5 DEC 2008

First up, I have to thank macadamia^n for this great recommendation!

Its sis-in-law's birthday and I thought of getting a cake... yet, not from the usual franchiese such as 'Bakerzin' or 'Canele'... 'Centre PS' came up amongst a few other recommendations, but since it is closest to where I work, Centre PS it is!

Its located within the 'older' part of Tiong Bahru... Finding the place wasn't too hard, but for someone like me who don't really know the area, it may be hard to find… and it DID felt like a maze in there!! Luckily I took the correct path and thank goodness the gloomy weather held.

The modern shop-front of CentrePS stood out distinctively from the rather 'aged' neighbourhood. It did seem a little out of place.

Following a brief chat with the lady sales person, I realised the bigger cakes are all 'hidden' away in the back. After looking through their folder, I was still clueless. Eventually, I went with one of her recommendation - the Grand Cru Royale (1KG for $65.00).

Whilst waiting for the cake to be prepared, I looked into the chiller to see macarons of various colours… priced at 5 pieces for $10.00 or 10 pieces for $18.00. Quite reasonable I thought. After some hard selling by the salesperson, and failing to my curiosity (Frankly both wifey and I NEVER had macarons before)… I decided to get the pack of 10 pieces ($18.00).

The total cost for the cake ($65.00) and 10 pieces of macarons ($18.00) came to $74.70 (less 10% UOB credit card discount). I have to say… I really thought there’s a 20% discount for anything over $60. I hope its just a genuine mistake. Either way, its a little pricey I thought, but gosh was it all worth it…

Macarons (Rating: 8/10)
As I never had macarons before, there's no benchmark. But OH! it was GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD.... Frankly, my initial perception of macarons -their texture and how they tasted- was totally off! The thin crispy light outer layer combined well with the chewy spongy sweet inner layer... and everything just melt away in my mouth… Ahhhh… Truly Wonderful! The different flavours also reminded me of the variety of fruity jelly beans you can get!! Of course, some are sweeter than others… but its a great sugary experience overall!!

The Grand Cru Royale (Rating: 8.5/10)
WOW! This cake is simply unique and absolutely divine!! Presentation wise, its a square chocolate cake, with solid, pretty large strips of milk chocolaty 'shavings' as ribbons. What a beautiful creation! The Grand Cru Royale is made up of two layers... For me, the top layer of chocolate mousse is soft and smooth, but a little too bitter for my liking. On the other hand, the ultra crunchy hazelnut praline base (which actually reminded me of the hazelnut kinder bueno chocolate bar) was a little too sweet… However, these two layers coupled perfectly together in term of overall sweetness and texture.

Everyone enjoyed the cake… except mom, insisting that this IS A BISCUIT and NOT a cake (just because it does not have a sponge cake layer… hahah!!!). One little negative thing was the way sister-in-law’s name was written on the piece of white chocolate. Somehow, her name “Jing Jing” read so much like “Sing Sing” which meant “星星 - Stars” or “猩猩 - Gorilla” in chinese! Muwahahha!!

Well… It will take a few days to finish up the 1KG worth of Grand Cru Royale… 'Choco-OD'.. But I will definitely be back for more!! ALOT MORE!!

If interested, a full write-up and write-ups of other reviews can be seen here...

After reading so much about Centre Ps, I just had to come and try the cakes. From what I read, this place seemed alot like the Canele I used to frequent at Robertson Walk, before the place got invaded by working professionals with more money than I have, who destroyed my food and wine hideout.

Anyhow, I disagree with the previous review in that although Guan Chuan Street is slightly out of the way, the attractive facade of the shop does stand out among the dingy shophouses beside it! It also helps that Le Bon Marche is right next door. The interior of the shop is well lit and clean. I was also amused by a faint yet distinct scent of tuna pervading the shop, which I still am unable to explain (Confectionaries don't make tuna puffs I think).

Getting down to it, the first anniversary promotion is still going on, so I got 4 pieces of cake. Grand Cru Royale, TX5, Citrusphere and Mont Blanc. My friend and I consumed all 4 pieces that same evening ostensibly to savor the cakes while they're still fresh, but in reality, because we're pigs.

Grand Cru Royale - It reminded me alot of my personal favourite from Canele, Le Royale, both in form and name. It did not disappoint, with the smooth chocolate mousse perfectly complemented by the Hazelnut Praline Crunch base. The chocolate taste wasn't overpowering, and the cake was very sweet. Quite a success, I would say.

TX5 - Apparently this cake consists of Valrhona Fine Chocolate in Five Textures; Cake, Cremeux, Cream, Mousse, and Salted Sheet. It was garnished with a piece of chocolate and some form of almond cookie. The garnish did not taste very good. The cake, however, came together quite nicely. Seamlessly even. The different textures melded together quite nicely and did the Valrhona chocolate justice! Rich and sinful, it was the heaviest of the cakes I tried.

Citrusphere - I mentioned that I ate all 4 cakes the same day. I should also mention this was done at the same sitting. I was alternating mouthfuls of the different cakes at first, and in hindsight this did not do the Citrusphere justice at all because the flavours were completely overwhelmed by the two chocolate cakes which I munched on first! After cleansing my palate I had another go at the Citrusphere, and it really surprised me. The Lemon and Whipped Meringue was extraordinarily light and refreshing. It was almost like foam and the subtle citrus taste was persistent throughout, and went with the airy lightness of the confection perfectly. On first glance the uniform white colour as well as the dome shaped exterior of the Citrusphere didn't really appeal to me aesthetically. It conveyed a sense of a uniformly sweet and creamy cake, and I was pleasantly surprised and glad to be mistaken.

Mont Blanc - Similarly I was underwhelmed by this cake when I took my first taste of it, but after waiting for a suitable interval and drinking copious amounts of water, my second taste was quite satisfying. The chestnut vermicelli cream was light, not as light as the citrusphere but it was close! The flavour was subtle and done very well, and there was a persistent savoury tang which I couldn't pinpoint initially. This combination of flavours went really well with the creme chantilly, and the result is a rather sophisticated confectionary as opposed to the simple, sweet and rich chocolate confections.

I wasn't too enamoured with how all the cakes had some sort of crunchy or crisp base - but maybe that was because I had trouble eating them with tiny coffee stirrers - I forgot to ask for disposable forks and I consumed them while studying in school at night.

Overall a satisfying experience, I will definitely be back. The location isn't too out of the way. Slightly pricey, but on a similar level with the sweets from Canele, along with the inherently better quality control that comes from running only one outlet! I hold the selfish hope that they don't expand because if they do, it would be difficult to maintain their impeccable standards.

If anyone else were to eat more than one of these cakes at a time, just a word of advice. Have the citrusphere or Mont Blanc before you overload your palate with chocolate!

I have been walking past CenterPS on my regular walks in Tiong Bahru for the longest time, almost a year in fact. It is situated next to Le Bon Marche, which is favourite of a certain Straits Times food reporter (who really needs to find new places to write about, her reviews revolve around merchandise from Le Bon Marche, Yamakawa and Meidi-ya), and has a downright sedate farcade. You'd just about miss it if you're driving past at speeds greater than 20 kmh.

Recently, my wife and i summoned the courage to enter the shop at about 8pm and was pleasantly relieved to see several cakes left in the display chiller. The staff announced that they're having a 1-yr anniversary promotion - 4 cakes for $21. What a bargain! I never did like Canele and seriously wanted this place to turn out better and cheaper, just to tell my friends what a shameful job Canele is doing for French pastry in Singapore.

After a long deliberation (apologies to the staff, i know you're almost closing), we picked the Grand Cru Royale, Mont Blanc, TX5 and Chocolate Tarte. Of course, we are not gluttons, so we had to devour the cakes over the next 3 days. The staff was patient enough to reassure us that the cakes would last that long and pack it nicely so it would balance well for our walk home.

This is our verdict for the 4 cakes:
Mont Blanc was the first to go, given its quintessential status in french confectionary. The chestnut paste was surreal. Light on the palette and fluffy. Subtle but evident chestnut flavour. Chantilly cream filling was magnificent, like an immaculate marshmallow puff. The base pastry had gone soft, however, because of the time it spent in our fridge.

The Chocolate Tarte was next. It was a simple ganache filled pie pastry but fulfilled its chocolatey mission. The ganache was smooth and balanced, just sweet and bitter enough to satisfy both camps. No tooth-sticking ganache here, it melts right away on the tongue. What a 'melt in your mouth, but not in your hands' moment. Pastry, again, was soft due to its storage in our fridge.

On the final day, we could resist not more! Both the Grand Cru and TX5 shared the same death anniversary. The Grand Cru was excellent. Smooth and light chocolate mousse sitting on a delicate, crunchy and moreish hazelnut praline base. To die for. The TX5 was a slight disappointment, maybe it suffered more gravely from the 2-day exposure to the cold storage. The chocolate flavour was pronounced on all levels, but the texture was gone. At best, it was an excellent chocolate cake, but truly and sadly, not a good showcase of good valrhona chocolate.

The cakes were good enough that for the past 3 days, they were the highlights of our day.

I am now tempted to exercise more just to gobble their cakes on a daily basis.

How on earth did this shop manage to hide from me this past one yr? This i could not comprehend. Hey come on. I have been a regular in Tiong Baru, Sin Hoi San was like an old neighbour and I thought I even knew the stray cats! But Centre Ps just had to allude me. With so much rattling on about this little cakeshop, I was like a bee to pollen. When I found, I said ahhhhh.... tot that used to be a hardware shop or something.

I wasn't very lucky when I arrived. On the displays were only 4 slices of cakes. Since their anniversary promotion thingy (4 for $21) was still on, I had to grab that 4, right? What were left were the new york cheesecake, the pisa, grand cru royale and the ebony ivory. Well, you can see the last 2 cakes here because the other two quickly made their way to my tummy before I could snap. Overall, the cakes are good. Rich, that is the way I like it. And sweet. What's the point of desserts if they are not rich and sweet? And since their macarons were looking so cute and nicely, I couldn't resist buying a box of 5 ($10). Don't ask me if the macarons are nice coz I'm gonna eat them later tonite. Somewhat, I am not convinced that Centre Ps is that good. I must come back for more cakes!!

And thanks for tempting me. Heh!

So far in two weeks, I have tried a total of 6 of their cakes/tarts in 2 trips.

Tucked away somewhere in Tiong Bahru(enter through TB market entrance opposite Link Hotel), the cheeful, bright pink and white walls will just catch ur attention. Cakes/ eclairs/ macroons are on display and the beauty of these mini creations will just catch ur attention.

My first time was thanks to my colleague who dropped me off here and I got a box of 3 cakes(Mont Blanc, Cru Royale, Pisa) and a chocolate tart for $21. They were having a promo then. Managed to have a nice chat with Mia(i think one of the business partners) about the chef and about the store. And the cakes were a hit!!

Mont Blanc - Chestnut Vermicelli Cream with Creme Chantilly on a French Meringue Disc and Sable
This was really good. The outer side is the Chestnut vermicelli cream. Quite light on the palate, slightly sweet and savoury. The creme chantilly was even lighter and went very well with the chestnut vermicelli. This is my favourite

Chocolate Cru Royale - I love this too. The chocolate was not too dense and again not too overwhelmingly sweet. like SC said, the base is crunchy and slightly sweeter but pairs well with the chocolate. Bf loved this cake n its 2nd on my list.

Pisa - Bourbon Vanilla Bean Bavaroise, Pistachio Biscuit Layers with Raspberry Compote
I ate this layer by layer. My favourite being the vanilla bean bavaroise and the pistachio layers. Another not too overly sweet desert, the lightest of the 3. The raspberry compote being the middle, sweetest component that ties the cake together. An intresting combination.

Chocolate Tart - Oh yum, bitter chocolate which is smooth, velvety on a crisp and slightly thick tart. need i say more.

2nd Visit
Made an online order beforehand and ordered

Mont Blanc (again)
Eclipse - Three Colour Chocolate of Frangipane Style Tart
TX5 - Valrhona Fine Chocolate in Five Texture; Cake, Cremeux, Cream, Mousse, and Salted Sheet
Choux Choux - Chocolate and Vanilla Cream Buns, Profiteroles style Tartlette with Almond Nibs

but they didnt have the Eclipse so got the
Bolero - Caramel Mousse with Hazelnut Cremeux and Spanish Orange Confit

when i went to collect the cakes, my bf mentioned that he wanted the Cru Royale so i asked to change the Bolero to the Cru Royale instead. The young lady serving us gladly obliged.

The TX5 was very intresting. The cake was the base, abit like a brownie it was quite dense and filled with walnuts, i liked the salted sheet which reminded me of salted caramel and all 5 elements really complimented each other. it was like an explosion of textures

But the Choux2 was heaven. each piece of the Chouquette was filled with lovely light cream and the chouquette itself was soft and savoury. The tart had lovely smooth custard in it and was crumbly yet quite crisp. I enjoyed eating one choquette after another n lastly devouring the tart.

just describing the cakes are making me crave them more. Its a shame that the location is soo far from where i stay. But heck that, i would make the trip even if i didnt have a car for these lovely creations. Theyre not only pretty but so delicious and rich.

I was lucky enough to even meet the Chef Patissier Steven Ong, a cheerful and friendly man, i really hope that he decides to open another shop(prefably in the central area like ct hall).

Centre PS is truly a gem and I admit that I am utterly, completely and hopelessly in love with it.

ps:ok so i only took 2 pics..cannot help it. the cakes are soo good i cnt be bothered to take pics..just devour!!!