Updated: 3rd Nov 2014; This restaurant is closed.
It was really hot the past couple of days, isn’t it? All of the sudden it really felt like summer. For the first time this year, I sweated!
Suanne had been complaining non-stop about the weather and she had been warning me not to go near her. She just wanted to sit near the fan watching TV all day long. If I so much try to sit near her, or accidentally block the fan she will show me the irritated look like she is going to kill me. She only reserves that kind of look for me. I don’t think anyone had seen that look before. She is in a foul mood to say the least.
So when I said, let’s go out for some ice cold dessert … whoa … she brightens up instantly. She knows it is rare that I would suggest going out for sweet dessert. It is not my thing — too feminine. Sweet desserts are for girls. As the saying goes … Real men eat steak, real girls eat sweet desserts. Something like that.
Since we already had dinner, I thought we go and get something light. Bubble Tea houses would be one choice but it’s too fatteningly sweet. We first went to the Richmond Public Market to get some Ice Kacang. See picture below if you don’t know what Ice Kacang is like.
As we drove into the parkade, we saw the sign that they close at 8PM and that left us just 20 minutes to eat and leave. Too little time to really enjoy it. So we opted for Plan B.
Just across the street from the Richmond Public Market, I remember there was a place called 100% Healthy Dessert. We had been there before (see previous report here).
The dessert shop is small. The place is almost pleasant. While the place is nice, I think they should have at least cover the back room and kitchen with some curtains or something. Then it will look nicer.
This is more like a youngster hangout. Most customers here are really young (and LOUD!) young people. Maybe it was just when we were there. There were this group of youngsters that were laughing their lungs out the whole time. Hard to ignore them. I thought they could have been a bit more considerate that this is a restaurant and there are other customers.
We find that 100% Healthy Dessert have really creative desserts on their menu.
Suanne ordered the Aloe Vera de Honeydew ($5.25) which is just perfect for… a hot day. It is shaved ice with different combinations of fruits and toppings.
It was not overly sweet. I guess that is why they call themselves “healthy” desserts. I think it is just healthy in relation to other types of sugar laden desserts and ice cream.
The “tadpoles” is certainly interesting. It is the seed of passion fruit which does not really give it much taste. It was just nice to bite into.
As much as I wanted to get also a shaved ice dessert, I ordered something different. The above is called Mango Gi Gi.
It is served cold and has tapioca, fresh mango and pamelo. It tasted like some kind of a liquid mango pudding – very cold & refreshing. Very nice. The pamelo gives this a hint of sourness and bitterness … with contrast of flavour with the mango.
Suanne prefers this sort of desserts over ice cream and bubble tea to keep cool during the summer.
If the past two days is any indication of the weather this summer, I will have to find more places like this. Any recommendation?
Mmm the “bao bing” looks super refreshing. Other similar type places that come to mind are the dessert ones in Aberdeen n Yaohan Centres n Crystal Mall.
Well Tea also has shaved ice. I believe I have read your blog post about Well Tea in Richmond.
Hi Oracle: LOL! You know more about our posts than I do. Ben
Zephyr in The Sky has shaved ice too. Did they change the name to Zephyr Tea House Cafe? I believe so.
This dessert place looks good. Copying the link posted by fmed in Chowhound board.
http://blog.jan-chan.com/2010/06/03/chinese-dessert-place-in-vancouver/
Hmmm… I’d have to go there and try it. I’m getting sick of bubble tea. I’m sick of Ice capps, iced lattés and popsicles. I’d love to have frozen yogurt with fresh fruits everyday but there’s no Qoola near my house.
The weather is so bad it makes me miserable. Oh, maybe you should do a rain dance so Suanne won’t get so cranky and give you that look anymore. LOL.
I think those “tadpoles” are called basil seeds, not passionfruit pulp.
Hi Kirbybirdie: You could be right. I just googled it and from the description of it, it seems like basil seeds. Thanks!
Definitely basil seed — I started drooling as soon as I saw that picture. I LOOOOVVVEEE basil seeds. There is a tasty canned drink with basil seeds in it that I have to have whenever I see it (usually while picking up my favourite banh mi in Chinatown). Drool. So refreshing and yet slightly creepy looking.
yup, basil seeds. Apparently it’s good for your skin too (Chinese lady at the market said so when I was in Hong Kong). There’s a place similar to this on saba rd and it’s called bubble fruity. Huge bowls at a small price 😀
Those desserts look so refreshing and delicious!! Yum!
Also, don’t you find it kind of funny…we wish for sunny weather from September through June. When we finally get it, we complain about it! I say, embrace the heat because before you know it, we will be back to cloudy skies and non-stop drizzle. Viva le sunshine!
$5 bucks for that mango bowl sounds a bit pricy…
it seems like a clean dessert the mango gi gi looks very good. this post actually made my day because whoever wrote the “guest check” clearly did not know how to write chinese. don’t get me wrong, i am not trying to be mean here but it is cute to see english pronunciations used in a chinese dessert place.
OMG! Thanks for posting this! I don’t like the typical western stuff of cakes and pies. Are there more places like this in Vancouver?
Hi Shirl:
I am sure there are other places like 100% Healthy Dessert but this is the only such place we had been to. Someone did mention of some “Tutti” place on Saba Road in Richmond.
Ben
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