Hvala Odeon: New flagship cafe at City Hall with tea-inspired mains, toasts and more

Tea speciality cafe, Hvala, is back with a new flagship outlet at Odeon 333! 

It officially launched on June 10, shortly after the closure of its original flagship space at Chijmes — which shuttered on May 31.

While fans of the brand were sad to see it leave its home, they’ll be glad to know that the new cafe is still conveniently located in the same area, within the Civic District.  

You can find Hvala Odeon nestled on the first floor of a newly minted office development, just a stone’s throw away from City Hall MRT (it’s coincidentally located right opposite Chijmes, too).

If you’re wondering what sets Hvala Odeon apart from its former flagship store — or the other branches — this is the only cafe that serves hot, savoury mains, alongside its signature tea desserts.

The space

When you set foot in Hvala Odeon, you’ll notice that the space is very spacious, much more so than its former flagship at Chijmes. 

Instead of the chic, all-white minimalist look that we’re used to at other Hvala outlets, this cafe is immaculately dressed in warm hues, rattan furniture and wooden furnishings. 

Hvala Odeon has both communal tables and traditional tatami-style seats, depending on which you prefer.

We immediately gravitated towards the latter. Upon sitting down, it felt like we were dining at an old-fashioned teahouse in Japan, which added to the authenticity of the experience. 

If you’re a loyal customer of Hvala, there’s also a dedicated retail section set up at the front of the store where you can also grab its merchandise. 

Feel free to also purchase its tea leaves and matcha powder, if you’d like to brew your own Hvala tea within the comforts of home.

Hvala Odeon’s menu

Besides checking out its new space, Hvala Odeon’s savoury menu is what we really came down for. 

The tea speciality brand is reputed for its tea desserts, so we can’t help but wonder how its mains would fare. 

First impressions-wise, Hvala Odeon’s menu is pretty extensive, including dishes such as toasts, ochazuke, shio pan, and soba. Leaning on Hvala’s expertise in the field, most of them are infused with various types of tea.

For example, its ochazuke comes with a comforting broth made from sencha leaves, while its toasts are slathered in a yummy homemade jam of hojicha, matcha or genmaicha.

The salmon and scallop ochazuke (S$18.90) caught our eyes from the get-go — it features a juicy slab of salmon that’s lightly glazed with matcha miso, while nubs of creamy scallops adorn the bowl. 

The dish is also topped with a jiggly onsen egg, which you can break apart and mix with the rice for an extra layer of creaminess.

It’s accompanied by a pot of aromatic ocha dashi that’s brewed with sencha leaves, which you’re meant to pour over the rice. 

It’s a warm and nourishing dish, one that will comfort the soul on a cold, rainy day.

The wagyu oyster blade soba (S$22.90) is another favourite dish of ours.

The noodles, which are a mixture of yakisoba and chasoba, are topped with succulent slices of wagyu oyster blade (a cut from underneath the cow’s shoulder blade) that have been cooked to medium-rare perfection.

We really enjoyed the beef, which was marinated in a savoury sukiyaki sauce that’s infused with hojicha. The latter imbues a gentle smokiness to the meat, which makes it all the more appetising and flavourful.

We couldn’t get our hands off the tencha wasabi seaweed fries (S$8.90), a delicious sharing plate that we’d return for.

The crispy shoestring fries — which aren’t too salty — are elevated with roasted seaweed and tencha flakes, both of which lend the dish a delicate, grassy flavour. 

But instead of the usual ketchup or chilli sauce, it’s served with an addictive wasabi mayo gravy that has the perfect balance of spice and tang.

For dessert, we went with the matcha kaya toast (S$9.90), which is Hvala Odeon’s riff on the local breakfast staple.

It’s a ’gram-worthy dish — creamy wedges of butter and matcha kaya are sandwiched between crispy brioche toasts, then generously sprinkled with matcha powder on top. 

The toast also comes with half-boiled eggs, which you can enjoy with pepper and soy sauce, as per usual. 

Alas, we found the toast to be slightly lacklustre. The sweetness of the kaya jam was overpowering, such that each bite lacked the aromatic, herbaceous punch of matcha notes we’d expected.

Hvala is best known for its teas, so don’t leave without getting its brews. 

We had the iced hojicha latte (S$6.90), which had an even ratio of hojicha to fresh milk. It’s not too sweet, either, and allows the bold, nutty undertones from the hojicha to shine through. 

If you don’t enjoy tea or caffeine (or simply just looking to beat the heat), then opt for the yuzu ice-blended drink (S$8.50). It’s a mix of honey and yuzu, with the perfect amount of tartness.

For the latest eats, read about Atipico’s new dine-in space at New Bahru and Pastaro at Chancery Court with its fusion pastas. Alternatively, check out the newest openings in Singapore here. 

Do explore the GrabFood Dine Out service for awesome deals.

You can also book a ride to Hvala Odeon to check out its new flagship outlet.