Taiwan is known for its food culture. Although dim sum and beef noodles garner plenty of attention, don’t think that dessert gets overlooked. Shaved ice (bao bing), egg tarts and boba — otherwise known as bubble tea — are all mainstays of the dessertscape. However, nothing compares to their wild toast mountains.

Satiate the sweet
At North York’s new hot spot, Petit Potato, dessert is where it’s at. This Leslie and Finch eatery shells out Taiwanese eats with Japanese flair, and while savoury items are served, the saccharine dominates the menu. Menu sections are devoted to grass jelly, sweet soups and snow shakes, but the true pièce de résistance is the toast mountain.

The origins of toast
Originating in Japan as the honey toast box, the concept caught on in Taiwan, where things have spun increasingly out of control. For the classic box, a cube of toast is hollowed out and then filled with everything your heart could desire (think fruit, ice cream and, of course, honey). Although places like Dazzling Cafe in Taipei are famous for it, Petit Potato has modelled both the restaurant and toasts specifically after Hong Kong’s popular TeaWood.

Building blocks
Here, it’s all about the height — which in turn, seems to lead to hype. French toast this sure ain’t. Called Special Golden Toast on the menu, it’s marked with three stars, denoting it’ll take 30 minutes to make ($13.99).

Upon ordering, white bread is cut into one-inch-thick slabs. The slices are carved up, leaving the crust intact; the interior squares are chopped into smaller pieces. All is basted in honey and butter and placed in the toaster oven. Once the outside is crispy and the inside soft, the golden hunks are arranged into a cascading toast structure.

End game
A scoop of ice cream flags it, and strawberry wedges decorate the sides. Strawberry sauce, made of cream and strawberry purée, drenches it all, and pastel mini-mallows provide the finishing touch. 

“The toast is 10 inches high,” says manager Miki Chen. “It’s meant to share between up to six people.” Right now there are only two flavours (strawberry or mango), but red bean matcha, Oreo and more are coming soon. “We sell a lot — a lot!” Chen says of the dessert, laughing. From the looks of it, North York is really on the up and up.

Petit Potato, 10 Ravel Road, Unit 1-2, 416-756-3311