Chinese brand Yimanfen Dessert lands in Orchard with its first overseas outlet

Traditional dessert houses are fast becoming the latest hangout spots for the young and old alike. Maybe it’s thanks to a craving for nostalgic flavours and simpler desserts — whatever it is, we’re all here for it!

The latest to join the fray is Yimanfen Dessert, hailing from Hangzhou, China.

Specialising in Chinese desserts (or tang shui, 糖水), this chain has expanded to 90 stores across China in the span of just two years. Its latest launch in Singapore, which opened yesterday (July 15), marks its first international stop.

Conveniently located in Orchard at 313@Somerset, Yimanfen Dessert caters more to takeaway orders, with limited tables for dine-in available. 

The area can get a little tight when crowded, so we’d recommend you avoid peak hours if you’re looking to dine in, especially if you’re coming in big groups.

What makes Yimanfen unique is its specifically curated ingredients, from different regions across China — each one is sourced from where it’s best made. It also prepares all its toppings in-house daily, instead of relying on pre-made options.

The brand is best known for its viral sweet soup bowls and gelato series, all of which are available here. 

Besides that, Yimanfen has also introduced Singapore-exclusive menu items such as the durian pomelo sago (S$9.80) and a new range of drinks!

The oh-so-sweet offerings

We started our taste test with the dish that put Yimanfen on the map: The Manfen chewy Shushu bowl (S$7.80) from the sweet soup bowl series, featuring jumbo taro-paste lava balls, snow fungus, peach gum and tapioca.

One of the most affirming compliments you can give a Chinese dessert is the “not-too-sweet” thumbs up, and this bowl gets ours.

The soup carried a faint sweetness that paired well with the handmade sweet potato balls, which were chewy on the outside, and stuffed with a creamy taro paste within.

If you’re looking for a dessert that has a good mix of modern and traditional flavours, go for the taro snowy bowl with gelato (S$7.20). Served over a bed of shaved ice, it comes with a heaping scoop of sweet vanilla gelato, alongside an earthy taro paste, taro chunks and glutinous rice — making for a well-balanced bite in every spoonful.

Launch of its first beverage line

Besides its famous desserts, Yimanfen Dessert is also launching its first-ever line of drinks that’s exclusive to Singapore.

For us, the most surprising drink was the kale & sticky rice yogurt smoothie (S$5.90). On paper, that might sound like a dubious combination, but in reality, the drink leans more yoghurt-forward, with the sticky rice adding a nice textural contrast. 

Most importantly, it’s free of any grassy aftertaste, despite its overly green hue and leafy garnish!

Coffee lovers will want to try the 800x hand-whipped aged HK yuenyeung (S$6.50).

As the name suggests, the staff hand-whips a mixture of milk and coffee powder, aerating it into a thick, luscious milk foam that eventually sits atop black milk tea — similar to the coffee foam from a dalgona coffee.

Feel free to dig into the foam with a spoon, but the beverage is designed to be mixed thoroughly before drinking.

Yimanfen Dessert also has a spin on the viral Dubai chocolate trend with its Dubai chocolate with squeezy cocoa (S$8.80) — a chocolate frappe served in a chocolate-lined cup that you’re meant to crack, topped with pistachio kataifi. 

What sounds like the ultimate indulgence drink fell a little short — we felt it needed just a tad more chocolate to complement the crunchy kataifi better. 

For something a little safer and in theme with the chain’s signature offerings, opt for the loquat iced tea (S$6.90) or the amber peach gum & loquat frappe (S$7.90).

To celebrate its official opening, Yimanfen Dessert is offering 50% off your second dessert bowl, from now till July 21. 

Whether it becomes your new hangout spot or you’re just stopping by for a post-meal treat, you’ll now have Yimanfen Dessert as a new traditional alternative to the dessert cafes in town! 

This was a hosted tasting.

For more ideas on what to eat, check out this home-based cafe brewing up speciality coffee, or a Turkish hawker stall known for its huge kebabs.