Choupinette

We have been meaning to try this for years. But we avoid driving down Bukit Timah Road past the Farrer junction these days as much as possible due to the crazy traffic these days. I really dont know how SM Goh takes it.

Anyway, we had to go down that road yesterday so we finally did our stopover at Choupinette for brunch. Parking is down to pure fortuitessness. We managed to get a lot, so thankfully i would not have a stressed breakfast watching every minute to see if the meter maid was walking by.

I opened the menu and my first reaction was, "wow, this place is expensive!" Perhaps i was expecting a simple sandwich shop and bistro. But egg dishes for 20 bucks was really on the high side for me. I said these better be really good eggs.

Well, the eggs benedict did have very well poached eggs. But is it worth almost 20 bucks a plate. I really dont think so. I great price point for this dish would have been 12. The lasagne we had was also from yesterday i am sure. The cheese on top was hard and shrivelled, the classic sign of a lasagne that had been in the fridge overnight. And this too was over 20 bucks, and very average in terms of taste. The fact that it was a day old pissed me off even more.

Its a charming corner however and there was a humming brunch crowd, with some couples just reading newspapers like they have been married too long.

At these prices, i certainly wont be back. Brunch for 2 came out to almost 50 bucks. I would rather have gone to that corner bakery at Killiney Road which has very nice sandwiches and store baked bread at a price point of about half of Choupinette.

cosy place to hang out with friends on a lazy saturday morning with pretty good egg's benedict. prefer theirs rather than spruce's. think spruce has other better dishes. parking there can be a pain though.

Wifey has been working too hard during her peak period. We decided that she has to pamper herself with a decent breakfast before going to work this Saturday… With that, we returned to Choupinette for brekkie…

Once seated in the cozy little cafe, we placed our orders: a Ken’s Set ($10.00) and an Egg Royal’s ($21.00). Both of these come with a small fruit juice and any hot drink on their menu. I grabbed their Cappuccino, which to me was nothing spectacular.

The Ken’s Set consisted of a choice of any of their freshly baked viennoiserie. Wifey chose their Croissant and it was still warm and very nice with the butter & strawberry jam…

The Eggs Royal’s - eggs on toast with smoked salmon and hollandaise sauce… Everything was perfectly done: the poached eggs, the excellent smoked salmon, and the rich, creamy and buttery hollandaise sauce… What I don’t agree with is its serve size… I am pretty sure… if I open my mouth wide enough, everything will be gone in two mouthfuls!!

So obviously, we were not satisfied by the Croissant & the Eggs Royals… We topped up our orders with a Cheese Twist ($1.80) and a huge Praline Doughnut ($2.90) which were rather good…

The bill came up to $40.37 and I thought it was quite pricey considering the serve size was rather pathetic for that price. Don’t think we will be back for brekkie… but we will probably be back for their freshly baked viennoiserie.

If interested, all pictures and write-up of other reviews can be seen here...

Was exploring the eateries in the vicinity of the junction of Farrer Road // Bukit Timah Road and came across Choupinette, a French Cafe... Apparently, "Choupinette" means "Sweetie pie" in French...

Initially, I didn't think much of it at first... but still went in to have a look what Choupinette had to offer...

Immediately, wifey was attracted by the variety of breads available... like moth to a flame... I can read the conflict on her face... "Oooo this MUST be nice... OHHH that seems nice TOO.... Ahhh I want all of theseeeeeeeee as well!! But... But... But... the price!!..."

Personally, I don't think the price is an issue for these dainty French pastries if they were authentic and nice... Eventually, we ended up getting a couple of take-away items for tomorrow's Breakfast and a Cheese Twist on the go... Came up to a little over $10.00...

The cheery French cashier...(owner?) stuffed a huge bag of Hot-Cross Bun with our order and told us - "here this is free!! Heat it up and its divine with butter!! Happy Easter!!"... What a nice surprise!! Deep down, the thought that it may be near its used-by date did surface (blame it on KS (kia-si) syndrome), but upon closer inspection at home, the Hot-Cross Buns looked fine. I heat one up and eat it with some butter... and it was indeed divine!!

This area is not one we come by often, but I'd most likely be back for their breakfast or cakes & coffee in time to come... Also, I think Choupinette to be a nice & cosy place to laze the afternoon away...