We do fish wa les better than Japan

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 wa le treat while a woman in a surgical mask sang me a song. The song was “Oyoge! Taiyaki-kun,” the o icial 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 wa le. It’s filled with custard or sweet red beans and is best enjoyed hot o the grill. In Vancouver, Snowy Village makes a Korean variation that uses croissant dough instead of the usual wa le batter. And 720 Sweets also makes them fresh. Getting someone to sing you the song is more a matter of luck.