One of these is the imagawayaki, a pancake cooked in a special hot ‘wheel’, traditionally with a sweet red bean paste filling, quite similar to another dessert popularised by anime character Doraemon called dorayaki.

This traditional dessert can be found at almost all night markets in Taiwan, its origin dating all the way back from during the Japanese occupation.

Founder of Kokobin Imagawayaki Exploding Wheel Pies Jaeson Yap, 38, chose this sweet treat to launch his business after spotting it at a food expo in Taiwan.

“My contract as a telco engineer in Saudi Arabia ended in 2016, so I choose entrepreneurship as my next venture. During the trip I met someone who did this as a living and he taught me the ins and outs of making the dessert,” Yap told FMT.

However, the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 dealt a major blow to his business as it did to many others.

“My business ground to a halt during the movement control order but luckily we were able to come back around December. We got a new look for the food truck and slowly worked our way back up,” he said.

From taking baby steps to give his brand a presence in Klang Valley’s popular night markets and food-related events, Yap has since expanded his business to five branches around Kuala Lumpur. This is an amazing feat considering the stiff competition from other aspiring dessert brands.

FMT made a pit stop in the Sri Petaling area recently to sample Yap’s dessert.

There are a variety of delicious fillings to choose from, and it’s very likely you’ll find your favourite after a few tries. Highly recommended is the classic red bean filling – smooth but still offering some bite with the occasional whole red bean in it.

For a creamier texture, either the custard or Belgian chocolate filing is best. While these are more conventional dessert choices, the cheese corn and peanut butter flavours are more something that adventurous foodies will likely gravitate towards.

“We have seasonal flavours like durian, matcha and yam as well, depending on the availability of the ingredients,” Yap said.

As the name suggests, take one bite into the wheel pie and you will be greeted with a burst of flavour from the filling. That craving for a delicious and satisfying end to your meal? Fulfilled!

Kokobin Imagawayaki Exploding Wheel Pies can be found in five locations throughout the Klang Valley – Kuchai Lama, Sri Petaling, Bandar Puteri Puchong, Aeon 1Utama and Aeon Sunway Pyramid

Follow Kokobin Imagawayaki Exploding Wheel Pies on Facebook.