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2013-06-19
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Although I've not had the privilege of flying to Taiwan and personally savouring their street food and delectable desserts that are oh-so-famed, I admit being pretty skeptical of the introduction of Blackball desserts into the local culture. Even though it's still distinctly Asian, with elements such as sweet potato not being an ingredient alien to desserts in Singapore, it's no secret that the youths of Singapore aren't fans of such "traditional dessert ingredients" such as yam/sweet potato.Bla
Blackball has a handful of outlets sprinkled all over Singapore, and Marine Parade is the most convenient for me. Located on the second floor of 112 Katong, this small dessert stall is more than meets the eye. Located just round the corner from the entrance, it's opposite New Balance. Hidden away from the central mall area, it can be easy to miss!
The ordering style is pretty much the same as all the other kiosks like Gong Cha -except that this dessert stall offers seating. The tables can seat up to 4 persons, or you can choose to sit at the long "bar", facing the kitchen. Not a large space, but cosy enough for a post-dinner get together over fantastic desserts/drinks.
In black and in trend!
I ordered a Blackball Signature ($4.90) to share for 2 persons, with the choice of having it "icy". You can choose between hot, cold or "icy". Their signature is their best seller, with various sweet potato jellies/golden sweet potato as well as yam, their home made grass jelly, pearls, red beans and a tiny saucer of (coconut?) milk to pour over this seemingly messy dessert. What would seem to be sweet potato 'Q's, and golden sweet potato have the distinct sweetness of sweet potatoes, but without the carrot-like texture of it. (Those who aren't fans of sweet potato will know what I'm talking about!) Instead, it's chewier and has a texture like the jellies you'd find in Bo Bo Char Char -so this easily captures the hearts of the teens while still maintaining a taste that the older folks would like.The grass jelly is chewy, not too sweet, and goes perfectly with the pearls and red bean. It is however, the coconut sauce is elevates this dessert to the next level -it gives it a rich and creamy flavour that complements the slight bitterness of the jelly. The centre has shaved ice which has a syrup drenching it -surprisingly it's not overly sweet, and the ice is smooth -not coarse. It reminds me vaguely of ice jelly, the local dessert, but with a dilluted dash of gula melaka. The subtle flavours all come together very neatly.
Blackball offers drinks as well as other desserts where you can customise the composition of Yam balls, Golden Sweet Potato and Yam 'Q's in your dessert -a very unique and thoughtful touch, we thought. However, the KING of all would be their Blackball Signature -a lovely amalgamation of the best. If you're thirsty, you may try the drinks but we highly recommend going for the desserts. The yam and sweet potato jellies/balls are also deceptively filling, so share this with a friend and it'll make for a perfect dessert portion!Service is quick and the staff is friendly, they're also very helpful to those who are ordering for the first time. Try the signatures if you're caught in a dilemma of what to order -you can't go wrong with them! Much better than Honeymoon dessert/ HK Sheng Kee in my opinion. The unique creations you can find here seem like a strange combination, but give it a chance and it may just surprise you...
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