It seems that Singaporeans can’t get enough of kaya toast. Just look at the recent mushrooming of kopi (coffee) and kaya toast chains! For the latest Tried & Tested mission, we taste-test a mix of established kaya toast chains as well as independent shops. How do they measure up against each other? Read on to find out!

Mackerel otah bun

“What shall we have for breakfast tomorrow?” I asked Rick on Saturday evening. “Let’s go to SGH for otah buns!” was the instant and eager reply.

Before you think we’re madder than the Mad Hatter to go all the way to a hospital for breakfast, allow me to clarify. Singapore General Hospital is a leisurely 10-minute stroll from our home. And ever since our chance encounter with Kaffe & Toast’s otah bun, Rick just couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Between you and me, I was secretly craving for it too. It’s ridiculously simple fare: otah and bread. But the magic was in pairing lightly toasted soft buns with a good quality banana leaf mackerel otah.

Our walk up the hill was not in vain; the second time was just as good as the first. Delightfully airy buns + tasty, tingly otah = unforgettable!

Soft-boiled eggs, Teh-C, and Kopi*

Besides otah buns, the soft-boiled eggs were also worthy of praise. The whites were set but wobbly, while the yolks were lusciously runny.

A pity their coffee and tea were on the weak side; they were respectable but could definitely be more robust in flavour.

*Teh-C = tea with evaporated milk, Kopi = coffee with condensed milk

Kaya toast

We also tried their kaya toast. The bread was unevenly toasted; some parts were crisp, but some weren’t. Next time, we might try the kaya bun instead.

Various combos

This is their combo set menu. For this meal, we ordered Set A and Set E. There’s also an ala carte menu.

Local delights

On weekdays, this Kaffe & Toast outlet does a roaring business. As today was a Sunday , it was much quieter since the specialist outpatient clinics were closed, hence we could easily get a table and linger. They also serve more substantial one-dish meals that are reasonably priced (akin to food court prices).

Does anyone know if Kaffe & Toast has other outlets? One of the staff told me they have another branch in Raffles Place area, but she didn’t know exactly where.

Kaffe & Toast
Singapore General Hospital
Blk 4, Level 1 (next to Retail Pharmacy)

Mon to Fri: 7.30am – 8pm
Weekends/PH: 7.30am – 6pm

The quintessentially Singaporean/Malaysian breakfast.

This is another breakfast fav of hubby’s. He likes his eggs barely set, but this is a little too runny for my liking.

BTW, I’m seriously considering buying a toaster. Currently, I use a griddle pan to make toast, but somehow, it just doesn’t come out as dry and crisp. However, I’m reluctant to buy another kitchen gadget. Any tips on how to make toast without a toaster?

Remember I made a lunch box for Rick yesterday? Guess what greeted me when I came home from work?

A dozen long-stemmed red roses.

Aren’t they gorgeous?

So, it seems like the way to a man’s heart is indeed through his tummy!

And the way to a lady’s heart is with flowers.

The good: nasi lemak with chicken curry; beehoon goreng. Not so good: sausage, baked beans, hashbrown.

So I sauntered cheerily into the executive breakfast lounge, only to be stunned that Michael Jackson had suddenly died of a heart attack. I’m not a big Michael Jackson fan, but still, I admire him for his incredible talent and the musical legacy that he leaves behind. RIP, Michael Jackson. You’ll forever be the King of Pop.

Nice banana cake and Danish pastry.

Watching the BBC News on TV, I didn’t pay much attention to my breakfast. Well, not that it deserves much attention, anyway. Breakfast was included in the room rate.

That tall building is UMNO's headquarters in Penang.

Actually, we got a pretty good deal on Wotif. Our room at Sunway Hotel is showing its age; the fixtures and furnishings are rather worn. But the room is clean and spacious, and for the E-rooms, they come with unlimited free broadband and breakfast in the executive lounge where you get a nice view from the 14th floor. It’s conveniently located near the heritage sites of Georgetown, and just outside the hotel (New Lane/Lorong Baru) is plenty of cheap street food at night.

Another view from the 14th floor Executive Lounge of Sunway Hotel, Georgetown.

Hainanese coffee & steamed kaya bread

Ricky still had a full day of work on Friday, so I went exploring Georgetown without him. Went to the famous Toh Soon Café at Campbell Street, but their famous roti bakar (coal grilled-bread) was unavailable. Boo hoo! But the Hainanese coffee is fabulous. Yay!

Then, visited the nearby Chowrasta Market and bought some local snacks.

Returned to Sunway to check out, then checked into Traders Hotel, just down the road. It’s even more conveniently located, next to KOMTAR and Prangin Mall. The room is smaller, but newer and more posh than Sunway. Weekend rates at Trader’s Hotel are cheaper than weekday rates, and you can get a good deal by booking directly on Trader’s website at least two weeks before your arrival date.

After 4 days of street food, Rick was quite sick of it, so we had dinner at Sushi King, Prangin Mall. The quality is worse than some of the Jap food served in S’pore food courts. Yup, we should just have stuck to street food.

On the way back, we caught a whiff of something warm, gingery and sweet. What do you know, there’s a pushcart selling hot tang yuan 汤圆 along Magazine Road, just opposite our hotel!

Piping hot tang yuan, made only when you order!

I notice that most of the street stalls in Penang don’t display their business name. It’s only later that I found this link which identifies this stall as Hoe Hock Tien Tang Yen.

Peanut, sesame, and plain rice dumplings in cane sugar-sweetened soup, RM3.00 ≈ S$1.25

For RM3.00, you get several small plain rice dumplings, and two big dumplings, one stuffed with crushed peanut, and the other, with crushed sesame.

Peanut dumpling and brown sugar soup

You can choose between cane sugar-sweetened or brown sugar-sweetened soup. Both are cooked with fragrant pandan leaves and ginger. I prefer the brown sugar version, but both are just as satisfying. The ginger taste isn’t overwhelming, and the sweetness level is just right. Very warm and comforting!

It’s lucky we spotted this stall, ‘cos it didn’t open for business the following night, which was our final night in Penang.

Also read: Penang Day 1