I love street fairs. We’ve got lots of them in NYC, and I always enjoy checking out other city’s fairs. So, I went to check out Bairro da Liberdade in Sao Paulo. Head over here on Sundays to check out local vendors, trinkets, crafts and food. Since the fair is in the heart of their Little Tokyo, most of the food there is Japanese and Asian cuisine. Rookie mistake, I didn’t realize there would be so much amazing looking and smelling food, and I ate before coming here. Word to the wise, save your appetite for the fair and load up on all of the street fair goodness. 

But, there’s a special pocket in my stomach that’s always reserved for desserts. And so, I paid a little visit to one stand, serving Imagawayaki. Here, they’re serving up fresh Imagawayaki (aka Doce de Faijao Azuki) (sweet bean buns). These super affordable treats get handed to you fresh off the stove. And, they’re totally delicious. The bun is light and airy, almost like a hybrid between a doughnut and a pancake. It has a light taste, not quite sweet, not quite savory, leaving it a nice and neutral casing for the sweet bean filling.

Also, not overly sweet, but just sweet enough, the filling is a paste consistency, making this a substantial and filling little bun.

The Shorts:
Name: Imagawayaki stand at the market
Location: Bairro da Liberdade, Sao Paulo, Brazil
The Long and Short: Would I go back? For sure. I would definitely go back to the Imagawayaki stand, and loved walking around the other vendors.
Would I recommend it? Yes, it’s something fun to do on a Sunday afternoon. And don’t make my mistake, have lunch there from the different food vendors.