Pancakes, you scoff. Haven’t they been around since the beginning of time? But wait, hear us out — these Japanese-style pancakes aren’t quite like the ones you’d find at McDonald’s or the average brunch cafe. No, they’re thick, fluffy, jiggly, and will wobble on demand for a nice little Boomerang video, if you’d like.
Japan’s trendy new take on pancakes has been described as a cross between a hotcake and a soufflé, and they’ve been gaining in popularity across the world, particularly within the past year. Here in Singapore, we’ve got two recent launches of cafes that say they specialize in making them.
First up, Osaka’s Belle-Ville Pancake Cafe at Bugis Junction. The brand’s first international outlet rustles up a chic, cozy vibe at its glass-walled 30-seater space, where that saccharine aroma of pancake batter hitting the pan engulfs you the moment you step in. It’s well-known for its “millefeuille” pancakes, which are piled high anywhere from two to eight layers, and come in flavors like strawberry and mixed berries, mango, matcha with rice ball and red bean, and chocolate with grilled banana.
Apparently, these carb-tastic creations are made-to-order, meaning they hand whip the egg whites and blend them with the batter of egg yolks, Hokkaido milk, and Japanese flour after you decide what you’re in the mood for.
Prices start at $7.90 for four plain pancakes slathered with buttercream, and you can add $1 each for additional toppings like a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Besides pancakes, Belle-Ville also offers sandwiches, coffee, tea, and juice.
Next up, it’s Riz Labo Kitchen from Tokyo, which just debuted in Singapore over the weekend. Situated in Japan Food Town at Wisma Atria, the cafe only whips up pancakes during the day, as Bar Nippon takes over in the evening.
Here, you’ll find a range of gluten-free, soufflé-like pancakes made of organic rice flour, brown sugar, organic soya milk, and rice oil (to substitute butter). Sounds like an excuse to indulge in healthy eating, if you ask us.
Signature flavors include original with vanilla ice cream ($15), matcha with azuki bean paste ($18), chocolate with chocolate ice cream ($18), and hojicha (roasted green tea, $18) — all of which come with a dash of house-made whipped cream. Also look out for seasonal offerings that are made in limited quantities every month, such as July’s Japanese strawberry ($20) with strawberry fruit toppings, ice cream, and jam.
FIND THEM AT:
Belle-Ville Pancake Cafe is at #01-01B Bugis Junction Towers.
Daily 8am-8:30pm.
MRT: Bugis
Riz Labo Kitchen is at #04-49 Japan Food Town, Wisma Atria.
Daily 11am-5pm.
MRT: Orchard
