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    Aliya Lavaland

    4.7 (251 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
    Updated 3 weeks ago

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    REG. UBE and REG. BLACK SESAME
    Shelly Z.

    Love their lava cakes! I've never had their regular mooncake. I do think it's smaller than how they use to make it. Remember to split the lava cake with someone because it's a loooot of calories.

    The Hawaiian "purple" Ube Lava Mooncake
    Ronald H.

    This thing was so good. So flavorful. The outer layer was flaky but not messy. The inside was gooey but not runny. It was really good, and I am excited to try the other flavors.

    Menu p.1 (December 2021)
    Kimberly L.

    Review #941 2026-005 Food Order: Lava Mooncakes: Black Sesame, Matcha, Hawaiian Purple Yam "Ube," Signature, Taro $16.00/box Mini Mooncakes: Signature, Black Sesame, Taro, Hawaiian Purple Yam "Ube," Matcha $6.25/box Aliya Lavaland is a woman-owned, Asian-style/Thai sweets shop that sells mooncakes year-round. Typically, mooncakes are eaten during Mid-Autumn Festival (aka Moon Festival) celebration around September. The round shape symbolizes family union/gathering, unity, & completeness that mirrors the (round) full moon. What started out as a passion project during the pandemic, Pastry Chef/Owner Alice Mekaswarn turned it into a brick & mortar in June 2021, showcasing their unique "lava" mooncakes that's a fusion of Thai & French pastry... mashup of a Thai kanom pia (type of flaky pastry with a smashed bean filling) while using French baking techniques. Lava Flavors (with salted egg lava center): Black Sesame: roasted black sesame seeds, premium mung beans Hawaiian Purple Yam "Ube": Okinawan purple yam (grown in Hawaii), coconut milk Matcha: real matcha, premium mung beans Signature: premium mung beans Taro: taro & coconut milk Mini Mooncakes (no salted egg lava center): Black Sesame: roasted black sesame seeds, premium mung beans Hawaiian Purple Yam "Ube": Okinawan purple yam (grown in Hawaii), coconut milk Matcha: real matcha, premium mung beans Signature: premium mung beans Taro: taro & coconut milk Signature "with Salted Egg": premium mung beans, fully cooked duck egg yolk I bought a 5 pc. lava assorted box for my foodie nephew for Christmas, knowing he'll enjoy these unique treats. Yes, it was well-loved by him & his family; my cousin particularly enjoyed the Hawaiian Purple Yam "Ube" (check out my video of the lava oozing out of the mooncake) & her sister was a fan of the Black Sesame. And the 5 pc. mini mooncake assorted box was for my daughter's godmother, who is also a foodie. They're not that into sweets so I thought the minis would suit them best. They loved every single flavor that I should have gotten them the lava version. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ The lava mooncakes had a flaky, mild sweet crust; all flavors were prominent in the lava & mini mooncakes, particularly the Black Sesame, Taro, & Matcha; the Hawaiian Purple Yam "Ube" was flavorful but more subtle, didn't smack you in the face like the former. Orange was a new flavor that was introduced a couple of years ago, but only available during Lunar New Year & Moon Festival. I hope Pastry Chef Mekaswarn will consider a persimmon lava mooncake to her menu (fingers crossed). Though not my thing, but durian is also a popular Asian fruit. The typical mooncake fillings are usually make with some type of paste: mung beans, lotus seed, sweet red bean, black sesame, or mixed nuts (aka five kernels; 五仁), which is not a paste but a mixture of chopped nuts & seeds, & the premium mooncakes (according to my Mom) contain salted duck egg yolk. I've only eaten lava custard buns (aka liu sha bao; 流沙包) for dim sum at Chinese restaurants, so it's understandable that a "hot" bun could create a rich, flowing lava filling. But how does Aliya Lavaland do it? Their mooncakes are not pipin' hot to create that heat for lava, yet when you break into a mooncake, the lava oozes out like a hot lava custard bun. To ensure flowing lava that's fresh & perfectly molten, lava mooncakes are filled just before baking so there's a slight wait. I think I waited 10-mins.? Upon entering the shop, you see this huge, bright mural of a boy chef mixing batter & a girl enjoying her mooncake. The lobby is spacious with a few scattered chairs along the entrance & against the wall; there's no dining area or tables for you to chillax & enjoy your mooncakes. I suppose you could sit & eat inside, but I think the lack of tables is meant for takeout only. And that also means there's no public restrooms. There's only 5 flavors; the prices are fair, if not cheap, in comparison to regular mooncakes at Asian bakeries. If you order their assorted lava or mini mooncake boxes, there's a slight discount. The mooncakes do not have preservatives so the shelf life is short if you actually have any leftovers (we didn't). Service was warm & friendly... upon delivery, I was provided with instructions on how to store & refresh them if we have leftovers. My fam & I "lava" Aliya Lavaland!! How could you not? Made-to-order freshness that's decadent & somewhat messy (the lava ones), I can enjoy these fantabulous mooncakes year round... definitely worth the drive & worth the wait! Highly Recommended: All flavors of the lava & mini mooncakes, especially Hawaiian Purple Yam "Ube" (my personal fav!).

    ORANGE
    David Z.

    Came here to buy some unique mooncakes. The inside is very small with no tables. Service was friendly and very fast. The highlight is the orange mooncake. Would love to come back next year.

    Mix Regular Mooncakes. We loved the Taro and Ube flavors.
    Cindy S.

    Aliya Lavaland specializes in layered pastry shell mooncakes. They are known for the "Lava Mooncakes". Their style of Mooncakes is Thai-Fusion with two kinds to choose from: Lava or Regular Mooncake. Lava Mooncake is a type of custard mooncake with a liquid center (salted egg yolk custard), which bursts out with the first bite. It is their specialty best seller here. We got the REGULAR Mooncakes with NO Liquid Custard (Lava). The base is sweetened mung beans available in flavors such as: Ube, Taro, Green Tea, Black Sesame, Plain Mung Beans. They were not too sweet and paired well with tea or coffee. The owner is very welcoming and patient in answering questions. They accept: Credit Cards, Apple Pay, and Cash. Parking available in the back of the building; street parking on Atlantic Blvd.

    Lava moon cake
    Mimi L.

    I am not a fan of traditional moon cakes, that's why we came in to get some non traditional moon cakes from this cute little shop. We got two boxes of mixed moon cakes. I have to say that the lava moon cakes were fantastic! I think I will get those again real soon!

    Vanessa T.

    We got the variety box of the lava buns. Its a small shop with no seating. Its more of a takeout place. The variety box came with 5 pieces of the lava buns. We got the original, taro, ube, matcha, and black sesame. The one that was the most flavorful was the ube one which had a floral taste to it. In the end, they all started to taste the same. The filling are all salted egg yolk filling with the crispy shell is the one with the flavors. It was a interesting dessert...not too sweet. But i prefer a more soft bun thats hot and steamy out of the oven than the crispy flaky shell.

    Ube lava
    Nancy Q.

    Delicious pastries!!! The service is very quick and the place is small and casual. But that's all that's needed because it's perfect for pucking up the pastries. I love the pastries with the egg yolk lava inside. They are all good and the taro one is my favorite because of its fragrance.

    Rhyce A.

    First timer trying mooncakes this good! A colleague at work brought some today, assorted with their signature lava mooncake, ube, matcha. Made with Just the right amount of ingredients, 10/10! It's so addicting I have to stop myself. Will definitely get myself some to share to the family.

    Katie C.

    Such an aesthetic little spot! Definitely worth trying. We didn't try any of their lava mooncakes (salted egg yolk) but would love to next time. Not sure if it was intentional but the mooncake crust had faint floral taste almost like rose. Crust was soft and flaky, not too dense. Hawaiian Ube Regular Mooncake - ube flavor wasn't as strong as I anticipated it to be. Taro Regular Mooncake - was my favorite! You can taste really taste real taro. Matcha Regular Mooncake - my second favorite. Matcha blended well with mung bean. Black Sesame Regular Mooncake - was my least favorite. Black sesame didn't mix well with mung bean, filling was very dry and incoherent. I personally didn't like it one bit. I would not grab this flavor again.

    Maruko X.

    Ambiance: it's a small dessert store located in Monterey Park, takeout orders only Service: very friendly and patient with questions Food: they made the cakes fresh daily, and they can last about one week Assorted Box of Regular Mooncakes - **** recommend for the variety Signature Regular Mooncake - *** With Half Salted Eaa Yolk Hawaiian Purple Yam Ube Lava Mooncake - **** the lava was so tasty, recommend Price: each cake costs about $2 to $4, and the combo pack has the best value

    Box $21.70 lava filled 12/2024
    Lisa C.

    This is exactly the kind of shop people mean when they say, "Support your local small businesses." I believe it was the owner who helped us, and she was as sweet as her desserts. The concept is simple--they specialize in flaky pastries filled with various flavored mung bean pastes, with the option to add a rich, eggy lava filling for an extra $2.05. The store itself is small and charming. What We Ordered: Half Dozen Box - $21.70 (Eggy Lava Filled) These pastries lean on the sweeter side, with a dense, rich, and ultra-gooey texture. After refrigeration, the filling takes on a more jam-like consistency, which I personally enjoyed. * 2 Ube (Pink Pastry) - Deep purple inside with a distinct ube flavor. * 2 Black Sesame (Black Pastry) - Subtle black sesame taste but still delicious. * Taro (Purple Pastry) - Light purple filling with a noticeable taro flavor. * Signature (Yellow Pastry) - The most egg-forward in flavor, rich and satisfying. I didn't get the matcha this time but maybe next time. They are pretty pricy, but these are very specific type of dessert, when I'm craving it, I'll definitely be back!

    Amy T.

    I come here to get mooncakes for my friends and family. They are reasonably priced and make for unique gifts. Around this time of year they have the orange looking moon cake and it's so cute so I always include that as part of my rotation. They're not too sweet so it's great for the older Asian palate. Definitely recommended!

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    5 months ago

    Unexpectedly delicious! The right amount of sweetness. Definitely will be coming back!

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    6 months ago

    The best moon cakes I have ever had. signature lava moon cake so delicious highly recommend

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    Page 1 of 7

    Ask the Community - Aliya Lavaland

    Hi, can you ship to SF if I pay shipping fee?

    Yes, but not at the moment. We will start shipping next month, October 2024.

    Do you have website to order?

    Yes, we do. https://order.toasttab.com/online/aliya-lavaland-141-n-atlantic-blvd-ste-103

    Can the leva cake putting in the room temperature for how long? Does it need to be in the fridge?

    Overnight should be fine, but to be on a safe side we recommend putting them in the fridge. Heating instructions are provided at the store’s front counter. Thank you

    Hello, Do you offer any gluten free options?

    Sorry, we don’t offer gluten free

    How much is the Lava mooncake? How many flavors for Lava mooncake do you guys have?

    5 Lavacake flavors

    Is there food coloring?

    Yes,Only in the outer Flour crust.

    Do you ship to Bay Area?

    Not at the moment.

    Is this item gluten free?

    No, Not Gluten free

    Will you be open on Thanksgiving (11/25)?

    Hi. We’re close on Thanksgiving day, but will extend the hour on Wednesday, 24th to 8 pm.

    The lava mooncake was really good, however i'm not a fan of the "jasmine?" scent on the pastries. Is it possible to order some without the flowery scent added to the outer part?

    Hi. Sorry we couldn’t accommodate your request, because we make them in large quantity for the day. However, the Taro, Ube, and Matcha doesn’t have the Jasmine in them.

    Hi. I’ll be giving these lava mooncake to my cousin as a gift & bringing it to San Francisco. Buying them on Saturday but will be meeting up on Wednesday. Is it ok to keep them refrigerated till then? Do I have to freeze them?

    They last about 7 days in the fridge.

    Is lava mooncake fully cooked and safe for pregnant women?

    Yes. The egg yolks are fully cooked before we make the Lava, and then baked again inside the Mooncake.

    How long can these last without being placed in the refrigerator?

    Overnight is ok

    How fast should these be eaten? Is it ok in the fridge?

    Hi Same day is ok. Can last in the fridge up to 7 days. From the fridge, Microwave 8-10 seconds “two times “… Read more

    Do they contain nuts?

    No, we don’t use Peanuts or any Tree nuts. However, some might be allergic to Coconut milk which we use in Ube and Taro.

    What options are dairy-free?

    The Mini Taro and Mini Ube doesn’t have dairy in them, but the flour on the outer layer does have a little butter though.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Aliya Lavaland

    The lava eggy custard was sweet, but not overly "burn your throat" sweet and slight savory as well.

    Mentioned in 76 reviews

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