Wah Yen Eating House: So shiok how come nobody copy?
I am always puzzled whenever I come across something simple and satisfying which nobody else tries to copy. You know, Singapore is a nation of copy cats. No sooner did Roti Boy become a big success that we see the rest of the Roti family (Mama, Papa, uncle, aunties) all appear across the island. Then there was Donut Factory which started the whole Donut craze. But you know, there are many people sitting down to eat the crispy toasted French Loaf with Kaya and butter at this coffeeshop and yet no one else tries to copy them.
Our local "French Loaf" which we often use to make Roti John and eat with Curry might be passe, but hey it is actually quite shiok if you simply toast it till its super crispy and slap on some butter and kaya. This really doesn't take much skill or knowledge. Even the kaya is not homemade. Yet they have a winning formula which puts a serving on almost every table in the coffeeshop. I found the crispy crust of the French Toast contrasted with the cold creamy butter to be highly satisfying. Too bad they don't have homemade kaya. 4.25/5
Now, the crispy French Loaf is very impressive, but the real winner is the Kopi here. Unlike the French Loaf, you would not be immediately taken by the humble unmarked cup on the red melamine saucer. But have a sip of the Kopi and you suddenly realise that this is a real gem. It's smooth, milky and full of that Kopi oommph. Not for someone who like their kopi bitter and acidic but if you enjoy those Japanese milk coffees that comes in the cans, you will really like this. 4.5/5
Conclusion
So, know anywhere else that sells French Loaf Kaya Toast? The French Loaf is a real novelty but it is the unassuming Kopi here that will really surprise you.
What to do next:
We tarpaued this fried rice which was excellent around the corner. Link here
Right opposite is where you can get a bowl of excellent Mee Siam. Link here
Famous Bak Kut Teh just down the road. Link here
Want to try the Roti Prata which can be used as a frisbee? Link here
Wah Yen Eating House
Blk 23 Sin Ming Road
#01-01
S(570023)
Open 7.30am to 12.30am
No more bread after 8pm
Update: 17 Mar 2009
There has been some discussion in our comments about who the coffee is made by, so I decided to post this photo of the lady who was making the very nice cup of kopi I had that day. Another point to note, you should order the small cup with the saucer, not the bigger glass cups. The Kopi does seem to taste better in the traditional cups.
25 comments:
French loaf kaya toast is available at all Wang Cafes. It's very good especially it is toasted till crispy and yet still soft on the inside. Slurp! Try it, it's my favourite order at Wang Tampines Mall and Novena Square. The kopi and this toast never fail to lift up my day.
LS
Wow, that got my saliva glands working... I wish I was in France again for the bagettes! I mean German is also a land of breads but more for the dark, grainy ones which I also like. But there's aways something about bagettes that are oh-so-good. :)
the S11 kopitiam at clementi central (the same block as kopitiam and macdonald's), does the same thing. You should have gotten some half boiled eggs too, dipping the roti in eggs and finishing it off with coffee is heavenly. Digression: How come Singapore kopitiam usually only have dark soya sauce with half boiled eggs? Light soya sauce is way nicer and to confirm that, most penang kopitiam serve light soya sauce automatically.
Pick & Bite under Koufu at Marina Square also sells French loaf kaya toast. I prefer their soft kaya bun actually (can't remember the exact name) but it's like YY kafei dian's kaya bun just so much nicer. It's toasted till crisp on the outside & soft on the inside. I think there's one outlet at Simei MRT.
I think the coffeeshop anony was referring to is VariNice under the same Koufu group so the french loaf baguette should be the same as Pick & Bite's. Closest outlet to Les should be at Yishun.
Ah, so it looks like there are some around!
This one is super crispy, are the other ones really really crispy as well?
yes. the one at clementi is crispy.
It is near my place. Must go and check it out!
Don't forget that around the corner from there, Damien was recommended the fried rice at Hua Nam Coffeeshop which was really very shiok. Lots of Wok Hei and guarantee you cannot stop eating. Really old school
Hua Nam Coffeeshop
Yes ieat, I have tried the Fried Rice at Hwa Nam Restaurant. Their Salted Fish Fried Rice was nice with good wok hei. You can see the pics at the weblink below:
http://ieatishootipost.proboards50.com/index.cgi?board=makan&action=display&thread=1142&page=3
Ah so you did! Good food hard to escape from you.
Their soft buns are even more addictive. The small ones with the dark brown crust on them. Been packing these back to the office for tea for many years. Since they were in the now demolished Lakeview Estate across the road.
this is my favourite kaya toast place, am somewhat ambivalent as to it's appearance here.
on one hand, recognition it deserves but on the other hand, LESS EMPTY TABLES!
the teh-si here also deserves mention..
French loaf with kaya and butter is surprisingly delightful & I think it is a sure-win formula. Those overrated HKCafes french toasts absolutely no fight at all.
Yeah the char png from Hua Nam was fantastic too, fried in lard - super fragrant. Add a "he pao dan" (sunny-side up) on top & while the yolk is still half-cooked, break and mix around...oomph!
Pity I was still ill then, otherwise my appetite could have been better.
To western tastes it sounds a bit dry
Well the slice of butter in the middle of the toast helps to contrast the dryness.
Holydrummer, the Char png is indeed really shiok. When you want to go back and blog it properly?
If still got room, can walk across to icekimo (8 Sin Ming Road, #01-03 Sin Ming Centre) to eat ice cream. Their D24 durian ice cream is nice.
www.icekimo.com
There's actually quite a lot of stuff there.
Around the corner from Hooked on Heads is this food centre where the orginal Chocolat and Spice is and there's also a Curry Puff stall.
Next to icekemo there is a stall selling cheese brownies which is also quite nice.
I work in Toa Payoh and yes this coffeeshop has nice food. What my colleagues and I always do is we eat the nice teochew porridge in the coffeeshop, its CHEAP and nice enough. then after that, we order the french loaf with butter and kaya and the coffee...damn nice. But u gotta be fast, it runs out fast! Its not available the whole day one!
this is so coincidental! my grandma and dad goes there EVERY morning for the coffee! I go once in a while so I can recognise the shop!
Was there last night. Sigh, just my misfortune to have missed the French loaf!!
Friend and I had kopi c and teh c siu dai. Not sure if went there at a bad time and the kopi teh was prepared by someone else, but it was rather so-so leh. Who is the person who usually makes the good kopi teh?
When I was there, it was a middle aged lady, quite slim. But I was told there was an old man too.
He He If you enlarge the above pic of the Wah Yen Coffee shop, the slim lady behind is the one who makes the coffee sometimes. The guy infront just serve the coffee n bread.
There is another guy slim also who is also the kopi barrista like in starbuck meh lol
Actually on weekends a guy make the kopi and she is the chief toast maker
Killiney kopitiam on Killiney Rd does the french toast with butter and kaya too.
warrao don't give people ideas to mass produce and ruin something so nice! :D
Went to try the Teochew Porridge at Wah Eng Food Stall in the same coffee shop. The food was good and the price was reasonable (see my post below for the pics)
http://ieatishootipost.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=general&thread=223&page=5
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