When the weather becomes unbearably hot, my quest for something refreshingly icy begins. Recently, while browsing Instagram, I stumbled upon the page of San Gloo. It’s an under-the-radar dessert spot tucked away in Junction Nine, Yishun. Their specialty? Korean bingsu and waffles; it seemed like a hidden gem waiting to be discovered.
To my surprise, Junction Nine remains relatively unknown to most people, except for the residents of Yishun. Tucked away amidst the residential area, this boutique mall manages to maintain its air of exclusivity as compared to Northpoint City (its more popular counterpart).
As I arrived, I was greeted by a small and cute stall front with just 8 tables. However, I quickly learned not to judge a place by its size. The menu offered a wide repertoire of options, ranging from Belgian waffles to Hong Kong-style egg waffles.
But what caught my attention were the staggering 27 types of bingsu they had, including an impressive selection of 19 petite varieties (perfect for small eaters like myself).
What I tried at San Gloo
Our dessert adventure began with the Milo Crunch Bingsu (S$8.90). The bowl of frosty ice was surrounded by an army of tiny, round Milo krispies. It was also crowned with a generous dusting of Milo powder, a scoop of chocolate ice cream, and drizzled with condensed milk.
I shamelessly slathered extra condensed milk over it and began tucking in.
With each delightful spoonful, the mini pearls of Milo bestowed an addictive crunchiness that transported me back to the joy of devouring a bowl of Milo cereal straight from the box.
I confess, in my younger days, I also indulged in the guilty pleasure of eating spoonfuls of Milo powder straight from the can (hoping my mum doesn’t read this). The gratification of that rich, chocolatey taste was undeniable, even if it occasionally led to nosebleeds or sore throats.
The combination of the finely shaved ice with the Milo krispies and powder already felt like a triumphant trio, so much so that the addition of the chocolate ice cream just seemed like a delightful bonus.
The chocolate ice cream possessed a delightful creaminess and decadence without being overly sweet.
The consistency of the ice was so delicate and fine that one of my dining partners actually mistook it for coconut shavings.
For our next dessert, we ventured into the petite series and opted for the Black Sesame (S$7.90). The portion was small enough for solo diners. The shaved ice was topped with black sesame paste, mushy red beans, crispy almonds and mini rice cakes.
The black sesame paste reminded me of the luscious filling found in sesame tang yuan. The crispy almonds and the subtle nuttiness of the red beans also added a symphony of textures and flavour.
The 2 precious pieces of rice cakes felt like a mini mochi-like treat in my mouth. Each bite was like a tiny burst of joy, adding another layer of enjoyment to the bowl of ice.
We concluded our sweet treats session with the petite Blueberry (S$7.90). The colours were popping with the purplish hues coming from the blueberry sauce, fresh blueberries, cookie crumble and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
We toned down the sweetness by pouring in just half the amount of condensed milk. It turned out to be a brilliant choice as it allowed us to enjoy the dessert with a perfectly balanced amount of sweetness.
The sweetness of the blueberry sauce was complemented by the fruity and slightly tart notes of the blueberries, while the luscious vanilla ice cream added a tinge of creaminess that tied everything nicely together. The bits of cookie crumble also gave it a slightly buttery finish.
Final thoughts
Opting for 2 petite-sized bingsus along with a medium-sized one turned out to be the perfect choice for the 3 of us.
I’m excited for my next visit to try the remaining 24 interesting flavours of bingsu. It looks like I’ll need around (doing math with my fingers) 8 more visits to San Gloo to experience all 27 varieties. Well, I guess it’s time to start thinking about a diet.
Expected damage: S$6 – S$11 per pax
Price: $
Our Rating: 4.5 / 5
San Gloo
18 Yishun Avenue 9, Junction Nine, #02-41 , Singapore 768897
San Gloo
18 Yishun Avenue 9, Junction Nine, #02-41 , Singapore 768897
