Update June 2020: The Bakery by Woodlands Sourdough has moved to Upper Thomson.

I used to have an intense disliking for bread, especially during my kindergarten days. Break time? Soggy white bread slapped around clumpy strawberry jam. Lunch? More flimsy slices of white bread soaked through from being packed with tuna for too long. I vowed to stay away from the treacherous white slices (yes, I know I’m spoilt) until my cafe hopping ventures introduced me to the world of sourdough – robust, crisp, and easily paired with my favourite brunch toppings aka scrambled eggs and bacon.

So when my fellow foodie brought up The Bakery by Woodlands Sourdough, a sourdough specialty outlet, I was undeniably enthused.

One of the many cafes to populate Serene Centre, The Bakery by Woodlands Sourdough supposedly started out as a hobby between husband and wife. Artisanal sourdough loaves are baked dark and naturally unleavened, using at least 50% whole wheat grain flour. What you get is a nice, crusty exterior with fluffy, moist bread on the inside.

The Bakery itself is pretty cramped, and has about three to four tiny tables lined up outside its doors – pretty much expected considering that all loaves are cereals are prepared in house. Even the coffee machine is packed into a corner, with baked goods lined up on the counter for customers to grab and go.

If you are eating in, though, sourdough toasts are sold with a generous – and I mean really generous – topping of your choice for between $3.50 – $4 a pop. An entire loaf goes for just $6.

One of the more popular choices, Nut Butter with Honey and Sea Salt ($3.50), is the perfect combination of sweet and salty.

The nut butter had a full bodied flavour, complemented by the chunky texture which yielded a slight crunch with every bite. The large sea salt crystals helped accentuate the already rich topping, while the dollop of honey provided an addictively sweet touch. I’m sold on peanut butter toast from now on. Bakery team, if you’re reading this, I wanna buy a jar of that nut butter!

For a more substantial breakfast, go for the Egg Salad with Dukkah and Pickled Onions ($5). For the uninitiated, dukkah is an Egyptian condiment made with herbs, nuts, and spices. What you get here is an eclectic mix of sour and spicy that elevates an otherwise ordinary heaping of egg salad.

For the bread, I would have preferred it to be less thick. It was also a tad difficult to slice through with the plastic cutlery. But the insides? Fluffy, fluffy bread with that sour tang!

Other than bread, The Bakery whips up a variety of baked goods like cookies, brownies, and sandwiches. Pizza lovers, head down on Sunday night for your margherita, marinara, filleti or bianca fix!

The Bakery by Woodlands Sourdough is definitely one of the less conventional cafes out there, having chosen to embark on the specialty route. While it remains to be seen whether the local palate will adapt to the richer, tangier taste of sourdough bread, thumbs up for the quirky flavours and toppings!

Address: Serene Centre 01-05
Opening hours: 8.30am – 6pm (Wednesday to Sunday)
Contact: 9816 6251 / 9487 4045 (Text or WhatsApp)

Website/ Facebook/ Instagram 
Menu 

Nets: Yes
Credit card: No

chueonit.