Strangas Dessert Boutique
Add: 51 Yong Kang Road, Shanghai 永康路51号
Tel: +86 (21) 3356 1137
Hours: 9:00am-8:00pm
Price: [cakes] RMB48-78; [pastries] 15-30; [drinks] 20-45
Visited: February 2017
Will return: Yes
A fairly recent addition to Yongkang Road, Strangas Dessert Boutique is the world’s second pastry shop by chef Nikolaos Strangas. The original shop in Copenhagen opened in 2010, and has received various accolades over the years.
The tiny store is sparse but welcoming, metallic gold tables giving warmth to the space. Some days you will find a flashy Harley Davidson, which belongs to one of the owners, parked out front. But what truly draws the eye are certainly the vibrantly colored desserts on display.
Their signature, the Strangas Pavlova, has chocolate hazelnut ganache encased within a dome of chocolate shell dusted with coconut and sesame seeds, with a thin layer of meringue in between. This beautifully layered creation is a wonderful symphony of textures, though leaning decidedly towards the sweet side.
Strangas Pavlova
On the other end of the spectrum is the jasmine tea mousse, the flavors ineffably delicate and entirely delightful. Its airy texture and the light but insistent bitterness combine into a rather ethereal effect, kept earthly only by the mango mousse in the center. In comparison, the yuzu heart in the milk chocolate mousse tastes like something of an afterthought, but the whispers of citrus that are present entwine seamlessly and elegantly with the creamy milk chocolate.
Jasmine tea mousse
Milk chocolate with yuzu mousse
Purists will appreciate their cheesecake, a striking balance of tanginess and lightness, livened up with a dollop of lemon cream.
Cheesecake
Strangas also serves half a dozen kinds of macarons. What they may lack in uniformity, they make up for with flavor. The lemon and jasmine tea is refreshingly acidic, while more classic options like chocolate and salted caramel are also very well done.
Top to bottom: salted caramel, lemon & jasmine tea, passion fruit
An array of pastries is also on offer, from various danishes to savory sandwiches. The chocolate danish fresh out of the oven is a true thing of beauty, oozing sweet, rich fragrance and warm, gooey chocolate.
Chocolate danish
To get a taste of all that Strangas has to offer, go for the afternoon tea set, which includes a selection of their cakes, macarons, and pastries.
Afternoon tea set
Given the quality of its creations, it is by no means surprising that Strangas already has a steady stream of clients even though it is only two months old, many of whom are clearly return customers. According to the owners, Strangas will be offering plated desserts in the future. Stay tuned!
journeys of a gourmand 