Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon

We had first came across the existence of Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon whilst scrolling through social media one day — turns out that we had also learnt about the closure of 5 by Sans-Façon at Seletar Aerospace Park; a little bit of a pity considering how it was an establishment that we liked and had visited at least more than once during their run in the local F&B scene. Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon can be said as the spiritual successor to 5 by Sans-Façon, and also an extension of Tartines (located at Seng Poh Lane) which is also by the same folks as well. Whilst 5 by Sans-Façon was located at 5 The Oval at Seletar Aerospace Park, Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon is located in the neighbouring house at 6 The Oval at Seletar Aerospace Park. Despite being within the same vicinity, it does seem that the current space of Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon is smaller than that of the previous place that 5 by Sans-Façon was at. That being said, there is still both indoor and outdoor seating space available for dine-in patrons at Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon. Those whom have also visited 5 by Sans-Façon would also find the interior vibes of Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon closely mirroring the rustic, cottage-like vibes that 5 by Sans-Façon used to carry — much of the European-style furniture from 5 by Sans-Façon also being reused at Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon. Whilst 5 by Sans-Façon carried a wider menu seeing the offerings of brunch plates and entrees with an extensive selection of appetisers, Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon’s menu is a little more focused and streamlined — apart from a list of Tartines that are based off the offerings available at Tartines at Seng Poh Lane, one can also find sections of the menu dedicated to Eggs, Salads, and Sixzas (pizza with their homemade dough), as well as a line-up of pastries and tarts that are stocked in their display case. Beverages available at Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon includes espresso-based specialty coffee, soft drinks, juices, house-made iced teas, smoothies, beers and house wines.

Considering how there is a heavy emphasis on the menu at Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon on their Sixzas, we decided to go for one of the Sixzas which they have to offer on their menu — one can only guess how they had came up with the name “Sixza” for their pizza offerings, which is likely a wordplay on “six” and “pizza”; the former being derived from its address (i.e. 6 The Oval at Seletar Aerospace Park), and the combination of both words perhaps as a way to suggest that the pizzas are done in their very own unique style here at Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon. Skimming through the menu for their Sixza offerings, we found ourselves settling for the Kimchee & Pork Sixza. Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon does not describe on the elements that comes with their Sixzas; that being said, it can be observed from our order of the Kimchee & Pork Sixza that the item comes with kimchi, different cuts of pork such as pork slices and minced pork, melted cheese and arugula — the Sixza offerings on the menu being claimed to have been “freshly baked from the oven with homemade dough). Arriving hot to the table, the dough comes shaped in a way around the sides that seems to act as a “wall” to encase all of the condiments that come in the middle — the dough also comes nicely browned with areas that comes a little more charrred from the baking process that made it come with a really appealing aesthetic. Slicing down the dough when it is still warm, the pizza dough is especially crusty; we liked how the edges despite looking rather thick, came with a hollow centre that made it less jelak and intimidating than it looks — this also created a rather interesting bite that made us go for the crust more even despite us not having much of an intention to finish all of it considering how carb-intensive it tends to be.

Nonetheless, the mix pork here which includes rather thickly sliced pork slices as well as minced pork does provide for a meatiness and a variance of texture; the kimchi providing a sourish tang as well as a bit of a refreshing crunch to the pizza — all that went well with savouriness of the melted cheese that is all stretchy and gooey at the base of the pizza, as well as the inherent slightly bitter notes of the arugula that throws in a bit of balance for all the heavier tasting elements here. That being said, the Kimchee & Pork Sixza is best to be had when it first arrives the table, considering how the dough does get a little tough and requires more chew once it cools down. During our visit, we had also given the Marinated Chicken with Black Garlic Mayonnaise Tartine a try; we did note from our previous visit to Tartines at Seng Poh Lane that the Tartines that they do serve up are on the larger side — the Marinated Chicken with Black Garlic Mayonnaise Tartine came even larger than expected; itself probably being sized as a main item that is good even for two with lighter appetites to share. The Marinated Chicken with Black Garlic Mayonnaise Tartine felt like something that would do well as a starter; the chicken slices are pretty chunky, and they do come drizzled with the Black Garlic Mayonnaise that provides a slight hint of sweetness to gel all of the elements together — these includes a mix of cucumber, garden greens, baby tomatoes etc., which are served atop a slice of toast that is fluffy with a bit of bite for its interior and came with crusty sides.

The overall feel of the Marinated Chicken with Black Garlic Mayonnaise Tartine felt like chicken salad on toast; an item that is fairly clean-tasting and opens the palate despite its rather hefty portions — great to start the meal with. We also managed to give the Apple Tatin a go; something which we have seen during their days as 5 by Sans-Façon and this was one of the best bakes that we have come across at their establishments by far. It comes with a layer of caramalised apples that features large chunks of soft and sweet apples which came with a hint of cinnamon and a soft bite, whilst coming with a firm graham cracker base that provides a bit of a crunch — a really enjoyable item that those whom are into apple pies / apple crumbles should definitely go for. For our choice of beverages, the Iced Oreo Expresso (yes, spelt this way on the menu) was like an iced latte-meets-Oreo Crush; one could definitely find a little bit of the sweetness of the cocoa cookies and its cream filling in the beverage, adding to the light-bodied cuppa that carried a nuttty and earthy flavour profile. Having been to 5 by Sans-Façon and Tartines previously, we had always found their offerings to have been thoughtful and well-executed for its price point; there is an emphasis being placed from making most of their items from scratch, whilst beautifully presented and in generous portion sizes to ensure their patrons are well-fed — all in a cosy setting that feels like a friend’s home. The same can be said about Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon; the prices of their Tartines starts from $10 to $19, while the price range for their Sixzas range between $23 to $25. For those looking for a casual location with a slightly different vibe for a date or a family day-out and don’t mind making an out-of-the-way trip to Seletar just for it, Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon might just be that spot to add to the list of places to check out!