Plain Vanilla Tiong Bahru : Now Serving Breakfast

Once decidedly a heartland neighbourhood, Tiong Bahru has become a hip suburb with trendy cafes, restaurants and bars for early morning breakfast, late night supper & everything in between. The early birds will be glad to know that Plain Vanilla Bakery @ Tiong Bahru is now serving breakfast. The popular bakery opens its doors at 8 am on weekdays and 9 am on weekends. Plain Vanilla Bakery is a cosy bakery cafe for residents who want breakfast before heading to the office or for visitors who want a top up before they embark on the Tiong Bahru Heritage Trial.

Plain Vanilla Tiong Bahru

Plain Vanilla Bakery occupies two interconnected ground floor units of a 4 storey block at the junction of Yong Siak Street and Chay Yan Street. The decor is eclectic: a mix of Scandinavian + Bohemian + Industrial + Whimsical.

In the main shop unit, there are a few communal tables in the front. The bakery, food preparation area, food display counter and ordering point are in the elongated rear. There is a glass sliding door at the side which leads to an air-conditioned space, which is configured as a workroom for meetings and small events. That area doubles up as a dining space when it is not used for work or events.

There is also an outdoor dining area along the corridor facing Chay Yan Street.

Breakfast at Plain Vanilla

We have always enjoyed the cupcakes of Plain Vanilla Bakery. When we visited Tiong Bahru early one morning and saw Plain Vanilla’s sign announcing “Now Serving Breakfast” we decided to forgo our usual Chui Kueh and Teochew Kueh and have breakfast at Plain Vanilla Tiong Bahru.

There was a variety of tempting cakes and tarts on display. You could just point out what you want or order from the menu.

Menus of Plain Vanilla

Below are photos of sections of the menus of Plain Vanilla Tiong Bahru.

Granola Bowl & Avocado Toast

We ordered 2 items from the breakfast menu – House Granola Bowl ($8) and the Smashed Avocado Toast ($18). We also asked for a Long Black and a Latte ($5 each).

The House Granola Bowl had a good mix of textures and tastes. It had crunchy nuts, crisp crumbles, soft chunks of colourful fruits and berries. A dollop of Greek yogurt sweetened by agave nectar ensured that the granola bowl would be an indulgent treat.

The Smashed Avocado Toast looked good. Nicely toasted wholegrain bread topped with lush buttery avocado, cherry tomatoes and poached eggs were a nice combination with an interesting mix of flavours. The avocado toast was quite a substantial and satisfying breakfast dish.

Good Coffee

The coffee at Plain Vanilla was perhaps the best part of the breakfast. Both the long black and latte made by well-trained baristas were rich and smooth. Each was a good cup of coffee to kickstart the day.

Plain Vanilla Tiong Bahru is a nice comfortable place for breakfast. The laid back atmosphere and good coffee are definite plus points. The cost of our breakfast at Plain Vanilla would, of course, be several times more than that of our typical chui kueh breakfast at Tiong Bahru Food Centre. However, once in a while you just have to splurge on “luxuries” like avocado toast and barista made coffee. After all, experience that brings life’s little joys should not always be measured in dollars and cents.

Ratings:
Food: 3
Service: 4
Value: 3
Atmosphere: 3
Overall Rating: 3 TOPs  

Plain Vanilla Tiong Bahru
1D Yong Siak Street
Singapore 168641

Tel: +65 8363 7614

Opening Hours
Mon-Sat: 8 am – 7 pm
Sun: 9 am – 6 pm

www.plainvanilla.com.sg

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The Ordinary Patrons | Real Dining Experience of Ordinary People
an independent Singapore food blog