What’s new in modern F&B design? Not much, really

You can literally chew on history. And, we’re happy to report, it’s rather tasty.

While vintage/retro aesthetics have been popular with homes and cafes for years, there seems to be an even greater ache for nostalgia these days. It isn’t enough to simply deck your space with the right furniture from the right era — even the drink in your hand should capture that specific moment in time.

Take one-week-old cupcake store Kisses in Tiong Bahru. It sits on the site of what used to be an old provision shop called Hup Seng, and the 20something owners took pains to ensure some things remained the same. “We didn’t want to destroy the facade so we kept a lot of things, like the 60-year-old gates and signboards, so that people who grew up in the neighbourhood could walk by and still remember the place,” explained co-owner Phil Choo. Some of the cupcakes flavours here, such as kaya and rose salted caramel, are similarly inspired by childhood memories and are made with local ingredients such as bandung.

We visit three other spots designed to be time machines. Well, sorta.

Sinpopo BRAND

(458 Joo Chiat Road. Tel: 6345 5034. Closed on Mondays. www.sinpopo.com)

“Remember, not?” a couple in their late 50s exclaimed as they did a double take walking past Sinpopo BRAND, while curious passers-by stopped to point at the red grilles and vintage telly at the doorway.

Perhaps they were also intrigued by the name — Sinpopo was a notorious nightclub in 1960s Tanjong Katong. Of course, the only thing saucy left from the Sinpopo of the day is the food, specially researched and recreated to evoke the flavours of the past. The braised chicken with rice, for example, is adapted from grandma’s recipe, and sambal is made from scratch, complete with chopped onions and anchovies. There’s even an updated version of the ice ball, now stuffed with ice kachang ingredients.

Interestingly Sinpopo is spearheaded by young ’uns. It’s an incubation project led by 20something managers Joann Li, Matthew Sim and Goh Say Joo under the sister company of Awfully Chocolate, The Big Appetite. Lyn Lee, founder of Awfully Chocolate, reckons making her staff take ownership of their projects is the way to attract and retain talent.

Its location in Joo Chiat is no accident. According to Lee, the impetus for Sinpopo was to “remind us of what Katong is supposed to be about”. “It’s not supposed to be just malls, cafes and Western food. (This) place has lost its character and a lot of soul.”

So the young team spared no effort in resurrecting that soul. They visited old coffee shops and researched the National Archives to nail the look. Walls are adorned with retro-looking posters created by the in-house design team and old vinyl records courtesy of Tong Mern Sern at Duxton, where the team also purchased other antiques. A telephone with a rotary dial sits fittingly on the rustic wooden counter top.

The hardest items to source were the enamel cutlery and crockery as the team did not want to use the cheaper melamine versions found in Singapore. “Singapore’s (hardware stores) only stock about 10 to 14 (enamel crockery) at most, and we needed more than that. We went to Johor Baru and finally found a store that could supply from 100 to 200,” Li explained. Even the metal spoons were also sourced from Malaysia. “It was the first time that we went antique hunting. We’re very amazed with all the things that we could find!”

It looks like they’ve succeeded in their quest to revive the days gone by. Customers have inquired if T-shirts the staff wear and the posters on the wall are for sale (the answer is no, for now).

“We also have customers who bring their kids here and they’re like, ‘This is what Papa used to eat when I was younger’,’” Li added. “And they teach their kids how to use the rotary phone!”

Dong Po Colonial Cafe

(56 Kandahar Street. Tel: 6298 1318. Closed on Mondays. www.facebook.com/DongPoColonialCafe)

For graphic-designer-turned-baker Kelvin Soh, Dong Po Colonial Cafe is his way of preserving the recipes and flavours of ’50s and ’60s pastries. “The sponge cakes from normal confectioneries all taste the same because they’re all made from the same mix. For me, it’s a very scary thing. The taste of our old heritage cakes is slowly disappearing,” said the 33-year-old who hails from a family of bakers.

Dong Po is also the perfect environment to enjoy traditional cream puffs and sponge cakes, and even a localised version of the French bostock (think French toast but elevated). A custom-restored Chinese carrom board sits out front; a shelf displaying a rare, working Kodak Moviedeck projector stands at the back; sepia-toned photographs depicting the neighbourhood hang on the walls.

Even the tables were specially created with display compartments to display retro memorabilia. Soh plans to change some of these displays to include educational information such as the stories behind some of the recipes.

Soh’s uncle, who worked as a set designer for what was then the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation, generously donated most of these decorative items. “(My uncle) did all the period dramas like The Awakening and has a lot of props at home. He told me that he’s old already so it’s pointless for him to collect. He was very happy to pass them on.”

Soh’s obvious intent is to create an ambience where people can reminisce about the past. “We want the old to reconnect with the young. We put all these old elements on every table so that when a family comes in, the parents can start to reminisce and tell stories to their children. It’s a conversation starter,” he explained.

It’s not just families Soh wants to reach out to — tables are deliberately arranged right next to each other to encourage conversations among strangers. “I remember even at Killiney kopitiam, people would just sit and make friends. This is one of the elements from the past that we find worth keeping but is disappearing — you could sit down with an old uncle, start talking, and relationships were born.”

Man Lian by Steam Sia

(3 Sentosa Gateway. Tel: 9101 4105. www.steamsia.com)

Originally located at Hindoo Road, cafe Steam Sia received such an overwhelming response — thanks to its homely Nyonya food and retro space — that founder Mervin Ng was compelled to expand its operations. With not one, but three new outlets.

The first of these is Man Lian by Steam Sia at St James, which opened this month. Compared to the original outlet, which was choc-a-block with fun vintage elements such as a wooden pushcart and childhood games like Old Maid and Snap as well as inflatable paper balls, Man Lian certainly boasts a more pared-down aesthetic.

The reason, Ng explained, is that he has to spread the vintage memorabilia out among three different outlets, the next two being at Hotel Clover on North Bridge Road and 6 Hong Kong Street. Both are slated to open at the end of July.

But fans of Steam Sia can rest assured Ng will be keeping somewhat to the formula, as he’s been sourcing online and at flea markets for his old furnishings. His proudest finds are a few rare marble tables and a working black-and-white television — all of which customers will soon be able to see in the upcoming outlets.

Interestingly, Ng became a fan of vintage items because he realised it was cheaper to decorate a space with items from the past than it was to renovate an entire space to look brand spanking new.