Comforting Your Winter Depression with Comfort Dessert at Maoxishi

Tracy Wang, Senior Editor | Jan 29, 2017 5:00 pm | Add a comment | 1648 reads

Situated opposite Lucky Lopez in the quiet yard of 34 Sanlitun Nan, Maoxishi Dessert Shop opened mid-August but it has come into its own in the colder months. That’s because this cozy 11-square-meter white-fronted shop has room for only two tables; four to six people can be seated inside, creating a welcoming den. The interior décor is simple: wood and matcha green and almond white walls.

Owner and food author Pan Xiaoye, who has a whopping 550,000-plus followers on Weibo, has filled the store with souvenirs from her travels as well as cat trinkets, an apparant love of hers.

Pan started off at the Farm to Neighbors Market in 2014, selling almond tofu, matcha tofu, and almond cookies. From there, she launched the Maoxishi brand. For her, the shop is “more like a salon to meet new friends. A lot of our customers who share the same philosophy of pursuing the good life become good friends. We do not only provide tasty desserts, but also a good atmosphere.”

The shop keeps its selection small and specialized: matcha (green tea) mille crêpe cake (RMB 40), cheesecake with almond and sesame (RMB 29), and matcha cheesecake with vanilla (RMB 32). Other offerings include snacks (almond tofu and cookies) and a handful of hot drinks. The crêpes are particularly special given that they only make 10 a day. Cakes come carefully presented on The Little Prince-patterned plates.

Our favorite of the lot was the matcha cheesecake with vanilla, which struck a balance between sweet, creamy (from the cheese), and smooth, thanks to the matcha powder imported especially from Kyoto. Pan explains: “There’s not much of a secret in the process of baking. If you insist on me divulging mine, it’s all about the ingredients. We only use the best ingredients we can find.”
Her attention to detail and delicious desserts make this humble shop a welcome addition to the neighborhood, and we can’t wait for it to garner greater appreciation.

Maoxishi Dessert Shop

Daily 11am-9pm. Jia 34 Sanlitun Nan (opposite Lucky Lopez), Xindong Lu, Chaoyang District (131 2177 5707)

猫西施甜品店：朝阳区新东路三里屯南甲34号院内（Lucky Lopez对面）

This article originally appeared in the January/February issue of the Beijinger, which you can read here via Issuu, via the PDF here, or in hard copy at all of your favorite venues across town.