Review: Error 404 cafe at Capitol Singapore is chef Pang’s sweet return to what he does best

The backstory

Conveniently located along the Capitol Singapore basement linkway from City Hall MRT station, Error 404 cafe is accessible without even needing to step outside into the heat.

At first glance, Error 404 cafe’s branding is interesting, to say the least. 

Its logo is something Google Chrome users will find familiar, that pixelated dinosaur that pops up while you wait for the Wi-Fi to reconnect. 

The interior is almost aggressively white: Clean walls, furniture, surfaces, with an artificial tree in the centre of the dining area providing the only splash of colour in all that white. 

Taken altogether, it feels like a Japanese design exhibition, but I enjoy the sleek vibes and aesthetics.

Menu-wise, desserts start from S$3.80, which is fantastic for a cafe right smack in the city centre, going up to S$12.80 for the more special creations. 

For drinks, you’ve got matcha, refreshing fruit teas, milk tea-style drinks, and — perhaps the most most memorably named option on any menu I’ve encountered recently — the “Duck Poop Nice” single-origin oolong tea.

In true bubble tea spirit, you can also customise your drinks with add-ons starting from S$0.80 for grass jelly, and go up to S$1.80 for a creamy cheese frappe. Sugar levels are adjustable, too, and the barista is happy to guide you toward the best pairing for each drink.

There are also two savoury mains — poached chicken rice and braised pork rice, with various permutations of sides — that come just under S$12.80, even for its most expensive option. 

Our verdict

Error 404 at Capitol Singapore is quite a unique concept (and I mean that as a compliment), mashing together traditional Taiwanese sweets and Chinese desserts, speciality tea culture, savoury mains, and a hyper-modern cafe aesthetic. 

It’s a space where you can pretty much come for lunch, afternoon tea, or just dessert.

You order through a QR code, and there’s not much interaction with the staff, but the food and drink are served directly to you at your table, within 10 to 15 minutes even during the weekday lunch hour (slightly faster when you come off-peak). 

It’s worth noting, however, that chef Pang has a team to run the cafe, and doesn’t personally make any of the drinks and food here himself. 

The clean, photogenic setting will naturally appeal to the ‘gram-loving crowd, but it works just as well if you simply want somewhere unhurried to chill — I visited a second time in the afternoon and it makes for a quietly enjoyable midday stop.

What it’s good for

From the special desserts section, the Fake waffle (S$12.80) is the dish that feels like a homecoming back to sweets for chef Pang, and is easily my favourite menu item here.

At first glance the dish looks a little chaotic: Matcha ice cream in the middle topped with ube (purple yam) Mont Blanc and creme Chantilly, while roasted soybean powder, brown sugar crumble, and small candied red beans are scattered around the plate. 

Then there’s the mochi waffle itself, pale and more translucent than any mochi waffle I’ve tried at popular ice cream shops. The outside is hard and crisp while the inside stays properly chewy close to actual mochi texture. 

There are so many components, but every ingredient combination that I happen to scoop up works well together. I particularly love the ube Mont Blanc which hints at the European pastries that defined chef Pang’s Antoinette years.

The mango Whatever (S$9.80) also impresses with a coconut panna cotta base topped with mango sorbet and coconut creme Chantilly, finished with a mango-coconut sauce drizzled across the plate. There’s also fresh mango, fried coconut crisps, rose petals, pomelo, and sago scattered on top. 

I’m convinced this is the next evolution of the classic mango sago — it might look sweet, but it’s actually more fragrant, fruity, and lightly tangy, with a familiar coconut scent threading through every element and tying the whole plate together. 

For its savoury items, braised pork rice is a quintessential Taiwanese dish, so I had no hesitation about trying this one. 

A basic bowl starts at S$8.80 and comes with miso soup, but you can also top up S$2 for a side of broccoli, braised tofu, and soy skin, or S$4 for the full 404 braised pork rice (S$12.80) which also comes with a Nuyolk chawanmushi instead of an regular onsen egg. 

My take? Go for the full upgrade, as the chawanmushi pudding is the star of the plate for me — silky, and deeply eggy. 

Together with the bonito flakes (a clever touch, by the way) and braising sauce from the meat, the combination adds plenty of umami richness to the bowl of Hokkaido Nanatsuboshi rice (this has a firm texture and light sweetness). 

The braised pork itself tastes great, though I wish there was more of it in the bowl. Some of the meat was edging towards lean and dry rather than fatty and gelatinous too. 

There’s nothing to shout about the braised tofu, soy skin, vegetables, and miso soup, but overall it’s still a solid and comforting set that’s sure to fill you up.

Now, for the part of the menu that might have intrigued you quite a bit, the “Duck Poop Nice” single-origin oolong tea drink series.

As peculiar as it may sound, don’t let its name put you off — this single-origin oolong from Guangdong is prized in tea circles for its honeyed floral aroma. 

The Nice latte (S$5.80), which I had at 30% sugar level, is a deeply satisfying milk tea: The tea asserts itself clearly with a lingering aroma, while the sweetness sits in the background rather than dominates. I imagine this will taste good even at a 0% sugar level, as well. 

It also reminds me of the tea-forward quality you’d expect from brands such as Chagee or Chicha San Chen.

The matcha Cloud (S$6.80) drink is another delicious one, and not only because there’s a salty layer of cheese foam on top.

Error 404 mixes matcha with a glutinous rice green tea blend, which imparts a comforting and nutty sticky rice aroma. 

I chose a 30% sugar level for this as my take is that matcha always needs a bit of sweetness to balance its bitterness and grassy notes, and it works beautifully with the thick layer of salty cheese foam on top.

What it could improve on

I was intrigued by the Chestnut (S$4.50) because chestnut paste is not a usual tong sui (sweet Chinese soup) you’d usually find at traditional Chinese dessert stalls, which usually serves things such as almond, walnut, and sesame paste. There’s also the fact that I still remember Chef Pang’s glorious chestnut Mont Blanc from Antoinette. 

That said, I found this chestnut cream lacking in the actual chestnut flavour, tasting a bit more like sugar and starch with a faint bit of nutty earthiness. 

What’s more, small parts of the cream were still clumpy rather than completely smooth throughout. The saving grace of the dish is the pair of sweet and buttery candied Italian chestnuts, enveloped in a layer of black sugar syrup that taste plenty good enough on their own.

A few tweaks and this should be a standout dish like the others we’ve tried. 

If there’s one thing that’s clear, it’s that chef Pang has built something special here — for a place named after a dead end on the internet, Error 404 cafe has a rather clear sense of where it’s going, and that’s heartening for an Antoinette fan.

Our quick takes

Is it conducive to conversation? Only if you come during non-meal hours. It got quite hectic and loud when I visited for lunch.

Is a reservation necessary? Walk-ins only.

How to get there? Error 404 Cafe is in the basement of Capitol Singapore, right next to City Hall MRT’s Exit D.

HungryGoWhere paid for its meal at this restaurant for this review.

If you’re heading to town, read more about the the new gelato bar by Bomul Samgyetang and Mosella’s newly launched Mediterranean brunch buffet.