Tiong Bahru Bakery, Eng Hoon Street

For a bakery that cannot sound anymore cheena (read: Oriental) if it tried, Tiong Bahru Bakery sure walks and talks like a bona fide Frenchie. From the French country serving china to their complimentary imported French butter (the utterly shameless me will now confess that I koop-ed more than a couple home...heh), ooh-la-la coffee and specialty French breads, Tiong Bahru Bakery is carb-heaven for Francophiles (or hell, depending on who you're talking to).

We've dabao-ed a couple of their croissants before, but waited till the fuss has long died, before attempting a proper sit-down in the café for afternoon tea. Without the hipster pretense, the café is charmingly laidback and enticingly aromatic.

I'd heard rave reviews of the Kouign Amann ($4), and the fans were right. Petals of buttery chewy pastry lightly glazed for a spot of sweetness and crisp, this was so good I was three-quarters through before I realized the Hubs hadn't had any. A little nugget of information for you to impress your dates: if you are ever in Paris, you will unlikely find the kouign amann there, as the confection is native to Brittany region of France.

I wasn't that impressed with their plain croissant (overhyped, and Antoinette's is noticeably better), but their Chocolate Almond Croissant ($4) was pretty awesome. This got the Hubs' vote of the lot. Somehow, the shaved almonds, semi-chocolate filling and icing sugar dust elevated the plain croissant to a work of art (and taste).

Some people have found the classic version too sweet, so the fruity accents of the Apple Kouign Amann ($4.50), gives a nuanced balance to the classic one.

Don't leave without getting coffee from TBB. Their Latte ($5.50), rich and frothy (they use Meiji milk here, the best for achieving that delicate sweetness, methinks), with a hint of chocolatey sweetness, is punchy and seriously good.


Tiong Bahru Bakery
56 Eng Hoon Street
#01-70
Tel: 6220 3430
Open daily from 8am to 8pm
Website: www.tiongbahrubakery.com

Comments

Oysterdiaries said…
I only fell in love with the place after the hype sort of died down too. For whatever reason the background noise at the Eng Hoon Street outlet was so bad when I first went.

And APPLE kougin amann?! I have to try that.
4.3.14
Bern said…
that was fast!

I prefer the original kouign amann though. heh. sweet tooth.
4.3.14
yixiao said…
love the kouign amann too.. i do prefer to bona fide casualness at their other branches. tiong bahru is way too hipster for me.
5.3.14
Bern said…
hahaa, the early evenings in the early part of the week will (almost) ensure that this place is quite sparse...a lot less hipsters then! :)
5.3.14
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