Petite Krumbs: Ex hotel chef’s hawker bakery has atas bakes from $2, long queues at 8.30am
The popularity of hawker bakeries in Singapore is undeniable, with tons of pastry fans lining up early in the morning every time a new one opens. Petite Krumbs is another addition to the local hawker bakery scene— just head down to Amoy Street Food Centre on a weekday morning to witness the long queues for yourself.
Petite Krumbs is owned by a former hotel executive pastry chef at Mandarin Orchard, 64-year-old Winnie Goh, and features a selection of tasty bakes priced from S$2 to S$3.80. I paid a visit to the store right during their scheduled opening time at 8.30am, and there were already a few people ahead of me in line— the shutters weren’t even up yet!
The stall had a late start that day, officially opening around 8.50am. By then, a long queue had formed behind me, with plenty of other customers eager to try these popular bakes.
Take note that due to the high demand for the bakes, there is a limit of 2 pieces per bake per person. Bakes available during my visit included croissants, cakes and tarts. I decided to try all the bakes on sale that day— after all, I had to justify waking up at 6.30am just to travel and queue for these bakes.
What I tried at Petite Krumbs
I started off with the classic Butter Croissant (S$2.70), which had a golden brown colour and a soft texture. Tearing into the croissant revealed airy pockets and nice lamination.
The buttery flavours were commendable, with each bite boasting lots of addictive and aromatic fragrance. The croissant wasn’t all that crispy on the surface, but was fantastic as a softer alternative.
The Valrhona Pain Au Chocolate (S$3.80) was another commendable pastry at Petite Krumbs. The pastry was similarly well-laminated with a light, crisp surface, while the Valrhona chocolate filling was rich, dark and not too sweet. The proportion of chocolate to pastry was wonderful, too.
The Sourdough Cinnamon Bun (S$3.80) was pretty soft with tasty cinnamon sugar swirls to give it an added pop of sweetness. For those that enjoy the slightly chewier texture of bread as opposed to pastries, definitely give this a go.
My favourite bake at Petite Krumbs was undoubtedly the Lemon Mochi Tart (S$2.70). The shell was buttery with just the right amount of crunch to it, while the lemon curd filling was smooth and tangy.
I found the mochi within to be especially delightful— it was soft, sticky and stretchy, making the entire tart even more texturally exciting.
Chocolate lovers should try the Valrhona Chocolate Tart (S$3.20)— like the Lemon Mochi Tart, the buttery tart base was crunchy and aromatic.
The chocolate fillings were rich, and beneath the chocolate ganache was a crunchy layer that reminded me of rice krispies. Altogether, this tart had a nice balance of sweetness and richness, well-encapsulated in a tasty shell.
I felt that the Eclair (S$3.20) was a tad pricey for the size, but still very satisfying— the cream fillings were infused with coffee, giving it a much more robust taste. When paired with the sweet chocolate on top, this was a pretty delectable treat.
No surprises here, but the Butter Cake (S$3.50) at Petite Krumbs was truly sublime. The soft, dense cake had a fantastic buttery aroma that permeated throughout. The thin brown crust on top was so flavourful, adding to the overall experience. You simply can’t miss this.
In comparison to other brownies, the Sourdough Brownie (S$2) at Petite Krumbs was much cake-ier and less dense. It reminded me a bit more of chocolate cake, given its fluffy texture— I appreciated how it wasn’t overly sweet and has a noticeable chocolate flavour, but I personally prefer for my brownies to be more rich and chocolatey.
The Cake Lapis (S$2.70), though small in portion, did not hold back on flavour. The cake was buttery with a slight pandan aroma to it. My only gripe would be that its size was a tad tiny in relation to its price, but it certainly made up for that in quality.
Finally, I got a slice of the Carrot Cake (S$3.20), which has a liberal amount of dried fruits scattered within. Compared to all the other cakes, this has a much denser, chewier and almost kueh-like texture. Each bite yielded plenty of sweet fruit within. Paired with the crunchy walnut and cream cheese on top, I’d say that this was a pretty hearty cake to savour.
Final thoughts
I found the selection of bakes at Petite Krumbs to be outstanding in terms of quality— these tasted like they could be sold in a little cafe! The prices were generally quite reasonable too, with everything coming in at under S$4.
My top picks would be the tarts, though the Butter Cake and Cake Lapis stood out to me too. While I doubt that I’d wake up early just to queue for these right when the stall opens again, if you live or work near the area, I’d say that it’s worth heading down early once to give these bakes a go.
Expected damage: S$2 – S$10 per pax
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