Category: Interesting Products

Goodbye Gong Cha, LiHo Is Taking Over – We Tried Their New Cheese Bubble Tea To See If They’re Worth It

Bubble tea lovers, and specifically Gong Cha lovers, we’ve got some very bad news for you.

Gong Cha will be shuttering all its stores, and in its place will be a new home-grown bubble tea brand–LiHo.

Change is already underway, with 30 Gong Cha outlets already converted into LiHo shops. By 5 June 2017, all 80 Gong Cha outlets island-wide will be replaced. #RIPGongCha

Long story short, this drastic change comes because of a change in ownership of Gong Cha’s parent company, leading to new franchising terms that are no longer favourable to its Singapore franchisee, RTG Holdings.

LiHo – Singapore’s Newest Bubble Tea Spot 

Brought to you by the same RTG Holdings, LiHo is Singapore’s answer to Gong Cha with a very cheesy twist!

For those of you who don’t speak Hokkien, LiHo translates into ‘How are you?’.

Not only is the phrase quintessentially Singaporean, it distances the brand from its predecessor. Aside from the name change, here are some things we’ll be saying goodbye to and some new things we can get excited about.

New Flavours 

The biggest pull at LiHo is their new line of Cheese flavoured drinks. Yes, CHEESE flavoured.

While some of you might recoil in disgust at the mere thought of having cheese added to your bubble tea, the cheese flavour will only be in the froth of the tea! From Cheese Black Tea to Cheese ‘n’ Choc Smoothie, you won’t find these unique flavours at any other bubble tea shop.

We managed to try a few of their cheese bubble teas and were honestly quite underwhelmed by the experience.

There was no discernible cheese flavour, and even when we tasted the foam directly, the cheese flavour was very, very subtle. Some of our colleagues did note that the cheese froth tastes similar to the salty froth you find in some of Gong Cha’s teas, so that’s good news!

While there are novel additions to LiHo’s menu, Gong Cha lovers will be pleased to know that there are old favourites that taste exactly the same!

Keen to try something different? The Cheese Guan Yin Ji is a good bet. Traditional Chinese tea with milk, this tea is a refreshing addition to the menu.

Looking  for something that’s both sweet and refreshing? LiHo has a range of Lemon & Vitagen beverages. The crowd-pleaser, Fresh Lemon Juice Honey, is tagged at $2.90 for a medium-sized cup and the array of Vitagen beverages go for $3.60 – $4.50.

New Packaging 

Another change we were pretty psyched about was their new packaging. LiHo has given the old bubble tea cup–complete with its plastic sheet cover–an upgrade. Firm, reusable plastic containers with plastic lids are what your LiHo bubble teas will come in. Not only is it a sleeker option, the lid lets you choose between sipping from the cup or drinking from a straw!

LiHo’s plastic cups are re-usable so we foresee our kitchens filling up with empty LiHo cups!

Price Points 

The classic milk teas at LiHo will set you back between $2.80 – $3.50 for a medium sized cup and $3.80 – $4.50 for a large cup. Cheese smoothie drinks come in a standard large and will set you back a jaw-dropping $6.90!

While the serving is generous, the price tag is pretty steep for bubble tea. That said, most of the large-sized drinks will cost you under $5. (Phew!)

Price-wise, add-ons like custard pudding and Nata de Coco are comparable to other bubble tea spots, with only the cheese froth setting you back $2.

Out With Old And In With The New 

In all, the new LiHo has a more ‘atas’ vibe, with its sleeker, higher quality cups and lids. They definitely have the novelty factor with their cheese flavoured drinks. Their drink selection is also significantly smaller, at 2/3 the size of Gong Cha’s. The price point is also higher, which is a big deterrent for us long-time lovers of Gong Cha.

With Gong Cha stores still open from now till 5 June, you’ll want to make sure you get as much Gong Cha in before they disappear across the country!

Want to try LiHo for yourself? Head to their outlets at Bedok Mall, Bugis+, Bukit Merah Central and Tiong Bahru. While we were lucky enough to avoid long queues when we headed down, we can’t guarantee the wait time will stay short once word gets out!

Also read, 8 Instagram-Worthy Drinks That Will Have Your Followers Spamming The Like Button

These Epic Concerts Are The Ultimate Gift For Your Gamer Boyfriend

Dating a gamer or are one yourself? If so, you’d know that the soundtrack of a game plays an important role in creating the atmosphere and building the world of the game. Think Super Mario Bros., Diablo and Final Fantasy. Play just snippets of their music and you are instantly transported to a time you played the game.

This year, 2 popular video games we played through our childhood–and even our youth–will see their musical scores being played live in concert!

1.  The Legend of Zelda – Symphony of the Goddesses

The Legend of Zelda – Symphony of the Goddesses
Venue: Grand Theatre, Mastercard Theatres at Marina Bay Sands
Date: 26 August 2017
Time: 7.30pm
Price: $65, $95, $115, $135, $155, $215
VIP Box (For 4 seats): S$860
A Reserve Box (For 4 seats): S$620
Box Seats (For 4 seats): S$460

3. Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy

[caption id="attachment_26514" align="alignnone" width="850"] Image Credit: Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy
Venue: The Star Theatre
Date: 21 Oct
Time: 7.30pm
Price: $58, $68, $78, $98, $118, $138, $158, $238

Also read, The Magical World Of Harry Potter Comes Alive At This Screening With Music By A Live Symphony Orchestra

(Top Image Credit:

8 Instagram-Worthy Drinks That Will Have Your Followers Spamming The Like Button

Hands up if you can’t resist snapping a photo of your avocado toast or your latte during brunch.

Most of us are guilty of snapping a pic or two of our food, especially if they’re pretty because #foodgoals. And why shouldn’t you? After all, someone put hard work into plating up or creating these dishes–appreciating it is the least we can do.

If you’re a foodie who loves digging into nosh that not just tastes but looks amazing, we’ve shortlisted 10 beverages from all over Singapore that are not just a treat for the taste buds, but for the eyes as well.

1. Unicorn Tears @ Dapper Coffee 

While unicorns sadly do not exist, here’s something we’d happily make do with: Unicorn Tears. Created by the good people at Dapper Coffee, a small cafe along Amoy Street, Unicorn Tears is the cafe’s best known product.

A shimmery swirl of aqua blue with flecks of sparkle, this beverage is not just to be consumed–it’s to be admired as well. The one thing you MUST do when you get your hands on a bottle of Unicorn Tears is give it a good shake! This will bring out all the sparkle and the mesmerising shades of blue.

At $10 a bottle, Unicorn Tears does not come cheap, but it is free of alcohol, caffeine, nuts, soy, eggs and it’s gluten-free.

So what is it made of? We can’t quite pinpoint the ingredients that go into this magical potion but according to the people at Dapper Coffee, Unicorn Tears “is some pure-ass stuff”.

For the animal lovers out there, don’t worry! No unicorns were harmed in the making of Unicorn Tears.

Dapper Coffee
Address: 73A Amoy Street, Second Floor, Singapore 069892.
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri: 8am – 5pm; Weekends & PH: Closed
Website

2. Ombre Drinks @ The Juicy Way & The Talad Drink 

If you were at Artbox this year, you would have noticed some epic-ly long queues at stalls serving up ombre drinks. The Juicy Way and The Talad Drink were two stalls that saw excited Singaporeans queueing up for hours to get their hands on these colourful bottles of fruit juices and smoothies.

Crafted from an assortment of fruits, The Juicy Way serves up bottles of juice that come in alluring ombre shades. The Big Bang, crafted from dragonfruit, guava, honeydew and blue pea flower is one of the more eye-catching ones with its galaxy-like hues of purple, grey and blue.

Unfortunately, The Juicy Way is primarily a pop up store, so you’ll have to follow them on Instagram and Facebook to get updates on where they’ll be popping up next!

The Juicy Way 
Facebook
Instagram

Serving up authentic Thai nosh, alongside an assortment of juices and traditional Thai drinks, the Talad Drink & Thai Kitchen was a crowd favourite at this year’s Artbox. If you missed the chance to try The Talad Drink at Artbox, fret not! They have a kiosk at Toa Payoh just a stone’s throw away from the Toa Payoh Bus Interchange.

While you can expect your favourite Thai drinks here like Thai Ice Milk Tea and Thai Iced Lemon Grass, don’t expect them to come in their usual dull colours–The Talad Drink serves up all their beverages in giant bottles of ombre tones.

Want a refreshing tea? Opt for the An Chan Orange or An Chan Kiwi. The colours are gorgeous and are bound to up your ‘Gram game!

Talad Drink & Thai Kitchen
Address: 190 Toa Payoh Lorong 6, #01-520, S10190
Opening Hours: 11am – 9pm
Facebook

3. Rainbow Lattes @ I AM & Dazzling Cafe 

At one point, edible rainbows were the only food trend worth chasing (get it?). Food items served in all the colours of the rainbow may seem ridiculous to some, but to Instagram foodies, they spell an Instagram moment.

There are not one but two well known joints in Singapore serving up the photogenic Rainbow Lattes: I AM cafe, a popular halal eatery that serves up Western fare, and Dazzling Cafe, a Taiwanese franchise known for its thick toasts.

For those unacquainted with the concept of Rainbow Lattes, it typically involves dripping food colouring into a pitcher of steamed milk. A skilled barista then pours the milk into the coffee, as with any other cup of latte.

Rainbow Lattes, like most rainbow-coloured food, do not taste any different from their less colourful counterparts, so they really are your average cup of coffee with a colourful twist!

I AM 
Address: 674 North Bridge Road, S199486
Opening Hours: Mon – Thu: 11am – 11pm; Fri & Sat: 11am – 1am; Sun: 11am – 10pm

Address: #03-04, Tampines Hub, 51 Tampines Ave 4, S520940
Opening Hours: Daily, 11 am – 11 pm
Website

Dazzling Cafe
Address: #01-85, Capitol Piazza, 15 Stamford Rd, S178906Website

4. OTT Milkshakes @ Cake Spade, Robert Timms, Patissez  

Known for their deliciously dense cakes and OTT milkshakes, Cake Spade is a cafe that’s truly knows its desserts. From the Matcha Adzuki Cakeshake to their Unicorn Cakeshake, Cake Spade doesn’t fool around when it comes to their monster desserts. The perfect spot to satisfy your sugar cravings, we highly recommend sharing the Freakshakes at Cake Spade.

Another place you can go for your Freakshake fix is Robert Timms. With flavours like Banana Popcorn and Rocky Timms, these OTT milkshakes will have you getting busy slurping everything up!

The original creators of the Freakshake, Patissez is all about keeping it simple. Patissez has an array of more “traditional” tasting OTT Milkshakes, with flavours like mint chocolate and salted pretzel. Ironically, the creations at Patissez are quite tame compared those from other dessert spots, but we kind of like the fact that these look far less intimidating than the others.

Cake Spade
Address: 83 Tg Pagar Rd, S088504
Opening Hours: Mon – Thu: 12pm – 9.30pm; Fri & Sat: 12pm – 10.30pm; Sun: Closed
Patissez
Address: 118 Holland Avenue, #01-06, S278997
Opening Hours: Weekdays: 10am – 10pm; Weekends: 9am – 10pm
Image Credit: Burpple User Kris Lim[/caption]

If you’re all about the ‘gram, Enchanted Cafe is a quaint spot you need to check out. Far from the typical brunch fare we’ve become accustomed to, this cafe offers up food with an enchanting Singaporean twist!

The star of the show at this cafe is the Sorcerer’s Elixir.

Served atop a stone dish filled with dry ice, this enticing beverage starts off slightly purple with whispers of shimmer. The staff will come around and pour a slightly orange-y substance into your drink, turning it from a dark red to a deep purple. The whole spectacle of the Sorcerer’s Elixir is mesmerising, so we advise getting your phones ready to capture the magic!

Sip slowly though, because this particular drink will set you back almost $10!

Enchanted Cafe
Address: 88 Rangoon Road #01-04, S218374
Opening Hours: Wed & Thu: 12pm – 10pm; Fri: 11am – 11pm; Sat: 10am – 11pm; Sun: 10am – 8pm; Tue: 11am – 10pm; Mon: Closed

6. Heisenberg @ The Lab 

The Lab is one of those cafes that will keep you coming back for more. Located a stone’s throw away from Sultan Mosque, The Lab is known for serving up your usual Western fare, alongside a slew of desserts and drinks. If you’re the kind who can never decide what to eat, this place will make that decision even harder for you.

Like any dining establishment worth its salt, The Lab serves a good range of coffees, juices and mocktails. However, what sets The Lab apart is the presentation of its drinks. The Heinsenberg, which is served with a syringe in it, is a particularly interesting one. Hot beverages also come with droppers filled with sugar syrup!

Not only are these drinks tasty, they’re a fun experience, and they’re 100% insta-worthy.

The Lab
Address: 1 Jalan Pisang, #01-01, S199069
Opening Hours: Mon – Sat: 12pm – 10pm; Sun: 1pm – 10pm
Image Credit: Bubbs Facebook Page[/caption]

While some food fads are able to stand the test of time (hello salted egg-everything), some quickly fade into obscurity. One that will certainly be a cute addition to your Instagram feed is the Light Bulb Drink. Call it gimmicky if you want, but you can’t deny that these drinks make you want to whip out your phone and snap a picture of it.

Bubbs serves your favourite Bubble Tea flavours in plastic light bulbs, from the classic Milk Tea to an assortment of Fruit Teas. But here’s the bad news–Bubbs only has one outlet and it certainly is out of the way for many Singaporeans.

Located in Tai Seng, it’s great for those working in the area, and not so great for, well, the rest of us.

[caption id="attachment_26569" align="alignnone" width="960"] Image Credit: Oh My Cafe Facebook Page[/caption]

What’s a light bulb that doesn’t light up, am I right? Oh My Cafe at Westgate takes the Light Bulb drink to the next level but serving it with a glowing straw. Serving drinks in all sorts of eye-catching colours, we have to say, the drinks here have won our hearts.

Bubbs
Address: 1 Irving Place #01-06, S369546

Oh My Cafe
Address: #B1-01, Westgate Mall, 3 Gateway Drive , S608532

8. Coffee In A Cone @ Coffee Academics

[caption id="attachment_26574" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Image Credit: Image Credit: Burpple User Dex Neo[/caption]

One caffeinated treat that will have your followers double tapping away is the Coffee In A Cone. No, it’s not as simple as pouring a cuppa into an ice cream cone. Instead, the process involves coating the ice cream cones with different chocolate compounds, giving them that hardened exterior and extra integrity. Warm, slightly sweet and with a crunch, this is a whole new way to enjoy your cuppa.

Coffee Academics
Address: Scotts Square, #02-01/02, 6 Scotts Road, S228209
Opening Hours: Daily: 9am – 9pm
Forget Sugar Glazed, This Cafe Serves Up Savoury Donuts Like ‘Cheeseburger’ And ‘Bacon’ At Only $2.90 A Pop

These Memes By SPCA Are Not Only Adorable, They Help To Save Lives Too

If you’re anything like me, you spend a fair amount of time each day stalking cute puppies on Instagram, and watching gifs and videos of cute animals.

Who can resist cute animals on the Internet?

Given our affinity for memes and gifs, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has decided to spread the message of adoption in a language and form we millennials are sure to understand: Memes.

The “Adopt A Meme” Project 

[caption id="attachment_26091" align="alignnone" width="800"] Image Credit: The “Adopt-A-Meme” Project[/caption]

Each meme was crafted with the personality of the featured animal in mind, and even gives you details including their gender, age and when they came into the care of SPCA.

[caption id="attachment_26092" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Image Credit: Also read, DBS Marina Regatta Is Bringing The Beach To The Bay, With lululemon Workouts, Potato Head’s Coconut Bar & More!

Take A Swing At The Fragment Room – The Only Place In S’pore Where Violence Is The Cure

Living in Singapore comes with no small amount of stress.

For students and working adults alike, sometimes it gets to a point where it’s all just too much, when all you want to do is scream, hit or break something to let all that pent up frustration out.

The Fragment Room 

Lucky for us, The Fragment Room is offering itself up as an outlet for you to let out all that stress.

Located along Balestier Road, the premise of The Fragment Room is simple: you’re given half an hour (or more, depending on whether you need it) to smash everyday objects to smithereens.

Providing you with a safe space, everyday objects like plates, cups and electronics, and a baseball bat to smash up all of those things, The Fragment Room is a non-traditional form of anger therapy that will get your heart pumping.

Don’t worry about injuring yourself at The Fragment Room. Even with broken glass and electronics strewn on the floor, you’ll be decked out in safety gear so you’re 100% safe from flying debris.

Packages 

The Fragment Room offers up 3 standard packages.

There is the Single ($38), which offers up 1 crate of breakables for 30 mins, and there’s also the all out Annihilation ($220), which gives you a full hour, a sledgehammer and unlimited crates for you to vent to your heart’s content.

A third package called the Double lets you double up with a friend and wreak all kinds of havoc for 30 mins, over the contents of 2 crates.

If you’re an environmentalist who’s stressed out, fret not! All the breakables sourced by The Fragment Room are from scrap yards, so you’re not contributing to wastage or harming the planet!

Whatever is stressing you out, let it all out at The Fragment Room and unleash that inner hulk. Here, no one is judging.

The Fragment Room 
Address: 3 Balestier Road S329671
Opening Hours: Mon – Sun, 1pm – 10pm

This Unique Honey Cheesecake Is The Sweetest Way To Say ‘I Love You Mum’

Let’s admit it, a meal isn’t quite complete without a sweet treat at the end of it.

Here in Singapore, there are countless bakeries offering up decadent, sweet treats but if you’re looking for a cheesecake that will blow your socks off, head to Cat & The Fiddle.

Opened by award-winning pastry chef Daniel Tay in 2014, Cat & The Fiddle is Singapore’s first online cheesecake retailer.

[caption id="attachment_25275" align="alignleft" width="1024"] Image Credit: Cat & The Fiddle Instagram[/caption]

Serving up 17 varieties of cheesecake from the Classic New York Cheesecake to the Mao Shan Wang Durian cheesecake, Cat & the Fiddle serves up cheesecakes that are bursting with flavour!

‘Queen Bee’ Mother’s Day Cheesecake 

[caption id="attachment_25279" align="alignnone" width="750"] ‘Queen Bee’ Mother’s Day Cheesecake[/caption]

Teaming up with Nature’s Farm, Cat & The Fiddle has created a special limited edition ‘Queen Bee’ Mother’s Day Cheesecake ($55.90 for 7″) so you can spoil the most important woman in your life this Mother’s Day.

This spectacular creation comprises two layers: a top layer crafted from UMF 5+ Manuka Honey, Osmanthus flowers and Goji berries, and a bottom layer crafted from luscious cream cheese mousse infused with Manuka Honey and lime zest.

[caption id="attachment_25280" align="aligncenter" width="750"] UMF 5+ Manuka Honey Cheesecake ($55.90 for 7″)[/caption]

A delightful combo, this cheesecake was surprisingly light. The cream cheese mouse was creamy and dense, with the touch of lime zest giving it a slight sour kick. The Manuka honey glaze was slightly sweet and the goji berries added a bit of added texture to this dessert.

Health conscious? This is the perfect dessert if you (and mum) are watching your weight or trying to cut down on processed goodies.

The Queen Bee Mother’s Day Gift Set 

[caption id="attachment_25284" align="aligncenter" width="500"] The Queen Bee Mother’s Day Gift Set[/caption]

If you haven’t decided on what to get for mother dearest this Mother’s Day, why not get the Queen Bee Mother’s Day Gift Set! Priced at $99, this set includes the Queen Bee Cheesecake, a 500g bottle of NF Reserve UMF +5 Manuka Honey and complimentary delivery service!

Cat & The Fiddle not only serves up tastebud tingling cheesecakes for any (and every) occasion, you can order them online from the comfort of your home! To check out more of their decadent desserts, head to https://www.catandthefiddle.com/

Cat & The Fiddle
Address: 171 Kampong Ampat, KA Foodlink #05-04, S368330
Contact no.: 6287 0077
Website

Also read 7 Oozy Choux Pastries That Will Have You Scrambling To Lick Everything Up