Kopi 'n' Kaya Toast Stories

It doesn’t seem to long ago that Nanyang Kopi Kia Claypot Coffee had first introduced the concept of claypot coffee in Singapore — no doubt that the said item has become a trend in the neighbouring country of Malaysia, but Nanyang Kopi Kia Claypot Coffee is undoubtedly the first establishment that had brought us a taste of claypot coffee around the island here. Nanyang Kopi Kia Claypot Coffee has had multiple outlets operating at locations like Smith Street and Alexandra Village at one point of time; however, these folks had since closed off those locations and consolidated their operations at their brand new space at International Plaza. While Nanyang Kopi Kia Claypot Coffee had ceased operations at Alexandra Village Food Centre for a while now, we ended up finding yet another hawker stall serving up claypot coffee that had moved into the same stall tenanted by Nanyang Kopi Kia Claypot Coffee previously; the new tenant being named J&J 瓦煲咖啡茶. Essentially not too different from most other beverage stalls serving up Nanyang-style Kopi and Teh that can be found in coffeeshops and hawker centres all around except for its focus on claypot coffee, J&J 瓦煲咖啡茶 does also serve up Kaya Butter Toast as well — other more “interesting” food items include Mini Chicken Ham & Cheese Burger, as well as Yuan Yang Buns with Kaya Butter and Creamy Peanut Butter. Apart from Nanyang-style Kopi that is being served out from a claypot, they do also serve up Thai tea, a monk fruit beverage, as well as other common concoctions like Lime Juice and Sour Plum just to name a few.

It is interesting to note that the Yuan Yang Buns (Kaya Butter & Creamy Peanut Butter) actually comes in a set of two; one being spread with Kaya and a wedge of butter in between, while the other bun comes spread with creamy peanut butter in between — the auntie was actually pretty nice to have considered slicing the Kaya and Butter Yuan Yang Bun into half for us, though the photo illustrating the Yuan Yang Bun spread with Creamy Peanut Butter is actually the end result of pulling the bun apart into two pieces. The buns used for the Yuan Yang Buns (Kaya Butter & Creamy Peanut Butter) are actually soft buns which one may find being served up at Hainanese-style Western cuisine stalls that still actually serves up soft buns with the main courses. These are toasted in the oven, and then sliced apart with the spreads being applied on thereafter. We actually do suspect that there is some margarine being spread on the undersides of the buns since it did carry a note similar to margarine; not to mention that the bun does come with a yellowish underside as well. The soft buns are toasted to a crisp on the exterior, with the interior maintaining some softness and fluffiness; we do think that there is a good proportion of kaya and butter here where the balance of flavours from the coconut jam and the saltishness of the butter was fairly on-point. That being said, we did wish that they could pay more attention to wipe the knife clean of peanut butter before spreading the Kaya on the other bun. Since we did not try the Creamy Peanut Butter Yuan Yang Bun, let’s just rely on our dining partner’s remark that the Creamy Peanut Butter is quite thick and likely to whet the appetites of peanut butter lovers in general.

In any case, for those wondering how their Claypot Coffee is like, we thought that the Claypot Kopi was slightly more roasty than most usual Nanyang-style Kopi that we had come across; this also meant that the level of sweetness feels more balanced out, though some may note feel that the difference is quite significant enough to be said as “unique” when compared to the typical cup of Kopi. Truth to be told, we probably would not say that J&J 瓦煲咖啡茶 is a spot that warrants a special trip made to give their Claypot Kopi a go; there isn’t that much of a difference that would warrant one to just head straight there to check it out. That being said, I we do feel that the Claypot Kopi served up at J&J 瓦煲咖啡茶 is pretty decent; something worthy of giving a try if one is looking for Kopi to pair up with their food orders whilst at Alexandra Village Food Centre — more of an interesting option to chance upon it one has an opportunity to check it out being around the vicinity.

Caught wind of the new Bellersbys House that had recently opened their doors at Loewen Road in Dempsey — despite being located within the Dempsey Hill neighbourhood, Bellersbys House is a situated slightly away from the main cluster of upscale restaurants and establishments in the area. In fact, its location at 75G Loewen Road meant that it is located in a cluster of buildings where other tenants such as The Yoga House and FLYPROJECT (i.e. a Pilates studio) are also at occupying the other buildings in the same cluster. Bellersbys House isn’t considered large; within the building itself where it is located would be the espresso bar and four dine-in tables good for pax in groups of two to four — there is an outdoor deck that seems to be in the works when we made our visit. Patrons can also dine-in at the tables located outdoors just outside of its main entrance — those table generally are meant for groups of two. Much of the look of the cafe for its interior is rather raw — think walls featuring exposed bricks, as well as cement-esque floors and counters; a look that is rather befitting of the greenery it is set in. Considering how there is a lack of a proper kitchen in Bellersbys House, the menu largely features light bites such as a Kaya Butter Toast; they were also serving up a Tuna Brioche as a special for the day during the day of our visit. Otherwise, patrons can also pick from the various danishes and fruits that they have stocked up and are available on display at the counter. For beverages, Bellersbys House offers a variety of espresso-based coffees, drinking chocolate, freshly-squeezed fruit juices and smoothies to go along — some interesting concoctions of espresso-based specialty coffee includes the Pandan Latte and the Lemongrass Latte.

Dropping by Bellersbys House for a light bite for breakfast to start the day proper, it is needless to say that our food item of choice from the menu was the Kaya Butter Toast. Here, a single portion of the Kaya Butter Toast comes with two (2) pieces. Prepared upon order, the Kaya Butter Toast features the usual brown toast that we are all pretty familiar with — the same ones which we would be served up with if we were to drop by any outlet of Ya Kun Kaya Toast around, with slabs of butter and Kaya sandwiched in between the toast. The rendition of the Kaya Butter Toast at Bellersbys House does seem to be one that is created with the fitspo folks in mind (especially considering the various fitness studios operating within the same compound in different buildings), the toast is toasted just slightly to achieve some sort of crisp but it still remained its soft texture for the most part, providing a light and fluffy bite as opposed to the biscuit-y crisp texture of such toasts that we are more familiar with. There was, however, sufficient butter in their rendition of the Kaya Butter Toast; chilled slabs of butter providing a savoury bite while the Pandan-infused coconut jam provided some sweetness that goes along with the butter just about right — not too much that it sweetens up the Kaya Butter Toast substantially. We had also given the Lemongrass Latte a try; basically a Latte with an infusion of lemongrass, the concoction was no different from a latte that comes with a more prominent hint of lemongrass in the body akin to that of Iced Lemongrass that one can find at Thai eateries around. One could still taste the coffee in the finishing notes though; something more of an earthy and nutty cuppa with a light body that is rather soothing — refreshing with the lemongrass infusion. Overall, a spot that seems to be poised to serve those from the fitness studios around it; no doubt still a spot away from all the buzz and the beaten track for some me-time while it still remains relatively unknown for now.

Was scrolling around social media as usual when we found out about the new Six Beans by Old Airport Road Toast Hut which had recently opened its doors at Hub Synergy Point — the building had recently been seeing new tenants moving in after a long while of being under renovations; other F&B tenants which had found home in Hub Synergy a point includes 9SQ Coffee House & Bar, which is a gastrobar which used to operate from Hotel Innotel before its move to Dawson Place and shuttering thereafter. For those whom are wondering about the reference to Toast Hut for Six Beans by Old Airport Road Toast Hut; Six Beans by Old Airport Road Toast Hut is an establishment that is run by the same folks behind the Toast Hut stall that is located at Old Airport Road food centre — the opening of this new space by these folks can be said as a pretty iconic one. This is especially considering how this would be the very first time which Toast Hut is operating a standalone eatery by themselves. There are attempts made by the folks of Six Beans by Old Airport Road Toast Hut to make the space carry a minimalistic look with its large use of white and grey elements; that being said, the furnishings and fittings can be said as rather basic and is still rather reminiscent of what one will typically find in a mom-and-pop shop. Occupying quite a large shop unit, there are quite a good number of seats around for dine-in patrons with ample space to even walk around. Toast Hut at Old Airport Road Food Centre is an establishment that is well noted for their local breakfast offerings of toasts, Nanyang-style Kopi / Teh and soft-boiled eggs — this pretty much stays the same at Six Beans by Old Airport Road Toast Hut, though they do also offer a good variety of more substantial food choices for lunch such as Laksa, Curry Chicken Rice, Soba Bowl, Aglio Olio Bowl and Peanut Porridge as well.

We had went past Toast Hut at Old Airport Road Food Centre quite a number of times whenever we are dining or passing by the hawker centre and had always been keeping it in the back of our minds to give them a go some time. This, coupled with the fact about how we are pretty much into Kaya Butter Toast meant that it was pretty impossible for us to give their Kaya Butter Toast a go. Toast Hut serves up their toasts and sandwiches either ala-carte or by set — pretty much identical to what other similar establishments would typically offer in the menu as well; the price quoted for the sandwiches and toasts for ala-carte and as a set with a hot drink or as a set with a cold drink being all different, with the latter two also coming with soft-boiled eggs. We opted for the ala-carte version of the Kaya Toast, considering how we were not intending to get the soft-boiled eggs. Six Beans by Old Airport Road Toast Hut serves up their Kaya Butter Toast with brown bread slices, much akin to that which Ya Kun Kaya Toast serves; each serving portion coming with four slices of toast with Nyonya Kaya and butter in between. Prepared only upon order, we really liked how their Kaya Butter Toast was crisp as we took a bite into it; there is definitely a good ratio of Kaya and butter here considering how it comes with a thick slab of butter, yet carried ample sweetness and hint of Pandan fragrance from the coconut jam that gave it a good flavour and texture — one of the renditions of Kaya Butter Toast that we truly enjoyed in recent times. Aside from the Kaya Butter Toast, we also had their Laksa which came chock full of ingredients such as shredded chicken, beancurd puff, quail eggs and fish cake — the gravy being a good balance of rempah spices and coconut milk without being too rich or jelak. Kopi was on point as well; the roasty notes and bold body of Robusta beans being really evident without being overly sweetened. Prices of all lunch items are priced at $7.90, while the toasts with hot beverages are priced at $5.80 — a little steep but understandably so given its location. A spot which we can see ourselves returning for lunch on a weekday though!

Made a visit to Chinatown to check out the new Shun Cheng Traditional Coffee & Bar which had recently opened its doors at 30 Temple Street. Being an outfit that is seemingly trying to blend the new with the old, Shun Cheng Traditional Coffee & Bar operates as a independent traditional coffeeshop in the day, but turns into a full-fledged bar in the evening. Decked out in a a pretty retro feel, the interior decor theme at Shun Cheng Traditional Coffee & Bar seeks to replicate the vibes of a Hainanese-run coffeeshop in the past — tiled walls, marbled table tops and wooden stools; pretty much a look that keeps its alter ego a secret from its day patrons. That being said, there are some hints of its bar elements being situated in different corners of the store — an example would be the various old movie posters hung around, as well as racks displaying vinyl records right across from the counter. We only managed to find out what does Shun Cheng Traditional Coffee & Bar serves up in its day menu (we only found out that the night menu was behind the day one as we made our way out) — the hot food being served in the day menu is split up into three different sections; the sections being Traditional Toast (i.e. Butter Sugar Toast, a Monkey Butter Toast that features a spread made from banana and pineapple, Avocado Spread etc.), Sandwiches (i.e. Bacon & Egg, Egg Mayo Truffle etc.) and Traditional Favourites (featuring items like Mee Rebus, and a Sabroso Chicken with Mashed Potatoes). Beverages available during the day includes Nanyang-style Kopi and Tea, as well as Fruit Drink Spritzers and soft drinks.

We were initially pretty intrigued to give their more funky options a try but since we dropped by during a rather odd hour that having something heavy wasn’t really in our agenda, we found ourselves opting for the Kaya Butter Toast — an item that we always seem to fall back on. The Kaya Butter Toast is decent; at least they didn’t seem like they were going to reinvent the wheel with this one. The bread here is somewhat crisp on the exterior, though it is noted that it is still somewhat soft to still chew through — personally not something to our preferences; the kaya also seems more like one that is gotten off the shelves rather than a homemade version based on its level of sweetness and overall texture so it really is not much to shout about. That being said, the use of Planta instead of butter was what worked for us — a really big throwback to what we have had in the days of our conscription where we often found ourselves slathering thick layers of Planta for the do-it-yourself kaya toast; something which really turned into a ritual back then as a breakfast staple for a short time of our lives; this really brings back those memories instantaneously.

Truth to be told, it does seem that Shun Cheng Traditional Coffee & Bar is trying to be a concept where old-meets-new; that being said, we felt that their stronger suit would probably be in their night operations considering how it seems to be more of their focus despite being a “secretive” element to the concept. That being said, Shun Cheng Traditional Coffee & Bar is still a fairly decent location for a conducive spot for local coffee and tea, as well as traditional toasts for those passing by the area — the Kopi is noted to be particularly strong and not overly sweetened by the condensed milk. Would likely be dropping by to check out their evening menu some time soon; not sure how well they do cocktails here, though I am also as curious if they do also serve up a different food menu here to go along with the drinks as well.

With the en-bloc sale of Golden Mile Complex being one of the top headline news in the past couple of weeks, the neighbouring Golden Mile Tower has been pretty much under-the-radar. Also pretty overshadowed by other more prominent individually-run local Kopi and toasts establishments around such as Tong Ah, Heap Seng Leong and Chin Mee Chin Confectionary is Mun Ann Cafe — a spot that has been hiding in Golden Mile Tower only known to those who have probably been patronising it for years. Not sure how long they have been around (the business was registered 47 years ago), but this establishment at this current juncture serves mostly traditional breakfast sets (i.e. Hainanese Kaya Toast and Half-Boiled Eggs) paired with local beverages such as Nanyang-style Kopi, Teh and Milo. The items are also available in ala-carte, and those who are looking for something else apart from Hainanese Kaya Toast can also go for various paus and dimsum that are sourced from Bee Sim Pau. Despite the sheer age of the shop based on its furnishing and fittings, Mun Ann Cafe is actually pretty well-maintained with noticeably clean walls, floors and furnishings.

Being drawn to visit Mun Ann Cafe for their Kaya with Butter Toast that features homemade kaya, it was natural that we found ourselves ordering the Coffee Set. For those whom are interested, Mun Ann Cafe does retail their homemade kaya in bottles, which they claim to come without any preservatives — we found some of their patrons taking away bottles of their homemade Kaya during our visit. Going straight for the Kaya with Butter Toast, we really liked how they used white bread for the toast here — the white bread is toasted to perfection here to a shade of light brown with that crisp outer crust that provides a good bite. They don’t seem to scrimp on the butter here; the amount of Kaya here is also well-balanced against the butter as well to strike the savoury-sweet balance — the homemade Kaya is of the Nyonya-style that sees the use of Pandan, though their rendition comes with a more lumpy look and a shade of green that is slightly more pale than that of commercially-made ones. There is also a subtle hint of egginess with their homemade Kaya that comes altogether with the sweetness of the coconut jam and the Pandan notes that it comes with.

While the half boiled eggs at other places are usually not worth too much of a mention, the ones here at Mun Ann Cafe was something that we enjoyed — perhaps we were really scrutinising the details with there half boiled eggs here, but we found the yolks to be especially flavourful here as compared to that of other places. Also worth noting is how the half boiled eggs are perfectly done here; the egg yolks still being runny, and a sheer pleasure to have. Kopi was also really well-pulled here — there is always that cup of Nanyang-style Kopi that is bland or relies heavily on the sweetness of condensed milk for flavour but I like how this wasn’t too sweet, yet carried that roasty aroma that makes Nanyang-style Kopi what it is.

Mun Ann Cafe does seem like a favourite amongst the folks who patronise them — the shop is actually pretty packed for a spot better associated with local-style breakfast sets on a weekday mid-afternoon, and it is little wonder why; the couple who runs the place do seem to be pretty earnest folks and down-to-earth, whilst upholding the quality of their food over an extended period of time that makes them stand out from names that had gone the commercial route. There is always a sort of charm that such places carry; a spot that is definitely deserving of a visit for the slice of heritage that they are serving!

Kaya butter toasts featuring house-made kaya had always intrigued me; found myself heading to Addiction Bistro by Swee Kee located at Seah Street after seeing their social media post on the said item. The establishment is not to be confused with Zheng Swee Kee; the former tenant of the space which has since moved to Burlington Square and shares a space with Hot Spot Cafe Restaurant. While there are a change of tenants, Addicted Bistro by Swee Kee hasn’t done much to the space that was previously occupied by Zheng Swee Kee apart from plastering the “Zhen Swee Kee” name across all the windows that previously bore the name of the former tenant along with the signboard. Otherwise, the interior layout as well as it’s furnishing and fittings are largely the same as before — same old nostalgic marble tables and wooden chairs, windows stuck with green-tinted sunshield and even a tabletop pay phone on the counter top; these being elements that kinda transported us back to a coffeeshop of the yesteryear. The menu at Addiction Bistro by Swee Kee is largely something one would expect out of a Hainanese coffeeshop without the tzechar elements — the main focus here would be on their Kampung Chicken Rice, though they do offer other dishes including Hainanese Pork Chop as well; otherwise, patrons do have a variety of toast and bread options to go for which includes a Luncheon Meat Toast and a Homemade Hei Bee Hiam Toast. Drinks include Nanyang-style kopi and tea, as well as other syrup-based beverages like lime juice and the usual suspects like homemade barley and canned drinks, as well as various brands of beer.

Going for the Homemade Kaya Butter Toast, the choice of toast is actually pretty interesting here — they have opted for the typical UFO bun but rather than to serve it sliced into half with Kaya and butter in the middle, they have decidedly sliced each bun into four equal slices, with each portion of their Homemade Kaya Butter Toast coming in two pieces instead. The choice of the UFO bun was a smart one — the browned sides are lightly crisp, while the bread is actually light, soft and fluffy; something different from the usual brown toasts that we often get at commercial establishments such as that of Ya Kun Kaya Toast. Each kaya toast comes spread with ample amount of kaya and also a slab of butter — a good proportion of both elements that provided a decent balance. Here, the Nyonya-style Kaya bears a bright green hue; brighter than that of the bottled kaya available at supermarkets — the kaya perfumes of a pandan and coconut-y fragrance without being particularly sweet; all that with a slightly lumpy texture. The slab of butter meanwhile provides a slightly saltish note that binds the toast and the kaya together — pretty balanced. Not forgetting to pair our Homemade Kaya Butter Toast with Kopi, the Kopi here seems to focus more on the roasty aroma of Nanyang-style Kopi; all that without being overly sweet.

Having only tried their Homemade Kaya Butter Toast, we do appreciate the effort that they have taken in making their very own kaya — not something that many establishments would do these days (with the exception of specialty cafes looking to serve up something special). Sure, the decor may be something that is left behind by their former tenants; that being said, nothing quite beats the feeling of having a simple breakfast of kaya butter toast in a rustic setting, soaking in all that vibes of simple times with a newspaper at hand — something which Addiction Bistro by Swee Kee does seem to be able to provide.

Indie spots serving up Hainanese Kaya Butter Toast is probably one thing that I just get a little too excited about — now thinking back about it, I wasn’t probably hungry, but was fairly tempted enough to find myself plonking down on a seat at Hainan Second Street just to have a Kaya Bun before starting the shopping session proper at IMM Mall.

It’s a little difficult to resist ordering the Kaya Bun — something about UFO buns just make Hainanese Kaya Toasts feel more “authentic” ever over the more popular brown toasts that other joints tend to favour these days. The UFO buns have their own appeal here — it’s less dense the ones used at some other places; leads to a more fluffy and lighter bread, though some may argue that this feels less toasty around the edges than they would prefer. That being said, this one does carry that lingering sweetness that one would usually associate with bread rolls that some neighbourhood bakeries churn out — strangely alluring especially with that thin but evenly spread coconut jam (nothing artisanal here though; seemingly commercial) over the top and that slab of salted butter over the top. And if you think that just about it for the Hainanese breakfast experience here, there’s the option to add butter to your Kopi here for that silky smooth experience to the Nanyang-style cuppa that some have grew to love — opt for the set for the soft-boiled eggs to be served on the side as well.

Hainan Second Street attempts to bring back the Hainanese delicacies of the good old days — a concept that brings back the iconic dishes that were typically served in Hainanese-owned eateries and coffeeshops of the past; think Paper Cut Curry Rice, Sweet & Sour Chicken/Pork Chops, Hainan Chicken and even Steamboat Sets. A spot that those who are into heritage Hainanese fare should check out.

Checked out the new Cafe Confetti at Harper Road; the establishment being hidden within Leong Huat Building which is actually pretty accessible from Tai Seng MRT Station; the space is actually tucked around a corner from the main entrance and faces Tai Seng Centre. Previously known as Confect.T, the Cafe Confetti is their transition from being an online business to having a physical cafe space — the menu comprises of Nyonya Kueh which they were known for when they were still operating as Confect.T. With the opening of their cafe space, they also do serve more substantial fare — think mains and brunch items (available between 10am to 3pm) such as a Shrimp & Mussel Scampi with Sourdough, Mac & Cheese with Wild-Caught Crab Meat, as well as smaller plates such as the Wanpaku Sandwich, and sharing plates such as Spicy Peppercorn Popcorn Chicken.

We were in a little too early to try out their mains as stipulated in the menu, so we went for the Sous Vide Egg & Housemade Kaya with Pullman Toast which is listed as a “For Sharing (or not)” item on the menu. This is their take on the traditional kaya toast — a little pricey for one considering the price tag of $12 (there again, it was intended to be shared); comes with sous-vide eggs, housemade Kaya and a square toast which is slightly thicker than that of the commercial sliced bread loaf available in supermarkets. Wasn’t a fan of how the items came generally lukewarm — that made it a little short on the heartiness of the dish as a breakfast item (yes, I did find myself here at 9am). That being said, the sous-vide egg did come with a nearly fully-cooked yolk — would have preferred it to be runnier, but I did enjoy how they have done it for their patrons so there isn’t a need to fumble with hot eggs still in their egg shells; they also have added a good portion of soy sauce and cracked pepper (a luxury for a dish like that to me) for flavour. The toast also seemingly lacked crispness; be it within or on the crust, though it does make up for that for how it carried a good tension when one pulls it apart — does hint of a slight fragrance of freshly-baked bread on its own. The highlight for me was the house-made Kaya; the sort of lumpy Nyonya-style green Kaya that we are used to seeing instead of the smooth, almost puréed version that is trendy with cafes of the late. I liked how their Kaya does come with a slight hint of Pandan, but does come with an evident egginess; a flavour profile similar to that of the Kaya from Killiney Kopitiam but of a more liquid and lumpy consistency and without being overly sweetened.

Perhaps they are still new to cafe operations, but I do feel that there is some room to improve on the food that they serve — especially so on the Sous Vide Egg & Housemade Kaya with Pullman Toast. That being said, Cafe Confetti is a spot I reckon that might get popular around the office folks as well as the neighbourhood Tai-Tais in the area to settle their Kueh cravings; especially so when they do also carry high tea set that includes their housemade Kueh, scones, sandwiches and drinks that is good for two at $38.

Made our way down to 56 Eng Hoon Street initially wanting to try out Pin Sheng Teochew Bak Chor Mee, but found out that the stall was actually situated within Tiong Bahru Yong Tao Hu and that it was closed with no announcements being made. Since I wasn’t quite craving for Yong Tao Hu, I found myself ending up with the Toast Set instead — you know, the typical Hainanese breakfast kaya toast set that seems particularly apt considering I am seated in a coffeeshop situated in an apartment block built in the colonial era.

There isn’t a choice of toast available at Tiong Bahru Yong Tao Hu; so I found it pretty surprising that they actually serve the UFO buns by default — most other places that do not give patrons a choice would use either white loaf bread or brown toast (i.e. the same ones that Ya Kun uses) instead. Coming with a slight char from being toasted on the grill, I liked how the bun is soft and fluffy inside, yet coming with a crisp exterior — a good balance of textures where Kaya Butter Toast is concerned with UFO buns being served. Rather than using Pandan Kaya, they have seemingly opted for the Caramel Kaya (i.e. the Hainanese variant) instead. While being probably a commercial one that was bought from a manufacturer, the Kaya was suitably sweet and carried an earthy sweetness that is typical of this type of Kaya. The soft-boiled eggs are served de-shelled (just like how they do at Ya Kun); great for those who do not like to deal with the scalding hot eggs off the water bath and having to crack them open, while the Kopi was pretty decent — roasty and aromatic being just suitably sweetened with condensed milk.

Not a Yong Tao Hu lover so I am not probably one who will come down to just have Yong Tao Hu, but I guess this is something I wouldn’t mind having if a friend drags me here to settle his Yong Tao Hu cravings — probably one of the better kaya butter toasts around from a spot that serves it as a secondary offering.

Previously located in Chinatown, Whiskit Bakery & Cafe had since found new digs at Helios, Biopolis — it takes over the former premises of now-defunct Charlyn’s Milk Bar, which occupied the space after its move from Chromos, Biopolis (I know; the names of this neighbourhood …). Apart from serving up their signature tarts such as the Kaya Ondeh Ondeh Tart and the Gingko Orh Nee Tart, their new Biopolis location also serves up toasts, light bites (think fried finger food), and a small variety of mains.

Whilst I wasn’t very impressed with the Gingko Orh Nee Tart (a little too light for my tastebuds, and also on how the tart shell was a tad hard and cookie-like; think I had been quite spoilt by Tarte by Cheryl Koh of the late), the Earl Grey Butter Toast was the better item of the two. The Kaya Butter Toast lover in me is always on a lookout for a fusion twist of the Hainanese breakfast classic; the only renditions where I have come across so far being from the now-defunct Chiak! (a concept by Cedele at Mapletree Business City), Coffee Break (the hipster hawker stall with locations at Amoy Street and Hong Lim) and Kaki (a concept similar to Toast Box/Ya Kun at AMK Hub).

Served with the standard brown toasts that most other establishments serve the typical Kaya Butter Toasts with, I liked how the rendition here comes with crisp toast despite me ordering this at a rather odd hour (around 2pm to 3pm), given how some other joints may serve up rather limp and soggy roasts at off-hours. The Earl Grey spread comes rather thick; but not too dense — almost akin to the texture of some house-made pandan kaya that some establishments offer in terms of consistency. It comes with a fairly subtle hint of the aroma from the tea-infused with the spread; through the aroma does get overwhelmed slightly by the generous slab of butter rather easily — not that I am complaining about it since very rarely that one will get a well-sized slab of cold butter to come in between their Kaya Butter Toast anyway.

Given its location, Whiskit Bakery & Cafe is one of those places that would likely service the Biopolis office crowds pretty well, considering how it does serve up mains that sound simple and comforting (though we did not try any of them; we visited after having lunch elsewhere) — think Chicken Baked Rice, Beef Lasagne and Butter Chicken Pie; also a great space for some desserts whilst being away from the crowds in town. That being said, we do hope that the tart base issue is a one-off; or perhaps they could further refine it for a better experience overall where their tarts are concerned (especially considering how they are known more for the tarts here).

Had the chance to dine alone whilst working from the office; wanted to drop by other places but found myself hitting Curious Palette instead — one of the spots that is rarely exercised even when eating alone around the office.

Wanted to go for something more substantial, but found myself eventually going for the Kaya, Coffee Butter — the very same item which I had went for when I first made my return to the cafe when dine-in was just re-instated after moving into Phase Two of the Circuit Breaker. The aesthetics of the dish had since changed — gone were the days of the square sliced toast stacked up with the soy sauce bottle one would often find in coffeeshops that contains their Espresso Shoyu; now the items come with toasts sliced in triangles, and the Espresso Shoyu comes in a saucer instead.

The Kaya, Coffee Butter Toast was what I remembered it to be — the crisp, old-school toast that it came with resembles that of Ya Kun’s Kaya Butter Toast; just sliced slightly different and comes slathered with ample portions of Kaya and Coffee Butter for a balance note. Perhaps of the way the toasts are being sliced now, the flavours of the Kaya and Coffee Butter are also a bit more pronounced this time — the Kaya being all smooth and carried a distinct note of the caramalised coconut jam; all that without being overly sweet nor grainy as the commercial variants available in supermarkets, while the coffee butter carries an alluring bitter undertone that cuts through the usual saltishness of butter which is an interesting flavour profile that brings the usual pairing of coffee with Kaya Butter Toast straight into the toast itself. The sous vide eggs that accompanies the Kaya, Coffee Butter Toast comes wobbly with molten egg yolks — the best sort of eggs with Kaya Butter Toast that we so much enjoy in the traditional Hainanese breakfast, and comes accompanied with Espresso-infused Shoyu; do go easy with the dousing of the Shoyu considering how the Espresso Shoyu comes with a rather deep, earthy and saltish note that is more intense than the usual light soya sauce that some will enjoy their eggs to go together with.

The Kaya, Coffee Butter is probably one of those items that is rarely seen being ordered at Curious Palette — after all, the other items on the menu would probably appeal to the cafe-goers a lot more and are also more substantial in terms of portion size. I do enjoy their twist to the usual Kaya Butter Toast though — one that can only be pulled of by an establishment that specialises in specialty coffee; and is something I would consider having again for a light lunch/brunch at Curious Palette.

There has been a lot of talk about The Hainan Story on social media of the late — taking over the former premises of the now-defunct Tian Bao Szechuan Kitchen at Hillion Mall, The Hainan Story is a multi-concept food hall that houses several brands under one roof, such as familiar local establishments like Ah Chiang’s Porridge and Wee Nam Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice, as well as new concepts such as Uncle Robert Western and Newspaper Hainanese Curry Rice.

Off the menu from The Hainan Story, which is essentially the stall here serving Nanyang Kopi, tea and other beverages, as well as Hainanese toast, British pies alongside egg tarts and desserts such as cheesecakes, the Homemade Gula Melaka Kaya & Butter Toast caught my attention given how it is homemade — the Kaya itself even being retailed in bottles here; something that definitely piqued my interest given my love for homemade Kaya. True to the Hainanese variant of the well-loved coconut jam, the Homemade Gula Melaka Kaya here comes in a pretty shade of dark-brown, as opposed to the usual green Nonya Kaya which many other establishments that make their own kaya prefers to serve up. Whilst most Hainanese Kaya uses brown sugar or caramelised sugar/caramel for their kaya, the deep, earthy sweetness of the Gula Melaka really exudes in this rendition, and goes exceptionally well with the slab of cold butter slapped in between the UFO buns — the bun being a standard option here and is absolutely fluffy, light and pillowy-soft. We went for the ala-carte option here; choosing to opt for Butter Kopi to go along (a $0.60 upgrade from the original Kopi), though the same is also available in a set which comes with soft-boiled eggs and coffee/tea/cold drinks (from a given selection only) for those looking for the full Hainanese breakfast affair.

Wished they were a little more careful in processing orders here though; was initially given Peanut Butter Toast instead of the Homemade Gula Melaka Kaya and Butter Toast by accident — a little dangerous considering how some folks may have peanut allergies and could have taken a bite into the wrongly-made order. Otherwise, given the sheer amount of options available here, I guess Bukit Panjang residents will find this a great option within their area of residence — would probably check out the other concepts that they have soon since some of the items available had already caught my eye!