Richmond's Dazzling Cafe makes the desserts of your dreams IRL
Stepping into Dazzling Cafe in Richmond can only be described as something out of a dream. A seriously girly, fluffy, pastel, and overall cutesy cutesy dream.
Bunny ears adorn the backs of the oversized dining chairs, little baskets sit aside the tables to ensure designer purses don’t touch the floor of the restaurant, and selfie props like signs reading “I Love My Honey Toast!” are scattered about on the ledges around the room for patron’s to document this surreal and sweet atmosphere.
But just know, you need a reservation to get into Dazzling for an hour and half time slot. The demand for the restaurant (which only just opened in February 2017) is off the charts, making just waltzing in a serious no-go for now.
The first location of Dazzling Cafe was opened in the east district of Taipei, Taiwan in 2010. Brother-sister twin duo Janet and Johnny wanted to create a place that specialized in honey toast, and now the pair have five locations in cities across Taiwan, all with unique decor and concepts.
The concept of Dazzling was an instant hit – causing the cafe to be picked up as a franchise around China and South East Asia. Dazzling Cafe now has multiple locations in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and Canada.
With only two franchise locations in Canada – Toronto (Sheppard Avenue) and Richmond (Alderbridge Way) – Dazzling Cafe is just scratching the surface of the North American market.
Hazelnut Chocolate Honey Toast (Hanna McLean/Daily Hive)
This spot has eye-popping and drool-worthy dishes in every section of the menu. While savoury mains such as pasta, fries, soups, and pizza are available for order, the real draw here are the towering dessert toasts and decked-out waffles.
Some of the creations from Dazzling look like they are straight out of the Mad Hatter’s bakery, like this Hazelnut Chocolate Honey Toast. A member of the Dazzling Cafe team (dressed in essentially a French Maid outfit) is responsible for attending to your party and cutting the toasts in front of guests, which is a good thing considering most people wouldn’t know where to start attacking this thing.
Strawberry & Ice Cream Waffle (Hanna McLean/Daily Hive)
The waffles are more familiar and approachable, but that doesn’t make them any less stunning. Presentation is everything at Dazzling, because, well, everything needs to dazzle when it’s put in front of guests!
Strawberry Lover Honey Toast Box (Hanna McLean/Daily Hive)
Classic Honey Toast Boxes can also be enjoyed, and they come in a variety of flavours including Honey French Toast with Vanilla Ice Cream, Lava Chocolate Crispy Honey Toast, and Strawberry Lover Honey Toast.
A selection of teas cold and hot also can be ordered to accompany your meal or the sweet masterpieces from the dessert menu. Some of the beverages available include a Royal Matcha Latte, a Strawberry White Chocolate Mocha Latte, and a Ice Pomelo and Peach Tea to name a few.
Pink Dazzling (Hanna McLean/Daily Hive)
At the end of your hour and a half visit (yes, they hold you to the time slot) if you can’t finish your selection, you’ll get a boutique-like take-out bag that is nothing if not adorable.
Dazzling Cafe provides delicious eats, extremely Instagrammable dishes, and an experience you won’t likely soon forget. If you’re looking to dive into Richmond’s exciting Taiwanese food scene, this is a great place to start.
Dazzling Cafe is open Monday to Thursday from 1 to 6 pm and Friday to Sunday from 1 to 9 pm.
Dazzling Cafe
Address: 140 – 7971 Alderbridge Way, Richmond
Instagram: @dazzlingcaferichmond
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