Alice Boulangerie now a restaurant with an all-day menu and chic space, reopens with a new look

Tanjong Pagar is one of those spots that always astounds when it comes to food options. It’s a buzzy F&B enclave with a well-curated selection of restaurants, cafes and bars, after all. 

Most would be inclined to traipse along the stretch of historical shophouses along the main thoroughfare to get their cravings fixed — that’s where the bulk of the popular establishments are — but the nearby Icon Village is a gem with fantastic food alternatives, too. 

Though often overlooked, the shopping mall plays host to a couple of renowned joints that are great to unwind at for brunch, dinner or post-work tipples. 

A place that we can’t recommend enough is Alice Boulangerie, a well-loved cafe-slash-bakery that’s best known for its flaky viennoiseries. It recently went on a one-month hiatus to overhaul its space and menu and reopened as a full-fledged restaurant on August 12.

The reason for the revamp? 

If you’re a regular, you’ll know this — Alice Boulangerie’s older menu only featured its signature pastries, brews and a handful of all-day items. The latter tends to take a backseat here, as most folks pop by solely for its bakes. 

Come evening, the crowd significantly thins out. The team surmises that the crowd is probably weary of the same, all-day lineup and would rather savour alternative dinner options elsewhere for more variety. 

Plus, with the influx of up-and-coming restaurants popping up in the district, the team felt that it was time to switch up the concept, build brand recognition beyond just pastries and coffee, and set itself apart from the competition. 

Now, it’s a sleek, contemporary outfit with an all-new dinner menu that the team is immensely proud of. It pays homage to our local roots by dishing up traditional European dishes injected with an Asian flair. In particular, there’s the show-stopping laksa paella (S$46) and moreish pork belly claypot rice (S$42). 

The interior is very fashionably designed, too. Staying on brand with Alice Boulangerie’s squirrel motif, the restaurant is modishly styled to resemble a squirrel’s cosy hideout.

The interiors are inspired by the animal’s habitat, so you’ll find the restaurant swathed in warm shades of umber, pine and moss — just like a drey snuggled in the fork of a tree trunk. 

For those who intend to come in bigger groups, there’s more than enough room for everyone. Alice Boulangerie has also increased its seating capacity, so the space now fits 70 diners — it could only seat 45 previously.

A fusion of Asian and European flavours 

The laksa paella is one of the new additions to Alice Boulangerie’s dinner menu, and it’s every bit as delicious as it looks. A creative local spin on the classic Spanish dish, the chef’s rendition sees a smorgasbord of ingredients atop crispy paella rice, all coated in a rich laksa gravy. 

Think of it as an elevated rice version of the longstanding Singaporean icon, which is embellished with quail eggs, beancurd puffs and grilled seafood. Here, you’ll instead see octopus, black mussels and tiger prawns. For added flavour and aroma, the dish is sprinkled with laksa leaves. 

It’s a great riff on the Singaporean staple and is large enough to be shared between two diners, so there’s plenty of laksa paella love to go around.

If you’re someone who enjoys bold, hearty flavours, you’ll relish the Sakura “cherry blossom” pork loin (S$60), a dish that comes highly recommended by the chef himself. 

Tender, perfectly-marbled Sakura pork is marinated in a medley of spices and herbs, then grilled over binchotan charcoal for a lovely smoky char.  

Atop the meat is a drizzle of sliced apple puree for a mild hint of sweetness, then garnished with roasted hazelnuts, pickled golden raisins, and chives for extra crunch and fragrance. 

It’s a winning combination of different flavours and textures, all of which work together to balance out the savouriness of the dish.

Another Asian-inspired delight is the otak prawn croquette (S$19), which is an egg-shaped appetiser that’s stuffed with a harmonious blend of halibut and tiger prawn. The filling is fresh and succulent, with a slight spicy twang to it. 

Enrobing the meat is a crisp, flaky croquette shell that’s prepared with Japanese breadcrumbs. We like the crunchy texture of it — bite into it to reveal a dense, meaty body that’s chock-full of flavour. 

You’d want to pair the otak prawn croquette with the tangy kaffir lime mayonnaise for a nice touch of acidity and zest.

For those who appreciate raw fish, the seabream crudo (S$28) is a light and refreshing morsel that you can order — especially if you’re not up for the heavier dishes on the menu. 

The appetiser boasts a hefty ribbon of Japanese seabream, wedged with slices of pickled radish for a sweet and sour flair. The fish also sits in a pool of ponzu tare (a citrus-based dip), where it thoroughly soaks up the tart, citrusy notes of the sauce, so that it bursts with flavour with each spoonful.

Gorgeous handcrafted entremets 

Round off the meal on a sweet high with the new handcrafted entrements on Alice Boulangerie’s menu. 

Forest (S$23) stands out as a picturesque dessert befitting the ’gram — a log-shaped treat made from dark chocolate, cherry compote, almond chantilly cream, and pistachio praline. 

The dessert is then adorned with edible flowers to mimic the falling of floral petals on a log. It’s meant to tell the story of a journey through the woods, which is why it’s crafted to resemble natural woodland elements.

Accompanying the chocolate log is a velvety dark chocolate gelato resting on a bed of sea salt dark chocolate crumble, meant to imitate the look of soil in the grove.

Black sesame lovers should indulge in Pebbles (S$22), a trio of black sesame mochi on a crunchy bed of peanut butter crumble mixed with edible flowers. Topped with a dark chocolate stem, it recreates a familiar sight of pebbles scattered around the forest. 

Underneath the peanut butter crumble is smooth peanut butter and tangy raspberry jam, which lend a tart creaminess to the dessert. There’s also a scoop of decadent black sesame gelato on the side.

Reopening promotion

If you plan to head over to Alice Boulangerie this weekend, the restaurant is offering a promotion to celebrate its reopening. Until September 4, diners who order a sharing plate can enjoy 50% off their next main dish. 

This exclusive deal is only available from Monday to Thursday, between 6pm to 9pm. So if you haven’t had a chance to try out Alice Boulangerie’s new dinner menu yet, this is the perfect time to do so.

This was a hosted tasting.

For the latest eats, read about new modern izakaya Hiyaki at Kampong Bahru and artsy cafe Lucine by Luna at 111 Somerset. Alternatively, check out the newest openings in Singapore here. 

Alice Boulangerie Singapore is on the GrabFood Delivery Service and offers free delivery (up to S$3 off with GrabUnlimited). 

You can make a reservation at Alice Boulangerie via Chope.

Book a ride to check out its new space and menu.