Entree Kibbles: Bao Er Cafe @ Balestier Plaza [Singapore]

Sunday, September 01, 2024

Bao Er Cafe @ Balestier Plaza [Singapore]

Sometimes I really hate social media; many a times, they would show me videos of mouthwatering food that make me so hungry when I am about to sleep, and that kick starts cravings that last for days and weeks!

One of the eateries that kept popping up on my feed was Bao Er Cafe and the algorithm was so persistent; I asked my mom to accompany me to Balestier Plaza, under the pretext of bringing her to Goh Chor Tua Pek Kong temple.

I knew Balestier Plaza is a building from the 1970s / 80s and it was stunning to see Bao Er Cafe thriving so well in the building, when the rest of the building was simmering in a state of quietness. In fact, there was even a queue when we arrived at about 11.00am!

Signature Hokkien Mee - after a wait of five minutes, this was served and to be honest, I didn't expect the portion to be so big (good enough for my mom and I) although at S$7.00; I shouldn't comment too much.

I love my hokkien mee to be slurpy and this definitely didn't disappoint and for the pricing, you get pork belly, pork lard, squid, egg and three prawns! Those who don't enjoy too much yellow noodles in hokkien mee will be pleased to note it has a high ratio of thick bee hoon! Taste wise, it was flavorful , peppery and had that signature charred smokiness that was, thankfully, not to the extent of being burnt. Loving it!

Kaya Butter Toast Set - my main aim was the kaya toast but since my mom was keen on the soft boiled eggs, I figured a set would be slightly cheaper (S$5.00 versus S$5.40).

My kopi, thick and less condensed milk, was average - nothing much to scream about and I must indicate here to remind myself that maybe I shouldn't request for less condensed milk; a tad too bitter for me.

Mom was super pleased with her soft boiled eggs; freshness aside, they were perfectly half boiled and would give Ya Kun a run for their money. These would probably attract Alex to give Bao Er Cafe a try!

Finally, the kaya butter toast! The first thing I noticed was the color of the kaya; it's not as green as other shops! In fact, too pale looking but I can see the kaya oozing out from the toast. Second thing was the thickness of the butter! In summary, the shop doesn't scrimp on the ingredients!

After taking a bite; my conclusion was "I will be back again". Using cold kaya that tasted absolutely out of the world, with an egg custard flavor that appealed to me, every bite was oozing kaya and the bread was evenly toasted with the desirable thin crispness on the outer layer! Only complaint I can think of would that the pandan flavor wasn't significant, but to be fair, I prefer orange over green kaya.

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