Tiong Bahru Bakery – Beyond the hype…
PUBLISHED August 3rd, 2012 05:07 pm | UPDATED December 15th, 2017 11:40 am
There sure is a lot of hype these past couple of months about a little place that opened up in the up-and-coming Tiong Bahru area….yep, you guessed it – Tiong Bahru Bakery on Eng Hoon St.
After hearing good things through various friends and acquaintances about them, we finally ventured down for lunch today to find out what all the schpiel was about.
On arrival, you can tell that this place has a loyal following already, being almost totally packed by midday. The place was literally buzzing with chitter-chatter. Fortunately we spied a table near the back and managed to chope it before anyone else could. Take that crowds!
Tiong Bahru Bakery has no menu per se…it’s self service. You wait in line, have a browse through their sandwiches, cakes and other treats and order at the counter.
Of the sandwich section, a tuna focaccia ($8), a ham and melted cheese on focaccia ($8) and a speciality bun filled with smoked salmon, cream cheese and rocket ($8.50).
Despite looking superb, I really wasn’t that impressed with the sandwich options. Don’t get me wrong, the freshly baked bread was excellent. Definitely something I would buy in it’s own right for home. Just the sandwiches were not fabulous. A little bland and dry for the most part….
However, all of this was more than amply made up for by the sweet items…Mmmm hmmmm
From their bakery and patisserie section, we ordered a Kouign-amann ($3.50), a variation on a traditional Breton. If you can imagine a cross between a croissant, baklava and a raison cinnamon roll, then this is pretty much what you’d get.
It’s not obviously divine…It takes a few bites to warm up to it, but when you do, it’s really something. Subtle sweetness and soft pastry with a slight crisp are the theme here. Perfect with my latte which was excellent. I love it when my latte is so expertly made that I don’t need to add sugar to enhance the taste.
As for the other dessert items, in the name of all things holy, please try the Fromage Blanc ($8) – this blend of white cheese and lemon curd is something like a very light cheesecake with a mildly tart base. This was definitely the best of the sweets for me, leaving the panna cotta ($6.50) and the chocolate hazelnut brownie ($5) at the sidelines.
Despite being totally noisy, Tiong Bahru Bakery does have a certain charm to it, and whilst I would veer away from the sandwiches, the pastries and coffee are certainly worthy of repeat munching.
Tiong Bahru Bakery is located at 56 Eng Hoon St, #01-70, Tiong Bahru, Singapore. Open 8am-80m daily.
