Situated near Clementi at Jalan Mas Puteh, DESEM Bakery is a hole-in-the-wall bakery along the same stretch as W39 Bistro and Bakery.
It has also been crowned the ‘title’ of “the shop that seldom opens” by its neighbours, because of the bakery’s interesting opening hours.
Fully run by a Singaporean couple, Norman and his wife are in-charge of all the bakes and operations of Desem Bakery.
Because of this, most of their customers are regulars who usually order in advance before visiting the bakery.
Desem Bakery serves a wide range of bakes with the sourdough being particularly popular. All their bakes have no additives, preservatives, improvers or emulsifiers.
The Black Rice and Flax Seed Sourdough (Whole $10.8, Half $6.80) boasts a hydration level of 90%.
After undergoing a cold fermentation process, the result of this is a nice, soft and chewy sourdough bread. There is also a nice sourness that kicks in towards the end.
If you are lucky, the boss gives out a small scoop of their homemade Sundried Tomato Basil Pesto for free with any purchase of the sourdough bread.
The bakery also uses quality ingredients such as NIPPN Yacht flour from Japan which can be seen around the premises.
The Mushroom Cheese Focaccia ($3.80) was crispy and had a perfect amount of cheese that went well with the mushrooms, not overpowering it.
DESEM Bakery’s Signature Menu is the Sourdough Cream Cheese with Roasted Garlic Bread ($5.50).
Norman mentioned that the process of baking this bread is tedious and long, but the result is worth the effort. I totally agree.
The fragrance and saltiness of the garlic paired with the slightly sweet cream cheese was a work of art.
The taste reminded me of some bakes I have tried overseas, such as Korea and Japan.
Who knew I would find something like this in Clementi?
Other well received bakes are the Himalayan Pink Salt Butter Roll ($3.90) and the Black Sugar Loaf ($4.80).
I was quite shocked to see the butter roll in a shade of charcoal, but the colour was super alluring at the same time.
A bite into the Butter Roll and you can experience the fragrance of the butter explode in your mouth, with a nice lingering saltiness from the salt.
The Black Sugar Loaf is made using a very specially imported type of sugar from India. The loaf is soft and bouncy with a nice fragrance of the black sugar.
Nice glaze on the top, not too sweet, which is something I appreciated.
DESEM also serves coffee using Illy coffee beans. Don’t expect a huge coffee menu, but they have the basics like Americano ($4) and Latte ($4.50).
Ambience-wise, it’s like stepping into a nice neighbourhood Japanese bakery. A nice and clean interior, with enough space for some social distancing.
Norman is also very generous when it comes to sampling and always reminding customers to sanitise their hands before eating.
Do note that there is no dine-in area at Desem Bakery.
I think in a time like this, I was really captured by Desem’s warm spirit and generosity.
The owners were passionate about their craft and carefully explained each menu item to any customers who were interested.
To avoid disappointment, I would highly encourage anyone who wants to try the bakes here at Desem Bakery to drop a text in advance.
This is also a way to help the couple in their operations. Let’s be understanding during this period and support local businesses as much as we can.
DESEM Bakery
25 Jalan Mas Puteh, Singapore 128630
Tel: +65 8137 8796
Opening Hours: 4pm – 9pm (Wed – Fri), 1pm – 7pm (Sat – Sun), Closed Mon, Tues
Other Related Entries
Bakery Brera & Fine Foods (Empress Road)
Baker’s Bench Bakery (Bt Pasoh)
Woodlands Sourdough (Upper Thomson)
Micro Bakery & Kitchen Red House (East Coast)
The Better Half (Everton Park)
* Written by DFD’s Café Correspondent @__sy_g. Songyu is a food and travel blogger whose hobby is uncovering hidden hipster cafes. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.