Sim Lim Square Just Became A Legit Dessert Destination
Sim Lim Square has always been the place you drag tourists to haggle for camera lenses and dodgy phone accessories. Now there's a proper reason to push past the electronics stalls — a new dessert cafe called King of Dessert has set up shop, and it's turning heads with its ridiculously overloaded orh nee and XL mango snow ice. The spot opened quietly on the ground floor, but word has spread fast among the Rochor lunch crowd and Bugis shoppers looking for an air-conditioned sugar hit. If you thought this building topped out at instant noodles from the basement, think again.
Orh Nee That Actually Justifies The Hype
The star of the menu is a modernised take on orh nee, the old-school Teochew yam paste dessert your grandma probably reserved for weddings. King of Dessert loads theirs up with ginkgo nuts, pumpkin puree, and a generous glug of shallot oil, served warm in a clay bowl big enough to share. It's creamy, smoky, and dangerously nostalgic — the kind of dish that makes you text your mum mid-spoonful. At around $8.80 a bowl, it undercuts most dessert houses in Chinatown while delivering twice the portion.
The second showstopper is the XL mango snow ice, a Everest-sized mound of shaved milk ice piled high with fresh Thai mango chunks, mango pudding cubes, and a drizzle of house-made mango coulis. Four people can comfortably destroy one for around $18.80, making it the cheapest group dessert in the district. Order it with the lychee pearls add-on for texture — trust the regulars on this.
What Else Is On The Menu
Beyond the two headliners, the cafe runs a tight list of Teochew-leaning classics with modern flourishes. Expect less fusion, more finesse — this isn't a place chasing the latest TikTok trend.
- Signature dessert: Loaded Orh Nee with gingko and pumpkin ($8.80)
- Must-try: XL Mango Snow Ice ($18.80, serves 3-4)
- Under-the-radar pick: Black sesame tong sui with mochi ($6.50)
- Price range: $6-20 per person
King of Dessert
📍 1 Rochor Canal Road, Sim Lim Square, Singapore 188504
⏰ Daily 12pm-10pm
Who Should Actually Go
This is a weekday-after-work kind of spot, or a post-Mustafa midnight stopover if you've been wandering Little India. The cafe seats around 30 and tends to fill up by 8pm on weekends, so slide in earlier if you want the corner booth. Pricing sits comfortably below the Ji De Chi and Ah Chew Desserts of the world, which makes it an easy default for groups splitting the bill.
The Verdict
King of Dessert is the rare Sim Lim opening that isn't a phone repair kiosk — and it might just be the best-value dessert cafe to launch in the Rochor area this year. Go for the orh nee, stay for the mango snow ice, and leave with zero regrets about skipping dinner. Bring three friends, bring an appetite, and bring cash for the Bugis Street detour afterwards.
