Bing Tang Tang Shui 冰糖糖水办公室

One of the places that seems to be getting quite a fair bit of attention over social media would be the new Bing Tang Tang Shui 冰糖糖水办公室 — an establishment that is hidden in the enclave of landed residences in the Thomson Hills Drive, Bing Tang Tang Shui is probably not the easiest location to find especially considering that there is a lack of F&B and retail shops around its vicinity, and the spot is also a distance away from the nearest MRT station (i.e. Lentor MRT Station along the Thomson-East Coast Line) and bus stops around. Situated in the same building as Salem Chapel, Bing Tang Tang Shui is located beside shop units that operate as offices within those premises. For those whom are wondering about the “办公室” in the Chinese name of the place (which in itself translates to office from Chinese to English), the description actually refers to the concept of the establishment which is being decked just like that of a 1980s office — comes full with period-correct furniture and fittings, as well as dine-in zones segmented into the reception area, office, training room and meeting room that caters for different group sizes and personal preferences. Being an establishment that focuses on Chinese-style desserts, Bing Tang Tang Shui prides itself over its various Tang Shui offerings — there is a constant emphasis on their offerings made entirely from scratch with no preservatives and colourings; the various Tang Shui offerings also comes with a “classic” version using a traditional recipe, while there is also a modern version which sees the use of interesting infusions that gives the all-familiar item their own twist. Apart from the various Tang Shui offerings, Bing Tang Tang Shui also offers a variety of hot food in the “Snacks” section; beverages available at Bing Tang Tang Shui includes coffee, flower tea, soft drinks and bottled ginseng drinks that are categorised as “health drinks” on the menu.

We were really impressed with all of items we had ordered at Bing Tang Tang Shui — this is quite a feat considering how we had tried a decent number of items between just two pax; the items which we have had are also across both the Tang Shui and the hot food items that are listed in the “Snacks” section of the menu. If there is one dish that we would think is the most representative of Bing Tang Tang Shui, it probably would be the Tang Yuan (Osmanthus Infusion). The Tang Yuan (Osmanthus Infusion) is the modern interpretation of the Tang Yuan category in the menu here — the traditional rendition of the same dish is named Tang Yuan (Classic); it is also noted that the Tang Yuan items are also marked as their “Hero Product” in the menu — probably their way of indicating that it is the signature offering here. The Tang Yuan (Osmanthus Infusion) is described in the menu to come with black sesame-filled rice balls, crushed ice, purple Goji Berry syrup, fermented rice milk sauce that comprises of Hakka Yellow Wine and lemon zest, as well as an Osmanthus caramel. Since the Tang Yuan is served hot atop a bed of crushed ice, we were recommended by the service staff to consume the item as soon as we can; this is to prevent the rice balls from hardening when the rice balls cool down from ambient temperature and the temperature from the crushed ice beneath it. Digging into the dessert immediately and going for the rice balls first, the rice balls are at its best — these were soft and chewy; definitely did not stick to the teeth while the black sesame filling came roasty with an evident aroma. We did notice that the filling is a little on the grainy side and a little dry compared to some commercially-made variants, though this wasn’t too bothersome considering the ice beneath. Otherwise, the various elements provided a rather balanced level of sweetness with a bit of texture to bite; all that with a floral aroma that is light and complimented all the elements perfectly — this is not forgetting that purple hue that the item comes with that checks the box in the aesthetic factor of the dessert as well.

While Bing Tang Tang Shui is located at a spot that is rather inconvenient to get to, it is one location that we were still left extremely impressed with what they have to offer. Even despite the signature item being the Tang Yuan offerings here, everything else that we have tried all hir the spot. For instance, the Radish Cake was probably one that we enjoyed even more than that of what some other upscale Chinese eateries serves up — the radish cake was not too dense and springy, yet holds up rather well against the pinches of the chopsticks when picks a morsel after splitting it apart. The addition of fried scallions and sausage provided a slight sweetness amidst the light savouriness — all adding a good crispness and bite to the radish cake. The Braised Pork Rice on the other hand is really comforting; sufficiently savoury with enough braised liquid to go around, the chunks of pork are well-sized though lean closer to the leaner side — apart from the savouriness, there is a slight note of pepper that did not result in any spiciness. They also have included slices of pickled Choy Sum that adds a crunch and a slight sweet-ish tang to compliment all of that. Meanwhile, the Orh Nee (Pearl Chrysanthemum Infusion) was a highlight for us as well — the smooth, creamy and luscious yam paste carried an earthy note that matches against the inherent sweetness of the sweet potato paste; one can find Pearl Chrysanthemum infused in the item, which are essentially balls of chrysanthemum petals that helps to add a floral note together with the chrysanthemum-infused syrup that also comes with a light and soft crunch. Bing Tang Tang Shui is one of the few places where one can really taste all the passion and hard work to deliver their patrons the very best in their food; the food items are nothing short of being comforting with a lot of thought placed in the process — their dedication in serving items made from fresh ingredients from scratch without additives showcases all of that, while we also appreciated the detailed walkthrough and the explanation about the items and their concept given by their approachable service staff. Overall, a spot with a lot of heart and soul that is placed into its entire conceptualisation from its vibes to the food; a spot that is not to be missed!