Tag Archives: Brunch
Tiong Bahru Bakery by Gontran Cherrier
Barely 2 months into opening, Tiong Bahru Bakery by Gontran Cherrier has already generated much hype and waves in the media and blogging world. Touted as one of the best bakeries in Singapore at the moment, the man behind this very successful artisan bakery is none other than one of Paris’s most celebrated bakers- Gontran Cherrier. Situated right next door to The Orange Thimble, this bakery stands humbly and inconspicuously, as it fits right into the neighbourhood with its white-washed walls, light brown wooden frame borders and single swinging entrance door.
Tiong Bahru Bakery is a collaboration with Spa Esprit Group, who currently already have Forty Hands and Open Door Policy under their belt, which are also conveniently just located a few blocks away.
It is said that all the loaves, bakes and especially their signature croissants that have had everyone talking about, are baked on site using traditional French techniques which have been very meticulously adjusted and adapted for the humidity in our country so that Singaporeans are still able to enjoy the freshness and full flavours of all his bakes and pastries despite the weather!
The three of us made our way here for brunch one weekday and were lucky to find seats in the dining area which had a relatively fast turnover rate. The queues were also not as daunting as many people had described and moved along pretty quickly. We were soon back at our table with this white tray of two croissants, two sandwiches and one dessert tart.
Starting with the Plain Croissant at $2.50, the first thing that I was drawn to, was how beautiful and intricate the layers were. Clearly, only true skill and experienced hands in the laminating process could have produced this end result. One bite into this crescent-shaped baked dough and I was sold. It was fluffy and delicious even without a spread of butter. Additional points for the absence of the heavy after-feeling of eating a croissant because this was not oily at all and crisp on the outside without being too flaky. Definitely felt less guilty eating this one!
Choupinette on Bukit Timah Rd
Choupinette is this little French Bakery/Cafe/Restaurant located along Bukit Timah Road, right next to Coronation Plaza. This place has been here for like almost a decade now and we were all reminiscing about how our bus used to drive past the iconic multi-coloured striped banner on the way to school but we had all somehow never stepped in before.
Known for their Eggs Ben and authentic French pastries, Choupinette has been in the spotlight lately as the it-place for brunch. And this place has been on our list for like 2 months now but with all our different schedules, the five of us only managed to finally pick a common date recently to try this place out!
We called up and made a reservation because though it was a weekday, we were definitely not taking any chances. However, when we arrived, not only did the lady say that she had not received our reservation, the cosy 40-seater restaurant was also full house! It was a bit of a spoiler but luckily the server was quick to point out that a table of patrons was finishing their food and if we were to wait for 15min, they could clear it for us.
About 20min later, we were all finally seated with menus open and ready to order. Everyone zoomed straight for the Eggs Ben and called first dibs on it. Clearly, this was going to be a hot favourite at the table. So we all compromised and decided for variety sake, we were going to order five different sets to share.
Each set comes with a juice and hot drink. The juice choices were grapefruit, apple, orange, cranberry, lime and pineapple. Three of us chose grapefruit the first round but the lady soon came back to tell us that they were out. She then took my second choice order of pineapple before returning another time to say that it was also out. I would have gotten a little annoyed but our server was really nice and apologetic, it seemed almost impossible to get upset with her. So apple juice it was because that was all that was left.
The reputable Eggs Benedict soon arrived at our tables. $20++ is a steep price to pay for an Eggs Ben and we were about to find out if the price tag was justified. Unfortunately, the eggs were a little overcooked and did not flow quite as easily as beautifully poached eggs would have, but the Hollandaise sauce was excellent. Perfectly rich and buttery, it was so smooth and creamy, I almost forgot I was not having beautifully poached eggs. The ham slices too were shaved right and not too salty. And the baguette that the eggs were sitting on? Oh so good. Well buttered, crisp and delicious.
Next up, the Eggs Florentine $20++ was a healthier version of the Eggs Ben. Wilted spinach done right that was not too soggy but tossed for just the right amount of time, it was also great with the Hollandaise sauce.
Toronto Eats: Over Easy @ Hotel Victoria
Over Easy was an easy option simply because we were staying in Hotel Victoria! A quaint little cafe sharing the lobby of the boutique hotel which opened as early as 7am for hotel patrons looking for an hearty meal at the beginning of the day. We came here for breakfast for the two mornings that we were staying at the hotel and left very satisfied. Our server Tyler was enthusiastic, friendly and readily offered some pretty good suggestions which we took!
On the first day we had breakfast here, we opted for the Cajun Chicken Caesar to kick start our morning. Served in a huge glass bowl, this salad was appetizing even to look at! For $12.99, there was a generous serve of Cajun spiced chicken that was tender and full of flavour, luscious fresh and green romaine leaves dressed with Caesar cream and crispy fried bacon bits. Definitely not the healthiest salad around but a delicious option it was.
The Eggstro for $9.99 was Over Easy’s version of the Canadian ‘national dish’- poutine. Instead of fries, it was replaced with their cubed sized home fries that was marinated with the right amount of salt and spices, served with a 3 cheese sauce and made so much more sinful and decadent with the fried bacon strips.
And of course the French Toast in Caramel Banana Sauce sounded too good on the menu to miss! Just $8.99 for such a huge plate of 4 french toast slices soaked in egg marinate, a glistening brown caramel sauce and freshly sliced bananas to top it off, we were in for an awfully sweet treat. And of course a light dust of icing sugar was a simple but great idea to spruce up this already tempting looking dish.
Baker N Cook @ Hillcrest Road
Opened by New Zealand celebrity baker and cookbook author- Dean Brettschneider, Baker N Cook joins the ranks of international bakeries such as Maison Kayser and Paul Bakery that have recently opened their flagship store in our sunny Singapore in the past few months.
Nestled among the restaurants and shops of Greenwood Ave, Baker N Cook blends in so beautifully with its surroundings at the junction of Hillcrest Road and Greendale Ave that you would almost miss it if you were not looking for it.
This artisan bakery/foodstore/cafe displays its wide variety of pastries, breads, pies and cakes on the counters, tempting you even before you walk through the glass doors. Freshly baked croissants, meringues and muffins are just some of many goods offered as part of their handcrafted signature range amongst others which include jams, chutney and granola which are packaged for easy takeaways. Get ready for a carb-laden morning/afternoon when you get here because you will definitely be spoilt for choice!
Between the four of us, we first ordered the Pain Au Chocolat $3.10 which was crisp, buttery and well-flaked. Unfortunately, being a chocolate croissant, I would have appreciated a little bit more chocolate inside and it would have been perfect if this was served still warm from the oven.
Favourite Brekkie/Brunch Places in Adelaide
So apart from desserts, breakfast is the no. 1 meal for me. Love a good start to the day and love waking up early for a good breakfast meal with friends! So here’s my list of my favourite brekkie and brunch places in Adelaide.
1. Queen Street Cafe in Croydon
12 Elizabeth St, Croydon 5008
Must tries are Avocado, Black pepper, Lime on Dark Rye with Crispy Speck and Blue Swimmer Crab Omelette with Fresh herbs
2. Zest Cafe Gallery
2A Sussex Street, Glenelg SA 5045
