Critic Finds Technicolor Filipino Sweets in Harahan

Helen Freund headed out to “quirky” Pandan Teahouse in Harahan for technicolor Filipino sweets, soft serve, and banh mi.

Purple soft serve comes with green and purple waffles, all a product of ube, a purple yam used in some Filipino desserts, and pandan, a green leaf and herb common in Southeast Asian cooking. A bright, icy mango and chile-flavored beverage comes topped with a chile-dusted tamarind lollipop. There’s also a wide variety of bubble teas.

Freund was disappointed her Vietnamese ham and slow-roasted pork banh mi lacked the pate she’s used to, but she applauds the grilled chicken banh mi, which is “more of a soft, slow-roasted affair, with delicious fatty bits and juicy, pliable hunks stuffed into the roll.”

Pandan offers a rotating menu of soft serve flavors, like Thai tea; plus the sweet shop is baking king cakes during Carnival season. Menu specials include a banh mi and bubble tea option for $9.95. The restaurant is closed Mondays. Open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m every other day of the week.

Read the full review here.