KURA Singapore: Sweet Treats From S$4 That Won’t Leave A Cavity In Your Wallet At Robertson Quay

Nestled within Robertson Quay and its troupe of cafés, we found KURA Singapore. If you’re like me and you enjoy a quiet space for your afternoon tea, then KURA is definitely your next stop.

Koojee and Rachel were ex-colleagues-turned-bosses of decadent pastries that are easier on the wallet than they look. Both of them are only under 30, and already their own bosses! My casual chat with Koojee left me feeling extremely inspired.

As you step into the shop, you’d notice that they share the space with In Bad Co., with a large sign featuring their namesake. With good music and good vibes, all we needed now was good food to complete the entire experience.

I was curious about their name and decided to voice my question to Rachel, who promptly answered, “Kura means ‘storehouse’ in Japanese, and we wanted this place to be where we stored our special treasures ⁠— our pastries!”

Furthermore, she shared that both Koojee and her wanted to create a chill and casual environment, therefore their logo included hints of yellow while keeping the font simple.

I peered past their pastry display and realised that KURA also housed a setup that bore a striking resemblance to what one would see at their local hawker centre.

Turns out that Koojee and Rachel spent extra time to cultivate the art of brewing caffeine the traditional way, so as to could cater to locals, and to avoid competition with In Bad Co., who sports Western coffee on their menu.

Based on each customer’s preferred taste, Koojee and Rachel would recommend their cakes accordingly. With their stunning display of cakes, KURA is sure to have the flavours that will captivate your tastebuds. The pastries are also available in various sizes, so you’ll be spoilt for choice!

Mango Pot (S$4/S$6) sat upon the first plate served to us. The pastry takes a twist on a typical sponge cake, with mango mousse on the outer layer and sponge cake on the inner layer.

It is then topped with fresh mangoes, and a spoonful of mango pearls that releases a sweet rush of mango syrup in your mouth. Mango Pot was definitely one of my favourites.

Secondly, we had the Matcha Swiss Roll (S$5/S$6.50). The swiss roll is sandwiched between two pieces of matcha cookies that had ‘KURA’ branded on them.

Loading up our spoons, we were pleased to find that the cake was rich with an authentic matcha note, nothing artificially sweet.

KURA’s Hazelnut Opera (S$6.50) is another item which features a twist on typical pastry. Usually, you can see the layers of buttercream, marzipan, and ganache. KURA’s take only shows a glossy dome with a stencil image of a man with a beard.

You’ll need to take a deep breath and eat a spoonful to reveal Opera’s layers. Personally, it reminded me of Ferrero Rocher, but in a pastry form.

Last but not least, I think the Black Forest (S$6.50) encompasses the skill set that Koojee and Rachel possess as pâtissiers. The dark chocolate dome, topped with a cream flower and a fresh cherry atop a chocolate cookie, was decadent at first sight.

Albeit looking too perfect to wreck, of course I still dug my spoon into the moist sponge cake layers which were dotted with signature cherry bits.

We dropped by KURA when she was only eight weeks old, but she was already winning the hearts of The Herencia’s office workers. Rachel notes that regulars do come by just before they start their day, and she delights in having a conversation with them over their morning brew.

For our dose of caffeine, we ordered a Kopi O Kosong (S$2) (iced coffee without sugar or milk) (left) and a Teh Bing (S$2.10) (iced milk tea) (right).

No doubt, the combination of Western pastries and Asian kopi or teh was something new. At the same time, it was heartwarming to know that you can find the familiar in a café.

Its location on the map may throw you off, but I promise you it will be totally worth it. In fact, it took us a little less than 15 minutes to walk to Somerset MRT afterwards.

Finally, this could be the budget-friendly cafe we all need. I will definitely bring my friends back here, and hopefully a date. I was in awe of how young Koojee and Rachel were, as running a café in its entirety is really no easy feat.

Expected Damage: S$4 – S$6.50 per pax