Keong Saik Bakery is one of the spots that had made its name in the local F&B scene over a long period of time. First being established at Keong Saik Road, Keong Saik Bakery has come a really long way since its early days of being just a small nook that churns out surprisingly good entremets, danishes and local buns with a local infusion. The folks at Keong Saik Bakery had actually occupied another shop unit at Keong Saik Road before its move to the one that had recently just closed its doors — it is a bit regrettable that Keong Saik Bakery has since moved itself out of the ‘hood that it grew up in and named itself after; the folks behind the brand has decided for their Keong Saik Road outlet to be shifted to Luzerne Building at 70 Bendemeer Road; the same building which houses the second outlet of SYIP. Keong Saik Bakery’s new location is relatively easy to locate, being situated opposite right across from SYIP. A departure from Keong Saik Bakery’s usual look which is usually more rooted to local coffeeshops of the olden days, the Luzerne Building outlet exudes some really modern vibes — some call it Korean-esque, though we would note that it is indeed modern and trendy with its breads and danishes displayed along a curved platform; a rather unique look in the local context, though something that is done in cafes located in Japan and Taiwan as well. Keong Saik Bakery has taken some care to ensure that folks who visit their Luzerne Building outlet can learn about their “Sor Hei” — their iconic pastry that is inspired and dedicated to the Samsui Women who contributed to Singapore’s progress. Being in their soft launch phase when we had first made our visit on a weekend afternoon, Keong Saik Bakery offers a wide range of their danishes, cakes and buns that they are known for — they have also introduced a new section of the menu dubbed the “Made To Order Items” where one can find Mac N Cheese and Sando on the menu. Beverages available at Keong Saik Bakery at Luzerne Building includes a series of non-caffeinated concoctions, coffee and tea; this also includes their usual line-up of bottled cold brews as well.

One of the newer items (but not exclusively available at their Luzerne Building outlet) that Keong Saik Bakery has introduced recently would be their line-up of Croissant Flans. Available in three different flavours, patrons would be able to choose between the Original (i.e. Madagascar Vanilla Bean), Pandan or the Black Sesame — these can be purchased as-is per piece, or they can also be ordered in sets of three and sets of sixes for those whom are keen to give all three flavours a try. It was difficult to decide on which of the three flavours we wanted to go for since we only had stomach space for one — we eventually settled for the black sesame croissant flan since we are ones who just cannot resist black sesame. The concept of the Croissant Flan is actually pretty simple; this is Keong Saik Bakery’s rendition of the French custard tart where the flaky crust is being replaced by a croissant base — the croissant base coming with clear layers of lamination just like a regular croissant. Sinking our teeth into the Croissant Flan, we noticed that the croissant base is buttery like how one would expect it, though the base came with much heft and was able to hold up much of the weight of the filing above it. The croissant did carry a chewier texture that somewhat brings it closer to being bread-like, though the highlight for us was definitely the black sesame filling. Carrying a curd-like consistency, the black sesame filling was actually pretty runny — we were expecting the custard to come with a more eggy undertone, though this one would actually appease the black sesame lovers; the richness of the roasty, nutty and earthy black sesame just hits the tastebuds through and through, much like one would expect out of Black Sesame Paste sold at establishments serving up traditional Chinese Tang Shui.

Apart from the Black Sesame Croissant Flan, we had also given other items such as the Chendol Delight a go when we had made our visit to Keong Saik Bakery’s outlet at Luzerne Building. Being one of the entremets that we have yet to try from Keong Saik Bakery, the Chendol Delight is yet another item that seems to embody much of Keong Saik Bakery’s character in a dish — an item that is inspired from local flavours that is done with western baking techniques. Featuring elements such as Gula Melaka Coconut Custard, Red Bean, Attap Chee (i.e. palm seeds), Chantily Cream and Chendol Jello, there is no denying in how the Chendol Delight is as close to having the classic Chendol in an entremet form — the deep, earthy sweetness of the Gula Melaka being especially prominent here while the red bean, Attap Chee, and Chendol Jello can be found in the core of the entremet. Even the Honey Oat Milk Cold Brew is worth mentioning as well — the cold brew coffee is similar to that of Nanyang-style Kopi here rather than that of speciality coffee; the sweetness of honey and slight nuttiness of the oat milk being pretty prominent, making the Honey Oat Milk Cold Brew a unique concoction that one is not able to find elsewhere. Keong Saik Bakery is one of those names that have proven themselves over time — a spot where there is a constant pursuit in creating something new for its patrons to look forward to every single visit. While there are times where some of their new creations do seem a little pretentious and feels as though they are jumping on the hype train, they are usually able to pull them off with a decent execution. That being said, it is items like the Sor Hei that makes Keong Saik Bakery have a place in our hearts — a dish that is created with a deeper meaning than just to follow a trend. We are looking forward to give the hot food at their Luzerne Building outlet a go some day; meanwhile we would like to congratulate the folks at Keong Saik Bakery for the opening of their new outlet, and wishing them all the best in what is to come!