You’ve heard of designer clothing, now get ready for designer foods; dishes and bite-sized confectionary that are served dressed up—both taste and aesthetic-wise. At Design Orchard’s all-new pop-up cafe, food and drink aren’t just designer, they are local designer.
The pop-up was born in an unlikely collaboration between a local sugar manufacturer and an indie apparels line. Though their art forms satiate different forms of hunger, a common passion was found amidst the colours and flavours. They both wish to transcend beyond conventional confines of expectations bound by the walls of their respective stores, thus the collaboration between Ying the Label and Jewels Rock Sugar came to be.
Pursuing her sheer passion for painting, Ying created her very own watercolour-inspired clothing line in 2015. Each individual design differs from the last, as every piece of artwork was thoughtfully painted by Ying herself. As a result, Ying the Label is a portfolio of watercolour pieces, each one telling a different story and conveying emotions that are translated into colours and strokes.
On the edible end of the collaboration spectrum sits Jewels Rock Sugar Stick by Cheng Yew Heng Candy Factory, the oldest and largest sugar company in Singapore. As of now, Jewels is also the only rock sugar stick producer in Singapore. These crystallised sugar sticks come in several flavours, set apart by their colours. They recommend tasting the sugar stick, dunking it into a beverage and tasting it again for the optimum experience.
The cafe will also showcase local eats and drink from other local brands. Taking center stage is Kombynation Co.’s fruity Mocktail Kombucha ($9), served in delicate martini glasses and topped with a stick of Jewels’ Rock Sugar. The kombucha mocktail flavour differs weekly, and a choice between two variants of the most pairable sugar sticks will be available. Be sure to come by on a weekend for a taste, as mocktails are not purchasable on weekdays. Regular bottled kombucha ($7) however, is always an option. With talks of launching new lines of flavours, we’re excited to see what unique combinations the folks at Kombynation Co. will be concocting.
Flavour of the week: Berried peaches and black goji berries with hazelnut sugar stick
Then pick your caffeinated poison of choice by Six Four Coffee, with steaming cups of organic lattes ($6.50), cappuccinos ($6.50), flat whites ($6.50), long blacks ($6) and espressos ($3.50) to chose from, and the option to add on a massive wad of cotton candy ($3) just for a little more sweetness.
And besides the clever play on words, the Duriancanboleh (that’s durian creme brulee; $9) by modsin restaurant The Quarters is a substantial dessert, created by marrying the freshest of durians with the iconic European torched delight. The result: the audible crack of caramelized skin and overflowing cream. Also from The Quarters is the Tiramisu, a soft spongy cake with a distinct aroma of coffee.
Lastly from Rainbow Lapis is the Teh Tarik Mini Chiffon Cake ($5), an airy teh-flavoured sponge cake with a hardened chocolate cap, finished with a sprinkling of caramel popcorn. Rainbow Lapis also offers Pandan, Original or Butterfly Pea Kueh Lapis slices ($6) that lives up to its name.
There is a recurring theme throughout the menu of this pop-up. Every item on the list dresses like it’s getting its photo taken, and it would remiss not to point out that they’ve got a strong #OOTD game going.
The pop-up cafe is located at Design Orchard, 250 Orchard Road, and is open Mar 1-17 (weekends only), 2pm-5pm on Fri, 2pm-7pm from Sat-Sun. More info here.
