Apart from looking like an Instagram-friendly treat, what really is ‘Taiyaki’?

The most literal translation of taiyaki is fried fish! Tai (sea bream) is a type of fish often considered king among fish in Japan, and yaki means fried.

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During the Edo period (1600s to 1800s), under the shogun rule founded by Tokugawa Ieyasu, Tai was some of the most highly prized seafood and was presented as a gift to the shogun himself.

To this very day, Tai is still incorporated into Japan’s food culture and way of life. It is customary to hang a picture of Tai at the entrance to a home or the shrine, and Tai-shaped pastries are often given as thank-you gifts to guests at wedding parties as a common gesture of celebration and luck.

“Our story begins with part faith, part love, and part luck. With members from numerous Far East cities like Guangzhou, Taiwan, Mandalay, Haiphong, and Tokyo, only faith could have brought the family at Taiyaki NYC together to the city that never sleeps. While growing up as first/second-generation Asian Americans in New York, the Taiyaki NYC family had one love in common — embracing our heritage and identity through our love for travel and food. After many trips and adventures to the food “meccas” of the world—the streets of Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Korea, and Japan (and with a hint of luck) —we stumbled upon an idea that speaks the global dessert language of ice cream and waffles! With those three perfect ingredients—faith, love, and luck — Taiyaki NYC was born. We’re known for our fish-shaped Japanese waffle that is chewy on the inside and crispy on the outside; the textures and flavors blend perfectly in glorious harmony with the artisan flavors of soft serve ice cream.”

“At Taiyaki NYC, we work hard as a family to focus on quality and consistency in the products we sell to our community.”

Their ice cream and taiyaki waffles are made from the highest quality ingredients. Their waffles are made fresh on-site, and their soft serve ice cream is produced and churned in small batches to preserve the true integrity of how a real soft serve should taste.

“We strive to keep our customers happy and satisfied while leaving a minimal footprint on our planet.” – The Taiyaki Team

You can follow The Taiyaki Team on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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