Reader Bites celebrates dishes, drinks, and atmospheres from the Chicagoland food scene. Have you had a recent food or drink experience that you can’t stop thinking about? Share it with us at [email protected].
The last time I had Nutella souffle pancakes, I was in the middle of London during my junior year of undergrad. I taste tested them at Westfield Stratford’s Fuwa Fuwa Dessert Cafe with a few of my visiting Eastern European friends.
I found out two years later that I could have this same experience at Hanabusa Cafe in Chicago, one of the few gems in the city that sells the popular Japanese souffle pancake.
Originally a Hawai’ian dish that struck popularity after arriving on Japanese soil, these pancakes were created in a restaurant in Waikīkī. Chef Nathan Tran, who was not a fan of pancakes but was a fan of souffles, came up with a recipe for these pancakes that ended up becoming a big trend in Japan. And, as in London, I found myself ordering their take on Nutella souffle pancakes at Hanabusa Cafe.
Garnished in powdered sugar, drenched in a large amount of Nutella and whipped cream, and topped with nuts, the pancakes achieve the perfect balance between the chocolatey and sugary sweetness of the toppings and the savory and airy texture of the pancakes. They’re as close as you could get to eating a cloud. For me, the pancakes not only bring back good memories of friends in London, but they’re also the perfect way to satisfy my sweet tooth.
Hanabusa Cafe
29 E. Madison, Suite 180
$16
312-584-0455
hanabusacafechicago.com
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