How do you differentiate yourself from the many bakeries selling a variety of Asian soft rolls and European breads and even providing hybrid versions? Well, you pick your favorite kind of bread and focus on being an expert in that. Well that's how i see the newly opened Crown Bakery & Cafe, latest venture by gardening retail giant Far East Flora Holdings Pte. Ltd. There's immense potential of them becoming the de facto Sourdough Expert. 

Let's start with their belief of using all things natural and wholesome. I love bread but i also know that the store bought ones aren't very healthy. However, Crown Bakery makes their bread healthier by not adding any artificial food flavoring, coloring, preservatives, additives, and chemical improvers. Natural leaven is used to craft all their breads (yes they grow even their own yeast)! Also, the best ingredients, including the finest French mill wheat flour, Hokkaido Kitanokaori flour, German sourdough, French butter and direct-from-farm honey are used. 

I fell deep in love with the inventive Crown Sourdough Buttermilk Waffle ($6 with maple syrup and butter, $9 with Haagen Dazs ice cream and fruits). The batter is only kept for 4 hours each time to ensure freshness. I loved the light chewy German sourdough texture. The savory (sea salt is used) and lightly sour flavors set this waffle apart from the a dime a dozen ones out there. 

This delicately crispy waffle is best paired with butter and maple. I thought the ice cream overpowered the batter with its sweetness and soaks it and that kind ruined the overall texture and flavor but well it all boils down to personal preference. 

This bread monster brought home a huge box of breads and finished it in a couple of days. Here's what i ate and would recommend to you guys. Matcha lovers should definitely get the intensely flavored Shizuoka Matcha products. The Azuki Loaf ($4.80) has a mochi like texture in the middle (i kid you not) and i liked that the azuki beans weren't too sweet. 

The Shizuoka Matcha Brioche ($3.20) is like a little bouncy cake (look at those air pockets)! The green tea paste provides a great shot of caffeine for all you caffeine addicts. This is a lot less sweeter than what's available on the market so don't be too surprised. 

Do heat up the breads and pastries for that added crisp (I swear that everything toasted tastes better). The Croissant Aux Amandes ($3.60) was full of almond paste.

The New Zealand Cream Cheese Danish ($3) is one of my favorites! I took a bite before i considered toasting it and even though it was more like a bun when it is cold, it was so yummy i finished it before the toaster saw the light of it. NZ cream cheese and Parmesan are used in this one and the handcrafted raisin yeast gives the layers a fruity honey aftertaste. However, it was not crazy sweet as lemon juice is added to balance the sweetness. 

On to the savories. The Mentaiko Mayo Garlic Crisp ($2.80) is a no brainer and the garlic baguette is given the Midas touch with the creamy and salty mentaiko and Japanese mayo mix. It's heavily flavored with the pungent garlic so beware! This MUST BE TOASTED. Remember that!

The Red Wine Fig Sourdough ($8.50) is a great sandwich bread. On its own, it's a tad sour so i'd prefer to add my nut butters or my current favorite Ovaltine spread to it. Toasting it can do too but do not over do it. Otherwise, pop it into the microwave briefly and it'd be a little moist and warm enough. 

Crown Bakery's crown treasure is the Hainanese Chicken Bread ($4.50). This is made from chicken soup, skinless chicken thigh, garlic, ginger and shallots, together with their sourdough batter. You even get chunks of chicken in the bread! The flavor isn't particularly strong but it goes well with the garlicky chicken rice chili sauce. 

Crown Bakery & Café currently offers 45 varieties of bread, viennoiseries and snacks. A small all day breakfast selection is currently available and more will be added in the future but i think i'll be happy eating a warmed up slice here.

Crown Bakery & Café

557 Bukit Timah Road, Crown Centre #01-03

Singapore 269694

Tel: +65 6463-3066

Sun - Thu: 7.30am - 8.30pm

Fri - Sat: 7.30am - 9.30pm

There's something real sexy kneading dough with your hands and turning them into delicious buttery wonders and that's what Do.Main Bakery does. French baker Chef Frédéric Deshayes has set up shop in the part shady, part gentrified Tanjong Katong, supplying Easties with authentic French bakes alongside seedy massage shops and residences housing foreign workers.

Upon entering the bakery cafe, I was distractive by the croissants, pain au chocolat, eclairs, tarts and cakes. All these amazing bakes are made using Elle & Vivre butter, Valrhona chocolate and high-quality French flour.

Of the 'Hdb neighborhood cafes' that I've visited, Tolido's Espresso Nook is one that left an impression (a good one). Tucked in chaotic Crawford Lane among local coffee shops and singlet-wearing ah peks, and aunties hawking random stuff at void decks, this cafe juxtaposes with a relaxed and chic vibe that would warrant a repeat visit. 

Istanbul is the Asian version of New York. Being the only city in the world that spans two continents, it is a true melting pot of cultures and flavors, and the urban energy is dynamic and absolutely energizing, just like NYC. Want to escape the maddening crowd at the Grand Bazaar or Blue Mosque? Then you must definitely check out the quirky cafe scene in hippie Beyoglu district in Istanbul!

CİHANGİR
Cihangir is Istanbul's trendiest neighborhood and artistic enclave, similar to SOHO in NYC.  The bohemian culture draws artists, writers, actors and expats, and with that, a strong coffee/cafe/drinking scene is borned.

If there's a spot in Tanjong Pagar which can satisfy practically all food cravings, it would be Orchid Hotel. Ramen lovers have Keisuke, Japanese food fanatics have Teppei and Hanare and more, burger fans can get their cravings satisfied with Two Blur Guys, and there's also Cake Spade for that after meal sweets! A cafe was missing from this mix but it has now been filled by Souper Sarnies with their freshly made sandwich-waffles offering.

The smallish cafe sit a maximum of 10 pax indoors but it would feel kinda squeezy with that many people. I was there with a gf and it felt just right for the 2 of us so i can't imagine how it would be on a weekday during lunch time. Ventilation wasn't that great, i kept smelling the food which is prepared in the contained space and we left smelling like leftover breakfast. Then again, i suppose you're not meant to hang around in the little shop. 

The menu consists of sandwiches, waffles and some salads. Everything here is made from scratch and from fresh and quality ingredients. Even the cakes are homemade. Prices are pretty reasonable as well (nett pricing).

Souper Sarnies has also started serving brunch on weekends and here's the brunch menu.

I decided to stick with the regular items since people typically wouldn't go to the CBD for brunch on weekends. I'd certainly recommend the BLAT Sandwich ($10.90) which is a toasted panini with Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado, Tomatoes and lots of mayonnaise. I loved that I can taste the creamy avocado immediately because the owners are super generous with the spread. Each bite was juicy and smoky and salty as well (from the bacon). The only downside was that it is a little small.

The Salted Caramel Buttermilk Waffles ($12.90) was pretty yummy too. This comes with a scoop f New Zealand Natural Vanilla bean ice cream. The waffle was sufficiently light, with a fluffy rispy with a fluffy core. It could do with a little more crisp and certainly more salted caramel sauce (it's homemade too). 

Highlander coffee is served here and it's sufficiently decent. I sure wouldn't mind popping by again to grab a sandwich on the go.

Souper Sarnies
1 Tras Link, Orchid Hotel #01-07 Singapore 078867
Tel: +65 9115 9566
Weekdays: 8.30am - 9pm

Sat 9am-9pm

Finally back from all that traveling and am now getting back in touch with the food scene in Singers! Caught a little break at work and checked out the new kid on the block, The Lokal in the Duxton area. This new cafe on Neil Road is the offspring of Sarnies, another crazy packed cafe that I've yet to try (ZOMG call myself a food blogger).

Well The Lokal checked off all the boxes on the hipster cafe checklist and they even went as far as to throw in a $40k Slayer machine. Oh that sexy beast took me on an intense ride with his latte ($5.50) and I must say it was all very smooth. And a little nutty too. The beans are from Sarnies and they have their barista consultant, affectionately known as the K Man, who is overseeing the coffee making for now. 

Many would go for the signature Veal Schnitzel Burger ($28) served with a tangy grilled pineapple and red slaw but we skipped that because chunky chips weren't available that day! Instead, i opted for the Roast Beef on Rye ($17). The sandwich was a combination of perfectly caramelized onion and thinly sliced sautéed beef. The flavors were a little sweet and could be sharpened with a stronger mustard than the current grain mustard crème fraiche. It was a good roast beef sandwich nonetheless.

The Roast Chicken Panini ($15) was good too. The filling included huge juicy slices of fresh tomato (not the cheapo Malaysian sort), copious amount of avocado mash, crispy pancetta and salty roast chicken meat. The bread was our favorite among the lot of sandwiches we had, partly because it's a little more pillowy and chewy. 

A healthier option is the Smashed Avocado with Ricotta Sourdough ($18). The ricotta is made in house, along with their yogurt as well. It was simply topped with some pomelo and almonds, drizzled with olive oil. I liked the separate components of the dish but it came together rather plainly. A touch of honey could make this a better dish in my opinion but that's just my preference. 

I was looking forward to the Banana bread with Hokey Pokey ice cream ($12) but was sorely disappointed when I bit into the soggy bread cloyingly soaked by the citrusy syrup. We wondered where the ice cream went to as well (i swear i didn't take forever to grab a shot). Instead we had a sour cream sorta mixture on our dish. I couldn't bear more than a full bite of this one but K had no issue finishing it for us.

Overall, The Lokal is a decent place for a hearty sandwich and it's probably going to be really packed on the weekends. A little bird told me that the Sarnies people are gonna be opening another cafe soon so do watch out for them!

The Lokal
136 Neil Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6423 9918
Weekdays: 8am - 6pm

Weekends: 10am - 4pm

Finally checked out The Fabulous Baker Boys at the foothills of Fort Canning. I've been meaning to pop by for a while but the lack of air conditioning was a put off and when i finally decided to go, they were closed for a long renovation! Well but guess what, The Fabulous Baker Boys are back, WITH AC! And DAILY BRUNCH! And they take reservations now too (we were chided for not making reservations when we went)! Is that FAB or what?

I'm obviously easily distracted by desserts. Zoomed in on that immediately before i could even pay attention to the menu. Ok let's attempt to start with brunch first.

TFBB Champion Breakfast is a massive plate of food for the hungry. 2 perfectly poached eggs served on a toasted brioche, roasted rosemary potatoes, garlicky mushrooms, swirly sage chicken sausage and a side of beef bacon. Honestly how do you finish this?! What i was more curious about was they perfect such nice egg spheres. The sauce was not explosive to be honest but the whole combination was very comforting. Nice starchy potato cubes that are crispy at the skin. The beef bacon taste like savory bak kwa.  

The Croque Monsieur ($12.50) came as a stack of toasted broiche, chicken ham and cheese and then topped with a baked cheesy béchamel. As usual, i made it a Madame with an added sunny side up for $3. A creamy cheesy dream that could do with a little more moisture i felt. The porous brioche drank up my egg yolk before i knew it.

The hot favorite was the 3 Cheese Pancake made using Cheddar, Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. This was cheesy and mushy in an awesome way and even had a slightly crispy exterior. The combination with the sweet maple was a match made in heaven. Who knew.

Moving to the heartier dishes.

Chili Crab Mac & Cheese ($18) made with mini elbow macaroni tossed in a cheesy béchamel, with lumps of chilli crab meat and topped with herbed Panko (japanese breadcrumbs). The flavors were not spectacularly robust but anything more would have worked in its disadvantage. Great savory dish that was devoured within minutes. I would have preferred a bigger macaroni though.

Ju’s Prawn Pasta ($20) is a tiger prawn pappardelle cooked in a secret crustacean cream. I thought the sauce was heavy on cream but too light on the seasoning so there was an oily mouthful without the appropriate flavors.

Now back to the cakes! We were sufficiently stuffed but couldn't resist these sweet treats. Prices are $8 upwards.

We settled for the Apple Cider Cake which was deliciously moist and light tasting. The Red Velvet Cake with Valrhona chocolate frosting ($9) was just so so for me, so was the Iced Latte ($5.40).

We enjoyed the food at The Fabulous Baker Boy. Fab food BUT the service was no where near fab. Honestly what's with the attitude that we received the whole time we were there? They had problems  with our big group (we also had 2 kids with us), my additional side order of eggs (don't you dare roll your eyes at me) and even with the kids. I only discounted the bad service because i was too engrossed with my pancakes but honestly they really need to work on their service. The young girl (probably a part timer) was way more helpful to us than the men.

So yea, decent brunch spot but snotty service by the dudes. Head there if you can take that attitude.

The Fabulous Baker Boy
70 River Valley Road #01-15, The Foothills, Fort Canning

(Just opposite Liang Court)
Tel: +65 6694 8336
Tue - Thu: 11am - 10pm
Fri - Sat: 11am - 11pm

Sun: 9am - 5pm

Caffeine addicts, here is another cafe for you to check out. Assembly Coffee, a hole in the wall cafe (literally)  at Evans Lodge (sandwiched between Mr Prata and Wine Company), has a coffee menu more extensive than their food menu. Oh but you really shouldn't miss out on the best scrambled eggs and waffles here too. RAVE ALERT.

The cafe is a little on the small side and accommodates a maximum of 30 people and that would be an insane crowd already. We took a seat at the communal table and i have to stress that it's not for fat people. My fat thighs barely squeezed through the gap between the table and the high stools. The awkward height also made it almost impossible for us to eat without exposing ourselves indecently. I kid you not. 

Assembly Coffee uses beans from local roasters Liberty Coffee and Geisha Specialty. We had the Liberty Coffee Speakeasy blend on our visit which was delicious (i had the latte).

The drinks menu is 90% caffeinated so if you don't drink, you don't really have many options other than some juices and chocolate drinks. The Babychino ($3.90) was the cutest little chocolate drink that looked like a soufflé but i thought it was just mostly cream. I wouldn't consider it for a drink though.

Breakfast people can get their All Day Brunch here at Assembly Coffee though options are limited. There are a couple of egg options and sandwiches that covers most diners with their Beef, Pork (Pulled), Fish (Smoked Salmon) and Vegetarian (Tomato Basil Cheese) fillings. Other light bites include some pastries and quiches which looked quite amazing.

The Scrambled eggs with Smoked Salmon ($13.90) was AMAZEBALLS. It typically comes with croissant but they ran out so we had toast but it turned out rather perfect, mainly because of the fantastic scrambled eggs. The eggs had the perfect amount of butter (more wouldn't kill me for sure) and of the ideal moisture that did not turn the toast soggy. Flawless.

You CANNOT miss the Salted Caramel Buttermilk Waffles ($11.50) with vanilla bean ice cream. What it lacked in the texture department (could be crispier), it made up for in taste! Interesting hint of orange zest, slightly salty batter and perfected salty sweet caramel sauce that's generously drizzled on top. Paired with the creamy and intense vanilla bean ice cream, the result is a unicorn-ride-among-the-rainbows kinda ecstasy. One of the best waffles ever. Nope Strangers Reunion/Waffle Slayer don't cut it. Chocolate & Strawberries Waffle ($11.50) also available here.

Go early, go really really early or extremely late (and pray they have eggs and waffle mix). Assembly Coffee is certainly where you'd find me when i need a simple but delicious brunch.

Assembly Coffee
26 Evans Lodge, Singapore 259367
Tel: +65 6735 5647
Tue-Sun: 8am - 7pm

Brunch spots are popping up everywhere these days. If you open a cafe and you don't at least offer weekend brunch, you're pretty much screwed. But if you only do an average one, you wouldn't survive long in this competition. #sadbuttrue Well the people at Ronin must have gotten it right i guess. These same folks behind The Plain and The Bravery have been operating at 17 Hong Kong Street for a while now and it's packed despite not having a sign.

I liked how dim and broody the industrial space is. The cemented floors, naked bulbs and cinema chairs contribute to the sulky hipster type.  Well you can brood if you're not seated at the communal tables, or you can continue brooding because that's what hipsters do.

Drinks first. Ronin uses the same Genovese blend as The Bravery and The Plain. Low acidity, super strong and aromatic. Love the crema. Latte goes for $4.20. 

For something refreshing and sweet, go with the Wicked Mocha ($5.50), a mint mocha that tastes like After Eights. Go for the hot version for a more intense flavor.

Do not miss out on the Matchatone ($5.50)! This is by far my favorite matcha drink. It is actually an intense matcha paste served with steamed milk. I love scrapping the green tea sludge and eating that instead of mixing it all in. Slurps.

Here comes the food. The non-existent menu (they really don't have a copy anywhere) only has a few items, a couple of sandwiches, eggs, french toast and some pastries on the counter. My advice is to search online for the available items instead of straining your memory trying to figure out what you wanna order when the waitstaff recites the menu. Anyway here's what we ordered.

We had the famed Dirty Ronin ($12). Hard sandwiches are so in these days. I enjoyed the crispy panini which has a nice crusty shell but it still maintained that fluffy porous texture inside. Servings are huge by the way. So this comes with a lightly spiced salty chorizo. How they get the meat so soft i have no idea but it is really more like spam (not the chinese Ma Ling sorta luncheon meat though). There's some miso mayo, fried egg and cheese in this. Taste wise it's not bad, though a different kinda lettuce would have been better.

The scrambled eggs ($9) have this amazing taste and texture. It's extremely milky but it's not the runny sort. However, it wasn't like the eggs were dry. Well.. it's like an egg pudding? Anyhoo, you gotta try it for yourself. It's perfect with the nicely buttered crunchy toast. Add on the freshly made sausage ($4.50) which comes in pork or lamb to satisfy your meat craving. Avocado and Portobello available as add ons too. 

If you, like me, enjoy a sweet and savory combination, have the French Toast ($14), a fluffy and eggy brioche topped with fried bacon and crunchy and tart Granny Smith apples. Absolutely adored the maple butter! I could do with more bacon though. Oink. 

We really enjoyed brunch at Ronin though it's really packed during brunch time. The waiting isn't too bad because the service is pretty good. The girls are really chirpy and friendly so it's great. 

Ronin
17 Hong Kong Street Singapore 059660
Tue – Sun: 8am - 8pm