Kokova Magazine

A new dessert bar opened in Oxted, Surrey last week, just in time to celebrate the King's Coronation. Now, when someone says dessert we don't usually get too excited because we are often disappointed with the selection available for gluten- and dairy-free diets. Many food outlets offer gluten-free or vegan options, but to get both on the same plate seems to be a feat many shy away from, leaving us lactose-suffering, gluten-intolerant, sweet-toothed eaters with little choice but a fruit salad.

So I was very excited when Barry and Michelle emailed me to say that not only did they have a good plant-based selection of ice cream, Michelle had also created a gluten-free vegan waffle mix. It is also cooked on separate equipment from the regular waffles, so cross-contamination is kept to an absolute minimum. Well, armed with this information, and a list of the batter ingredients to make sure we were OK, how could we possibly deny ourselves a little sweet treat for breakfast on a Sunday morning?

When we arrived the Dessert Spot was in full operational mode. In fact, it was getting extremely busy and the wait was a while - but no one seemed to mind. If you are ordering freshly made food then you really do need to expect to relax, chat and wait for it to arrive because that is the very nature of the experience - freshly made waffles and pancakes, with a delicious selection of toppings and ice cream.

It is great to see a new venture hit the floor running, and with pricing sitting around the 'pocket-money' slot for many, it is going to attract a lot of younger people in the area. However, it is also going to be a great alternative for a morning catch-up after the school drop-off. And an after-school ice cream to take away is going to be a winner over the summer months and a nice alternative to a soft cone.

Once Barry and Michelle find their feet, they will be able to best judge their opening hours but I can see the odd late night being an attraction for the many cinema-goers who do not come into town during daylight hours, and fancy a sweet treat before they settle down for a movie night. With the addition of a takeaway on offer, there is even more choice to satisfy your sweet tooth.

We opted for the waffles as Michelle is still working on a free-from option for her pancakes. We are looking forward to this new addition to the menu, along with other free-from alternatives and vegan cream. Our choices this time were the Banoffee and Strawberry waffles; keeping it simple with similar sauces and the same ice cream to match.

We first eat with our eyes, and these desserts did not disappoint, looking as delicious as they tasted. After the first bite, I had a 'flake' moment (for those old enough to remember) - eyes closed and in my own personal dessert heaven, savouring the sweet flavours dancing around my mouth. Too wordy? Honestly, I don't think there are enough words to really describe just how much I enjoyed being able to join in with the crowd and enjoy a 'regular' dessert freshly made, warm, and melting at the same time. And you know, I liked it so much I went back for breakfast the next day!

If you haven't been yet - pop along to the Dessert Spot Oxted for your own personal piece of the pie, and make sure you have enough time to enjoy the experience because there is no rushing dessert when it comes to waffles and ice cream.