Saan Saan Cafe and Restaurant — Restaurant in Vancouver

Not entirely sure why the reviews are so high but here are my honest opinions.

We ordered the hk milk tea (hot), iced yuen yeung, caramel black sesame cookie, and beef curry puff.

We wanted to try the curry fish balls, but knowing how simple it is to make at home or to get elsewhere for less than half the price, we couldn’t justify the hefty $16 price.

The food & drink: The beef curry puff was decent, we liked the fluffy and crispy puff pastry exterior, the beef filling inside was sweet, savoury and had good flavour. However for the size, the price was steep at $6.75. Caramel black sesame cookie was ok. The black sesame flavour was good and the cookie was soft and chewy. Maybe it’s our taste buds but we kept tasting a floury texture with each bite, which lingered in the tongue, maybe it’s the ‘gluten free-ness’, don’t know. HK milk tea was rich in flavour, but nothing to write home about. It tastes like something you can get at any reputable local HK cafe for a fraction of the price. Iced yeng yeung tasted a bit watered down, not much to say about it.

Our biggest gripe is that the cafe is located a block away from the worst part of DTES, it’s super sketchy and uncomfortable to walk. It’s not near the bustle of Chinatown.

The interior is nicely and newly renovated, bright, and with ample seating. Very clean inside.

Seems like the cafe is trying to sell a nostalgic HK vibe with cafe pastries that are of Cantonese tradition with a modern twist, but the items we ordered and price points just aren’t really...

If I could become a member of this family, I would submit my application yesterday.

I absolutely adore everything about Saan Saan.

As a celiac, I man well aware that Vancouver has a lovely amount of GF spots to get treats, but these particular pastries and their HK flavour profiles are brand new to me. I almost gently sobbed when I heard everything was GF. Like, hold up, I can eat EVERYTHING. Start the goddamn car.

All the pastries are a triumph. I promise getting one of everything is the absolute move. But let's get into it.

Brownies: The mochi gives the brownies such a bouncy and fun texture sensation. Puffs: The Char Siu BBQ Pork filled triangle is MAGIC and my favourite. The texture of the pastry is a marvel. I can eat dairy so I don't always pick a Vegan option but the apple filling in the Apple Puff is heavily cinnamon'd in a way that feels like someone who loves you made it. The Mushroom puff? Get OUT. I have shared it with a few friends and we all freaked out. Gorgeous fillingggg. Cookies: Slightly underbaked to ensure the texture is just heaven. Soft, but they keep their shape. Both are 11/10, no notes. Drinks: I have tried the Yuen Yeung (half coffee and half tea) and I swear I could smell the future. A caffeine surge unlike any other lol. The Flat White and Iced Hong Kong Milk Tea were also fantastic. The space is so beautiful and welcoming on a block that has its struggles. I can't wait to see what they create next; I'll be first...

Fantastic experience here on all fronts: service, food, and atmosphere. The people who run the place were exceedingly friendly and went above and beyond taking care of customers. The design is modern but with little details in the decor give the place an authentic homely feeling. The backstory behind this cafe is so interesting - apparently the space has been in the family for three generations (you can read about them on their website). The menu features modern HK comfort food and is all gluten-free! I was there around 2 pm on Saturday and many of the baked goods were sold out, but luckily they still had what I wanted. I tried their corn pot pie, a ginger milk burnt sugar cookie, and an iced HK milk tea. The corn pot pie was creamy but not heavy, topped with a pastry that was the perfect sweet spot between crisp and soft. Very comforting. The cookie was phenomenal!! At first bite, the taste of fresh ginger was VERY strong and the burnt sugar added depth to the flavour without making it too sweet at all. The texture was also amazing, soft and chewy, and I loved the thick edges. As expected, the HK milk tea was also excellent, strong and smooth. The tall and full glass was much appreciated because I didn't want it to end. Dipping the cookie in the milk tea was heavenly. I can't overstate how much I enjoyed my visit here. You can really tell how much love has gone...