Keen on trying a dessert, I polished off my succulent duck, coconutty steamed buns as white as meringue and obligatory white sticky rice - which was not needed at all.
I was indeed the chopstick master and even the locals nodded at my skills.
Asking for a light dessert the waiter pointed to the list of options. Most were deep fried, sweet bun-type-things that came served with sticky syrup.
Intrigued by the one that used red bean paste and cinnamon I ordered and waited excitedly.
10 mins later and a large, flat, oblong pastry came out resembling a huge fig roll. This time the figgy stuff had been replaced by goey red bean paste - which wasn't bad at all. The hot, crispy pastry had presumably been deep fried. The cinnamon dusted surface was similar to filo but heralded a heavier, stogier second layer beneath. Bloody French colonials! - hold on............. no, it was us............ the Brits.
Fig roll, deep fried, stogey.............that explains everything.
