Burlington got a new dessert place last month to satisfy even the sweetest sweet tooth. From ice cream to pancakes, funnel fries to crepes, cake to croffles (yes, croffles; that’s not a typo), D Spot Dessert Café has many opportunities to figure out your new favourite dessert, though it may take a few visits to taste your way through the menu.
Owners Amal Bawany and Shan Javed are both new to the restaurant business, but have jumped in full force. Bawany is a makeup artist and was the Yves Saint Laurent business manager at Holt Renfrew, while Javed is a finance manager for AutoPlanet, and both are excited about the possibilities of their D Spot franchise. The husband-and-wife team made their move after hearing from a family friend about their experience owning Milton’s D Spot Dessert Café, looking to build something for their own future family.
And build something they have. D Spot is bright, airy, and spotlessly clean. Be warned, you may find that your memories transport you to Canada’s Wonderland, such is the aroma of funnel cake as you walk into the café. (Extra filters had to be installed prior to opening so as not to distract gym-goers at second-floor neighbour Women’s Fitness too much.)
The cakes will be the first dessert you see to you right when you enter the café, but be sure to check out the menu behind the counter and the ice cream options further down before you decide. As well as vanilla, chocolate chip cookie dough, salted caramel, and blueberry heaven, there are also some unique ice cream flavours, including saffron pistachio custard, red velvet cheesecake, and rose & nuts. If you’re just looking for an interesting and delicious cone, our pick is the rose & nuts flavour: perfect amount of rose flavour, not super sweet, and all set off by the crunch of the nuts.
First up for us was the PB and chocolate signature sundae, a layered concoction of vanilla soft-serve, fudge, and peanut butter, peanut butter cups and peanuts, and a scoop of chocolate brownie ice cream with peanut butter drizzle and a waffle cone filled with whipped cream on top. For fans of chocolate and peanut butter, this was as delicious and decadent as it sounds.
We also opted for the fudge and caramel funnel fry poutine, which comes not just with a mound of french fry-shaped funnel cake sticks and caramel and fudge sauces, but also brownie pieces, Belgian milk callets, and mini marshmallows. Not enough? Don’t worry, it comes with a side of chocolate soft serve.
Strictly for science and the public good, we also took a classic strawberry funnel cake and a cookie butter heaven croffle home, and we are pleased to report that these desserts held up well post-car ride — even the vanilla soft serve that came in cups on the side.
The strawberry sauce and vanilla soft serve on funnel cake are classic for a reason; somehow both adding to and cutting through the sweetness of the funnel cake at the same time, it’s a perfect nostalgic bite.
The croffle is slightly less self-explanatory but just as good. For those wondering (we were), a croffle is a cross between a croissant and a waffle (we guessed crepe/waffle). Croissant dough is baked in a waffle iron, and the cookie butter version has the eponymous spread in sauce form, almond slices, and bit of Lotus biscuits.
Bawany tells us that all the batters are made from scratch, and that she and Javed are looking forward to opening their patio when the weather gets a bit warmer. After slightly fewer hours in the week of their soft launch, they are now up to regular opening hours: 1 p.m. to 12 a.m. from Sunday to Thursday, and 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. D Spot Dessert Café is located at Appleby Village (the Fortino’s plaza), 491 Appleby Line.
Javed and Bawany are lovely hosts, clearly excited both about their business and to meet their customers. Next visit, we’ll probably try one of their Belgian waffle or crepe creations, because there is no doubt that we’ll be back next time the sweet tooth hits.
When you next have a sweet craving, check out D Spot Dessert Café: we advise bringing your appetite.
