16Poh Guan Cake House at Hong Lim Complex caught me completely off guard. I originally went there hunting for ruan gao – those soft, mochi-like glutinous rice rolls my mum used to buy for prayers when I was a kid. But once I got there, the sight of freshly made Chinese Teochew traditional pastries sitting in the display was too tempting to resist.
The Ruan Gao That Started It All
Ruan Gao ($2.50 for a pack of 5 mini rolls)
These things are practically extinct now. My mum used to buy them for prayer offerings, and after the praying was done, we’d demolish them as snacks. I hadn’t seen them in years until I Googled and found photos showing Poh Guan Cake House sells them.
They’re way smaller than I remember. My husband said the same thing. But honestly, the smaller size works because these rolls are quite sweet. You can get sickly eating too many.
Poh Guan Cake House sells two types:
- White with pink middle
- Green with brown middle
The flavour difference isn’t huge. The green one has a slight pandan hint, but the coloured middles seem mostly decorative. The texture is soft, a little chewy, like eating mochi. They remind me of Teochew 老妈糕 (Lao Ma Gao) but in roll format.
The Peanut Roll You Need to Try
Peanut Roll ($5)
Soft with a slight chew and a little sticky from the maltose.
The peanut fragrance hits you immediately – roasty, nutty, and not overly sweet. This one’s really good.
The Pastries Line Up
Pong Bia ($1.50)
This one’s my absolute favourite from Poh Guan Cake House. The crust is harder, almost biscuit-like, but the layers are ridiculously flaky and crumbly. You need to hold your hand underneath or use a plate because crumbs will fly everywhere.
The filling has a bit of chew and isn’t too sweet. Everything tastes incredibly fresh. I’m not exaggerating when I say this is probably the best pong bia I’ve ever had. The crust alone is worth the visit.
Durian Biscuit ($1.80)
Think tau sar piah but with durian flavour. The durian isn’t super strong, more like a bonus element that elevates the whole thing. Pretty good stuff.
Black Sesame Biscuit ($1.80)
Thin skin with thick filling. The black sesame paste is smooth and fine with a nice sesame fragrance. Still leans a bit sweet for my liking.
Yam Biscuit ($1.80)
Longish shape with the same flaky crust. The filling’s a bit sweet, which masks the yam flavour. If it was less sweet, the yam would shine through more.
Wife Biscuit ($1.60)
Softer texture than the others. The wintermelon filling isn’t very sweet. Not bad.
What Makes Poh Guan Cake House Special
All the pastries at Poh Guan Cake House are above average. They deliver that nostalgic taste you can’t find easily these days. My top picks are the pong bia and durian biscuit, but honestly, the real star is the crust itself – flaky, fragrant, and delicious on its own.
The variety at Poh Guan Cake House is massive. I spotted la bia, ang ku kueh, ji hong, ma la gao, white cakes, green bean cakes, peanut candy, old school biscuits, snacks, and more. The shop’s packed with aunties and uncles wanting a taste of the good old times.
Whether you’re into traditional tastes or completely new to Teochew pastries, Poh Guan Cake House is worth checking out. This place is an old school gem that deserves to be treasured and preserved.