Dessert – Page 3 – Check Please!

Janice Wong’s artistic desserts at 2am: dessert bar

What to say about a pastry chef’s that has her own Wikipedia entry? Janice Wong made a splash in the culinary world with her artistic desserts and culinary happenings. She is a well-known professional in Asia and Singapore is her home. During my Singapore trip in July 2019, it was natural to pay a visit to her 2am: dessert bar in Holland Village.

The visit

The dessert bar was located on the second floor of a building at the end of a cul-de-sac.

I arrived shortly after their opening at 2pm (this is the opening time at Weekends; usually they open at 3pm and keep open till 2am as the name suggests). There was only a couple. I had a reservation made through their website but at that time it was not really necessary. At least on that day.

I was temped to order their dessert degustation, but I resisted and I settled for a single item.

It was their Chocolate H20, one of Janice’s classics. Her imprint was visible from the dish presentation, with splashes of color all around the plate. It was a technically-complex creation. This is how it is described on Janice’s website:

A signature of 2am:dessertbar, this dessert has stayed in the menu since its creation in 2009. Inspired by the beauty of dead corals at the San Sebastian coast, the dessert features an aerated frozen chocolate with water mousse sprayed in grey to give the look of dead corals. It is sat over a heap of chocolate soil. Over the year, this dessert had undergone several changes, and the current version is served with Kochi Yuzu Sorbet to give it a light and refreshing balance to the dessert.

I agree that it was a small masterpiece. But even more important, it was also delicious with all the flavors going along in a perfect way.

The check

I spent 25.89 SGP (18.50 USD) for a single dessert. Expensive certainly, but the price was commensurate with the excellent service and the location. I would certainly go back. She also has a store in Tokyo that I might well visit.

At City Link (an underground mall near City Hall) i captured this picture of a Janice Wong kiosk. There are a few in Singapore.

The paint jar set captured my attention. I think I am in love.

Where in Singapore:
21A Lorong Liput, Holland Village.
Website (for menu and reservations): www.janicewong.com.sg/2amdessertbar

Three cafes in Chiang Mai for those with a sweet tooth

In this review I will lump together three very different venues that have in common to offer outstanding cakes and desserts. In all of them you can relax with a cup of tea and a slice and some sweets. One is Western-style, one Japanese and one Thai.

Amazing creative delights at Saruda Finest Pastry

Address: 12, Soi 3 Nimmana Haeminda, Su Thep, Chiang Mai

Saruda Finest Pastry really feature the skills of a top pastry chef. The creations are both creative, visually appealing, and delicious. I tried their Quasar for a chocolate boost and a Mandarin-shaped pastry with a mandarin filling. The shop is not large but has a few tables where to enjoy the cakes, possibly along with a cup of tea. The two pastries I had cost 185 and 195 THB (9 USD in total).

Rak Whan Thai Dessert Café

Address: 30/2 Nimmanhaemin Rd., Soi 11, Suthep, Chiang Mai

Despite the cursory service, I enjoyed a brief stop at this Thai dessert cafe that featured some beautiful Thai cookies and cakes. Thai cuisine has a distinctive dessert tradition and a lot of pastry types were on display in this cafe. I had a set with a number of cookies and jellies (they all have a name in Thai!) along with a classic Thai iced tea (that is basically a sugar bomb).

Matcha drinks and cakes at Chaseki

91, Sri Poom Road, Si Phum, Chiang Mai 50200
Website: www.chasekitea.com

Chaseki is the brainchild of a Thai/English couple in love with Japanese powdered green tea (matcha). They have both drinks and cakes. At the time of my visit they were even selling a limited edition matcha chocolate bar. I did not like much the drink (combining matcha and conconut, but they have so many others to try). On the other side, the matcha and white chocolate cake was phenomenal. It is a small cafe located along the Northern border of the Old City. Definitely recommended for something different and unique in Chiang Mai.

Gelato in Shanghai

After reviewing Gelato dal Cuore (still open, but I had the impression that quality went down and there are less flavors rotating) and Movo (not checked for a long time), it is time for a fresh selection of gelato parlors in Shanghai.

Bonus

In Ruijin 2 Road there is a gelato parlor that has become my favorite. Bonus claims to produce real gelato according to Italian methods. Not sure if it is from scratch, but they have some interesting flavors, such as cheese fig that was great with a scoop of chocolate.

35 RMB (5 USD) for two scoops. It is nice that they have a few bar chairs inside the shop, so in a hot day you can consume your gelato in a air-conditioned environment.

Address: 39 Ruijin Er Lu – 瑞金二路39号.

Il Buco

Il Buco (the hole) is just that, a window to the side of a bar, where to get Salvatore Naselli’s artisanal gelato.

Only 8 flavors are available at any given time.

40 RMB (5.80 USD) for two very generous scoops. Hazelnut and pistachio were excellent.

Address: 20-2 Donghu Lu – 瑞金二路39号.

De Medici

De Medici is located across the Waldorf Astoria, near the Bund, specifically near the intersection in front of the Gutzlaff Signal Tower.

I tried chocolate and hazelnut chocolate. It was just ok. I am pretty sure that their gelato is made with pre-mixed components. Two scoops were 35 RMB (5 USD), but smaller than the previous two parlors.

Address: 17 Yanan Dong Lu – 延安东路17号.

Luneurs Boulanger & Glacier

I also tried the ice cream (not really gelato) from Luneurs, a hipster French bakery opened by some of the staff that used to work for a popular French bakery called Farine that, until it closed amid a scandal, also featured a queue-conjuring ice cream.

I tried their raspberry/strawberry sorbet and their signature chocolate (with dried banana bits) and I really did not like it. Not creamy and low in flavor.

Two scoops for 35 RMB (5 USD) like most places, but it must be acknowledged that their scoop size is the largest among the parlors reviewed on this page.

Address: 381 Panyu Lu / 番禺路381号.

What to order at Awfully Chocolate in China

Awfully Chocolate is a chain of dessert and cake shops founded in Singapore back in 1998 by Lyn Lee, a young lawyer, and her boyfriend (both with no business experience in the food and beverage industry). They have over a dozen shops and cafes in Singapore (including a restaurant) and have franchised their business in other countries. After false starts in Taiwan and Hong Kong, they seem to have found a very strong partner in Mainland China. At the time of posting, Awfully Chocolate stores are all over China, mainly in shopping malls.

What is interesting about their concept is that it, uncompromisingly, is all about chocolate. They started by selling a single type of chocolate cake at the origins and now they have a wide range of chocolate products: from cakes, to beverages, ice cream, pralines, etc.

The visit(s)

The picture shows the storefront of the shop in Wanda Plaza in Ningbo (now closed). Some shops have tables, some others do not (like the one at IFC Mall in Shanghai, just for take-away orders). They had a particularly large cafe in Ningbo near the central Tianyi square (now closed).

A very good introduction to their cakes is the super-stacked chocolate cake that is inspired by the traditional Southeast Asian Lapis Cake. According to their website, “each cake layer is baked one at a time, so a completed Super Stacked cake with six layers of cake and six layers of fudge takes almost four hours to complete”. I have the impression that they have reduced the sweetness of their cakes for the Chinese market over time (I remember them sweeter just a couple of years ago, but I could be mistaken).

For something even more massive, their cupcake is an interesting creation. Most of the mass is actually “solid” chocolate topping the soft layer.

I also recommend their hot chocolate. In the picture above a cold chocolate beverage (60%) with chocolate bits. Unfortunately this one was not very good, the hot beverages are way better.

The check(s)

The super-stacked chcolate cake was 29 RMB (4.3 USD).

The cupcake was 4 RMB more expensive and along with the cold chocolate was 68 RMB (10 USD). These prices are comparable to Starbucks in China.

Where in China:
Check their website for store locations. (Ningbo locations as to mid 2020 were all closed. The list on the website may not be up to date.)

A visit to a GaKuDen Boulangerie shop in Taipei

GaKuDen is a chain of European-style bakeries found all over in Taipei. Some of the locations also doubles as coffee shops. Here’s my experience.

The visit

Inside they have a variety of baked goods and the style is self-service.

In this particular shop near Chiang Kai-shek Memorial they had a room upstairs where to take a seat.

This was my snack:

I chose a juice, a brownie and a chocolate pastry made with Valrhona chocolate. They seem to do a decent job in supplying Taipei with European bread and cakes.

The check

In total I spent 189 NTD or 6.10 USD. Not bad for spending some time of relax in a clean and comfortable place. The pastries were good.

Where in Taipei
No. 316, Songjiang Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei (for the shop of my visit, but other locations are all over Taipei).

Classic Taiwanese starch balls at Eastern Ice Store in Taipei

A review of Taiwanese desserts would not be complete without mentioning starch balls and ice. Eastern Ice Store is a Taipei’s favorite for this dessert.

The visit

The first step is to queue. They are pretty fast though.

Then you can choose four toppings that will be added to a paper bowl full of ice. The balls are made with tapioca and there are classic sweet bean sauces. Unfortunately all the names are in Chinese.

This is what I got in a pretty random fashion.

Adjacent to the main shop there is a room where you can consume your dessert seated.

I did not like it much. I guess it requires a local taste.

The check

This treat is very economical at 60 NTD (or a few cents shy of 2 USD).

Where in Taipei:
No. 38, Lane 216, Sec. 4, Zhongxiao E. Rd., Da’an Dist., Taipei City

Turning a traditional dessert into a pop icon: the original Ice Monster

Shaved ice desserts have been popular for decades in Taiwan. They are called bào bīng (剉冰) and helped scores of Taiwanese to survive the heat of the summer. It took a man to revolutionize this traditional industry with Ice Monster.

The first Ice Monster shop was set up in the popular Yongkang street in Taipei. It was 1997. At the beginning, as told by the founder in an interview, people could not care less about his new dessert, an ice shaved mango “avalanche” (mangoes are grown in Taiwan). They wanted the traditional flavors like red beans and brown sugar. Initially he had to give away the mango desserts for free. And then the lines started to form. Soon it became a sensation.

There was a hiccup in 2010 when the flagship store had to close during a divorce dispute, but in 2012 it reopened in a new part of town: this was the store that I visited in April 2019. (In Yongkang street at the number 15 now there is a Smoothie House that is not connected with Ice Monster, but selling similar desserts.) Since its re-birth, Ice Monster has expanded in the US, Japan, and mainland China. In 2013 it was featured by CNN as one of the world’s best desserts. Lines continue to form.

The visit

The store is now located on Zhongxiao East Road in a busy shopping and entertainment district (Zara and Uniqlo have stores a couple of blocks away).

I had to endure some queue, but it moved quickly.

The store is large, but not enormous. It was pretty packed on an early Saturday afternoon.

Behind the counter, staff is constantly busy in “shaving ice” using the machines that were perfected by the founder working with a Taiwanese supplier. It took 15 minutes before I got my order (that was prepaid and placed when I stepped in the store before going to a table).

Since it was strawberry season, I had their “Strawberry Sensation” that technically is not really shaved ice, but more similar to Taiwanese snow ice, that is a variation were the base, using condensed milk, is infused in the ice (xue hua bing 雪花冰) . For the classic shaved ice you have to check the “Avalanche” items.

It came with a ball of strawberry sorbet (also available individually), a generous amount of panna cotta, strawberry pudding (including an extra glass). It was an immensely rich dessert that could satisfy two people.

The ice is incredibly soft and fluffy, with a very nice texture. It was better than the bingsu I had in Seoul, but the two are not directly comparable.

The check

This huge dessert was 260 NTD (8.5 USD). Considering that you can easily share it, it is still a steal (the price had been going up constantly though). As a comparison, in the Hawaii stores, the same dessert costs 15 USD.

House rule: minimum 100 NTD charge per person and maximum 1 hour stay. This means that most desserts, which cost more than 200 NTD, can be shared between two people, but if you have a third person in the party, you will need to order something else. Fair and square.

Where in Taipei:
No.297, Sec. 4, Zhongxiao E. Rd. Taipei, Taiwan
In Chinese: ~~台北市忠孝東路四段297號~~
~~Tip: Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall Exit 1.~~
UPDATE: this shop ended operations on September 15, 2019.
List of other stores in Taiwan, China, Japan, and Hawaii: https://www.ice-monster.com/store-

Creative luxury chocolate from Yu Chocolatier in Taipei

Yu Chocolatier is not another chain or random French brand mechanically replicated abroad. It is the result of the tenacity and passion of a Taiwanese young man, chef Yu, that embarked on a journey to become a chocolatier. For 18 months, he studied in France and then he went back to Taipei where in 2015 opened a shop. In my experience this kind of stories breed the best food experiences.

The visit

The shop is located on a quiet side street in Daan district in Taipei. It took me a while to find it as the store front disguises the little beautiful boutique inside.

The small counter displayed a bounty of different creations.

In my first visit, I sat down in one of the few tables available in the back of the store. They take reservations and I was lucky enough that a table was available for just the right time.

I had a hot chocolate (their original blend) that was excellent (I appreciated that it was not served deadly hot) and one of their best-sellers, a chocolate tart. I must confess that I did not like the tart so much because it was too sweet.

However I went back and I bought a few pastries to share with friends. The packaging was impressive, but the content even more.

I and my friends thoroughly enjoyed every single cake. The first one (top right) was a chocolate pastry with a mango slice. The flavors were perfectly fused together. The round pastry (top left) was a seasonal creation with orange and jasmine flavors. The two pastries pictured on the bottom were an exquisite Montblanc and a version of an Opera cake. All of them were extremely delicate and not too sweet like the tart I initially had.

I must say that this sample does not do complete justice to the variety and creativity of the pastries available that mix spirits, tropical fruits, and chocolate in very creative ways. Definitely a place to visit again and again.

The check

The tart and the hot chocolate cost me “only” 350 NTD (11.35 USD). If you consider that I could eat seated at a table and I even got free water, that’s really reasonable.

The four pastries I shared with friends cost me a total of 860 NTD (28 USD), or around 7 USD per pastry. Not cheap, but absolutely acceptable given the quality of the creations.

I am honestly in love with this chocolaterie and I will make it a mandatory stop in my next trips to Taipei.

Where in Taipei:
No. 10, Alley 3, Lane 112, Section 4, Renai Rd, Daan District, Taipei City
In Chinese: 大安區仁愛路4段112巷3弄10號
Website: https://www.yuchocolatier.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/yuchocolatier

Bars and cafes with a view in Shanghai

This post will collect bars, cafes, lounges in Shanghai located on high floors and offering great views of the city. If acrophobia is a thing for your, stop reading now! The rooftop bars on the Bund do not qualify as they are not really located on a high floor. These are venues good for drinks and snacks, but some share the space with full fledged restaurants. They are listed on this page by floor number and they were tested mostly during afternoons, so this is not a night-life guide.

91th floor: 100 Century Avenue Restaurant

One of the restaurants of the Park Hyatt in Pudong, the 100 Century Avenue Restaurant is also available for guest for drinks and desserts. To my knowledge this is the highest dining venue in Shanghai (waiting for something new in the adjacent Shanghai Tower) as it is located on the 91th floor of the Shanghai World Finance Center (aka “the bottle opener”).

The view is truly spectacular. You can clearly see the Jin Mao Tower and, behind, the Oriental Pearl Tower. Across the river, the view captures both the Bund (to the left) and Hankou (to the right).

In one of my visits I tried their sundaes that were just mediocre.

They do better with their cakes. The chocolate mousse is memorable.

And they even have a namesake chocolate cake (not tried).

On weekends they even have a dessert buffet (with a very limited choice though). The cost is around 200 RMB per person.

Make sure to ask for the cake menu (they always fail to present it even if you specify that you are there for drinks and cakes). Service is underwhelming in this place.

A dessert will cost you around 100 RMB (15 USD) after tax and service charge. The desserts to share are better than the sundaes, so try to bring a friend along.

Address in Shanghai: 91-93/F, 100 Shiji Dadao (Century Avenue) / 世纪大道100号91-93楼.

47th floor: La Terrazza at Bulgari Hotel

The top floor of the Bulgari Hotel hosts Il Ristorante (The restaurant), Il Bar (The Bar), both operated by Niko Romito’s staff, and La Terrazza (The terrace). The latter has nice views of the Bund and offers high-teas (probably the most expensive in Shanghai at over 2000 RMB per person) and casual drinks and snacks. Unfortunately Niko Romito’s desserts are not served in this venue.

It is a narrow space, with some sofas and a touch of green. On a weekend visit, it was full of selfie-obsessed guests.

The view is interesting as the hotel is located in a position to dominate the Northern Bund.

I was with two friends and we had an hot chocolate (very Italian), a mocktail (very good), and a huge pot of tea (even if for one person only).

Prices were not prohibitive. We ended up spending 256 RMB in three (37 USD).

Inside, Il Bar deserves a mention for its impressive oval counter.

Address in Shanghai: 47/F, 33 Henan Bei Lu / 河南北路33号上海宝格丽酒店47层.

47th floor: Sky Dome Bar

This is the rooftop lounge of the Raddison Blu hotel in the New World complex near People’s Square.

The view is interesting, you can see Pudong at a distance and some other architectonic landmarks like Shanghai Museum, People’s Park and K11 Mall. Unfortunately the view is obstructed by the dome structure (that is remarkable per se, though). You can freely walk around the bar with probably a 270 degrees view.

They have an extensive drink menu, a few non-alcoholic choices (I settled for a tomato juice in my visit), and a few snacks. Nuts were complimentary.

With a juice, the price of admission was pretty reasonable, 58 RMB (8.65 USD). Service was ok. The place however was a bit worn-down and seemed in need of a renovation.

The view is better from the restaurant on the 45th floor, Epicure on 45.

Address in Shanghai: 88 Nanjing Xi Lu / 南京西路88号.

33th floor: Sky Bar

The Sky Bar is the cocktail lounge of the Okura Garden Hotel in the former French Concession. The floor is shared with two overpriced restaurants.

The view is remarkable as you can see a mix of old and new buildings.

I had a tea set. My choice of tea was longjing. The quantity of food was excellent, but the quality forgettable. Service was a bit cursory,

The afternoon tea set for one person was 149.30 RMB (22.20 USD) after tax and service charge.

Pro tip: take the panoramic elevator to get directly to the 33th floor and to enjoy the panorama as you go up. (The two pictures above are taken from the elevator; you can see the other side of Maoming Road).

Address in Shanghai: 58 Maoming Nan Lu / 茂名南路58号.

Artisan gelato in Guangzhou

One of the highlights of my January 2019 food weekend in Guangzhou was discovering an artisan gelato maker in a relative remote shopping mall. The shop is using Italian machines and making excellent ice cream leveraging on local ingredients.

The visit

I was taken to the gelato shop by a friend. It would have been virtually impossible to get there alone, as the shop only has a Chinese name and is not easily found on Google and other English-friendly portals.

The shop is located in an interesting shopping mall called Grand Tea Mall that features high-end teas from around China.

The shop has a nice sitting area outside in the middle of the shopping area.

Just looking at the seasonal flavor assortment I immediately got the impression of an artisan production. One of their feature is to always have on offer a few flavors based on tea.

We spoke to one of the owners and the main gelato maker that explained how all the ingredients were fresh and natural (made from scratch) and many phases of the production were even made by hand, producing small batches.

I had their tasting option that provided six medium scoops on cones. An excellent way to seriously sample their offering.

My selection included chocolate, ginger, and green tea.

Strawberry yogurt and two types of tea.

All flavors provided were very dense and provided clear-defined flavors.

They had Italian beverages from San Pellegrino too, in particular one of my favorite, Chinotto, a type of natural cola from Italy.

The check

The price point was very reasonable, with my feast costing just 65 RMB (or just below 10 USD).

I highly recommend this gelato shop that is well worth the trip from other parts of Guangzhou.

Where in Guangzhou:
You won’t find the address on the English web. My tip is the following:

Take the exit D at the Pazhou stop of metro line 8. The Grand Tea Mall is juts around the corner.

Or you can use the following address:
1000 Xingang E Rd, Haizhu Qu, Guangzhou
In Chinese: 广东省广州市海珠区新港东路1000号