We Tried China’s Famous Yi Man Fen Dessert—Dubai Chocolate Frappe, Thai Tea Pudding And More

Chinese dessert chain Yi Man Fen opens at 313@somerset

I’m a fan of trendy desserts—pistachio gelato, matcha lattes and the lot—but I’m also a huge fan of traditional Chinese desserts. Brands such as Mei Heong Yuen and Yat Ka Yan have a special place in my heart, so I’m a little sceptical of newer brands that put a modern spin on the classics. Yi Man Fen, which recently opened their first overseas outlet at 313@somerset, is one such brand.

Born in Hangzhou in 2024, Yi Man Fen has since grown to over 90 outlets across 14 major cities in China, selling over a whopping 20 million handcrafted desserts and beverages annually.

One thing that sets Yi Man Fen apart is its commitment to preparing everything from scratch. According to the brand, every dessert base and tea brew is slow-simmered fresh in-store, without using pre-made flavour bases or artificial flavourings. Instead, the desserts rely on carefully sourced ingredients such as Jianning lotus seeds, Suizhou peach gum, premium white fungus, and red beans from northeast China.

We ordered the Mango Pomelo Sago ($7.60), which was a refreshing take on the timeless classic. Presentation-wise, it didn’t stray too far from the original. The base featured an uber-creamy mango milkshake, loaded with fresh chunks of mango, pomelo, and chewy sago pearls.

While the base was rich and creamy, it never tipped into cloying territory. The pomelo’s natural tartness also did a good job of cutting through the creaminess.

I preferred the Silken Soya Pudding Grand Bowl ($6.80). Ultra-tender and silky, the soya pudding had a delicate, natural aroma that was miles away from the packaged kind. The handmade toppings—lotus seeds, peach gum, sweet potato taro balls, tapioca, and a drizzle of fresh milk—were all well-executed and added a variety of textures to each bite.

Moving on to the drinks, the Dubai Chocolate with Squeezy Cocoa ($8.80) was the most theatrical of the lot. Inspired by the viral Dubai chocolate trend, this coffee cocoa frappe comes with pistachio kataifi and a squeezy cup where you crack the cocoa coating as you drink.

Although a tad gimmicky, I did enjoy how the pistachio kataifi added a satisfying crunch, and it tasted exactly like a Dubai chocolate kunafa dessert in drink form, though it did lean sweet.

We were also served the Thai Milk Tea & Soya Pudding ($6.80), which combined a house-brewed Thai milk tea with Anchor whipping cream, corn puff crisps for crunch, and their house-made soya pudding.

The Thai milk tea came through strongly here—it was fragrant and bold, with that distinctive sweet, spiced quality that was easily recognisable. The corn puff crisps added a playful crunch on top, and the soya pudding underneath gave it a silky finish.

Bubble tea fans would enjoy the Boba Creme Pudding Frappe ($5.90), starring a smoothie of fresh milk, lapsang souchong black tea and house-made creme pudding, topped generously with chewy tapioca pearls. The lapsang souchong, known for its smoky, slightly woody character, added a subtle depth to the drink. Like the Dubai Chocolate drink, this one did lean sweet, too.

As someone who came in sceptical, I’m glad to say the modern spins here feel justified as they don’t stray so far from tradition that the soul of the dessert is lost. Come with an open mind, and you might just be surprised by how much there is to like here. If you’re heading down soon, Yi Man Fen is running a limited-time opening promotion from 15 to 21 July 2026 where you can snag 50% off your second dessert, making it the perfect excuse to bring a friend along. 

For more dessert recommendations, read our best dessert cafes in Singapore guide. In other related content, check out our feature on the rise of Chinese F&B chains in Singapore.

Address: 313 Orchard Road, 313@somerset, #02-50 & #02-K4, Singapore 238895
Opening hours: Daily 9am to 10:30pm
Website
Yi Man Fen Dessert is not halal-certified.

Photos taken by Nivian Chiang.
This was a media tasting at Yi Man Fen.