Yat Ka Yan Review: Is This Famous Traditional Dessert Shop Worth The Queue?

Yat Ka Yan Dessert has traditional Chinese desserts in Bugis

With the weather as scorching as it’s been lately, traditional Chinese desserts have been on my mind, and Yat Ka Yan Dessert has been on my list for a while. While I’m not sure what took me so long—given how long they’ve been around—I finally made the trip down to their OG Fortune Centre store to see what all the fuss was about.

The shop’s name, Yat Ka Yan, means “one family” in Cantonese, a fitting nod to its origins. The dessert shop was founded in 2019 by the Tang family as a sister eatery to Ren Ren Desserts. Hoping to bring the family closer together, the older generation turned to dessert-making, with resident chef Wilson Tang training everyone how to craft their desserts from scratch.

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Desserts at Yat Ka Yan

Yat Ka Yan’s menu is extensive, split into hot and cold desserts. Traditional desserts include Cheng Tng ($4) and Sesame Paste ($4.50), while modern concoctions such as Avocado Chendol and Berry Yoghurt go up to $8.50.

My colleague told me that the Durian Chendol ($7.50) is one of their most popular items, so we ordered a bowl to try. Served in an old-school enamel bowl, it arrived with a proper mountain of toppings. A generous mound of pale durian pulp sat right at the top, along with curly strands of green chendol jelly, red beans, and a dusting of toasted coconut shavings.

I took a bite of the durian pulp before mixing it in. It was rich and fragrant without being overpowering, with a slight bitterness that added depth and kept the dessert from tasting one-dimensional. 

The green rice flour jelly stood out too, springy with just the right amount of chew. The dessert was also loaded with gula melaka and coconut milk, so it leaned sweet overall, but if you’ve got a sugar craving, this will hit the spot.

Another highly raved item at Yat Ka Yan is the Avocado Sago ($8), featuring a bowl of creamy elements stacked on top of each other: vanilla ice cream, avocado mousse, sago, mini taro balls, and shaved ice, with a layer of jelly underneath.

The avocado mousse really shone through—it was buttery and nutty, with a creamy depth that built up once the ice cream started to melt. The sago pearls added a bouncy texture, while the taro balls brought some chewiness into the mix.

The jelly at the bottom was unsweetened, giving the dessert a smooth, slippery texture. This was a good thing, since it kept the whole bowl light and refreshing rather than overly sweet.

To cut through the richness of the previous two desserts, we ordered a bowl of cold Cheng Tng ($4), which came with a large block of ice melting at the centre, along with nourishing ingredients such as white fungus, dried longans, barley and wolfberries.

I could clearly taste the dried longans here, and overall, the broth still leaned sweet, but as the ice melted, it diluted the syrup just enough to keep things refreshing. It worked well as a palate cleanser after the heavier desserts. Some might find $4 a little steep for cheng tng, but given the cafe’s central location, I believe it’s fair.

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Ambience at Yat Ka Yan

Yat Ka Yan has two outlets in Singapore. While its Tan Quee Lan Street branch is larger with a more modern feel that caters to a younger crowd, we visited their OG Fortune Centre outlet instead.

Tucked away on the second floor, the cosy dessert shop is humble and functional, with bright fluorescent lighting, plain white walls and compact wooden tables packed close together. Nostalgic decor scattered around the space gives it an old-school charm. Do note that the shop gets crowded fast—we managed to grab one of the last available seats during the lunch rush, though the crowd thinned out shortly after.

Yat Ka Yan is a five-minute walk from Bencoolen MRT Station.

Yat Ka Yan – Eatbook review

Don’t let the occasional queue put you off. Yat Ka Yan isn’t the kind of place you’d want to linger at for hours, but rather a quick pit stop where you pop in, get your fix of nostalgic desserts, and be on your way. 

That said, there’s something comforting about a place that’s stayed true to its roots, with desserts that taste like they’ve been made with real care. It’s easy to see why this little shop has built such a loyal following over the years, and after this visit, I can understand the appeal myself.

For more good food in the area, read our Bugis food guide. You can also read our Mei Heong Yuen review for old-school traditional desserts in Chinatown, including bubur cha cha and mango roll.

Address: 190 Middle Road, Fortune Centre, #02-08, Singapore 188979
Opening hours: Mon, Wed-Thurs 12:30pm to 10pm, Fri-Sun 1pm to 10pm
Tel: 8798 9292
Website
Yat Ka Yan Dessert is not halal-certified.

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Photos taken by Nathania Tay.
This was an independent review by Eatbook.sg