Yat Ka Yan Dessert (一家人) @ Fortune Centre in Bugis [Singapore]

Most Singaporean Chinese would be familiar with the famous Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple at Bugis but mention Fortune Centre, which is just less than 100 meters away; a majority would likely remember it as an old building stuck in the 1970s / 80s.

It's actually popular with vegetarian foodies although our focus today is on dessert. As the name suggests, Yat Ka Yan, on level two of Fortune Centre, likely has Cantonese origins and aside from classic desserts commonly found in Hong Kong; you can also indulge in local ones like chendol and cheng tng.

Menu as appended above; selection was varied and for the sake of reviewing, we ordered three different types although I regretted not going for the yam paste that appeared to be rated the best on Google reviews.

Chee Cheong Fun with Cai Po - also known as preserved radish, cai po is one of the most unassuming ingredients that did a wonderous job in enhancing a bland flavor.

The chee cheong fun (rice rolls) didn't amaze us but the cai po with fried shallots resulted in a delicious combination consisting of a nice aroma peppered with sweetness, sourness and a touch of vinegar.

Chendol - while drenched with gula melaka, this wasn't overly sweet. The green 'worms' (the ingredient that gave the chendol its name) had a bitter tinge that kind of reminded me of the time I tried to make pandan layer cake and it turned out to be too tart for my liking.

Cheng Tng - given my immense love for cheng tng in hot and sunny Singapore, this is something I am likely to order whenever I see the dessert on the menu! 

Nicely flavored without the disgusting sugary syrup found in cheng tng from some dessert stalls, this contained nutritional ingredients like dried longans, white fungus, barley, gingko nuts, barley and dried persimmons. I love! 

Black Glutinous Rice with Chendol - I am not a fan of black glutinous rice but Alex is. His comments: he didn't like those with a lot of rice.  Well, I am no expert; some people would likely prefer more glutinous rice, I guess. 

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Would be back to try the yam paste! p.s. Apparently, I wrongly ordered the black glutinous rice with chendol and failed to double check the receipt. Even though we decided to accept the one with chendol, the person actually apologized and refunded me the difference! Definitely a plus point for the service. 

Address

190 Middle Rd, #02-08,

Fortune Centre, Singapore 188979

Map 

 

As above.

Pricing

Chee Cheong Fun with Cai Po - S$3.20

Chendol - S$3.20

Cheng Tng - S$3.20 

Black Glutinous Rice with Chendol - S$4.00