Southeast and East Asian dessert spots alike are mushrooming across Melbourne, and Japanese souffle pancakes are the latest fixation. Taking residence in the space that housed cult favourite lunch spot Don Don, Kumo Desserts attracts lines as long as its predecessor.

Carlton’s Adozen Adozen oscillates between souffle pancakes and basque cheesecakes. And the unobtrusive Keki Milk Bar, tucked away in an unfrequented corner of La Trobe Street with a permanent outpost for the first time, is building on the name it made for itself with its effortlessly pillowy and light iterations of the souffle pancake.

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For those unfamiliar with the viral Japanese creation, souffle pancakes are crafted from the same ingredients as your stock standard pancake – eggs, flour and milk – but ascend to new heights (quite literally and figuratively) due to the addition of further egg whites. Beaten until it resembles a silky-smooth, meringue-like consistency, the egg whites are folded into a batter that’s piled high over a stovetop on a low temperature for a sustained period.

The unmistakable smell of heated butter and pancake dough assail our senses as soon as we enter the cosy confines of Keki Milk Bar, a world apart from the busyness of equivalent souffle pancake spots. Moss green exteriors that frame fair-coloured interiors and light timber, with an alcove suitable for two people perched aloft the street- side segment of the restaurant, make up the relatively small eatery, with menus plastered on the wall as you enter.

Take your pick among nine different varieties of souffle pancakes, where the toppings and fillings are the elements to chop and change, and a selection of housemade sodas and hot drinks. If you’re dining out on souffle pancakes, don’t expect to be in and out in a hurry – cooked slowly and steadily over a low-heat grill, the fluffiness of Keki Milk Bar’s pancakes attests to the care and patience that accompany their preparation.

Each souffle pancake – double-stacked and topped with a custard-like mascarpone – is as singularly memorable as the next. The bottom layer of the lustrous tiramisu one is soaked in coffee, with chocolatey biscuit crumbles that evoke the spongy ladyfingers of the dessert it’s inspired by. The matcha is pleasingly bitter, enhanced by a topping and centre filling of red bean paste.

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The caramel pancake arrives with the flourish of sweetened popcorn atop, while the textural contrast in the simple yet luxuriant honey pancake is present in the crumbled macadamias.

Keki’s signature strawberry souffle, both topped and layered with strawberries, is perhaps the most reminiscent of a breakfast pancake. The texture of each is unparalleled in its light airiness, which makes the fact that they’re gluten-free even more astonishing.

As is the case with many Asian dessert eateries, the drinks are as much of a feature. Tending towards the sweet side – almost to make up for how the souffle pancakes aren’t as saccharine as you’d imagine – the housemade sodas made with fresh fruit syrup are a refreshing counterpart, while the milk-based ones complement the richness of the pancakes.

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