Having Desserts First

In all its crisp, flaky splendor, their Mille-feuille ($9.50/ slice) was simple delightful. Stacked with yummy layers of vanilla-specked pastry cream (the same one they use for their cream puffs), the Mille Feuille's puff pastry was super fragrant and light. The cream was also delicate in flavour and not too sweet. Subtly buttery, the pastry was not that difficult to cut even though I was initially troubled about whether I should cut through them or unravel the slice layer by layer. Overall, it was not dry at all and held enough flavour from the key components.

Been a long while since I visited Pantler and I must say I am loving their brighter as well as more spacious interior at River Valley Road!

Skipping the signature Yatsura which I had tried before, I was really pleased with my friend’s choice of the Nagomi ($9.50/ slice). Topped with a shiny layer of tea glacage, the earl grey mousse cake was pretty well-balanced in both taste and texture though I would personally prefer if the floral tea flavour be a tad stronger. The mousse was smooth, fragrant, and melded superbly with the citrusy-quality of the bergamot cream. The gentle zing from the cream also matched the nuttiness of the caramelised almonds and the soft tea dacquoise base.

Yet another bakery to look out for, The Flour Department’s March exclusive bakes were pretty exquisite (so glad I snagged it before the new menu comes out). Skipping their Cheese Fries Choux because I am really not that adventurous, their Ondeh Cake Tart and Peanut Mochi Paris Brest (Eclair) were right up my alley.

Giving the Peranakan traditional flavours a French-style twist, the Ondeh Cake Tart ($8/slice) was my favourite of the two. Real aromatic, the delightful layer of creamy kaya custard went perfectly with the airy coconut cream, moist coconut frangipane and fluffy pandan cake. The softness of the filling then balanced with the buttery tart crust and the crunch from the abundance of snow-white coconut shavings covering the entire slice. Not too sweet, the distinct pandan fragrance was the best part and the QQ ondeh-ondeh bursting with caramel-y Gula Melaka was quite literally the icing on the cake (though I would prefer if the dough was slightly thinner).

If a fragrant slice of pandan cake were to take the form of ice cream, I think it would look and taste exactly like Dopa Dopa’s Coconut Pandan with Gula Melaka ($5, Single). Creamy, and oh so aromatic, the classic local-inspired treat hit all the right notes for me as the fragrance seems to linger in the mouth. It wasn’t too sweet or cloying. Though the caramel-like taste of the gula Melaka took more of a back seat here, the coconut milk base was infused perfectly and thoroughly with the natural flavours of the pandan leaf.

A little milder in flavour, the premium Matcha Cheesecake (Double $9, Premium +$1) was likewise none too sweet. Studded with their house-made cheesecake and cookie crumble, the matcha gelato base had a great earthy quality, a tad milky but not overly so. The bittersweetness of the tea was also distinct yet not decadent; helping to balance the richness of the chunky cake. Perfect for those that enjoy some varying textures in their gelato, the Matcha Cheesecake was quite delightful!

Featuring Simple Cafe’s March Special; their Peanut Mochi Donut ($5.50)! Surprisingly light on the palate (as perhaps I was expecting a rich peanut butter-like filling), the smooth and luscious cream was folded with crunchy chunks of chopped nuts. Dusted with the familiar muah chee coating of peanut powder and sugar topping, the dough was also wonderfully fluffy and soft. None too sweet, the combination was truly foolproof. Not forgetting the thick slab of tender mochi adding to appeal and to the myriad of textures as well.

Getting the best of both worlds when you are torn between having the two, the Warabi Mochi with Gelato ($8.90) was pretty good. The pillows of homemade warabi mochi coated with kinako remained nice and soft. The scoop of Matcha Level 1 gelato was creamy, distinct, not overly decadent but earthy and satisfying.

When my friends want to visit Hvala for the n-th time…

So I think I finally settled for my favourite cake from Hvala and that is their Yuzu Cake ($8.90). Perfect with their matcha and tea-based drinks, the airy sponge was really delicate and nicely balanced. The light almost fluffy yuzu cream was also not too sweet and pleasantly zesty so it really refreshes the palate when you order too much matcha (yes I believe there is too much of a good thing).

Topped with desiccated coconut for the added crunch and aroma, Glacier’s Pandan Mochi Waffle ($8) was quite on point. The chewy-soft QQ interior was well complemented by the fragrant sweet batter and crisp exterior. Though not the fluffy or airy sort, the waffle’s layer of mochi provided a lovely textural contrast. The pandan flavour was also distinct in the first bite and worked pleasantly with the brown sugar syrup. 

As for the scoops of creamy gelato, they were hits and misses for me. My favourite from the trio was the Chrysanthemum Cacao Nibs ($4) which featured a well-balanced flowery note (resembles YEO’s but in a good way, in my opinion). The bittersweetness from the crunchy nibs elevated the experience as well because the dark cacao helped counter the creaminess. A tad heavy on the palate, the Raspberry, Lychee and Rose ($6), on the other hand, was packing a stronger floral fragrance. The tartness of the berries was pretty pronounced too but I would prefer it if the flavour of lychee was more prominent. Milder in taste, the Pulut Hitam ($4.50) lacked the oomph. There was a subtle toasty flavour and a slightly sticky texture. However, the characteristic coconut flavour that I often associate with the classic dessert was missing in my opinion. Hence, I would skip this and maybe give their other flavours a try instead (eyeing their houjicha)!

Got some work done at Equate Coffee last week with a cup of their Matcha Latte and signature Mount Ondeh!

A decent bake to munch on for the afternoon, the Mount Ondeh ($7) had a rather prominent pandan fragrance. The soft dense texture of the sponge was also pretty enjoyable with the sweetened cream cheese hidden in the cake and the dollop embellished atop. The light milky flavour of the cream complemented the caramel-like taste of the gula melaka drizzles. And I love the added topping of desiccated coconut which provided a fun crunchy texture and nutty aroma. Perhaps a little sweet on it own, the cake was sourced from Sugar Thieves nicely balanced with the vegetal, bittersweet flavour of their hot Matcha Latte ($5).

Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy this as much as I thought I would. Layered with earl grey ladyfinger, orange mascarpone cream, and mandarin orange; Simple Cafe’s Orange Earl Grey Cake ($8.50) was just too sweet (and that is a lot coming from me). The ladyfinger also felt oversoaked with syrup so texture wise it was rather lacking as well. The tea flavour being mild tasting too.

A very fun and surprisingly good combination, the Yam ‘Niangao’ Donut ($5.50) was a hit with my parents. The yam filling was a nice balance of thick and smooth. Together with the soft sticky-chewy rice cake, the luscious puree didn’t taste artificial at all and wasn’t too sweet either as there was a slight savoury quality in the mix. The ratio of dough to filling was also very satisfying. Not forgetting, topped with crunchy bits of desiccated coconut, the pillowy and light dough was great on its own too.

Just in time for their seasonal flavour, I got my taro cravings settled at Simple Cafe recently!

For their Yam Swiss Roll 芋泥卷 ($7/slice), the pairing of the elements was none too sweet. The cream tasted real light and fresh - I liked that it didn’t overwhelm the palate and the other ingredients as the flavour was mild. The sponge was decently soft too. And thinking that the yam flavour might be less pronounced due to the amount of yam filling, I am glad that I was mistaken as the yam puree found embellished atop and in the center of the roll had a great “yam-y” flavour. There was a pleasant medley of textures from the desiccated coconut and yam chunks as well.