Toast has never been this tasty

Toast has never been this tasty

The first Bangkok branch of a famous Singapore-based chain of cafes has arrived ­— with another on its way

SOCIAL & LIFESTYLE

Thank God this eatery from Singapore arrived long after I graduated from the gates of Chamchuri. Located in an attractive, garden-themed, open-air mall called I'm Park, it's just a few steps away from Chulalongkorn University's Sports Center.

Tea must be poured through the air three times to acquire its unique taste.

Had it opened years ago, I can imagine myself on a carb binge here, trying to get over cram sessions, hangovers and male-related agonies. My wallet would probably be crying itself to sleep every night, not because it's expensive, but because it's very affordable and I would probably be a frequent visitor. 

Kopitiams, or traditional coffee shops, are the morning lifeline for Singaporeans and Malaysians, serving kaya (coconut spread) on toast, along with soft-boiled eggs and local coffee brews. A visit to Singapore is not complete without a visit to Ya Kun Kaya Toast, which began as a little coffee stall in 1944 and has now grown into a franchise across Asia.

The household name is one that conjures images of kaya on bread, served on a hot-orange plastic plate, usually in a retro atmosphere that is reminiscent of old-fashioned coffee shops with a Chinese influence. Kaya is very similar to our own sangkaya (coconut spread), but differs by having a rougher texture in the mouth (because more coconuts are used). No artificial food colouring is ever included. That's right, leave creating the bright green or orange goop to us. 

Singapore Rose Marry Frostyz and Yuzu orange juice.

Although the menu in Singapore includes Asian noodles and nasi lemak, the menu in Thailand for now largely centres around bread, salads and drinks. But you can never have too much bread, especially here, with it done in so many different ways. Ya Kun's years of experience means it is cooked to perfection, whether steamed, toasted or fried. It's also more agreeable when enjoyed in a modern cafe setting, as opposed to some branches in Singapore which follow an old-school Chinese tavern format. 

If all the breads to choose from make you dizzy, start your day with the solid kaya butter toast set (140 baht), which includes hot drink, two soft-boiled eggs and kaya toast with butter. A spread of kaya and a cold block of butter to bite into sits in between two evenly crunchy and thinly-sliced pieces of bread. It's piercingly sweet, but one of the joys about this dish is to eat it the Singaporean way: using your hands to wipe up the egg up with your toast, which are boiled to perfection by the way. It doesn't sound like it works but the richer flavour created by mixing egg yolk with kaya is delicious.  

Other snacks from Lah-land, such as kaya balls (65 baht) or the spicy sardine sandwich (150 baht), are scrumptious, in-between-meal treats. On the lighter side, kaya balls are basically chewy, round balls of dough bursting with a fill of kaya. It's on the rough and dry side as kaya is after all quite coarse on the throat, but it is sweet and heavy with the smell and chunks of coconut. The mouth-watering sandwich we tried is made with a generous amount of sambal paste, tomatoes and fresh lettuce that comes with a side of fries and coleslaw. It's not spicy but has the characteristic undertone of Singaporean spices which children should be able to enjoy too.  

However, it's the steamed bread with kaya and butter (70 baht) you will lose sleep over. It will have you wondering when you can wake up and go and sink your teeth into its marshmallow-like softness again. It's served in a bamboo container, and is nowhere near as soggy and steam-drenched as you'd expect. The half-melted butter is a runny delight that gives a small, salty kick to cancel out the kaya's sweetness. This is indeed the dish that proves moderation is best, rather than being swamped in butter like those horrendous toast and honey combinations.  

Strawberry fried toast cubes (80 baht) were another pleasant surprise. It's a wonder how dry they are to touch and no oil whatsoever comes oozing out. All you can taste is the golden, flossy egg that coats the bread. It almost looks like a giant nugget, albeit one that has a sugary strawberry jam fill that gives a sweet rush to this fuzzy French toast. 

You can wash those carbs down with coffee or hot tea from Ceylon, but the cold drinks are good, fanciful upgrades of our own local versions. If you like nom yen, try the Singapore Rose Marry Frostyz (115 baht). It's better than our pink milk in the sense that there's red bean bits to chew on and also a delightful whiff of roses. To make the most of their Chinese New Year offerings however, go for the Yuzu orange juice (85 baht). Yuzu oranges are terribly tangy but make for an intensely rich and delicious refreshment when sweetened with honey. The other Chinese New Year menu item available during February is the pineapple ball.

At Ya Kun it's shown that a mere piece of bread can be hearty. We are delighted to hear another cafe will open at Mercury Ville in March.

Steamed bread with kaya and butter.

Kaya butter toast set.

Spicy sardine sandwich.

Strawberry fried toast cubes.

Kaya balls.

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