Founded in 2023 by the sisters behind Poke Twins, Doña Bakehouse is a home-grown Johor Bahru bakery that has quickly built a reputation for its artisan pastries and French-inspired bakes. I have visited their flagship bakehouse at 14 Jalan Tan Hiok Nee (beside the famous Hiap Joo Bakery) twice, and recently visited their newest outlet at Tiara Sport World.
Previously, the space was solely occupied by Poke Twins, and after the recent renovation, it has been rebranded as Dona Bakery x Poke Twins. Upon entering, I was greeted by a long, open display of pastries and their freshly baked aroma. Gone were the dark and moody furnishings of Poke Twins, renewed by the identity and aesthetics of Dona Bakery. The new design embraced a minimalist Scandinavian-inspired aesthetic, with white brick walls and light wood finishes to create a bright and airy atmosphere.
From the All Day Breakfast menu, I had the Eggs Benedict (RM30, SGD9.5), which came with 2 poached eggs, classic hollandaise sauce, baby spinach and mashed avocados on sourdough toast. I also added smoked salmon for RM4 (SGD1.3). Overall, the dish was substantial in terms of quality and portion for its price.
Both the Latte (RM10, SGD3.2 with a main ordered vs. a la carte price of RM14) and Matcha Latte (RM15, SGD4.7, +RM2 for oat milk) were decent, the matcha tasting better than the other time at the flagship where I had the matcha strawberry latte.
The highlight of Dona Bakery is their pastries, a must order if you’re visiting. This time, I carefully picked the Hazelnut Chocolate Pain Suisse (RM15.9, SGD5) and Strawberry Danish (RM13.9, SGD4.4). If I had to rank the various pastries from Dona, my favourite would be the Strawberry Danish, which had buttery, flaky layers of laminated pastry, a silky vanilla custard with a subtle sweetness and fresh, tart strawberry pieces.
Due to the lack of stomach space, there were sadly many items which I did not get to try – especially their Signature Bowls and Signature Nori Tacos from Poketwins, and Artisanal Cakes from Dona Patisserie. This calls for another visit.
Tiara Sport World, Jalan Pasir Pelangi, Pasir Pelangi, 80500 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia
8.30am – 9pm daily
Foodography: A Singapore Food Blog 