Introduction

In the following article, I will take a look at four sets of the Food Street Series (Crayfish Shop, River Snails Rice Noodle, Grape Juice Shop, and Ice Cream Shop) from Pantasy.

Packaging, Contents, and Instructions

The sets come in a high-quality printed box. Each box features a picture of the respective set and the included minifigure. The back shows the other three sets and the function of connecting them together.

A Brick-Separator is included with each set. The building bricks are packed in seven, eight, or nine bags, sorted into two building sections. The minifigure is sealed in a bag, as is the paper instruction.

The small paper instructions are clearly structured. No ambiguities arise at any point.

Divided into 115 / 91 / 79, and 87 building steps, each in two building sections, the four sets are assembled. A colored outline indicates where each part of the building step must be placed.

Children are certainly capable of building these sets independently. Only with the roofs might younger builders need a bit of support. For the experienced builder, however, this poses no challenge. Building the four sets is a relaxed affair and can be accomplished in less than an hour per set. The manufacturer does not specify the number of parts.

Building Experience and Parts Quality

All four sets are built on a base plate of 10×12 studs, which is assembled from two plates. The four street food sets are designed with the same basic design: a type of pavilion without outer walls and a very strikingly designed roof. On the roof, an oversized representation of the type of offer: a lobster (56005) probably stands for fish dishes or similar, a plate with noodles and chopsticks (56006), a cup with bubble tea or other shakes (56007), and an ice cream cone (56008).

In the smallest space, the interior is detailed with cooking plates and mixers, tables, and seating. Even the trash can in the set River Snails Rice Noodle is filled. Some details are later almost no longer visible.

There’s not much space in front of the buildings either. However, the small front garden is individually designed for each set. In the Grape Juice Shop, for example, a small yellow bird sits next to a bush, and on the other side is a small bench with two umbrellas in Yellow and Trans-Pink

The building experience is nevertheless different for all four sets and by no means monotonous. Similar style elements are found in all four sets, but the building technique is still different. This is clearly noticeable in the appearance of the four roofs. They differ not only in color scheme but also in shape and building technique.

The sets predominantly use stickers instead of prints. Three sets include seven stickers each, and one set includes eight stickers. In the River Snails Rice Noodle, one sticker spans several parts, which does not appear as high quality. In the Ice Cream Shop, a large sticker is included, meant to be placed over two different shades of blue. I omitted this, as I found the two blue tones more attractive than the intended sticker. (See photo)

In the set Ice Cream Shop, there are two small parts printed with stars. In the set Crayfish Shop, the eyes of the lobster on the roof are printed.

The GoBricks parts from Pantasy have a high clamping force. There are no color variations.

The quality of the tiles is also good. Some minimal scratch marks can be found upon close inspection, but this is probably due to the long transport route. I had no missing parts to complain about in these four sets.

Conclusion

My initial impression that this series is intended for children did not hold. The Food Street Series enchants with its loving details and ultimately a coherent overall picture for adults as well.

Some details are hardly visible once the sets are fully built. That’s a pity. When the sets are connected together, even more details like railings or counters on the side are lost. The sets can hardly be played with, as there is hardly any space for a minifigure inside. However, as I noticed, the target audience seems to be more adults.

As mentioned, I found the many small details and decorative elements, which are always interchangeable, very remarkable. In all four sets, the same design language is recognizable, although all four were individually designed.

The color selection is absolutely successful and coherent. The colors are vibrant, and the design is striking, yet the sets do not appear overly kitschy or childish. Viewed individually or as a set of four, the sets bring a smile to the face of the beholder. I can’t say which one I like best. Each has its own individual charm.

One point of criticism is the four minifigures. They are very similar to those of the market leader, on which LEGO has registered rights in the EU. The figures from Pantasy are one millimeter narrower, have only one element on the trousers, unlike the two from LEGO. Therefore, trousers cannot be exchanged between the two brands. The neck attachment element is slightly different, but the heads can be swapped.

In these four sets, there are three women and one man. Their trousers and tops are printed. The man/cook wears a cap instead of hair. The women wear no headgear, but have hair in Pink, Dark Blue | Earth blue, and yellow, each with a different hairstyle.

Personally, the four buildings of the Food Street Series were too close together when connected. The roofs almost touched, and the sides and their nice details were hardly visible anymore. Therefore, I made a small effort to enlarge the front gardens of the buildings a bit and create some space between them. The sides of the individual pavilions are now a bit more visible. Finally, the series was illuminated with a small string of lights. The four small sets now create an almost magnificent effect, and I am happy to recommend a purchase.