Wolf Bargain(Traditional bakeries)

- June 22, 2022

Financial market in month of May and June were in tremor where profit were in slim pickings. It might be time to buckle up, keep calm and “Jia roti”(eat bread).

OK! OK! I admit dramatising bread as food of last resort but no one can deny the importance of bread since biblical times summarised by book of Matthew. What Matthew mean In Singlish “Jesus give everyone bread and all wouldn’t go hungry one lah”

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

Matthew 6:11

To be honest, I love my bread. They are so utilitarian and easy to eat. A breakfast done in 5 mins or a quick snack to fill that hungry stomach.

There are two particular bakeries which I frequently patronise due to their close proximity from my home.

(Source Singapurastories.com, old map with Sumbawa Road)

Sembawang Confectionery@Blk 6 Beach Road #01-4869 (S) 190006

I have been eating their bread since I was a kid. It was a habit cultivated by my late ah gong(grandpa) who buy no other bread with them been the exception. They have been in continuous operation for more than 45 years in the same location. The question been asked over and over again, Why are they call Sembawang Confectionery even though they are no where near Sembawang Road or started out from that area? They have nothing to do with Sembawang. I got to know there used to be a road named Sumbawa Road which rumour to be the current service road that lead to Golden Mile Food Centre carpark some ancient years ago. Very little information about the road was available online. I got to know the road was wipeout from our local map. They took a leaf from the road name when naming their bakery.

Hotdog bread and butter sugar are my favourite. Butter and pandan cake are highly recommended. The baker didn’t go stingy on butter. The taste is buttery yet light on the taste. One could have many slices. Pandan cake is soft and moist, make good companion with a cup of tea. The traffic light cake taste and look amazing.

(Traffic light cake, so alluring and colourful)

Sing Hon Loong bakery@4 Whampoa Drive (S) 327715

This bakery is very well established given the outlook of the shop looks very 70s. They are probably one of the last few surviving traditional bakery still in operation. Many senior Hainanese bakers had since retired. They supply their traditional brown bread to many coffeeshops around the island which are key in making kaya toast that most of us consume everyday. The plain bread is soft and fluffy, so good that one can eat it on its own without any jam or butter. I love their bun with coconut flakes stuffing. Vanilla Butter roll is another of my favourite. You can buy some jams condiments to go with the plain bread. Do try the peanut butter spread, they are very good. Having ate the bread, it does indeed bring back a sense of nostalgia. I loves the vibe of the shop where a few workers are hard at work twenty four seven. Please note cash transaction only, uncle auntie don’t know what paywave, paylah or Bitcoin.