EVA’S ORIGINAL CHIMNEYS

Eva’s Chimney Cones was the food truck star of last summer serving up freshly baked doughnut cones filled with soft serve ice cream and topped with sauces, nuts or fresh fruit. There was always a line wherever Eva’s truck went, including their semi-permanent booth in front of Union Station. Eva’s now has a permanent home in The Annex with the opening of their flagship store last month. The shop is baking up fresh chimney cones and chimney cakes everyday with 16 mouth watering creations.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

Walking into the long, narrow shop, I was greeted by the aroma of freshly baking dough and cinnamon sugar. An open kitchen filled the front of the store where customers could watch the making of the chimney cone from gooey dough to golden brown goodness. The freshly baked cones have a crunchy exterior (from a thin layer of caramelized sugar) and a soft, fluffy interior. After baking, the cones are coated with more cinnamon sugar, filled with soft serve ice cream (including a vegan coconut option!) and loaded with toppings.

Eva’s menu ranges from $9-$11 and the cones can easily be shared between two people. After staring at the menu, struggling to pick just one, Stephen and I decided to try the Tiramisu Chimney Cone that had coffee-soaked lady fingers tucked inside the cone and espresso and cocoa powder sprinkled on top. This was one of the simpler cones and a wonderful interpretation of the desert. The coffee flavour was strong, the ice cream was creamy and I loved the lady fingers. Each chimney cone also has a chocolate truffle at the very bottom to prevent any ice cream from leaking, brilliant and a decadent final bite.

After satisfying our sweet tooth, I had to try Eva’s new savoury cake, the Herb and Aged Cheddar. Oh my god this was good. So good that Stephen and I fought over our first one and had to order a second. We ordered the cake plain (there are also 4 spreads that can be added) and fell in love. The cake was richly seasoned and incredibly fragrant. It’s a must try.

For drinks, there was freshly made coffee and classic espresso drinks in addition to pop, juice and Boylan sodas. If the full-size cone is too much, Eva’s has recently introduced The Mini O.G. priced at $6 with optional sauce toppings. Note that Eva’s is a cashless shop and accepts only electronic payment, perfect for me since I rarely ever carry cash. Once the weather warms up, I foresee Eva’s becoming the go-to dessert spot for the neighbourhood. To get the perfect shot for Instagram, there’s black brick wall just outside the store that makes for an ideal backdrop.