When I first heard the name Tiong Bahru Bakery, I honestly thought it would be one of those old-school, steam-filled joints with pastry makers hawking their wares in a quaint, forgotten corner of Singapore.

I couldn’t be more wrong; it’s actually a new bakery started by Spa Esprit Group in collaboration with Gontran Cherrier. But enough with the facts; let’s get on to the really important bits: the pastries!

It was a busy weekend afternoon when I popped by the branch at Raffles City for a light tea break after dropping off my film for development at Peninsula Plaza. Luckily, the place is big enough to accommodate the weekend crowd, so I managed to find myself a seat within in a minute, quite a feat for a weekend tea stint in town!

The much-famed plain croissant.

Walking along the counter, I felt like a kid in a candy store, with the rows of brightly lit pastries, cakes, and sandwiches providing a feast for the eyes. I especially had to fight temptation to over-eat when I saw how colourful the sandwiches were, with veggies and meat stuck between the buns.

In the end, I only had two items, one of which was the Croissant (S$2.80). I was pretty excited about it because I’d heard so much about it (while having my Instagram feed spammed with pictures of those crescent-shaped concoctions at one point).

And what a croissant that was! I just love how it was so crispy on the outside, yet soft and buttery on the inside, just the way every pastry should be to me. Everything about it was just right, and there’s nothing else that can make it even more delectable than it already is. C:

On to the Chocolate Medinant (S$6.50), which I was rather disappointed with. The chocolate was a bit too much for me, though it did go well with the dried fruits and nuts inside. Overall, it was just too dry for my liking and it would probably have gone much better with a cup of tea.

Nothing like eating off your grandmother’s plate for that added touch of nostalgia.

I’m not one to frequent cafes often, but Tiong Bahru Bakery’s Raffles City branch seems like a pretty decent place to hand out if you’re looking to escape the weekend crowd in town, or just a simple tea with your friends.

Though it probably doesn’t have the same ambiance as a traditional cafe (since it’s located right smack in a shopping mall), it’s a nice and affordable place nonetheless. I would probably come back for their croissants 😀

Address: 252 North Bridge Road, #B1-11/12 Raffles City Shopping Centre

Contact: 63334160 / enquiries@tiongbahrubakery.com

Operating Hours: 9:00- 22:00

chueonit.