The Chinese name of iCafe is “the home of happiness bakery,” a place where you will feel buoyed by a swell of sweet memories.
Owners Nobo and Hanna want to carry this 45 year-old legacy business into the next century. They’re renovated the inside of the store, which is super clean with plenty of seating and a big screen TV. But the most remarkable thing about this bakery is that they maintain the traditional flavors of Hong Kong pastries, but with an added twist. Hanna joked about the difficulty of painstakingly making everything by hand, “but as long as the old customers like them, it’s all worth it.”
You can choose from the “Royal” recommendations, including the baked BBQ bun, pineapple egg custard bun, and minced taro bun. The crusts are baked to perfection and the stuffings are all handmade with fresh ingredients. Your taste buds will feel wrapped in luxury because the custards are so smooth and rich. The same goes for their Zongzi, the traditional Chinese rice-pudding celebrating Duan Wu, the Dragon Boat Festival. Normally, it is filled with barbecued pork and made with sticky rice, which is hard to digest for seniors and those with stomach issues. They creatively use quinoa and purple rice, which are easier for the stomach to handle and add a different texture to this traditional food. And those rice-puddings have caught on fire! They sold over 10,000 pieces this past season.
They also offer other festive foods during different seasons: moon cakes for Mid-Autumn Festival, rice cakes for Chinese New Year, and mochi all year round (the durian mochi is a must-try).