The Place
Ask any of your Singaporean friends, and they will tell you that they really like PS Cafe. The brand started out way back in 1999 as a café within a fashion boutique called Projectshop, and has grown into a chain with eight locations throughout the city-state.
Their new Xintiandi Plaza branch is the group's first overseas venture. They've brought their famous shoestring truffle fries, cafe standards, Asian street food and decadent desserts along for the ride.
The Food
Image by Cristina Ng/That's
Those famous Truffle Fries (RMB68) that arrive covered in a blizzard of grated parmesan cheese certainly look the part. While the intoxicating scent of truffle oil fools your nose, it disappoints in the taste department. Using a meltier cheese could do a world of good. Meanwhile, their chunky Prawn Toasties (RMB58) also fail to excite.
Image by Cristina Ng/That's
Tiger beer battered Fish & Chips (RMB118) do justice to the British standard with succulent and flaky snapper fillets covered in an evenly cooked and puffy coating. We appreciate the use of Singaporean beer in the batter as well as kaffir lime-flavored aioli and classic tartar sauce. The only complaint here is that the fish came with thin-cut fries instead of the standard thick chips.
Image by Cristina Ng/That's
The star dish is a Malaysian Crab and Prawn Laksa (RMB98) featuring a full-flavored seafood stock with plenty of spices. With a mix of thick and thin noodles, julienne fish cake, bean sprouts, quail eggs and shredded seafood, this delicious bowl is huge, making it a good value.
Image by Cristina Ng/That's
Less generous is the Pad Thai Salad (RMB98) with three poached prawns sliced lengthwise to resemble six. We found that this cruel trick and the addition of crushed peanuts and lime dressing do little to spice up what is basically a bland mix of shellfish on salad greens without even a hint of fish sauce.
Image by Cristina Ng/That's
You'll want to save room for dessert, however, because they have an unbelievable Double Chocolate Blackout Cake (RMB55). Three people struggled to finish this rich, gooey yumminess featuring swirls of ganache and a scoop of vanilla bean-flecked ice cream that melts slowly into a sea of chocolate sauce.
Image by Cristina Ng/That's
If you are still hungry, add on a slice of Florida Key Lime Pie (RMB42). The thick graham cracker crust encases a nicely balanced sweet and sour filling, which is totally worth the extra calories.
Food Verdict: 2/3
The Vibe
If you love hitting up the newest hot spots, PS Café is the place to be. Our advice, however, is to avoid peak hours. They were so busy during lunchtime on a weekday that we had to wait 30 minutes for a table, and the wait can take up to 90 minutes during the weekend.
While we don't understand the cult fanaticism for the truffle fries, we see ourselves returning for the laksa, chocolate cake and key lime pie and further exploring the Asian street food section of the menu.
Vibe Verdict: 1/2
Total Verdict: 3/5
Price: RMB150-300 per person
Who’s going: everyone, literally everyone
Good for: casual lunches, dessert dates
[Cover image by Cristina Ng/That's]
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