After-dark desserts with a Japanese spin at Bunny Beans

Bunny Beans Cafe in Kippax has added to their normal daytime opening hours to bring Canberra a Japanese-inspired late night dessert menu, and I for one, am cheering.

Desserts, just like the great Aussie pub, are an endangered species of the 21st century. With waistlines to watch and high horses to mount, special treats (especially with sugar and gluten) are becoming collateral damage.

So when one Canberra cafe fights back, they are fighting the good fight for all fringe-dwellers who hold sugar in high regard.

The decision to open the cafe from 5 pm until 11 pm from Thursday to Saturday was one inspired by owner Bernard Lee’s love for a late-night chat over a sweet splurge.

“Back in my hometown of Kolkata, it was normal to catch up with friends over dessert and coffee or tea late at night. When I travel to Japan and other Asian countries, I always find a cosy café open for a late treat. I really missed having that kind of place in Canberra,” says Bernard.

With a background as sous chef and executive chef at a number of high-profile Canberra restaurants, including Pialligo Estate and Capitol Bar and Grill, Bernard drew on his own experience along with that of his team to design the new menu, which launched on 13 March.

“I spoke to our café barista Daisy So, who’s also a talented pastry chef, and she suggested we try Shibuya Toast and Bingsu — and that’s how it all started.”

The core nighttime menu items of Shibuya Toast and Bingsu are trending desserts in Japan, Korea and other parts of Asia, and their oversized proportions are favourite subjects for foodie Instagram.

“Shibuya Toast is a beloved Japanese dessert made with thick, fluffy bread that’s toasted until golden and crisp, then generously topped with ingredients like ice cream, whipped cream, fresh fruit, and syrup,” explains Bernard.

Going all in, Bunny Beans offers six flavour options that incorporate popular Australian tastes, including the original, matcha, strawberry, mango, banoffee and Biscoff.

“It’s warm and crunchy on the outside, soft and buttery on the inside,” says Bernard.

Bingsu, on the other hand, is a chilled dessert where a light and fluffy shaved ice is combined with bold flavours and ingredients like boba, ube, Milo, salted cream cheese and topped with ice cream.

“One of our bestsellers is the matcha shaved ice, topped with azuki red beans, warabimochi, and a rich matcha sauce,” says Bernard.

To add to the variety on offer, the Bunny Beans night menu also includes a weekly dessert special like their kermit-green matcha cheesecake, which features a buttery biscuit crumb base as well as custard-filled cannelés that have a dark caramelised crust.

To go with the coffees, teas, milkshakes and frappes you may expect from Bunny Beans Cafe, there is also a range of signature drinks that feel like cocktails but without the hangover. The Pineapple Blossom, for example, feels like a piña colada, but features all alcohol-free ingredients: pineapple juice, coconut milk, rose syrup and orange pulp.

Bernard is keen to see Canberrans embrace new nighttime pastimes and a dessert cafe in the suburbs may be just what we need.

“Our goal is to create a cosy nighttime dessert destination where people can experience a little taste of Japan right here in Canberra.”

Bunny Beans Night Cafe in Kippax is open three nights a week from 5 pm until 11 pm Thursday to Saturday. You can follow the night cafe on Instagram to check out all the bingsu and toast action.