Restaurant Review: Tangpin

What: Southeast Asian desserts

Why: Because it’s always good to try things once

How much: RMB 20 – RMB 40

Where: Shop 7, Novel Place, 133 Tianyaoqiao Lu. Tel: 3368 6879

Brian Tan made a name for himself in the chocolate business. Affectionately referred to as Shanghai’s very own Willy Wonka, Tan’s cacao empire includes House of Flour, hoF and C Cafe. But with the addition of Tangpin to his repertoire, it seems like the native Malaysian has been sidetracked from chocolate by Southeast Asian sweets.

The concept of Tangpin (a term that translates as ‘candies’) is to make everything fresh, using only the fruits that are in season. The blackboard against the wall lists the offerings for the day and nothing more. While this can be exciting for some, it can also be a pain for others, especially for those who can’t read Chinese characters. Your best bet is to look for Tan himself to ask for an English translation, or simply grunt and point to what you want when it’s your turn to order.

The only constant on the menu is a durian fixation. When we visited, there were durian cupcakes, two kinds of durian smoothies and a deliciously pungent durian pengat (a traditional Hokkien fruit-based dessert that translates as ‘sweet sauce’). If you can tolerate the noxious scent of the fragrant durian, you might be pleasantly surprised by each dessert’s distinctive flavor. Tan calls his durian pengat a taste of ‘double happiness’ because of its combination of durian, coconut milk and sweet corn. The current menu also includes almond crème and milk pudding, for those who shy from anything containing the fragrant fruit.

All in all, the rich and creamy desserts make it easy to understand why the store is a hit for locals, but foreigners might find the menu’s eclectic mix of ingredients to be an acquired taste.