Plain Vanilla: Cupcakes, Brunch, Bakes and More at a New Outlet Along Neil Road
Plain Vanilla has been a mainstay in the bakery scene for quite a while now, operating out of their flagship outlet at Tiong Bahru. With other branches at Cluny Court, ION Orchard, and Telok Ayer, now, a fifth outlet at Neil Road joins the growing ranks of this popular chain.
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The row of shophouses at Neil Road near Outram Park used to be rather sleepy, save for Strangers’ Reunion, but with the addition of Kream & Kensho, @3, the refurbished Strangers’ Reunion, and now Plain Vanilla, the Everton Park area has become quite the buzzing spot.
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Occupying a corner shophouse, you’ll notice Plain Vanilla has a leafy seating area outside, but speaking to the staff, they’re currently awaiting the license to serve food and drink there, and thus, it only remains as a (pet-friendly) space for diners to wait for a takeaway, or get photos for the gram in peace for now.
Once they attain the license though, they expect to open the area up for dining in, which is good because there is limited seating inside.
The high ceiling and shades of cream and brown in decor make the space feel immediately inviting.
Even on a weekday, we had to be put on a waiting list for a table, and I can imagine the crowds on weekends will be quite something.
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With their bakes displayed on the counter, everything is baked fresh daily at the Tiong Bahru outlet, and then delivered to all their sister outlets, including this new branch.
Aside from the bakes, you’ll find the usual breakfast (granola bowls and toasts), pasta (Pappardelle with Spicy Beef Ragu, Reginette with Chicken Pesto), and brunch (Eggs Benedict, French Toast, Scrambled Eggs on Sourdough with Avocado) fare, with the hot kitchen wrapping operations at 3:45pm.
Of course, they have the standard coffee, tea and juice options on the drink menu as well.
I’ve always enjoyed the cupcakes at Plain Vanilla, so the Cinnamon Brown Sugar (S$4.50) was no different, with a delightfully sweet icing topping the dense and fragrant cupcake.
Though I did not find a Dirty Matcha on the menu, they were more than willing to accommodate my request.
The matcha latte isn’t sweetened, so in combination with the espresso shot, made for a great drink to balance the sweetness of the cupcake.
Coffee is courtesy of Browns Mill Organic, a seasonal triple-origin blend of medium roast beans roasted by Allpress Espresso.
We also tried the Mocha (S$6) which was delightfully chocolatey and tasted rich, as well as the Lemon Honey Iced Shaken Tea (S$7) which tasted, well, just like a standard iced honey lemon drink.
The staff here were also quite friendly and attentive, often coming round to top up our glasses of water, and asking for feedback— most likely because they’ve just opened and want to gather opinions from the ground, but it was nice regardless.
Once they’ve opened up seats outside, hopefully they’ll be able to manage their crowds a little better to result in shorter waiting times, but all in all, it’s a beautiful new outlet that will most certainly bring in the crowds.
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WHERE | 167 NEIL RD, #01-01, SINGAPORE 088888
