Birds of Paradise Gelato Boutique & Sandwich Bar (Mandai Wildlife West)

🦜 How Apt to have Bird of Paradise Gelato at Birds Paradise Singapore 🇸🇬🤪 One of my favorite Cafe Interior in Singapore with the Pink Based Pebble Wash Bench 💗 they have self-service kiosk for quick takeaway while you walk in the park or enjoy them with the view of the garden around the cafe ✨ worth a spot to cool down for Sjngapore heat and for the vibes if you are visiting the attraction 😊 definitely shorter queue than Jewel 😂

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Double Scoop - $9
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After a day trip at the newest bird park, reward yourself with a sweet treat at BOP. They have cooling aircon with ample seatings for small groups. I picked their classic white chrysanthemum & tried osmanthus pear sorbet. The sorbet was refreshing, and better still, is dairy-free! Great way to end the visit to Bird Paradise
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Bird of Paradise
@bopgelato

The opening of Bird Paradise has also brought upon a new cluster of F&B within the Mandai area — the public area, which is dubbed as Mandai Wildlife West saw the opening of various notable F&B concepts which had opened their doors in recent months such as that of COLLIN’S and Starbucks; other names such as Leckerbaer, Luke’s Lobster and Mr. Holmes Bakehouse are also in the midst of moving into their respective spaces soon. Birds of Paradise does not need much introduction these days — having started first established their presence in East Coast with their outlet at The Red House a couple of years ago, Birds of Paradise had transformed the local gelato parlour scene with their botanically inspired gelato offerings. The brand has expanded quite a fair bit in the past couple of years, operating multiple outlets such as the one at Jewel Changi Airport (originally situated in a clothing shop named In Good Company, then moved into a space of its very own), one within a shophouse at Beach Road and another outlet also within a shophouse at Craig Road in Tanjong Pagar. Birds of Paradise’s outlet at Mandai Wildlife West is probably the “most North” location that Birds of Paradise will ever have; the Mandai Wildlife West outlet occupying a space that is pretty much like a glasshouse with loads of natural lighting flooding the space especially in the mornings. Unlike their other outlets, Birds of Paradise at Mandai Wildlife West has a proper dine-in space with dining tables, stools and booth seats — the earthy and wooden tones blending in quite well to its lush surroundings. Most people would be familiar with Birds of Paradise’s gelato offerings; that being said, the Cucumber & Mint Sorbet — a flavour which was created in collaboration with Mandai Wildlife Group that was available at other outlets is now an outlet exclusive at Mandai Wildlife West. Also exclusively available at their Mandai Wildlife West outlet would be the selection of sandwiches, as well as beverages such as espresso-based coffee and tea.

Visiting Birds of Paradise at Mandai Wildlife West on a weekday morning, we decided to grab one of their sandwiches along with a cuppa before ending the meal off with one of their gelato (what’s a visit to Birds of Paradise if we skip on having their gelato offerings anyway). There were a few simple sandwiches available for those who are feeling peckish; we found ourselves settling for the Tuna and Gouda Sandwich after skimming through the selection of which that they carry. It could be said that all of their sandwich offerings are more of a toasties rather than a sandwich given how the fillings are portioned out — all sandwich offerings feature rye sourdough here, while the Tuna and Gouda Sandwich also features elements such as that of dill and slow-roasted tomato. Orders at Birds of Paradise Mandai Wildlife West are made through a self-service ordering kiosk, and patrons will be informed to collect their order based on the table number reflected on their receipt via an LCD monitor once the order is ready. Served warm, the Tuna and Gouda Sandwich was a rather safe bet to have; it does not attempt to reinvent the wheel, but was an item which one would find rather comforting especially if they have been having tuna sandwiches from young. The Rye Sourdough was toasted to a crisp; not too difficult to chew apart — it also carries a slight tang from the fermentation process that was taken during the baking of the sourdough; this went well with the slight briny notes of the flaky and fibrous tuna within. We liked how the tuna filling within the sandwich was not laden with mayonnaise here; the slow-roasted tomatoes providing a refreshing and tangy burst of flavours as one chews upon it to cut through all of the notes of the tuna. Overall, a pretty comforting sandwich to have for a slow morning breakfast.

Birds of Paradise has been fairly consistent with its quality over the years for their gelato offerings — their botanically-inspired gelato was something revolutionary to the food scene, and whilst many other establishments have started to incorporate flavours that are inspired off those that Birds of Paradise offers over the years, there is always that slightly more artisan and premium feel about their offerings as compared to those whom replicate their creations. This is also probably the reason why there is such a loyal following with the brand, which explains the queues especially with their outlets at The Red House along East Coast Road, Jewel Changi Airport and Craig Road for their gelato offerings. Their Mandai Wildlife West outlet breathes a bit of new life into the brand name, considering how they are offering patrons with options of food that is more than what they specialise in; there is no doubt that the sandwiches are offered as items that are meant to satisfy those whom are looking for a light bite before making their way into Bird Paradise — it serves as a compliment to the ice-cream / gelato that they are known for. Nonetheless, the Tuna and Gouda Sandwich was simple, hearty and comforting; the Smoked Double Chocolate Gelato on the other hand comes velvety smooth; a dairy-free flavour that comes rich and aptly bittersweet yet smooth to the throat, being lightly smoked for just that bit of flavour contrast that makes one keep going for more. For Northies, we probably would know deep down in our hearts that Birds of Paradise would never quite appear in our neighbourhood (well, we are always missing out of the good things in the F&B scene anyways), but their outlet at Mandai Wildlife West is probably the best bet for one that is located close enough to our ‘hood — we could definitely see ourselves spending some time out at this space for some peace and quiet if it does not get flooded by families and tourists stopping over while visiting Bird Paradise!