Bingka Ubi It does seem that the folks behind the Awfully Chocolate brand name has been placing a lot more emphasis on their Sinpopo brand name in recent years — whilst the original Sinpopo Brand was a very different establishment from what we all know now as Sinpopo, it does show that the concept has seen quite a successful transformation from its original Joo Chiat location all the way to it being in the current form. Following the launch of Sinpopo’s location at TANGS Plaza, they had introduced a new Sinpopo Coffee outlet that is located at the ground floor of Scotts Square. Their outlet at Scotts Square occupies a previous open space in the podium of the mall right in front of the outlet of Tiong Bahru Bakery — as such, the location operates more like a kiosk though comes with seating space for dine-in patrons. Following the design theme of recent Sinpopo locations as far as possible, the outlet sees the vast use of wooden accents in its furniture and fittings, with the dining chairs dining with a rattan-esque look that recreates some sort of colonial-era vibes. Given how they had categorised this location as a Sinpopo Coffee outlet (similar to their Funan outlet), the Scotts Square location focuses on serving up its sliced cake offerings, as well as a range of danishes and Nonya Kueh. Beverages available at this location also includes an extensive selection of espresso-based specialty coffee (including concoctions like the Coffee Lemonade, Coconut Americano and Spanish Latte), as well as a category of beverages named Iced Cold Quenchers, and a variety of teas.
Considering how we had made our visit to Sinpopo Coffee at Scotts Square on a weekday evening, there were only a small selection of pastries that are available and on display at the counter. Skipping on the sliced cakes since a previous attempt on those were not quite to our fancy, we decided to go straight for the selection of Nonya Kueh and danishes which they have to offer. Between the two items that we have had during our visit, our preferences leant towards the Bingka Ubi by just a very small margin. For those whom need a like bit of an introduction, the Bingka Ubi is essentially a baked tapioca cake; the ones that are being served at Sinpopo Coffee are shaped in wedges being baked in circular pan rather than the usual rectangular blocks that most other establishments would. The Bingka Ubi might be a little dry and therefore slightly crumbly and loose when compared to the same from other establishments that we had previously tried; that being said, it still comes being expectedly sweet — our favourite parts being the slightly caramelised crust from the browned exterior surrounding the sides.
The Kaya Butter Danish is a little reminiscent to how some Kaya Buns from some neighbourhood bakeries are like; rather than a bun that sees the middle coming with an exposed part that is filled with Kaya, the Kaya Butter Danish here comes in the form of a diamond-shaped pastry with the same concept of the exposed Kaya in the middle — this time accompanied with a knob of butter. The qualm that we have had here was how the pastry felt dense and a little limp having been on display for white a long while; the Kaya used here also felt rather commercially-made — nothing much shout about, while the thick knob of butter was sufficient provide a note to the Danish. Meanwhile, it is noted that the Gula Melaka Coffee here in the format of espresso-based specialty coffee as per all other coffee-related items here; it also requires a little bit of a stir to bring the earthy sweetness Gula Melaka into the drink — the latte without the Gula Melaka can be described as a rather robust cuppa with an earthy flavour profile, with the addition of Gula Melaka enhancing everything further. We have always been huge fans of concepts that showcases nostalgic Nanyang-style / Peranakan flavours at its best; Sinpopo Brand’s original concept when they had first started out at Joo Chiat Road still probably resonates with us the most, though its TANGS Plaza outlet also really deserves a mention for its bold fusion of local classics with westernised dishes. Sinpopo Coffee’s selection of cakes and other desserts have always felt a little less refined in comparison, though still works as a decent hangout spot nonetheless at a reasonable price range especially in the heart of Singapore’s shopping district.