We love our authentic local desserts, but these creative—and photogenic—renditions of familiar treats truly give us a taste of Singapore's cosmopolitan culture

With National Day around the corner, our palates are craving local flavours well, more than usual. And that's equally true when it comes to desserts. But how often do you come across the likes of bubur chacha and pulut hitam given a modern twist and that look so good you can't help but share on social media?  We reckon these offer a fun look at Singapore's cosmopolitan metropolis and its unique culinary culture. So, here are our picks for some of the most creative and photogenic Mod-Sin desserts to dig in to—and don't forget to take a picture first.

1. Bak Chor Mee and Nasi Lemak at Non Entrée Desserts

Non Entrée Desserts is the only place you can have bak chor mee and nasi lemak for dessert. But aren't these savoury dishes, you ask? Well, if you're a fan of this creative dessert house, you'd know that nothing is what it seems here. It's where "bak chor mee" is actually a serving of passionfruit “noodles”, coconut parfait “fishball”, gula melaka crumble, pineapple crushed ice, red tea jelly, and mango fluff. For the re-creation of the nasi lemak, coconut “nasi”, pandan mousse and gula melaka sauce is paired with Kuning fish tulip, ikan bilis with lightly salted peanuts, and an “hard boiled egg” with mango yoghurt. You'll also be delighted to find other playful and extremely good-looking renditions of desserts and pastries at its Rangoon Road outlet.

Non Entrée Desserts | Hong Building, 204 Rangoon Rd, S(218451) | 9878 6543 

2. Durian Alaska at Ding Dong

We've seen our share of durian desserts, but Ding Dong's Durian Alaska takes the cake with its Instagram-worthy design that doesn't hide its inspiration. A must-have for durian dessert lovers, this adorable confectionery is an assembly of sablé, pandan chiffon sponge cake, durian ice cream and durian kaya, and the (literal) icing on the cake: pandan meringue "durian spikes".

3. Ondeh Ondeh Soufflé Pancakes at Antoinette

Who knew ondeh ondeh could look this good as soufflé pancakes? Antoinette's Chef Pang did, which is why he has come up with this fluffy concoction. In the cafe's rendition, pillowy soft soufflé pancakes are served with a dollop of pandan custard and drizzled with coconut flakes and gula melaka syrup. What a delightfully mouthwatering meeting of two worlds.

Antoinette | 30 Penhas Road, (S) 208188 | 6293 3121

4. Baba's Chendol at Baba Chews

An all-day dining restaurant in Katong, Baba Chews' Peranakan-inspired interiors already makes for an Instagram-worthy post. Serving up modern cuisine with Asian influences, its Baba Chendol dessert is made up of homemade pandan jello, red bean mousse, popcorn, fresh coconut milk, gula melaka syrup, and shaved ice. Dig into this innovative dessert with a cup of coffee from Common Man Coffee Roasters for a sweet ending to your meal.

Baba Chews
Asian   |   $   |  

01-01 Katong Square, 86 East Coast Road, S(428788)

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5. Chendol at Relish

Fans of the now-defunct Wild Rocket can continue to enjoy some of the Mod-Sin pioneer's creations at Relish's Frasers Tower branch. For dessert, you can indulge in chef Willin Low's take on the classic chendol, reimagined as an amalgamation of pandan pannacotta, honeycomb and homemade coconut ice cream that's served with coconut foam and gula melaka syrup.

Relish | 182 Cecil St, #02-12/13, (S) 069547 | 6904 5458

6. Buah Keluak Ice Cream at Candlenut

A celebrated ingredient in Peranakan staples such as ayam buah keluak, Candlenut has put a modern spin on the use of the buah keluak nut by featuring it in an eggless, dairy-free ice cream. The simple yet daring dessert is made with 80 per cent Valrhona chocolate that's paired with cured buah keluak, warm milk chocolate foam and served on a mixed bed of salted caramel, chocolate crumble and chilli specks.

Candlenut
Asian   |   $ $ $   |  

Block 17A Dempsey Road, Singapore 249676

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7. Orh-Bee Good Dessert at Creatures

A play on the Hokkien phrase for "black rice", Creatures' Orh-Bee Good dessert is a contemporary take on a Singaporean staple, the pulut hitam. Smooth coconut pudding is paired with black glutinous rice paste and served with rich coconut cream and shards of pistachio for added crunch. You can even choose to jazz it up with a scoop of coconut ice-cream. Either way, it's great for sharing with friends as you reminisce about the good old days.

Creatures (Closed)
Asian   |   $ $   |  

120 Desker Road, Singapore 209639

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8. Bubur Cha Cha Pannacotta at Violet Oon Singapore

How can anyone say no to bubur cha cha this pretty? It appears chef icon Violet Oon and her daughter, Su-Lyn, has made the traditional Nyonya dessert even more irresistible with their local rendition of the dessert, reimagined as a pannacotta. Coconut milk is used to make a smooth pudding that's topped with the usual colourful ingredients, such as pearled sago, sweet potatoes, yams, and jelly. This is the first dish Violet had created for her revamped Violet Oon's Kitchen, which has been renamed Violet Oon Singapore, and is exclusively available at the Bukit Timah outlet.

Violet Oon Singapore at Bukit Timah | 881 Bukit Timah Road, S(279893) | 9834 9935 | eat@violetoon.com

9. Teh Halia Panna Cotta at Po Restaurant

Sugar, spice and everything nice is how we like to describe Po Restaurant's Teh Halia Pannacotta. The dessert truly embraces the multi-faceted flavours of ginger with a delicate ginger tea custard served with coconut ginger crumble, ginger gelée and gingerbread gelato.

Po Restaurant | The Warehouse Hotel, 320 Havelock Road, Robertson Quay, (S)169628 | 6828 0007 | po@thewarehousehotel.com

10. Local Wild Caught Crab at Labyrinth

If you've heard of chilli crab ice cream, this is where it originated from. In fact, this signature dish by chef-owner Han Liguang has gone through many iterations in the last five years. The latest rendition features a sweet and savoury combination of local wild caught crab, locally-grown strawberries, its signature chilli crab ice cream, egg whites and salted mackerel. So, it's not a dessert, but it's definitely Instagram-worthy.  

Labyrinth
Singaporean   |   $ $ $   |  

8 Raffles Avenue, #02-23 Esplanade Mall, S(039802)

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