I contemplated a possible review for this place. When I heard about it from two friends' of mine regarding its Tiramisu, I groaned inwardly as they promised to take me there this night. They did, and from the very entrance of an otherwise petite desserterie, I cooed over an imagery of me having desserts there. Despite a full stomach, I realized the imagery to reality. Mr. Sweetheart is a small desserterie. Notice a tagline under its sign: "Love yourself, Spoil yourself". If I were to change it I would change it to "Love yourself, indulge yourself", just as one would indulge in sweets as a sign of self-rewarding act.
The decor is a simple white (furnishing) with celadon walls. The L-shaped room packed 6 tables that seat less than 20 people. At the end of the 'L' leads to the kitchen. The menu can be divided into "Chinese desserts' and "Western desserts". There is a section called "Extraordinary Desserts". The signature in this category include "Braised Sekaiichi Apple" ($80, serves 3), and "Braised Japanese Pear" ($40, serves 2). Both fruits from this dish are made from apples/ pears flown in from Japan at their peak. It's truly a seasonal favorite and it's certainly not available yearound. Kyoho Grape Mousse cake ($40) was my first choice, but they didn't have it, not because they were sold out, as Peggy, the shop manager, explained that in two weeks, when the Kyoho grapes are better, i.e. riper and more scrumptious, the cake will be made and on sale.
Chinese desserts are the usual suspects from $15 to $25. Agar-agar and osmanthus jellies are common orders, while Sago in Coconut milk may seem a conservative choice, but you'd be surprised that the resulting dessert is not cloyingly sweet with a slightly sour aftertaste. Western desserts are what we're here for. We ordered the Tiramisu ($35), the Blueberry cheesecake ($35) and an order of "Hokkaido Milk Pudding" ($30). The desserts arrived promptly as the rest of my parties dug in within seconds. It wasn't until two spoongfuls into the tiramisu (and two forkfuls into the cheesecake) that I realized I didn't take a picture of theirs. How uncharacteristic of me who usually snaps it before anyone gets a chance to dig in?! I blame it on the desserts... The Tiramisu was presented in a small glass, as you can see alternating layers of ladyfingers and a sweet Mascarpone layer. The coffee component is there, but the prominent taste of dairy overtook me to cloud nine. The lightness of the cheese layer is pillowy and you won't feel that you've just eaten a chunk of cheese into your stomach. The blueberry cheesecake, is quite similar. The cheese component is richer, but similarly not as heavy as I thought it might. The blueberry compote's fruitiness cuts through the cheese's thickness. It tastes like a cheesecake and I don't lie about how good it is. My friends can see it in my eyes, as they twinkled with a sense of satisfaction only to be found when I eat desserts.
Hokkaido Milk Pudding was presented in a dainty small oval bowl. Velvety smooth on the texture, a spoonful of this panna cotta will slide through your mouth and down your throat without a trace, only with rememberance of the a strong milky taste lingering within. The plating is good, as squiggles of chocolate is enhanced by sprinkles of chopped pistachios. The strawberry and blueberries offer a good texture (both fresh and has a delightful crunch to it) that counter the softness of the pudding. The creaminess is superb, and most importantly, the sweetness level is just right.
Browsing at the menu, I spotted the Fondant au Chocolat, only to realize that it's not yet available. I took a deep breath of relief, thinking that I may just make a new exception to take on a new sweetheart in this neighborhood, one that can I imagine never fail to impress, boys and girls alike, as long as you love yourself enough to spoil yourself to a visit to Mr. Sweetheart.
Hokkaido Milk Pudding ($30)
Hokkaido Milk Pudding ($30)
