With the exception of travel-related culinary adventures, I find it increasingly rare to encounter something completely, unequivocally new to me when I dine out.
There are many fantastic riffs on themes, to be sure, and I do often marvel at the creativity exhibited by local chefs as they dish up their inspired takes on proven recipes, but scarce are the occasions on which I am completely left without context or comparison when served a dish.
The so-called Bubble Waffle, however, a Hong Kong and Macau-inspired treat that resembles a golden brown rectangle of fragile goods packaging, was completely new to me when it was presented at Zestea, a bustling, charmingly bright and insouciant little bubble tea, smoothie, shake and dessert joint on Lonsdale Avenue at 15th Street.
I visited Zestea late on a weekday evening with my wife DJ and kids in tow. We were lucky to find a seat in the busy restaurant, which seems to host a broad demographic of patrons, all united in their apparently insider knowledge of just how fun Zestea and their improbably enjoyable reinvention of waffles can be.
We ordered a round of shakes to start, generously portioned, thick and frosty, boldly flavoured beverages to which you may add all manner of tapioca pearls or fruit jellies.
Our unanimous favourite, the vibrantly orange-coloured mango slush, came dressed with a dollop of whipped cream and an assortment of berries. I opted for passionfruit-flavoured jellies to accompany the mango concoction and found their perfumed, slightly tangy flavour to be a great complement to the drink. Another slush, this one with Nutella and banana, paired with custard-flavoured jellies, whipped cream, chocolate drizzle and a wonderfully indulgent frozen profiterole, was like dessert in a cup: rich, creamy and eminently shareable (I’d be hard-pressed to down an entire one of these on my own).
DJ’s drink, malted, milky black tea over ice, was a more adult affair, complexly smoky and less sweet than the other beverages, with a distinctly tannic finish.
Now, about those Bubble Waffles. These house specialties, made to order, are thinly pressed, slightly chewy, slightly crispy pastries (think Indian dosa rather than Belgian waffle) that have been cooked on a double-sided iron with spherical sockets. The resulting waffle, which sort of looks like a miniature egg carton, and is lovely in its subtle, not-too-sweet character, is served on a curious, delicate wooden platform that makes the whole affair feel very exotic. To eat the waffle, you simply tear off a sphere or two and dip the light pastry into an accompanying sauce; Zestea offers either strawberry or caramel sauces, both of which are whipped and creamy.
In addition to the original Bubble Waffle described above, we also sampled a Bubble Waffle Sundae, which involved waffle spheres piled into a tall cup, perched on a bed of crunchy corn flakes, interspersed with ice cream, chunks of banana, and chocolate drizzle, served with a long cookie straw. The kids went to town on the sundae and have become champions of the unusual treat within their circle of friends. Other sundae options include strawberry and mango.
Beyond its sweet offerings, Zestea serves one savoury dish, salt and pepper-tossed deep fried chicken nuggets, which the restaurant’s staff tell me are made in house, also to order.
Our dessert of shakes, waffles and sundaes was $28. Zestea is located at 1544 Lonsdale Ave.
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The Glowbal Group, responsible for the consistently enjoyable Trattoria Italian Kitchen at Park Royal, as well as a carefully curated collection of other high-end, imposing restaurants, including chophouse Black & Blue and ode-to-B.C.-seafood Coast, has opened a brand new flagship restaurant at the much-ballyhooed Telus Garden on Georgia Street at Seymour.
The eponymous eatery, Glowbal, is a sprawling, no-expense-spared signature room for the group, boasting two stories of elegantly appointed private dining spaces, an enviable patio, and an impressive, custom-built robata grill at the centre of its enormous kitchen.
At a recent opening event, which felt like an Oscar pre-party in its assemblage of toned, tailored, tattooed and tanned beautiful people (I felt positively frumpy, nearly toad-like, in fact, in my casual blazer and khakis ensemble) I watched Glowbal’s proficient staff deftly manage hundreds of hungry, thirsty patrons that simultaneously infiltrated every corner of the huge restaurant.
There is a decidedly opulent quality to the place, captured, in part, by the dinner menu, which includes dishes like sustainable White Sturgeon Caviar, King Crab Rockefeller, and Wagyu Beef Striploin priced at $19 an ounce. This latter was on display in glass-ensconced, illuminated jewel cases situated at the entrance to the restaurant, perhaps giving a knowing, insider nod to the value Vancouver puts on exclusive foodstuffs.
The restaurant also offers more accessible fare, such as pasta (Trattoria fans will be pleased to find the popular Truffled Spaghetti and signature meatballs on the menu here), salads and a long list of goodies cooked on the aforementioned robata grill, including various prized creature parts like beef tongue, pork cheek and lobster tail. The variety makes the very polished Glowbal a suitable home for both Vancouver’s scenesters as well as confirmed foodies. glowbalgroup.com. 604-602-0835
Chris Dagenais served as a manager for several restaurants downtown and on the North Shore. A self-described wine fanatic, he earned his sommelier diploma in 2001. He can be reached via email at [email protected].
