“Aaron! You must check this place out!” My friend enthusiastically introduced me to Swisslink Bakery & Cafe, a traditional neighbourhood bakery located at Sunset Way. It sells an assortment of savoury and sweet treats.
There were a couple of small tables and chairs placed outside the cafe. When I headed inside, I overheard the staff calling a little girl by her name and then offered her a complimentary chocolate eclair. In the corner, a family of 4 were having their pastries at the bar counter while chatting away with the owners— the entire scene felt so warm and homely!
I had a tough time deciding what to get. The pies and baked goods on display had appealing golden-brown crusts, making my stomach churn. At the other end, an assortment of cakes which were screaming “come eat me!” in my head were just as tempting.
What I tried at Swisslink Bakery & Cafe
I ended up with a balance of 3 savoury and 3 sweet items for my early lunch affair. I started my bakery adventure with the Chicken Shepherd’s Pie (S$5), served in an aluminium cup.
The mashed potato lining the pie was delightfully browned on its sides and had developed a slightly crusty surface. Prodding my spoon into it was a walk in the park, revealing the delightful filling within.
It had minced chicken, carrot chunks, green peas, onions and button mushroom pieces. The mash was fluffy and lightly seasoned, which complemented the robust-tasting filling to a T. The warm and moist stuffing felt very hearty with the vegetables, and the herbaceous aromatics coming from the meat perfumed my taste buds. This was a good start!
I took a raincheck on the savouries and went for the Apple Pie (S$3.20). It was a triangular golden-brown pastry filled with large chunks of apple.
The crust of the Apple Pie was buttery and flaky, disintegrating in an instant when I took a bite. The cinnamon seasoning in the apples wasn’t overpowering, good news for people who aren’t fans of it (like myself).
The apple cubes were big and juicy, allowing you to appreciate the natural sweetness of the fruit with an addictive textural bite. It tasted way better than the apple pie you’ll find at a popular fast food restaurant.
I moved back to something savoury, the Tuna Puff (S$2.60). It was a rectangular puff pastry which smelt heavenly.
You’ll need a plate for this as hundreds of tiny puff pastry crumbs flew in all directions as my teeth sunk into it. Swisslink Bakery & Cafe is really a connoisseur of puff pastry— once again I was blown away. The tuna filling had pieces of carrot and onion bits in it, and was reddish in colour.
The taste of it was quite unique and reminded me of sardines in some ways. It also possessed a subtle spicy kick which didn’t make me scramble for a glass of water.
The next item I tried was the Salted Caramel Cheesecake (S$5.40). If you’ve noticed, I shuffled between savoury and sweet for each item— it was actually pretty satisfying!
There was a lovely glossy layer of caramel on top and I couldn’t wait to dig into it.
The cheesecake looked very moist but dense, and I was worried that it would be disappointing— boy, was I wrong!
The caramel had a rich decadent taste without being cloyingly sweet. The denseness of the cake made it very luxurious and cheesy. Together, they were a force to be reckoned with. If you’re a fan of Coffee Bean’s Chicago Cheesecake, you’ll definitely enjoy this (and at a much lower price too).
Next, we tried the Beef Cottage Pie (S$5.50). Similar to the Chicken Shepherd’s Pie at the start, it was also served in an aluminium cup. It came with a dome-shaped mashed potato crust— how cute!
Although the layer of mash was so much thicker, it was still superbly soft and airy. The beef filling was much richer with undertones of pasta tomato sauce. All the natural meat juices were still retained and it didn’t feel like a dry oasis in my mouth at all.
We ended things off with the Carrot Cake (S$5.40). It had a thick layer of cream cheese with bits of pistachio scattered at the top.
The body of the cake was kissed with a gentle hint of cinnamon, filled with loads of walnut, carrot shreds and pineapple bits. The cream cheese was delightfully rich and paired perfectly with the moist sponge.
Final thoughts
The sleepy town of Sunset Way evoked a sense of peace and tranquility, a stark contrast to other heartland neighbourhoods in Singapore.
If you’re looking to slow things down and chill, head over to Swisslink Bakery & Cafe and try out their offerings— you’ll be pleasantly surprised!
Expected damage: S$1 – S$6 per pax
Price: $
Our Rating: 4.5 / 5
Swisslink Bakery & Cafe
109 Clementi Street 11, #01-07, Singapore 120109
Swisslink Bakery & Cafe
109 Clementi Street 11, #01-07, Singapore 120109
