Popfancy Pops’ popsicles may be all-natural, but this month’s theme at the Bellaire Food Street shop features everything plastic and fantastic.

The themes at the store at 9393 Bellaire Blvd. change monthly, said owner Chris Doan. This month, seemingly like everywhere else, the theme is Barbie, based on the new movie inspired by the doll of the same name.

To be exact and possibly to avoid any trademark issues, the theme is actually: “Dreamhouse: A Boutique Cafe.”

But we all know who the queen of the dreamhouse is, don’t we?  If there is any doubt, the display of Barbie dolls for sale, as you wait in line for treats, might offer a clue.

 Then there are the Barbie cookies. Oh, and the DJ playing “Barbie Girl” and Lizzo’s “Pink” from Barbie The Album.

“It’s pink … good enough to drink,” Lizzo sings, and the Popfancy Pops special-themed menu obliges with a long list of nonalcoholic, kid-friendly and dad-approved (for real, we saw several sipping on the chillers) pink drinks with names such as Hot Doll Summer and Pretty in Pink.

Everyone lining up to be among the first to enter the cafe on opening day of the popup had come to wear, eat, drink and photograph everything Barbie.

Walk-in customers are welcome and probably won’t encounter a wait Mondays through Thursdays. But Doan highly recommends booking a FastPass reservation at https://www.popfancypops.com/fancafe for busy weekends.

On opening day the line was truly all ages, including moms with daughters dressed to theme in coordinating pink outfits; patient and proud dads with their daughters who couldn’t stop smiling as their numbers were called to pick up the candy-colored confections they just ordered at the counter; and groups of teens dressed in head-to-toe pink, taking photos of each other among the Barbie displays and life-sized doll box.

It was hard to tell who was more excited — adults or kids. Everyone smiled. Everyone danced. Everyone ate and drank a lot of sugar.

We started “healthy” with Glam Goddess — avocado on brioche toast with honey drizzle and a hard-boiled egg. Then we went headfirst into a sugar rush with Taffy Paws — hot mochi waffle paws with chocolate, condensed milk and ice cream. (We chose blue cookies and cream in honor of Barbie bestie Ken).

If you’re hungry for something substantial, entrees include “Barbie-Q” meatballs with pesto pasta salad. You can add tomato basil soup to any entree and a hot waffle pop to any sundae because … why not? You’re dining at a Dreamhouse Cafe.

The Big Kenergy drink is blue with pineapple curaçao and the Hot Girl Summer is hot pink with hibiscus sweet tea. Can’t decide? Order Couple Goals, which comes in a cup that is split in the middle with one side the blue drink and the other the pink.

Dreamhouse Cafe is open until Aug. 20 from 1 to 10 p.m. daily.

Popfancy Pops
Dreamhouse: A Boutique Cafe
9393 Bellaire Blvd.
https://www.popfancypops.com/fancafe

— by Dorothy Puch Lillig