Most people outside of the restaurant industry probably haven't heard of Janice Wong, so we'll fill you in on her: she's a Singaporean chef who's won the Asia's Best Pastry Chef award two years in a row with her artistic desserts. Only available in her native city-state thus far, Wong's creations can soon be sampled at Shinjuku's freshly opened shopping monstrosity, Newoman – her Tokyo outpost is set to start business on April 15. Wong herself recently visited Japan in preparation for the opening, and was kind enough to let us try her desserts in advance.
Tokyo sweets shops these days are trying as hard as possible to beat the competition with both flavour and looks, but Wong's desserts are in a league of their own – each sweet treat is a unique and imaginative creation in itself. If the phrase 'edible art' was ever appropriate, we'd like to use it here.
Our tasting session kicked off with the Cassis Plum (final name TBD), a bamboo shoot-shaped pastry that took Wong around three months to develop. The 'bamboo shoot' rests on a bed of plum wine jelly and shaved ice, not only giving it a distinct spring flair but also adding to the overall flavour. This one starts to melt almost instantly, so don't ogle it for too long.
The other treat on offer was the Popcorn (also TBD), apparently made to symbolise the fun memories its creator has of her childhood. As is to be expected, this sure ain't your average cinema's over-salted, faux-butter-drizzled popcorn. Actually, it isn't popcorn at all, but popcorn-flavoured whipped cream melded into a popcorn-shaped parfait. It'll be served with both salty and sweet 'popcorn', along with a side of homemade yuzu sorbet.
Already licking your chops? Check out the full details for Janice Wong Shinjuku while you wait for this dessert oasis to open.
