Shan Cha is a Taiwanese cafe specialising in teas, sakes and Taiwanese snacks. It's located at the edge of China Square and it's smacked in between Chinatown and Raffles Place. Given the hot and humid weather now, you will certainly appreciate their beverages a lot better.
My companion that went with me opted to try their Oolong Tea ($4.80). We found the presentation to be very instagram friendly. They even have this egg roll biscuit served at the side.
The tea itself was described as 'Oolong Tea lor' by my companion but it definitely tasted nicer in this heat and humidity.
My own Rose Apple tea ($4.50) was a pleasurable drink. I found the tea to have the rose flavoured sweetness and the apple was well infused. Downing the chilled tea when I felt so sweaty and hot (the place has fan, no aircon) really got me wishing for a bigger jar. I enjoyed my tea, it's totally refreshing.
My companion and I both ordered the traditional minced pork rice ($7.50). It's apparently the small bowl but very decent in size. The dish is served with a traditional tea egg at the side. There's a slight inconsistency in the egg preparation. My companion had great difficulty peeling her egg because the shell was stuck to the egg. It was very messy. My own egg was peeled with ease and to be honest, I felt very paiseh considering I brought her here. The minced pork rice was excellently prepared. I felt that the cafe got the flavours on point. The meat wasn't too fatty nor was it too lean. Portions were just right.
I personally find Shan Cha to be a fascinating cafe. The drinks are pretty unique but leaning towards the pricier side. The mains while limited in selection, taste awesome. They have some instagrammable desserts I didn't want to waste my swimming efforts to try. Perhaps on the next visit. I find this is an excellent place to catch up with my CBD friends if they can meet me outside lunch hours (not a big fan of crowds).
Shan Cha
22 Cross Street, #01-63 China Square, S048421