How sweet it is: Fresno boba, taiyaki shop launched with family in mind

Fresno has a new option for treats to beat the summer heat as a new family-run taiyaki, soft serve ice cream and boba shop is fully operational.

Located on Shields Avenue and First Street in the same parking lot as Target, Sweet Ppang is a confection shop with a variety of flavors from across the world that are rarely seen in the Valley.

Owners Sophea and David Thach, who already own a trucking business, wanted to create something that their three kids could be actively involved in and eventually be handed down.

“Our kids are older and of working age. Our oldest is going to school for business. So why not now?” Sophea said.

The family has long been interested in doing a boba shop, which was growing in popularity at the time. This idea was changed after a trip to Las Vegas, where they were introduced to taiyaki for the first time.

Taiyaki is a Japanese fish-shaped waffle made from batter, typically filled with various sweet fillings like custard and red bean paste. Sweet Ppang also offers ube, a sweet potato from the Philippines, and pandan, a tropical plant popular in southeastern Asia.

The Thachs made it a point to ensure that Fresno’s diversity was reflected in their menu and name. The family is Cambodian.

“We wanted to keep our culture as well. So “pang” means bread in our language [Khmer], and it’s kind of similar to the Latin or Hispanic words [“panem” and “pan”],” Sophea said.

Sweet Ppang is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 3211 E. Shields Ave.

Updates and event announcements can be found on their Instagram @sweet_ppang_ .