Originating from Seoul, Korea, Banana Tree has finally set its roots here on Keong Saik Road, riding along with the rise of Korean desserts on sunny Singapore. Being an avid banana fan, I was of course, really excited for its opening. However, much to my dismay, NO, I’m too superficial for my own good. They don’t serve everything banana, even though they do have some banana-based desserts on their menu.
The Place
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We visited them on the week of their opening, and on a public holiday. So, of course, the place was packed to the brim. Hence, my apologies for the lack of pictures of the interior of the cafe, because I was not even able to snap a picture without accidental photobombing heads bobbing up and down in my frame. I really liked how simple and clean the cafe looked, though.
The Food
As I’ve previously mentioned, we visited them on a public holiday, and we did not quite enjoy the waiting time there. We waited for 1 hour for our first order, and close to another 45 minutes for our second to arrive. It was pretty crazy. Since the hype of Banana Tree SG has died down a little in the recent days, according to my Instagram feed. I don’t think you will have to worry about the waiting time, as well as the crowd right now!
Som Som Latte (Iced) Banana-flavored ($7) was the first thing I wanted to order at Banana Tree because. Cotton Candy. Come on, you got to admit, it looks quite cute and different right! I was a little disappointed because the cup we were served in was a plain cup, instead of one with the Banana Tree wordings. The latter was much more photogenic. *WHINES* #woesofaninstagrammer. This drink was well.. Average. If you’re a serious coffee drinker, of course, you should know better not to order this. It’s all for novelty’s sake. Oh, even though this may look REALLY sweet, but it’s not! I thought that the sweetness from the cotton candy and banana was well-balanced by the espresso! Flower Paap (Espresso) – $6.50. I think this is worth every cent because it’s so CUTE and pretty! Look at those spade spoons! 😀 Taste-wise, it’s really nothing much shout about, just your usual oreo crumbs (soil), and espresso pudding! Nonetheless, an enjoyable dish. I loved how the bitterness of the espresso blended well with the oreo soil. Non-Alcoholic Mojito – Lime ($7.50): I thought presenting this soda in a flask was quite cute. A very refreshing drink, especially on a hot day. It would have been better if we had like aloe vera or some jelly bits amongst those lime skin though!
Pot Bing Soo ($12.50): A really beautiful presentation, with the pot and the huge garden fork in this bing su dish! The flower is inedible ah, so don’t anyhow. This pot of bingsu consisted of shaved ice, red bean and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It is unfortunate for them that I’ve only tried 2 bingsus before this. One from the genuine, and legendary Nunsongyee, and the other, was the really unique twist from Chick and Ken. While one of them is crazy authentic, with SNOW ice, the other may not match up to the authentic bingsu, yet I was attracted to how localized the bingsu was. Banana Tree’s rendition of bingsu could not match up at all to either. Moreover, things would be tougher for them if they intend to be a contender in the traditional bingsu scene. The one I tried had inconsistent ice shavings, with some being smooth, while others were huge shards of ice clumped together. Moreover, I found it boring after a few mouthfuls, because it only had the above presented toppings as its companions. That means that as you progress deeper into the pot, you’ll just be eating.. Ice. Not impressed and definitely a dish to share.
Closing Remarks
I thought Banana Tree had its strengths in its signature presentation in its dishes. The cute pots and spades for its bingsu and Flower Paap really captured my heart, and got me squealing in excitement. Despite the rather average fare, I think I would make a return visit to Banana Tree for their desserts if I’m in the area, since the weather is crazy hot all year round. Moreover, I really liked how the cafe feels so clean and serene with the glass ceiling.
Banana Tree deserves at least one visit from all you cafe hoppers out there for their cute concept and decent desserts, without exorbitant prices!
How to get there?
26 Keong Saik Road
Singapore 089133
Opening Hours
Tue – Sat: 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Contact:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bananatreesg/
Instagram: @bananatreesg
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