Shiro Dessert Opens in Stamford: East Asian Sweets & Drinks

Downtown Stamford appears to be a Connecticut diner’s dreamland: dozens of bustling streets dotted with happening restaurants, bars, gastropubs, and more. Yet, amid this buzz, nineteen-year-old Sabrina Wang noticed a problem. “The [area] has a lack of good dessert places,” opines the UConn business management student. Daringly, Wang set out to fix this dearth, opening Shiro Dessert with the help of investors on May 14th.

The bistro serves up a handful of East Asian inspired drinks and desserts, from honey toasts to milk teas to fruit ades. In curating the menu, Wang “made sure to cater to the trends” of similar beverage shops throughout the state. This influence is most evident in the mango popping bobas that customers can add to any drink. But the impact of East Asian cuisines goes much further. Shiro’s menu is filled with ingredients popular in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Taiwanese dishes — Matcha, Yuzu, Lychee, Jasmine, and more. Even Yakult, a sweetened milk product popular throughout Japan takes a front-and-center position on the menu.

Of course, Shiro couldn’t be considered an authentic Asian dessert experience without the inclusion of the mille crepe, a confectionery created in Japan and beloved everywhere. Not only does Shiro offer the popular cake thus far hard to come by in Connecticut, but the restaurant also serves its own unique take on the pastry made with green-tea-flavored crepes.

Unsurprisingly, throughout its first four days of operation, Shiro has found love from Fairfield County’s East Asian community. But Wang has been delighted by the support she’s received from others as well.

“A lot of our customers so far are young and trendy,” she says. “They want to come in and try things [they’ve seen online]. We also get people who don’t like their desserts to be overly sweet.”

That’s because of one of Shiro’s biggest selling points: the adjustability of the sugar levels in their beverages. After ordering any drink, customers have the option to choose between a high, medium, or low amount of sweetness. This makes it possible for customers without strong sugar cravings to enjoy the taste of their drink without being overwhelmed by the [sweetness]. Or perhaps someone new to an unfamiliar ingredient wants to ease themselves into its flavor by veiling it behind a comforting sugariness. No matter the situation, Wang sees Shiro’s flexibility as a way to expand the appeal of the beverages.

When it came time for me to order, Wang directed me toward four of the most popular items on the menu — the Signature Fruit Tea, the Mango Yakult, the Hong Kong Bubble Waffle, and the Original Crepe Cake.

The Signature Fruit Tea, a medley of various rich flavors, came loaded with apple and orange slices, as well as the frequent pineapple chunk that found its way up the straw. While I admire the adaptability of the sugar levels, I had to obey my sweet tooth, opting for the full, unadulterated sweetness. And that’s what was delivered. The iced tea came packed with a sugary punch that perfectly complemented the citrus-y fruit flavors. In that same vein, I’d liken the Signature Fruit Tea to a flavor-filled lemonade with the welcomed inclusion of numerous East Asian flavor profiles.

Next up was the Mango Yakult, fresh juice with sweetened probiotic Yakult, for which I chose a medium sugar level. Lowering the sweetness allowed for the strong flavor of the Yakult to come through, which had a strong mango taste that was somewhat familiar yet delightfully new.

The Hong Kong Bubble Waffle came stuffed with vanilla ice cream and berries, and was topped with strawberry-flavored Pocky sticks and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. As expected, the fruity flavors matched well with the chocolate syrup, and the bubble waffle provided the flavor and structure that brought the dish together.

Finally, the Crepe Cake brought a delicious close to my night. Like any good mille crepe, the dozens of thin layers of cake and cream resulted in a pleasantly smooth finish, and the slight tiramisu flavor contrasted the sweet drinks perfectly.

While the waffles and drinks are made on the spot, the limitations of Shiro’s location require the rest of the pastries to be made at the store’s bakery in New York City. Still, Shiro doesn’t sacrifice the quality of their desserts, with fresh deliveries coming in daily.

Wang sees the busyness of the first few days as a sign of success to come, and she’s committed to serving customers’ wishes in the future. “We’re constantly updating the menu based on what people want,” she says. If the success continues, Wang wishes to bring Shiro’s East Asian cuisine to more locations. “Expanding [would be] great,” she says. “That’s definitely a future goal.” 

Shiro Dessert 172 Bedford St, Stamford CT

@shirodessertusa