Tiaptiap, a six-year-old home-based business known for pandan chiffon cake and ondeh ondeh cake, has opened its first physical store along East Coast Road, offering takeaway treats and frozen Peranakan-style meals just steps from the popular Beach Road Prawn Mee queue.
If you’ve ever stood in line for a bowl of prawn noodles at Beach Road Prawn Mee, you’ve likely noticed the new neighbor next door. Tiaptiap, a snack kiosk that debuted in late June at 374 East Coast Road, is the first brick-and-mortar outpost for a homegrown brand that started as a home-based online business in 2020. The store functions primarily as a takeaway spot, with a handful of indoor and outdoor seats for those who want to linger.
The venture is a family affair, run by mother Sophia Yeow, 55, and her daughter Nicole Lian, 29. Yeow may be familiar to some as a contestant on Season 2 of MasterChef Singapore; she also operates Butterfly Table, a private dining concept where she hosts Peranakan tok panjang-style feasts from her home in the East. Lian, a former engineer, left her corporate job in 2024 to help her mother grow the business.
“We wanted a space where people could see the cakes, smell the pandan, and grab something on the go,” Lian says. “It’s a natural next step after six years of packing orders from home.”
A Warm Welcome with Vintage Charm
The Joo Chiat store feels inviting from the moment you step inside. Display cabinets lined with rows of vintage English fine bone china—moved from Yeow’s personal collection—anchor the space. But the real draw is the counter, stocked daily with fresh cakes and confections: pandan chiffon, ondeh ondeh, orange chiffon, and banoffee pie.
The pandan chiffon cake (from $20.80) has earned a loyal following for good reason. Yeow makes it with hand-squeezed pandan juice, Japanese cake flour, and fresh coconut milk. Each slice is airy and delicate, with a subtle pandan fragrance. It comes with a side of gula melaka for drizzling, though purists may prefer it plain.
Even more indulgent is the ondeh ondeh cake (from $68). A generous coat of freshly grated coconut tops a fragrant pandan sponge, layered with gula melaka filling and fresh whipped cream. It’s a rich, satisfying take on the classic kueh.
For those craving something different, the coffee-free banoffee pie (from $30) features ripe King of King bananas and homemade dulce de leche in a sturdy crumb crust, finished with a touch of cooked rum and cocoa powder. Other options include the 80s-style OG Chocolate Creamed Cake (from $69.80), a lighter orange chiffon cake (from $18.80), and bite-sized muah chee meant to be eaten chilled, like Japanese mochi.
Savory Take-Home Meals for Busy Weeknights
Tiaptiap isn’t just about sweets. The store also offers a lineup of frozen take-home dishes, prepared in a central kitchen and sold with cooking instructions. These are designed for time-strapped customers who want a quality meal after a long day.
The savory selection draws from Yeow’s Peranakan heritage and includes recipes she has refined over years of home cooking. Highlights include paper-wrapped chicken—individually marinated and wrapped before frying—olive truffle fried rice, a staple she often made when Lian’s friends visited after school, and Nyonya curry spiced midwings. Other options include Fuchow fishballs with minced pork and Teochew ngoh hiang.
“These are dishes I’ve been making for family and friends for years,” Yeow says. “Now we can share them with more people who want a home-cooked meal without the time.”
Before leaving, pick up a tub of homemade mackerel keropok (from $13.80). It pairs perfectly with Tiaptiap’s sambal belachan ($10.80), a punchy blend with calamansi that delivers a bright, spicy kick.
From Home Kitchen to Neighborhood Staple
Tiaptiap launched in 2020 as an online-only operation, selling pandan chiffon cake and radish yam kueh. Over six years, it built a following among home-baking enthusiasts. The new Joo Chiat kiosk marks a significant step for the mother-daughter team. Yeow, who also runs the private dining concept Butterfly Table, brings her Peranakan culinary background to the menu. Lian, who left her engineering career in 2024, handles day-to-day operations.
“We’ve always wanted a physical space where customers could see the cakes and talk to us,” Lian says. “It’s a different energy from packing orders in the kitchen.”
The savory lineup includes frozen take-home dishes prepared in a central kitchen, with cooking instructions attached. Highlights include olive truffle fried rice—a staple Yeow often made when Lian’s friends visited after school—Nyonya curry spiced midwings, Fuchow fishballs with minced pork, and Teochew ngoh hiang.
What to Order and When to Go
Tiaptiap is open from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Mondays, and 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Thursday through Sunday at 374 East Coast Road, Singapore 428983. The limited hours reflect the small team’s focus on quality and preparation.
For first-timers, the pandan chiffon cake remains the signature. But the ondeh ondeh cake (from $68) is a standout: a pandan sponge layered with gula melaka filling and fresh whipped cream, topped with grated coconut. The OG Chocolate Creamed Cake (from $69.80) channels 1980s nostalgia, while the orange chiffon cake (from $18.80) offers a lighter, citrus-forward option.
Savoury fans should grab a tub of homemade mackerel keropok (from $13.80) and a jar of the store’s sambal belachan ($10.80), which delivers a punchy, calamasi-laced kick.
What’s Next for Tiaptiap
The Joo Chiat kiosk is just the beginning. Lian says the team is exploring online delivery options and plans to expand the frozen meal lineup based on customer feedback. For now, the focus remains on quality and consistency—one cake, one keropok, one customer at a time.
“We want people to feel like they’re picking up something from a friend’s kitchen,” Lian says. “That warmth is what we’re trying to bottle.”
Tiaptiap is at 374 East Coast Road, Singapore 428983. Open Mondays 8:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m., Thursdays to Sundays 8:30 a.m.–6 p.m. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. For more information, visit tiaptiapwithsoph.com.
For more food finds, check out our guides to the best Korean restaurants in Singapore and new openings this month.