Locals Ng Hui Yi and Ann Chong met at London’s Cordon Bleu, situated at Bloomsbury Square, when they were studying baking. Hence, the shop name, Bloomsbury Bakers. When I bought a croissant home for Chiobu to try, she said, “How come Bloomsbury Bakers and Carpenter & Cook studied at the same school, but the products taste so different?”

At the moment, BB is selling cakes mostly, and croissant ($2.50) and pain au chocolat ($3). While Chiobu prefers C&C’s rustic croissant, I do think BB’s products have a vision: a milder sense of things. So BB’s croissant was polite: crispy but not crusty, very light and not at all buttery. When I left the store, the nice bakers gave me a sample of a mini pain au chocolat, which had dark chocolate and was pleasing.

Like their croissant,  their bestseller lychee martini cake ($7 a slice) was also mild. Frosting that dissolved in contact with the tongue, with chunks of lychee between layers, but the taste of martini didn’t come across strongly as the famous Pine Garden‘s version. 

While the croissant and lychee martini were meek, the banana cake ($3.50) was sugar-crazy… and I LIKED IT. The sweetness covered the subtlety, but I really like sweet things and finished it.

The only issue was the coffee. The latte ($4.50) came from a coffeemaker which you can buy from Courts, and not a proper coffee machine with real coffee beans. But the petit four made up for the lack, with a delectable sweet teacake of shreds of ginger.

CC is to BB as black swan is to white swan; CC’s food is unrestrained and wild, giving a WOW factor, whereas BB’s is quiet, reserved and understated. But still, the food here is above-average and has a direction; the decor is cozy and bright; and the service is superb, friendly and considerate and cheerful. I spent $17.50, good value, and I’d recommend this bakery without reservations to anyone who can appreciate bakers of a distinctive style.

Bloomsbury Bakers Singapore

Blk 30 Bendemeer Road #01-889 Singapore 330030
T: +65 6299 3450 / +65 9720 2779 / +65 9693 3743
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Bloomsbury Bakers Menu
T-F: 12-8pm; S-S: 10am-8pm
Rating: 3.619/5 stars

Written by A. Nathanael Ho.