Expat Choice Guide Celebrating 10 Years (2016–2026) | The Fabulous Baker Boy is Back at the Art-Deco Aliwal Arts Centre

Cool and casual café vibes in a palette of pastel colours mingle with the inviting aroma of artisanal baked goods and home-cooked cuisine at The Fabulous Baker Boy, the new 70-seater café, bakery and restaurant located in the art-deco Aliwal Arts Centre.

Famed for its riveting array of fabulous cakes and now classics with a twist, The Fabulous Baker Boy presents an all-day breakfast brunch menu including artisanal baked goods in a new location that marries delicious home-cooked food with a contemporary interior at their Big Love Bakery and Soul Kitchen.

Diners are spoiled for choice with more than 14 cakes to choose from including the celebrated Ab Fab Red Velvet, a true classic from the 1950s that comes with an extra layer of chocolate ganache. Other favourites include Nutty Monkey, which is a banana coconut cake, Big Lub Carrot Cake and Lady Marmalade.

Pair popular items like TFBB’s Fried Chicken and Waffles with delicious smoothies, milkshakes, ice-cream and chocolate-based beverages. Cheese lovers will enjoy the Roast Chicken and Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich, which features The Fabulous Baker Boy’s house sourdough bread slices filled with a tasty three-cheese mix of cheddar, parmesan, mozzarella, roast chicken and herbed pesto.

All sandwiches are served with a piping hot mug of Roasted Tomato or Cream of Mushroom Soup, this delicious brunch menu option is sure to leave diners coming back for more to this women-empowered kitchen and bakery.

Other signature brunch menu items include the Pancakes, Fab Fry Up and Duck Confit. The Fabulous Baker Boy’s reopening at the Aliwal Arts Centre represents “an emotional return to twin passions'' according to baker, theatre actor and owner Juwanda Hassim, who was forced to close at his previous location in the foothills of Fort Canning mid last year after the Covid circuit breaker coincided with the ending of his lease.

Now he’s back bigger, better and more fabulous than before with a multi-concept, full-service bakery, patisserie, café and restaurant. “Our new location is a combination of the two great passions in my life,” said Juwanda. “Food and the arts. I love entertaining on stage and at home and I am thrilled to open The Fabulous Baker Boy at the Aliwal Arts Centre.”

The 70-seater cafe’s new tagline – Big Love Bakery and Soul Kitchen – also reflects Juwanda’s journey of gratitude that has taken him from an uncertain future to the opening of this new, bolder venue. “I could not have done this without the love and support of friends and former customers,” he said. “So many people reached out to help us find a new location that it was only a matter of time before the curtains came up again.”

Juwanda is determined to give back in the only way he knows how – by sharing his love for cooking and baking. “We now have a women-empowered team of bakers and cooks,” he says, “floor staff who come from all walks of life and delivery services that help friends who are out of work due to Covid. I am truly proud.”

a. 28 Aliwal Street Singapore, Singapore 199918

e. info@thefabulousbakerboy.com

w. www.thefabulousbakerboy.com/

s. www.facebook.com/Thefabbakerboy

t. +65 8951 7716

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Beth

15 Feb 2021 , Mon

42 comments

CONTRIBUTOR

RATED 8 / 8

I got to meet THE Fabulous Baker Boy, Juwanda Hassim, at the newly relocated Fabulous Baker Boy cafe at the Aliwal Arts Centre. He is a rock star baker and has earned the moniker. The Fabulous Baker Boy is bright and airy with loads of sunlight and high ceilings. The decor is minimal but cheery with brightly coloured chairs, neon signage and greenery. The tables are spaced so you can actually have a bit of privacy for you and your guests. Taking centre stage of the restaurant is the case of beautiful home-baked cakes. There are so many choices it's hard to decide.

The Fabulous Baker Boy serves all day breakfast and lunch at the Soul Kitchen and the cakes, pastries and fresh artisanal breads from the Big Love Bakery - including the brilliant sourdough made from starters called "Adam" and "Eve". They've been fed for six years and the bread is served warm with sweet butter, jam and a delicious pepper tapenade.

The breakfast choices run from the traditional English breakfast or eggs Benedict to the American southern staple of chicken and waffles. As a guest representing Expat Choice, we were treated to the heavenly sourdough bread selection.

The sinfully delightful Cinn Bun pancakes arrived next. They are a cross between a beignet, a pancake and a churro. It smells of New Orleans as this dish approached our table. A nice touch is the whipped yogurt instead of whipped or clotted cream to accompany the Cinn Bun. It cuts the sweetness and adds just the right amount of tart to elevate the dish.

I chose the chicken and waffles for my main course. The waffle was crispy on the outside and fluffy inside. It was topped with two grilled, juicy chicken thighs and just enough maple syrup to complete this favorite comfort food.

On its own, it's a perfectly portioned dish. After our sourdough bread board and the Cinn Bun, I realized I would need a carrier to bring half home.

My friend had the fish and chips which he loved. He commented almost immediately of the flavour of the batter being unique. He asked Juwanda what made it special and he told us it is his secret Fabulous Baker Boy recipe.

We shared and and tasted everything and all was delicious. We both packed half our mains because we had to try the cakes. Be sure and save some room for the star attractions.

The cakes are magnificent. Choices run from classic - The Big Lub Carrot Cake, the most popular Ab Fab Red Velvet Cake, The Hummingbird Cake - to the Diva/Divo collection named after the rich and famous.

Try the Beyoncé lemonade cake, the Katy Perry orange sponge cake, the George Clooney coffee and walnut cake or the Barack Obama coconut cream with pineapple jam. We opted for three slices for our tasting as another friend made it in time for cake.

We choose the Big Lub Carrot Cake, the Ab Fab Red Velvet and the Takeshi San which is black sesame and Madagascar vanilla sponge topped with a black and white marbled buttercream. The artistry and love going into each and every cake is evident. They are beautiful to look up, heavenly to smell and fabulous to taste. They are works of art.

My favorite was the Big Lub Carrot Cake which was moist and delicate and the cream cheese icing was lightly topped with coconut flakes adding that special panache. It's easy to see why the Ab Fab Red Velvet is the top seller. I'm not usually a fan of the red velvet as the cake can be too dense for my liking. Yet this red velvet was light, flavourful and delicious. The most surprising was the Takeshi San.

This Expat Choice reporter had never before had a sesame based cake. The cake itself is black in colour from the sesame and the icing is a marble of vanilla and sesame. Together, the combination of the savory and the sweet was truly unique and delightful to experience.

These are just a few highlights of the creative and charming menu. I will be returning to try the Eggs Benny or the ultimate comfort food of grilled cheese sandwich and homemade tomato soup. I will also be found sipping a cup of tea, reading my latest book and enjoying the Hummingbird Cake reminiscent of my parent's southern heritage I think this officially qualifies for self-care

Juwanda and his staff are friendly, warm and knowledgeable. This is the perfect place for breakfast, brunch, work lunch and a nice place to chill out all by yourself. Grab a slice of your favorite cake and a cuppa and take some time to make yourself happy and indulge. The Fabulous Baker Boy is truly fabulous. Be sure to make reservations on the weekends. Opening hours are from 9:30 am to 18:30 Tuesday through Sunday. Tell Juwanda that Expat Choice sent you. Thanks, Expat Choice, for sending this reporter.