Sin Hoe Huat Cafe @ Jalan Besar : Kopi-Roti Fix and Har Cheong Gai

I first knew Sin Hoe Huat as a kopi-roti stall at Sembawang Hills hawker center since my family often visits there for breakfast and lunch. In fact, it has been around since the 1960s and this family business is now helmed by the third generation of owners, according to what's been written on its website.  

It even won the 2008 CityGas Hawker Hunt for the Best Kopi & Roti. But it is only recently that I learnt about its cafe at Jalan Besar where they sell local food like laksa and thus I decided to check it out with my folks on a Sunday evening. 

The space is very much like a retro cafe designed with all the elements that bring you back to the 60s or 70s era. There's a section where you can even scoop some complementary old-school cookies like the cream crackers and the colorful jewel icing cookies. Call it hipster but its not overly done. The price range is similar to the those from a food court but the quality is actually pretty good, or at least better than Coffee Hive and Straits Coffee. The main dishes are available from 10am as ala carte or as a set with a drink for $7.90. The Mee Siam ($6.90) came with readily squeezed lime juice that made the dish extra appetizing and tasty. The gravy wasn't too sweet at all and had the right balance of acidity and spiciness. It leans more towards the Malay style rather than the Nyona style as barely any coconut milk was added. My mum and I loved our Mee Siam this way as the flavors are sharper and less jelat. The Laksa ($6.90) was rich and fragrant, especially if you mixed in all the sambal chilli and transformed it into a pool of red. A more generous dose of laksa leaves will definitely enhance the aroma. 

It won't be a complete kopi-roti experience without the eggs and I'm totally impressed by the half-boiled eggs here. My wild guess is that they either use super fresh eggs or a premium type of eggs (maybe even both) because the eggs were perfectly cooked to the dot--the whites were not too runny while the yolks had a slight viscous texture that set it a notch above the usual kopitiam eggs or even Onsen eggs. I hope they can maintain this consistency. 

Meanwhile, all the three types of toasts I had were excellently toasted with the ideal ratio of butter and Kaya (of course I won't mind more butter and Kaya but theirs were quite sufficient already) If you like something more unique and different, go for the crusty French Baguette or Signature Emperor Bun. I appreciated the fact that the toasts are really toasted to a state where the bread shatters into crumbs; crisp but not tough or hard. Trust me, toasts might sound like so basic but I've encountered stale chewy versions elsewhere  that totally destroyed your mood. 
Everyone in the family gave the Har Cheong Gai ($9.90/5pcs) full thumbs up because those wings were crispy, piping hot and full of umami goodness. A little pricy for 5 wings but I guessed that's the norm for cafe food these days. This is definitely a must try for all har Cheong Gai fans out there. 

The MeePok Madness ($12.90) is Sin Hoe Huat's unique creation with a top secret sauce and a soft boiled egg on top. It looked so deceivingly plain and dull but a quick toss soon revealed its true spicy colors. The egg and sauce mixture coated the noodles strand and created such a pleasant slimy effect that unknowingly encouraged us to slurp on and on. Some might find it a little bland compared to the average Mee Pok but the seasoning was just right for me. The only thing I didn't quite understand was the sheer amount of minced meat that stuck together in clumps. 

Good to know that this place opens till late night 1am and even 3am on certain days. Probably won't return since the kopi stall at Sembawang is nearer to my house. But if you are looking for a quick fix or late night supper place in that vicinity, this place is a good option to consider. 

Open Tuesdays to Sundays 6am till 1pm
2. 383 Jalan Besar, Singapore 209001
+65 6291 8011
Open daily 7am till 1am
www.sinhoehuat.com

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Christmas Elegance at Antoinette : Savoury Hivernette Cake and a Red Christmas Tree

It wouldn't be Christmas without chocolates and cakes. This year, Antoinette has launched a series of delicious treats that are bound to be feast for the eyes and tastebuds. My favourite and my most recommended item is none other than the Red Rosette ($150), a gorgeous red chocolate tree that adorned with dark chocolate chantily swirls in red chocolate dust.

The textural game is strong here with crunchy almond Nougatine against the dark, potent chocolate ganache and orange confit. Truly a decadent chocolate centerpiece not to be missed even for those who don't fancy chocolate-orange combination as the citrus notes here are very subtle.

Another new creation is the Fraisier ($55/$110), a pure and light pistachio buttercream almond cake revolving around the crisp and sweet Japanese Chitose strawberries harvested from the Cameron Highlands. I would prefer a stronger pistachio taste though the cake was intended to adopt a lighter approach. 

Meanwhile, the top two favourite flavors from the 2016 cake collection, namely Marronette ($55/$110) and Superlova ($55/$110), are also available in the form of logcakes and macarons this season.

But the thing is that logcakes are everywhere this season and nothing is as special as Antoinette's savoury creations. Legacy speaks well of the quirky savoury cakes (or sandwiches) - a trademark of Chef Pang by now - and the Hivernette ($75) is no exception.

The four-layer house baked country bread is gradually built up with a robust bouef bourguignon of Wagyu beef brisket at the base; caramelized onions and cornichons on the second and wild mushroom ragout in the top layer. Everything is dressed up for party in beetroot cream chese Chantily and a medley of roasted vegetables.

Remember the matcha white chocolate block, salted egg yolk truffles and chocolate bacon from the Fetish Chocolat as well? These have made a comeback and work perfectly for gifts to your special someone.

Order starts 1st Nov with minimum 3 days advance order required.

Antoinette 

Penhas Outlet

30 Penhas Road Singapore 208188

Mon-Thur 11am-10pm

Fri/Eve of PH 11am-11pm

Sat 10am-11pm

Sun/PH 10am-10pm

Mandarin Outlet (selected items)

33A Orchard Road, Mandarin Gallery, 

#02-33/34, Singapore 238897 

11am-10pm daily

http://www.antoinette.com.sg/

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Ollella : Delicious Choux Heaven in Singapore

Many cake shops or dessert places in Singapore tend to ride on the bandwagon of food trends such as salted egg yolk lava or colorful pancakes but very few have looked into old-school pastry such as eclairs and choux. There is, of course, places like Tart by Cheryl Koh that focused on tarts, as well as L'eclair and Kumoya which turned humble eclairs into colorful statement pieces. 

But for a place that specializes in chouquettes, Ollella is probably the first in Singapore and the first that does it so well. I was glad to have the opportunity to check out this place with @fundamentally_flawed because it restored my hope in the local pastries just when I thought that everyone was too focused on Instagram-worthy stuff and neglect the actual quality.

Ollella is named after the owners, Ollyvia and Marcella, who are sisters of Indonesian parentage. These upside-down choux pastries are the creations of the younger sister, Ollyvia, who used to work at The Peninsua Chicago Hotel and underwent a three-month stint at the prestigious Pierre Herme in Paris a year before opening this shop. Meanwhile, the front service and operations affairs are managed by Marcella, a bubbly personality with corporate marketing experience.

Some might described this as "haute-coute" desserts but I begged to differ because there's a kind of simplicity and intimacy in each of these these 5-cm hollow airy pate a choux are armoured with a delicate craquelin shell. Piped full of creams and custards, there's little not to like in the combination of crunchy, aromatic and creamy.

Presentation wise, they might be a notch below those lightning eclairs but these darlings are gorgeous in my eyes. Prices are eminently affordable and satisfaction guaranteed. It's the next place after Dulcet & Studio that I would recommend for excellent cream puffs.

Our unanimous favourite was the Dark Chocolate, a black ugly duckling that sat right at the corner of the display choux. Yet this was everything a chocolate choux should be ― a perfectly formed, chocolate streusel that crunched loudly in the mouth, oozing forth an exquisite balance of hearty and rich 72% dark chocolate cream. At $4.50, this is the perfect plebeian pleasure.

The Matcha Azuki ($4.50) also hit the spot with a forthcoming tea taste that wasn't ruined by sugar. That said, the amount of red beans could be too much of a good thing to handle, even for those who love their azuki.

Other flavors include bright and tart Lemon Meringue ($4) which could afford a subtle burnt flavor of the meringue had been torched. My friend who don't fancy rose and lychee found the seasonal Lychee Rose ($5) here to be acceptable because the rose Chantilly was only lightly scented with floral notes. Just be warned that the lychee creameux hold no barriers in its fruity sweetness.

Last but not least, there's the Apple Cinnamon ($4) which offers varied textures just like the Dark Chocolate. It's stuffed with cinnamon-infused Apple compote, vanilla streusels and Madagascar vanilla mascarpone cream. Even those who fear cinnamon will find it easy to be acquainted with this choux.  

Apart from chouquettes, it also sells mini chouquettes in plain, chocolate and curry flavor. There's also a 20-layer Kueh Lapis Legit (from $38/600g or $1.50/slice) made based on their grandmother's recipe. Party-sized choux tarts are also available but a minimum 24-hour advance reservation is required.

Despite being new to the scene, Ollella has chalked up a fair share of experience at pop-up stalls with exclusive creations such as the Moon Choux series during the Mid-Autumn festival. With a confident mastery of the craquelin and Pâte à choux, Ollella definitely makes the cut as one of the best patisseries in town.  

Ollella Chouquettes ・Gula
Residences @ Somme
3 Petain Road, #01-01
Singapore 208108
http://ollella.com/

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Kumoya : Japanese-French Desserts As Light as Cloud

Kumoya is the latest artisanal dessert place in town that offers Japanese-French pastries such as eclairs, yoghurt parfaits and pancakes that are as cloud-light as its Japanese name (meaning "cloud" house) aptly implies. 

In fact, it is no coincidence that the presentation and concept reminds one of the now-defunct Karafuru because this place is opened by the same owner who has reshuffled the kitchen and management affairs. With a wider menu that includes savoury items, the owner hopes to to widen the appeal to the masses, including firms looking for a place to host its corporate parties and also halal customers in the near future after it received its halal-certification.

New highlights include the savoury pancakes with a Japanese twist such as Karaage Chicken pancakes and bite-size snacks. The tempura soft shell crab pancake was quite a sight to behold with lots of things going on in a plate; tempura capsicum, tempura soft shell crab, tempura cereal crunch, brûlée pineapples, mixed salad, with a triple stack of savoury pancakes buried all underneath. 

The moreish fritters went hand-in-hand with the wasabi mayo but I'm hesitant to say they were on good terms with the pancakes which could ranked as one of the few better executed ones in town. That said, I can imagine how delicious it would be if I had the Butter & Maple ($8.90) instead because the test-and-tried sweet savoury formula is hard to go wrong. 


New items aside, most people may still question the difference between the Kumoya and Karafuru. Recipes have been fine-tuned and the frilly elements are stripped off to showcase the theme flavors. For instance, the Matcha Yoghurt Parfait ($15.90), which formerly assumed the form of Matcha Jasmine, is now purely done in matcha. I missed the crispy Matcha Langue de chat which has been replaced by saccharinely sweet matcha macaron but the concept of a 和風-style matcha dessert is visibly reinforced with larger helpings of tsubu-an (coarse red been paste) and matcha financiers. 

Of course, this naturally implied that the sweetness has racheted up a few notches, but thankfully the tangy yoghurt soft serve placed it under well control. That said, a pure matcha syrup instead of matcha Creme anglaise might work as a better candidate because the taste of matcha here is as elusive as that of the iced matcha latte.

Those looking for something sweet but more substantial can opt the same buttery pancakes served with yoghurt soft serve. We had the Tiramisu ($15.90) which was kissed by a shot of cold espresso instead of the usual Baileys or other alcohol. But I didn't felt shortchanged at all because the interplay of flavors and textures in the presence of fudgy yoghurt brownie and crumbly chocolate sables made this a delightful treat especially for people like me who enjoy coffee in my desserts. 

The eclairs have now been downsized for customers to try more flavors in a sitting. As pretty as they used to be, I would prefer if the choux pastry can be more tender and less dry. With 12 regular flavors to choose from, I would recommend you to go with your personal favourite flavors.  

At $3 per piece, these dainty gems would make an impressive gift when you get them in 3-pc/6-pc/12-pc box. The size of the eclairs might draw some flak but on a positive light, you will less likely over-indulge and leave this place feeling as light as cloud.  

Kumoya
8 Jalan Klapa Singapore 199320
Tue-Fri/Sun 12pm-10pm 
Sat 12pm-10.30pm
Closed on Mon
FB: www.facebook.com/kumoyasingapore
IG: @kumoyasingapore

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