The world’s second-best ice cream pineapple bun is coming to Taichung – opening in mid-December

▲ The world’s second-best freshly baked ice cream pineapple buns is coming to Taichung!(Photo / Huang Shih-yuan)

Reported by Huang Shih-yuan / Taipei

Friends in the Greater Taichung area are in for a treat! After opening its second branch in Taipei, the world’s second-best freshly baked ice cream pineapple buns is set to make its way to Taichung. The new location will be on the 10th floor of Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Taichung, with the anticipated opening date in mid-December — just over a month to go before you can try them.

The Taiwanese branch of the world’s second-best freshly baked ice cream pineapple buns opened its first store in August. Staying true to its Japanese roots, the pineapple buns are baked fresh — the bread is hot, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, then filled with ice cream (available in classic vanilla, matcha, and chocolate flavors), offering a unique hot-and-cold taste experience. Each freshly baked ice cream pineapple bun is priced at NT$120, and pineapple buns are also sold individually for NT$80 each.

Cutting the freshly baked pineapple bun in half and inserting ice cream requires overcoming the challenge of preventing the moisture from the ice cream from affecting the texture of the bread. Shiro Mikami, Managing Executive Officer of the World’s Second-Best Freshly Baked Ice Cream Pineapple Buns, experimented with various types of yeast, flour, and fermentation times before finally discovering the golden ratio for the perfect ice cream pineapple bun. Mikami explained that to achieve an extra-crispy pineapple crust, the dough is hand-applied to the bread — a step that machines cannot replicate.

Address: 10F, No. 301, Section 3, Taiwan Boulevard, Xitun District, Taichung City