Cherylynn N.
Yelp
4.5 STARS
I've always thought of West Portal as a sleepy neighborhood in the city...not a destination for food.
But, then this year....BAM!
Elena's opened, then Khao Tiew, and now Snow Bliss Café...the first AZN dessert café in West Portal.
Parking is hard as is, so with these new hot businesses opening up...may the parking gods be with you.
Snow Bliss Café opened this week, taking over the Xiao Loong space. They're open for takeout and indoor dining. No outdoor seating.
Walk-in only. We visited on a weekday at 2:15 pm when it was about 1/3rd full.
M E N U
Snacks (fries, popcorn chicken, curry fish balls, etc), Chinese-American + Cantonese Dishes, HK Grass Jelly + Sago (mini tapioca) Desserts and Bingsu (Korean shaved ice).
For drinks, they have milk tea, fruit tea, smoothies, and coffee.
F O O D
* S&P Chicken Wings (4 pc - $5.99) // 3.5 stars: https://tinyurl.com/mr2wuvbu
Juicy, flavorful wings but could have been crispier and less salty.
* Beef Chow Fun ($15.99) // 4.5 stars: https://tinyurl.com/ju2ucw4n
Wide chewy flat rice noodles with tender slices of velveted beef, crisp green + white onions, and bean sprouts. Good wok hei (smoky flavor). I find some Chinese restos velvet the beef for too long causing it to be mushy but not here. The beef retained its delicious meatiness.
The chow fun is not salty which is my preference but they'll offer soy sauce to season to your liking.
* Curry Beef Stew Rice Plate ($13.99) // 3.5 stars: https://tinyurl.com/3acamh5v
Tender beef slices in a savory, mildly sweet curry with potatoes, bell peppers, and onions.
Based on the menu description, I thought the traditional rough flank would be used in the curry beef stew but they use slices of beef. It was fine but I prefer the traditional cut.
* Strawberry Bingsu: Strawberry Shaved Ice w/ strawberry syrup, condensed milk, fresh strawberry slices ($12.99) // 5 stars: https://tinyurl.com/3sw4m4r2
A mountain of fluffy, powdery soft milk flavored shaved ice is drizzled with strawberry syrup + condensed milk, topped with large ripen sweet+tart strawberries, and crowned with whipped cream. They nailed the bingsu "snow" texture creating a light, creamy, and satisfying, not too sweet dessert.
Served with a side of strawberry syrup if you want extra sweetness. I wasn't so sure about the side of Cap'n Crunch Berries Cereal but loved it. Not only was it nostalgic but it added a great texture contrast.
S E R V I C E
Kind and friendly staff (full service).
Savory foods came out quickly. The bingsu can take at least 20 minutes.
A M B I A N C E
Casual and minimalist with 10 tables.
P A R K I N G
Very challenging street parking.
Overall - NGL, with the menu being a hodgepodge of things, I wasn't so sure how it would it turn out. BUT, the Chinese food and Korean Bingsu were solid. If you have time to kill while waiting for a table across the street (Elena's), hit up Snow Bliss Cafe for dessert first! :)