For those who live in Clementi, Balmoral Bakery is an old-school bakery that would be no stranger to you. With roots dating back to the mid-1960s, Balmoral Bakery is well-loved for their baked pastries and fluffy cakes.

If you’re not sure where Balmoral Bakery is, all you’ll need to do is use your sense of smell to guide you. We kid you not — that’s how amazing their bakes smell even from a distance away. Here’s what you can expect at this traditional bakery.

Balmoral Bakery is located at the edge of the rows of shops at Sunset Way Residence. However, what makes this humble bakery stand out is its brick walls and tiled flooring. Given that the logo of Balmoral Bakery bears resemblance to the Balmoral Castle in Scotland, the choice of red brick walls for the bakery’s was definitely an appropriate choice.

Although Balmoral Bakery doesn’t occupy a very large store space, customers would be impressed by the range of baked goods that they carry within the store. We were drawn in by the rows of freshly baked pastries which made a feast for the eyes.

The pastries at Balmoral Bakery are priced affordably and most are below S$2 each. Our picks were the Chicken Pie (S$1.80), Char Siew Soh (S$1.60) and the Beef Pie (S$2.50). Other options that you can choose include the Chicken Curry Puff (S$1.60), Beef Curry Puff (S$1.60) and Sausage Roll (S$1.60).

Our thoughts? We were big fans of the Chicken Pie and Beef Pie. Each pastry was filled with large chunks of meat, and the flavours were rich and slightly peppery. Best of all? The pastry crust was crispy and flaky even after keeping the pies in the fridge and reheating them the next day. That means you can order more pies and freeze them for future consumption.

As for the Char Siew Soh, whilst the pastry had a pleasing appearance, we weren’t impressed by its flavour. So if you’re visiting Balmoral Bakery for the first time, we’d recommend giving this a miss.

The Bacon & Onion Quiche (S$2.50) was a pretty decent option. The quiche was filled with a generous portion of bacon and white onions, and the saltiness of the bacon was a beautiful contrast to the sweetness of the white onions. The egg custard of the Bacon & Onion Quiche was also pretty tasty and the layer of melted cheese atop the pastry brought all the flavours together.

It would be a crime to leave a traditional bakery without ordering some of their traditional western cakes. We selected Coconut, Vanilla, Kaya Pandan, Chocolate and Coffee Chocolate, all of which were priced at S$1.80 per slice. The buttercream of each slice of cake was light and not overly sweet, and the texture of the cakes was soft and sufficiently fluffy.

Balmoral Bakery
105 Clementi Street 12,
#01-06, Singapore 120105
Tel: 6779 2064

The gold standard for egg tarts demands prominent egg fragrance from a silky custard, and a pastry that lets its sweetness and texture shine. But the real secret to making them the bomb lies in the temperature.

Pop them into the oven to toast to the limit, just before they get burnt, so the crust becomes crisp and crumbly, with an egg custard that warms your belly.

Here are 10 old-school places we found for egg tart comforts that will bring you a touch of nostalgia, especially so if you grew up in the 90′s.

Photo Credit: cheehuey

BALMORAL BAKERY

Egg tarts from Balmoral Bakery have a custard that is slightly runnier but a relatively firm crust. You can only get them on weekends, but you can call in two days prior to place advanced orders for at least a box of nine. With baked goods piped with buttercream sold in paper boxes featuring a vintage red print, Balmoral Bakery is a throwback to 1965.

105 Clementi Street 12
Singapore 120105
Tel: +65 6779 2064
Daily: 9am – 7:30pm
Nearest Station: Clementi

Photo Credit: tast.ly

DA SHENG HONG KONG PASTRY

For freshly baked egg tarts from Drop by Da Sheng Hong Kong Pastry, drop in half an hour after they open. Their generous custard is less sweet than most which makes up for their thick, flaky crust that’s slightly dry. They also sell a few classic pastries including a signature Lotus Paste Salted Egg Yolk Pastry to add to your buys.

36 Sago St
Singapore 059027
Tel: +65 6224 6287
Daily: 10am – 6pm
Nearest Station: Chinatown

DONA MANIS CAKE SHOP

You can find Dona Manis Cake Shop in Katong Shopping Centre looking like a relic of ‘90s bakeries. Be gentle with each egg tart as you sink your teeth into its silky soft filling, held together by a delicate buttery crust that crumbles with each bite. The inconspicuous shop, also sells pastries such as chocolate tarts and their famed scrumptious banana pies.

865 Mountbatten Road, B1-93
Katong Shopping Centre
Singapore 437844
Tel: +65 6440 7688
Mon to Sat: 10:30am – 5pm
(Closed on Sundays)
Nearest Station: Dakota

LEUNG SANG HONG KONG PASTRIES

When you exit Tiong Bahru MRT Station, turn away from Tiong Bahru Plaza to the less updated side, because nestled there is Leung Sang Hong Kong Pastries. Leung Sang Egg Tarts has a puffier and flakier crust that turns into creaminess.

We first had the egg tarts from Leung Sang Hong Kong Pastries back in 2007, and we have been fans of it ever since. The confectionery used to be on Sago Street – inconspicuous and hard to locate. But the ones in the know make it there anyway.

The egg custard encased in the pastry is of a pastel yellow shade – not the typical rich hue you might see, but what do you know? It is so silky, creamy and sweet! This is hands down one of the best egg tarts you can find in Singapore.

They also have Western-style egg tarts which come in a different shell – the harder kind that tastes more subtle. While it uses the same egg custard filling, we prefer the Hong Kong-style egg tart’s flaky puff pastry.

18 Jln Membina, #01-06
Singapore 164018
Tel: +65 6271 6056
Mon to Sat: 7:30am – 7:30pm
Sun: 7:30am – 4:30pm
Nearest Station: Tiong Bahru

Photo Credit: teojb

NG KIM LEE CONFECTIONERY

A stone’s throw away from Beauty World MRT Station is Ng Kim Lee with rows of old school egg tarts placed beside the cashier and Portuguese egg tarts that have a crust in a pale shade of brown. A fragrant eggy scent envelops you as you take in the first bite. Assorted flavours of adorable starry-shaped muffins will likely catch your eye and we recommend you get those too.

4 Chun Tin Rd
Singapore 599591
Tel: +65 6466 3515
Mon to Sat: 9:30am – 9:30pm
Sun: 9:30am – 1pm
Nearest Station: Beauty World

TAI CHEONG BAKERY

The endless line for Tai Cheong Bakery screams volumes about this powerhouse that’s known as one of Hong Kong’s bests. A strong buttery scent exudes from its crust, with a hint of saltiness that balance its sweet and firm pudding centre. What makes this gold is its wonderfully fresh taste.

391B Orchard Rd
Singapore 238874
Tel: +65 8223 1954
Daily: 10am – 9:30pm
Nearest Station: Somerset

Photo Credit: carenlaiyx

TIONG BAHRU GALICIER BAKERY

Exercise restraint at Tiong Bahru Galicier Bakery, as there’s a huge selection of raved-about Nyonya kueh to shake up cake time. Eating their ondeh ondeh is like biting into a mochi that explodes with sweet gula melaka. That said, do not cast aside are their egg tarts. With a light and delicate custard, and crumbly but moist crust, it’s delectable and the cheapest find on this list.

Singapore 160055
Tel: +65 6324 1686
Tue to Sun: 10am – 8:30pm
(Closed on Mondays)
Nearest Station: Tiong Bahru

Photo Credit: Tong Heng

TONG HENG

Tong Heng a familiar remedy to treat a bad bout of blues and cracking into its flaky and crusty shell brings waves of comfort. Their diamond-shaped egg tart has a velvety-soft pudding that’s contrasted by the hard but thin pastry. The wobbly custard is also sweeter than most egg tarts. Their coconut egg tart is a few notches sweeter with the fibrous texture the crunchy coconut shreds add to the egg custard.

285 South Bridge Rd
Singapore 058833
Tel: +65 6223 3649
Daily: 9am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Outram Park