Tokyo bakery-cafe Rituel opens first overseas outlet in Takashimaya
Takashimaya Shopping Centre has always been a spot for Japanese fare, home to names such as Torasho Ramen Bar and Johan Paris bakery, alongside cafes and local favourites such as Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice.
Now, the Orchard mall has a new addition to its lineup: Tokyo-born bakery-cafe Rituel, which has chosen our Little Red Dot for its first foray outside Japan.
Currently in its soft launch phase, Rituel is giving diners a peek into its signature blend of French baking techniques and Japanese craftsmanship, ahead of its official opening on August 11.
The Japanese bakery-cafe will also unveil a wider selection of seasonal fruit pastries, fresh cream cakes, and signature parfaits from August.
Rituel takes its name from the French word for “ritual” — a nod to its philosophy of making quality bread, pastries, tea, and dishes into everyday rituals.
Since its launch in 2015, the brand has expanded across Tokyo with a portfolio of cafes, restaurants, and boutique bakery counters.
Rituel at Takashimaya is dressed in soft blue hues and exudes a refined, elegant charm.
The curved booth seating, rounded armchairs, and warm lighting make for a comfortable spot to recharge after a shopping spree, or simply while away the afternoon over tea.
Rituel’s Singapore-exclusive items
The Singapore outpost has also been tailored to local dining habits, serving up an all-day menu of breakfast pastries, coffee, lunch bites, and afternoon tea.
Still, the bakery’s signatures have made the trip to our sunny island. Look out for Rituel’s iconic Escargot, buttery croissant, pain au chocolat, plus a daily selection of freshly baked treats.
The Takashimaya store also gets a handful of exclusive creations as well, starting with the signature layer croissant — a 36-layer laminated pastry made with premium French butter, French flour, and an overnight fermentation process.
On top of the baked goods, there are hearty savoury dishes such as the mushroom pot pie with truffle oil (S$24), wagyu steak frites (S$55), and truffle mushroom cream pasta (S$24).
Sandwich lovers ought to try the Japanese egg Danish sandwich (S$22) and the wagyu roast beef Danish sandwich (S$42).
Make a beeline for its afternoon tea
If there’s one thing we’d tell you not to skip, it’s the Singapore-exclusive Bouquet afternoon tea, served daily from 2pm to 6pm. The elegant spread of sweet and savoury delights is reason enough to visit, but the real showstopper has to be Rituel’s signature dessert wagon.
From now until August 10, guests can enjoy the set for S$100 for two diners (U.P. S$118), complete with complimentary, free-flow non-alcoholic sparkling wine.
The experience begins with the dessert wagon, where each diner gets to pick one sweet treat.
During our visit, the selection included the chocolate brioche Flower donut (S$16 a la carte), strawberry brioche Flower donut (S$18 a la carte), yuzu lemon brioche Flower donut (S$16 a la carte), lemon tart (S$14 a la carte), and the ever-popular strawberry Paris-Brest (from S$14 a la carte).
Rituel’s take on the Paris-Brest features light cream and whole strawberries, sandwiched between airy choux pastry, before being finished with fresh raspberries for a fruity touch.
We have to say Rituel has found a sweet spot between French pastry-making and local preferences. The desserts are indulgent without feeling overly sugared — a quality that’s likely to win Singaporeans over.
While the strawberry Paris-Brest looks undeniably decadent, its restrained sweetness makes it surprisingly light to finish, even if you don’t usually gravitate towards desserts.
The yuzu lemon brioche Flower donut, which is decorated to resemble a bouquet of flowers, is great for those who enjoy something tangy and refreshing.
Slice into it and you’ll uncover a generous filling of smooth yuzu-lemon cream that delivers bright citrusy notes in every bite, while the lemon glaze and candied yuzu dial up the zesty flavours.
Bits of toasted hazelnuts on top add a satisfying crunch and a subtle nuttiness to keep the pastry balanced, rather than overwhelmingly tart.
Next comes the tiered stand, laden with a mix of sweet and savoury treats, including popular French desserts such as opera cake (made with layers of sponge cake soaked in coffee syrup), canele, and a lavender-flavoured macaron.
The canele impresses with its deeply caramelised, crisp crust, giving way to a chewy and slightly custardy soft centre.
We also really enjoyed the Flower chocolate petit choux that pairs a chocolate-filled pastry with a flower-shaped chocolate garnish, as well as the mango Bouquet tart with a lightly sweetened mango curd-like filling and cream atop a buttery tart shell.
Of course, your afternoon tea staples are not forgotten, too.
There are scones served with apricot jam and clotted cream, financiers, along with egg salad brioche sticks and cucumber sandwiches, which layer crisp cucumber with a dill cream spread — a refreshing touch to cut the richness of the meal.
The afternoon tea also includes two beverages per diner, with options ranging from Gryphon pot teas such as British Breakfast, earl grey lavender, chamomile Dream to signature mocktails and other speciality drinks.
If you’re feeling a little indulgent, we’d recommend the French-style chocolate chaud with Chantilly cream for an extra S$5.
It may not be the thick, intensely rich hot chocolate that traditionalists are after, but its silky, comforting chocolate flavour still hits the spot without feeling overly cloying. The dollop of fluffy Chantilly cream on the side is the perfect finishing touch.
You can also opt for the signature mocktails for an extra S$5.
The Afternoon in Riviera is an easy favourite, bringing together a refreshing blend of oolong tea, passion fruit, and orange. Meanwhile, the Daydream in Singapore, with rose tea and lychee syrup, leans sweeter — just give it a good stir.
To celebrate its official opening, guests who spend at least S$30 in a single receipt from August 12 to 23, between 12pm and 8pm, will receive a trio of complimentary croissant twists — plain, dark chocolate with roasted almond crumbs, and white chocolate with freeze-dried raspberry — while stocks last.
Rituel Tokyo Singapore shows that a memorable afternoon tea isn’t just about piling on the sugar. With its well-executed pastries and mouthwatering savoury bites, it’s set to become a favourite among those in town looking for an indulgent and refined treat.
For the latest openings, read more about Malaysian herbal soup chain Souper Tang at Raffles City Shopping Centre and the all-new Pop Bakery by Pop Mart.
Tue 10am - 9.30pm
Wed 10am - 9.30pm
Thu 10am - 9.30pm
Fri 10am - 9.30pm
Sat 10am - 9.30pm
Sun 10am - 9.30pm
- Orchard
Shannon has the taste buds of a grandmother and perpetually struggles with a food coma.
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