Everyone loves sushi, but what about a sushi-inspired dessert? This sweet treat has been making waves online, so senior social news reporter Danielle Wroe had to try it out for herself
Sushi and dessert are probably not two food items you every thought would go together. For most people, sushi will conjure up fishy feelings – or at the very least, make you think of soy sauce-coated cucumber. The key component of sushi, however, is the rice, which is seasoned with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt to give it that distinctive taste.
Meanwhile, sweet treats are all the rage, with the likes of Dubai chocolate, mochi and pistachio-flavoured snacks making waves on social media. So when I started seeing videos on TikTok about a cafe with branches nearby in Manchester combining sushi and dessert, I was intrigued to say the least.
So, what is a sushi dessert, and where can you get it from? The viral food is made by Little Dessert Shop, and while it might look like sushi, fear not—there isn’t a piece of fish in sight.
The viral Kunafa Sushi Crepe, £8.50, is a “rolled crêpe filled with Kunafa, drizzled in white chocolate, topped with pistachio nut crumbs and fresh raspberries”.
To give it its name, the snack is shaped like bite-sized sushi rolls, which somehow makes it all the more delicious when you tuck in. Why is it that mini versions of things taste so much better?
With Dubai chocolate all the rage at the moment – you can barely scroll through your social media pages without seeing some pistachio-related dessert – it feels like a very timely, and very tasty addition to the menu.
If you’re feeling even more decadent, you can get yourself a chocolate pot to dunk the little sushi rolls in. Think of it like an ultra-sugary (and arguably tastier!) soy sauce or wasabi.
What did I think of the sushi dessert?
When I tried the much-hyped Kunafa Sushi Crepe, I had some seriously high expectations. The number of people that I’d seen hailing this dessert on TikTok was wild, and there’s some serious competition on the market. It feels like there are more dessert restaurants than pubs in the UK these days (joking, obviously – but they do seem to be cropping up at a rate of knots).
When things are massively hyped, it can go one of two ways. You can immediately buy into the hype, or you can be left feeling disappointed and wonder what everyone was so obsessed with.
In this case, thankfully, I fell into the former category. On their packaging they even claim to be the ‘UK’s most viral dessert,’ so they hype themselves up too – but I feel it’s an accolade they deserve.
I’ve never tasted kunafa quite as dense and gorgeous as this before, and the pistachio flavours were top notch. Pair that with the chocolate pot, and it was an intense flavour sensation.
Plus, chocoholics will be thrilled to know you can get a box which includes mini pancakes and brownies too, so if you’ve got a super sweet tooth, they’ve got you covered.
I genuinely haven’t enjoyed a Dubai chocolate-inspired item quite like this one. While it’s so sweet you won’t want more than a couple of pieces, it leaves you feeling satisfied because it’s so delicious.
I made a discovery I really didn’t expect – sweet sushi really is as good as the savoury variety! I’d give this a 10/10, easily.
There are Little Dessert Shops up and down the country, so you can try this viral sensation for yourself – but be warned, you’ll probably want to go back again and again for more, and it’ll probably become your favourite dessert shop.