Jin Jin Dessert 津津冷热饮品 @ ABC Brickworks Food Centre

Look at the big smile on Ewan’s face.   The creative director of Gangster Ice, or 流氓冰，a shaved iced mango dessert with a scoop of durian on top.  The name “gangster” derived from the playful use of Chinese words: durians “榴莲” and mango “芒果” resulting in its phonetically equivalent of  gangster ice (流氓冰) which is a trademark!  Now, tell me which other hawker has a dish patented with trademark?

That’s Gangster Ice (流氓冰) for you.

Today is the start of the Singapore Favourite Food Village at Bay Front.  I am so excited about attending the event and keep tossing in my bed especially thinking that I should blog about my favourite store amongst all those I visited amongst the media preview.  None other than Jin Jin Dessert at ABC Brickworks Food Centre.

Red Ruby

OK, this is really nothing to scream about.  The red ruby uses water chestnut as it core and coated with tapioca flour outside to give it a special jelly like texture.  We had this dish to proof that long before pearls in bubble tea, we already had this tapioca flour starch for a good bite in our dessert.  On a side note, every time I think of a red ruby, I always think of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice, a play written by playwright William Shakespeare. I always think of the red ruby to symbolise Shylock’s power for wealth and his blood thirsty quench to exact a revenge.

Matcha Red Bean Shaved Ice

I always like to say in my blog that I am not a fan of something, and so you have it again.  I am not a fan of matcha green tea derivatives.  But when I had this dessert, I thought of my sweet colleague/friend who loves matcha.  I will bring her to Jin Jin Dessert to try this dessert.

Power Chendol

Saving the best for the best.  The Power Chendol!  Do not underestimate this common dessert, it is not called Power for nothing.  The last time I even had a memorable chendol was probably when I was in Malacca on a Secondary School geography field trip.  Yes, I am a food/dessert connoisseur at such young and tender age!  So I was pleasantly delighted to experience this change into my adulthood.  The secret lies in the gula melaka that they use which is so thick, and very rich and intense in flavour.  Apparently I was right about this because Ewan came to explain that they imported the top grade gula melaka and painstakingly prepare it for use.  Stealing a pharse from the owner, this gula melaka is so heavenly that you can say it’s Asian’s Caramel!

Jin Jin Dessert is the top voted stall for the Dessert category for Singapore Food Festival 2013.  Although famed for its Gangster Ice, I conclude that their value proposition really lies in the Power Chendol.  I will recommend you to save stomach for this great, heavenly dessert that even Gordon Ramsay will find it a tough match!

You can savour the 20 voted favourite stores voted from the online polls at the Singapore Food Festival Village to be held from 12 to 21 July 2013 at Bayfront Avenue (near Bayfront train station, Circle Line). This 10-day festival is organised by the Singapore Food & Beverage Alliance to celebrate Singapore’s unique food heritage and pays homage to local culinary heroes.

Jin Jin Dessert
6 Jalan Bukit Merah, #01-20
ABC Brickworks Market /Food Centre
Singapore 150008
Open daily: 12pm – 12am
Stall owners: Calvin Ho, Ewan Tang

Check out more favourites at the following links:

Apa Kitchen @ Marina Square Food Centre for Rojak category

China Street Fritters @ Maxwell Food Centre for Ngoh Hiong category

Sakunthala’s Food Palace @ Race Course Road for Nasi Briyani category

Thondamans Indian Muslim Food @ Norris Road for Roti Prata category