Cake lovers, rejoice! A new parlour has opened. Located in the heart of Toa Payoh, The Twisted Trio is currently in its soft launch stage, but it is set for a grand opening this Sunday. It is a 5 to 10-minute walk from the MRT.

This new, modern cafe is founded by 3 pastry chefs (with 3 different personalities, thus the name!) who initially worked together before deciding to open their own dessert shop with cakes that cater to all tastebuds.

The chilled desserts include the Watermelon Rose ($8) and Burnt Cheesecake ($7). As the founders wish to accommodate to the tastebuds of the local elderly in the neighbourhood, the cakes are not too overwhelmingly rich and sweet, with lesser cream. So you don’t have to feel sinful while enjoying the treats here.

We definitely recommend the Watermelon Rose due to its unique floral taste. The pastry cream is fluffy and not too rich. The fruits on top and the watermelon layer add a refreshing bite to the cake. Put these two together, and you have a modern, novel take to the usual cake.

However, we feel that the Burnt Cheesecake could have been more charred. Nevertheless, it was still light, spongy, and not extremely sweet. Perfect for a not-so-heavy dessert after a hearty dinner.

As for the desserts that were displayed out in room temperature, we tried the Dark & Milk Choc Brownie ($4). The brownie was crumbly and delicious, with a special blend of both dark and milk chocolate. This definitely goes on our best brownie spots in Singapore list.

We spotted a variety of room-temperature desserts, including Pound Cakes ($12) with flavours such as Earl Grey, Banana, and Matcha. Banana Muffins ($2.50), Scones ($3), and Orange Yogurt cakes ($4) are also displayed. This cafe really leaves you spoiled for choice. And if that isn’t enough, you can also place an order for your very own customized cakes in this cafe.

Feast your eyes and tastebuds on the various desserts offered at this mini parlour, and you will not be disappointed. Pair your dessert of choice with a coffee, and your sweet tooth cravings will definitely be satisfied.

The Twisted Trio
Blk 85C Lorong 4 Toa Payoh #01-384
Singapore 313085
Mon – Fri: 10.30am – 6.30pm
Sat – Sun: 9.30am – 6.30pm
Nearest MRT: Toa Payoh

Hailing from Osaka, Asian Rad Afters specializes in beautifully handcrafted egglet waffles, of which they have termed “Bubble Waffles”. They are served with various flavours of ice cream and a plethora of delicious toppings.

They have finally opened up a small storefront at hipster cafe-hopper paradise, Bali Lane, and have created a special Singapore-exclusive menu for their brand new outlet!

The storefront is conveniently located at the front of Bali Lane, along the same street as other well-known cafes such as Stateland Cafe and Krave. The space sports a bright aqua coloured exterior with floral decor that is hard to miss.

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Some of the flavours they offer in Osaka for their Bubble Waffles range are the Nutty Caramel (topped with banana slices, caramel, nuts and popcorn), Very Berry Chocolate (topped with dried berries, nuts and oreo) and their ever-popular Blue City Chocolate (topped with oreo, blue whipped cream, popcorn, nuts and banana slices).

For their Singapore outlet at Bali Lane, they have released a special lineup of fruity desserts and colourful drinks, featuring all sorts of tropical fruits that Singapore has to offer. Their signature Bubble Waffles will be topped with dragonfruit, pineapple and fruit loops, named Peranakan Road. Their tropical fruit parfaits, coined “Fruitful Day”, are topped with pineapples, strawberries, kiwis and more pineapple.

For drinks, you can expect four fruity refreshers (from left to right): Princess Yang Kweifei, Kuta Beach, Arabian Nights and Bonsai Citrus. Like the rest of their Singapore-exclusive menu, their drinks are also made with various tropical fruits and citrus.

Give their beautiful ice-cream filled bubble waffles a try if you’re in the area and maybe you can update your Instagram feed while you’re at it, too!

Asian Rad Afters
33 Bali Lane
Singapore 189869
Nearest Station: Bugis

(All photo credits to Asian Rad Afters Facebook and Instagram)

Lee’s Confectionery, the newest gem in the West of Singapore, is tucked away in a quiet neighbourhood of Jurong East. Near the entrance of an HDB carpark, it’s a sight that would intrigue many. Its glass walls display a stark white interior that plays up its minimalist decor as well as a glass display filled with an assortment of gorgeous haute pastries.

Lee’s Confectionery is not just a pretty rarity in the West of Singapore. It’s an exhibition of passion and a work of heart and soul, fuelled with a sense of nostalgia.

Stepping past the doors of Lee’s Confectionery, you’ll see a young man hunched behind the counter constructing pastries like a sculptor. Lee Yin Quan has been running a one-man show here since he opened the classy café last December and he sells elegant patisseries that are made to order.

Instead of trays of the day’s bakes, Lee’s Confectionery has a long glass case of seven exquisitely designed pastries on display. They not only add to the aesthetic look of uncluttered and clean simplicity but are also a testament to Lee’s attention to quality.

His insistence on making each piece upon order is to ensure that the original texture of each pastry isn’t lost to sitting in its moisture and to keep it from the subtle staleness from baking in batches.

Jiao (S$8), named after the Chinese translation of banana, is a very experiential dessert. A thin film of white chocolate was sprayed on, making a shell that cracks with a crisp as your teeth sink into a moist and fluffy banana sponge cake.

Jiao is injected with banana compote and creamy mascarpone. As Lee confirmed, it’s essentially like a traditional banana cake upgraded to haute pastry. The sponge was light and mildly flavoured. Slices of banana were sprinkled with caramelised brown sugar but the overall sweetness of Jiao was balanced by its tart compote and its base of cinnamon oat crumble.

Tart (S$8) was the best part of our trip. The base of its crisp tart shell was lined with almonds and layered with cream that had a citrus flavour without any artificial taste. Its tanginess, nuttiness, and baked cookie flavour was a very pleasant combination.

Lee’s attempt at finding kaya another partner other than toast is Puff (S$7) which is earl grey-infused kaya clasped between pastry puffs. Kaya is cooked with earl grey leaves to create a spread that has the fragrance of earl grey but with the essence of coconut and pandan of kaya. Take in its generous centre—thick, sweet, and very smooth—together with the hint of bitterness of flaky feuilletines that have a sugary glaze and crispy croissant-like crunch. 

The current selection also includes Beri (S$8) which is Lee’s favourite but, as he sighs while saying, also the most complicated to create. It’s a chou filled with tea-infused cream cheese and mascarpone then topped with a shortbread cookie and strawberry jam-filled dome.

The owner Lee Yin Quan spent two years in Paris learning under the award-winning chef patissier Nina Métayer in the two Michelin starred-Restaurant Jean-François Piège, and famed chef patissier François Perret in Ritz Paris. He returned to reunite with family and embarked on this first solo venture in the heartlands of the West to give back to where he grew up in.

Lee’s Confectionery
343 Jurong East Street 31, #01-59
Singapore 600343
Tel: +65 9183 8447
Wed to Mon: 12pm – 10pm
Sat & Sun: 11am – 10pm
(Closed on Tuesdays)
Nearest Station: Chinese Garden