NYC Restaurants

Taiyaki in Japanese means fried fish. At Taiyaki in Chinatown they are actually baked. The fish-shaped pastries are filled with red bean or custard and used as a gesture for celebration and luck. Taiyaki has also turned them into ice cream cones for its instagram-worth matcha and vanilla swirl soft-serve that is dusted with pastel colored sprinkles, mini marshmallow skewers and unicorn horns. But we were there for the Japanese pancakes which take about 45 minutes to prepare, and judging by the line out the door, no one seems to care. They comes two ways; classic or matcha. The classic arrives with two pancakes to a plate. Each rising about two inches into the air. They are light and fluffy and downright dreamy. The pancakes are served with maple syrup, whipped cream and a small fish cake for luck. The other version is topped with a thick coating of matcha cream.  After sampling both, they are definitely worth the wait! >>

- Thomas Rafael