Alice Boulangerie: Artisanal cafe’s bi-colour croissants freshly baked in-house daily sell out fast; brunch is also fantastic
Yet to complete even one year of delighting its customers, Alice Boulangerie has already made quite a mark on the local bakery scene. I was especially curious about their much-vaunted dual tone croissants given how much of a buzz they have generated since their launch in November 2021.
Almost as intriguing is their squirrel logo. Their Marketing & PR Executive, Daryll explains that the cute little buggers personify curiosity and adventure. They are known for their quick, flitting movements and eagerness to explore every nook and cranny to which their noses draw them. In a sense, they are an avatar of the inquisitive, multi-tasking chef constantly pushing boundaries.
Daryll also shares that Alice Boulangerie was born out of a love for French pastries and the whiff of fresh bakes wafting out along the streets of Paris. This got me even more excited to try out their pretty creations.
Baking is a hard day’s work, though. The team begins at 4.30 in the morning, with the preparation and baking continuing for 3 hours after that. When they throw the doors open at 8 a.m., customers are greeted by the aroma of a decadent range of freshly-baked bread, cakes and pastries.
That’s hardly the end of the toil, though. On a typical day, subsequent batches follow at 10.30 a.m. and then at 2 p.m. On weekends and certain holidays, Alice Boulangerie can churn out up to 5 batches a day!
What I tried at Alice Boulangerie
Alice Boulangerie’s brunch highlights are the Tiger Prawn Capellini (S$28) and The Steak Shack (S$35).
The fresh tiger prawns of the Tiger Prawn Capellini are cooked in a medley of secret herbs and spices accompanied by Alice’s own prawn stock concoction, which itself takes 12 hours to prepare.
The recipe demands that the prawns are sautéed in white wine to elevate the depth of the taste. Angel hair pasta and cherry tomatoes form a bed onto which a sprinkling of coriander, basil and chilli flakes add the dish’s kick.
The Steak Shack’s prime Aussie meat is accentuated by a red wine mushroom sauce that is cooked to perfection overnight. Homemade mashed potato adds the essential side of texture and taste.
I could tell from the tenderness that the meat is indeed special. There’s no chewiness and it is super melty. The mash was prepared so perfectly that I was hankering for even more despite the large helping.
It is the ideal quick lunch if you want to splurge on premium steak on your lunch break.
In the mood for a lighter option? You Had Me at French Toast (S$21) is the way to go. The chef dips the bread slices in a unique combination of coconut milk and egg instead of the common egg-only style, before they are sauteed on a grill.
Cinnamon imparts its divine lingering taste into every morsel of the light and springy bread. It is served with fresh cream, banana, and fresh blueberries, drizzled with maple syrup.
The Yuzu Tart (S$12) is a hazelnut frangipane tart made in-house, filled with pineapple and lemon compote with a touch of gin. However, the star of the show is its yuzu cream. I have had yuzu-flavoured pastries and sweets before but this one takes the cake, so to speak. It has an intensity of citrus I can only equate with the Super Lemon citrus candies I enjoyed (and suffered!) as a kid. If you need a wake-up but want to stay away from energy drinks, this just might work!
The final item I tried at Alice Boulangerie was a pair of their famed signature bi-colour croissants. First, I sank my teeth into the Strawberry Cheese Croissant (S$7) marked by its beautiful pink stripes.
This pastry is filled with freshly-made strawberry jam, luscious cream cheese, streusel crumbles, and garnished with strawberry chocolate shavings. This gives it a luxuriously buttery taste.
This was definitely my favourite! Far from being just a croissant, it felt like I was taking a bite of exquisite strawberry cheesecake. For the jam, Alice Boulangerie sources high-quality Japanese strawberries. I loved how the biscuit crumbs topping added a delicious crunch.
Kudos to the team for getting the sugar just right— this croissant is mildly sweet and is nicely balanced out by the slight savoury flavour of the cream cheese.
The other flavour we tried was the Pistachio Chocolate Croissant (S$7) that stands apart with its green-hued chocolate stripes. It is filled with a pistachio crème patisserie, house pistaline praline and hazelnut ganache. While no slouch in the taste department, it did not give me the wonderful experience of its strawberry counterpart.
It had the same balanced level of sweetness and I realised that combining hazelnut and pistachio is a genius idea! If strawberry is not your thing, this alternative comes a very close second for the title of my favourite treat.
Final Thoughts
I had heard so much about Alice’s bi-colour croissants and was almost apprehensive about trying them lest they not live up to the hype. Fortunately, I found them deserving of every compliment that has been thrown their way.
Fabulous taste aside, especially with the Strawberry Cheese Croissant, the patterns and colours of these pastries are veritable works of art. I thoroughly enjoyed them and if you can only order one thing on the menu, this should be your choice.
The Boulangerie itself is a pleasant haven of heavenly aromas, the pretty sight of gorgeous pastries and cakes, and just exquisite taste. Its open concept pantry design creates what is almost a participative vibe.
It was fascinating to be part of the buzz as we watched trays of our favourites emerge from the ovens and make their way, still steaming, to the counters and tables.
We found it so fun that we stayed for over three hours with the fun, buzzing crowd. You should definitely visit!
Reservations are highly recommended for the weekends to skip the long queue, you can visit Alice Boulangerie’s delivery platform.
Expected damage: $7 – $40 per pax
*This post is brought to you in partnership with Alice Boulangerie.
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