Singapore Patisserie & Tea Room: Ah Teng's Bakery & TWG Tea Salon

Cuisine: Tea Room & Patisserie

Visited: 28-29 May 2011

During our short trip to Singapore at the end of May, we had a chance to visit 2 tea room, one being Ah Teng's Bakery @ Raffles Singapore and the other one was TWG Tea Room @ ION Shopping Mall.

Ah Teng's Bakery @ Raffles Singapore

Map: Ah Teng's Bakery @ Raffles Singapore

Price: SGD9.00 per person (what I paid for)

Food: 5/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Value for money: 4/10

This Chinese style tea house of Raffles Singapore serves rather quality bakery daily. The area of this place is sharing with the adjacent Empire Cafe. We love the classic colonial decoration of this place, a bit of old fashion but look really calm and fabulous in style.

Ah Teng's Bakery @ Raffles Singapore

Menu Board

The Chinese Style Surrounding

We did not have much chance to try many different things, including the famous banana pastry, but photos were taken to share here.

Lychee Raspberry Tart

Tropical Fruits Choux a la Creme

Sacher Cake

Chocolate Banana Cake

Cheese Cake

Scone Set with English Breakfast Tea had soft texture but would be much appreciated if it was warm. It came with clotted cream that was not so rich in taste and jam was not a home-made one (5/10).

Scone Set with English Breakfast Tea

Black Forest Cake tasted rather standard. Though it was an enjoyable one but more smoothness and cherry would be preferable (5/10). 

Black Forest Cake

Strawberry Jelly Lemon Panna Cotta was just a typical panna cotta with jelly but delightful to have though (4/10).

Strawberry Jelly Lemon Panna Cotta

Ah Teng's Bakery @ Raffles Singapore

1 Beach Road

Singapore 189673

Open Hours: Sun-Thu 07:30am - 10:00pm and Fri-Sat 07:30am - 11:00pm

Tel: +65 (0) 6412 1816

Web: http://www.raffles.com/EN_RA/Property/RHS/Restaurants_Bars/Ah_Tengs_Bakery.htm

TWG Tea Salon & Boutique @ ION Shopping Mall, Singapore

Map: TWG Tea Salon & Boutique @ ION Shopping Mall, Singapore

Price: SGD14.00 per person (what I paid for)

Food: 4/10

Atmosphere: 4/10

Value for money: 5/10

TWG is a well-known tea house of Singapore. There are a few houses around Singapore Island. We managed to go there during weekend and without surprise, the shop was packed with customers. For TWG Tea Salon & Boutique @ ION Shopping Mall, the place is rather tiny and can accommodate around 30 guests only. The decoration is elegant but we do not like the large window that allows outsiders to look through though. What impressed us was the long list of fine tea with description, there were around 100 choices of tea to be chosen (just guess ^^).

TWG Tea Salon & Boutique @ ION Shopping Mall

The Entrance

Shelf of Tea

Pile of Muffin

We chose Rwanda Express for the choice of tea. It was a light black tea with hint of caramel. This should be great with pastry that is thick and creamy. Scones came with tea jelly and whipped cream rather that clotted cream. It was dry in texture but tea jelly was interesting (4/10).

Rwanda Express

Scones Set

Raspberry Mille-feuille was wonderful. Unlike scones, this had soft and smooth filling of vanilla chestnut cream with crisp pastry. Loads of raspberry. Not so sweet on the overall (7/10).

We did also try a few macarons: Napoleon Tea & Caramel, Earl Grey Fortune & Chocolate, and 1837 Black Tea & Blackcurrant. Disappointed really but unique. Blending of TWG tea into maroons was interesting but did not go well from our perspective (3/10).

Raspberry Mille-feuille

TWG Tea Macarons

TWG Tea Salon & Boutique @ ION Shopping Mall, Singapore

2 Orchard Turn, #02-21

Singapore 238801

Open Hours: 10:00am - 10:00pm daily

Tel: +65 (0) 6735 1837

Web: http://www.twgtea.com

Iggy's @ Hilton Singapore Hotel, Orchard Road

Cuisine: French

Map: Iggy's @ Hilton Singapore Hotel, Orchard Road

Price: SGD113 per person without alcohol (what I paid for)

Visited: 30 May 2011

Food: 8/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Value for money: 7/10

Services: 7/10

Iggy's Restaurant @ Hilton Singapore Hotel is another famous fine dining in Singapore which is awarded rank 27 in The World's 50 Best Restaurant Awards by S. Pellegrino. The restaurant is named after its owner and respectful restaurateur Ignatius Chan. The atmosphere of this restaurant is rather a cosy type, not so relax as it was really quiet but can be enjoyable still. Iggy's keeps its decoration simple but with hint of elegance. Along each wall there are many painting and canvas for decoration that are rather impressive.

The tedious thing about the place was the booking system that requires visitor to put down deposit for the meal in advance and another confirmation via SMS on the day. Not sure if others also experienced in the same way as us. Additionally, food may be great here but services here are sure strange as each staff looked really stress (perhaps because of the atmosphere) and we didn't even see once that one of them smile: haha....but never mind though.

Iggy's @ Hilton Singapore Hotel

The Atmosphere

Table Setting

Delicious Bread and Butter (on top with grated cheese)

Amuse Bouche of the meal was Tomato Garden. I have to admit that personally I am not a fan of tomato at all. Hence, this dish could be a nightmare for me but it turned out to be supremely good. This was a combination of fresh tomato, granita from essence of tomato, mozzarella, and edible flowers. Thick and rich from mozzarella went really well with refreshing granita. I love this (8/10).

Tomato Garden

Tomato Garden (Close-up)

Coming to appetiser courses, Salmon, Savoy Cabbage, and Basil Seeds was kind of tangy due to frozen orange. Refresh and purify hints and well balance (8/10).


Foie Gras, Figs, Tarragon, and Cassis was surely one of the best foie gras. Purely smooth and delicate. Sweet scent and fragrant of fig was irresistible (9/10). 

Salmon, Savoy Cabbage, and Basil Seeds

Salmon, Savoy Cabbage, and Basil Seeds (Close-up)

Foie Gras, Figs, Tarragon, and Cassis

For our second course, we firstly had Cappellini, Sakura Ebi, Konbu, and Scampi Oil. Nice but disappointed as I was not touched by this kind of taste. It was rather typical for us. Feel really like stir-fried noodle with shrimp but well made (7/10).

Next one was Spaghettoni, Lamb Ragout, Fava Beans, and Thyme. We like this one more. Bacon was super crisp. Spaghettoni had great texture. Light flavour of tomato and tender lamb were delightful. The highlight was yoghurt, truly enjoyable (8/10).

Cappellini, Sakura Ebi, Konbu, and Scampi Oil

Spaghettoni, Lamb Ragout, Fava Beans, and Thyme

Next was main course. Duck, Carrot, Sesame, and Natural Jus was undeniable tender with perfect cooking. The carrot and orange sauce was pleasant. But rather normal in fact (8/10).

Wagyu Tenderloin, Pink Garlic, and Mushroom looked rather like a normal piece of steak at first sight. It turned out to be a super tender and max juicy piece of beef. What more would I want (9/10).

Market Fish, Fennel, Caper Berry, and Pernod was rather strange. It tasted delicious. It was hard for me to describe the taste of this dish. There were many scents mixing when tasted. haha...what do I know really? But it was great (8/10).

Duck, Carrot, Sesame, and Natural Jus

Wagyu Tenderloin, Pink Garlic, and Mushroom

Market Fish, Fennel, Caper Berry, and Pernod

Dessert was my favourite part of the meal here. Beer, Salted Peanuts, Milo, Potato, and Marshmallow was eccentric. But well balanced with milo (8/10).

The second one was Rhubarb, Salted Sable, Vanilla Beans, and Blood Orange. The ice-cream was just vanilla. It was then furnished with rhubarb and orange to combine sweet and sour scents together (8/10).

Last one was Apricot, Moroccan Spices, Argan, Almond, and Rose. The best of this meal it was. A bizarre texture and taste. Rather sour but great with yoghurt and spices. Truly savoury (10/10).

Beer, Salted Peanuts, Milo, Potato, and Marshmallow

Rhubarb, Salted Sable, Vanilla Beans, and Blood Orange

Apricot, Moroccan Spices, Argan, Almond, and Rose

Iggy's @ Hilton Singapore Hotel, Orchard Road

The Hilton Hotel Level 3

581 Orchard Road

238883 Singapore

Open Hours: 12:00pm - 01:30 (last seating) for lunch on Monday - Friday, 07:00pm - 09:30pm (last seating) for dinner on Monday - Saturday

Tel: +65 (0) 6732 2234

Web: http://www.iggys.com.sg/