Rachel Yeo
You’d think most Singaporeans prefer smaller servings in keeping with healthier lifestyles. But Pies & Coffee seems to believe that more substantial meal offerings are the way to go.
The local cafe may have added 3 new outlets in the 4 years since starting with the flagship outlet at Rochester Mall, but its next phase of growth hinges on a new menu that bulks up their pies so they can be consumed during lunch and dinner times as well, and offers more hot meals that takes them beyond their trademark pastries, pies, and coffee blends.
You could have ordered lobster bisque in Jack’s Place or at some French restaurant, but it’s hardly standard fare in a café. Pies & Coffee’s Lobster Bisque Baked Rice (S$14.90) stands out even more and not just because it has fortified the creamy soup classic by incorporating rice, topped with mozzarella cheese and baked it. What’s surprising is this isn’t even a soup dish! The bisque may not be the main event, but no effort has been spared in prepping what defines the flavor of this dish. Fresh flower crab, prawn and a slipper lobster jus are cooked for 6 hours to distill this piquant sauce. While you won’t see a shred of lobster, its taste is undeniably there. Given the attractive pricing, you’ll be delighted to also find other seafood in this rich and savory dish like green mussels and dory fish. While a little dry from the oven’s heat, the extra seafood chunks were a welcome addition.
We’re still scratching our heads as to why the Curry Chicken Pot Pie (S$14.50) is so named when it’s just a large curry chicken drumstick served in a crusty bread bowl. This reminds us of the curry chicken bun from Golden Pillow, but less oriental. Appearance wise, it’s a level up from the chicken curry and French loaf fare from hawker centers, like the Queensway Famous Curry Chicken stall.
What really impressed us was the size of the drumstick, slightly larger than the size of this reporter’s hand, that struggled to fit in the relatively smaller loaf bowl. Not only did it make our mouths water, this delectable-looking dish also looked like it was worth every cent. The only downside as the overly rubbery texture of the slightly undercooked chicken. Thankfully, the curry was at optimal levels of spiciness and sweetness, similar to a bowl of Thai Red Curry from PORN’s. The toasty white bread bowl, made from scratch, reminded us of a baguette — crusty exterior, yet soft on the inside, was just perfect to mop up the curry. If you’re a traditionalist and can’t imagine a bread bowl holding anything but a Western soup, you can still have the New England Clam Chowder Soup or the Lobster Bisque served in one for S$9.20 or S$10.90 respectively.
While we enjoyed the new menu, 1 item from the existing lineup from Pies & Coffee deserved another mention. The Beef Cheek pie (S$11.90) has been one of their most acclaimed dishes to date, and we’re not surprised. This Wagyu beef cut filling is succulent, suggesting that it’s been slow cooked for hours, making for a strong textural contrast to the pie crust. Those with hearty appetites will appreciate that this also comes with greens and mashed potatoes on the side. Just go easy and be careful, as the pie may easily crumble with the braised beef chunks as you’re eagerly cutting a piece for yourself. You don’t want to leave the café belly satisfied, only to have sticky brown stains on your clothing give away your enthusiasm for pie.
With new cafés seemingly mushrooming everywhere in Singapore, there are way too many with exorbitant price tags and minuscule portions. For our tummies’ and wallets’ sakes, we’re glad that Pies & Coffee offers the opposite.
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Average Price per person: $11 to $15
Outlets: Robertson Walk
11 Unity Street, #01-25
Tel: +65 6733 9272
Mon to Thurs and Sun: 8:30am – 9:30pm
Fri, Sat and Eve of Public Holidays: 8:30am – 11pm
The Grandstand
200 Turf Club Road, #01-10
Tel: +65 6463 5573
Mon to Thurs and Sun: 9am – 9pm
Fri, Sat and Eve of Public Holidays: 9am – 11pm
Rochester Mall
35 Rochester Drive, #01-02
Tel: +65 6570 0080
Mon to Thurs and Sun: 9am – 9pm
Fri, Sat and Eve of Public Holidays: 9am – 11pm
Alexandra Retail Centre
460 Alexandra Road, #01-18
Tel: +65 6273 0042
Mon to Fri: 8:30am – 8pm
Sat, Sun and Eve of Public Holidays: 8:30am – 6pm
What do you think about Pies & Coffee? Let us know in the comments!