Bakery cafes are gaining traction in Singapore, evident with the many openings such as Starter Lab, Kamome Bakery, Micro Bakery & Kitchen, Woodlands Sourdough, Petit Pain and Brother Bird Coffeehouse in the last couple of months.
The latest addition is Baker’s Bench Bakery at Bukit Pasoh Road (well, kind of opposite Shake Shack Neil Road), positioned as a “neighbourhood bakery” with an open-concept bakery.
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Its objective is to remove the barrier between staff and customers, and therefore you feel like you walking into a home kitchen and can make conversations easily.
I liked how the interior felt cozy with Scandinavian vibes, along with a mouth-watering display of bakes.
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The café is called “Baker’s Bench” as the baker’s bench is the centre-piece of an artisanal bakery (similar to a huge magnificent chandelier when you walk into a mansion), playing an integral part of the baking process.
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All breads and puff pastries naturally leavened by sourdough are baked freshly in the morning, and even many of the ingredients are made in-house such as kimchi, pickles, sauces, jams and butter.
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I was naturally drawn to the display of pastries of loaf cakes, scones, muffins, brownies, cookies, and quiches.
They include sourdough breads: humble ($8), milk loaf ($8), fruit ($10), multi-seeds($10), 100% rye ($9) and pumpernickel ($8).
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But what first caught my eye was the Sticky Bun ($5) which was majestic-looking compared to all the rest, with all that gloss from caramel and pecan.
It turned out to be better than I expected, with a delightful contrast of sticky, brown-sugary and walnutty toppings with soft and pillowy texture. Did feel slightly guilty for finishing it all, but heck…
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I am always on the constant lookout for the most-delicious-almond-croissant-in-Singapore. This looked close, but was a Twice-Baked Hazelnut Croissant ($5.50).
This was a decent rendition was I enjoyed the crustiness of the outer layer, and was fragrant with hazelnuts, but I wondered if there could be more of that moist fillings (whether frangipane or even hazelnut cream) in between.
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Also available are comfort sandwiches such as Cheeky Chicken ($14) with Koji-brined chicken thigh, Croque Monsieur ($12) with gruyere cheese, and Grilled Vegetables ($12) filled with zucchini, mushrooms, leeks and cured egg yolks. Available from 11am to 3:30pm.
Not the usual stuff. The baker used to work in a renown artisanal bakery in Singapore, before spending a year in Tasmania working in a bakery that specialises in Sourdough, while their in-house Chef has a farm-to-table working background in Maine.
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I had the K.Pork Belly ($14) containing sous-vibe pork belly glazed with coffee (repurposed from the coffee grinds from Allpress Espresso) and kimchi mayo.
Overall a hearty, filling treat with a lot going on. However, the abundant garlic chips could be a double-edged sword – some would like that added ‘aroma’, while it overtook the tanginess and spiciness of the kimchi sauce.
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I would say the bakes are quite strong here, loaded with ingredients and providing a number of less-commonly seen rustic options. You can feel a lot of heart and effort put into what they deliver as well.
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Menus will change from time to time as bakers and chefs are encouraged to be adventurous. Looking forward to more.
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Baker’s Bench Bakery
6 Bukit Pasoh Road, Singapore 089820
Opening Hours: 8:30am – 5pm (Wed – Mon, Closed Tues)
Other Related Entries
Starter Lab (Havelock Road)
Micro Bakery & Kitchen Red House (East Coast)
Woodlands Sourdough (Upper Thomson)
Petit Pain (Joo Chiat)
Brother Bird Coffeehouse (Bali Lane)
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