Artisan Boulangerie Co. – The Baker wave has begun…
PUBLISHED September 3rd, 2013 02:00 am | UPDATED April 14th, 2016 05:32 pm
I still recount that when I first moved to Singapore there were a few things that were just….. missing, like good coffee, Middle Eastern food and rather hugely – baked goods.
That however my friends, is in the process of changing…. It started with a few sandwich places like Sarnies opening up… then came Tiong Bahru Bakery, then Paul’s, a smattering of others in-between…..And now ABC, or Artisan Boulangerie Company to use its full name. Yes, the baker wave is starting, and I don’t think it will be too long before we’re all walking down the streets whistling away as we carry our fresh delicious baguettes home with us merci beaucoup France!
It was with great excitement that I visited ABC this week, literally on the day of the opening. Rather magically I stumbled across their Facebook page, and after a good 10 minutes of scrolling down the page which can only be described as baked goods porn, I made sure I stopped by that very afternoon.
My visit was far from disappointing. The award-winning Head Baker, Eran Mayer has spent the better part of his 20 year career working in a bakery in Paris. On top of that I also discovered Eran is originally from Israel, a country, which having visited several times over the years, I can tell you has some of the most delicious baked treats in the world. This was going to be good…….oh and it was.
Walking in, I spent the better part of 10 minutes just ogling the counter of cakes, pies, sourdough, baguettes and challah like some deranged cake-o-maniac. Finally recovering my senses, I began to order…big.
Ordering everything from Challah Bread ($5.50) to Chocolate Eclairs ($4.50) and Lemon Tarts ($6), I was in bakery heaven. Challah is probably in the running for being my favourite type of bread. If you’ve never had it, imagine something like a slightly sweet but savoury thick brioche.. It’s great with dips, it’s great toasted, and it’s fantastic as a sandwich base. As for the others, the Orange Brioche ($5) and Chocolate Eclairs were my favourites. Just beautifully made. Superb textural balance of crunch and softness combined with fillings of pure enjoyment.
It’s worth mentioning that Artisan Boulangerie Co. is not just a bakery… It’s a fully functioning café as well, with coffee from Toby’s Estate (yum). The coffee is certainly more than decent and if you fancy something a bit savoury give their Quiches ($6) or Baguettes ($4) a try. You definitely won’t leave hungry.
What I think makes ABC such a winner is that the taste will appeal to everyone, both locals and expats alike. There are softer, sweeter treats, yet the baguette is as crunchy and authentic for even the most discerning of Parisians.
I look forward to going back again soon, if only to dapao some more challah.
(PS. Since writing this 1 week ago, I’ve already been back twice! It just gets better and better)
Written by The City Nomad
