My friends had a surprise when I suggested TAI SENG for our weekend café hopping sessions. “Isn’t this the birds-don’t-lay-eggs place?” Hmmmm.
Many still have the impression that Tai Seng is just occupied by office buildings and factories and more buildings. There are actually more than 10 new restaurants and cafes in this industrial estate, demonstrating that there are food choices beyond BreadTalk HQ and canteens.
Affordable rental is what attracts many aspiring cafe owners here. The mustard-yellow coloured Commerze Building is home to a row of eateries, hidden beneath black doors, and only 5 minutes away from Tai Seng MRT.
10 Cafes at Tai Seng – Hip Cafes Beneath The Industrial Estates
23 Jumpin
1 Irving Place, #01-25, The Commerze @ Irving, Singapore 369546
Tel: +65 9137 5697
Opening Hours: 11am-9pm (Tues – Sun)
23 Jumpin is visibly the most popular café in the whole stretch of cafes along The Commerze. It is not all the time when you see a row of girls in matching floral dresses queuing outside, also grabbing the opportunity to take OOTDs in front of a Vesper (the owner’s if you need to know).
The café serves a number of brunch and savoury items, such as Eggs Benedict ($14), Pork Goulash Stew with Baguette ($12), Duck Confit ($16) and Creamy Mushroom & Chicken Pasta ($12). They have further diversified their menu of late to include Pizza Waffle ($14), Honey Paprika Wings ($8), and Charcoal Waffle ($9), and received good feedback for them.
A no-fuss café, demonstrated some sincerity with most of the items made-in-house, which actually taste not too bad. . (Read: 23 Jumpin)
Carol Mel Café
1 Irving Place, #01-30 The Commerze @ Irving, Singapore 369546 (Tai Seng MRT)
Opening Hours: 9am – 6:30pm (Mon-Fri), 10am – 4pm (Sat), Closed Sun
Opened by sisters (you can kind of guess their names – Caroline and Melissa), there are two distinct food features of this café – it sells Ipoh-inspired home recipes passed down from generations, and cakes.
For Asian bites, you can have Thai Bee Hoon ($5), Sambal Seafood Rice ($12.90) , Crispy Breaded Pork Chop Rice ($8.90) and Grilled Chicken Rice ($8.90). Cakes such as the popular Red velvet, Lychee Martini and Rainbow cakes are available. A popular weekday lunch spot. (Read: Carol Mel Café)
>The Oven Café Bistro
1 Irving Place #01-22 The Commerze @ Irving, Singapore 369546 (Tai Seng MRT)
Opening Hours: 11am – 9pm (Mon-Fri), 11am – 11pm (Sat), Closed on Sun for private bookings
The Oven Cafe Bistro was named after the equipment for a simple reason – Owner-Chef James Loh cooks with it. He believes that baked food is tastier because the flavours of the meat are retained.
His specialty is Chicken spaghetti with 6 different types of sauce ($10.80 – $13.80) – Pomodoro, Cream Pomodoro, Arrabiata, Cream Arrabiata, Alfredo, Chef’s Cream Sauce. The speciality created Chef’s Cream Sauce is recommended. Pizzas are also available, with dough made entirely from scratch. Note: Owner is super duper earnest.
Supermilk
1 Irving Place #01-29 The Commerze @ Irving, Singapore 369546 (Tai Seng MRT)
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10pm (Mon-Fri), 9:30am – 11pm (Sat-Sun)
For cooling milky ice cream, Supermilk offers them in a tray of 3 cups ($10, $3.90 for single) of rotating flavours. Taste-wise may still need some fine-tuning.
Ice creams are not the only items on the menu. Offerings during the weekdays and weekends are different. The weekday spread would include a Supermilk Beef Burger ($14.90), Oven-Baked Chicken Leg ($14.90), and Sambal Pasta ($12.90).
The weekend version included less of the mains, with French Toast ($10.90) and Scrambled Eggs Breakfast ($15.90) being the recommended items. (Read: Supermilk)
Grasso Coffee
1 Irving Place #01-20 The Commerze @ Irving, Singapore 369546 (Tai Seng MRT)
Opening Hours: 8am – 7:30pm (Mon-Fri)
Previously from Simei, Grasso Coffee sells a variety of Baked Rice, Baked Fish, Sandwiches, Shakes and Coffee. One of their top sellers is a non-alcoholic Homemade Tiramisu Cheesecake ($4.50) served in a cup.
TomorrowFree KaFei
1 Irving Place #01-20 The Commerze @ Irving, Singapore 369546 (Tai Seng MRT)
Opening Hours: 8am – 7pm (Mon-Fri), 11am – 4pm (Sat-Sun)
The name may be a mouthful, but owner Steven Oh wanted customers to spend a “fuss-free tomorrow” to relax at the café.
Food and coffee served are your local style delights, including their recommended Curry Chicken ($5), Braised Pork with rice ($5), Yam Cake ($3), and Mee Siam ($4). There is this homely feel to this place. Some items may take a while to prepare. (We wonder about the press release pasted on their door. Yeah, a press release)
SWAG
1 Irving Place #01-26 The Commerze @ Irving Singapore 369546 (Tai Seng MRT)
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 9pm (Mon-Fri), 10am – 4pm (Sat-Sun)
DIY salads, wraps And greens. Now with juices and 3D art lattes. Signature salads include Seafood Galore – calamari and cajun prawns with sambalnaise dressing ($9.90), Salmonlicious – smoked salmon with wasabi miso dressing ($9.90), Shiok Tuna ($8.90), Aroy Kung ($8.90) and Greek Apple ($7.90).
Saturday House
339 Upper Paya Lebar Road, Singapore 534953 (10 – 15 min walk from Bartley MRT)
Tel: +65 6280 0338
Opening Hours: 12pm – 11pm (Mon, Wed, Thurs), 12pm – 12am (Fri-Sat), 11.30am – 11pm (Sun) Closed Tues
Situated in one of the shophouses along Upper Paya Lebar road, Saturday House is owned by Adrian Koh who also runs Bistro@Changi, Saturday House serves brunch menu during noon time and charcoal-grilled mains for dinner. We liked The Bolognaise Toast ($12.90), which came with beef bolognaise and 2 sunny side ups. (Read: Saturday House)
My Sister Bakes
81 Macpherson Lane, #01-55, Singapore 360081 10 min walk from Tai Seng MRT)
Tel: +65 8869 4842
Opening Hours: 11.30am – 5pm (Tue-Fri), 11.30am – 8pm (Sat), 11.30am – 5pm (Sun) Closed Mon
Situated within the housing estates, My Sister Bakes is a café with very simple interior and furnishing, and their sincerity could make you feel right at home.
A small selection of bakes is available which changes from day to day, depending on ‘my sister’s’ mood. Signature sliced cakes include Earl Grey Cake ($6), Rainbow with Nutella ($7.50), to a velvety smooth Milo Cake ($5.50). Their customised cakes and dessert tables are awesomely elegant looking.
Three Years In A Balloon
163 UpperPaya Lebar Singapore 534857
Opening Hours: 12pm – 730pm (Mon-Fri)
Get your hands on freshly made cupcakes ($3.50, $12.50 for four), Waffles with Ice Cream ($6.50), and daily bakes. A pity that they are closed during the weekends though.
Other Related Entries
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10 New Cafes At Chinatown
10 Best Shibuya Toast In Singapore
Supermilk (Tai Seng)
* Compiled by Daniel Ang @DanielFoodDiary and Nicholas Tan @stormscape
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