On Tuesday and Wednesday Nights, Find Just Desserts at Victor’s Dessert Lounge

Photo: Melissa Chang

If you remember the quirkiness that was The Little Oven, you may start to reminisce when you find yourself at Victor’s Dessert Lounge.

Nanzan Giro Giro is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. So Victor Kwan—who has been making desserts at the kaiseki restaurant for 11 years—decided to use the space to showcase his creations.

Photo: Melissa Chang

That’s where the quirk comes in. You can only experience Victor’s Dessert Lounge on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6 to 10 p.m. There’s no dedicated parking; you have to find your own on side streets or fight for the few stalls on Pensacola Street. And the marketing is almost nonexistent. Which is why the place is rarely very busy.

Photo: Melissa Chang

And that is a shame because the desserts are worth a try and very Instagrammable. It’s also so cool to watch Kwan assemble the desserts in the open kitchen in the middle of the restaurant.

The menu changes every month, so this is probably the last week you’ll see these desserts unless he rotates them in again.

Photo: Melissa Chang

Ruby Dubai chocolate crepes ($17) are addictive and trendy. I love the richness of the pistachio cream and raspberry white chocolate ganache with the fluffy whipped cream and the crunch of kataifi. If you need more to tickle your palate, it’s served with a sprinkle of pistachios and dots of orange gel. This is super filling.

Photo: Melissa Chang

On the first night that I go, the big seller is the tiramisu parfait ($15), which is exactly like the dessert you know: layers of mascarpone cream, espresso-soaked lady fingers, and cocoa powder—but topped with bruléed bananas. These glasses are quite large, and again, the dessert is very filling.

Photo: Melissa Chang

The chocolate mousse cake ($16) is filling, but not as hefty as the first two. You can taste the quality, as Kwan uses Valrhona chocolate in the dark chocolate mousse and the chocolate sponge base. It’s sprinkled with cacao nibs and accompanied by vanilla-scented pears in the shape of a rose, with a swoosh of raspberry gel.

Photo: Melissa Chang

I go back for the lemon tart ($14), which ends up being my favorite—maybe because I like fruity desserts. Kwan has creamy lemon curd in an almond tart shell, topped with vanilla whipped ganache and a lemon tuille. I love the contrast of the strawberries and the strawberry gel. This is light, too.

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Kwan also makes his own ice cream ($6 for two scoops) and you get a choice of vanilla, strawberry or brie cheese. I’m always too full to try this, so let me know how it is.

You can also get coffee drinks, iced chocolate, affogato, hot tea, fruit matcha latte, and a Lounge Fizz (6.50)—a fusion of strawberry and mango purée with delicate bubbles.

560 Pensacola St., Ala Moana, @victorsdessertlounge

Melissa Chang is a longtime contributor to Frolic Hawai‘i. @melissa808