Mama Patisserie Hot

Mama Bakery used to be authentically Japanese. There really was a Mama – she was a middle-aged Japanese lady – with her team of Japanese bakers. Together, they kept Mama’s shelves stocked with some of the most delicious baked goods I have ever come across. The chocolate bread had a cult following. My personal favourite was the crayfish bun with the mango relish. Mama made a decent cuppa too. There was a little oasis of quiet with a few tables out Mama’s back door, which overlooked the back of Novena Sq 2. Everything about Mama Bakery spoke of Mama’s carefully edited, uniquely Japanese aesthetic, from the neat arrangement of buns in their trays to the quietly flamboyant gold-leafed wall.

Alas, Mama has since returned to her native Japan for personal reasons. Now, some local chain has taken over the premises and white-washed Mama’s signature gold wall. The baked goods are the same as Four Leaves that type. Which is to say, nothing compared to the real Mama’s.

If you are a dark chocolate lover, you should try the chocolate bread sold by this shop. The first time I tried the chocolate bread, I was already in love with this shop. As they are using dark chocolate in the baking, I believe it is a healthier choice for the chocolate lovers. Don't worry about the bitter taste that you expect from chocolate bread. Here, the master baker has succeeded in transforming those bitter taste to a more lovable taste, chocolaty and yet not too sweet. 

Just outside the shop, you can see the chef baking and preparing the pastries through a glass window. So for those of you who might want to see how he does it or pick up some skills from him, this shop might be one of your choices. 

Mama patisserie also provides an al fresco dining where the customers can enjoy the bread just at the balcony of the shop. Great for high tea gathering with your friend or colleagues, isn't it? 

Sometimes, I saw that they also offer soup of the day. For anyone who is interested to find out more, just drop by at Novena Square 2, level 2. And once you are there, don't forget to try the chocolate bread, it costs $2.20 per pack. 

The pastries are made and bake on the spot just infront and left side of the shop. The other space are occupied with large variety of breads and pastries that are displayed neatly either in the shelving or tabletop. Quality brewed coffee are available here too.

Behind the shop, there is a door which opens to a small open space, that are placed with a few tables/chairs for dining in. Especially during lunch hours, you can see crowds, shoppers and also people working nearby will drop by the shop to grab their favourite fresh pastries. Normally, I will try to go before noon and not too early, because after lunch hours, I will surely missed my favourite ‘mixed fruits/nuts loaf’ (cranberry, raisin, hazel, walnut) and you will see most of the shelves are empty. They won’t be baking anymore after that. And I don’t want to make myself feeling disappointed also.

‘Choc bowl’ is also one of my favourite, even though I don’t fancy chocolate that much. When you bite into the choc bread, the chocolate tastes produce a very natural, fresh and chill feeling! It’s not too sweet either. Their cranberry cream cheese, sesame bun, honey wheat stick, onion herbs spice bread and scones are among the most recommended stuffs.