A cute little shop right on the corner, that well and truly has a suburban charm and feel to it, Sweet Treats Dessert Bar is popular with all the locals for a number of good reasons. While it is easy to find a good coffee anywhere in town, what Sweet Treats does better is a number of aspects - want coffee later on, because who doesn't? Plus the sweets just aren't regular muffins or afterthoughts, and they make the whole space matter so having it there is more tempting. That and a few others make it a sure-fire winner.
With a slightly different plan for the weekend coming up, which was where after church on Saturday I was going to go down to stay with my parents, that meant the usual weekend plans needed a bit of rearrangement. One thing that barely changes was the need for some groceries, and there were a few that were needed from the store. Hence the usual business of the groceries was regulated to the Friday. One thing that definitely hadn't changed with the arrangements was weaseling in getting a coffee - these are birds of a feather right here.
The chosen place for getting groceries was around Sunnybank, since there was also fresh produce needed (another stop) and we were driving past Runcorn Plaza. Mind you this was around the late afternoon, when the choices start becoming a bit more slim, and looking to see that this was open. It was, so with the decision right there my house mate turned into the car park and we gave this place a go. To put it briefly, this was very memorable in the sea of coffee places that I have been trying recently on a number of fronts.
To start with, going over the image and association when I hear the term "coffee shop" this would be what I would imagine. And that is a good footing to start off with. This has a relaxing vibe, with the darker hues and shades adding to it. It has to do with the numerous touches that are around the eatery, on each perimeter wall. Chalk drawings adorn the wall, creating a child-friendly look that is cute and quirky well not being too isolating to the adults in the audience. It keeps a quirky and humorous atmosphere, advertising the social media, while coffee is the focus with both humour and vintage adds adorning the place. Keeping it more so are several sort of nick-nacks around the place, which don't give it a dyed-in-the-wool aesthetic making it more inviting to a larger audience. Various kinds of seating are available, including window booths, small tables and even some al fresco tables that are well-shaded. This honestly has a much nicer aesthetic to it than the outside, block facade would indicate.
Where it might lack a bit is with the service. Not that there is anything that was outright bad or missing with the service; all that it really was was the usual schtick of making an order at the counter, then getting the table number and waiting for your order. On the positive side, at least the items are able to arrive quickly enough so it is efficient - still, there is the hint that you can take your time because they were not in a hurry in any way. From what I can tell, this is as good as you get from an Asian coffee shop - so take what you will.
Distinguishing themselves from the regular suburban coffee shop is easy here, and all that needs to be done is to have a gander at their menu. From having a mere read of them, the signature desserts are something else and have each major component spelt out, and matter as much as the others. Sometimes there is even a different sort of flavour mixed in with them, making them more tempting. For something a little less decadent, there are a number of cakes and such in the cabinet, or there is a small selection of ice cream, or their signature toast which is topped with a number of sweet items.
As for drinks, it is all about the coffee here - that makes roughly 90% of the selection. It can be through the general lot of espresso-based beverages, other kinds of Asian-influenced lattes, and quite a few chilled beverages. They are all made with beans from Blackstar, so you already know that the coffee is going to be one strong sonuvabitch. As well as that, they also have frappes and smoothies on hand, and I am pretty sure milkshakes would also be possible. For both the food and the drink, look out for specials, extra boards and all that, because there is always going to be more where that came from.
Starting of with the drinks, the one that I went for was called "signature iced coffee". This was basically like any kind of coffee drink from the south-east Asian region, combining the brewed coffee with a whole lot of condensed milk, and a big body of ice. It is such a simple combination, but each time that I have it I know full well why I keep on ordering it. First is the smoothness of the milk chosen, which has a texture that is definitely different to normal cow's milk. Adding on a slight bit of sweetness, if it weren't for the strong kick of the coffee it would well be a slightly different milkshake. And speaking of the coffee aspect of the drink, whatever blend they were using from Blackstar it was really strong. The experience of drinking the coffee was that it had an incredibly smooth and soothing texture to it, then all of a sudden it felt like your brain was being kicked right into gear. It would wake an insomniac up with a teaspoon it was that strong. When it is hot and the caffeine hit is needed, this is close to the prime example.
While looking around at the different items, I was about to plug in my order when I saw the toast items on the board. Some time back, I had noted that this place did Hong Kong style French toast and that it did sound tasty. So I, and my dining buddy, went ahead and ordered one of these each - a matcha toast, and a peanut butter-caramel toast. You can get a scoop of ice cream for a small mark up on here, and I was going to but had a brain fart. Regardless, this treat is okay. It is basically some warmed up toast, although the taste of peanut butter mixed with caramel is quite a good one that certain meshes well, plus the matcha was also nice. This is pretty simple all-round snack, maybe not one I would order again if given the chance of the other sweets on offer, though what won't be taken away from them is how much of a-steal they are.
After giving a decent enough stay in this place, a number of charms became apparent with it. Take all the thoughts about what a coffee shop entails, and they easily have all those combining really well. It is relaxing, quite comfortable, the range of coffee options is generous and the choice they have is a good one, there are things to read, some games here and there, and it certainly feels like a social spot. The best thing of all is that it is open late, and with a few more dining options close by it could not be better situated. Without any doubt, in the off chance I am back here, other sweets will be being tried and it will be recommended to my fellow brethren. A 4.0 for now, but it could well get kicked up if the cakes and such live up to the hype.
TL;DR: Sweet Treats Dessert Bar is a number of things - relaxed, stylish, and unashamed with what it offers. It is a perfect hangout for the sweet tooth, and another relaxed area for after dinner and supplying the PG-rated option in a bar as its mainstay. Everything goes a little more slowly here, and soaking in the atmosphere and the calming aesthetics, it is no surprise that a second one has opened up. Strong coffee, tempting cakes, and a nice outlay combine to create a friendly and inviting coffee house that is full of charm.
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes