Where to Find The Best Asian-Inspired Desserts in LA

Stephanie KordanFood

Chengdu Churros dusted in star anise sugar with Sichuan chili chocolate sauce. Pastry chef Zen Ong and chef Louis Tikaram feature this dessert on their menu at EP & LP in West Hollywood.; Credit: EP & LP / photo: Stephanie Kordan & Eddie LinWho could imagine that you can grab a fine dining quality dessert from a food truck? Welltopped with buttery sweet/salty rusks and house made whipped cream.; Credit: Okamoto Kitchen food truck / photo: Stephanie KordanTerra Cotta in Koreatown offers many delectable desserts on their menutopped with salted toffeeserved with coconut ice cream.; Credit: Terra Cotta / photo: Stephanie Kordan & Eddie LinMonkey Bar at the Westfield Santa Anita food alley serves up this luscious Black Sesame Semifreddo topped with fried bananasvanilla cognac goji berries and condensed milk.; Credit: Monkey Bar / photo: Stephanie Kordan & Eddie LinIhwamun Ice Cream in Little Tokyo serves Korean style ice cream flavors such as InjeolmiChoco PieRed BeanHoneydew and Green Plum along with other Asian favorites like MatchaGinger and Banana Milk. They hand make their own signature seaweed waffle cones too.; Credit: Ihwamun / photo: Stephanie KordanVanda Asapahu shares that this "Thai Ice Cream Sundae" is "a taste of my childhood" as she brings out two scoops of coconut ice cream on brioche rollsjack fruitwhipped cream and Milo powder. Ayara Luk is in Westchester.; Credit: Ayara Luk / photo: Stephanie KordanChikara Mochi in Gardena specializes in sweet mochi cakes (called "wagashi") traditionally used in Japanese tea ceremonieswith a bevy of mochi cakes flavors to choose frombotan (peony)and othersflora and fauna of the seasons. They are almost too pretty to eat.; Credit: Chikara Mochi / photo: Stephanie KordanCustard and coffee lovers flock to FrankieLucy Bakeshop in Silver Lake for Filipino style treats served with espressos

As culturally diverse as Los Angeles is, Asian desserts are everywhere. You can indulge in traditional Taiwanese bao bing (shaved ice) slathered in sweet red bean, taro balls and condensed milk, or you can try the creamiest soft serve matcha ice cream swirled inside a fish-shaped waffle cone (taiyaki in Japanese, ah-boong in Korean). There are many Asian-style desserts made with matcha, of course, so matcha lovers are covered. But have you ever tried Kyoto-style roasted chestnuts? Make that a chestnut soft serve sundae made with fresh roasted chestnuts, covered in candied chestnuts. How about Thai sweets like kanom bueng, a crispy crepe cookie filled with meringue and sweet egg? Yes, not only matcha here. We've got black sesame, red bean, coconut, yuzu, pandan, ube and more. The range of desserts goes from wagashi mochi (traditional Japanese mochi cakes) to churros covered in star anise sugar paired with Sichuan chili chocolate and beyond. From food trucks to fine dining, here's where we discovered the sweetest Asian treats in Los Angeles.

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.