Read a lot of mixed reviews about the newly renovated/rebranded CMC but decided to give it a try anyway.
I gotta say that the coffee was solid and strong - even when I had the iced version. 👍 So I really appreciated that!
Had the Kaya Buns (not pictured) as well and it was so soft and fluffy. The kaya was really fragrant. 💯
Also ordered the Cream Horn(?) and Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart. I wouldn’t recommend the former if you’re expecting a creamy, custardy texture. Was a tad disappointed because it just tasted like whipped butter. The consistency of the “cream” was slightly more runny than it was thick. Probably wouldn’t order that ever again. As for the latter, I’d buy that again in a heartbeat. It just tastes like one of those old skool chocolate wafers melted down, and mixed with creamy peanut butter and piped into a buttery tart crust. Really yummy. :)
TLDR; Get the Coffee, Kaya Bun (be sure to eat it hot!), and Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart.
Growing up, I had A LOT of tutu kuehs. By a lot, I mean at least once per week.
These ones are decent if you are nearby and craving for them; but I wouldn’t recommend waiting for more than 30 minutes for these.
Get them if you like Coconut and Peanut fillings. If you’re someone who’s into the Original/Plain flavor (hello, fellow flour lover), it might not live up to your standards if you’re used to something fluffy and has the texture of loosely sifted flour that is bonded together with heat and moisture.
But that’s just how I like my tutu kueh - and I think these ones just tasted a little more “compact”.
Woke up at 630 in the morning to get these freshly baked goodies at 7. These babies sell out as early as 9am on some days so we really didn’t want to take a chance.
Man, we were glad we got the tarts. There was already a queue starting to form at 7+.
Value-wise, these tarts are really worth it. Selling at only $1.20 a piece, it takes about 4-5 small bites to finish one tart and it goes perfectly well with a cup of kopi. We got both the orh nee (yam) and cheese tarts.
Taste-wise, the crust was buttery, light, and not greasy at all. The orh nee (yam) tarts were just the right amount of sweet. The whole gingko nuts provided a nice chewy texture to the soft orh nee paste.
I recommend having the lighter-tasting orh nee tarts before the cheese ones, even though you usually have savory before sweet. Reason being the cheese tarts were stronger-tasting and had a refreshing tinge of lemon in them. They reminded me of a wobblier, wetter version of a New York cheesecake in tart form.
Though I would prefer it if the batter itself had a little more flavor (i.e. a teeny bit of salt added into it), it was light, pillowy, and non-greasy ✅, which made for a great mid-day snack.
Fresh and crunchy with visible sugar crystals, the peanut filling definitely compensated for the batter’s light flavour.
Besides selling coffee and beer, this hidden gem of a place also sells amazing hojicha lattes and dirty chais’.
You’d also find that they serve small bites like baked pastries and fried finger food (truffle fries, buffalo wings, etc).
I’m so glad they’re still open during the circuit breaker period. This place used to be my weekly go-to for client meetings or remote work, as I’m an absolute sucker for their coffee. It’s also a nice environment to get some work done, or to catch up with friends.
P.S. The staff there are a witty, pleasant bunch as well. ;-)