Some places follow a trend. The Nanyang-style cafe is one of them. These spots are popping up across Singapore, selling nostalgia in an air-conditioned setting.
Wanglee Cafe is one such place, located in a Toa Payoh HDB block. This is a tricky location. In the heartlands, you are competing directly with hawker centres and markets. People here know what a good plate of bee hoon or ban mian should cost. Opening a cafe means charging at least 30% more for the same food, just with better seating and cooler air. It’s a gamble. Occasionally, that premium works — when execution rises to meet the price point, like at Collin’s @ Nex, where a heartland setting does not automatically mean compromised standards.
I was in Toa Payoh early. The cafe opens at 7 a.m., which is a point in its favour. I arrived around 7:40 a.m. and the place was already crowded. The hype, it seems, has found an audience.
I ordered the economical bee hoon set. It came with vegetables, a fried egg, and luncheon meat. The portion of bee hoon was small. The flavours were standard. It was a serviceable plate of food, but nothing more.
Next was the Ban Mian, their top recommendation. The noodles had a decent texture, but I have had better from a hawker stall for half the price. The broth was simple. It lacked the depth that makes a bowl of ban mian truly comforting.
There were some bright spots. The soft-boiled eggs were cooked perfectly. The yolks were runny, the whites were just set. This is a simple thing, but many places get it wrong. The coffee was decent. We also tried the “Iced Coffee Volcano,” which was a theatrical, overflowing cup. It looked good for a photo.
But here is the question: does the comfort of air-conditioning justify the higher price and average quality?
For me, the answer is no. This kind of food (the simple, honest breakfast of Singapore) belongs in a market. It tastes better there. It feels more authentic. It is part of the morning ritual, the steam, the noise, the efficiency. Spend a morning at Kim Keat Palm Market, and you are reminded why some meals do not need air-conditioning to feel complete.
When you take that food and put it in a clean, quiet cafe, something is lost. When you charge more for it, you raise expectations. And Wanglee Cafe, despite its crowd, did not meet them.
Will I be back? Probably not. I prefer the markets. The food is better, and the price is honest. Wanglee Cafe sells an idea. I would rather just eat the food.
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