Beano - Tanjong Pagar

I take no greater pleasure than roaming around obscure HDB neighbourhoods, rummaging around to see what shops and stalls are lurking in the void deck area.  Beano, created by ex-banker Alan Yoon in 2004, was once of those places I bumped into on one of my meaningless voyages.  Since its conception, it has developed a die-hard cult fan base in Singapore, especially for its infamous durian pudding and fresh soy milk.  Presently, there is only one outlet in Singapore - Perhaps the franchise might expand in the future.



Beano
Location: Blk 6, Everton Park, #01-16
Contact: 98527900
Opening Hours: Daily 8.00am - 8.30pm

The shop itself is incredibly small, with the majority of the foods being stocked in a fridge.  Also on sale are random items, such as steamed bao, kueh lapis and curry puff.  Almost everything (except perhaps the curry puff) is vegetarian.  However, vegans beware some of the puddings (such as bandung) contain milk.  Price wise, everything is pretty reasonable, with pretty much nothing costing over $1.50.










Pictured is the bounty that I extracted from Beano.  Without question, the highlight was the D24 Durian Pudding, which was rich and thick, and had a strong and aromatic durian flavour.  Of course, if you're not on the durian bandwagon, then this will not appeal to you.  But personally (as a durian addict), this was incredibly delicious for me.  The Beano Beancurd and Beano Soymilk were both very smooth and had a nice rich soya flavour.


Durian Pudding $1.00.     9/10
Soy Milk $1.10.     7/10
Original Beancurd $1.50.     7/10


Conclusion - It is small family run shops, hidden in dilapidated HDB's, that still are a lasting reminder that Singapore does have some culture remaining.  I always have a lingering regret, that I never lived in Singapore 30-40 years ago, when the way of life was much slower, the amount of people lesser, and the country had much more of an identity.  Therefore, visiting places like Beano, give me that satisfaction of seeing somewhere that wouldn't be out of place in 1970's Singapore.  Of course, this is supported by delicious food - Best of which is definitely the durian pudding.

Overall Rating
Food - 8/10
Ambiance- 7/10
Service - 7/10
Value - 7/10