For those of you who follow local food bloggers, you might have noticed Bao Er Cafe gaining attention online recently. Opened in early 2024, the hole-in-the-wall is tucked away on the second level of the quiet Balestier Plaza. At 10am, there were only a handful of diners inside the cramped store, though it would be swarmed by lunch time.
Bao Er’s claim to fame is that it supposedly serves the best kaya butter toast in Singapore, rivalling chains like Ya Kun. Another standout dish is their signature hokkien mee, which comes as no surprise given that the cafe is also founded by the folks behind the well-established Hokkien mee joint, Prawnography, which debuted in 2022 and is currently located in Novena Gardens. Other options on their otherwise limited menu include variations of fried rice, noodles, and some old-school western style aglio olio pastas.
Of all Bao Er’s signature dishes, the kaya toast set ($5) which comes with a drink and two soft-boiled eggs, is a must-try. You’ll get four slices of well-toasted bread that is thinly cut, generously slathered with pale green, almost white, kaya, and accompanied by the customary cold slabs of butter in the middle. Bao Er’s kaya toast looks ordinary from the get-go, but take a bite and you’ll be surprised by the kaya’s fragrance. The homemade kaya was light, almost milky tasting, and not cloyingly sweet. If you’re a fan of sweet and salty pairings, make sure to dunk the toast in the soft-boiled eggs.
We had high expectations for the hokkien mee, which comes in two variations: the standard one and a more 'premium' version that includes mini scallops, which costs two dollars more. The signature deluxe hokkien mee ($9) arrives with a strong charred smell of wok hei and noodles generously swamped in a thick prawn-broth gravy. However, some may find the smokiness too overpowering and the dish too salty – definitely have a drink or two ($2.80-$3.20) on hand to help with that, though we did find them on the diluted end. Do ask for more sambal chilli too – it’s decently spicy, but comes in too small a portion.
A surprise standout was the seafood fried rice ($5.50). Like the hokkien mee, it comes with a strong smokiness clinging to it. You can bet on perfectly cooked rice that is neither clumpy nor mushy, although we did spot a couple of uncoated grains underneath the mound. We liked this dish the best as the wok hei wasn’t excessive and it was seasoned just right. All said, it was a very homely dish that felt comforting.
Despite being off the beaten path for some, Bao Er Cafe is worth the trip down for traditional kaya toast done right. Opinions may vary about whether it's truly the best kaya toast in Singapore, but we can't deny that the dish still lingers in our thoughts for its fragrant, custard-like kaya. Those seeking dishes filled with the essence of wok hei will also not be disappointed by the fried rice – and though we found the hokkien mee overdone, there's no harm in giving it another try. The drinks leave much to be desired though. Improve that, and Bao Er Cafe will certainly hit the mark as a spot for authentic local cuisine done right.