FOOD REVIEW: Firebake - quality bakehouse with a prawn capellini that is to die for
SINGAPORE — Over in the East, where all good food tends to congregate, lies Firebake. Calling Katong home, Firebake is a bakehouse and restaurant that houses Singapore’s first-ever full-scale woodfire bread oven. It is the brainchild of veteran food & beverage consultant Konstantino Blokbergen, that is dedicated to the craft of sourdough bread making using European historical methods. Their sourdough bakes are made with organic flours from Australia, Canada and Europe and undergo a 12 to 24 hours slow fermentation process. Yes, they take bread very seriously here.
If you’ve been to Firebake, you’d have seen the pair of wood fire bread ovens where daily bakes are made and a selection of the dine-in menu is cooked. Here, everything that goes into the food is non-processed, sustainable, and as close to its natural state as possible. Apart from the baked goods that Firebake makes for the neighbourhood, there’s also a brief but bold selection of dishes that reflect Konstantino’s Swiss and Greek heritage.
Let's start with what I liked. A massive bowl of Australian Prawn Capellini (S$22+) caught my attention as any dish with prawns is wont to do. Here, two huge ones are laying in wait to be devoured on top of a bed of capellini. I suspect there's prawn oil used in here because I'm getting mouthful after mouthful of that delightful brininess that makes a seafood lover like me swoon. There's a bit of char on the prawn which suggests a charcoal grill over an intense flame, but other than that, the crustaceans have been cooked to a minute of perfection still retaining the signature bounce and bite often associated with careful cooking. For this dish, I recommend a quick pop into the microwave followed by a liberal bottom-to-top toss of the pasta so that the golden nectar from below gets thoroughly mixed. If like me, you don't mind a little cholesterol surplus, I strongly suggest a deep suckle of the prawn head for the most exceptional umami goodness.
Elsewhere, there's a Wild Mushroom Soup (S$14+) that makes my heart sing. Like the pasta, a quick pop of this into the microwave will do you a lot of good. There's really nothing like a piping hot bowl of hearty and earthy soup to spread some warmth throughout the body. Inside, there are chunky, roughly-cut mushrooms for textural variance, aided by the dramatically huge slice of toast spread with a bold smoked-paprika butter. A brief minute of the toast in the air-fryer makes all the difference—it's a crunch that can be heard from as far as Tuas.
And then there's the burger—so tall that I wonder how anyone can eat it without making a right mess of the experience. Then I remember I'm at home and here all dining rules get thrown right out the window. Live a little, I say. You can tell the worth of a burger from all the juicy drippings that collect at the base of the box it comes in. As with the case of Firebake Wagyu Burger (S$18)—a patty grilled to solid medium doneness such that the meat oozes and glistens even after forty-five minutes of travel. It is sandwiched between two pieces of soft wood-fired sourdough potato buns and served with a tangy tomato-based beef sauce, and a creamy, slightly salty, slightly sweet, somewhat nutty Swiss Raclette cheese that I guarantee will melt audaciously in the microwave for a quick 30 seconds and nothing more.
For a meal that's more quick bite during afternoon tea than a satisfying lunch mid-day, there's a rustic beef pie (S$12) with the letter B carved out on top. Encased within a thick shell of pastry is a beef stew filled with generous chunks of meat and a thick gooey gravy made with tomato paste, veal stock, and red wine. There's an earthy and dark tinge of flavour to the entire stew I don't usually find in a regular beef stew, surely all thanks to the veal and red wine. The wood-fired quiche (S$6) also makes for a great pre-evening munch, especially if you're saving some stomach space for dinner. It's nothing too out of the ordinary—there's eggs, milk, mushroom, onions and cheddar cheese—everything you'd expect from a quiche.
Dessert comes by way of a bread and butter pudding (S$10+) which I kept overnight for the sweetness and flavour to further mature. Fresh upon delivery, it is warm and subtly sweet with notes of caramel slowly coaxed out, as if embarrassed of the spotlight. Here, the bread and butter pudding is made with Firebake's fruit loaf and layered with crème anglaise—which explains the dark brown bits that stick out amongst the sea of cream and the surprise raisins that beg to be found.
This being a bakery first and foremost, you must, of course, lay your paws on the Firebake bread board (S$10+)—a selection of bread assembled from what is currently available in-house. For today’s order, I had the Wave (white), Field (wholemeal), Valley Rye (fruit), Rock (Rye), and Butter Brioche. It comes with the best French butter in the world—Bordier—and Greek olive oil for a quick drizzle.
To order, WhatsApp or call Firebake at 9784 2950. Takeaway and island-wide delivery both available. Island-wide delivery costs S$10 and is free for all orders above S$80. Do visit their Instagram page for the latest information on opening hours and other promotions.
Website | 237 East Coast Road, Level 1, Singapore 428930
Mon & Tues closed
Wed - Fri: 4pm - 8.30pm
Sat - Sun: 11am - 8.30pm
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