Carpenter & Cook became a hit late last year as an artisanal cafe with one of the coolest decors and food. Despite the far off and rather inaccessible location at Lorong Kilat (a remote corner in Bukit Timah), foodies and cafe goers in Singapore are hardly deterred from exploring this food enclave.
The vintage layout of the entire cafe from the exteriors to the interiors were meticulously handled with all sorts of quirky little things that matched. Somehow it reminded me of a fairytale setting where rabbits hopped among green, dreamy grass… Anyway, every piece of furniture and decor was handpicked by the founders of C & C from all over Europe. The best part is, most of them are for sale so you may wish to enquire about them.
Moving on to the food, the treats from C & C are baked at limited numbers and in irregular intervals so new items may be put on the display while you’re eating. The Passionfruit meringue ($6.20) is one of their signatures (especially on Instagram). This tart, even though similar in appearance, is different from the lemon meringue. Instead, I liked it a lot more than lemon meringue as I thought that the passionfruit was a better, more suitable ingredient than the odd, sour lemon. I guess it’s a matter of personal preference.
Sadly, the only savory item we had that day was The Picnic Sandwich ($8). It was a simple affair with ham and cheese and side salads but (not kidding) it was one of the best sandwiches I’ve had in Singapore compared to plain, boring other ones. Truly a savory piece. My only regret was not trying their quiches (which I heard were good too).
Both the Lemon Drizzle Loaf ($5) and Frangipane fruit tart ($6.20) served as light bites for me. The former was somewhat like a lemon sponge cake only denser and more condensed with lemon. I felt like it was a better alternative to replace a lemon tart.
Moving on, the Valrhona Sea Salt Caramel Tart ($6.20) was a much “heavier” dessert with its thick chocolate accompanied by sea salt caramel throughout the entire tart. Perhaps it may prove to be too much for some people to take it but I found it alright.
We ended our hearty meal with the Caramel Walnut Cheesecake ($7). It was a good ol’ cheesecake made more outstanding with of course its caramel and walnuts. Though I’ve had memories of better cheesecakes, this one is still rather nicely done with some parts to rave about.
Put good food with a cosy atmosphere and you get one of my favorite cafes in my food list. Carpenter and Cook has just the right thing for me and that is quality. On your way out, don’t forget to get their homemade jams at $12.50 a bottle or even their tiny treats of biscuits, marshmallow and granola.
19 Lorong Kilat
#01-06
Tuesdays to Fridays 1200 – 2200
Saturdays 1000 – 2200
Sundays 1000 – 1900
Foodography: A Singapore Food Blog 