Hoo-Gah – Minimalistic Cafe at Shenton Way Selling Fusion Banh Mi, Coffee Milk Fraps & More

Amidst the tall buildings in the CBD sits a chic cafe that aims to bring comfort to the office crowd.

Opened by five university students from Kaplan Singapore, Hoo-gah serves unique Banh Mi with fusion flavours and refreshing drinks.

The idea of setting up a cafe came about when Yuquan and Yuri met two years ago when they went for English lessons together. They had always wanted to start their own business while pursuing their degrees, and they made their dream a reality. They decided to sell banh mi as it’s not too difficult to prepare.

The cafe’s name — Hoo-Gah (pronounced as ‘hygge’) — means cosiness and conviviality in Danish, which the students hope to achieve with their cafe. You will be greeted by a sleek white interior, paintings, and potted plants on the tables, once you step into the space.

The staff prepares each banh mi by stuffing the insides of a fresh heated loaf procured from a supplier with fresh vegetables and ingredients. Don’t expect just any traditional banh mi here, as the cafe provides unorthodox and Western flavours such as pork floss and beef cheese.

I tried the Hoo-Gah Pork Floss ($4.90), which is one of the cafe’s most affordable banh mi. The warm Vietnamese bun was topped with pork floss, pork sausage bits, butter sauce, and chilli oil. The banh mi was sliced into pieces, making it easy to share. The cafe also provides gloves if you prefer to keep your hands clean.

When I first saw the Hoo-Gah Beef Cheese ($7.90), I was reminded of American cheesesteaks. The loaf was stuffed full with stir-fried beef, melted mozzarella cheese and plenty of cucumber, radish, and coriander. The meat was tender and flavourful, while the fluffy toasted bun and veggies gave a refreshing crunch. I only hoped that the cheese would be more melted as it fairly clumpy on the beef.

Fight the humid weather with a cup of Hoo-Gah Coffee Milk Frap ($3.50), which is made with Vietnam-imported beans. They also offer a Coconut Shake, which I didn’t have a chance to try, but I hope to the next time.

If you’re looking for a chill cafe, and wouldn’t mind some banh mi and coffee, pop by Hoo-Gah early before the lunch crowd beats you to it!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to Hoo-Gah. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!