The best of both worlds are brought together in this charming cafe
From Bedok precinct finally having a fully-fledged cineplex to the great anticipation of Jewel Changi Airport in 2019, we daresay the East may arguably be the more exciting end of Singapore.
Our brazen claim is further backed by the return of Century Square, which ended its $60 million -refurbishment and reopened back in June 2018. The revamped shopping mall now holds an exhaustive lineup of 45 food and beverage tenants, where one that vies for attention is Seoul Garden Group’s cafe concept Two Hana.
Adding to its enviable location at the main entrance of the mall, Two Hana easily reels in customers with its minimalistic interior of pastel-splashed walls, stylish industrial lighting, and wooden-paneled floors bedecked with a mix of teak furniture and plush sofa seats – all the ingredients for a beautiful Instagram pic.
Looks aside, Two Hana lives up to its hipster cafe branding with creative hipster food. Furthermore, the sustenance the outlet dishes out strays from the cafe classics such as hollandaise sauce-doused eggs benedict or healthful grain bowls, and instead it offers a refreshing change that is of Korean-Western nosh.
Kimchi Mac and Cheese ($9 for five pieces)
And what way to better spotlight the fusion twist than kicking off with Kimchi Mac and Cheese ($9 for five pieces)? We chow down on these crumbed cubes that comprise of macaroni, and mozzarella cheese with diced kimchi bits, served with fiery chilli sauce of chilli padi, and kimchi jigae paste. While fried to perfection, the morsels’ filling is a tad dry and more disappointingly, devoid of the gooey texture of melted cheese. We think you’re better off with the Korean Cauliflower Fritters ($9 for six to eight pieces) that almost are the carbon copy of Korean fried wings in terms of the taste profile. Coated in tempura batter before deep fried, the cauliflower fritters are then tossed in sweet-spicy dakkanjung sauce.
Another thing that sets Two Hana apart from the competition is that the outlet prices its dishes very affordably.
Striploin Bap ($13)
While a chia seed-sprinkled gourmet salad may set you back to an amount of, say, $20 at a ‘hipper’ hipster cafe, Two Hana offers most of its spoils at under $20. The lineup of Korean Slaw Salad ($12), Korean Seafood Ciopinno ($12) and the Striploin Bap ($13) proves this very point. Aside from the Korean Slaw Salad, which is basically a toss of greens, the seafood cioppino and bap rendition are something worth trying. The former is a soul-soothing tomato cream broth, featuring a medley of seafood treasures and vegetable trimmings luxuriating in the full flavoured stew, and the latter is a delicious reimagination of the Bibimbap, comprising of Kimgarou rice topped with kimchi, spinach, bean sprouts, and finally a generation serving of seared medium rare striploin slices. The cherry on the cake is a perfectly poached egg that congeals all the ingredients together once broken.
Braised Gochujang Lamb Shank ($24)
For something pricer and for sharing, there’s the show-stopping Braised Gochujang Lamb Shank ($24) – a massive bone-in lamb that is sous-vide till fork-tender and then braised in braised in gochujang, tomatoes, carrots and kimchi. The meaty delight is served with kimchi mashed potatoes and housemade soft rolls.
Strawberry Waffles with Honey Citron Ice Cream ($9)
Looking to drop in just for desserts? Two Hana delivers with its Hojicha Pudding ($5) served on a pound cake base, and the fair floss-adorned waffles variations of Strawberry Waffles with Honey Citron Ice Cream ($9) and the more interesting Apple Caramel Waffles with Doenjang Caramel Ice Cream ($9). Donejang is a soybean paste that melds nicely with the caramel friend. The beverage creations of Iced Matcha Latte ($6) and Iced Hojicha Latte ($6) will also keep your sweet cravings sorted as both are served with a swirl of whipped cream that is plopped on by a fish-shaped bungeoppang.
Address: 2 Tampines Central 5, #01-21, Singapore 529509
Contact No.: 6260 4321
Website: www.facebook.com/TwoHanaSG
Operating Hours: 8am to 10pm (Daily)
ADVERTISEMENTS