Two Bakers: Indulge In a Bulgogi Steak Don and New Artisanal Desserts At Horne Rd

To those familiar with the local burgeoning cafe scene, Two Bakers is definitely not an unfamiliar name. The brainchild of two friends, Jessica and Erica, whose love for good food and sweets propelled them to dive heads into the business with little to no experience, the brand to date has braved through Singapore’s cut-throat F&B industry for six years. The outcome—two successful outlets in Singapore at Horne Road and Serangoon respectively.

With the launch of their new menu, we decided to take things back to the hippie enclave of Horne Road—the place where Two Bakers was birthed. White-washed walls, pops of yellow, sturdy wooden tables and chairs with random hanging potted greenery set the tone of a warm and cosy environment. An ideal place to hang out with friends over a cup coffee, whilst chit-chatting the afternoon away.

With the intention to keep dining experience exciting for their regulars, the eatery changes things up in their menu annually. This time around, they are focusing on a new mod-sin menu with a touch of Seoul. Before starting our gastronomy adventure overseas, Jessica recommended for us to try one of her proud creation on the brunch menu, the “Bak Kwa” Stuffed Omelette (S$16).

Created during the Chinese New Year period with inspiration drawn from our local version of a pork jerky, bak kwa, “Bak Kwa” Stuffed Omelette at Two Bakers features a classic French rolled omelette, topped with bak kwa bits sautéed with thinly sliced caramelised onions. By the side was a hefty mountain of fresh greens and a slice of beautifully toasted sourdough bread. 

Melted cheese emerged as I cut through the fluffy omelette to reveal a cheese pull perfect for the ‘gram. The smooth, silky exterior of the omelette cradled a tender, soft-scrambled interior that melted into nothingness when consumed. Although it did lack that bit of salt, the flavours were made up by the bak kwa topping that added layer of contrasting texture and savoury-sweet bite.

Onto the mains, where we were showcased with a couple of Korean-inspired dishes at Two Bakers. The Bulgogi Steak Don (S$18) was an indulgent rice bowl that was the ideal embodiment of the healthy diet pyramid with the right amount of carbohydrates, fibre, protein, and fat all in a bowl.

If there was a bowl that I would want to replenish my energy with after a good workout at the nearby Jalan Besar Sports Centre, the Bulgogi Steak Don will be it. Marinated with Korean bulgogi sauce, the beefsteak that was cooked to medium-rare was moist and full of flavour. I highly recommend you to break into the runny yolk and mix everything in the bowl together for a flavour explosion of umami and earthiness. This itself is a heroic dish that is equal parts tender and hearty, perfect even if you are on a clean eating diet.

I was hesitant to order the Cheese Buldak Taco (S$15) when I saw it on the menu. I mean, we all know how potent any dish with the name ‘buldak’ (fire chicken) can be, right? However, since we were trying the Korean-inspired menu, I thought to myself, “Why not?”, after taking a glance to ensure we had a bottle of water by our table.

Consisting of three soft shell tacos, with the bite-size pieces of buldak sitting on a bed of purple cabbage house-made coleslaw, my mind was put at ease when I saw the dish since it seemed a lot milder than its name. After my first bite, the first thing that struck me was, “Where’s the heat?”. If bulduk was meant to be a bush fire, the spicy marinated chicken in this dish seemed more like a flame on a matchstick.

The Cheese Buldak Taco was probably created to suit the palate of the general public, thus explaining the level of heat. However, in my opinion, the amount of spice can definitely be taken up a few notches for it to live up to its vicious name.

Since Two Bakers is famously known for their artisanal desserts, our trip to the cafe will not be complete without trying the sweets they had to offer. According to the dessert’s respective flavour profile, we started off with Spring (S$8.50), as recommended by our server, since it was lighter and more delicate.

Probably the cutest and daintiest looking amongst the entire range of desserts, Spring is a pastel yellow entremet decorated with an elegantly hand-piped buttercream flower. Pillowy and cloud-like, the mango mousse was soft and very lightly sweetened, providing a distinct contrast against the sourish passionfruit compote—the definition of a refreshing end to a hearty meal.

However, if you are looking for a dessert with bolder flavours, Goma (S$9) is one you might consider. Similar to a mini volcanic mountain, the cone-like dessert features black sesame mousse and a matcha sponge sitting on a chocolate sable tart. As I cut into the dessert, the salted caramel embedded within flowed out like a dream forming a puddle on my plate. The nuttiness from the black sesame mousse paired superbly well with the sweetness from the caramel and the subtle bitterness of the chocolate sable, resulting in an ideal dessert paired best with black coffee or unsweetened tea.

After a meal at Two Bakers, it is clear to me that all the dishes served are guided by their motto ‘Simplicity at it’s finest’. With no fancy ingredients or over-the-top cooking methods, the cafe simply puts out hearty meals meant to benefit their diners. For that, I truly appreciate Jessica and Erica holding true to their philosophy of serving food meant for the soul.

Expected Damage: S$15 – S$30 per pax