Lai Po Heen at Mandarin Oriental Welcomes Chef Thomas Fong from Doha
April 24th, 2024
This Malaysian family-run cafe could be one of the Klang Valley’s coolest venues for ‘bingsu’ shaved ice desserts – KC, his wife Rachel & their sons first fell in love with bingsu while travelling in Seoul; they’ve since partnered with Korean collaborators this year to open Bingsu, which serves chilled desserts with a distinctive flair.
Bingsu raises the bar by sourcing top-flight ingredients for its bingsu, such as fresh Korean blueberries, heaped with cheesecake chunks for a true treat. Portions seem princely (two can share a bowl) & prices feel fair, ranging from RM12.90 for a basic ‘injelomi’ rice cake bingsu to RM16.90 for a Belgian chocolate bingsu & RM17.90 for this blueberry cheesecake bingsu.
We also love the tropical twist of the Durian Mango bingsu (RM18.90) – the sliced D24 durian & mango are sweet & juicy, though the shining star is the topping of luscious durian ice cream by an independent local producer. Bingsu’s shaved ice is notably intriguing in texture – softer & smoother than the norm, snowy & milky. Flavours taste relatively natural & wholesome.
We sampled a tasting of Bingsu’s excellent ice cream & sorbets, made with real fruits & nuts. Flavours like soursop & lime prove punchy & potent, while the banana & cempedak both turn out lively & lovely. Pistachio is a vibrant triumph too, created with Italian imports. RM7.90 per full scoop, RM12.90 for two, RM17.90 for three. No artificial flavours, colours & preservatives.
Bingsu concentrates on desserts, but there’s nonetheless one interesting savoury item – a muffin-sized baked egg with a centre of spicy tuna, served with olive bread & rocket salad, ideal for a light lunch. All in all, we were pleasantly surprised by Bingsu’s well-thought-out & well-executed efforts; many thanks to KC & Rachel for hosting us here.
Bingsu
28 Jalan SS 21/35, Damansara Utama
Open daily, noon through midnight
Tel: +603-7733-3086