Searching for supper spots during the pandemic can be a bit of a challenge, with many eateries closing earlier than usual these days. Newly opened Chinese dessert shop, Tang Tavern, offers a welcome option for peckish night owls. The draw here? Its Mao Shan Wang durian “volcano”, billowing with dry ice ‘smoke’ for the ’gram.

The flashily-named Jumbo Dose MSW Volcano is a hulking bowl filled with Mao Shan Wang ice cream and durian puree on a bed of durian mousse. It’s large enough for two to three people (you and your makan kaki will just have to make up for the missing third person while dining in). Tang Tavern opens till 1am daily, and till 2am on Friday and Saturday nights.

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The 24-seater (12 when socially-distanced) dessert shop is fronted by 40-year-old Elsie Law, a wedding sales manager. As the wedding business didn’t show much signs of improvement with Covid-19 raging on, she took a leap of faith and opened Tang Tavern in May, leveraging on her restaurant contacts to learn some tong shui recipes.

Seating at this casual Clementi joint is largely alfresco, with only four seats within the air-conditioned shop. We haven’t had the chance to pop by yet, but here’s what to expect.

The dessert’s mousse base is made from the puree of three durian varietals – Mao Shan Wang, D24 and XO – along with fresh milk. Sitting pretty on top of the mousse are two heaping piles of bittersweet Mao Shan Wang flesh and a further two scoops of MSW ice cream.

For a touch of theatre, staff pour warm water over dry ice hidden in a cavity in the centre of the bowl before serving, so it arrives all ‘smoky’ and dramatic. We're not sure if it looks like a volcano, but it sure seems decadent.

For those who aren’t fans of the King of Fruit, try this instead. It features sliced strawberries, mangoes, kiwi and two scoops of vanilla ice cream on aiyu jelly and shaved ice. The cheaper bowl also comes with the Instagrammable dry ice gimmick.

Apart from massive dessert bowls, you can expect tong shui classics starting from $2.80 for a bowl of Iced Aiyu Jelly; other staples like Peanut Paste, Green Bean Sago or Traditional Milk Pudding go for $3.80 each. Cold drinks, like the Strawberry Ice Blended ($5.80) and old-school Blue Coral Aiyu Yoghurt Milk Mousse ($6.30) are also sold.

Pricier options include the staple Mango Pomelo with Sago ($5.80), collagen-rich Peach Gum ($6.80), and ever-popular Taiwanese dessert, Taro and Sweet Potato Ball ($5.80) – pictured above with a scoop of vanilla ice cream ($1).

Tang Tavern is at #01-08, JK Village, 6 Clementi Rd, S129741. Tel: 8180-6807. Open Mon–Sat, 3pm–1am (till 2am on Fri & Sat); Sun noon–1am. More info via

Photos: Tang Tavern

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