“Bakery, Bistro and Bar under one roof”
Nestled inside the Tanglin Post Office is Nassim Hill eatery, which is pretty hard to classify because it’s essentially everything rolled into one. A bakery, bistro, cafe, takeaway joint and bar all gathered in one cosy space.
They take on so many different identities and do them all well. You can pop in for a drink from 8am-8pm during their happy hour (an impressive 12 hours, the longest in town), do brunch in the afternoon, have dinner to end off a long day and buy some of their freshly baked loaves of bread home.
With a totally laid-back atmosphere and the smell of freshly baked bread wafting though the air, Nassim Hill transforms itself at night to a charming bar and bistro serving up quality Western fare with American and European influences.
With a myriad of items to choose from the menu, here’s a mishmash of what we tried which might not make sense as a meal, but makes perfect sense in the unique Nassim Hill.
The bread at Nassim Hill Bakery is freshly baked everyday in-store and accompanies many of the dishes. The variety can vary, depending on what the baker feels like baking on that day which is cute because there is always that element of surprise. One of their best-sellers also includes a Stout bread, made by reducing all the alcohol from a stout beer, leaving all the flavours within the bread.
You know how you’d typically avoid filling yourself up with bread for a meal? This really well-made artisan bread was especially hard to resist and unknowingly, you’d finish the whole basket and looking to buy some home.
Yuzu Breeze ($18). A refreshing cocktail with a slight bitterness from the yuzu. An adult soda if you will, topped with bubbly prosecco. Good for those days when the Singapore weather just gets too hot. You can start drinking anytime of the day at Nassim Hill!
Poutine ($13). Poutine is a dish originating from Quebec, Canada, made with fries with and a light brown gravy sauce with cheese curds. At Nassim Hill, they use a Chef’s entrecôte sauce, minced beef and shredded mozzarella cheese melted over the fries.
Although quite an interesting dish not seen regularly in Singapore, poutine at Nassim Hill kind of reminds of you of American beef chili cheese fries. Comforting and familiar, this is a great snack to go with beer.
Hot Reuben ($18). Their take on the classic sandwich, featuring the signature Guinness stout bread. The strong flavours of the pickled sauerkraut and the briny spicy corned beef were balanced out with the rich undertones of the Guinness stout bread.
The bread is what makes it so special, with an almost caramel-like flavour to it. A really big filling sandwich as well. But I would say it’s an acquired taste because sauerkraut isn’t everybody’s thing.
Asian BBQ Salad ($15). For $15 at most places you can only get a salad resembling sad rabbit food. But the salads here come in really big bowls which are just less depressing to look at if you’re trying to watch your diet.
A hearty salad with thick slices of grilled chicken and an oriental twist with the yummy ginger and soy dressing. It’s a popular item for takeaways too.
Cheddar Cheese Bacon Waffles ($19). A take on the savoury waffle. The waffles were really thinly crisp all the way through, with strong flavours of melted cheese. Served with some sour cream to cut through the otherwise heavy dish.
And come on, you can never go wrong with cheese and bacon.
Hearty scrambled eggs ($20). Your standard brunch fare done a tad bit fancier with prosciutto ham and swiss cheese. The eggs were sufficiently creamy, perfect with more of that Guinness stout bread.
But at $20 you’re really paying for the imported ham and cheese, which were good nonetheless.
Market Fresh Mussels with A Hint of Chilli ($25). Something off the dinner menu. The owne has specially used small French mussels that pack so much sweetness and cooked in a really tasty white wine broth similar to Moules marinière.
Slightly spicy with loads of flavour, the broth is done with lots of onions and garlic that provide a natural sweetness in addition to that of the fresh mussels.
Make sure none of the broth goes to waste and go ahead a dip a fluffy slice of a freshly baked baguette into the broth. A simple dish celebrating fresh ingredients executed well.
Chilli Crab Pasta ($25). If I had to pick a favourite dish in Nassim Hill, it would be this. A familiar flavour that would sit well with locals, fused effortlessly into a pasta dish.
Al dente pasta smothered with the most enticing sauce. A fiery red sauce that with big pieces of jumbo succulent crab meat throughout. The sauce is thick and creamy, not exactly what you would get in an actual chilli crab, but pretty close.
It packs a real punch too, with pieces of garlic and chilli padi peppered in the sauce, not one to be underestimated. A real mouthwatering treat. It comes in a half portion too, but why bother?
I absolutely love how Nassim Hill is basically everything in one space. A multi-discipline dining concept, if you will. A bakery/cafe by day and a bar/bistro by night. Impressive how the place really transforms during the different times of day.
Taking on so many roles, it is easy to fall short in whatever aspect but the folks here have done it all right. No matter what it decides to be, you are can definitely expect good food.
Whether you’re looking for a quick weekday salad for lunch, to relax with your girlfriends, unwind with your buddies after work or just pop by and buy some bread home, Nassim Hill Bakery Bistro Bar can do all that.
Expected damage: $30-$40/pax
Nassim Hill Bakery Bistro Bar: 56 Tanglin Road, Tanglin Post Office #01-03, Singapore 247964 | Tel: 6835-1128 | Website
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