Taiyaki

Sunset, March, 2009 by Lisa Taggart

Perfectly sized to pop in your mouth, Japanese taiyaki from Sweet Breams (220 Second Ave., San Mateo; sweetbreams.com) are so adorable, you wonder, Kiss them? Eat them? Kiss or ... chomp. With fillings like red bean and Nutella, the little fish-shaped waffles are served hot in 12-piece batches called schools. They're common in Japan, but around here only May's Coffee Shop (1737 Post St.; 415/346-4020) in San Francisco was making them. Tara Wong was such a fan, she opened Sweet Breams last summer. Insiders know to say "Tokyo" to get an extra fish in your school for free.

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