Saturday, February 9, 2013

Asian Sugar Rush!

To be honest, the first time I had Meet Fresh, I was not so enamoured by it. My first and foremost rookie mistake was choosing 'hot' when they asked me whether I wanted it cold or hot. Never order these desserts 'hot'!! It was a cold day and I thought that having something warming would be awesome. But they only ever heat these to the stage of lukewarm, almost as though you left a hot dish sit for a while and it's almost gone cold. Not the best of stages I think. Second reason would be because of all the hype there was surrounding Meet Fresh. All my friends raved about how delicious it was, so I think I did have my expectations raised through the roof. Which all came crashing down when I was eating my lukewarm dessert.

However, with all Asian desserts, I believe that the more you eat it, the more you enjoy it. You become appreciative of all the different textures in the dessert that vary from chewy to soft to icy! Definitely the highlight.

I had a strong craving for Meet Fresh the other day, and I dragged my younger sister with me - who has never had Meet Fresh! We walked to our local one in Burwood and I'm glad they open so early in the morning. Yes I did have this for breakfast, so please don't judge the fact that I had this first thing in the morning!

Taro balls no. 4, $5.50


Definitely a magnificent sight, that huge tower of ice! Surrounding the mountain was taro which had been marinated in honey, taro balls, pearls, and red beans. The shaved ice is doused with a sugar syrup made out of a type of sugar that we Chinese people often use in our dishes called rock candy. They normally come in huge chunks that look like rocks, hence the name. It is a very sweet syrup, but it definitely has a different sweet flavour profile compared to the sugar that you would normally find in your local supermarket. There are taro and sweet potato balls which are chewy like pearls, and paired with the sweetness of the taro and red beans, this dessert is always a winner.

At first, my sister did not see why I had such a craving for this but she definitely got more into it the more we ate. I think she began to see why you would want it the more you eat it.

Meet Fresh
169 Burwood Rd
Burwood, NSW, 2134 

Opening Hours
Monday-Friday: 11:00am - 11:00pm
Saturday: 11:00-12:00am
Sunday: 110:00am - 11:00pm

Meet Fresh on Urbanspoon

Herbal jelly with ZenQ signature Q balls, pearls and red beans, $6.50 + extra sweet taro, $0.80
Remember those awesome grass jelly drinks that had so much sugar added to them but you loved it anyway when we were kids? This is exactly what this dessert was like! But instead of little pieces of grass jelly, there were huge chunks of grass jelly which were sweet and slipped easily down our throats. Thank goodness it wasn't like the grass jelly that came canned as one huge chunk in the shape of the can - those were nasty! If the dessert wasn't sweet enough, there were chunks of palm sugar on top of it all :P ZenQ's signature Q balls have three flavours (matcha, taro and sweet potato) instead of the two offered at Meet Fresh (taro and sweet potato). I'm really in love with marinated taro!

Do any of you hate the textures of Asian desserts, or are you the complete opposite and are in love with them? I, myself, am the former ;)

ZenQ Desserts
181/569 George St
Sydney, NSW, 2000
9267 9880

ZenQ Desserts on Urbanspoon

6 comments:

  1. I love Asian desserts but they can be an acquired taste to some that haven't been brought up with them. Some of my friends are growing to like them though! :)

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    1. That is quite true! I guess we love it because we grew up on it :D Reel them all into the dark side of Asian desserts haha!

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  2. Ahaha I was like you and ordered my first desert as a hot dessert! ESP since they are pre made. I gave it a second try though and they are the best in summer because it is so refreshing! I actually also get the cold ones without sugar! Hehe

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    1. Haha getting hot was not a good idea on any of our parts was it? :P But the cold ones are a billion times better! Definitely a winner on hot days :D And I did not know that you could order it without sugar!! Definitely will do that next time - it does get too sweet for me sometimes!

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  3. Love love love meet fresh. Signature Herbal Jelly No.1 for me please!

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    1. I have not tried the herbal jelly at Meet Fresh but I will do next time since I enjoyed the one at ZenQ :D

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