Reason to Love Vancouver #18: We Do Fish Waffles Better Than Japan

We can’t get enough of this sweet (fish-shaped!) treat.

Sometimes memorable culinary experiences are about circumstances. One day in Kyoto, Japan, I found myself in the basement of a department store holding a piping-hot custard-filled waffle treat while a woman in a surgical mask sang me a song. The song was “Oyoge! Taiyaki-kun,” the official song of the treat I was holding—a popular dessert called taiyaki. Taiyaki is Japanese for “fried fish,” but happily the name is derived only from the fish-shaped waffle. It’s filled with custard or sweet red beans and is best enjoyed hot off the grill. In Vancouver, Snowy Village makes a Korean variation that uses croissant dough instead of the usual waffle batter. And 720 Sweets also makes them fresh. Getting someone to sing you the song is more a matter of luck.

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