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When it comes to traditional Chinese desserts in Singapore, Bugis is definitely my go-to area. Located a short 5-minute walk apart, Yat Ka Yan on 9 Tan Quee Lan Street and Ah Chew Desserts on 1 Liang Seah Street probably have the longest queues out of any dessert spot on the stretch.
To declare a victor in this dessert showdown, we put these 2 spots head-to-head. We ordered the exact same 3 staples from each spot:
- Mango Sago with Ice Cream
- Durian Sago / Mousse
- Grass Jelly with Longan
Each item was judged for taste, texture and affordability.
Yat Ka Yan Dessert
Named after the Cantonese phrase for “one family,” Yat Ka Yan (一家人) started at their original location in Fortune Centre before expanding to Tan Quee Lan Street. True to its name, it is run by a family passionate about traditional Chinese desserts. They make almost everything from scratch — from blending their own fruit purees to boiling their house-made grass jelly — giving every dessert a comforting, homemade feel.
Here are the bowls of Mango Sago with Ice Cream, Durian Sago / Mousse and Grass Jelly with Longan from Yat Ka Yan Dessert.
We dug into the Fresh Mango Sago (S$7) first, as the crowning scoop of vanilla ice cream was melting fast. This version features a pile of shaved ice drenched in house-made mango puree. Initially, the shaved ice gave the dessert a crunchy texture. As we ate and the ice cream melted into it, the mouthfeel shifted to creamy and smooth while remaining refreshing. Yat Ka Yan’s version is served with a scoop of tapioca pearls on the side. Together with the sago, these added a delightful chewiness and great textural variation to every other bite.
The mango chunks were sweet with a velvety texture, completely free of stringy fibres. However, as the shaved ice melted, it diluted the puree, making the final few bites quite watery. Don’t make the same mistake I did by taking too many pictures — eat quickly before the ice melts!
Next, we dug into their Grass Jelly with Longan (S$5.50). Loaded with juicy, pitted longans and a small pile of shaved ice, this was super refreshing — especially on a hot day. It was pleasantly sweet and featured traditional, silky-smooth grass jelly. The house-made jelly had a rich, earthy, and herbal flavour that paired beautifully with the sweet longan, and the ratio of jelly to fruit was well balanced.
However, a few bites of the jelly were slightly grainy from undissolved powder, which gave them an intense, somewhat bitter taste.
Ah Chew Desserts
Founded in 2003, Ah Chew Desserts (阿秋甜品) is one of Singapore’s most famous dessert spots. Located on Liang Seah Street, this cosy shophouse is decorated with traditional wooden tables and Chinese-style decor, and it almost always has a queue outside. For over 20 years, Ah Chew has been known for serving both classic house-made desserts and fresh fruit treats, making it a go-to favourite for locals and tourists alike.
Here are the bowls of Mango Sago with Ice Cream, Durian Sago / Mousse and Grass Jelly with Longan from Ah Chew Desserts.
Ah Chew’s Mango Sago (S$5) does not come with ice cream, but we opted to add a scoop for S$1.50, bringing the total to S$6.50, making the comparison with Yat Ka Yan as fair as possible.
Unlike Yat Ka Yan’s shaved ice, Ah Chew uses ice cubes in their mango sago. I preferred this because the larger ice melted much slower, giving me more time to savour the mango puree before it became diluted. However, the flavour of the mango puree itself was mild and got slightly overpowered by the vanilla ice cream; if I were to order this again, I’d skip the ice cream altogether. On this particular visit, the mango chunks were quite fibrous. That hasn’t been the case on most of my previous visits, so it was likely just an off day for their mango supply.
The Grass Jelly with Longan (S$4.20) is where the offerings from both places could not be more distinct. Unlike the smoother, more conventional grass jelly served at Yat Ka Yan, Ah Chew takes a different approach to the traditional dessert. Here, the grass jelly is served as chewy cubes in a very mildly sweet soup. The jelly has a springy, QQ texture — similar to konjac jelly. Rather than a strong herbal flavour, it offers a delicate sweetness with a subtle, earthy aftertaste. Once again, I appreciated the generous ratio of longans to jelly in this version.
Where Yat Ka Yan uses MSW in their mousse, Ah Chew’s Durian Sago (S$7.80) uses the D24 variety instead. This offers a smoother, more custard-like flavour with less funk than the typical MSW. It comes with a neat scoop of durian pulp, which I mixed into the dessert for a thicker texture. It is similarly creamy and rich, but not as jelak as I initially expected. I’d recommend this version to durian beginners or anyone who prefers a milder flavour.
Verdict
| Yat Ka Yan Dessert | Ah Chew Desserts | |
| Location | Tan Quee Lan Street | Liang Seah Street |
| Best for | Those preferring strong herbal notes & intense Mao Shan Wang durian | Those preferring unique QQ textures & milder, smoother flavours |
| Key highlight | Refreshing shaved ice bases served with their desserts | Slow-melting crushed ice & signature chewy grass jelly cubes |
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