Trends come and go, especially in the crazily saturated and ever-changing food industry. Someone can come up with a revolutionary idea that makes the world go crazy, but within that week, ten other places would be serving the same or a variation of that dish.

It is insane to even think of quick innovations on a daily basis, but because of this, many wacky and one-of-a-kind ideas have been created, encouraging chefs and restaurant owners to react and to think out of the box in order to stay at the top of the game.

Let us look back on some of the food trends in Singapore in the recent times that have seen queues and many renditions, and our reflections on all of them.

#1 SALTED EGG YOLK ANYTHING

Before the salted egg yolk trend blew up, we only ever saw salted egg yolk used in tze char dishes, such as Salted Egg Yolk Pork Ribs – a common dish in Chinese restaurants in Singapore. But when the trend exploded, suddenly there was salted egg yolk in everything – waffles, croissants, ice cream, cakes, chips and pretty much everything else.

The intense creamy umami-richness is precisely what we love about salted egg yolk and it is probably one trend that we would never ever get sick of!

#2 BAKED CHEESE TARTS

With the arrival of famous Hokkaido brand BAKE Cheese Tart in Singapore, everyone is suddenly obsessed with this popular Japanese pastry snack. It has caused quite a ruckus and many brands started coming up with their own versions of the sweet-savoury dessert.

We have to admit that nothing beats a warm and slightly salty cheese tart. But some prefer theirs chilled. What’s your take?

#3 CHURROS

Churros is a traditional Spanish dessert that is eaten with chocolate dip, but it is now being popularised all over Asia. The Koreans are gaga over them and there was an outburst of Korean churros brands – some of which are here in Singapore.

Then, in Singapore itself, entrepreneurs tried to be creative with the flavours and introduced several localised ones, such as Gula Melaka. However, last year also saw some “used-to-be-popular” churros shops closing down. This trend is truly a roller coaster ride.

#4 DONUTS

Donuts is such an American thing – traditional as it may be, the Americans still love it but here in Singapore, it was a trend that came and left.

But judging from how there are so many donut specialty cafes in Melbourne and New York, and how those folks combine artisanal donuts and specialty coffee, we are not ruling out the possibility that this trend will revive and come back even bigger in Singapore.

#5 ICE CREAM ROLLS

Remember how those Facebook videos on ice cream rolls in Thailand went viral? So what exactly are ice cream rolls? They are actually prepared a la minute by combining ice cream and milk and other toppings (such as chocolates and sauces) – with everything flattened and rolled out on a frozen block.

However, as proven with time, this trend had its super peak and its immediate decline thereafter. Nobody actually talks about them anymore.

#6 KOREAN BINGSU

Before Korean bigness, there was Taiwanese-style shaved ice; and way before that was simply a good ol’ bowl of local-style Ice Kachang that did not cost more than S$3 a bowl. Bingsu is the Koreans’ idea of our Ice Kachang, albeit a lot more expensive with the use of premium toppings – and the trend does not seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

More and more bingsu cafes are opening and they can be pretty pricey – typically S$12 to S$16 a bowl. Not too sure what to make of it, but we are anxious to know how long this (expensive) trend will last.

Everyone loves a well-toasted and buttered brioche stuffed with huge chunks of lobster. Lobster rolls have always been a staple in America, with it being an especially popular take-out or quick meal. However, it is only in the last two years that people in Singapore noticed the amazingness a good lobster roll can bring and started appreciating them.

Lobster rolls ain’t cheap here in Singapore, but that is only because good lobsters are imported from Boston and those are high costs to F&B operators. We would gladly pay for a quality roll.

#8 SHIBUYA TOASTS

Thick toasts – or better known as Shibuya toasts – was the highlight of 2015, with many dessert cafes including this massive dessert in their menus. It all started out with cafes from other Asian countries offering this dessert, then it slowly but surely made its mark in Singapore.

They come in an assortment of flavours and presentations, and they sure stand tall and proud and gorgeous. But it seems the hype is slowing down. What say you?

#9 WAFFLES

Now, this is one trend that has stood the test of time. Waffles are well loved for its endless possibilities – with ham and cheese, with fried chicken, with fruits, with gelato, with yogurt… as long as the batter is right and they are baked to a slightly crisp with warm and fluffy interior, anything goes.

Waffles never disappoint. We love you forever, waffles.

#10 BUBBLE TEA

Bubble Tea first became a huge hit in Singapore about a decade or more ago. This is proof that trends can be a pretty permanent thing. With huge bubble tea chains in Singapore such as Gong Cha and Koi, people can now conveniently grab bubble tea anywhere.

We reckon the reason why bubble tea could stay for such a long time is the fact that it actually met a basic need – to serve Singaporeans something delicious and oftentimes ice cold to quench our thirsts or to combat the humid weather.

#11 MATCHA ANYTHING

Japanese food is always good for the soul. We love a good Japanese meal as much as we love a good Japanese dessert – especially if it is matcha-flavoured. So Singapore saw a spike in demand for matcha anything, and that brought about a slew of matcha-theme food items.

We’ve got plenty of Japanese cafes serving matcha desserts and drinks, and we are glad this ain’t a dying trend because matcha is yummy and healthy!

#12 RAINBOW CAKE

Remember these pretty things that used to be on everyone’s Instagram feed? Rainbow cakes were beauty queens of a previous era, and those cakes – while mostly bland-tasting – sure got the nation’s attention.

Cafes that baked their own rainbow cakes thrived; everyone celebrated their birthdays with a unicorn theme complete with a tall rainbow cake. And sadly, the trend has died. We don’t know about you but we still feel that simple joy of cutting up a cake and being greeted by a gorgeous rainbow interior.

#13 SOFT SERVE

Well, just because everyone had the sudden realisation that ice cream is too mainstream; soft serve then had its turn to shine.

There are the classic flavours that we can never get sick of; and we have flavours and combinations that can get wild and interesting. There are also several Japanese-style soft serve chains to head to when you’ve got a craving to satisfy.

#14 FROYO

Frozen yogurt. If you didn’t get that, you are not trendy enough.

Froyo is one trend that has seen several revivals over the past decade. From Frolick’s era where young girls were used to helm and popularised the brand’s image, to Sogurt who reinvented froyo by having customers build their own parfait and pay by the weight, to the arrival of Spanish brand Llao Llao 2 years ago – froyo has always managed to get to Singaporean’s hearts in one way or another.

2015 is coming to an end, and with that, we celebrate a year of amazing food and also fresh new trends that have landed on our sunny island. Of course, trends come and go but the really good ones shall stay on.

In this piece, we explore the trends that have invaded Singapore this year. The rubrics are simple – a) Photogenic and hence, hyped up on social media, b) more than one store riding on the trend, c) so delicious and/ or innovative that it is no surprise they are labeled as a ‘trend’.

Here are 13 Food Trends in Singapore in 2015 that you probably already know about. We pay homage to some of the best food that graced our nation this year.

#1 KOREAN BINGSU

What better way to curb this awful humidity than with a Korean Ice Kachang? This Korean shaved ice dessert is well-loved by many. We love how it comes in a variety of flavours, but for us, we would choose anything with injeolmi for sure!

#2 ‘BLACK’ DISHES

‘Black’ is always sexy and many have caught on to this trend. With black steamed buns, black waffles and black pastas, the chefs mainly use either squid ink or charcoal to make this happen. However gimmicky it may be, we have to say that this trend most definitely got our attention and our hearts!

#3 OVER-THE-TOP CAKE SHAKES

A small bakery in Canberra first started serving these insane milkshakes and now you can find them at many cafes around the world, including Singapore.

The Cake Shake includes crazy things ingredients such as macarons, slices of cakes, biscuits and more in a milkshake. However pretty they look in pictures, it is still a tiny bit ridiculous to us. Calories aside, aren’t cake shakes a little too massive that they don’t blend well?

#4 COCONUT ICE CREAM

These Thai-style coconut ice cream were everywhere for awhile. Served in a half coconut shell, coconut ice cream is usually paired with other condiments such as jelly or fruits. It worked really well here because anything that can save us from the heat is marvelous. But of course, they are pretty too!

#5 COLLAGEN HOTPOT

Collagen has been a trend for a long time. However, collagen in steamboats or hot pots have only been popular recently. With the most popular being Tsukada Nojo, the collagen is first served in a jelly form and it will slowly liquify into a collagen soup over high heat, resulting in a creamy, rich broth that is so sweet and addictive.

#6 FLAVOURED LAVA CAKES

From red velvet to matcha to all kinds of interesting flavours. We always welcome a classic molten chocolate lava cake, but these unique creations can be great too – but it all depends on how good the pastry chef is.

#7 ICE CREAM ROLLS

Ice Cream Rolls first became a thing when people started sharing cool videos of street vendors making it in countries such as Thailand. When Hari Raya season rolled up, people started setting up booths, and the queues were almost an hour of wait! Now, you can see permanent stores in a few places in Singapore selling this cool new technique of serving ice cream.

#8 JUICE CLEANSE – COLD-PRESSED JUICES

Whether juice cleanses actually work, it is subjective and varies from consumer to consumer. This year, there was a sudden influx of cold-pressed juice places in Singapore. However, juices like these can be pricey, so if you want to splurge, make sure you are truly disciplined to adhere to the programme for optimal results.

#9 KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN

This needs no introduction because it is basically everywhere and it is a trend that we foresee will stay a long long time. With so many restaurants specialising in this dish in Singapore, that shows just how much Singaporeans love this classic Korean dish. And, give us beer please.

#10 SALTED EGG YOLK EVERYTHING

Well, we would not say this is a new trend but rather, an ongoing one and one that is so strong this year. Salted Egg Yolk brings life to just about any dish and truth be told, we can never get sick of it. Salted Egg Yolk Chicken, Squid, Prawns… anything. We love them all!

Read: The Best Salted Egg Yolk Dishes in Singapore.

#11 SHIBUYA THICK TOAST

Thick toasts were first made popular on social media by Taiwanese cafe chain, Dazzling Cafe when they opened its doors here in Singapore. Now, so many cafes and dessert parlours have started to serve and further popularise it. And yes, they are very photogenic.

#12 SOFT-SERVE ICE CREAM

This is nothing new but 2015 has seen a spike in people going for soft-serve ice cream as more and more restauranteurs start to get creative with flavours and plating. The Korean ones are usually very well received too.

#13 CHURROS

Churros aren’t new for sure, but Singaporeans have fallen head over heels in love with them this year alongside the sudden influx of churros stalls/ kiosks sprouting out in Singapore. Are you a fan of the classic ones with cinnamon sugar, or the Korean versions with lots of fillings on the inside?