I was invited to the media preview of Cédric Grolet Singapore which took place a few days before their grand opening on 14 September 2023. It was rather exciting to be walking into the brand new pastry store with their whole team of staff and people from the media industry. There was a lot of buzz and excitement in the air.
Cédric Grolet Singapore is the award-winning pastry chef’s fourth outlet and his first pastry shop in Asia. He specialises in creating hyper-realistic fruit desserts. So I guess his pastry creations are leaning towards art more than anything else. In Paris, his fruit desserts are priced at 17 euros each. That is pretty hefty I must say but what you get is probably a work of art which he invested hours in it to make it look exceptionally pleasing to the eye.
While we were there, they displayed their fruit desserts and mooncakes in tall glass canisters. Unfortunately, we did not get to try these desserts during the media preview. So you have to purchase and pre-order them online through their website. The desserts have been selling like hot cakes so it is best to order it early if you want to be one of the first to try it.
My review based on what I’ve tasted
During the session, they served croissants (SGD 8), Pain Suisse (SGD 16) and Pain Au Chocolate (SGD 10). They also served some savoury dishes and other pastries which I did not get to try as I needed to leave earlier. I was blown away by their croissants which looked seemingly normal but yet it is so soft and fluffy on the inside. It looks just like any other normal croissants and it isn’t very big or puffy either.
Yet, it tasted so heavenly and I dare say it’s simply the best. I haven’t tasted anything quite like this before and I guess this is what a really good croissant would taste like. It is not too buttery, oily or dry. It’s almost perfect and so well-balanced in all taste dimensions and textures. Now, that’s how good it is.
But as for the other two pastries, they weren’t as outstanding. The pastry layer wasn’t as flaky as the croissants and the chocolate filling was too bitter and rich for my liking.
As for the drinks, they are average-tasting. The price range of the drinks are around SGD 10 to 16. You can also find their full menu on their website too. They also offer champagne by the glass and bottle.
Is Cédric Grolet Singapore worth the hype?
Cédric Grolet is worth the hype. There are many people who would love to see him in person and take photos with him. As for his pastries, it is worth trying his croissants and fruit-based desserts at least once so just you can check your list of things to do and go around telling your friends and family that you’ve tried it. And that also gives you the bragging right to express your opinions on his pastries.
If you’re planning to visit his pastry shop, do make a booking online as I heard that they do not allow walk-ins and will forbid you to enter their shop. Also, the prices stated are inclusive of GST. There is no service charge.
Location
Address: 30 Bideford Rd, Level 1 COMO Orchard, Singapore 229922
Opening hours: 8 am to 6 pm
Getting there: It is about a 15-minute walk from Orchard MRT station. It is located within COMO Orchard, near the entrance. Walk towards Apple Orchard and walk straight down along Paragon, towards COMO Orchard.
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