Cooling down at The Dessert Kitchen

When you hear the word "dessert" what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Cakes? Cookies? Some elaborate creamy confection?  I am partial to kakanin or native rice cakes so I that's what I hope is on the table.   I normally don't think "ice cream" since that's not high on my list of favourites. 

My friend and I were craving for something sweet after a very savoury and umami rich dinner.  

The Dessert Kitchen at the third floor of the Rockwell Mall seemed like the perfect answer.  

The ice cream counter at the entrance should have warned me.  The Dessert Kitchen's menu is full 

of cold confections.  You can choose from soft or "hard" ice cream,  full cream or low fat or even yoghurt.  The thick, glossy menu is full of stunning and gorgeous photos of all the possible combinations you could think of.  Sundaes? Parfaits? Smoothies? Puddings?  

The Dessert Kitchen has them all.  For those who crave for the egg shaped waffles that you can buy from street side vendors in Hong Kong -- well, they're here too.

The egg shaped waffles and the other items on the menu reminded me of similar places in Hong Kong.  True enough -- The Dessert Kitchen is a franchise brought in from there.  I was happy to
see  the shaved ice concoctions as this is a particular favourite of mine -- all the flavour without the creaminess. Durian shaved ice!  Coconut!  Mango!  All perfect for my lactose intolerant self.  

The decor is as contemporary and fanciful as the desserts.

My friend and I ordered two desserts -- so we could sample more items from the menu.

We shared a parfait called Coffee Time which is a combination of coffee and vanilla ice cream, 

coffee jelly and cream lightly dusted with coffee powder.  It's placed before me, looking for all 

the world like a chic, tall and slim, outrageously stylish and intimidating supermodel.  

"Eat me" ... it whispered ...  "Eat me and you'll be the exact opposite of a tall, slim, stylish, intimidating  supermodel"  

Eeek!  I nearly dropped  my spoon! 

We also ordered  Japanese style chocolate brownies -- it's called Japanese style because the bite sized pieces are wrapped up in glutinous, chewy mochi.  Since I am not an ice cream person but a chewy-cookie type of person -- I much preferred this over the parfait.  Be warned though, one small piece is heavy and lands with a big clunk in the middle of your stomach.  It's definitely the combination of dark chocolate, dense brownie and even denser mochi.  We had one piece each and took the other two home.

Hands down, I was certainly the oldest person in The Dessert Kitchen that night!  My friend and I were surrounded by teen-agers and twenty somethings.  But then again, who else could have the capacity (and the desire) for the decadently extravagant offerings that the Dessert Kitchen has? 

P.S.

On my next visits to The Dessert Kitchen I had their shaved ice desserts.  

Here is the Mango Shaved Ice with a side of fresh mango slices,  mochi balls and my 

absolute  favourite -- chunks of silky smooth nata de coco.  It's a sunny pile of 

very finely shaved curlicues of mango flavoured ice that just melt in your mouth in a golden 

puddle of  mango sweetness. 

Don't worry about the mini-mountain sized serving because it's so light and refreshing  

that you'll find yourself finishing the entire plate (with a little help from some friends).

I have also tried their Chocolate Shaved Ice -- with sliced bananas.  This had the bittersweet flavour of dark chocolate which I love but the mango version is still better as it  brings a cleaner, brighter taste to the palate. 

Tip : The Dessert Kitchen's items are definitely meant for sharing so bring a friend or two.  And try 

to avoid week-ends when the queues are so long, any desire for ice cream would have melted away. 

Conquering Mont Blanc at Cafe de Ginza Miyuki-kan Ginza, Tokyo

Always trust your stomach's intuition!  My betsubara (Japanese term for "second stomach, for dessert only") and I were walking along Ginza one evening a few weeks ago when we passed by this cheerfully lit coffee shop that seemed uprooted straight from some sidewalk in Europe. 

Plant boxes filled with festive red flowers and fairy lights were a welcome sight on this cold and rainy evening.  It certainly looked warm and cozy inside.  I had just come from an office dinner but my betsubara had me rooted to the spot.  

The other reason why I just couldn't move on was this large poster showing the signature dish of Cafe de Ginza Miyuki-kan.  This is not spaghetti or any kind of pasta noodle -- this is a picture of a Mont Blanc, a pastry made of cream and pureed chestnuts.  While I had frequently read about it,  I had yet to try one.  

Now, I would finally conquer Mont Blanc!

As it says on the door, Cafe de Ginza Miyuki-kan has been on the scene since 1969.  However, they only started serving the Mont Blanc a little more than 10 years ago so I suppose even if you put these  pastries one on top of the other, they wouldn't be as tall as the real Mont Blanc.

The shop is indeed charming and reminded me of any one of these quaint little coffee shops you'd find in a small town in Europe.  I imagine the french windows open up during spring or summer and you can probably have your coffee al fresco.

While waiting for my tea and Mont Blanc -- the table tent card showed  how a Mont Blanc is constructed.  The base is a meringue disc followed by a topping of cream and then pureed chestnut is piped on in thin ribbons.
I cannot read Japanese but when I did some research on Cafe de Ginza Miyuki-kan, I learned that they use only premium Japanese chestnuts from Kuma, in Kumamoto Prefecture.  Apparently, these chestnuts have a mild aroma and sweetness that works best for the Mont Blanc pastry.
The shop uses about 15 tons of chestnut a year -- serving up an average of 200,000 of these exquisite little pastries.

I unwrapped the thin wax paper surrounding my Mont Blanc to get a better shot of this three tiered dessert -- meringue, cream and chestnut puree.  The chestnut puree is a rich caramel colour -- it's such a delectably dainty  bit of dessert.

After my first forkful -- I became an instant Mont Blanc convert.  

I was a little worried that it would be too sweet -- given the meringue, the cream and the chestnut puree but this was just delightful.   The chestnuts used in the puree must have been laced with just the slightest hint of sugar to allow the natural sweetness of the nut to shine through.

I could actually have eaten another one with relative ease --- who am I kidding, I could have eaten two more with out batting an eye!

But no, such genteel and refined surroundings did not warrant a gluttonous binge.
I scraped the very last bit of my Mont Blanc from the plate and reluctantly stood up to pay my bill.  As I passed by the chiller containing Cafe de Ginza Miyuki-kan's other sweet offerings, I knew that before I headed back home, I would make another stop for their Mont Blanc.
Rather than conquering Mont Blanc, it had conquered me!

Pigging out on Pablo Cheesecake in Osaka

Pablo Cheesecake is considered Osaka's best and most popular. The lines around its stores can sometimes extend around the block.  I always recommend it to friends traveling to Osaka and so far, I've heard nothing but raves.

On this last business trip to Osaka, I made sure to fit in some Pablo Cheesecake in my betsubara (what the Japanese call the "second" stomach that most ladies have, usually reserved for dessert or sweets).
One night,  I was walking back to the hotel through Osaka Station when wonder of wonders, I found a Pablo kiosk where the line was just two ladies deep!   I was not about to miss out on this stroke of luck.

It's amazing that cheesecake of such high quality is sold for only 741 yen (tax included).
One cheesecake is about 6 inches in diameter but because it is so rich, it can be cut into small slices and shared by as many people.

Pablo Cheesecake comes in two variants -- raw or medium. Should you choose "raw",  the cheese is really wet and runny.  If you prefer a more solid consistency, then the medium version is right for you.

Two  evenings later,  after a whole day of meetings, I headed off to Shinsaibashi for some shopping.
I found that Pablo had opened a cafe right in the heart of this area.  And only in this cafe do they sell smaller, single portion cheesecakes, good for one (or two)  which you can enjoy, along with coffee and other specialty drinks, in the very comfortable and spacious restaurant on the second floor.
These solo cheesecakes though are for dine-in customers only and cannot be taken out.
It's a good way to protect the main product and best seller, the regular 6 inch cake.

There were a lot of kawaii images and statues of cows -- to further reference the fresh milk that goes into the making of Pablo's cheesecake.

Even the overhead lamps came in an adorable cow print!

As I sat and waited for my cheesecake, I couldn't help but smile at this view.  A huge cheesecake hangs on the window, surrounded by old fashioned milk cans and yes, those adorable cows.

Here's what I ordered!  The cheesecake order comes with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream and a little pot of orange infused honey.  The ice cream and honey definitely enhanced my enjoyment and helped lessen some of the richness of the cheesecake.
But, gomen nasai, my betsubara and I could not finish this solo portion, much as we tried.

 Thank you Pablo!  What better way to cap off an evening of shopping than a late night date with the best cheesecake in Osaka.

Inutak and Vanilla Ice Cream -- perfect summer merienda!

You'd think that they would have given such a  delectable dessert a better name.  

Inutak (in english, utak means brains hence the addition of the prefix in- translated literally means brained)  has its origins from Pateros and Taguig.  It is a native kakanin made of finely textured ground malagkit (sticky glutinous rice) liberally cooked with generous amounts of gata or fresh coconut cream.

My Pateros friend Adel  introduced me to this ambrosial dessert many years ago, when I visited her at home.  She told me it is called inutak because that's what it looks like.  Since it is baked until a golden brown crust forms on top, it does somehow look like brains ... this is what your brain would look like after you ate a lot of inutak!

 It used to be harder to source this delicacy  (I'd always have to drop broad hints to get Adel to bring me some)  but now, thanks to a few entrepreneurial ladies, it has come into the mainstream and can be found in most malls and markets.  

People say that it is best eaten hot but Adel taught me that eating inutak with vanilla ice cream is the classic and traditional way -- and that is how I have enjoyed it ever since.

 I found a vendor from Pateros at my AANI week-end market who had inutak over the week-end.
Vanilla ice cream with soft, melt in your mouth inutak creaminess, so decadently good!
Just the perfect thing to have on a  warm Sunday afternoon.
Thank you Adel for introducing me to this (along with abnoy and penoy) ... this post is for you!

WTF (what's the fuss) with Cronuts?

There seems to be a food trend born every minute (and food suckers along with it?)  

A couple of months ago, Chef Dominique Ansel in New York City had the bright idea to bake up a new type of pastry -- a cross between a croissant and a doughnut. 

Et voila!  The cronut was born.  

Just to show you how globalization has made the world a lot smaller, the cronut found its way to our shores just a few weeks after its inception.  There are a few local shops now offering cronuts, even Dunkin' Donuts has gotten into the act.

Wildflour Bakery in uber-trendy and buzzy Bonifacio Global City area has come up with its own version of the cronut.  Since it's so popular, they can hardly make enough to meet the demand.
You'll never see it being sold at the bakery and you have to call in advance to place an order.
I called on a Monday and was told my order would be ready by Thursday.
A three day wait for a pastry?!  This had better be good.

My cronuts were supposed to be ready for pick up by noon but I was told there that they were deluged with orders so mine would finally be ready by mid afternoon.
One cronut at Wildflour is P120, quite pricey for a pastry -- whether doughnut or croissant.
I ordered one of each of their flavours -- strawberry, vanilla, raspberry, plain glazed, and 2 kinds of chocolate.
Now for the taste test.  If I am to go by what a cronut really is, as its inventor Chef Ansel declares -- it's made with a proprietary, secret croissant-like dough that goes through a process of laminating, proofing and finally, frying.  Wait, is he talking about a poster or a pastry?

I bite into the chocolate cronut.  My mouth and my mind both have pre-conceived notions of what we should be experiencing -- light, flaky croissant with the creaminess of a doughnut filling.
NOT!
On the contrary, the cronut is crisp and crumbles when you try to bite or tear into it.  I thought it a bit dry and the cream between the layers didn't help dispel the dry mouth feel.  I can imagine that eating the cronut without a plate and fork can be a messy affair as it tends to disintegrate and scatter crumbs with each bite.

Here is a close up of my cronut -- the raspberry flavoured version was just as underwhelming as the chocolate.
So what are all those lines around the block at Chef Ansel's bakery for?  Perhaps the original cronut from NYC must be really delicious and worth the wait.
But,  the 3-day wait for an order at Wildflour Bakery -- no, it wasn't worth it at all.
I'm predicting that the cronut is a food fad that will not be a classic any time soon.

Sweet Endings in Sweet Garden in Windsor House Causeway Bay

"It was a dark and stormy night..." To quote my favourite beagle, Snoopy -- these were the exact weather conditions when I stumbled upon this wonderful little corner of sweetness otherwise known as Sweet Garden Hong Kong Desserts.

Sweet Garden is located on the 4th floor of Windsor House in Causeway Bay.  Its colourful and cheerful interiors brightened up my mood despite the blustery and wet weather outside.

At past 10 p.m, the tables were all full of young locals -- perhaps just starting their Friday evening, while I was on my way to ending mine.

Lest you think that I finished all these, there were five of us that shared these desserts --

 a strawberry snowflake ice with strawberry syrup, nata de coco and yoghurt balls, hot black sesame soup and a green tea snowflake ice with red beans and nata de coco and which the helpful and friendly waiter suggested would be much improved with a drizzle of condensed milk.  And he was right!

Everything matched perfectly -- the strawberry ice was complemented by the small yoghurt balls that yielded a squirt of tart yoghurt and who knew that condensada went well with green tea?  

Of course, hot black sesame soup is a personal addiction of mine so I happily finished that by myself.

Sweet Garden's extensive menu lists so many other choices of traditional Hong Kong desserts ...
hot and cold, stewed and soupy, puddings and custards too.
Sweet Garden was a sweet ending to an otherwise gloomy and rainy day in Hong Kong.

One Thousand Sweets at Nice Desserts, 4 Shepherd Street Hong Kong

Dessert isn't my favorite part of the meal (I get my calorie kicks from salty savory stuff) but this last trip to Hong Kong, my foodie friend Beba promised she would bring me to her favorite after dinner place.

Did I like Chinese, more specifically, Taiwanese desserts?  As with anything new, I just opened my mouth and said "aaahh".

We did a brisk walk through the cool Hong Kong night, from Fortress Hill to the Tin Hau area. A lot of trendy cafes and bars have sprouted here making it a lively and wide awake place, specially at night. My friend walked me through the various cafes before we got to our final destination -- #4 Shepherd Street.  

At 10 pm  the place was packed with young people --  who had all spilled out from the tiny dining room, on to the sidewalk and even into the street.

Our table was right along the roadside.  I felt the brush of cars as they drove by.  If I got sideswiped,  and had to go to hospital,  I would have done so in pursuit of a noble cause -- dessert!

This specialty sweet shop has a thick clear book of the many temptations on offer. My friend ordered her usual -- Bao Bing or shaved ice.

She ordered it with azuki beans and nata de coco. So that I could taste it, she very generously shared her bowl with me.  The shaved ice was so fine, it just melted in my mouth.  I had never had shaved ice that was this good!  Good bye,  snow cones and scramble!

I dearly love sesame and couldn't make up my mind whether I would have the black or the white sesame "soup".  Why not have both, Beba asked.  And yes, why not?  So we had a cup of each.

This hot dessert is another Taiwanese and Chinese staple.  Some places serve it with mochi or rice balls but our cups came with just the "soup" -- perfectly ground sesame, not too thick nor too runny.  Just right!

As we enjoyed our desserts, I looked across the way and saw another brightly lit coffee shop. . . perhaps it can be a new discovery next time I find myself in Hong Kong!

Paris 3rd Time Around - Day 10 Good Eats in the 'Hood : deNeuville, Amorino, Creperie St. Germain, Maoz Vegetarian

I was afraid we would miss the fantastic street market on Rue Mouffetard -- where there are food stores, small bistros and brasseries and all sorts of gastronomic finds to discover.  

Thankfully, the area around St. Germain de Pres where we stayed this time is just as well stocked, if not more so than the Mouffetard area.

The streets of Rue Buci, Rue St Andre des Arts and the warren of side streets around them are just overflowing with temptation.

deNeuville chocolates stopped me dead in my tracks with this window display of eclairs.  The gorgeous store is full of all sorts of chocolate delights but the eclairs were what I zoomed in on.

They pack your purchases beautifully -- two eclairs to a box so -- greedy pig that I am, I had to order four.  Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate and passionfruit -- which was aromatic but very interesting.  The eclairs were swoon worthy -- I think I passed out twice while eating them.

Near deNeuville is a gelateria that is part of a chain around Paris.  Amorino sells gelatos and pastries and we chanced upon it one evening while we were out on a stroll -- to try and walk off the calories from dinner.  But this double scoop of chocolate and vanilla was irresistible so we just had to stop.

Because it was a chilly winter evening, I ordered a cup of hot chocolate.  Amorino's  hot cocoa comes in 10 infusions -- from basic chocolate to fruity flavors.  I chose latte -- the hot chocolate was so thick, you need a teaspoon to "drink" it.  It's not as heavy or bitter as our own tsokolate eh -- but just as good.

We were able to secure an outside table to sit and enjoy our cold dessert and people watch -- al fresco in the dead of a chilly winter evening.  The line for the gelato just didn't seem to stop --  people just kept coming and going -- even very late at night.

Because Rue St. Andre des Arts where we are staying is such a tourist place, there are creperies standing cheek by jowl beside each other.  Crepes and gyros are traditional cheap fare for tourists and  locals alike -- they're tasty, filling and best of all, won't break the budget.  

Among the dozens in this area, the one we liked best was the Creperie Saint Germain, just a stone's throw from the apartment door.

Unlike the other creperies that have windows for take away -- this one is more of a restaurant where you come in and order your meal -- of crepes of course.    The crepes are a bit more expensive but well worth it -- there are more unique varieties and ingredients -- not just your standard jambon and fromage.
This one is called the Iberia and comes with chorizo, naturally -- and huevos.  Very yummy!

 Aside from the crepes, they serve two kinds of salade -- this one is called the Colombo and has a huge disc of hot goat cheese on top -- break the cheese and it melts all over the greens.

Another interesting find was Maoz Vegetarian -- they sell falafel sandwiches and couscous plates.  Maoz has some kiosks in other areas but the falafel is freshly cooked when you order so it doesn't seem like too much of a fast falafel chain.

The falafel  sandwich is only 4.90 euros  and what makes it so affordable is that there is a whole range of condiments, vegetables and sauces on hand -- get much as you like and pile it on your sandwich.  It's like a falafel buffet -- for just under 5 euros!  

More euros saved at lunchtime means more euros for eclairs and gelato!