With temperatures expecting to be in the 90s, dessert lovers were determined to be among the first to try Glendale’s newest sweet spot. A crowd gathered outside SomiSomi hours before the noon grand opening. It was quickly attracting attention from shoppers and passersby.
Two hours before opening, excitement steadily built as more people joined the growing line. Located at 608 Americana Way, right off Brand Blvd, SomiSomi holds a prime location. The growing line created buzz throughout the plaza as people stopped to see what the excitement was about.
The owner of this location, Wilson Trieu welcomed everyone and introduced a wide variety of options offered, from creamy soft-serve combinations, to freshly made taiyaki with multiple filling flavors. Inside the shop, the crew checked and rechecked equipment to ensure everything would run smoothly.
By 11:30 a.m., the line had grown to more than 100 people. As noon approached, the staff fired everything up and began preparing orders. The sweet warm aroma of waffle batter filled the air, turning heads of and adding to the anticipation. SomiSomi blends Korean dessert culture with Japanese-style pastry.
Taiyaki are another highlight of the menu. Cooked until perfectly golden brown, forming a lightly crispy shell that gives a satisfying crunch with each bite. Inside is a soft, airy cloud-like texture that is phenomenal. The smell of the fish shaped waffle batter pastry drifted through the air. SomiSomi offers taiyaki in sets of two or five pieces, each filled with any of the seven flavors: Oreo, cheddar, custard, Nutella, and red bean, black sesame, and matcha custard.
The custard filling is fluffy like a cloud and lightly sweet, while the red bean offers a warm traditional flavor. Nutella and Oreo add rich chocolate sweetness, while the black sesame and matcha custard provide a unique deliciousness. The cheddar added the perfect change from sweet to savory.
SomiSomi also offers four different ways to enjoy soft-serve. The classic ahboong, the upside-down ahboong, soft-serve in a cup, and a cold brew float. Customers can choose from nine soft-serve flavors including milk, cookies n cream, cookie butter, milk tea, ube, matcha, milk and matcha swirl, ube and cookie butter swirl, and cookies n cream swirl.
The best part is, a soft-serve, and a freshly made box of taiyaki costs less than $20 dollars. In addition to taiyaki and soft-serve, the menu also offers 12-ounce drinks such as strawberry matcha milk, real strawberry milk, and cold brew.
The strong turnout continued throughout the opening weekend. Trieu said the response from the Glendale community has been positive.
“Everything has been great,” he said. With eye-catching desserts, welcoming service, and a prime location, SomiSomi’s grand opening felt like more than just a store launch. From the hardworking crew to the carefully prepared desserts, the shop left a strong first impression. For Glendale Community College students searching for a nearby place to cool off, meet up with friends and enjoy something amazing, SomiSomi may quickly become the new favorite destination in Glendale.