Varin’s, located next to The Bangkok Thai Cuisine on Robert Rose Drive, is a shop packed with sweets.
The smell of waffles greets visitors upon entering the eatery. Yes, one of Varin’s house specialties is a freshly made bubble waffle rolled into a cone shape, placed in a cup and filled with homemade ice cream and various fruits, candies, sauces or cereals.
“The bubble waffle has become trendy,” says Christina Varin Oudomsouk, who owns the shop with her mother, Tien.
A bubble waffle contains a pattern of large, raised spherical bubbles rather than the grid of small square divots that mark the traditional waffle. Otherwise, it’s similar to the standard item, and Varin and her “foodie family” are now bringing the sweet dish, which originated in Hong Kong, to diners in Murfreesboro.
Try the cookies and cream bubble waffle creation at Varin’s—loaded with cookies-and-cream ice cream, Oreos and chocolate sauce—or the fruit party combo that tops vanilla ice cream with strawberries, blueberries, banana and kiwi, all packed inside the fresh waffle.
Or create your own favorite sweet bubble waffle combination with the various flavors of ice cream and many assorted toppings, from Fruity Pebbles, coconut flakes and Nutella to M&Ms, pecans and whipped cream.
“The bubble waffle cones were so yummy . . . the little bubbles tear off and you can eat one with every bite,” Mitsi Parish said following a trip to Varin’s. “Super-fun place.”
In addition to the plain bubble waffles, customers can get chocolate chips or sprinkles mixed into the waffle batter, or select pandan or taro waffle varieties; taro is a tropical root crop similar to a potato or yam but with a purple flesh, while the fragrant pandan leaves lend many Asian baked goods a green color.
“The taro bubble waffle was moist and a little crunchy. It went perfectly with the ice cream,” another customer, Kaowwaan, reported after a trip to the sweet shop.
Varin’s also offers a sweet, delicious and purple taro latte, and many other beverage selections, hot or cold.
These include milk teas in flavors such as mango, honeydew, Thai tea, matcha, lychee and strawberry; fruit teas in pineapple, peach, guava, passion fruit and other flavors; creme brûlée coffee, jasmine iced tea, hot chocolate, lattes and more.
“The Okinawa [a brown sugar milk tea] with tapioca pearl was amazing!” Amy Huntley said. “Definitely will be back.”
Varin’s has all sorts of boba and jelly choices to go in the teas as well—passion fruit popping boba, taro crystal boba, lychee popping boba, coconut jelly, herbal grass jelly—the combination options are virtually endless.
“Another major plus for me is the milk alternatives for the milk tea. Love that they have almond milk as an option,” a recent patron named Samantha said. “Love the variety on the menu, quality of the drinks and aesthetic of the shop!”
She said that her go-to drink flavors include the honeydew milk tea and the lychee fruit tea, while another customer recommends the taro creme brûlée or the Nagasaki (a honey-milk green tea).
A pandan cake topped with fruit—available by the slice—is another Varin’s specialty.
And for a dessert dish a bit smaller than the full bubble waffle cone, the Varin’s croffles come in various combinations, all with the same in-house-made ice cream and topping options. Try one topped with cinnamon sugar and custard cream, or the S’mores, creme brûlée, blueberry cheesecake or strawberry cheesecake varieties. The strawberry cheesecake croffle displays a delicious, bold cheesecake flavor.
These croffles are meant to be a cross between a croissant and a waffle, says Varin, currently a psychology major at MTSU.
She said the idea for her shop started with stints working pop-up booths at different special events. During the COVID shutdowns, though, when many events were canceled, she and her mother decided to launch the location on Robert Rose Drive, taking a space in Jack Butchareon’s building. Butchareon, Tien’s uncle, is the longtime owner-operator of The Bangkok.
Varin said that, since opening, she has “become friends with a lot of the customers,” and many Murfreesboro diners seem to appreciate this addition to the Murfreesboro food scene, not just as a place to try new flavors, but as a spot to hang out with friends, play games and socialize.
One customer felt compelled to associate the word “kawaii” with Varin’s Sweet Shop, kawaii being the Japanese culture of cuteness.
“Varin’s is an awesome little quick bites shop where you can satisfy your sweet tooth,” according to yet another pleased visitor, Kay. “The staff is super-friendly and willing to help you make a tasty decision when you’re undecided.”
So consider taking your Valentine to Varin’s, though you may want to go ahead and get separate bubble waffles and drinks for both of you. Your date may end up not wanting to share after they taste the delicious sweets.
Varin’s Sweet Shop
315 Robert Rose Dr., Suite A, Murfreesboro
Mon.–Thurs.: 11 a.m.–8 p.m.; Fri.–Sat.: 11 a.m.–9 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m.–7 p.m.
615-908-3723
Bubble waffle with ice cream: $7.50; Any flavor regular milk tea with up to two toppings: $4.50; Croffle with ice cream: $5; Whole 8-inch pandan cake: $42; Regular Vietnamese iced coffee: $4
instagram.com/varinsweetshop
