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| - Daan Go Cake Lab is nestled in an uncapricious plaza at Midland and McNicoll. Don't mistaken its plaza for the one containing Go For Tea and Chako. Instead, the plaza is adjacent to that one and you will have to turn into it to see the main entrance of the store.
Daan Go earns oodles of brownie points from me for its "cuteness factor":
** The pronunciation of "Daan Go" phonetically means "cake" in Cantonese.
** The store banner, stickers, wall decor, and overall marketing collateral are sprinkled with adorable cartoon drawings of desserts.
** The macarons are character-themed, taking on the shape of Disney, Sanrio, and animation mascot characters that are popular among the Asian and North American populations (even Baymax).
With all these eye-catching designs, I was unfortunately disappointed with the lack-luster quality of the packaging. The macaron box I received was over-sized and thus allowed the macarons to flip over during my drive home. Fortunately, I read on Yelp that this box is new, so hopefully the windowed box that portions the macarons out 3 x 3 returns to the shop after the holiday season. Other than the box, I also noticed that the resolution on the stickers was pixelated and that the print on the paper bag was faded. I'm a stickler when it comes to high quality packaging, but I'm forgiving right now because Daan Go Cake Lab is a new kid on the block. Nevertheless, I sincerely hope that they step up their game in packaging and print quality. The cuteness of the desserts is one thing, but the packaging is the cherry on top when it comes to gift-giving.
Despite the aesthetics of the desserts, I have a love-hate relationship with the options here. I purchased the Mont Blanc cake (almost 7 dollars before tax) and a set of nine macarons (30 dollars before tax). With the former, the sponge was moist and the chestnut cream was light yet delicately flavourful. The Mont Blanc cake was one of the best chestnut cakes I have eaten since I was first introduced to chestnut desserts in China. Without any hesitation, I would highly recommend this for people who are craving desserts on the lower end of the sweetness spectrum. The slices are also sized well, so they're perfect for one or for sharing.
On the other side of the coin, my sister and I did not enjoy the macarons as much. We were elated with their character-themed design of course, and we took many Instagram photos during and after our squealing. However, the macarons had a texture that did not sit well with us. They were chewy and dry with almost no crispness, and the meringue felt "flat" rather than "airy". On the bright side, we appreciate the diversity of flavours and we love the East-Asian twist to them, with Jasmine Green Tea, Vietnamese Coffee and other flavours thrown into the mix. Even though the macarons fell flat for us, I still implore you to try them in the future. From what I've read on Yelp, I believe the store owners are still experimenting with the macarons' texture. Perhaps in early 2018, I'll get another box to try out.
Overall, my sister and I made a consensus: Daan Go Cake Lab is a solid source for eye-catching, jaw-dropping sweets, and the "Daan Go" (or cakes in Cantonese) will be our go-to selections. If you're thinking about getting a whole cake or getting an assortment of individual slices, go with the latter. My sister and I calculated it out; both options are almost at the same price. Also, note that in this area the prices will initially seem a little inflated, but with comparable quality to what you would get downtown, the prices are honestly very fair. The drive here may not be worth it for you though, but hey, there's free parking at the plaza!
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