Anthesis joins other European-style bakeries in setting up shop in Singapore
By Chia Hui Jun
Sipping a cup of tea with freshly-baked bread at a boulangerie by the river sounds like something from a movie scene in Paris. Now, you can experience it right here in Singapore.
Visit Anthesis, a simple, laidback boulangerie, bistro and café, where you can sit back and relax with a view of the Singapore River and have artisanal bread freshly-made by their own baker every morning.
Simple Yet Charming Décor
This bright, airy café has high ceilings, understated light wood furniture, simple metal chairs, as well as an enticing shelf of bread that’s hard to miss.
We began with a bread platter ($14), where you can choose three varieties of bread, served with feta cheese, hummus, orange marmalade and strawberry jam.
The breads were soft and fresh, and the marmalade and jam made in-house were excellent – a far cry from the cloying sweetness of canned jams found in stores.
Satisfying Mains
Next, we had their signature Tuna Tataki Sandwich ($18). The pan-seared tuna was cured with sake and mirin (rice wine) topped with a yummy avocado salsa on bread. The pretty and colourful presentation belied several flavours and textures, such as the salty sweetness of the tuna and the smooth, buttery avocado salsa.
The Oven-Baked Cod Fillet ($30) was marinated with miso and was tender, and baked with its skin on for a crispy finish. It came with fresh, crunchy prawns, tomato concasse (peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes), pesto and their premium bread platter.
For a pasta option, tuck into the Anthesis Sea Prawn Capellini ($25). It was delicious, but a bit on the oily side – the angel hair pasta and prawns were toasted in and infused with lobster oil.
They also served Grilled Tenderloin ($32 for 200g), where juicy, succulent Angus tenderloin was served with homemade creamy peppercorn sauce and roasted herb potatoes.
Sweet Endings
They serve a range of desserts (from $4.50 to $6.90) such as the rich Sea Salt Caramel Chocolate Tart. The Passion Fruit Yuzu Meringue Tart was an interesting confection, as well as the Vanilla Raspberry Charlotte, which had a subtler taste.
The name “Anthesis” refers to the process of a flower blooming. It sounds like a marvellous way to start an idyllic weekend morning. If you have a dog, bring it along to dine at the al fresco area.
Anthesis, 86 Robertson Quay, #01-01, Singapore 238245, Tel: 6737 9873
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