Cat in the Hat: Hawker-based French patisserie with $1.50 pastries at Golden Mile Food Centre
Name me anything sweet and I’ll tell you that I love it. Desserts, bakes, or pastries, I’m big on anything doused with sugar. Pastries that are cheap and affordable though? That’s an eye-catcher and a steal. Cat in the Hat produces luxurious French patisseries in the humble setting of a hawker centre that’ll definitely have you joining their queue.
We’ve seen muffins and chiffon cakes in hawker centres, but patisseries like exquisite tarts and madeleines? That’s something I haven’t come across before. We usually see these at atas bakeries charging sky-high prices for minute pieces of desserts. Don’t blame them though, each tart is a literal piece of art! It takes so much effort to make one, not to mention, it is so meticulous to keep an eye for detail with the aesthetic of each dessert.
Located at the iconic Golden Mile Food Centre, Cat in the Hat is another one of the hidden gems in that hawker centre. I mean that literally though— who would’ve thought to sell patisseries in the setting of a hawker centre? So much effort and details go into the making of each batch, I was surprised myself when I found them here.
Clearly, all eyes were on the new inclusion to the Golden Mile Food Centre. Opened in early Mar 2023, the never-ending crowd that they’ve attracted is very impressive. I mean it—you wouldn’t catch them not attending to a queue at any minute. Directly opposite the popular SL II Muffin selling incredible muffins, Cat in the Hat acts as a direct competitor to it that has certainly displayed its upper hand.
What I tried at Cat in the Hat
Spoilt for choice with their selection, I ordered almost everything they had on display. Don’t call me out for greed, I said I ordered almost everything, not everything!
I suggest pre-ordering a few days in advance though, as they run out really quickly considering their popularity.
Starting off, I tried out these finger-looking Financiers. Something to note is that most of the bakes are petite in size, which would make for a sweet treat that you can enjoy after lunch— just so you won’t fall into deep sleep with a food coma.
Cat in the Hat has 3 special flavours, ranging from Classic (S$2.50), Coffee Pecan (S$3), and Black Sesame with Tuile (S$3).
These were so divine… I typically stray away from black sesame-flavoured treats because I usually dislike the taste of overwhelming nuttiness. However, the Black Sesame with Tuile Financier had a subtle black sesame flavour. Topped with a layer of tuile on top, you’ll experience 2 layers of flavours when you indulge in a piece.
First, you’ll bite into an aromatic nutty flavour from the bits on the top, which is neutralised by a buttery finish from the cake sponge.
If you know me well, you can bet that I will order a piece of banana cake whenever I get the chance to. The Brown Butter Spiced Banana Cake (S$2) is a nice staple of mine that can never go wrong.
How would I improve this? I would wish for larger chunks of fresh bananas mashed into the whole slice— the ripened banana will exude a natural sweetness that’ll make it even more addictive.
I am also a huge sucker for anything pretty. Immediately, I was drawn in by these gorgeous tarts. Furthermore, they’re priced at such a wallet-friendly price! Take my money now.
The iconic lemon tart should be a crowd favourite amongst the masses. Don’t think about going down to cafes to enjoy patisseries anymore when you can get a Lemon Meringue Tart at S$3 here!
Aside from the fact the curd was really melty, I enjoyed this thoroughly. With a super smooth lemon curd filling and a golden swirl of meringue, this made for a delicious lemon tart dream.
Just when I thought that I couldn’t be more impressed, they won me over by featuring a Chocolate Ganache Tart (S$2.50). It’s as if they knew I was a chocolate-lover, because this tasted exactly like dark chocolate— in a tart form.
Wrapped in a buttery shortbread crust, the almost lava-like filling melted in my mouth so luxuriously. You’ll get hints of bitterness from the dark chocolate that is neutralised by the sweet-salty pastry. This is my favourite, and I am coming back for this.
Last but not least, the Madeleines (S$1.50), which are the cheapest items on the menu.
But this did not taste cheap at all. Expect a spongey dense cake with shredded pieces of orange peels inside the Madeleine. It had a strong citrus flavour, so those who like fruit-flavoured items would enjoy these lightly sweet treats!
Final thoughts
Despite having a literal buffet of desserts, I didn’t feel an ounce of jelak-ness. I am truly impressed by what Cat in the Hat has to offer— their buttery decadent delights has swooned me over and I am now a new fan.
Sign me up for a loyalty membership pass please.
Expected damage: S$1.50 – S$4 per pax
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