Le Matin Patisserie Makes the Art of Pastry Making an Impossibly Chic Trend in Singapore
Not many pastry cafes can flaunt credentials as lavish as Le Matin Patisserie, a pastry phenomenon that took Singapore by storm during the COVID epoch. That’s because at its helm is Chef Mohamed Al-Matin, a prolific pastry chef whose lustrous resume can prove blinding.
With exalted heavyweights such as Noma —the Three-Michelin-Starred restaurant that’s also crowned the No. 1 Restaurant in the World— and Two-Michelin-Starred Restaurant Andre enriching his experience, Chef Matin is a bona fide Michelin-Star-Studded pastry rockstar.
After establishing an assertive online foothold over Singapore’s pastry scene, it was only inevitable that Le Matin’s first sit-down cafe materialised at Tanjong Pagar.
The concept is manifested as a clean white cafe, laden with chic golden accoutrements, breaking from the mould of vogueish, envelope-pushing patisserie — an apt marriage of Chef Matin’s modern ingenuity and classic French influences as Le Cordon Bleu alumnus.
With a brick-and-mortar as long-anticipated as Le Matin’s Patisserie, it bears no mentioning that the 77 Robinson cafe space was instantaneously seething with hordes of pastry aficionados. But to allay crippling public hysteria from missing out, another outlet was also recently opened at Paragon.
The art of Pastry Making
The position of a patissier is one that requires fastidious attention to detail and deft finesse. To achieve perfection in classic French pastries is a painstaking endeavour in itself. As such receiving plaudits claiming that Le Matin makes the best Kouign Amann ($7.50) in Singapore is surely no small feat.
Unlike the unostentatious discus shape of many Kouign Amann in Singapore, the rendition here carries a distinctive facade. As far as the pastry goes, this rotund silhouette is more faithful to the true cake-like mould of the Kouign Amann.
And the Le Matin Kouign Amann can be a thing of beauty — pristinely glazed, exquisitely layered, and gratuitously flakey. True elegance in simplicity. Truth be told, I hold my memory of my virgin Le Matin Kouign Amann with the highest regard.
Sad to say, the one I was handed here at the 77 Robinson space fell short of that nostalgia. Delicate layers were still seamlessly weaved into those outer rings but the core was marred by a slight chew arising from unwarranted density. Good nonetheless but foundered below the lofty standards set by Le Matin itself.
Bold, Unique Flavours
On the flip side, Le Matin is not just merely about classic technical astuteness as the patisserie’s creations like the Kombu Tart ($9.50) ventured into experimental territory.
A fabulous proof of concept — amalgamating the distinct savoury heft of cardamom, lemongrass and ginger toffee, all assiduously layered upon a tart fashioned out of Japanese Kombu. Remarkably intriguing profile, but that boisterous umami can get slightly surfeit without the buttress of acidity or zest.
Similarly, the Escargot Escargot ($13) gave a unique impression of a savoury Escargot pastry while quirkily borrowing from the humble snail. What separates Le Matin from the other patisseries is a bold choice of embedding Escargot within the pastry,
An intoxicating riot when jumbled together with a herbaceous, sharp, and slightly piquant Chimichurri that brimmed with garlicky punch. Even so, the Escargot might be a tad superfluous in the grand scheme of things and could have helped alleviate some of the costs of the pastry.
One thing is apparent throughout Le Matin’s menu though — prices can be a slight aberration. Be that as it may, I think it’s fair to say the premium is a reasonable embodiment of the immaculate craft needed to fashion these pastries and many wouldn’t hesitate for the quality on show.
Skip Le Matin’s Coffee
While I wouldn’t advise against getting a cup of the White ($5, $6/iced) at Le Matin, the Black ($4, $5/iced) coffee is one to steer clear of.
As much as the White was smooth and robust, it doesn’t depart from the CBD coffeehouse archetype — but remains a dependable choice for those who aren’t overly picky. In contrast, the Black was unbalanced and tediously dark, hence monotony is likely to seep in faster than usual.
I would conclude that Le Matin Patisserie is given the fanfare it deserves, due to Chef Matin’s dedication to the highest standards of pastries you can find in Singapore.
It’s certainly justified to be included in your itineraries but it may be challenging to assuage some for return visits given Le Matin’s steep prices, which might reflect in some disappointment.
You can also buy their pastry boxes online here.
Le Matin Patisserie
- Address: 77 Robinson Rd, #01-03, Singapore 068896
- Hours: (Wed–Sun) 9am–5pm
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