DISH OF THE WEEK: Mango Pomelo Sago Soup at INDESSERT

Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City

SADLY, INDESSERT IS NOW CLOSED.

I’ve never understood the idea of soup for dessert. Especially in the middle of August. But the Chinese know better, since they have a dish called “tong sui” which translates to “sugar water”. Much better than sipping a corn syrupy soda, these soups or custards often contain fruit, cream, and interesting textures.

Indessert caught my eye one day when I was walking through Chinatown. I love specialty dessert shops. Who doesn’t? But it wasn’t until I read some exciting stories on Serious Eats, that I decided to grab a spoon and see what this was all about.

The menu advertises lots of items, some savory but mostly sweet. Smoothies, puddings, shaved ice. You could just smell the cold sugar in the air.

Of course, I was attracted to the tong sui and had a tough time deciding which soup to order. The ingredients were very interesting and attractive, ranging from black sesame to Fiji pear to something called “snow fungus”. But the menu listed one as their signature and it happened to be the same one Serious Eats raved about.

So I ordered the Mango Pomelo Sago soup. The base of the soup was made up a of a sweet mixture of cream and mango purée and studded throughout with tiny balls of sago, which were like a less chewy tapioca. Pink citrusy segments of poemlo kept things from being too sweet and mingled with tender mango chunks. And just in case the texture of the sago didn’t come through, there are some extra globs as garnish.

The soup was so cooling and refreshing. It had the perfect balance of sweetness and didn’t feel as if you were eating dessert. This is fruit in its raw form. Just with a little cream and sugar added. No harm here, especially if it makes me eat more soup… for dessert.