Throughout my adventures through the Utah food scene, I’ve always considered myself a bit of a texture guy. A thoughtful crunch here or a deliberate wobble there usually tips the scales from good to great in my humble opinion. That said, texture is also very much a supporting factor in the dining experience as a whole—if the dish itself is a stadium concert, its textures are the roadies. So when I heard about the Japanese fluffy pancakes at Kumo Café, I had to ask myself one question: Can texture transcend its supporting role to be the star of a dish?

Before we dig into that question of questions, let’s talk a bit about Kumo Café. It’s an adorable little spot just south of the Chinatown Supermarket in South Salt Lake, and it’s owned by the folks who brought us Doki Doki Dessert Café Downtown. Anyone who has frequented Doki Doki for its marvelous crepe cakes knows that they’re not fooling around when it comes to frothy textures. The fluffy pancakes ($17.50) at Kumo Café are simply an extension of their quest to bring some of Japan’s creative dessert culture to Utah.

I took my wife and daughter, since they too are fans of all things sweet and jiggly, and put my daughter in charge of deciding the toppings for our fluffy pancake order. She decided on an Oreo cream topping with a Nutella spread and a scoop of cookies-and-cream ice cream. When the plate arrives, you can’t help but shake it to make the stack of three fluffy pancakes break into a hypnotic wiggle. Watching this simply begs you to slide the edge of your fork through the pastry’s cloud-like exterior.

I tried a bite of the pancake without any of its accoutrements, and the best way to describe its texture is that of a perfectly roasted marshmallow—it absolutely melts in your mouth. Flavor-wise, these pancakes taste eggy with a subtle hint of sweetness. I was a little skeptical about the Oreo cream, but it captured the flavor combo of Oreos and milk, so it was overall a good call. The spongy texture within the pancake just soaks up everything on the plate, so sliding your bite around the plate to get a little bit of everything is imperative.

The fluffy pancakes can take anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes depending on how busy the staff is, so you should definitely pregame by ordering one of Kumo Café’s signature crepes. They’ve got sweet and savory options; we got the Breakfast Favorite ($13.99) and the Blossom ($10.99) with vanilla ice cream. While I could see getting the former bright and early in the morning, it’s awesome whenever you get a hankering for some breakfast flavors. The crepe is stuffed with melty mozzarella and sharp cheddar cheese, sliced ham, bacon and avocado which are all welcome to hang on any breakfast menu. On top, you get some sliced cherry tomatoes, Kewpie mayo and a drizzle of hollandaise. Essentially, this is a wonderful breakfast mashup—the mayo and hollandaise really push this over the edge. It’s a minor gripe, but I’d ask them to hold the lettuce next time—not sure it’s really adding much to the dish overall.

The Blossom crepe is a riff on the traditional Thai dessert of mango sticky rice, and it’s great. You’ve got this silky coconut brulee that emphasizes the coconut sticky rice, and for a bit of sharpness, you get some sliced mango and kiwi. It’s then drizzled with a lovely passion fruit sauce and a bit of condensed milk. It’s luscious through and through, and perfect for those craving some fresh tropical flavors.

If crepes and fluffy pancakes are a little too ethereal for your tastes, you can also check out Kumo Café’s mochi waffles ($14.59). The mochi batter lets them crisp up on the outside while leaving them nice and chewy on the inside. Each variation comes stacked high with enough toppings; there are plenty of fresh fruit and berry options, but the hazelnut and ube waffles are the stars of the show here.

In addition to their edible goodies, Kumo Café has plenty of colorful beverages available—everything from tea to lattes to smoothies is available here. I think the best part of the drink menu is the latte section, where the Kumo Latte ($5.99) and the Oreo Latte ($5.99) hang out. With its abundance of sweet, frothy foam, the Kumo Latte is a nice complement to the fluffy pancakes.

I’ll circle back to my original question and go on record saying the fluffy pancakes at Kumo Café are indeed proof that texture can be the star of the dish. It’s the texture that causes the signature wobble that brings me more joy than it reasonably should, and it’s the texture that melts in your mouth leaving only good vibes behind. Anyone who needs to put this hypothesis to the test need only check out Kumo Café.