Bao Er Cafe – Authentic Kaya Toast and Flavorful Hokkien Mee at This Hidden Gem in Balestier Plaza

Bao Er Cafe, started by Jeremy and his Vietnamese wife, Bao Er, is stirring up excitement in Singapore. The duo isn’t new to the food scene. They also run Prawnography in Novena Gardens and Punggol, which is famous for its delicious Hokkien mee that boasts a unique prawn head stock.

The eatery is located in Balestier Plaza and is pretty basic, with bright lights and simple chairs and tables that go out to the corridor. It got really busy after some media coverage — when we went at 9:30 AM, there was already a long line.

We ordered a lot of dishes including their famous Hokkien mee, har cheong gai, economic bee hoon, and kaya toast set.

The Hokkien mee($7) lived up to its reputation — a rich blend of umami, smokiness and sweetness that became quite the addiction. The larger $15 option includes an array of toppings such as tiger prawns and pork belly slices. The noodles were the star. The toppings, which included a somewhat disappointing pork lard, were alright.

The economic bee hoon, made to order, carried a lovely wok hei that paired nicely with luncheon meat and fried egg. This seemingly simple dish was elevated by their house-made sambal belachan, which was spicy, savory, and tangy.

The best part was the kaya toast, even though we waited an hour for it because they messed up the orders. Bao Er made it herself. The toast was exceptional: think thin slices of crisp bread grilled to perfection, complemented by a rich, custardy coconut jam made from freshly-squeezed coconut milk.

They make their kaya with fresh coconut milk every day, and it’s incredibly smooth and tasty. Finding good kaya toast that isn’t from a big chain is rare, but Bao Er Cafe’s amazing version is worth going to Balestier Plaza for.