Artisan Boulangerie Compagnie Revisited

A few months ago when I visited Artisan Boulangerie Compagnie at Killiney Road, only knew a second one was due to open in Great World City at the end of the year. It opened in October while the following month, another opened at The Metropolis. In December, two more opened at Asia Square Tower 2 and VivoCity. Looks like this French bakery led by award-winning baker Eran Mayer is set to stay. So how does it compare to Paul (also French), Japanese's Maison Kayser, Korean's Paris Baguette and local Tiong Bahru Bakery?

New Kid on the Block – Artisan Boulangerie Compagnie

After a night of supporting the Sundown Ultramarathon at East Coast Park, all I wanted was to head back for a hot shower and good sleep but I was outnumbered. One had been raving so much about Tim Ho Wan's Baked Buns with BBQ Pork that another was eager to try the world's cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant. Though the queue was expected to be long on Sunday mornings perfect for yum cha, we decided to try our luck at Plaza Singapura's branch. Waiting time of 75 minutes was too much especially for the sleep-deprived, so we left and were driving along Killiney Road when I recalled that a new French bakery had opened. A quick check for its name and address, availability of a parking lot and a table meant we were destined to dine at Artisan Boulangerie Compagnie. Opened on 26 Aug and run by mover and shaker of the baking world Eran Mayer, it is owned by The Zest Group – an F&B company which also invests in brands such as Twelve Cupcakes.

Marutama Ramen

With an orange logo reminiscent of basketball and a name which sounded like "his/her mother" in Chinese, Marutama Ramen opened its 1st branch at Central in 2007. My dining companions and I tried it many years ago, not long after it opened. Recalled how we were not seated until all of us had reached the restaurant on the 3rd floor though the only one yet to be in the queue was already exiting Clarke Quay MRT Station when it was our turn. Marutama Ramen has a simple menu with limited choices and serves Hakata thin noodles in chicken broth. Vaguely remembered I liked its springy ramen though another dining companion prefers Santouka, located on the 2nd floor within the same shopping mall. More branches had since opened at Liang Court, Suntec City and Killiney Road (note that the one at United Square has closed). Chanced upon the latter, not listed on its website, on a weekday evening and there was no queue.