This New Japanese Cafe Has Mains Under $20++, Get Mentaiko Shokupan And Goma Latte Here

Ne Ne Neko is a Japanese cafe by day and an izakaya bar at night

The food scene in Paya Lebar has been bustling thanks to the hustle of more than 150 F&B stores at Paya Lebar Square and PLQ. One of the newest additions to this whopping number is Ne Ne Neko, a Japanese-themed cafe that doubles as an izakaya bar at night.

My colleague and I dropped by sometime after 2pm, and we tried a lovely range of their cafe offerings, including two mains, a side, two drinks, and a dessert.

The first item on our radar was their Oishi Mentai Shokupan ($14++), which was one of five different flavours. Some other flavours include Tamago No Shokupan ($12++) and Burnt Butter Honey Shokupan ($12++).

This charcoal-toasted shokupan came generously topped with furikake, aburi mentaiko, and shredded seaweed. Though the mentaiko was briny on its own, the saltiness was balanced out by the honey within the shokupan.

We also had the Chicken Katsu Sando ($17++): two pieces of white bread layered with fried chicken katsu, shredded cabbage salad, and kewpie mayo. You also get a side of fries to go with your sandwich!

If you’re dropping by with a hearty lunch in mind, I recommend this instead of the shokupan as it will keep you filled for the day.

Mains aside, their Tempura Ika ($8.90++) was a simple yet moreish snack to have over conversations with my colleague. These fried squid fritters tasted even better when paired with the tangy-sweet kewpie mayo. I could imagine having this with a pint of beer—the fried squid would be the perfect pairing with your alcoholic drinks.

As a huge fan of anything with black sesame, I was most excited about the Kuro Goma Latte ($7++). You get creamy oat milk as your base mixed with a nutty black sesame paste, then finished with a black sesame cracker atop the glass cup.

I really liked that oat milk was used instead of dairy as it gave the drink a velvety smooth texture. My only gripe would be that they could have used more black sesame paste as the nutty fragrance and earthy flavours were lacking.

We also tried the gorgeous Yuzu Cloud ($10++), an interesting concoction of cold brew coffee, yuzu sorbet, and fluffy lemon yuzu foam. Do note that this drink is only available cold.

If you can appreciate acidic coffee, you’ll surely enjoy the Yuzu Cloud—it boasts a good blend of sour and bittersweet flavours. Here’s my tip: wait for the sorbet to melt completely if you don’t mind the tangy notes of yuzu infusing your coffee. Else, scoop the yuzu sorbet and have it like an ice cream first, and then enjoy your cup of cold brew.

We ended with the delicate Matcha Neko Mountain ($8++), featuring white chocolate matcha mousse and matcha lava at the core. 

This dessert is sweet and creamy, and melts exceptionally fast given the heat. I recommend ordering this only after you’re done with all your meals.

Ne Ne Neko isn’t air-conditioned, but worry not as the alfresco dining space is open and breezy  —we visited when it was scorching hot outside but the cafe was surprisingly cooling.

If you love sando as much as I do, read our guide to the best sando in Singapore. Alternatively, check out these cheap Japanese food places in Singapore serving mentaiko don and chirashi for under $15.

Address: 10 Paya Lebar Road, #01-K7, PLQ Plaza, Singapore 409057
Opening hours: Mon-Tue 11am to 11pm, Wed-Fri 11am to 12am, Sat 10am to 12am, Sun 10am to 10pm
Website
Ne Ne Neko is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by Hor Kia Ee.
This was a media tasting at Ne Ne Neko.