Golden Mile Food Centre has seen quite a number of new tenants move into the hawker centre of the late — we had previously made visits to try out several stalls such as that of Anchovies & Peanuts, Oyster Bay, as well as Nyonya Bites a go; the food centre had recently seen the opening of Cat in the Hat as well. Located at level 1 (i.e. the upper floor) of Golden Mile Food Centre, Cat in the Hat serves up fare that is quite atypical of that which are often found at hawker centres. In fact, Cat in the Hat specialises in serving up tarts and cakes — something which is prominently being mentioned on their signboard as well. Everything that is available for the day is prominently displayed at the counter — having visited the stall in the early afternoon on a weekend, we already found a number of their items being out of stock. That being said, we did notice that Cat in the Hat does serve up quite a decent variety of petite cakes and tarts; this would include items such as that of Lemon Meringue Tart, Roasted Pecan Tart, a variety of Financiers as well as Scones. Unlike most stalls in hawker centres that serves their bakes either in plastic bags or boxes be it that the patron is dining-in or doing a takeaway, Cat in the Hat does serve their bakes and cakes on disposable plates should the patron mention that they are ordering their cakes / bakes for dine-in.

Having skimmed through the selection of bakes / cakes that were available during the time which we made our visit, we eventually settled for the following:

- Lemon Meringue Tart;
- Roasted Pecan Tart; and
- Black Sesame Financier with Tuile

Between the three items we have had, our favourite was actually surprisingly the Roasted Pecan Tart. One that had featured a pecan frangipane as well as a pecan that sits in the middle of the tart, the Roasted Pecan Tart carried an immense flavour of pecans with that slightly bitter undertone from the roasting process — not overly sweet, while the tart base held on well to our bites without crumbling into a mess too easily; the pecan in the middle providing a good bite as well. Featuring the same tart base, the Lemon Meringue Tart was something that was a little bit more predictable though still a little different from the other lemon meringue tarts we have had elsewhere. Unlike other lemon meringue tarts that we have had before, it is interesting to note how Cat in the Hat serves up their rendition with lemon curd that has yet to be set — perhaps this is due to the lack of having a display chiller for their bakes, but this also meant that the lemon curd was also molten in this one as it flows out when one slices through the tart. That being said, the lemon curd was noticeably zippy; not too sweet, and definitely one that would appeal to those who like their sour desserts — there was also no distinct aftertaste while the dollop of meringue on the top adds a bit of a neutral sweetness to balance things out. The Black Sesame Financier with Tuile was also worthy of a mention as well; we were expecting the financier to turn out a bit on the drier side given the use of black sesame here, but the cake was still sufficiently moist with a crusted exterior with the Tuile adding a slight crunch to the financier.

Whilst bakeries aren’t too much of an uncommon find in a hawker centre these days, Cat in the Hat is one that is of a rare breed — there aren’t many of such stalls situated in hawker centres that emphasise on French patisserie such as that of financiers and tarts around. Having tried a few items that Cat in the Hat has to offer, we found their bakes to be pretty well-executed — their tarts featuring quite a sturdy tart base while the bakes are all not overly sweet and quite a delight to have. We also through that it was a smart move for Cat in the Hat to serve up their bakes in petite portion sizes — hawker centres are all about dining from various stalls at one single seating, and the smaller size of their bakes also meant that one could almost consider having their bakes right after a main course or even better; trying a handful of what they have to order at one go, especially if one is intending to share some dessert around the table. The prices of the bakes at Cat in the Hat can also be described as pretty pocket-friendly; perhaps considering how the bakes are sized — all items are priced below $5, with the most expensive items being listed at $4. Cat in the Hat is quite a gem that one would not really expect to find in a hawker centre; a spot for those whom are interested in good, petite-sized cakes and tarts to check out — definitely a spot that we would hit to get some post-meal sweet treats whenever we are at Golden Mile Food Centre!