As the late, great Mitch Hedberg once said, “I put fruit on top of my waffle because I want something to brush off.”
Well, when that fruit is accompanied by an array of spreads, sauces, whipped cream, and a carefully picked selection of (wait for it) Fossleman’s ice cream, you might want to leave your waffle as-is.
Celebrating their grand opening this past Saturday, Waffles de Liege has planted roots in Old Pasadena. After traveling Los Angeles in their food truck since 2011, co-founders George Wu and Lawrence Tai decided to put their own touch on a vacant bakery on Holly Street to share their creations with Pasadenans.
“All the times we’ve been here with our truck, we’ve done really well because people are very open to new things [in Pasadena],” commented Wu when asked why they chose Pasadena for their location, adding, “This is Lawrence’s favorite city!”
The space is actually quite large. What used to be a cupcakery, the old counter cut off about 3/4 of the store leaving a very small shop for customers. Wu and Tai completed gutted it, leaving a large seating area for their waffle lovers.
In fact, everything in the store from the waffles to the counter you eat on was handmade by the duo and their team. Their pride in their product is obvious.
In fact, every last detail of Waffles de Liege was thought out. “The [flavors of Fossleman’s] that we do carry [were chosen] because over the years, we’ve realized that these flavors just work better with waffles,” divulges Wu, who admits both he and Tai have been loyal Fossleman’s ice cream patrons for years.
When I reached my destination on opening day, I was met with a hefty line for 11:30am. Despite the line, I was one of the first 100 visitors meaning I received a free waffle (score!).
I ordered what they call the Ice Cream Waffle Special, which is a freshly made Liege waffle topped with a scoop of your choice of ice cream with chocolate and caramel drizzle. The waffle starts as a ball of yeasted dough as opposed to a batter. This yields a sturdier waffle with a unique taste. Topped with a scoop of English toffee, this was unlike any waffle sundae I’d ever had before.
While they don’t suggest sharing (Tai insists he can eat his own!), this treat can easily feed two people.
Believe it or not, the waffles and ice cream are just the beginning. Ask about their selection of coffee and you’ll get a lesson about the best coffee roasters from the east coast to the west from Tai, their beverage specialist. Don’t be scared when he makes you a cup of black coffee– I guarantee it will be unlike any other you’ve ever tried.
So if you’re tired of chasing down food trucks just to get a taste of their unique offerings, take a rest this time and head over to Waffles de Liege. We certainly hope they’re not going anywhere, any time soon.
Waffles de Liege is located at 21 E. Holly St., Pasadena. For more information, please call (626) 793-7726 or visit http://www.wafflesdeliege.com