DIY Your Own Acai Bowl With Unlimited Toppings At This New Pasir Panjang Cafe

ChiAcai is a new DIY acai cafe in Pasir Panjang

There’s nothing like a refreshing acai bowl to beat Singapore’s heat. While I usually frequent popular acai cafe chains, I also love discovering new standalone brands. My latest find was ChiAcai; what caught my attention was that you can DIY your own bowl of acai with chia pudding—and choose from over 30 different toppings. 

To customise your healthy dessert bowl, choose between a regular size, which comes with two bases ($10.90), and a large bowl for three bases ($14.90).

There are eight bases for your consideration, namely Acai, Pitaya Sorbet, Coconut Sorbet, and Chia Pudding in five flavours: Pitaya, Matchia, Blue Moon, Green Magic, and Coco Vanilla Chia.

We got two regular bowls—the first was a combination of Acai and Blue Moon, while the second was Acai with Coconut Sorbet.

For the curious, the Blue Moon chia pudding tastes like coconut milk, and its gelatinous consistency pairs well with the smooth, creamy acai base. We appreciated that the house-made acai sorbet wasn’t too icy or gritty, striking just the right balance of sweetness and tartness.

The Coconut Sorbet was equally delicious, making it the perfect treat on a scorching afternoon. Do note that when combined, the acai base takes a backseat, as the coconut flavour is more pronounced.

There are plenty of fresh fruits, granola, superfoods, and drizzles, so you can create your bowl exactly how you like it!

Acai bowls are not complete without fruits, and we were pleased with the selection at ChiAcai. You can expect mangoes, cranberries, strawberries, blueberries, pink and white dragonfruit and more.

If you’d like bananas, simply ask for some and the staff will slice them on the spot for you.

You can then move on to the superfoods section, where you will find nine options on display: cacao nibs, almond flakes, Lotus Biscoff, and toasted coconut flakes are just some examples.

Of course, there’s granola too, in three variations: maple granola, choc granola, and rolled oats. The latter is great if you want something less sweet.

Finally, finish your bowl with some drizzle. Of the lot, we tried pistachio and cookie butter, both of which were sweet and creamy. There are other options too, such as hazelnut, cashew butter, and almond butter.

For easy access, ChiAcai is a quick seven-minute walk from Haw Par Villa MRT Station. It’s a cosy cafe with seats that accommodate at most 10 diners at once. 

If you’re heading across the Causeway soon, check out our guide to the best matcha cafes in JB. Alternatively, check out Cornercove cafe, a DIY acai bar in Bugis that offers unlimited toppings. 

Address: 218 Pasir Panjang Road, #01-11, Icon@Pasir Panjang, Singapore 118579
Opening hours: Sun, Tue-Wed 10am to 6:30pm, Thurs-Sat 10am to 10pm
Tel: 8928 2472
Website
ChiAcai is not a halal-certified eatery. 

Photos taken by Paula Formantes.
This was a media tasting at ChiAcai.