great tiny little cafe just on the edge of the trendy haji lane vicinity – guys, you have no idea how long I’ve wanted to come here. out of the slew of cafes that popped up in the initial mushrooming (now it’s like a never-ending landslide of such spaces), this one caught my eye with all the positive reviews.
but I had to wait until the hype ended (and then some) before I managed to swing by, and it, well, is decent. the food is decent, the portions are decent, and there’s a chocolate peanut butter cake. definitely visit-able.
I find myself hesitating to say it’s GREAT, so maybe that’s caveat enough – I feel like the place does a decent job in many of the usual things: ambiance, food and dessert – but it just doesn’t have that x-factor, which I found in symmetry.
it’s a small, cute space, with interesting (read: home-made-style) drawings and artwork (sold for incredible sums of money) – but note the small. it’s one long communal dining table in the centre, and if not, there are a couple tables outside (in the heat).
it’s a surprisingly large menu for such a small space, with lots of breakfast classics – my jar of granola was a small serving topped with creamy, thick yogurt and a berry compote;
as well as breakfast classics like scrambled eggs and various sauteed goods next to good, thick toast;
and if you’re in for something heavier, there’s a decent crab cake burger atop brioche buns colored with squid ink. I liked this burger – the panko makes for a nice crispy crust, and the meat inside is sufficiently crabby and moist.
those buns are just-for-show though (nothing colored with squid ink really tastes like it).
but look at those cakes! pretty slices of a peanut-butter-chocolate slice, and a red velvet. they aren’t the best cakes I’ve had, and are only just about decent – the chocolate sponge was a bit dry and the red velvet was a little too-moist – but it was a sweet-enough (metaphorically and literally) finish to what had been a decent meal.
so, a lukewarm recommendation, but it’s a perfectly nice cafe. well-worth at least a visit, but there are cooler/ hipper/ (more) interesting joints around.
Artistry Cafe
17 Jalan Pinang
Singapore 199149
tel +65 6291 9901
$$: fifteen to twenty a person
andmorefood 
I find it nigh impossible to find a place that classifies itself as a ‘café’ with truly great desserts or pastries. As it is, in Japan, most places calling themselves a café seem to take that as an excuse to serve sub-par only
wattwarm, you’re totally right. it’s pretty depressing you would say that while in japan though – there are loads of cafes that aspire to those japanese pastries! usually some sort of too-much-cream confection.
I think our tastes might just be a little more particular to sweets – or maybe we’re just in the wrong countries for fantastic dessert :/
Oh you think so? Most ‘cafés’ I’ve been to here serve more Anglosaxon style desserts.
But what I’m saying about cafés is true for all sorts of food. They just don’t do ‘café’ here properly. Take Seoul for example, they’ve got their shit down, so many great cafés everywhere
seoul is just all sorts of cool, honestly. they’ve got that whole laid back vibe going on so well – and I feel like they’re more ‘westernised’ almost, so they make better goods.
Yeah, I agree. I love Seoul, & much prefer it to all those random Japanese city clones. In absolute numbers, you’ll probably find more nice pâtisseries in Tokyo – but in Seoul, you can walk into most any place & get something decent, which is definitely not the case in Japan, you gotta hunt for those places & invest a lot of time & effort.
They definitely make much more authentic western style food in Seoul, whether the actual people is more westernized I’m not sure
Reblogged this on Journal of Office Workers.
Even though you say those cakes weren’t the best ones you’ve ever had, they look pretty delicious to me! Seeing your photos just made me drool in front of the screen, very nice photography!
thank you muchly! they did look pretty gorgeous then and in the counter, I just wish they were more delicious :D
Yummmmm.
breakfast and cake are always good things!