Korean cafe-bakery Noci Bakehouse now at Orchard Gateway, serving up outlet-exclusive panuozzo and bagels

If you’ve been keeping up with food trends on social media, chances are you’ve come across viral Korean bakes, such as butter tteok, whether in Seoul or at pop-ups and cafes in Singapore. 

Earlier this year, Noci Bakehouse brought these trendy treats to Singapore with its first outlet at Suntec City. The cafe-bakery quickly became a hit, drawing long queues for its selection of Korean-inspired pastries and brunch fare.

Barely six months later, Noci Bakehouse is expanding its presence in Singapore, opening a second outlet at Orchard Gateway, joining the stretch of popular names in the area, including Yo-Chi and Molly Tea. (In fact, it’s right opposite Yo-Chi!)

Noci Bakehouse’s new Orchard Gateway outlet carries over the same European countryside charm as the Suntec City outlet, with cream-toned cabinetry, rustic shelves, and warm lighting that give the space a cosy bakery feel. 

The open-concept kitchen also gives diners the option of watching as their panuozzo, an Italian sandwich — which is also exclusive to this outlet — is assembled and fired in the pizza oven dome right at the front.

A bread-forward menu at Orchard Gateway

While its Suntec City outlet is better known for its brunch offerings and sweet treats, such as the chewy butter tteok and Dubai chocolate Danish, the Orchard Gateway outlet introduces a line-up of outlet-exclusive creations that lean more savoury and bread-forward. 

Leading the new line-up at Noci Bakehouse Orchard Gateway is a range of panuozzo sandwiches. If you’ve never heard of it, a panuozzo is essentially an Italian-style sandwich made with pizza bread instead of regular ones.

Here, you can expect seven variations in two distinct styles — four feature fluffy pizza bread with a soft and chewy texture, while the other three are flatter and crunchier. 

Of the lot, we found ourselves gravitating towards the more savoury, meat-forward creations.

Our favourite was the burrata jambon panuozzo (S$23), which came topped with a whole ball of creamy burrata and slices of savoury ham. 

Remember to spread the burrata evenly across the pizza bread to enjoy its milky richness with the salty jambon in every bite.

Those who prefer richer flavours ought to try the beef bulgogi panuozzo (S$18).

This robust sandwich comes generously loaded with beef, jalapenos, and cheese, making it one of the heartier choices on the menu.

The crunchier panuozzo sandwiches — there are three on Noci Bakehouse Orchard Gateway’s menu — feature a flatter pizza bread that comes sliced into four pieces, making them ideal for sharing.

Those who love a good, protein-packed sandwich will love the hot honey chicken crunch panuozzo (S$18). Here, the hot-honey sauce stands out for its well-balanced sweet heat, adding plenty of flavour without overwhelming the other ingredients.

For a lighter option, go for the RTM Crunch panuozzo (S$18), which features a refreshing combination of rucola, tomato, and mozzarella.

But that’s not all.

Noci Bakehouse’s popular bagels, which were a hit at its first Suntec City outlet, have also made their way to the new outlet.

Familiar favourites such as the pepperoni cheese bagel (S$6.50) and garlic cream cheese bagel (S$7) return, while several new, outlet-exclusive flavours have joined the shelves at Orchard.

We got to try three new ones across different flavour profiles: yuzu dill cream bagel, basil cream bagel, and Nutella bagel.

Our favourite was the basil cream bagel (S$10.50), which featured a rich, savoury cream-cheese filling with a distinct herbaceous note from the basil. The tomatoes added a touch of freshness and acidity, balancing the creamy filling without overpowering it.

For something on the sweeter side, you’ll do well to opt for the yuzu dill cream bagel (S$7.80) or Nutella bagel (S$7.50). 

The latter was generously filled with Nutella hazelnut spread that oozed out with each bite. Coupled with its chocolate-chip topping and crisp chocolate coating, it made for an extra-rich but satisfying bite.

If you haven’t been to its earlier Suntec City outlet and aren’t too sure where to start first, here’s how you should decide: Head to Orchard Gateway if you’re after more savoury, breads. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, or prefer a leisurely brunch, then its Suntec City outlet is where you want to be.

And even if you’ve been to Noci Bakehouse at Suntec City, this new Orchard Gateway outlet is still well worth a visit, especially if you’ve never had a pauozzo before.

Besides, you can also jump in line at the viral Yo-Chi or Molly Tea after and kill two birds (or shall we say, two viral spots) with one visit, right? 

For more on what to eat, check our top picks at the nearby 313@Somerset. Otherwise, there’s the new bakery, Cloudmills, opened by former MasterChef runner-up, and newly opened Yamamoto Hamburg at Lau Pa Sat.