The Green Bean Shop: Old-school eatery with over 25 desserts & affordable local delights from $4

I travelled to Sin Min Road where a mixture of old flats and industrial buildings co-exist in a serene neighbourhood. Upon reaching Block 22 in search of The Green Bean Shop, I was astounded by the considerable length of the flat.

With my short legs, it seemed to take forever to explore the void deck. After I walked past several shops and 2 kopitiams, I eventually reached my destination.

The ambience exuded an old-school, nostalgic charm. With a total of only 7 tables, seating was limited.

During a brief conversation with a Malaysian staff member who had recently joined the establishment a week ago, I learnt that The Green Bean Shop has been running since 2015.

This business is run by 2 brothers who were previously involved in a now-defunct business called Chan’s Otah, located just a couple of units away. Due to personal reasons, they concluded operations and opted to venture into the dessert market, recognising its widespread popularity.

I noticed a table outside adorned with a tablecloth, reminiscent of Pizza Hut’s classic design. Positioned on it were boxes of Nyonya kueh, S$1 packets of nasi lemak, and a couple of desserts.

What I tried at The Green Bean Shop

It was 9am and since I hadn’t eaten breakfast yet, I kicked things off with the Laksa (S$4). It was a no-frills bowl consisting of thick bee hoon, fish cake slices, a whole boiled egg and tau geh submerged in a broth as red as the evening sun.

After giving the ingredients a thorough toss, I delicately slurped the noodles, exercising caution to prevent any gravy from splattering onto my shirt. The noodles were cooked just right— firm and had a bite to it.

With every lift of the fork, the inclusion of tau geh added a slightly-crisped texture, enhancing each mouthful with a tantalising crunch.

I was surprised at how robust and thick the laksa broth was. Despite the absence of daun kesum, the flavour was well-balanced, and the spice level hit a comfortable note.

The inclusion of fish cake slices and tau pok was a harmonious addition to the entire dish. The tau pok, acting like a flavour-absorbing sponge, enriched each bite with an abundance of the rich gravy. Even when resisting the urge to savour the gravy on its own, the experience was undeniably satisfying.

We had to wait 15 minutes for the Single Wing Nasi Lemak (S$4.50) as they were frying a batch of chicken wings.

Arriving on brown waxed paper, the dish presented a lavish heap of coconut rice crowned with a sunny-side up, the quintessential pairing of ikan bilis and peanuts, a halved chicken wing, sliced Japanese cucumbers, and, of course, sambal.

I tasted the rice on its own first. The texture was great, neither soggy nor hard. However, my taste buds longed for a more pronounced coconut taste, as I found myself grappling to discern its presence amidst the grains.

Incorporating the sambal into the rice and giving it a thorough mix transformed the dish into a vibrant pale-red hue. The sambal, with its harmonious blend of sweet, savoury, and spicy notes, elevated the initially unremarkable rice into a standout experience.

The 15-minute wait paid off handsomely as the chicken wing was appealingly crispy and well-marinated.

Amidst a plethora of more than 25 dessert options, my choice gravitated towards the Chendol (S$2.80)—a modest, no-frills delight. It consisted of a blend of shaved ice, coconut milk, red beans, pandan jelly, and a hint of gula melaka, if discernible.

After jumbling all the elements up, I went for my first spoonful and I was right. The gula melaka presence was notably subdued, either a case of too little quantity or perhaps overly diluted, leaving the overall sweetness profile wanting.

The creamy, dominant coconut flavour enveloped the entire dish, leaving me yearning for a more pronounced gula melaka taste to achieve perfection.

With a business boldly bearing the name ‘The Green Bean Shop’, one would presume green beans to be their specialty. So, keeping with the theme, I decided to order, as you might have guessed, the Green Bean Soup (S$1.80).

Arriving warm, it presented a dense concoction of creamy green beans interwoven with sago bits. The commendable aspect was its restrained sweetness, emerging as the true star of the dish.

We also decided to try out some of their kueh which was displayed outside. it’s worth noting that, in case of curiosity, these are store-bought rather than crafted in-house.

The staff informed us that with the purchase of 4 boxes, 1 additional box would be complimentary.

We tried the green and slightly-brown Ang Ku Kueh (S$1.60). Both turned out to be stuffed with mung beans and although the filling was delicious, I found the skin to be slightly on the thick and chewy side.

The Ondeh Ondeh (S$2.80) was the priciest, containing 6 mini balls dusted with shaved coconut. The generous and aromatic liquid palm sugar filling proved to be an indulgent explosion of flavour with each bite.

Final thoughts

I can see myself returning to The Green Bean Shop for a relaxed breakfast or lunch in this neighbourhood, where it feels like the hustle and fast-paced lifestyle of Singapore has momentarily come to a standstill.

For those contemplating a breakfast outing, the stall also offers a kaya toast with soft-boiled eggs and kopi set for S$2.60.

Whether you seek refuge from the sweltering heat with a refreshing bowl of dessert or indulge in the pocket-friendly local delights, I’m eager to hear your thoughts on the experience.

Order Delivery: foodpanda

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