We visited the new Minion-themed pop-up cafe in Clarke Quay and spent more time taking pictures than eating
The Minion Cafe will be operating from Oct 28, 2021 to Jan 2, 2022.
PHOTO: AsiaOne/Kimberly Anne Lim, AsiaOne/Esther Lam
PUBLISHED ONOctober 21, 2021 1:35 PMByEsther LamA new pop-up cafe is coming to town and it features our favourite yellow fellows – Minions!
While Minion Cafe, brought to life by Universal Brand Development, Parco and 1-Group, will only be opening its doors to the public on Oct 28, we enjoyed a sneak peek of the whimsical space at a media preview today (Oct 21).
Without further ado, here's what you can expect.
Surrounded by colourful decor and Insta-worthy spots
Walking in, there's absolutely no doubt where you are — Minions are everywhere and there are adorable life-sized figures right at the door.
But we do have to say, the the wooden interior and leather seats give off more of a chill bar vibe — clashing a little with the bright, quirky Minion decor.
Nevertheless, with themed-placemats and walls covered in vibrant posters and artwork, you're guaranteed to have a photo-worthy backdrop no matter where you're seated.
We have to admit, we spent even more time gallivanting around the place and striking poses than actually eating.
To our delight, there were Minion mascots at the entrance striking poses as we popped by for photos.
Minion-themed menu to satiate your hunger
Prices here aren't far off from usual cafe fare, and the food tastes as good as it looks, for the most part.
We started off with the Minion Pumpkin Mantou with Chilli Crab Meat Dip ($14 for four pieces) decorated with cute Minion faces.
In case you're wondering, the faces are crafted from potato sheets. And yes, they're edible.
For our mains, we had the pleasure of trying the Minion Keema Chicken Curry ($25) and Minion Wagyu Lunch Plate ($28). For drinks, we tried out the Yellow Bello Pineapple ($9) and Minion Banana Drink ($9).
The curry offered flavour, a tinge of spice and bits of crispy, fried banana slices while the lunch plate had juicy, tender meat with buttery mashed potato and Minion-sized rice balls.The turmeric rice in both dishes was just a tad bit dry for our liking though.
Unfortunately, Minion Banana Drink was a no-go for us — its crunchy cornflakes quickly turned soggy, and it tasted more of artificial flavouring than actual bananas.
On the other hand, the Yellow Bello Pineapple was one of the highlights and had a refreshing, tangy kick.
And for dessert, we had the Minion Banana Boat ($18) comprising two delicious scoops of ice cream (strawberry and cotton candy flavoured), soft sponge cake, a chocolate-covered banana, crispy cornflakes, blueberries and mango whipped cream — a delightful combination.
Unfortunately, we didn't get to sample the entire menu but here are some of the other dishes on the menu for you to feast your eyes on.
Get your hands on special merchandise
The pop-up is also offering exclusive products such as stationery, key chains and plush toys, so don't forget to check them out at the store, located a few doors down from the cafe.
Some of the items on sale are specially brought in from Japan and across South-east Asia, and aren't available anywhere else in the world.
The Minion Cafe will be operating until Jan 2, 2022.
Visit their website to book a reservation, and check out their Facebook and Instagram for updates.
Address: 3A River Valley Road, Merchant's Court, #01-01C to 01D, Block A Clarke Quay, Singapore 179020
Opening hours: 11am-10pm
ALSO READ: A first look at LA chain Eggslut's new store in Singapore: Menu, prices and what we recommend
This article has been edited for clarity.
For more original AsiaOne articles, visit here.
