If Audrey Hepburn still had it her way, she probably wouldn’t do breakfast at Tiffany’s, but instead, drop by X-Flower near Chaoyang Park. At least that’s the vibe that this endlessly delicate and dainty café and sweets shop gives off at the ginormous, creatively designed and increasingly busy Central Park complex. Glass, white-trim tables, faux upholstered chairs, a garden’s worth of flowers spilling from an overhead chandelier and far corner display, and a soundtrack of cutesy smooth jazz covers all add to that decadent ambiance. The forks are even served in golden containers molded into the shape of geese.
That extravagant sentiment carries over to the sweets on offer, which pop with enough eye-fetching color and sugary flavor to fit perfectly in a scene for a Disney princess (myself not included). Take, for instance, the mango coconut soufflé, which at RMB 78 is the cheapest item on the list. Palm-sized and golden, the dessert boasts a succulent sweetness and springy texture. And while it’s a quick fix for your sugar cravings, even a patron with a massive sweet tooth like mine will have trouble tackling this uber-rich dessert on their own. For that reason, we suggest saving a trip to X-Flower with that special someone for a special occasion (shortly after payday, considering the pretty steep price).
Other options on offer include fruit, chocolate, and matcha soufflés, chocolate eclairs, and red velvet cake. They also serve coffee and tea, though the desserts are clearly the star of the show.
While X-Flower isn’t exactly catering to my demographic (the shop was decidedly lacking in unkempt, beer guzzling men of a certain age), I can’t deny that its desserts are intricately textured and abounding with flavor. Despite being out of place, the trendy young Chinese patrons at other tables certainly seemed to be enjoying snapping photos of their desserts and selfies with the fairytale decor as a unique backdrop. If hoarding photo candy is your idea of a good time, there are certainly worse options out there.
X-Flower
Daily, 11am-9pm. 6-3, 6/F, Bldg 6, Central Park Plaza, Yard 10, Chaoyang Park South Road (6592 9200)
朝阳公园南路10号院“中央公园广场”6号楼1层6-3底商
Photos courtesy of X-Flower
This post first appeared on our sister site, the Beijinger.
