Desserts!

𝐊𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐢 (4.2⭐️; $6.90) - Rare to find wallet-friendly kakigori and these were right up our alley with the rich flavours, right sweetness level, and generous toppings. Matcha adzuki had earthy bittersweet cream with loads of red beans while black sesame was nutty with soft mochi topping.

𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐚 𝐥𝐚𝐯𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐞 ($8) - Crisp and light cookie exterior with delightful oozy and bittersweet matcha ganache. The 313 exclusive cookie cone ($2) had a nice crunch and mild butteriness.

Queued 1hr on the recent public holiday for this viral warabimochi from Japan to understand the hype and it is… understood 😂. But probably not worth the crazy wait in the heat so would say go off peak or to the second outlet where the queue seems shorter.

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐜𝐡𝐢 (5⭐️; $7.90) - One of the better textures of mochi available here; soft, lightly chewy and with a melt-in-the-mouth finish. Generously coated with fragrant kinako powder.

For the drinks, we preferred the more unique and refreshing 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐭 (4⭐️; $7.90) with the tangy creamy yogurt balanced with sweet-sour strawberry mochi and puree. The 𝐀𝐬𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐰𝐚-𝐞𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐚 (3.5⭐️; $5.90) was aromatic natural-tasting matcha paired with brown sugar chewy mochi. Lo Personally found them to blend less well together than the former. The mochi here was a tad too sweet and overpowered the umami matcha.

We enjoyed the sweet-tangy strawberry rhubarb tart (4⭐️; $4.50) whilst the Japanese cheesecake (3⭐️; $5.50) was a tad dense and dry.

👍🏼 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐚 ($13) - Jiggly and smooth pudding paired with tangy berry compote, crunchy raspberry crisp, and citrus snow.

👍🏼 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐪𝐮𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐤𝐞 ($13) - Great rendition suitable for those who prefer a lighter cheese element, with a creamy milky core.

Dessert omakase for the dessert fans. The desserts were unique and refined, and it was an enjoyable casual, intimate experience watching Huishan prepare each item.

The second main was a medley of soy milk foam, soy milk gelato, and soy milk curd. Comforting and clean-tasting on its own and enhanced by the pairing with donuts. These donuts were amazing in their own right - crisp and airy with a salty cheese core (and are available alacarte).

Dessert omakase for the dessert fans. The desserts were unique and refined, and it was an enjoyable casual, intimate experience watching Huishan prepare each item.

The first main was presented as a guessing game (so skip if you don’t want to find out!). While seemingly straightforward creamy vanilla ice cream, jelly film, and pomegranate, the dusting of powder was a blend of soursop and pomegranate which had an interesting depth beyond tanginess reminiscent of strawberry.

One of the better renditions I’ve had with fluffy interior and caramelised exterior. Loved the refreshing sea salt element balanced with caramel drizzle and luscious creme fraise ice cream

Desserts ($15/2, +$7 for more)
𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨 (4⭐️) - Always up for unique savory-type desserts so this impressed with the creamy cheese-based gelato paired with tangy strawberry tomato jam and herby olive oil.

𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐚 (3.5⭐️) - Juicy fresh figs with hazelnut frangipane in a crisp tart.

Super fun and innovative omakase gelato lab where one can customise their unique blend of mix-in, toppings, and drizzle.

For those less adventurous, you can choose from their signature omakases. Best seller roasted goma ($7.90) was ultra rich and earthy with black sesame gelato and paste, and toppings of crunchy almond flakes and sunflower seeds. Good for the nutty purists but personally would have liked for a more refreshing pair. Passionfruit tart ($7.90) had half a slice of actual tart with vanilla ice cream, lemon curd, speculoos, and berry drizzle. Had a buttery and mild citrus finish.

Decided to craft my own with a blend of Nyonya Kueh Salat, Hazelnut, and Gula Melaka ice cream. Enjoyed the interesting textural contrast of chewy rice and crunchy nuts. Would be back when feeling a bit more adventurous to try their Lao Gan ma signature 🌶️😜

📍@swirlgosg, B1-04, @wismaatria, 435 Orchard Road, Singapore

Gooey, oozy cheesecake with a thin bottom crumble layer. Savory, tangy, and nutty from the mix of different cheeses. Paired with refreshing tangy raspberry sorbet (wished there was more of this for better balance to cut through the richness). Have seen many comparing this to Olivia’s cheesecake but Olivia’s rendition remains the reigning champion for me, inching out in terms of complexity and refinement.

Both desserts are works of art in design and highly refined, clean and light tasting with fruity flavours, and not sweet at all. That said, the high price tag takes up most of my mind space, making it difficult to truly enjoy it for what it is. If this were $15, I’d say it was amazing. But at $26, it’s probably good to have it once just to say you’ve tried and not something I’d return for again 😅.

In comparing the two, preferred 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐨 𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 ($26) for the tropical mango gel, sharp ginger finish, and crispy shortbread. 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭 ($26) had a crisp chocolate shell encasing sweet-sour dragonfruit mousse.