The whipped soufflé pancakes that took Tokyo by storm can now be enjoyed in Taipei too.

Pancakes and soufflés may seem worlds apart with no apparent connection, but in terms of ingredients, they’re both made from eggs, sugar, flour, and butter. Each has its own strengths — pancakes are thick, soft, and fluffy, while soufflés are light and delicious. So what happens when you combine the two? Creative Japanese were the first to think of this, adding the secret to a soufflé’s fluffiness — “whipped egg whites” — to the pancake batter. After being half-pan-fried and half-steamed, the result is a light, fluffy texture that has taken Tokyo’s streets by storm: whipped soufflé pancakes.

In the past, getting your hands on whipped soufflé pancakes often meant a trip to Japan, but now you can find them in Taipei too. Located at the TICC World Trade Convention Center under Taipei World Trade’s Grand Hyatt Taipei, the Taipei Garden Café has launched whipped soufflé pancakes that are trending in Japan. Song Longzhu, the restaurant’s assistant pastry chef, explained that making soufflé pancakes is more difficult and time-consuming than regular pancakes. To stand out in the market, he studied the methods of many specialized shops in Japan, using Japanese techniques to achieve that fluffy and soft texture. After careful research, he concluded that the secret to delicious soufflé pancakes lies in “yogurt and mayonnaise.”

Song Longzhu found that yogurt cleverly neutralizes the cloying sweetness of sugar, and because it has a higher concentration than milk, it also creates a richer milky aroma. Meanwhile, mayonnaise is the key to adding that silky smooth texture. And to achieve that “breathable, airy feel,” Song pays exceptional attention to how he whips the egg whites. Freshly baked soufflé pancakes, served with homemade vanilla sauce or fruit jam, deliver a sweet-and-sour taste that feels like young love.