Lan Su Chinese Garden Hosting Bu-Tai-Tian Dessert Nights

Indulge your not-too-sweet tooth with about 10 vendors of mochi, shave ice, bubble tea and more.

Boba Tea/Wesley Lapointe
By Rachel Saslow

In Chinese culture, the highest praise for a dessert is “bu-tai-tian,” which translates to “not too sweet.” Indulge your (not too) sweet tooth at Lan Su Chinese Garden’s first-ever dessert festival coming June 14-15. Tickets are now on sale for the event.

Diners can explore the flavors of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander treats. The lineup of vendors includes longtime Southeast 82nd Avenue dim sum spot HK Cafe, bubble tea shop Yoonique Tea, BB Tea Jars, and O The Bake Shop, a Hawaiian-inspired snack and bake shop that specializes in malasadas, Hawaiian fried yeasted donuts made from scratch.

The lineup is still being finalized, but the garden plans on hosting tastings from about 10 vendors. Other AANHPI confections on offer will be Japanese mochi, Hawaiian shave ice, and Filipino halo-halo (“mix mix” in Tagalog, it’s a layered dessert of shaved ice, sweet milk and fruit.)

“Food is a powerful way to share culture and promote connectivity,” said Venus Sun, Lan Su’s vice president of culture and community, in a press release. “We are excited to launch this dessert festival for the first time, gather in the community, and be a platform for local AANHPI vendors.”

In other food news at Lan Su, the garden earlier this month revealed its recently renovated teahouse’s new name. About 950 people voted in a poll and chose “Yun Shui,” which means cloud and water. The new name was revealed in an elaborate unveiling event May 8 in Old Town, which included a lion dance to usher in prosperity for the teahouse and a special calligraphy ceremony.

Finally, Lan Su will also be hosting an AANHPI Heritage Month wrap-up event Saturday May 25, in partnership with Oregon Rises Above Hate. Speakers include representatives from ORAH, Lan Su, and consul general Yuzo Yoshioka from the consular office of Japan in Portland. The event will also feature traditional Indian dance by the Kalabharathi School of Dance, traditional henna painting and Indigo Fairy Hair.

EAT: Bu-Tai-Tian Dessert Nights at Lan Su Chinese Garden, 239 NW Everett Street, 503-228-8131, lansugarden.org/things-to-do/events/bu-tai-tian-dessert-nights. 7-9 pm Friday–Saturday, June 14-15. $10-$27; use code SWEET for 15% off until Friday, May 24.

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