Saan Saan Cafe is celebrating their second anniversary with a limited-time collaboration with Passione Gelato, featuring two Hong Kong milk tea gelato sandos available throughout August.
At the centre of the collaboration is Saan Saan’s signature Hong Kong milk tea blend. Eric (one of the 3 siblings who own and operate the cafe) has spent years refining the tea to achieve the balance of aroma, richness, colour and texture he was looking for. For the collaboration, Passione transformed that same blend into a creamy milk tea gelato.
The partnership is a fitting one since gelato and Hong Kong milk tea share a similarly smooth and rich texture. There is also a personal connection behind the collaboration. Long before Saan Saan Cafe opened, Jamie and Sal worked together making gelato at Bella Gelateria. Jamie was one of Sal’s first friends after he moved to Vancouver, and the two stayed connected through their shared interest in food and craftsmanship.
Yeen Yeung Sando
The Yeen Yeung Sando features a gluten-free coffee sandwich cookie filled with Passione milk tea gelato made with Saan Saan’s signature blend, along with toasted milk crumbs.
I liked the contrast between the coffee cookie and the creamy milk tea gelato. The coffee added deeper, roasty notes and a slight bitterness that kept the sando from tasting too sweet.
Classic Hong Kong Milk Tea Sando
The Classic Hong Kong Milk Tea Sando features a toasted gluten-free vanilla sandwich cookie filled with the same Passione milk tea gelato and toasted milk crumbs.
This version puts more attention on the Hong Kong milk tea itself. I found the vanilla cookie added a softer sweetness, allowing the fragrant, creamy tea flavour to remain the main focus.
Both sandos offer a different interpretation of Saan Saan’s signature milk tea, with the Yeen Yeung version bringing in stronger coffee notes and the Classic offering a more traditional milk tea experience.
The Saan Saan x Passione Gelato sandos are available throughout August at Saan Saan Cafe, while quantities last, as part of Saan Saan’s second anniversary celebration.
📍 Saan Saan Cafe and Restaurant
227 Main St, Vancouver, BC