Craft Bakery and Café
Opened in 2013, this café nestled in Holland Village (opposite Haagen Dazs) exudes a quiet and cosy vibe, perfect for a chat with friends or musing over a book. It forms a part of the cluster of cafés in the area, including d' Good Café, MU Parlour, and Hatched.
They offer pretty standard cafe fare - all-day breakfasts, sandwiches, pastas, pizzas, desserts, and coffee. As always, I try to look out for signature dishes unique to the cafe that cannot be found elsewhere.
I decided to give their Har Cheong Kai Burger ($16+) a try. Har Cheong Kai is the English spelling of 虾酱鸡, or Prawn Paste Chicken, a nice tribute to a local zi char dish. Find out where the best versions are served in Singapore here. Having a inherently bland palate, I found the chicken a tad too salty. The buns were slightly stiff, the salad greens were not as crunchy and fresh as I would have liked. I had some trouble finishing my meal. Still, it's great to see an injection of Singapore flavour in a typical Western cafe menu.
My sister ordered the Prawn Aglio Olio ($15.50), a classic favourite with added bacon. Unfortunately, this dish did not meet our expectations. The prawns, while large, somehow lacked their distinctive flavour. The spaghetti was soft and not springy, giving the impression of having been overcooked, and the signature aglio olio flavour - spicyness from chilli flakes, aroma from garlic, olive oil, and spices - were not imbued enough into the spaghetti. It was disappointing.
Our friend ordered the Grilled Cajun Chicken ($14). He found it satisfactory, nothing to complain about.
The main dishes did not impress overall, but that said, there are good reviews elsewhere for the Craft Sandwich ($11.50), "maple-candied bacon and green apple slaw in between waffle grids", and their Truffle Fries ($8.50), which we did not try.
For dessert, we picked two cakes to share. The cake selection varies, and are not listed on the menu. We ate the Chocolate Banana Cake was moist and fluffy, and thoroughly satisfying. A must-try!
The other cake we ordered - I forgot the name - was more dense, and sweeter. This will be good for sharing for those without a sweet tooth. It didn't leave a deep impression on me though.
Craft's signature dessert is the 3-inch Sin Molten Lava Cake ($9.50), which comes in a multitude of flavours such as peanut butter, caramelized banana, and baileys. I would try this on my next visit!
CRAFT Bakery and Cafe
24A Lorong Mambong Singapore 277683
(65) 6467 7710
Mon - Fri 11am - 11pm
Sat - Sun 9am - 11pm
