Kamome Bakery Review: Japanese Cafe With Red Bean Butter Buns, Mentaiko Baguettes And More

Japanese-style pastries and buns at Kamome Bakery

Pastries and buns from Japanese bakeries always seem to be a cut above the rest. From the famous corn pan by Johan Paris, to the ultra-polished fresh cream cakes from Chateraise, Japanese goodies certainly set the standard high for patisseries around. After looking up the pastries from Kamome Bakery online, it really seems like they’ve also incorporated a slice of Japan in their unique baked goods.

Besides the wide selection of sandwiches and pastries, the cafe also serves Japanese beverages that look like they came right off the shelves of a convenience store in Tokyo. 

Food at Kamome Bakery

Scanning through their handwritten labels, we zoomed straight for the bakery’s best-selling breads. The Red Bean Butter ($3) bun caught our eye. They even have an adorable mini version for children at just $2.20. 

The unique bun has a deep slice across one side and is stuffed with a layer of Japanese red bean paste, as well as a thick slab of salted butter. Instead of the typical soft, fluffy bun, this Japanese-inspired creation features a hard, crusty bread.

I was anticipating more of a crusty, French-style loaf where the bun is crisp on the outside while soft and spongy on the inside. As much as I enjoy a crackly crust, the bun was too tough for my liking, especially when biting into it squeezes a chunk of its softened filling out the side.

The generous layer of red bean was lusciously smooth and not as sugary as the processed stuff you’ll find at Phoon Huat. Looking at the size of the butter slab, I was expecting the bun to be overwhelmingly buttery, but it surprisingly complemented the bean paste well, and was reminiscent of kaya butter toast with its mix of sweet, savoury, and rich flavours.

Moving over to the savoury options, we decided to give the next best-seller a try. Cradled in the Pork Cutlet ($5.60) submarine sandwich were two thick chunks of cutlet, a healthy drizzle of tonkatsu sauce, and a few leaves of fresh lettuce. 

Unlike the stiff red bean bun, this sandwich’s bread was soft and pillowy all the way through. Unfortunately, the pork cutlet, which should have taken the spotlight in the sandwich, was not as crispy as it looked. Its sogginess was perhaps the result of being on display for a while, as the moisture from the sauce and lettuce had been soaked up by the cutlet’s batter.

If you’re dapao-ing this sandwich home to enjoy, a quick toast in the oven would give this sub a much-needed boost.

Moving on to the next savoury item, this Mentaiko ($2.40) baguette was one of the most interesting flavours the bakery had to offer. Much like salted egg yolk and mala, this trendy cod roe flavour has been endlessly weaved into local dishes to grant them a one-of-a-kind flavour profile.

Being a huge lover of mentaiko mayonnaise, I was hyped up to try this salty creation. Unfortunately, the characteristic briny flavour of the roe was somewhat lost in the bread. The crumbly coat of roe on the outside, as well as the buttery spread of roe slathered on the inside, were hardly enough to bring out that salty, umami taste of mentaiko.

One redeeming factor of this treat was, surprisingly, its bread. The baguette’s aromatic yeasty flavour was much more prominent than the cod roe’s flavour. It was not as tangy as sourdough, but still gave off the subtle smell of fermentation.

I wouldn’t walk into a cafe and leave without getting some kind of sweet, buttery pastry, and their Blueberry Tart ($4) fit the bill just right. I dove straight into my favourite part of the tart: its crust. The pastry was quite unique. It was almost like a mix between a buttery, crumbly shortcrust and a flaky puff pastry. 

To top it off, the slightly overbaked and caramelised parts of the crust added a bitter undertone to the tart, which worked well in balancing out the thin coating of sugar laid over it. Flavour aside, this blueberry pastry would have also benefited from a few minutes in the oven to warm it up. 

I was a little disappointed by the proportion of blueberries to pastry. Since the baked tart had more of a dense texture, I felt that interweaving a few more berries within the pastry would’ve elevated it with more pops of flavour.

Ambience at Kamome Bakery

The cafe’s exterior stood out even without an eye-catching signboard to announce its presence. Printed on the sky blue wood panels above the bakery’s entrance was a lone bird in white, representing a kamome, or seagull in Japanese.

The inside of the bakery whirled with small buzzes of activity. From the couple sharing a plate of flaky croissants, to the family bringing their kids to pick out buns from the display, the whole cafe was steeped in a homely atmosphere from the moment we stepped in.

Stepping away from the busy streets of Novena and into this homely bakery, I felt a wave of serenity wash over me. The warm, muted lighting, accompanied by the mismatched wooden furniture and potted plants, this cafe just exuded cosiness. 

The best seats are right by the floor-to-ceiling windows in the back. They face outwards into a quiet alley, and it is a delightfully tranquil spot to enjoy a cup of warm coffee with sweet pastries. 

The owners have clearly done a lot to recreate the vibes of a cosy Japanese cafe. I spotted a quaint bookshelf lined with Japanese children’s books in the corner, as well as adorable miniatures lining the shelves. I’m not sure how many Japanese families actually frequent the cafe, but these small details certainly add to the endearing character of the bakery.

The verdict

Kamome Bakery hits the sweet spot when it comes to creating a comfy environment for morning pastries or lazy afternoon chats. Though their baked goods have been hit-or-miss for me, what I’ve picked out merely constitutes a fraction of the pastry selection they have on sale.

I’m tempted to head back down for some soft jazz music and warm coffee. Perhaps I’ll even grab a loaf of Hokkaido milk toast on my way out.

You can choose to dine-in, or do a takeaway and place your orders in advance by messaging them on Instagram or giving them a call. They also deliver within the area via Foodpanda.

Check out our review of MADLYGOOD for another IG-worthy cafe stop, or these food places at Velocity@Novena Square for more tasty grub in the area.

Address: 169 Thomson Road, Goldhill Shopping Centre, Singapore 307621
Opening hours: Thurs-Tues 8am to 6pm
Tel: 8757 8560
Website

Photos taken by Huang Xiao.
This is an independent review by Eatbook.sg, and was written before the Circuit Breaker measures.

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