Foodography: A Singapore Food Blog

One of my favourite cafes that I discovered in Guangzhou this year has got to be Fulley. Occupying 3 storeys of a residential building, the café operates by a reservation-only system, where reservations can be made 1 week in advance on their WeChat mini program. I didn’t do sufficient research and made 1 wasted trip initially.

You get to choose your table on a first-come, first-serve basis within your reservation time slot. I sat on the third floor, which has good natural lighting with window views of the greenery. The white walls, linen curtains, wooden chairs and tables, and concrete floor made a minimalistic interior with a serene atmosphere.

Their menu boasted an array of Japanese-inspired desserts with pictures – the signature item is the Parfait which changed seasonally. When I went, I had the September – October Parfait Cup (CNY98, SGD17.9). It came with a card to describe the ingredients belonging to each layer of the intricate parfait. Mine featured fig and chestnut as the main fruits, paired with a long, curated list of ingredients – buckwheat crisps, chestnut rum gelato, chestnut puree, candied orange peel, Brittany shortbread, thousand silk cakes, fig sorbet, fig, wuyi rock tea milk jelly, black tea bergamot crisps, fig leaf butter, caramel chocolate chip, lemon jelly, red wine fig jam.

I liked the balance of fruity and nutty flavours, creamy and crisp textures, and that it was only subtly sweet. I finished it easily on my own.

The parfait set also came with a dainty cup of Jasmine Silver Needle Tea – premium chinese white tea made from the unopened buds of the tea plant and scented with fresh jasmine flowers. It was a good palate cleanser.

I was surprised to see a Durian Cheese Tart (CNY45, SGD 8.2) on the menu so I tried it – the overall durian and cheese flavours were not too heavy, and the texture was rather light like a souffle cheese tart.

The Peach Cheese Tart (CNY55, SGD10.1) tasted as good as it looked. I sliced through its glossy pink surface into the layers of juicy peach flesh, peach compote and creamy cheese tart, all of which came together excellently.

For a smaller, lighter snack, there was the Matcha Genmaicha Rice Mousse (CNY48, SGD8.8) – though I wished the matcha flavour could be more pronounced.

There were no non-dairy milk options here for the Hojicha Latte (CNY38, SGD6.9) and Matcha Latte (CNY38, SGD 6.9). Both were sufficiently intense, without much sweeteners.

I haven’t had such good quality desserts in a while and the entire experience truly reminded me of my time spent in cafes in Japan (even the people at the table next to mine were Japanese).

广东省-广州市-越秀区-寺右新马路南二街12号3F

五羊邨站（A口步行4分钟）

3F, 12 Nan Er Jie, Si You Xin Ma Lu, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou city, Guangdong province, China

Wuyangcun Station (4 mins walk from Exit A)

12pm – 7pm Fri to Mon (by reservation only)

Near the Baiyun International Airport in Guangzhou is the district of Huadu, where I stopped by before heading to the airport to catch my flight back to Singapore. From the Huadu Plaza subway station, I hopped on a Didi to Kaa Room, a café on my list.

Housed along a small street away from the main road, the café stood out from the surrounding older buildings, especially with its bright blue door. Stepping in, it felt as though I was transported to another city, as the atmosphere turned relaxing and peaceful.

There was a group of customers sitting at the coffee bar, engaged in light-hearted conversations with the owner cum barista who brewed each cup of filter coffee from behind the wooden counter. The café serves only hand brewed coffee and a non-coffee beverage according to the season, with no pastries or bakes. The menu had a range of single origin coffee from Panama and Ethiopia, with prices ranging from CNY 58 to 158.

As I was already caffeinated in the morning, I chose the non-coffee beverage – the Green Plum Cold Brew (CNY 45). I loved the balanced sweet-sour flavour profile, making a refreshing iced drink in the heat and humidity.

After the group left, it was my turn to make casual conversation with the owner – we talked about the aesthetics of the café, about how the light and shadows moved in the café.

The café was also pet-friendly – I sat across the table from the owner’s unabashed cat which perched itself on the chair, feeling less lonely.

12pm – 6pm Thu to Fri (check their rednote for the exact schedule of the current month)

13-32 Meigui Road, Huadu District, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, China 510813

Nearest station: Huadu Plaza Exit C

广东省 广州市 花都区 玫瑰路 13-32 号

花都广场站C口

Along a small lane of the touristy Beijing Road in the old town of Guangzhou was Che Cha, a tranquil tea house which specialises in traditional tea, kombucha and tea cocktails. The main tea house was on the first floor, divided into 3 areas with moody lighting and tones – the outer veranda, tea hall and private rooms.

Heading up the stairs, you could find creative spaces on the second and third floor, housing art exhibitions. And finally, up on the fourth floor was where I found myself spending the rest of my time at the café.

The white, minimalistic space featured their handmade objects, primarily white pieces of porcelain, lit by natural light from the windows. In the center, there was a kombucha bar displaying glass jars of kombucha undergoing fermentation, with a communal table right in front. Through a door, you could also step outside to sit in a backyard with bamboo chairs and wooden benches in the cooler season.

I ordered a drink and tea snack on the first floor where the cashier was, and the owner kindly brought them up to the fourth floor where I wanted to sit.

The Ginger Lemon Kombucha (RMB 48, SGD 8.8) I had was made with 2 rounds of fermentation – the first round with oolong and the second round with ginger lemon. I liked the subtle spiciness of ginger blended with the refreshing acidity of lemon, creating a bright, aromatic flavour that was refreshing in the heat and humidity. It also came with a small piece of peanut candy on the side for a sweet finish.

Alongside the kombucha, I ordered a Red Bean Yokan (RMB 28, SGD 5.2) which made a substantial snack.

As I was the only customer that morning, I could indulge fully in the quiet, peaceful atmosphere of the tea house and gallery, leaving behind the touristy Beijing Road below and the busy CBD district where I was working at.

10.30am to 8pm

广东省广州市越秀区北京街道北京路昌兴街7号

地铁1号线/2号线公园前地铁站出口

7 Changxing Street, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province

Nearest MRT Station: Gongyuanqian station

I found yet another Japanese inspired café in Guangzhou, Tanny Cake. It was housed in a standalone, 2 storey wooden hut right along the main road, looking as though it popped right out from a Japanese anime.

When I entered, the cafe was rather packed with ladies, many of them trying to pose for photos at different corners of the 2-storey wooden café. I felt a little uncomfortable as it was obvious that some of them were doing product shoots, but the staff did not seem bothered by it.

I went up to the second floor for the tables by the window that overlook the busy main street below. Apart from the traffic and construction noises, the ambiance was relaxing, fit for a lazy afternoon tea session.

From the selection of cakes, I ordered the Matcha Lava Basque Cheesecake (RMB 35, SGD 6.2) which was very creamy, rich and intense, with distinct bitter and earthy tones from the matcha. The consistency of the cake was also lava-like in the middle.

If you prefer something more fruity and less bitter, the Blueberry Lava Basque Cheesecake (RMB 35, SGD 6.2) would be a great choice.

As a café specialising in cakes, I was not expecting much from their coffee but the Latte (RMB 24, SGD 4.3) that I had, made from their blackberry blend, was well-balanced.

With a comfortable price point for such quality cakes and coffee, paired with the lovely atmosphere and aesthetics of the wooden shophouse, it was no wonder that the café has been booming with popularity in Guangzhou.

Address: 广东省-广州市-海珠区-沙园街道沙园街广州重型机器厂宿舍西141米

Directions: 地铁8号线/广佛线沙园站C口出来步行几百米就到

Opening Hours: 12pm – 9pm daily