Yaya Lorong: Vibey Jalan Kayu back-alley spot with low-sugar desserts by a 17-year-old student — and open just two days a week
Jalan Kayu residents, if you’re craving something sweet after a hearty meal but don’t fancy anything too indulgent, Yaya Lorong might just hit the spot.
Tucked away in the back alley behind Jerry’s Barbecue & Grill, Yaya Lorong is a home-based concept by Joya Ng, 17, who is currently studying at PSB Academy.
Yaya Lorong only operates on some Fridays and Saturdays, from 6.30pm onwards. It’s open this evening (Nov 13), and you can find the monthly schedule on its Instagram page.
Joya’s love for baking goes all the way back to primary school, when she picked up the basics from YouTube tutorials.
Over the years, she began tweaking recipes, trying out flavour combinations she liked and drawing inspiration from Pinterest and TikTok. What began as a hobby has become a comforting way to manage stress.
She also obtained her WSQ Food Safety Course (FSC) Level 1 in June.
Her parents were another reason she began baking with more purpose.
Both of them have diabetes and wear glucose monitor patches on their arms to track their blood sugar, and they get a notification whenever their readings spike.
That got Joya thinking about how to make treats that are more diabetes-friendly, so her parents could enjoy them with less worry.
So, she swapped regular sugar for monk fruit (or luo han guo) sweetener — a zero-calorie alternative that does not significantly affect blood glucose levels.
Starting a business at 17
When Joya first brought up the idea of starting a home-based venture to her parents, she admits that they were “pretty shocked since I’m still studying and I’m just 17.”
Nonetheless, her parents have been nothing but supportive — taking on the role of her unofficial taste testers.
Whenever Joya comes up with something new, she makes two versions: one with regular sugar and one with monk fruit sweetener. That way, she can compare the two and see how her parents respond to each.
Joya has an endearing nickname for them — her “little hamsters”. They are the first to taste every dessert and drink she whips up, and they hardly ever leave a crumb behind.
Running Yaya Lorong has also taught Joya a thing or two about juggling her time.
Since launching the business at the end of June, Joya has been handling everything herself, from baking and preparation to putting the final touches on each order.
“Preparation alone can take up to 12 hours a week, and it takes a lot of patience, because you have to make sure everything looks pretty,” she says.
That’s on top of her weekday classes at PSB Academy and helping out at her parents’ business, which they prefer not to disclose.
Low in calories & sugar
On the menu, there’s a wide assortment of tarts and drinks, all of which are homemade by Joya. Her tarts have a softer, crumbly shell, rather than the usual firm and crunchy kind.
First up was the Midnight espresso tart (S$10), which comes layered with coffee sponge cake, rich chocolate ganache, and a smooth coffee mousse.
We especially liked how the flavours complemented one another beautifully, delivering a rich chocolatey hit without being cloyingly sweet.
If you’re looking for something refreshing, the tangy Cloud tart (S$6) is a solid choice. It features a bright lemon custard, topped with some lightly toasted meringue.
The monk-fruit sweetener tones down the sweetness considerably, so the citrusy tang really shines through.
Overall, we liked that the bakes at Yaya Lorong were light on the palate, making them a nice little treat to round off a hearty meal.
Joya’s personal favourite is the Lorong pandan waffles (S$4 for three pieces), inspired by a family trip to Thailand. She developed the recipe, from scratch, after several rounds of testing.
Unlike the thicker, fluffier versions at old-school bakeries, these are thin and crackly, almost like crispy pancakes.
We did wish the pandan flavour was more pronounced, but the addictive crunch made up for it.
An underrated pick is the coconut chia cup (S$4), which pairs coconut chia seed pudding with fresh fruits of the day. During our visit, this came topped with passion fruit and blueberries.
We were initially unsure about its gel-like texture, but the pudding turned out surprisingly moreish, with a creamy, slightly gelatinous consistency and delicate coconut notes.
Yaya Lorong’s drinks are split into two categories: the Cloud and refresher series. For the former, you can pick from two bases — Coco chrysanthemum (chrysanthemum tea with coconut water, S$3.80) or Coco brew (S$4.50) — and have it paired with one of three foam options.
We went with the Coco brew with pistachio Cloud (an extra S$2.50), which combines a 12-hour cold brew with coconut water, finished with pistachio foam and an adorable duck-shaped marshmallow, which is store-bought and made with regular sugar.
The foam comes in a rather thick layer, so we’d recommend giving everything a good stir to get a bit of both components.
The coffee itself is fairly subtle, taking a backseat to the smooth, nutty pistachio foam, but the two work together nicely.
From the refresher series, we tried the passion soursop (S$5.80). It’s made with a passion fruit-and-soursop puree and a splash of extract from blue pea flowers grown at Joya’s house, which gives the drink its pretty hue.
Give it a good stir to bring all the flavours together. The result is a bright and refreshing mix, with little bursts of passion fruit seeds and chunky bits of real soursop flesh.
If you’re a fan of fruity, tart drinks, get this.
Sweet memories to remember
In less than six months since launching Yaya Lorong, Joya has gathered heartwarming memories and connections, and she is especially grateful for the support of her neighbours and nearby food businesses.
One particular memory that stuck with her was when the workers from the nearby Jerry’s BBQ & Grill popped by an hour before opening, in their wet boots and aprons, to grab a treat on their break.
Running the business has also become a team effort at home, with Joya’s siblings stepping up to take orders whenever it’s open.
Her 11-year-old sister has been an especially big help. From bouncing ideas off each other to helping Joya decide on new flavours, “she’s always here at every moment,” as Joya fondly puts it.
If you live around the Jalan Kayu ‘hood, Yaya Lorong is certainly a cosy spot for a little post-meal pick-me-up. With its less sweet bakes, you can still satisfy your sweet tooth without overindulging!
This was a hosted tasting.
For more places to eat, check out Casa Vostra’s newest and biggest outlet at Wisma Atria and Japan’s popular fried sando concept’s first outlet in Singapore.
Fri 6.30pm - 9.30pm
Sat 6.30pm - 10.30pm
- Thanggam LRT
- Buangkok
- Sengkang
Shannon has the taste buds of a grandmother and perpetually struggles with a food coma.
Read more stories from this writer.
