11 Asian desserts and where to eat them in Bangkok

It’s known in Thailand as lod chong but this green glutinous treat is also enjoyed in other Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam. Each country has its own approach to enjoying the glutinous rice flour-based noodles, generally known as cendol. For instance, Indonesians enjoy dawet (the Javanese term for cendol) with coconut milk and palm sugar, while Singaporeans and Thais mix it with ice, coconut milk and other add-ins such as beans and rice.

For Malaysian-style cendol in the city, head to Baba Thai restaurant in Asok. The restaurant offers Malaysian culinary staples, but its cendol is definitely a highlight. The thick green noodles are flavored with a hint of pandan, and served in creamy coconut milk with boiled red beans. But it’s the gula melaka syrup (a type of palm sugar indigenous to Malacca) that’s the game changer, injecting a sweet, smoky taste to the iced dessert.

45 Soi Sukhumvit 23, 09 5827 0138. BTS Asok. Open daily 10:00-21:00

When visiting the Land of the Rising Sun, particularly the Kansai area, you would definitely come across warabi mochi, the chewy, clear-colored treat topped with brown nutty powder. Widely savored during summertime, this unique mochi gets its jelly-like texture from bracken starch, unlike other mochi variants, which are made with glutinous rice.

In Bangkok, the gummy treat is served in — aside from Japanese department store Isetan — Homu on Soi Charoenkrung 44, which is also known for offering other wagashi (Japanese confections) offerings. Owner Pemika “Ying” Thanalumlerkkul makes warabi mochi fresh daily and dusts them with heaps of kinako, a powder made with toasted soybean flour. Sprinkle the treat with kuromitsu (brown sugar
syrup) for added sweetness.

32 Soi Charoenkrung 44, 08 9792 6496. BTS Charoenkrung. Open daily 8:00-18:00

Lebanese milk flan or mouhalabieh is addictive for good reasons. While many Middle Eastern desserts have a reputation for being overly sweet, this creamy treat is luscious and refreshing, relying on the delicate flavors of milk, rose water and orange blossom, and crunchy pistachio to entice the palate.

Mouhalabieh is served in many Lebanese restaurants in Bangkok, but we can’t stop raving about the version served at Al Saray. The Lebanese and Indian specialist serves the milky dessert with a heavy sprinkling of crushed pistachio and strong hints of rose water. Very addictive, indeed.

60/2 Soi Silom 2/1, Silom Road, 0 2234 4988. BTS Saladaeng.
Open daily 11:00-24:00

This beloved Philippine dessert is best for fighting off the heat during scorching summer days. The colorful, layered sundae-like treat derives its name from the Tagalog word that means “to mix.” There are many versions of halo-halo but the essentials components are shaved ice, ice cream, evaporated milk and sweet mix-ins like plantain, jackfruit and colorful palm jelly.

The restaurant also serves halo-halo the traditional way—with heaps of delicious mix-ins, and topped with taro paste and ice cream. Also on the menu are other Filipino goodies like puto (steamed rice cake), kutsinta (brown steamed rice cake) and suman (rice cake wrapped in banana leaf).

Pridi Soi 26, 085 098 3894. Open daily 08:30-22:00

Hearing its name may evoke confusion, but seeing Dragon’s Beard Candy will make you understand the name’s derivation. This ancient dessert features candy-like strands of hand-
pulled sugar that coat a filling made from peanuts, shredded coconut and sesame seeds. Its origins can be traced back to the Han dynasty. According to legend, an emperor had bits of
candy stuck to his face like the whiskers of a dragon, hence its name.

In Bangkok, Yaowarat is the best place to enjoy this sugary confection. A street vendor in Phadung Dao Road sells Dragon’s Beard Candy twice a week, entertaining passersby with live demonstrations of how to make the candy from scratch. The version at Yaowarat mixes honey with cashew, peanuts and white sesame. Wait until it’s been chilled in the fridge if you want a crispier treat.

Phadung Dao Road, 08 1903 7323. Open Fri and Sat 19:30-22:30

Baklava, the flaky Middle Eastern dessert with a nutty filling, is essential at coffee shops and patisseries dotting the streets of Turkey. The sweet and scrumptious treat, which layers filo pastry, sweetened chopped nuts and honey, is the perfect accompaniment to a rich cup of Turkish coffee.

Ottoman Turkish Restaurant, located within Baan Silom, makes baklava daily from scratch with premium honey. Also worth a try is firin sutlac, a cold rice pudding steeped in evaporated milk.

Baan Silom, Silom Road, 0 2635 3688. Open daily 10:00-22:30

Every country in Southeast Asia has its own approach to turning banana into a delicious dessert, and Vietnam is no exception. Ripe banana is combined with tapioca starch, and steamed to come up with a glutinous mixture, which is then served with coconut sauce and toasted sesame seeds.

One of the best places in town to savor banh chuoi hap, as well as other authentic Vietnamese delicacies, is Maison Saigon. At the newly opened, stylishly decorated eatery, the steamed banana cake is chewy and not too sweet, and comes with a rich and thick coconut sauce.

Velaa Sindhorn Village, Langsuan Road, 0 2656 4966. BTS Chitlom. Open daily 11:00-14:30, 17:00-22:00

If you’re not a big fan of saccharine sweet dessert, ras malai (literally translates as “juice and cream”) could be your Indian dessert of choice. A dessert that’s native to West Bengal, ras malai consists of smooth and soft white paneer, called chhena, swimming in chilled thickened milk—the perfect dessert on an excruciatingly hot day. The dessert is also usually eaten in festive events like Holi and Dewali, and at weddings.

A visit to Bangkok’s Little India wouldn’t be complete without savoring the ras malai at Punjab Sweets. The shopfront of this vegetarian restaurant is lined with trays of Indian treats such as gulab jamun (deep- fried dough balls in sugar syrup) and kaju ki barfi (cashew fudge). But their take on ras malai deserves the most praise. The milk-soaked chhena is packed with the flavor of cardamom, while the milk itself is aromatic and perfectly sweet.

Chakkraphet Road, 0 2222 6541. MRT Samyot. Open Mon-
Sat 9:00-17:00

Meaning “bracelet snack” in Burmese, mote let kauk resembles a donut, but with an immensely chewy texture, made as it is with rice flour. The deep-fried delight is heavily coated with sticky jaggery syrup, and can be quite a challenge to chew.

Come to the Phra Khanong market to try mote let kauk, as well as other sweet and savory Burmese delicacies. The market is nicknamed “Little Myanmar” and, aside from housing restaurants and stalls churning out culinary staples from the neighboring country, also has street stalls selling traditional Burmese attire. A pushcart located opposite Mona Burmese
restaurant offers mote let kauk and a great selection of other sugary snacks.

Soi Sukhumvit 71. Open daily 9:00-17:00

Despite being called taro balls, these chewy nugget-like bites can be made either with taro or sweet potato. They’re commonly mixed with other sweet ingredients like grass jelly, tofu pudding and sweetened red beans in a bowl of syrup-laden shaved ice. It’s a simple treat that’s commonly found in many dessert shops in Taiwan.

QQ Dessert, found all across Bangkok, is the best place to savor the Taiwanese dish, which comes in many different variations. Our favorite comes with black glutinous rice, sweetened red
beans and taro balls.

6/F CentralWorld, Rama 1 Road, 06 4123 4599. BTS Siam.
Open daily 10:30-21:30

Saffron, rose water and cardamom are essential ingredients in Persian cooking, and halva is the dessert in which these three ingredients are immensely showcased. In Iranian-style halva,
these ingredients are combined in a rich paste made of flour and butter.

Persian House Restaurant on Pan Road is one of very few places in Bangkok where you can savor halva packed with the dominant flavors of saffron and rosewater, as well as shredded
almond. Make sure to balance out the treat’s sweetness with some Persian tea. 

48/2-3 Pan Road, Silom, 0 2635 2674. Open Tue-Sun 11:00-
22:00