’t topple over. It’s very delicate.

Once it’s at the table, it should be eating very quickly within minutes as you can see it starts to deflate.

There are 3 premium soufflé pancakes stacked on top of each other with a scoop of butter and a small jug of syrup. There is also whipped cream on the side.

It has a good flavour with a bit of butter, syrup and whipped cream. It was a touch dense, so I wished it was a bit more airy. I haven’t been to their Japan locations, but some have said the ones in Japan are more airy than the ones here.

$16 for each dish is a bit steep, but it is slightly above par with other cafes in town that do something similar.

Cool Premium Pancake Take Out

If you absolutely have no patience to line up, they do offer a limited amount of Cool Premium Pancake for take out only. This takes their premium pancake, cut in half and filled with whipped cream for $3.75.

It’s much more affordable than the Premium Pancake which is $16 for 3 pancakes.

Taste Test of Cool Premium Pancake

It is served cold and the height of the pancake has deflated as some of the air has escaped as its not fresh off the griddle. It has a generous amount of whipped cream in the centre. Some say its too much whipped cream, but I do love whipped cream. It was alright.

Tiramisu Pancake

Between the three pancakes is mascarpone tiramisu cream, cocoa powder and a piece of milk chocolate. The pancakes are thinner and for this sweet pancake option, it is served cold. This makes sense as the other ingredients are cold and won’t melt because of the temperature.

That mascarpone tiramisu cream is really good and addictive.

Chili Bean Pancake

There are 3 pieces of pancakes with chili sauce, maple breakfast sausage, potatoes, salad, and cheddar cheese. This is your savoury dish and it’s interesting that they serve this as it give guests more options.

The chili had a nice kick of spice to it. I’m not a sweet and savoury person, so I didn’t gravitate towards this dish. The other people I dined with did enjoy it.

Chocolate Banana French Toast

This has their thick cut of french toast and topped with chocolate sauce and 4 slices of banana. There definitely could have more banana in this dish.

It was alright but nothing special.

Coffee

They have an assortment of drinks on the menu, but we went with coffee to pair with the pancakes. They do offer coffee in medium or dark roast.

Final Thoughts

It’s great that Gram Cafe & Pancakes has finally arrived in Vancouver with much anticipation. Plus, more locations to come in 2020.

They have some kinks to work out, but the location is great inside Aberdeen and diversified the soufflé pancake offerings in Metro Vancouver. I thought these were a touch dense and I would like a bit more fluffiness to them.

Address:
4151 Hazelbridge Way Unit1360, Richmond, BC

Website:
https://www.gramcanada.com/

In Cafe

Neverland Tea Salon: The Mad Hatter High Tea

February 2, 2020

Neverland Tea Salon is a cafe in Kitsilano which serves up exceptional high tea service. For the month of February, they have introduced their Mad Hatter High Tea, which comes in regular, vegetarian, gluten-free/dairy-free, and vegan. I love these options as customers with dietary restrictions don’t have to feel limited in what they can indulge in.

With the Mad Hatter theme from Alice and Wonderland, guests are transported into a world of the unknown. The high tea is $38 per person, but with a glass of bubbly, it’s $48 per person. Not a bad price point since it’s a generous portion.

Interior

They have transformed the space with themes from the movie with clocks and decks of cards everywhere. Each table has their fun and unique centerpiece. If you look around, there is something interesting on the walls, on the table and other items dangling from the ceiling. They really put a lot of effort into this theme.

Regular Menu

Vegetarian Menu

Gluten-free/Dairy- Free Menu

Vegan Menu

Mad Hatter’s Teas

There are 3 tea recommendations for this theme – Queen of Hearts (black), Cheshire Chai (Rooibos), and A Very Berry Un-Birthday (Black).

We tried all 3 and each one is very different. Queen of Hearts is a black tea with hint of cinnamon. The Cheshire Chai is strong are aeromatic with spices, which is great with milk and sugar. The very verry un-birthday is another black tea with hint of berry. We really liked the Cheshire Chai a lot.

Pro-tip: Ask for warm milk instead of regular milk as it help retain the heat for your tea.

Amuse-bouche

The Amuse-bouche for this high tea is a chilled watermelon beet soup in a small jar labeled ‘drink me’. Doesn’t this remind you of the beverage Alice had before she went to Wonderland?

This was a very healthy start to the high tea. You have the hint of sweetness from the watermelon and the earthy taste of the beet juice.

Savoury

It’s all about the savouries to start and its located on the bottom tier. My favourites were the Steel head smoked salmon pinwheel, Roasted veggie croque monsieur, and the Smoked paprika crab salad roll. Very good portion sizes of all the savoury items.

Smoked paprika crab salad roll with red peppers, onions, chives and green goddess aioli

Coronation chicken salad on focaccia with green onions, cilantro, red pepper, mango chutney and Assam tea infused apricots

Roasted veggie croque monsieur with zucchini, kale, red
peppers and havarti cheese

Plant-based burger sliders with pesto aioli, arugula,
tomato on black pepper ‘squid ink’ brioche

Steel head smoked salmon pinwheel with asparagus and lemon herbed cream cheese

Scones

The top tier has the citrus scone with Devonshire cream and house-made jam. This was a very generous portion and did fill us up.

Sweets

The sweets are in the middle tier and it can’t be missed. By the time we got to the sweets tier, we were already pretty full. My friend packed hers to go, but I carried on and ate them all.

My favourites were the Chocolate ganache tart and the Strawberry mousse dome.

Vanilla cheesecake on a chocolate crumble base

Strawberry mousse dome with Tinkerbell’s Kiss tea ganache and milk chocolate pearls

Chocolate ganache tart with macaron shells and whipped
cream cheese

Mocha sponge cake on a brownie base with chocolate glaze

Final Thoughts

Overall, for the price, you really get full. It’s not pretentious in anyway and it feels very comfortable. We had a great experience and will be back again in the future for their high teas. The Mad Matter High Tea is fun and whimsical. They let you dress up if you feel like it.

Address:
3066 W Broadway, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://neverlandtea.com/

In Cafe

Adam’s Crepes: Authentic French Crepes in Burnaby

January 30, 2020

I always look around Metro Vancouver for some good local hidden gems and most of the time I am disappointing. So, when I finally find something worth raving about, I get really excited. Adam’s Crepes is located on Rumble Street in Burnaby near Metrotown and there are raving reviews online. I’ve had a lot of crepes in Vancouver and none of them really stood out to me, so I’ve always been on the look out.

It’s been on my list to visit for some time now and I had to check it out with my friend and Baby E when we were looking for an afternoon dessert.

Interior

There are seats along the left side of the cafe and there is a booster seat and high chair available.

Nutella/Banana/Strawberry/Whipped Cream

This is a classic combination of flavours. They go through a lot of Nutella, this why there are so many Nutella jars in the store. The ratio of all the ingredients were great.

Cheesecake/Strawberry/Whipped Cream

They suggested that a lot of people add a syrup topping to this, so we decided to go with salted caramel. They make the salted caramel in-house, so you can really taste the difference.

When we cut the crepe, we were pleasantly surprised that it had a crunchy texture and it was nice and thin. Usually the crepes are pretty limp everywhere else, but it really worked to give the crepe a nice texture.

The creme is stunning when it comes out and I’ve never seen one so thick and lush. The cheesecake is beautifully cut and had the right amount of strawberries and whipped cream. The salted caramel was nice, but we found there was a touch too much of it inside the crepe. Nonetheless, it was still delicious.

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed it and it’s definitely a hidden gem in Burnaby for authentic French crepes. I’ll definitely be back for some.

Address:
5217 Rumble St, Burnaby, BC

Website:
https://www.adamscrepes.com/

In Dessert

[Sneak Peek] Tsujiri: Metropolis at Metrotown Pop-up Now Open in Burnaby

January 25, 2020

Tsujiri has opened their Metropolis at Metrotown Pop-up location near Superstore and Saint Germain Bakery. There has been much anticipation over the opening as it took over the previous Sweet Jesus retail spot. Now we don’t have to travel all the way to Richmond for Tsujiri.

When speaking to staff about this temporary pop-up, they will be around for at least 6 months as they find another larger permanent location.

We heard they were open for soft-opening, so we decided to come right when they opened today. I never thought I would get dessert at 10am, but why not? I really wanted to share their menu with you all.

Grand opening is set for February 1, 2020 and will have the same hours as the mall.

Interior

There isn’t much here except standing counter space. Its all to go so you can walk around the mall and enjoy your desserts and drinks.

Yuzu Citron Float

This has a base of the yuzu citron and then topped with your choice of matcha, hojicha, or mix. My husband loved this drink as you get a little taste of everything.

Hojicha Float

I got the hojicha float which has the hojicha frappe on the bottom and then topped with the mix option of matcha and hojicha. Very good deep flavour of hojicha.

Shiratama Parfait

The parfait has matcha warabi mochi, azuki red beans, matcha soft serve, sweet chestnut, shiratama mochi, syrup and a dusting of kinako powder.

It’s a pretty good size parfait to have a taste of what they have to offer. All the components of the parfait were good.

Brown Sugar Jelly Parfait

I haven’t seen this Brown Sugar Jelly Parfait being served anywhere else. It has brown sugar jelly, which are like denser pearls, matcha warabi mochi, matcha soft serve, syrup, sweet chestnut, shiratama mochi, and tea box monaka. It is sweeter than the other parfait bit the Brown Sugar Jelly was really good. It was a nice contrasting texture to the soft serve.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it’s a great addition to Metropolis at Metrotown even though it is temporary. Hopefully they decided to keep it around for longer. If you stop by for a quick drink or dessert, it’s good. It is a bit pricey but where else are you going to get this in Burnaby? They staff are very quick, so you don’t have to wait too long for your order.

I’d definitely go back as it’s so close to us.

Address:
4700 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC

Website:
http://tsujiri.ca

In Cafe

Buttermere Patisserie: Asian Inspired Cakes in Chinatown

January 16, 2020

Buttermere Patisserie has opened their cake shop right on Main Street in Vancouver’s Chinatown. They are best known for their custom cakes with Asian-inspired flavours. They had pop-ups at Torafuku a few blocks way before they opened up their storefront location.

If you’re looking for coffee and cakes, this is a great place. The flavour are more geared towards Asian tastebuds, so its less sweet and very flavourful.

Interior

The space is small, but good enough for a cafe. Cozy for just catching up with friends.

Assorted Roll Cakes

The assorted Roll cakes comes with 5 pieces and apparently it’s picked at random so you don’t get a choice on which roll cakes you want. When we heard that we were considering only buying 3 of the flavours we really wanted, but they were nice enough to make an exception and makes sure our top 3 flavours made it into the box.

We ended up with Cow, Strawberry and Cream, Thai Empire, London Fog and Assam. 5 pieces for $30, which comes to $6 per piece.

All of the roll cakes did not disappoint. I found Thai Empire, London Fog and Assam to be very fragrant with strong tea flavours and blended nicely with the cream. Not too sweet either.

Lychee Rose Pillow Cakes

They also have a bunch of different pillow cakes. It is sweet and light in texture. The flavour of the lychee rose was spot on and fragrant.

They have so many different flavours but we just picked one up.

Final Thoughts

Overall, very good cakes and we will be back for more. The flavours were perfect and loved how it’s not too sweet. They also do a few different custom cakes and they look gorgeous. I’ll have to check them out whenever I have a special occasion.

Address:
636 Main St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.buttermere.ca/

In Cafe

mello: Decadent Doughnut Shop in Vancouver

January 13, 2020

mello is a new doughnut shop and cafe in the heart of Chinatown in Vancouver. It quietly opened its doors a few weeks ago and has been attracting a lot of attention for their decadent brioche doughnuts.

They also have other items like coffee, ice cream, and other pastries.

Donut or doughnuts? Since we are Canadian, we will stick with doughnuts.

Interior

The interior is quite nice. It’s not too large inside but is a decent size for a cafe. The interior is like a work of art. There is a long communal table for larger groups.

I like this sitting area in the back as there was tons of room for us and a baby.

Fresh Strawberry and Cream

The brioche doughnut is cut partially in half and filled with bits of strawberry and cream. It felt like half the doughnut was filled and then the rest of it is the plain doughnut. This was my least favourite one.

Tiramisu

The tiramisu was really decadent with the rice cream inside. There is some cocoa powder on the outside too. The ratio of doughnut to cream was very nice and we really enjoyed it.

Dark Chocolate Pudding

This was my favourite as I love chocolate. I could eat a whole box of them. The dark chocolate pudding is also very rich and pairs so well with the texture of the brioche doughnut.

Peanut Butter and Jelly

Peanut Butter Jelly time! This was oozing with jelly and I wished there was more peanut butter to balance it out as it was pretty sweet.

Final Thoughts

It’s a great addition to the area and their doughnuts are different that others in the area. The brioche doughnuts has a decent chew to it but not too dense. Their selection isn’t that large, but has enough to satisfy different tastebuds. It’s definitely making Chinatown a little more vibrant and delicious.

Address:
223 E Pender St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://mello-donut-shop.business.site/

In Burnaby Central

L’OTUS Cake Boutique: 5 Levels of Matcha Gelato and Crepe Cakes in Burnaby

January 6, 2020

Recently, coming back from Japan, I realized there are a lot of sweet treats not available in Metro Vancouver. Nanaya Matcha in Tokyo have 7 levels of Matcha gelato and I’ve been waiting for someone to create that in Vancouver.

L’OTUS Cake Boutique has opened their Burnaby location just behind Metropolis at Metrotown and has made 5 levels of matcha gelato and it’s exclusive to their Burnaby location. I saw this on instagram and I just had to come here with a few friends to check out this spot.

Interior

The space is really nice and it’s on the ground level of a newly developed apartment building. There are 4 booth style seats and a few tables. We came in the middle of the day and it was quite busy but we were able to get a table for 4.

They even have 2 high chairs available, which is nice.

5 Levels of Matcha Gelato

We had to get the flight of 5 mini matcha gelato for $15. Pretty expensive, but you really need one to share with a few friends. I wouldn’t recommend getting multiple because most people just want a few bites and that’s it.

You’re supposed to try it from lightest to strongest. After trying them all, we all loved level 4 the most. It has a good ratio of matcha and sweetness.

Once we tried everything and retried the flavours, 4 is still superior.

Soda Matcha

The matcha soda comes in a take out cup, which would have been nicer if they had cups instead of these take out containers. Anyways, there is the soda on the bottom and then the matcha on top, where you should mix it before drinking. It was an interesting flavour, but none of us really like it. The matcha could have been stronger as the sweet soda was the dominant taste.

Matcha Red Bean Latte

The Matcha Red Bean Latte comes in a clean milk carton glass and it’s pretty cute. There is a good ratio between the matcha, milk, sugar, and red beans. It was decent, but it wasn’t the best we’ve had.

Matcha Cheese Foam

This was like a matcha latte and then the cheese foam on top. It was a bit too much milk in my opinion.

Philippine Mango Crepe Cake

This was one of the most expensive slices of crepe cake at Lotus. It is $12 for a slice, but since it does take a lot of effort to make a crepe cake and the cost of the Philippine mango isn’t cheap at all.

It was really good. Nice ratio of cream and mango. One of our favourites.

64% Dark Chocolate Crepe Cake

This was decadent and delicious. Loved the darkness of the chocolate and also had a good ratio of cream, chocolate mousse and crepe layers.

Double Layer Cheesecake

This was also a hit too. It has the denser cheesecake on the bottom and then the soft and lighter cheesecake on top.

Final Thoughts

I wasn’t a fan of any of the matcha beverages as they were pretty mediocre. The mini matcha gelato fight is fun if you’re sharing with a few friends. The cakes are solid and we really enjoyed those but it is quite pricey.

Nonetheless, it’s a fantastic addition to Burnaby as we definitely need more delicious cafes to chill with friends. Plus, it’s a few steps away from the Metrotown skytrain.

Address:
4352 Beresford Street, Burnaby, BC

In Dessert

McDonalds Japan: Sankaku Choco Pie Review

January 4, 2020

While we were in Tokyo, I was checking out McDonalds to check for items not available in North America. One of those items was the Sankaku Choco Pie available for a limited time only.

It is essentially a chocolate-filled croissant. In North America, it’s usually apple pies that you see and a few limited edition flavours. It’s the first time I’ve seen a croissant pie. The box is bright red and shaped like the Pizza Hut roof on their iconic restaurants.

The exterior has a somewhat crispiness to it, but it was very oily. Not sure if it sat around for a while, but the first few layers were crisp and then the rest was limp.

Hiding inside is like chocolate hazelnut spread similar to Nutella. It is really rich and decadent. The Sankaku Choco Pie is very messy to eat, so the crumbs will get everywhere. You’ll need to eat it carefully so it doesn’t end up on your clothes or lap.

Would I order it again? Most likely not.

Website: http://www.mcdonalds.co.jp/

In Dessert

PABLO Cheese Tart x Hello Kitty: Hello Kitty’s Apple Pie and Small Hello Kitty Cheese Tart Review

December 31, 2019

PABLO in Japan, is known for their rich and decadent cheese tarts. While we were in Japan, they were having a collaboration with Hello Kitty to celebrate their 45th Anniversary.

We were walking by exploring Shinsaibashi in Osaka and saw this collaboration, so we had to order their 2 special items – Hello Kitty’s Apple Pie and Mini Hello Kitty Cheese Tart. You can find the Hello Kitty’s Apple Pie at various PABLO locations, but the Mini Hello Kitty Cheese Tart can only be found in Shinsaibashi.

These are only available November 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019. Thus, limited time only, so if you’re a Hello Kitty fan, check it out.

Hello Kitty’s Apple Pie

The Hello Kitty Apple Pie has a smooth cream cheese filling in a flaky crust and then topped with apple jam, caramel and cinnamon. Then there is an image of Hello Kitty baking some tarts. Each piece is 350 yen.

I got one of the Hello Kitty Apple Pie to eat later in the evening and it was sweet because of the caramel and apple topping. It was alright but would be too much to have more than one.

Shinsaibashi Exclusive – Mini Hello Kitty Cheese Tart

Small Hello Kitty Cheese Tart is available for 490 yen per piece. It comes in this custom cardboard box that houses the small cheese tart.

The cheese tart is the same as their regular cheese tart but just with the Hello Kitty stamp instead of the PABLO stamp.

The ones on display had perfect Hello Kitty stamp, but the one we got was poorly done. Perhaps they were in a rush to get them all made as there was a huge line up out the door. It did bother me that the stamp was off centered and not fully imprinted. If I was giving this to someone else as a gift, it would be a bit disappointing.

The Cheese Tart itself was good and very decadent and rich. Very delicious.

Final Thoughts

Of the two, my favourite was the Mini Hello Kitty Cheese Tart. If you miss this limited time collaboration, don’t worry, just get the regular cheese tart as it tastes the same, just no Hello Kitty stamp.

In Dessert

[Sneak Peek] Passione Gelato x Parq Vancouver: Limited Edition Flavours

October 4, 2019

Passione Gelato is a new gelato shop that has opened up in Parq Vancouver earlier this year. They are a small gelateria, which uses fresh organic ingredients and infused with Italian roots. Owner Salvatore Boccarossa has spent many years behind the gelato lab at Bella Gelateria and has now ventured into his own business. He learned the art of gelato making at Carpigiani Gelato University, which has been renowned world-wide for their artistry in gelato making.

Passione Gelato and Parq Vancouver has teamed up to create 2 limited edition flavours to celebrate some great milestones – Parq Vancouver’s 2nd anniversary and Vancouver Canucks 50th Season.

Power Play Popcorn

Available as of October 7th

To celebrate the Vancouver Canucks 50th Season, this gelato flavour incorporates popcorn, a staple at Canucks home games, with fan favourite salted caramel. There is blue and green sprinkles on top too. Of course, it is also a FIN approved flavour.

A portion of the proceeds from each scoop purchased will go to the Canucks for Kids Fund to support children’s charities from across BC.

I liked the texture of the added popcorn and it pairs with the salted caramel. It’s good that there’s salted popcorn and not coated in sugar. The flavours stand out and is more balanced.

Parq Autumn

Available as of October 16th

In honour of Parq Vancouver’s 2nd anniversary, Parq Autumn is inspired by an Old Fashioned. This autumnal flavour is made in small batches with Bulleit Bourbon Whiskey and French Valrhona chocolate and garnished with a candied orange.

The French Valrhona chocolate really stands out, then the whiskey and orange come in next. I didn’t think I would like this flavour but it was really fantastic. The candied orange also gives it an added chew and texture.

Final Thoughts

These 2 limited edition flavours at Passione Gelato inside Parq Vancouver are fantastic and it left me wanting more. While you’re there, get a sample of their other flavours too. The quality of their flavours are unreal. I was amazed!

Let us know which flavour you would try – Power Play Popcorn or Parq Autumn.

Address:
55 Smithe St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.parqvancouver.com/food-drink/passione/

In Coquitlam

Dairy Queen Canada: Pumpkin Pie Blizzard Review

September 14, 2019

With September here, everything is pumpkin spice themed in anticipation for October. Dairy Queen’s Blizzard of the Month is Pumpkin Pie and this is pretty exciting! I was very curious how this tastes.

As the weather is changing from Summer to Fall, I love this time of year as you can start putting on a light jacket or sweater. It’s not too hot and not too cold. Perfect time to eat some ice cream too.

We went to our local Dairy Queen in Coquitlam to check it out before it’s gone at the end of the month.

You can get this in 4 different sizes:

Mini
Small
Medium
Large

Pumpkin Pie Blizzard

The pumpkin pie blizzard has pumpkin pie pieces blended with their vanilla soft serve, then topped with whipped topping and nutmeg.

The colour was a dull orange with the dollop of whipped cream and the sprinkle of nutmeg on top. As I took the first few bites, I was impressed by pieces of pumpkin pie and the sharp taste of the pumpkin pie incorporated into the vanilla soft serve. I definitely wasn’t disappointed as it matched what my expectations were.

If you’re a fan of pumpkin pie or pumpkin spice, I think you’ll enjoy this. Grab it before it’s gone as it’s only her for a limited time only.

Website:
https://www.dairyqueen.com/ca-en/

In Cafe

[Sneak Peek] Fufú Café: Japanese Soufflé Pancakes in Vancouver

September 2, 2019

Fufú Café is going to be Vancouver’s first-ever all Japanese soufflé pancake cafe. There are other cafés and shops serving up different versions of soufflé pancakes, but Fufú Café will have a variety of them available from sweet to savoury.

They are just days away from Soft Opening, so watch out on social media to see when that is happening.

Grand Opening Special

They will have their grand opening on Saturday, September 7th, 2019 with a great promo where the first 50 customers will get a free classic soufflé pancake. After that, the classic soufflé pancake will be 50% off.

Interior

The whimsically designed 20-seat cafe is influenced by modern French-style aesthetics, highlighting soft and light pastels colours, artwork and textures.

It’s absolutely stunning and you’ll definitely get a few good photos here with your friends or family.

Mixed Berries Soda

There are a few different sodas on the menu and they are gorgeous. I went with the mixed berries soda as it’s in season and you can’t go wrong with berries. We have this a quick stir and patiently waited for our pancakes to be ready.

Their made-to-order Japanese soufflé pancakes each take about 15 to 20 minutes to make. I didn’t find the wait that long since having a good catch up session with a friend definitely last longer than that.

FuFú Classic Soufflé Pancake #1

There are 2 versions of the Classic. This one has 3 pieces of the Soufflé Pancake accompanied with butter, maple syrup, and “Fufú” icing sugar. I love seeing the 3 layers jiggle when you shake it slightly.

This is definitely classic and I love how it’s simple, yet it shows off the texture and flavour of the Soufflé Pancakes the most. The butter and maple syrup pair so well. This was one of my favourites.

FuFú Classic Soufflé Pancake #2

The second version also have 3 pieces, but it has sea salt mascarpone cheese whipped cream to accompany the Soufflé Pancakes. The sea salt mascarpone cheese whipped cream does have a good balance of saltiness and sweetness to pair with the pancakes.

Matcha Mochi

There are 2 pieces of Soufflé Pancake topped with shiratamako balls, housemade matcha sauce, matcha whipping cream, double chocolate raspberry ice cream, white chocolate flakes, and matcha flakes. The matcha whipping cream isn’t too intense and has the right amount of sweetness to pair with the pancakes. If you want more matcha flavour, the matcha sauce is more concentrated. They get their ice cream from Rocky Point Ice Cream and it’s pretty darn good.

Mixed Fresh Fruit

This has 2 pieces of Soufflé Pancake topped with mixed fresh fruit, classic whipped cream, dried raspberry flakes, and icing sugar. I love the dried raspberry flakes as it adds a nice crunch to the dish. This was my second favourite flavour as the whipped cream and fruit compliments the pancakes well without masking the texture or taste of the pancakes.

Lemon Crème Brûlée Soufflé Pancake

There are 2 stacked soufflé pancakes, house-made lemon crème brûlée sauce, lemon yogurt ice cream, with seasonal fruits. This was one of the sweeter options because of the lemon crème brûlée sauce but still well balanced in taste. I personally found that the lemon crème brûlée sauce did mask the taste of the soufflé pancake as it has stronger flavours. I really enjoyed the ice cream because it has a nice biscuit texture embedded in it. It is also supplied by Rocky Point Ice Cream.

Earl Grey Milk Tea & Tapioca Pearl

This is definitely a fun Soufflé Pancake topped with housemade earl grey tea sauce and tapioca pearl. This is another popular item on the menu. For me, I found the chewiness of the pearls and strong earl grey tea sauce overshadowed the Soufflé Pancake similar to other items on the menu. If you love bubble tea, you’ll really enjoy this.

Eggs Benedict

You can find their savoury soufflé pancakes on the menu on weekends from opening till 3pm. The eggs benedict has two poached eggs on top of soufflé pancakes, housemade hollandaise sauce, and your choice of local pork sausage or bacon, fresh organic greens salad. I got mine with bacon.

It is super creative since I would have never thought Soufflé Pancakes would be part of brunch. The eggs are poached perfectly with a silky hollandaise sauce. It doesn’t highlight the pancakes well, but it is a pretty well rounded breakfast and it tastes good.

Final Thoughts

They have a good sized menu and different items that either show off the Soufflé Pancake or their creativity with the sauces. When they open, they are definitely going to be really busy, so you’ll probably have to brave the line ups are peak hours until it settles.

It’s great to finally have a Soufflé Pancake shop open in Vancouver because these pancakes are just so good. I absolutely love the classic and the mixd fresh fruit Soufflé Pancakes.

Website:
http://fufusoufflepancake.ca

Address:
266 West Broadway, Vancouver BC

In Cafe

On Yogurt: Dorayaki with a Twist in Downtown Vancouver

July 11, 2019

Dorayaki is much love by Doremon and fall into any sinister trap that involve this sweet treat. Dorayaki is a Japanese treat made of pancakes sandwiched with red bean.

On Yogurt in Downtown Vancouver has launched a line of dorayaki sweet sandwiches. There are 5 in total, 3 have their signature rolled gelato and 2 others have other fillings.

Creme Brulee
S’More
Milk Tea Rolled Gelato
Matcha Rolled Gelato
Nutella Rolled Gelato

We were invited to give these a try.

Milk Tea Rolled Gelato

This was our favourite of all the Dorayaki. It has 3 rolled sheets of Milk Tea gelato, black sugar pearls and whipped cream. The taste of the milk tea was really good. Pearls had a good texture as well.

Make sure to eat it fast before the gelato starts melting because it’ll get messy.

Matcha Dorayaki

The matcha dorayaki has matcha rolled gelato, red bean paste, and crispy rice. We found this to be a bit sweet, probably because of the added red bean.

S’more Dorayaki

This has coffee crunch paste, chocolate cereal and the fluffy marshmallow. Definitely one of the sweeter items in this series.

Creme Brûlée Dorayaki

The Creme Brûlée has seasonal fruit and the fruits we had were blueberries and strawberries. Pretty good as well.

Nutella Banana Dorayaki

A classic combination and you can’t go wrong. This has Nutella rolled gelato, Nutella paste and banana.

Milk Tea

Their milk tea rolled gelato is pretty darn good, so we had to get the drink. It normally comes with small pearls, but we asked to have it with the big pearls, which are used for desserts only. Pretty good!

Final Thoughts

Overall, the creative dorayaki is a great idea and it give customers more options. The version with the rolled gelato can melt pretty quickly, so when eating it like a sandwich, you don’t want any of that gelato to melt away or fall out. If you’re a fan of gelato and dorayaki, definitely check it out. We highly recommend the milk tea version of the dorayaki.

Address:
95 Smithe St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.onyogurt.com/

In Cafe

Sweet Obsession cakes and their secret ingredient

May 22, 2019

Sweet Obsession in Kitsilano offers fine desserts and delicious cakes since 1993. Their passion for quality ingredients ensures their regulars keep coming back for all their special occasions and when a day calls to treat yo’ self. After my first visit, I can confidently say that I loved all of the cakes I tried and they’re definitely worth a visit.

When I asked what makes Sweet Obsessions different from other dessert shops, the manager beamed and said, “A woman picked up a cake for her daughter’s wedding yesterday. She said it’s the same cake she got from us for her wedding more than two decades ago.” In other words, Sweet Obsessions has become part of some family’s traditions.

Interior

Most of the interior space is occupied by cakes, baked snack packs and the coffee bar. There are a few tables available but they were filled-up for the duration of our visit. Luckily, there were a few tables outside and it was warm enough to eat on their patio.

St. Honore

This cake’s description reads like a list of things I love: puff pastry, choux balls filled with vanilla pastry cream & chocolate mousse, drizzled with dark chocolate. It’s impressive to look at and it’s delicious in every way!

Triple Chocolate Mousse

This is one of their most popular cakes. It has layers of dark, mocha and white chocolate mousse. Even though it’s a mousse cake, each layer is rich in flavour and very decadent.

Fruit Tart

Chocolate brushed pastry, filled with chocolate mousse, custard cream & topped with fresh fruit. The custard cream is perfect, but pastry shell is my favourite part of this dessert.

Passion Fruit Flan

Featuring passion fruit custard in a pastry shell. It’s light and fruity, better yet the candied citrus peel is made in-house!

Beverages: Mango smoothie and Matcha tea

I really love mango and I really love matcha, so I chose both.

The matcha tea wasn’t too sweet and was a delightful pairing while eating cakes.

Smoothies come in four flavours: raspberry, mango, strawberry, blueberry. It was a refreshing drink after eating the decadent desserts.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve read this far, I’ll share their secret. I loved the various crusts in all their cakes; each were slightly different but all had the perfect texture and taste. I asked what makes it delicious and the answer is, unsurprisingly, butter. Knowing it’s much more than that, I pressed for more information. I learned that in addition to the quantity they use, not all butter is created equal. Sweet Obsession uses New Zealand butter which boasts higher butterfat content than those readily available in Canada.

Sweet Obsession is a destination spot–it’s not located on a shopping street or on a major intersection–but they’ve been open for over 26 years. There are two owners: one is a passionate baker and one is a stickler for good customer service. In speaking to the manager, I also learned that most of their kitchen crew have been together for nearly two decades! The result is a shop that prides itself in the quality of its food and keeps their guests craving for their cakes again and again.

Address:
2611 W 16th Ave, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.sweetobsession.ca

In Cafe

[Sneak Peek] Matcha Cafe Maiko in Richmond

April 26, 2019

The long awaited opening of Matcha Cafe Maiko in Metro Vancouver, specifically Richmond is just days away with a Grand Opening of May 2, 2019. Matcha Cafe Maiko is a popular matcha cafe in Hawaii known of their fun and delicious matcha treats. Since opening in Hawaii, they have opened more locations across North America. Last year, we went to their San Francisco location in Japan Town and enjoyed their soft serve mix and Maiko Special Sundae.

This location in Richmond will be the first in Canada to open.

We were invited for a sneak peek of their Richmond location to try a few of their signature items. If you’re looking for parking, there is paid street parking right outside.

Interior

The interior is small with only 2 tables to seat 4 people. It is mostly a place for take out or enjoyed outside. There is a park close by, so during hot days, it’s best to eat it outside anyways as you enjoy the weather.

If you insist on being inside, there are some benches for you to sit down.

Maiko Special

I like ordering this as it has a bit of everything. We got this with the mixture of the matcha and vanilla cream. It also has matcha chiffon, corn flakes, red bean, kotuko jelly, chestnuts, and shiratama mochi. I really enjoyed the shiratama mochi with the mix soft serve. My personal favourite item to order but it is just over $10.

Hojicha Tea

There is hojicha tea on the menu served cold on ice. It has a strong roasted flavour and will give you a nice tea buzz.

Kokuto Matcha Latte

This is their matcha latte with kokuto jelly (brown sugar jelly). It gives the drink a bit of texture and the brown sugar jelly gives extra sweetness to balance out the matcha.

Hojicha Latte Float

This has the hojicha latte tea on the bottom with the matcha and vanilla soft serve mix. It’s a good option to order if you want to try the taste of the Hojicha latte and their soft serve without getting 2 separate items. It comes in 2 sizes, so we recommend getting the larger size so you get more of the latte drink on the bottom.

We didn’t mix these together and just enjoyed with a spoon and straw to enjoy both parts.

Soft-serve Ice Cream

Their soft serve ice cream comes in vanilla, matcha, or a mix of both flavours. It comes in a house made waffle cone and you can add toppings to it for an additional charge. I added Kinako and Shiratama mochi balls to it.

If you want to be even more extra, they have a version of this with the gold leaf foil.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it’s good to have more matcha options in Metro Vancouver and Matcha Cafe Maiko has been a popular chain that customers wanted. I enjoyed their Maiko Special Parfait as well as the hojicha items.

Address:
199-8279 Saba Rd, Richmond, BC V6Y 4B6

Website:
http://www.matchacafe-maiko.com