Sinpopo Brand @ Joo Chiat - Awfully Retro (Outlet Closed)

Sinpopo Brand

Amidst the old shop-houses of Joo Chiat, one with a huge signboard and red metal gates demands a second look. Its bold statement seems to be ‘We are Awfully Retro“. Street food from old Singapore is the theme of Sinpopo Brand, a concept cafe by the people of Awfully Chocolate, whose head office is just further down the road.

Sinpopo Brand

There are many nice touches to bring back memories of old Singapore. The enamel mug to hold the order chits, the faux old advertisement boards and real vintage items like TV and telephone sets from the 70s do evoke nostalgia. We really liked the idea of using the old school attendance book as the menu. There are so many things in the cafe that could get the older folks to start regaling you with their stories of going to school in trishaws or of the girlie bars in Tanjong Katong. Sinpopo Brand

Sinpopo Brand

The menu of Sinpopo Brand has some interesting renditions of old Singapore deserts like Sng Muay Pop (frozen sour plum juice), Ais Bor (ice ball with syrup), Gula Melaka Soft Jelly and Attap Chee Ice Cream. The hot food are traditional hawker food but not things that are really hard to find in Singapore. They have items like Nasi Lemak, Roti John, Curry Chicken, Chwee Kueh and Chee Cheong Fun.

Sinpopo Brand

We ordered the Lo Gai Yik ($8.90), which was chicken and pork cooked in a stew made from fermented red bean paste. We also had the Scissors Cut Rice ($8.90), which was rice with curry sauce served with a fried egg, braised chicken, cabbage and scissors-cut pork cutlet. They were competently done.

Sinpopo Brand

For sweets, we tried their green bean soup ($3.90). The only remarkable thing about the dessert was that it was served in the traditional rooster bowl.

That about summed up our feeling about Sinpopo Brand. The food is unspectacular but you give them high marks for trying to create an interesting look and feel of an old kopitiam.

Sinpopo Brand