Sugar and carbs galore at Antoinette
Antoinette is a dangerous place for a weak-minded person like me. I want to just sit in a corner and eat nothing but sugar and carbs.
Alarm bells rang in my head as I approached the new outlet at Millenia Walk, located on the ground level near the centre atrium. I had to brace myself for the onslaught of temptation.
The man in the kitchen is chef Pang Kok Keong, who is blessed with creativity. But that also means sometimes, there is an overflow of ideas, which could lead to a dramatic but disconnected menu.
Here, the only drama is the ornate Insta-friendly decor.
The menu is concise, with bistro-style dishes, breads and pastries (including the new Le Menu Sandwich and Crepes Salees). And almost everything he has to offer requires a determination for restraint.
I failed to resist the Ondeh Ondeh Kaya Toast ($6).
The classic coffee shop treat gets a fancy update with house-made Italian ciabatta, pandan kaya, French butter and gula melaka syrup. Even the salt is fleur de sel, often described as the caviar of salts.
The kaya is fabulous and the generous serving of butter adds to the experience.
An updated kaya toast is hardly new, and another Singapore chef does an amazing version of it too, but this one hits all the right notes - especially for the price you pay. I suggest replacing the Sentosa Merlion with a statue of this.
I also like the Egg Muffin ($5) - more for its cheesiness than anything else. The pork sausage patty is well seasoned, the sunny side up adds texture, but I can never resist cheddar cheese.
Yes, it does look and sound like a certain famous muffin, but I think this version is superior.
Antoinette offers a selection of three crepes and Sierra ($18) is the one I like best.
The wholegrain buckwheat crepes are better than expected. The topping of Serrano ham, hollandaise sauce, cheeses and a sunny side up egg makes this both a visual and gastronomical treat.
The Italian Focaccia ($8) wins on looks. I wanted to eat every crumb. The focaccia is great and the house-made pesto butter is even better. It almost does not matter what is inside, although the chicken breast is tender and flavourful too.
Of all the items I tasted, two did not work for me.
The Scrambled Egg ($10) is saved by the sausage mushroom sauce (imagine that with the foccacia) but it is not particularly interesting. The Earl Grey Bubble Tea ($14) is, but if I am going to bust my sugar count, I will want the real thing.
Antoinette
#01-28 Millenia Walk
Tel: 6235-5109
Opens 8am to 10pm on weekdays, 10am to 10pm on weekends
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