Sweet Memory Desserts – Old School Taiwanese Snacks and Desserts

A lot of people who enjoy Taiwanese food know of Memory Corner, the little authentic Taiwanese restaurant across from Richmond Center. What they might not know is that with the success of that location, the owners decided to open up another restaurant, called Sweet Memory, which focuses on authentic Taiwanese desserts.

I came here with a few friends and I was surprised to see myself transported back in time. With the vintage posters, old bike decorations, and simple wooden stools, the interior makes you feel as though you are dining at a mom and pop restaurant stall in a rural Chinese village.

Even though they are a dessert shop, they actually have quite a few savoury items. Since we didn’t have dinner yet, we decided to share a couple of dishes.

 

They serve something called Guandong Boils which I took as something similar to Odeng or Oden. We chose the radish ($1.25/pc), pork blood cake ($2.25), and Hsin Chiu meat balls ($3.75). As much as I usually love oden, I found the items pretty bland and not worth the price.

Usually when you order oden, you can ask to have a cup of their broth (it’s one of the things that make it so delicious!), so we asked for a bowl of it as well. It was light and very refreshing with just a hint of umami flavour.

I highly recommend getting their Taiwanese Meat Sauce on Rice ($5.50) as it was a hefty serving for the price. Furthermore, my Taiwanese friends who tried this dish said it was one of the more authentic versions of Taiwanese meat sauce on rice they’ve tasted.

I had no idea what this Meatball in rice wrap ($5.95) would taste like when I saw it on the menu, but when it came, I realized it was basically a giant meat ball, engulfed by a mochi like layer of glutinuous rice wrap. To put it even more simply, it’s like a savoury mochi wrapped meatball. Even though it was weird and unique, it was really good!

The Chan Yi Turkey on Rice ($6.50) was also another big hit item at our table. It had roasted or steamed turkey (dark meat) with a savoury soy like dressing on top of rice. Even though it didn’t taste as good as the Taiwanese meat sauce on rice, it was still one of our favourites.

We ended the meal off by sharing a Traditional Shaved Ice ($6.75). This shaved ice allows you to choose 3 toppings so we chose pearls, pudding, and sweet taro. To be honest I can’t remember if this tasted good but since it didn’t leave an impression on me, I am pretty sure it was nothing spectacular.

All in all, Sweet Memory Desserts is a very unique dessert shop in Richmond and surprisingly, I would come back to have more of their savoury items instead of dessert.

Service Rating: 3/5

Food Rating: 3.5/5

Price: $-$$

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

 

Happy Eating!