Kraft Kitchen: Hidden cafe serving Singapore’s best mac & cheese, no GST or service charge

I’m finally sharing one of my personal favourite haunts in Tampines, Kraft Kitchen. It’s a hidden Halal-certified cafe situated below a HDB void deck. In my opinion, it serves Singapore’s best mac & cheese.

You may be thinking: “What a bold statement!” Well, I’ve had my fair share of disappointing renditions, which either taste artificial or has diluted cheese sauce. If you have a mac & cheese spot that’s at the top of your list, kindly share it with me!

The space is small but cosy, which allows you to kick back and relax. It can accommodate 7 tables indoors, and 3 small tables at their al fresco section.

The menu offers a variety of appetisers, main courses, desserts, and drinks. In addition, Kraft Kitchen does not implement any GST and service charge— sounds enticing enough for a visit?

What I tried at Kraft Kitchen

I kick-started my afternoon with something light, the Sauteed Mushrooms (S$12). I gave in to temptation and  paired it with the gratin cheese cream baked rice, something I was excited about.

At first glance, the mushrooms and baked rice were like the yin and yang on my plate due to their colour contrast. Let me first begin by raving about the nicely-browned mushrooms which visually doubled its appeal. This dish looked super appetising!

There were 3 kinds of fungi used: shimeiji, shitake and white button. The trifecta of mushrooms shimmered against the natural light as if it was encrusted with millions of small diamonds.

The smoky earthiness of the mushrooms was so satisfying that I couldn’t stop after one mouthful— an indication that the chef painstakingly took his time to brown them in the pan. I also picked up a nice herby fragrance from the thyme and rosemary used in the seasoning.

The gratin cheese cream baked rice was covered with a thin layer of luscious mozzarella cheese, which resulted in a spectacular cheese pull. The creamy rice came in a golden-yellow hue with bits of green and red capsicum.

The taste of it was a fusion of Western pilaf rice with Mexican flavours. I wasn’t sure what exactly went into it, but it was gooooood!

I then proceeded with the next dish, the Teriyaki Chicken (S$10). I paired it with my usual mac & cheese.

The piece of chicken was drenched in a glistening teriyaki sauce and sprinkled with tiny specks of parsley.

The meat was succulent and juicy. I could really taste the umami-ness of the teriyaki glaze which penetrated thoroughly into the meat, making it extremely flavourful.

Similar to the baked rice earlier, the macaroni was encased in a rich coating of mozzarella cheese. Scooping up the pieces of “U” shaped pasta was like the unveiling of a floor-to-ceiling curtain to showcase an orchestra troupe.

The cheese gravy was rich but not cloying. A blend of different cheeses was used to achieve the robust cheesy taste. Unlike unpleasant processed cheese flavours that you’ll get for a nachos dip at some places (cinemas, I’m looking at you), this tasted like the real deal— delicious!

Who doesn’t have an additional stomach for dessert? And so, I ended things off with Kraft Kitchen’s Churros (S$7). There were 3 golden-brown sticks of churros that resembled artisanal you tiao, dusted with sugar and cinnamon powder. It came served with a side of chocolate sauce.

The texture of the churros was dense and slightly chewy like mochi. The woody fragrance of the cinnamon and the sweet notes coming from the sugar were enhanced by the temperature of the dough sticks, which were still nice and warm.

Dunking them into the chocolate dip was a different ball game altogether. The slight bitterness of the chocolate sauce helped balance out the sweetness of the churros— it was a nice ending to the meal.

Final Thoughts

During the week I was there, I was told that Kraft Kitchen’s menu will be undergoing a revamp as the current offerings have already been running for some time.

Don’t worry though, all the dishes that I’ve mentioned will still be available on the new menu.

Visit Kraft Kitchen on an empty stomach, and be prepared to leave feeling stuffed but satisfied!

Expected damage: S$10 – S$55 per pax