I still recall the immense sadness I felt when I heard that the iconic King Albert Park would be torn down to make way for private housing and retail space.
For those who have lived and schooled in the area, it was THE place to gather with friends and sit at McDonald’s till the wee hours pretending to study. Today, the same land has been occupied by apartments as well as cafes such as Kindred Folk.
Only a month-old, Kindred Folk’s uniqueness comes from its Asian-inspired ice cream flavours, all lovingly homemade with recipes created by its owner by trial-and-error.
The space consists of a very tiny entrance that allows visitors a peak into the assorted flavours they serve, while the upstairs dining area looks out to the bustling Bukit Timah artery.
Currently, there are 16 different ice cream flavours to choose from. As well as basic food items, such as pasta and sides, to cater to the students who frequent the area. But before jumping right into desserts, I had to give their mains a go.
As a recommendation, based on what’s most popular, I went with the Mi-So Sexy ($15). All ala carte pasta dishes cost the same, and you’ll have the option of getting a lunch set for $12.90 (which comes with a drink choice of black coffee, ice lemon tea or a canned drink) or student meal for $9.90.
My pasta dish was served with miso sesame capellini, sauteed shimeiji mushrooms and an onsen egg.
The dish was rustic and very filling, but would have did better with more seasoning. It could have also gained a bit of contrasting colour and texture if more greens were added. The dish had a lot of potential, but I must say it needs some re-working to make return for it.
The other main I tried was Spice It Up ($15), a tom yum aglio olio dish made with linguine and sauteed prawns. While it was palatable, I wished it had stand out more in terms of flavours. I gave my feedback to the owners, seeing that they are a very new cafe and I sincerely want them to succeed.
I also ordered their popular side, the Panco-crumbed Mac N’ Cheese Sticks ($9), which, to my delight were really good! The mac n’ cheese within was hot and stringy, and sent a wafting aroma even after several bites. What I loved as well, was the generous size of each stick, making this order well worth every cent.
With much anticipation, this part of the meal was what I was looking forward too all afternoon. I’d heard so much about their exotic flavours, such as Watermelon Calamansi Sorbet, Wasabi, Matcha Gao and Roasted Rice Milk Tea.
Out of all the “odd” flavours, I actually really loved the Watermelon Calamansi, for its refreshing and zesty profile. Basic flavours will set you back by $3.70 per scoop and $6.50 for double scoops, while Premium flavours will cost you $4.70 per scoop and $8.50 for double scoops.
After sampling several flavours, I settled on Roasted Rice Milk Tea and Matcha Gao ($3.10 per scoop when served atop their Charcoal Waffles, which cost $6). Most coloured waffles taste no different from regular waffles, but these black, crusty squares were delightfully smokey. Naturally, it paired with the Match Gao the best.
The accompanying maple syrup was unnecessary really, as the ice cream flavours I chose stood out on their own, and were sufficiently sweet to satisfy this sweet tooth. Nonetheless, I couldn’t help myself but drizzle a lil’, just for kicks.
As a bonus flavour, I was treated to a special alcoholic treat called Better Than Bailey’s ($10). Served in a glass surrounded by a mist of dry ice, this Bailey’s and bourbon creation is a doozy. Eat this fast enough on an empty stomach, and you just might feel the slight effects of inebriation. The fumes definitely hit me the moment I lifted the spoon to my mouth, and I think it’s a brilliant idea.
Being a young entry to the neighbourhood, Kindred Folk has lots of growing to do, in terms of improving on its mains. But one thing it has done right, is the innovation of creating ice cream flavours that most people haven’t seen or tried before.
For now, I would wait awhile to see if their main menu improves, but I would certainly recommend going for a scoop (or two!) if you’re there.
Expected damage: $4 – $15 per pax
