McDonald’s latest Thai Milk Tea soft serve proves that Asian flavours are the next soft serve craze.
You don’t have to wait for McDonald’s seasonal flavours to try Asian-flavoured soft serve. Here are 10 Asian-inspired soft serves that are taking Singapore by storm.
1. Salted Egg Yolk Soft Serve (STRAY by Fatcat)
Salted egg has infiltrated just about everything in Singapore’s food scene. And we still can’t get enough!
Infamous for their bizarre local-inspired desserts, STRAY by Fatcat is guilty as charged for making probably the whackiest salted egg creation. For $10, their Black & Gold Petite may seem a little pricey. But just wait till you see what’s inside!
Yes, those are actual curry leaves. The soft serve is infused with a rich, buttery flavour that actually tastes just like the salted egg dishes at zi char stalls.
With the first bite, I actually couldn’t decide if I was eating a savoury dish or a dessert. But after a few more spoonfuls, I soon fell in love with this unlikely pairing of sweet and salty flavours. It tasted a little like salted caramel, but more gao.
As if that wasn’t good enough, there’s a $1 top-up for MORE salted egg yolk sauce to drizzle on the soft serve. Do pour it sparingly though, as the sauce can be a little overpowering in excess.
This soft serve dessert is one of those love-it-or-hate-it kinds of food, so this isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But if you’re a sucker for anything salted egg just like me, this could be your biggest fantasy come true!
You can check out more unique desserts at our full review of STRAY by Fatcat.
Expected Damage: $10 (additional $1 for salted egg yolk sauce add-on)
STRAY by Fatcat: 181 Orchard Road, Orchard Central, #04-22A/23, Singapore 238896 | Tel: +65 6835 7317 | Opening Hours: (Daily) 11am – 10pm | Website | Facebook
2. Koko Twisto Soft Serve (Kokopanda)
Korean dessert brand Kokopanda has a soft serve guaranteed to raise eyebrows. Say hello to their Koko Twisto ($4.90 with 1 topping, $5.90 with 3 toppings), an intriguing swirl of Korean milk soft serve with charcoal-infused yogurt. Black and white — just like a panda!
The black and white elements balanced perfectly. The black yogurt provided a mild tartness that cut through the sweet, creamier flavour of the white soft serve. I also really liked the hint of bitterness from the charcoal that left a cleansing sensation on my palate.
Kokopanda has a beautiful range of dried super fruits, with everything from dried pear to Jeju tangerine. They were the main crunch in the cup and added a refreshing citrus flavour.
For the health-conscious, Kokopanda’s Korean-inspired soft serve offers a cheat-day treat that you can indulge in without feeling guilty. Since when did healthy food taste this good?
Expected Damage: $4.90 (1 topping), $5.90 (3 toppings)
Kokopanda: 68 Orchard Road, Plaza Singapura, #B2-60, Singapore 238839 | Opening Hours: (Daily) 10am – 10pm | Facebook
3. Vietnamese Coffee Soft Serve (NamNam Go!)
Here at NamNam Go!, an express spin-off from popular Vietnamese chain NamNam Noodle Bar, they have a unique Vietnamese-inspired soft serve for the perfect after-meal sweet treat.
If you’ve ever had Vietnamese coffee, you’ll remember the distinct roasted flavour balanced with a buttery sweetness from condensed milk. Well, that’s exactly what you’ll get with NamNam Go!’s Viet Coffee Soft Serve Ice Cream ($3.50 for cup, $4 for cone).
The Viet Coffee Soft Serve had a rather intense coffee flavour that will please coffee lovers. I suggest getting the charcoal-flavoured cone, which has a mild smokiness that undercuts the rich coffee taste.
Expected Damage: $3.50 (cup), $4 (cone)
NamNam Go!: 1 Scotts Road, Shaw Centre, #01-06, Singapore 228208 | Opening Hours: (Monday to Friday) 8am – 8pm, (Saturday & Sunday) 10am – 6pm | Outlets | Website
4. Hokkaido Milk Soft Serve (Sweet Mary’s)
This has to be the coolest Hokkaido milk ice cream in Singapore. More than just a beauty on the surface, Sweet Mary’s Salted Caramel Popcorn ($6.90) is packed with lots of oomph flavour-wise.
The base is a sea-salt Hokkaido milk ice cream that had a distinct light and pure flavour, with much of the sweetness coming from the salted caramel sauce instead. Perhaps my only gripe is that the soft serve was not made to last in our climate, so quickly snap your Instagram shots before all you’re left with is a hot mess.
Come check out more cool desserts at our full review of Sweet Mary’s.
Expected Damage: $6.90
Sweet Mary’s: 1 Selegie Road, PoMo, #01-02, Singapore 188306 | Tel: +65 6334 3137 | Opening Hours: (Monday to Thursday) 11am – 10pm, (Friday) 11am – 11pm, (Saturday) 9am – 11pm, (Sunday) 9.30am – 9.30pm | Facebook
5. Mango Pomelo Soft Serve (STRAY by Fatcat)
Said to be invented in Singapore, mango pomelo is a dessert that is served in most local Chinese restaurants. STRAY by Fatcat captures the magic of this iconic Chinese dessert in their Mango Pomelo Petite ($10). Just like the dessert, this soft serve nicely balances both the sweet and sour flavours.
The cheery yellow mango soft serve had a pleasant and subtle sweetness. The star of the dish was the fresh pomelo bits on top which gave a tangy and refreshing taste from the juices that burst out.
Expected Damage: $10
STRAY by Fatcat: 181 Orchard Road, Orchard Central, #04-22A/23, Singapore 238896 | Tel: +65 6835 7317 | Opening Hours: (Daily) 11am – 10pm | Website | Facebook
6. Kinkaku Soft Serve (Small Potatoes Ice Creamery)
Named after the Kinkakuji Temple in Kyoto where it originated from, this kinkaku ice cream is perhaps your only chance to literally taste gold. It’s no wonder people have been going crazy for it!
At Small Potatoes Ice Creamery, you can get the classic Sea Salt Caramel With Gold Leaf ($12). There is also an original creation, Purple Potato With Silver Leaf ($10), which features Small Potatoes’ signature Japanese Purple Yam soft serve.
All that glitters is not gold, but you’ll definitely strike gold with kinkaku ice cream! This exquisite dessert is subject to seasonal availability so keep a look out for its anticipated return.
Expected Damage: $10 (Purple Potato With Silver Leaf), $12 (Sea Salt Caramel With Gold Leaf)
Small Potatoes Ice Creamery: 313@Somerset, #B3-48, Singapore 238895 | Tel: +65 6634 3168 | Opening Hours: (Daily) 11am – 10pm | Facebook
7. Ondeh Ondeh Soft Serve (Moosh)
The Asian soft serve madness continues with Moosh‘s reinvention of the popular Indonesian kueh, ondeh ondeh! Instead of glutinous rice cakes, Moosh’s Ondeh Ondeh ($4.50 for regular, $6 for large) is a creamy gula melaka soft serve dusted with desiccated coconut, toasted coconut flakes and even a house-made pandan fudge.
Just like traditional ondeh ondeh, Moosh’s soft serve had notes of fragrance from the pandan. Not only did the coconut elements infuse a bit of tropical vibe, they also added a nice contrasting texture. Nonetheless, its best feature is its restrained sweetness that wouldn’t leave you with a sugar rush.
For unique soft serve flavours, go read our full review of Moosh.
Expected Damage: $4.50 (regular), $6 (large)
Moosh: 44 Haji Lane, Singapore 189237 | Opening Hours: (Monday to Thursday) 12pm – 8pm, (Friday to Sunday) 12pm – 9pm | Facebook
8. Japanese Mystery Flavour (Matchaya)
Knowing our fickle Singaporean palates, Japanese dessert shop Matchaya has a Mystery Flavour Soft Serve ($5.90 for cup, $6.50 for cone) with Japanese speciality flavours rotating weekly.
Curious? Head down to Matchaya and find out! With exciting past flavours such as Seasonal Genmaicha (speciality green tea) and Mitarashi Dango (Japanese maple), you know there’s always a pleasant surprise for you.
For that week, Matchaya had a Shirogoma Parfait ($9.90), which is a white sesame soft serve complete with anko (red bean) paste, a light kurogoma espuma (foam) and some kurogoma (black sesame) warabi mochi.
The shirogoma soft serve itself had a light, milky taste with a strong nutty aroma. Paired with the sweet anko paste, the mellow bitterness from the kurogoma espuma also contrasted beautifully. Of course, who can forget about the gorgeous kurogoma mochi!
Matchaya has proven itself with its imaginative Japanese soft serve concoctions like this shirogoma treat. So take a chance and let’s see what surprises you get!
Expected Damage: $5.90 (cup), $6.50 (cone), $9.90 (occasional parfait with mystery flavour soft serve)
Matchaya: 12 Gopeng Street, Icon Village, #01-72, Singapore 078877 | Tel: +65 9837 3187 | Opening Hours: (Monday to Sunday) 12pm – 8pm | Outlets | Website | Facebook
9. Korean J-cone Soft Serve (J Cone Jipangyi)
Those who’ve been to Korea might recognise this familiar J-shaped dessert. Known as jipangyi, or Seoul cane ice cream, this popular Korean street snack is made of a crisp puffed-corn shell filled with creamy soft serve. Thanks to J Cone Jipangyi, you no longer have to go to Korea to get this exotic ice cream.
Their Jipangyi ($6.80) comes with vanilla, chocolate or mixed soft serve flavours. For my first jipangyi, I was actually quite delighted by the contrasting textures of the crunchy shell and soft ice cream.
While the cone could have been a little softer, the J-cone was definitely a fun treat to devour. This is one of those messy foods that you aren’t too sure how to eat, so make sure your friends aren’t secretly filming you when you eat this!
Expected Damage: $6.80
J Cone Jipangyi: 1 Fullerton Road, One Fullerton, #01-10, Singapore 049213 | Tel: +65 8426 9917 | (Daily) 10am – 11pm | Website | Facebook
10. Thai Milk Tea Soft Serve (Cha Tra Mue Singapore)
Heard of popular Thai brand Cha Tra Mue? If not for their famous Thai milk tea, you might have at least heard about their Original Thai Milk Tea ($3.50) soft serve that brewed a storm across the Internet when it was first announced. Here’s the best part, you can get it in Singapore right here, right now!
Made using their signature brew of Thai tea leaves, Cha Tra Mue’s soft serve was authentic-tasting with a prominent tea flavour. To my surprise, the sweetness here was nicely mild.
Aroi mak mak! Even if soft serve isn’t your cup of tea, can you really resist a Thai milk tea-flavoured one?
Original Thai Milk Tea soft serve is available only at Far East Square and Savourworld outlets. For more Thai milk tea goodness, read our full review of Cha Tra Mue Singapore.
Expected Damage: $3.50
Cha Tra Mue Singapore: 137 Amoy Street, Far East Square, #01-05, Singapore 049965 | Tel: +65 9429 3886 | Opening hours: (Monday to Friday) 9am – 6pm, (Saturday & Sunday, Public Holidays) Closed | Outlets | Website | Facebook
I don’t think it’s possible to get sick of soft serves. And now with these 10 Asian-inspired soft serve flavours, you can globe-trot across Asia without even leaving Singapore. Just brace yourself for the massive brain-freeze after!
