[Closed] Firebake – Woodfired Bakehouse & Restaurant: Artisanal Wood-Fired Bread & Hearty Mains Along East Coast Rd

Firebake along East Coast Road isn’t new. Granted, it’s been serving Katong residents with hearty bread, bakes and brunch food for a handful of years now. It’s still doing its best to keep the menu fresh with a ‘back-to-basics’ attitude that will evoke comfort and familiarity through flavours, ingredients and inspiration.

You can guarantee yourself a freshly-baked loaf if you swing by early enough to catch the first batch of the day. Quantities are understandably limited, otherwise, if you have spare time on your hands, I would highly suggest you grab yourself a seat and enjoy a dine-in meal.

Very commonly found in coffee shops, this local favourite takes on a slightly bougie outfit with the Toasted Sourdough Milk Bun With Housemade Kaya (S$3.50). First of all, their sourdough bread is everything.

The pillowy texture and aromatic char were intoxicating, as I spread the housemade kaya generously on each toast. The kaya wasn’t as sweet as factory-made blends, which only made me want to pile on more.

The only thing missing from this delicious marriage of smoky and sweet was a bold cuppa, which I proceeded to order after.

Anyone who’s partial towards artisanal bread and butter like I am, you’ll have to absolutely order the Firebake Bread Board, Housemade Woodfired Sourdough Bread, Artisanal Churned Brittany Butter, Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil (S$10)!

The types of bread that you’ll be served is dependent on what’s available, but trust and believe, whatever you receive will be amazing.

My top pick would be their brioche. Spectacular.

On a time crunch but still need something filling? Today’s Firebake Tartine (S$18) differs day to day, and the one we had the pleasure of enjoying was Avocado, Sauteed Mushrooms, Feta, Pickled Pistachio And Cress On Seedy Bread.

The seedy bread had crusty edges with a dense middle — perfect for shovelling all the ingredients without going soggy. The opposing textures created a pleasing mouthfeel, while the feta and mushrooms rounded off each bite on an earthy note.

One of their well-loved dishes is the Australian Prawn Capellini Aglio Olio, Sakura Ebi (S$22). I’d heard only great things about it, so I was truly anticipating taking my first bite.

The first thing that hit me was the rich savouriness, followed by subtle sweetness, most likely contributed by the fresh prawns.

The prawn’s flesh was tender with a slight chew — just the way I like them. Did it live up to the hype? It was no doubt, a solid pasta dish. But it wasn’t the best dish of the afternoon in my opinion.

Surprisingly, if I had to pick my favourite of all, it’d be their Seafood Risotto, Green Asparagus, Sherry Vinegar, Grana Padano (S$26). I’ve had risottos that were sickeningly thick and overwhelming. This one was far from that.

Despite the generous addition of Grana Padano (a hard, slow-ripened, semi-fat, cow’s milk cheese from Italy, comparable to Parmigiano Reggiano), there was an acidic balance and the portion was very manageable for a single person.

Also, the Arborio rice maintained its slightly-hardy quality, so it didn’t turn to mush as it was sitting on our table.

If I hadn’t eaten all the bread prior and ordered this dish for myself, I could imagine myself scraping every last grain of rice from the plate.

Go back to a true classic with the Firebake Wagyu Cheeseburger (S$18, +S$2 for grilled bacon). Technically speaking, it should be quite difficult to mess up a decent burger, but I cannot count how many times I’ve paid for sub-par versions.

Firebake’s take was succulent and juicy. The meat was perfectly pink in the centre and the buns soaked up enough relish to pronounce its flavour, but not enough to become a soggy mess.

Dessert calls for more bread, with their Wholemealbutter Scones, Fresh Cream, Marmalade Or Jam (S$7). These will definitely surprise you with their odd shape, but don’t underestimate just how good they are!

Unfortunately, I was hasty in devouring it and missed on showing you just how airy it was inside. But for those who don’t eat scones due to their dense nature will enjoy these alternative creations. Think of it as a more robust brioche, but less crumbly.

Do keep in mind that these are freshly baked daily from 10am to 12pm, so if you wish to get them while they’re fresh, an early morning alarm will be well worth it.

Although I don’t stay anywhere near East Coast, I would definitely make a return to Firebake on an easy weekend when I’m in dire need to feeding my carb craving.

There’s nothing special or fancy about the bread and mains they serve here, but they are honest and hearty for sure.

Expected Damage: S$5 – S$30 per pax