With the abundance of cafes sprouting all around the island, it may be a risky affair to try out new spots that are hit-or-miss. Tiong Bahru Bakery has cemented itself as one of the must-tries in Tiong Bahru’s well-known hipster cafe paradise. The popularity of their signature good food and relaxed ambience have resulted in branches opening up in town and the Central Business District, with the newest one as of June 2018 stationed in Holland Village, yet another area beloved by cafe-hopping enthusiasts.
To elevate their menu further than just the classic baked delights and aromatic coffees, Tiong Bahru Bakery has introduced a cheeky Afternoon Threesum. Served in a threesome of layered dim sum baskets, it is a fun and totally Instagrammable high-tea set that is available exclusively from 3pm to 5pm, daily.
Start off with an array of savoury bites to whet your appetite. The pulled pork sandwich features fluffy bread and juicy, marinated strips of succulent pork. Eye-catching and somewhat reminiscent of Spongebob Squarepants’ “pretty patties”, the smoked salmon burgers are made with jet black, squid ink buns. My favourite of the lot would have to be the croque monsieur. Equal parts meaty and delectably cheesy, it was downright addictive. A pity that it’s gone with just one bite!
The next layer is a trio of delicate French pastries. Small in size but big on flavour, the raspberry financier is a mouthful of heaven for all dessert lovers. With tangy berry, smooth cream and a nuttiness in the moist almond cake, take time to savour it because this tiny treat will be gone too soon. The chocolate tart is devilishly rich and can definitely get too cloying after a while, we recommend ordering a nice tea or unsugared coffee to pair it with! Lastly, the lemon tart is wonderfully soft and extremely zingy. Be warned! Those who love super sour sweets will be thrilled. The lemony notes are sure to leave you feeling refreshed for the next dish.
The final layer holds three exquisite tea-time treats that embody the spirit as well as flavours of local cuisine. The pandan tartlet takes all the nostalgic tastes that we remember from the Bengawan Solo kuehs of our childhood and gives it a modern spin. The beautiful blue-and-white delight is a milky jelly tinged with blue pea flower and spiked with citrusy yuzu notes. Last but not least, the coconut cheesecake was a crowd favourite. As someone who’s not the biggest fan of dessicated coconut, I found this tropical twist on classic cheesecake to be wildly addictive til the very last bite. Something about the shaved coconut strands balanced out the otherwise overwhelming richness of the cheesecake, and made it a perfect match!
Nothing’s worse than being spoiled for choice after staring at the menu or display case of a cafe, ordering all the wrong things, and being stuck with a bunch of unsatisfying dishes that you regret paying full price for. At Tiong Bahru Bakery, folks who are big on variety can dig into 9 different foods that span all sorts of cuisines and personal taste preferences.
I, for one, feel that sharing an afternoon high-tea set with someone over great coffee and conversation is a mighty fun activity. Sampling all the pint-sized treats, discussing your opinions of how each one tastes and finding out which is your personal favourite? Definitely beats sticking to the boring, usual suspects of cafe-hopping cuisine.
Available at all their branches from 3pm to 5pm every day for $25, Tiong Bahru Bakery plans on switching up the Afternoon Threesum menu from time to time and introducing new things in the mix, so keep your eyes peeled!
Tiong Bahru Bakery: Website | Facebook
Tiong Bahru Bakery
56 Eng Hoon Street, #01-70
Singapore 160056
Raffles City SC, #B1-11
Singapore 179103
Tangs Orchard, L1-16B
Singapore 238864
43 Jalan Merah Saga, #01-74
Singapore 278115
Opening hours: 8am to 8pm daily (Eng Hoon Street)
8am to 10pm daily (Raffles City)
8am to 10pm Mon – Sat, 8am – 9pm Sun (Tangs Orchard)
8am to 8pm daily (Chip Bee Gardens)
Contact: 6220 3420 (Eng Hoon Street), 6333 4160 (Raffles City), 6735 3787 (Tangs Orchard), 6877 4868 (Chip Bee Gardens)
***This was a hosted tasting.***
