Kouign Amann Have always been wanting to try Nicher’s bakes but it’s not the easiest spot to get to — so jumped on the opportunity to visit them when they have announced the opening of their new premises at The Brooks I which is within walking distance from Springleaf MRT Station and Springleaf Nature Park. The space gives off very minimalist Japanese vibes with its wooden counters and furnishings, with an interior that largely features white and grey elements. A small dine-in area is available here around the counter in the form of bench seats for two, with a table slotted in the middle.
We made our visit quite early in the day so the only bakes available was the Kouign Amann — was being told by them that most of the bakes will be available in the late morning — that includes their Classic Croissant, Raisin Croissant, Chocolate Croissant and Almond Croissant (including a variant that chocolate in a form of Pain au Chocolat — sounds fairly interesting). I liked how the Kouign Amann here comes in a pretty cute size — smaller than the usual, but is probably one of the variants that I really quite liked where the layering within was very defined; crusty on the exterior from the sugar crystals that wasn’t overly sweet, but also carrying a firm bite. There is a distinct waft of buttery note within the pastry that strikes a good balance of sweetness and saltishness for the Kouign Amann — works great especially with the Iced Filtered Coffee which features beans roasted by Nylon Coffee Roasters that comes with a medium body with a fruity and earthy flavour profile.
Nicher Bakery at Seng Poh Road has always been better known for their artisanal loaf cakes, scones and muffins, but it is interesting how their outlet at Springleaf seems to be more focused on French viennoiseries. I have yet to try any other creations from Nicher prior to this, but I must say that I am pretty impressed with how there are such stellar French viennoiseries to be found in this part of the island. With the Thomson-East Coast Line bringing convenience to reach this part of the island, it’s needless to say that Nicher is probably one of the those places I would find myself visiting for croissants and hand-brewed coffee to start my day — especially since they do open at 9am on Saturdays here.