Tea shop Tarik expands with new dine-in cafe with the same name at Bali Lane

If you’re a fan of Arab Street tea shop Tarik, you can finally savour their famous pulled teas at leisure without jostling for the limited stools perched outside the cramped takeaway joint. In December, the Muslim-owned shop opened its first dine-in cafe, also named Tarik, at Bali Lane (to minimise confusion, we’ll refer to it as Tarik at Bali Lane in the story) – just a three-minute walk away from its flagship outlet.

The original shop, situated across Sultan Mosque, is a buzzy spot popular among both locals and tourists. Adding to its charm, an apt heritage wall mural depicting a teh tarik seller outside the shop further attracts crowds.

SAME NAME, DIFFERENT CONCEPT, NO QUEUES FOR NOW

Freshly brewed in small batches and pulled to order, Tarik serves the best teh tarik in town. What sets them apart is the use of robust, quality spices – think freshly ground cinnamon, cardamom and star anise, elevating the full-bodied Ceylon tea base. To top it off, their teas are finished with a blend of condensed milk, evaporated milk, and a dash of UHT milk for a deliciously rich but not too cloying brew.

A small selection of Tarik’s famous drinks are available at the quiet, under-the-radar new outlet, at slightly steeper prices. These include teh tarik, teh karak (tea with premium spices) and teh zaffran (saffron tea). Prices for these signature teas range from S$3 to S$4 here, compared to S$2.20 to S$3.30 at Tarik.

The cafe also serves exclusive items like siphon coffees and teas, fizzy flavoured americanos and drinks topped with cream cheese foam. These fancier options align with its more upscale concept.

In a chat with 8days.sg, Tarik’s owner Ali ‘Sheikh’ Redha, 40, explained his decision: “The locations of both shops are too close and I didn’t want to split the profit by offering the same concept here. I want Tarik at Bali Lane to attract its own customers.”

The former flight attendant launched Tarik in 2021 to supplement his income when flights were halted due to the pandemic. He started selling his fab brews at a hole-in-the-wall kiosk along Arab Street before relocating to its larger current outlet in the following year. The soft-spoken tea guru says expansion was not a part of his initial plan.

“I wasn’t thinking of expanding at all. We’re still very new, the Arab Street shop has only been open for a year. I was very happy and there were a lot of things that I was thinking of injecting (at the first outlet),” he said.

However, a property agent who read 8days.sg's previous feature – where Sheikh shared that he was unable to obtain a dine-in licence for Tarik – asked if he was interested in taking over a unit at the quieter but grittier Bali Lane.

“I knew that it was really rare to find a F&B dine-in spot in the Arab Street area, so after viewing the shop, I had to seize the opportunity,” he shared. Sheikh, who’s the sole owner of Tarik, declined to share how much he has invested into the new outlet, but says the rent is “about the same” as his first shop. 

INSPIRED BY SIPHON COFFEE JOINTS IN JAPAN

“I knew about siphon coffee a long time ago. It’s very famous in Japan but there aren’t many places in Singapore that offer it and it’s even rarer to find siphon tea, so I wanted to introduce it here,” said Sheikh.

Siphon coffee dates back to the mid-1800s and is known as a precise brewing technique that enhances the flavour of the brew.

The process involves heating water in the lower chamber of the siphon, which causes the vapour steam to push the water into the upper chamber, where it is mixed with coffee grounds. Once the heat is removed, the brew is then pulled back down and passed through a filter, filling the bottom chamber with fresh coffee. The same method can be used to brew tea as well.

Sheikh uses imported siphon makers from Japan and China (each set costs around S$200) to prepare his brews. The entire process, which takes less than ten minutes, kind of reminds us of chemistry classes in the school lab. This theatrical, sensory experience continues tableside, as siphon-brewed drinks are served in glass flasks kept warm with a mini bunsen burner.

MOD INDUSTRIAL DECOR

Sporting grey cement walls, built-in benches and flooring as well as futuristic accents like neon yellow lights and eggshell pendant lamps, the minimally decorated cafe’s sleek, industrial vibe is starkly different from Tarik’s rustic, vintage-inspired decor.

The air-conditioned joint has around 20 indoor seats and a few small tables outside – we recommend lounging inside as there is construction work outdoors. Due to the layout of the indoor communal benches, we think the space will be more comfortable for smaller groups. The drinks are prepared by a rotating team from Tarik. There’s no GST and service charge here, and the friendly staff will deliver the order to your seat.

Inspired by the Harry Potter series – a favourite of Sheikh’s wife Fai, who co-manages the business – this hidden nook, a nod to Harry’s under-the-staircase room, is the most popular seat in the cafe.

BATMAN'S TOILET?

The cool washroom with unfinished concrete that looks like the walls of Batman’s cave is worth checking out too.

FOOD MENU COMING SOON

Currently, the cafe offers a small selection of supplier-sourced croissants and scones on weekends. “We’re still working on R&D for the food menu,” said Sheikh, who shared that they will likely serve “items like avocado toast” at the joint soon.

TEH KARAK, S$7.70

Featuring a house-roasted blend of Brazilian arabica and Sumatran beans, this siphon coffee is a light-bodied brew spiked with cardamom, clove and star anise. Very smooth, aromatic and low in acidity, the earthy notes of the coffee mingle well with the alluring spice blend.

The order comes with an Iranian saffron-scented rock sugar stick – stir it into the coffee to adjust its sweetness.

TEH HIBISCUS, S$7.80

Also brewed with the siphon method, the Egyptian hibiscus black tea is refreshingly tart with a bold fruity, cranberry-like flavour.

TEH TARIK, S$3 

While it’s also served in a siphon (perhaps to justify its steeper price tag vs its humber sister store), the teh tarik here is prepared the regular way and pulled to order. Upmarket presentation aside, the expertly frothy and full-bodied elixir remains one of our fave teh tariks in town. 

LYCHEE AMERICANO, S$5.40

Creative specialty drinks are on the menu too, like this fun take on iced americano that’s made with a shot of house espresso, soda water and lychee syrup. Worth a try if you like sweet, coffee-based beverages.

TAMARIND LEMON TEE, S$5.80

Fizzy lemon tea with a punchy zing from fresh tamarind juice. Not bad, though we’d prefer a stronger tea flavour.

SUNRISE CHEESE LATTE, S$7

Non-caffeinated options include this rich and tasty orange milkshake topped with cream cheese foam.

BOTTOM LINE

We still prefer the humbler but soul-warming variety of tehs at Tarik’s flagship shop and its prettier location outside the majestic Sultan Mosque. That being said, it’s also quite nice to be able to sit down and enjoy a couple of Tarik’s signature teas at this sleeker new Bali Lane space, in air-conditioned peace away from the tourist hordes at its Arab Street flagship store. If you’re willing to fork out a little more dough, the cafe’s fancy siphon coffee, particularly teh karak with a lovely spiced twist, is worth a try.

Tarik’s dine-in cafe is at 16 Bali Ln, Singapore 189852. Open Mon to Fri 11am - 8pm; Sat & Sun 11am - 10pm. More info via Instagram.

This story was originally published in 8Days.