Foodography: A Singapore Food Blog

Meet Lazy Susan. She’s Spa Esprit Group’s new F&B concept – an all-day dining pop-up joint at House @ Dempsey currently and at Open Door Policy soon after. Scouted for this very first pop-up of theirs is Chef Haan Palcu-Chang of Mama Flo’s in Toronto, who is a true mixed culturalist. Thus Lazy Susan’s menu takes its inspirations from food styles of asian traditional breakfasts to hawker fare, cafes, dim sum meets diner.

Don’t be surprised if you walk into House and the place looks a little different to you than before. The new pieces of decor are centred on red and give the western-based House an Asian touch. Take note that currently the House menu is only available on Monday to Wednesday and the restaurant will only serve food from the Lazy Susan menu for the rest of the week.

We tried both cocktails from the drinks menu. For something more light and pleasant, the Tiffin Punch ($12 per tiffin, $45 for set of 4) is recommended – it comprises gin, lychee liqueur and grapefruit.

Go for the Tiger Mama ($10) if you would like a spicy kick – spiced vodka, Chambord, cranberry juice, ginger beer. Definitely not for the weak.

BBQ Jackfruit Bum ($12) – looks like a pulled pork burger but it’s not. This is in fact a vegetarian burger, with the patty made of braised jackfruit slathered with gula melaka BBQ sauce and pistachio-studded guacamole. It may not taste as exciting as pulled pork but it’s still interesting nonetheless.

Wing Bean Toast ($12) – sourdough toast from Tiong Bahru Bakery topped with creamy white mozzarella, wing beans, XOXO sauce and hibiscus leaves. The toast cools and hardens quickly once you leave it out for some time, so the taste did not come out quite as expected.

Cheese Mantou in Chilli Crab Sauce ($14) – deep-fried halloumi cheese blocks to dip in Lazy Susan’s own chilli crab sauce creation. A seemingly simple dish that got me hooked on it. Talk about comfort food.

Marry Mee Goreng ($12) – sunny yellow noodles flash fried with fresh seafood, laksa leaves, chives and red chillies. I typically avoid the traditional mee goreng as it can be very heavy on the palate with a deep and spicy flavour but Lazy Susan’s rendition is lighter and more refreshing.

Stinky Meets Crispy ($22) – probably the highlight of our tasting that day. Apparently the chef has only tried har cheong gai once and went on to create this dish of har cheong gai and sunny side-up on rice flour waffles, drizzled with sambal maple syrup. We were impressed by the crisp har cheong gai that even though the batter (for the waffle) could be further tweaked to better compliment it.

Khao Bun ($12) – pork sausage patty infused with lemongrass and turmeric with pickled veggies and coriander in a steamed bun. The lemongrass flavour was a tad too strong for me.

Luncheon Meat Croquettes ($8) – fried glutinous rice balls stuffed with aromatic luncheon meat, Chinese chives and tart Sichuan pickles, all rolled in healthy quinoa. I liked how these rice balls, unlike our Chinese equivalent, are not laden with flour. Rather, they are filled with quinoa and it does feel slightly healthier.

On general, we felt that the 3 desserts on the Lazy Susan menu were rather underwhelming with small portion sizes yet hefty price tags on them. Among the three, the Cornfield Cake ($8) was our favourite. The grilled corn-cake that was served with fresh creamed corn and balanced with a big sprinkle of sea salt flakes was saved by the sea salt which gave the otherwise bland cake a sweet-salty touch.

Meanwhile, we felt that the Mango Pudding ($8) – was normal and really not worth the 8 bucks which could get us a good slice of cake from House’s dessert menu.

Like A Bibik ($8) is a baked sago cake in pineapple and dill relish, drizzled with gula melaka sauce for a sweet finish – some will like it, some will not.

I say: Go for some plates to share, try the har cheong gai and maybe skip the desserts. Expect an array of flavours and watch out if you don’t take spicy food.

Thanks Janet and Spa Esprit Group for the invite!

3 – 27 December at House @ Dempsey

8D Dempsey Road, Singapore 249672

Thurs & Fri 12pm – 11pm

Sat 11am – 12am

Sun 9am – 11pm

5 – 24 January at Open Door Policy

19 Yong Siak Street, Singapore 168650

Mon to Sun 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 11pm

Upon the thought of cha chaan tengs in Hong Kong, Mido Cafe (美都餐室) would be the first to pop up in my mind. This two-storey cafe is located on a relatively quiet street in Yau Ma Tei, a stone throw away from the MTR station. The cafe is full of nostalgia, and it feels as if you’ve been transported back to the traditional coffee shop days. A tiny flight of stairs leads the way up to the second floor which is usually crowded and abuzz with small talks.

Just like other cha chaan tengs, the menu here boasts a wide variety of dishes ranging from simple breakfast items such as toasts, sandwiches and macaroni to dinner items like rice and mixed grill. Despite growing up in an Asian city with a Chinese majority, I’ve almost never had such food for breakfast. And so I ended up relishing every moment of my breakfasts in HK. We have never had a bad Almond milk (HKD$15/SGD$2.70 for hot, HKD$17/SGD$3.10 for cold) or Milk tea (HKD$15/SGD$2.70 for hot, HKD$17/SGD$3.10 for cold) in Hong Kong, so I guess it is alright to skip that daily cup of joe and go for them instead. Apparently the Yuan Yang – a mix of coffee and tea (HKD$15/SGD$2.70 for hot, HKD$17/SGD$3.10 for cold) is good here as well (didn’t get to try it though).

Pineapple bun with butter (HKD$12/SGD$2.20)

Condensed milk and peanut butter toast (HKD$10/SGD$1.80)

On that chilly morning in Mido Cafe, the Pork chop and macaroni in tomato sauce (HKD$60/SGD$10.90) was true comfort food. It was served warm in a creamy tomato base which was neither too salty nor heavy on the palate. Despite the large serving portion, we didn’t get sick of it. The pork was sufficiently tender as well. Having tried the Ham with macaroni in broth (HKD$30) on my previous visit, I can say that the macaroni in tomato sauce is very much more worthy of a try.

So grab that table by the window and enjoy the authentic cha chaan teng experience. It makes a perfect break away from the usual western brunch suspects, away from the hustle of fast-paced, metropolitan life.

63 Temple Street

Yau Ma Tei MTR Exit C

8.30am – 10pm daily except Wednesdays

I know it’s hard to tell from my social media, but I’m a huge fan of Korean food. Needless to say, I was thrilled to try out this hidden gem in Clarke Quay – 8 Korean BBQ, which is named after their signature, must-have 8 Colours Set (on to that later).

The restaurant occupies a relatively large space, including an al fresco area with a view overlooking the Singapore River. The raw industrial designs are complemented with their brick walls… word has it that these bricks were sourced from Korea.

And so we started our meal with the essential banchan (Korean side dishes) followed by the Seafood Bean Paste Stew ($18) which is mildly flavoured. Their Kimcheese Fried Rice ($20, good for 2-3 pax) which came next on a sizzling hot plate was rather special, boasting a twist on the kimchi fried rice. On top of kimchi fried rice, there are added mozzarella, egg, bonito flakes and Mangalitsa bits, which all leads to a flavourful rice dish. The rice also has a nice crisp to it.

Then our eyes started feasting on it as the server brings out a humongous, long tray of Mangalitsa pork strips. The 8 Colour Set Version 2.0 ($98, good for 3-4 pax) features 8 thick strips of Mangalitsa pork belly, each of which is seasoned for 6-8 hours in different marinades. We were advised to follow this order of eating them: original, garlic, red pepper paste, yucha, plum, blackberry, honey ginger and galbi. The marinade is neither too mild nor too intense, making it enjoyable. The thick and fatty mangalitsa was slightly chewy and oddly complements the seasonings used pretty well. Some of my favourites are yucha, blackberry and honey ginger as they gave a slight sweetness to the savoury pork – this combination was surprisingly good. I would say this is a must for all who come, but if pork isn’t really your thing, there are still the tentalizing options of USDA Prime Beef and Kagoshima Wagyu on the menu.

Ending on an even sweeter note, we had the Bibimbap Bingsu ($28, good for 3-4 pax). This large bowl of bingsu is made to resemble a bibimbap in a hot stone bowl, with each ingredient being replaced by stuff like fruits, granola, crushed oreo and red beans. Beneath the ingredients is the shaved milk ice which you mix the toppings thoroughly with. Though not exceptionally good, my friends and I didn’t leave any crumbs or ice behind.

The overall experience I enjoy at Korean restaurants appeal to me very much, and is this why I feel that 8 Korean BBQ is one of the underrated BBQ places that you should try. From the warm and helpful service staff to the quality of the pork to even the simpler details such as the cool, just right temperature setting (you know it can get pretty warm when barbecuing), they encapsulate my wonderful dinner there. Extra points given because you barely get the smell of smoke on your clothes after leaving!

Special thanks to Cherry and 8 Korean BBQ for the invite.

6 Eu Tong Sen Street

#02-79/90

The Central

Opens 11.30am – 2.30pm for lunch, 5.30pm – 10.30pm for dinner

The newest venture by the Spa Esprit Group is taking flight quickly as seen by the mad rush of people to be amongst the first few to try out this place. Well I, just like a normal foodie out there, was hot on my heels to head down all the way to Dempsey to visit this “farm”. Yes, they do produce as much edible plants as they can in the backyard for their dishes. This venture is also a collaboration between Spa Esprit, Edible Garden City an Ryan Clift from The Tippling Club – these big names alone are enough to grab attention.

The 35 000 square feet of space occupied is quite amazing. From the main entrance, it feels like I’ve stepped into a garden, what with the vines of edible plants all around. You’ll pass through an alfresco area holding several tables, including a table tennis table. The area would be perfect for families to laze in for Sunday brunch, if not for the sweltering 34 degrees weather these days. The alfresco area leads to a small “hut” where the coffee roasters and baristas are. Good news for you if you’re a fan (just like me) of the roasts from Common Man Coffee Roasters. Then you will eventually reach the main indoor dining area, flanked by a bar and open kitchen of two sides and floor-to-ceiling windows on the other 2 sides of the restaurant. Absolutely dreamy.

On my first occasion there, I tried the brunch menu (available from 11am – 5.30pm on weekends). Having tried a truffle scrambled egg that turned out odd from a restaurant which shall not be named, I had a doubt about the one here, but that doubt faded the moment I tucked into a bite of their Truffle Scrambled Organic Egg with shimeji and portobello mushrooms, baby spinach and sourdough ($24). The truffle was well-infused and came in a generous portion in the eggs. The scrambled eggs were also creamy enough. I proclaim this to be my favorite scrambled eggs dish in Singapore ever, even though the mushrooms on the side were quite normal

However, both my friend and I thought that their Buttermilk Pancakes with creme patisserie, poached strawberries, ice cream ($22) was less value-for-money. The pancakes lacked sufficient fluff and were pretty average but were saved by the vanilla bean custard in between the pancake layers as well as the strawberry toppings. It’s a pity since it looks photogenic. I guess people will still order them anyway.

You have been advised: Don’t leave without trying their desserts. Their most talked-about dish here (from what I observed) is not any main course or brunch item but surprisingly their Lemon Tart with basil ice cream ($17), so there. Aesthetically speaking, it seems more like a mille feuille than a tart, but it was exactly the alternating layers of  lemon filling and flaky, crisp puff pastry resembling a mille feuille which won me over. Being slightly sweet and neither overly sour nor dense, the lemon curd was perfect for my tastebuds. Basil ice cream came on the side and it made the dessert even more refreshing. Our meal ended on a pretty high note thanks to this.

No doubt that prices here are above that of your average weekend brunch dishes, as some might have lamented. Well to me, the ambiance and highlights of the meal more than made up for those prices. You’ve just got to pick the right items from the menu. If  brunch is too overrated for you, opt for the lunch/dinner menu which features a range of seasonal pastas and main courses. Who’s up for another trip back here with me?

130E Minden Road
Singapore 248819

Mon – Fri 12pm to 3pm (Lunch), 6pm to 10pm (Dinner)
Sat, Sun & PH 11am to 10pm

I bet most of you would have heard about this classy French-inspired Japanese patisserie by now, ever since their grand opening in the lush Dempsey Hill last year (they’re located right next to House @ Dempsey, yet another one of my favorite hangouts in the area). I’ve long wanted to be here but somehow haven’t gotten the chance till last month to do so. I remember looking longingly at their glamorous entrance to the restaurant, laid out for you with a hot (close to neon) pink carpet. Stepping on it almost makes you feel like a celebrity attending a glitzy event.

And if you’ve heard about Henri Charpentier, you would’ve probably come to know about their top 2 main desserts on the menu – their Crepe Suzette ($22) and Dome ($29). The highlight of both desserts is that the waiters will flambé (alighting the food with alcohol) personally next to your table. This factor alone justifies the price tag. For the Crepe Suzette ($22), the server would first prepare the zesty sauce in the pan, followed by adding 40% Grand Marnier cognac. Finally he adds in the two slices of crepes. Don’t tear your eyes off the burst of dancing blue flames. The resultant crepes are thin, soft and silky, sliding right into your mouth, and the sauce is buttery, orange-y and with an alcoholic touch to it. The bitter aftertaste of the alcohol is overshadowed by the sweet and zesty sauce too. Wish I could’ve more.

As for the Dome ($29), strawberry liqueur is first heated by the server and then poured over the chocolate-coated sphere, resulting in a flambé engulfing the ball. The chocolate sphere then melts to reveal a chocolate parfait biscuit of fraise d’ amande. Before digging in, the server pours some strawberry sauce over the melted dome. The entire dome was a great mix of fresh, molten strawberries and melting chocolate. The interplay of smooth, creamy textures from the strawberry and chocolate mix and crunchy textures from the almonds enhanced the dessert pretty well. I momentarily forgot about the crepes I had earlier.

We also got to savour the Afternoon Tea Set ($35 per pax) which is available on weekdays from 1-6pm – expect a three-tiered dessert stand of macarons, madeleines, financiers, glass shooters, creme brulee, mini almond tarts, apple scones, smoked salmon and parma ham canapes, a piece of crepe suzette and a beverage. Amongst all, the madeleines and financiers stole and shared the limelight. Both were adequately soft and very authentic – comparable to the ones in France. The apple scones were very soft and fluffy on the inside too. Unfortunately some of the other items were not up to standards, especially the macarons which had no crisp in their shells. Their meringues also lacked a distinctive flavor.

Otherwise, there is also the Sandwich & Cake Set ($35) comes with a soup of the day, a piece of crepe suzette, ratatouille and a slice of cake – I picked the Matcha Opera which was rather memorable. The alternating layers of matcha and sponge cake complemented each other in such a way that the cake is neither overly rich nor sweet.

If you’re looking specifically for a strawberry shortcake as a birthday cake, look no further than their Chantilly Fraise ($64.20 for 15cm cake). It had very soft and airy sponge layers with a mild sweetness to it. I rarely have strawberry cakes because of the heavy cream content, but even the fresh cream layers on this cake were not overbearing at all. I shared this with my relatives and everyone kept wanting for more! On a side note, they also offer delivery services which might be a better option to consider when getting this cake since it is a little unstable.

Apart from the few subpar goodies, the experience here is stellar. The ambience makes you feel at ease and the service staff is attentive. I don’t deny that the desserts are expensive, but I think they are worth the money. P.S. Check out the heated toilet seats. Truly Japanese.

9A Dempsey R0ad

Open 11am – 10pm daily

This is a Crystal Wee X WAttention collaboration.

With over an astounding number of 450 branches in Japan, Chateraise is not an unfamiliar brand for Japanese households to get their daily fix of goodies for breakfast and tea. We’re lucky enough to have Chateraise being brought in to Singapore, and I was there with the team at WAttention (a Japanese lifestyle magazine) at the Westgate store which opened just recently in April this year. With the Isetan Scotts store scheduled to open soon, non-Westies can also takeaway their Japanese fix at a more convenient location.

Their latest item highlighted to me was the White Zebra ($4.70). This mille crepe made of 18 sheets of flavourful butter-rich crepes has soft, fluffy layers unlike western style mille crepes. I think it’s impossible to get sick of it since it is only as dense as a sponge cake. The layer of honey on top was just perfect to go with the crepe.

Between the Baked Cheesecake and Souffle Cheesecake, I would recommend going for the latter – one of my favorites among those that I’ve tried from Chateraise which has a milder cheesecake flavour making it not as cheesy. It is also a lot airier since it was made souffle style. I also find it interesting that instead of a biscuit crumb base, a sponge cake base is used. On the other hand the baked cheesecake was a lot denser.

The Mont Blanc, however, was pretty average. The whipped cream which tasted just like any other normal icing could be richer with a more distinct flavour of chestnut.

They say that you can tell how good a Japanese bakery or patisserie is by looking at and tasting their strawberry shortcake, a must-have for most Japanese bakeries out there. The aesthetic of Chateraise’s Strawberry Cream Cake definitely scores, and the strawberries in it were generally sweet with a tinge of sourness which suited the cake pretty well. What was unfortunate was that I felt there was too much cream, albeit for a “fresh cream cake”. The layer in the middle had an unproportionate amount of cream compared to strawberries. P.S. If strawberries are not for you, there is also a blueberry flavor for this fresh cream cake!

I wished I had more stomach space at that time to try more of their pastries, especially their cartoon inspired ones (think of cakes shaped to look like bears)!! At such affordable prices, I believe even a trip to the west will be worth it for these decadent cakes.

3 Gateway Drive

Westgate, Isetan Jurong East B2

Sun – Thu 10am to 9pm

Fri, Sat, eve of PH 10am to 9.30pm

This is a Crystal Wee X WAttention collaboration.

Hoshino Coffee. How time flies. It has been two years since my last visit to their then one and only branch in Plaza Singapura. Since then, they’ve expanded over to Suntec City with their second branch and now they’re running a third branch over at Capitol Piazza.

Located in the basement, the new branch occupies a space just as large as the first. The décor here, however, seems a notch classier. The ambience is more laid-back, making the dining space feel somewhat like a post-retail therapy zone to chill. I later also found out that you can make a private room reservation here as well.

The items exclusive to this newly opened branch include their pie pizzas and mille feuilles. Out of the Mushroom and Chicken Pie Pizza and Mixed Pie Pizza (both $15), I tried the former. The base of the pizza, being crispy and puff pastry-like, does make the pizza less heavy on the palate. The pizza also comes with some minestrone soup at the side to keep you going.

They call this the Mille Feuille ($15), but it’s actually more of a mille feuille inspired pastry. We guessed that the strawberry version would be better than the banana version (as with most Japanese desserts) so we went for it. Sandwiched in between two thick and flaky puff pastries are strawberries with cream surrounding a scoop of ice cream right in the middle. Unfortunately there was way too much cream compared to the ice cream and strawberries and the cream was too thick to be enjoyed with the pastry.

If there are less satisfactory dishes, you can always look forward to their soufflé pancakes which have always been raved about. From now till September, you can get their Soufflé Pancake with Peach ($17.80 for two pancakes, $14.50 for one pancake), part of the seasonal menu. I’m glad the standard of their pancakes have not dropped – it’s of the same consistency as 2 years ago and it was not too dry. This seasonal version is definitely more refreshing than having the pancakes plain.

My advice: Skip the mains, go straight into their soufflés and soufflé pancakes. You may also have to rush the service staff a little for your orders.

13 Stamford Road

Capitol Piazza

#B2-55

10.30am – 10.30pm daily

This is a Crystal Wee X WAttention collaboration.

This is kind of a late post since my first visit to Paddy Hills was about 6 weeks ago but I thought I should visit a couple more times since I was pretty impressed by the initial dining experience here. I was getting bored of the other new cafes that opened so much so that I started to appreciate the old places I frequent a lot, but this new café that opened this year was surprisingly very promising.

The café occupies a relatively huge space with a bar counter dividing the place into two halves. There are blue walls, wooden tables, green tiles and gold counter tops which seem like a mismatch of colors and textures but eventually gave rise to a pleasant aesthetic and ambiance. Stellar effort put into the décor for sure.

The menu splits into Daytime Eats (9.30am to 5pm) and Nightime Nosh (6pm onwards) and is packed with a variety of interesting eats. You’ll probably take some time to browse through the entire menu and pick the items. Word of advice: Order your items quickly as waiting times can be pretty long especially on the weekends.

I’ve skipped the coffee here since reviews were not too impressed with it, and went ahead with their more popular fruit-based drinks. Taste like purple ($7) is made from cold pressed grapes. Albeit a little sweet, the basil taste kept the drink refreshing enough to go with the heavy main courses and sides here. It’s probably a wise choice to skip the caffeine here and go for their truly thirst-quenching drinks. Others include the Yuzu effervescence ($7), Rise and Grind ($7) and Pinkish Lemonade ($7). Otherwise there are also milkshakes like the Hawaii ($11) – a smooth coconut milkshake but came with an acquired taste.

The fluffiest pancakes award definitely goes to the Orange ricotta pillows ($18). The stack of 3 came with a generous pool of orange caramel sauce along with a scoop of coconut ice cream. The caramel sauce which came with a mix of citrus, coconut and custard is possibly the X factor of this dish as well.

Though not as soft and chewy as the traditional Korean version, the Toasted spicy rice cakes ($15) was oddly addictive as well, especially with the gochujang mayo which came on the side and added some spice to it.

Who knew that mantou could be used for sliders? The Golden man tou sliders ($23) features beef patties with a great consistency in between sliced mantous. They came with an equally good sweet potato fries on the side. Well I’ve had a couple of versions of sweet potato fries recently and I must say that their thin, crispy purple sweet potato fries is one to beat. They tasted even better when dipped in their homemade BBQ sauce.

Possibly the most popular item on the menu would be the Berry ricotta hotcake ($19), what with its rave reviews and photogenic aesthetic. I like how the edges of the hotcake come with a slight crisp to it, while the insides are fluffy as ever. Strangers’ Reunion has a similar hotcake which I happened to try as well but this alternative seems a lot better. Some has even compared it to the famous ones from Top Paddock in Melbourne. I just wish they could give extra maple syrup on the side to pour over it.

Some other items I’ve tried:

Small breakfast ($12) – toasted bread, truffle polenta mash, sous vide egg, double roasted mushrooms. I thought that the truffle-infused polenta, or cornmeal, was pretty good. This dish is good for small eaters.

Salmon carpaccio ($18) – the portion was a tad small but I was impressed by the freshness of the house cured salmon.

Kimchi fried rice ($20) – the addition of a salted hangar steak and sous vide egg made this simple Korean dish a lot more exquisite, hearty and flavourful. I wish that there could be more traces of kimchi in the fried rice though.

Chicken in a bag ($15) – these pieces of fried chicken came in a paper bag on a plate. “So does fried chicken tastes better in a paper bag?” I asked. These came with the homemade bbq sauce which comes along with the golden man tou sliders as well. The fried chicken was decent but nothing to shout about.

Unlike other cafes, Paddy Hills whips up dishes with each dish having its own uniqueness. This is one place you should never tire of. Its location in an ulu area near Haw Par Villa means that it might not be the most accessible café around, but I assure you that the venture will be worth it.

38 South Buona Vista Road
9.30am – 10pm daily

The original plan was to head to Carpenter and Cook (haven’t been to the main store at Lorong Kilat for ages), or to the newly-opened Revelry which seems to serve up some decent waffles. Alas, both were closed. You would think that after years of food hunting I’ll do my research beforehand all the time…

Next to Udders along Lorong Kilat is its new born sister, The Udder Pancake. Udders does have some pancake dishes on their menu but now this outpost which is directly connected to Udders instore has larger range of pancakes on the menu, from sweet to savoury. Oh, there’s truffle fries too. You can also get ice cream and waffles from Udders next door and chill at this larger space. The cushion seats are a lot more comfortable than those wooden stools at Udders.

Sadly and oddly enough, we didn’t get their pancakes. I’ve been eyeing their mille crepes and I was previously disappointed by Udders’ pancakes. Between the two of us, we shared a Geisha Matcha ($7.90), Brandied Chocolate ($11.90) and a Baileys Tiramisu ($11.90).

They tasted as good as they looked. My personal favourite is the Baileys Tiramisu, which came with a shot of baileys in a syringe. It’s pretty therapeutic to inject it in and watch the liquid flow in between and out of the layers of the crepe. Tiramisus were made to be a lighter, fluffier, mousse-like cake but I thought this denser crepe version could give the original a run for its money. The cream might put off some people though.

Green tea lovers would be a fan of the matcha crepe. It is hardly (artificially) sweet at all and the essence of green tea is great. On the other hand for the brandied chocolate crepe I felt that the brandy was overpowering the chocolate crepe. Wouldn’t recommend it if you’re not accustomed to alcohol.

The mille crepes are a tad pricey but I say go for it if you’re looking to try something different. Maybe I should’ve got some ice cream next door to go along with the cakes…

17 Lorong Kilat

#01-09

Kilat Court

Mon – Thurs 12pm – 11pm

Fri 12pm – 12am

Sat 11am – 12am

Sun 11am – 11pm

A Sunday morning spent at my favorite bakery with the bestie is always precious. This time, I realised that the back of the bakery has undergone a slight change and all I can say is that I’m loving it. The tables at this area at the back (near the toilets) used to be in partial darkness but now it seems that the area has brightened up. This shelf which used to be next to the entrance was also removed, allowing more light to enter. It feels as if the entire cafe has been livened up.

This is a little late, but Tiong Bahru Bakery has launched some new festive treats in lieu of the Chinese New Year – the Chocolate and Hazelnut Kouign Amann ($4.5), Pineapple and Coconut Tart ($8.5) and Orange and Chocolate Marble Cake ($4.5 per slice/$18 whole cake). We only tried the former 2 though and they were great. The newly flavored kouign amann in particular was very memorable. Instead of the usual, fully caramelized signature pastry, this one’s fully chocolate flavored with traces of nuts on the inner layers. A little less crunchy than the original kouign amann’s caramelized layers, but the dense chocolate flavor more than made up for that. If only this could be a permanent item… Meanwhile, the pineapple and coconut tart was lighter on the palate. It featured a pineapple mousse on a sugar biscuit crust topped with coconut cream and then a white chocolate disc. This was not too sweet at all, perfect for all to enjoy.

This is not part of the new items, but rather an old favorite – the Vanilla Millefeuille ($8). Apart from the kouign amann, this is a must-have for me whenever I’m here. The vanilla cream in between the flaky layers may be a tad too sweet for some to handle, but I love how it is thick and substantial. Watching the cream spill out whenever you attempt to cut into this pastry has also gotten fun for me. The Chocolate Brownie ($5.5) left the least impression on us though it was decent.

You can head down and get the special festive items which are available till 3rd march (not much time left!)

P.S. Thanks F for the lovely day out and for the advanced birthday “surprise”!

56 Eng Hoon Street

#01-70

Sun to Thurs 8am – 8pm

Fri to Sat 8am – 10pm