Sweets Craftsman – Mount Fuji Swiss Rolls in Japanese-Style Cafe on Cavan Road

Let’s face it – we live in an era where the camera usually eats first because ain’t nothing more important than flexing aesthetic and delicious food on Instagram (guilty as charged). Desserts usually rank higher because there’s so much you can experiment with in terms of colours and shapes. Joining the pretty-desserts-club is hole-in-the-wall cafe Sweets Craftsman on Cavan Road. 

The quaint space is a super cosy four-seater and mainly acts as a takeaway shop. Dressed in muted colours, and dolled up with potted plants and an adorable, rustic-like decor, the cafe exudes a charming zen that takes me back to Japan. I was also very taken by the soothing background OSTs from Spirited Away and spied a few cute Ghibli figurines perched around. 

Apart from their iconic Swiss rolls, you’ll find lots of Japanese-style pastries and classic favourites with a twist like Strawberry Shortcake infused with matcha flavours and Taro Cream Cake. They also have an assortment of bakes such as Butter Croissants ($3), Sea-salt Brownies ($3.50) and Lemon Madeleines ($5.60 for two pieces). 

The Fujiro series is definitely what draws most people to the cafe. I mean, just look at how cute it is with the little Mount Fuji centre! If you love cream-based pastries, you’ll love these. The pastry wizard behind all the creations here had spent over a decade refining his craft and training at Raffles Hotel and TCC. 

Complete with a matcha sponge layer encapsulating a combination of matcha mousses, strawberry mousses and  whipped cream, the Matcha Fujiro ($7.80) carried very gentle flavours that balanced each other out. The sponge cake was nice and fluffy, with hints of matcha that could have been stronger. This will please folks who aren’t a fan of saccharine or rich desserts. 

To me, the Tieguanyin Fujiro ($7.80) was a tiny bit more pronounced than the Matcha Fujiro. The oolong tea-infused cream’s fragrance came through and formed a pleasant symphony with the cream and the cake layer. 

Likewise, it was the same for the Thai Milk Tea Fujiro ($7.80). I was told that this was a new seasonal flavour that changes constantly, which is a pity as I enjoyed this one the most out of the three. 

Fruity flavours were abound in the Summer Berries Meringue Roll ($6.80). The nutty meringue coating on the outer layer really resonated with me and complemented the tartness of the berry purée within. It would have been perfect if not for the moment I got to the very heart of the pastry. I’m not sure whether it was because too much time has passed since it was made or some other reason, but the middle layer of cake was soggy and tasteless. 

The Blueberry Tart ($6) certainly won points for its simple beauty but I was a bit surprised to find that it comprised sponge cake within the tart shell and strawberry cream. It would have been nice if it wasn’t cream-based; I personally would have preferred more fruits to be involved. 

I really liked the vibes of Sweets Craftsman and I’m keen to try the other pastries and bakes they have. Certainly a fan of the setting and Japanese-style sweets in general! Maybe someday down the road they’ll consider moving into a space big enough to hold more than four people, where I can chill out in peace with pretty cakes and Ghibli-inspired decor.

MissTamChiak.com made an anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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