You can now try kakigori specialist Sakanoue Cafe in Singapore at this Tiong Bahru spot

Famed Japanese kakigori (shaved ice) shop Sakanoue Cafe is now serving up desserts in Singapore! 

It joins hands with Drips Bakery Cafe’s flagship outlet along Tiong Poh Road, with its famous icy desserts making a permanent addition on Drips’ menu.

You might remember the snaking queues at Sakanoue’s two previous pop-ups on our sunny island. 

It’ll be available at this Tiong Bahru spot from tomorrow (April 4) and we’re sure that fellow Singaporeans will be flocking over to try it first-hand.

If you’re not familiar with the hype, Sakanoue is very popular in Japan. Come rain or shine, locals would travel to its one-and-only store in Tokyo to savour its icy treats.

Why it has fans in such a chokehold can probably be traced back to its top-quality Kuramoto ice from Kanazawa. 

This distinctive type of ice melts less quickly than your usual ice, giving the dessert a fluffy and smooth texture, while still preserving its parfait-like shape. 

Each kakigori flavour also features four layers of sauce and toppings — artfully constructed and a delight to dig your spoon into!

Special additions to the menu

To our delight, Sakanoue’s five bestselling kakigori flavours will be available here: The classic strawberry shortcake (S$17.50), Sakanoue Berry Cute Panda (S$18), lemon mascarpone (S$17.50), pistachio chocolate (S$18.80), and Blazing Fire cheese (S$19.80).

And, as a twist on Drips’ classic Black Forest cake, Sakanoue has rolled out a Singapore-exclusive signature Black Forest kakigori (S$19.80).

This all-new flavour comes with brandied cherries, cream cheese sauce, chocolate sauce, tea caramel sauce, cinnamon crumble cookies for some crunch, and served with cherry brandy liquor on the side.

We can see it becoming a hot-favourite among chocolate lovers, for its rich, creamy texture.

It comes in a hefty portion, too — enough for sharing between three to four diners.

Another showstopping flavour that’s worth a try is the Sakanoue Berry Cute Panda (S$18), which is indeed, “berry” cute. 

Creamy and tart come together in this dessert — espuma camembert cream, camembert cheese sauce, crumble cookies, mixed berries, yoghurt, and raw honey from Kofu, Yamanashi — making it decadent, without being overly cloying.

It’s the perfect icy fix to beat the heat on a hot, humid day!

Do note that Sakanoue’s kakigoris are available daily from 1pm to 9pm only, or until sold out.

New bites to try at Drips, too

While you’re there, Drips Bakery Cafe also has two brand-new viennoiseries up its sleeve, too.

The black sesame mochi danish (S$5.50) features soft homemade mochi and nutty black sesame layered within. 

Black sesame lovers would fall head over heels for the immaculately gao (thick) black sesame filling, but we felt the texture can get quite grainy as the more you chomp at it.

A nod to Japan’s comforting savoury pancake is the okonomiyaki danish (S$5).

Just like its traditional counterpart, it brings together bits of chicken yakitori, topped with Japanese mayo, teriyaki sauce, and bonito flakes for a savoury finish. 

From April 4 to 20, diners can also enjoy a complimentary cup of Momo sencha (S$5 for hot, S$5.50 for iced) or sakura spring tea (S$5 for hot, S$5.50 for iced), as well as a 15% discount off all tarts or bakes at Drips with every kakigori order.

This was an invited tasting.

For the latest eats, read more about Blue Bottle’s first-ever cafe in Singapore and the sisters-in-law behind Two Sisters’ Smoothies. 

Enjoy up to 50% off when you dine with GrabFood Dine Out.

You can also book a ride to try Sakanoue Cafe’s kakigori.