Bao Er Cafe opens new outlet in Holland Village, serving its popular kaya toast and Hokkien mee
Opening on Jul 1 within a shophouse at Lorong Mambong, the new spot will operate under the Bao Er Cafe banner – but with extended hours and a dinner focus that sets it apart from the original Balestier location.
Bao Er is best known for its delicately light and crisp toast dripping with lemak kaya, as well as wok hei-laden Hokkien mee – all served in a no-frills setting in drab Balestier Plaza.
SAME MENU, EXTENDED HOURS
The Holland Village Bao Er will serve the same crowd-pleasing menu that made the original famous: Super thin toast with a thick slab of SCS butter and homemade kaya with freshly squeezed coconut milk, smoky Hokkien mee that draws long queues, plus wok hei bee hoon.
However, prices will be closer to those at Treasure Toast – S$8.80 for the Hokkien mee (vs S$8 at Balestier) and S$6 for the kaya toast set (vs S$5 at Balestier).
YOU CAN PURCHASE THEIR KAYA BY THE JAR
For now, no new dishes have been planned. "Our manpower is too limited to handle new dishes at the moment," Tan explained. However, fans of their signature kaya can take some home – the luscious spread is sold in 250ml plastic containers for S$7.50.
Unlike the Balestier outlet, which opens from 8am to 8pm, the new Holland Village one will operate from 7am to 10pm daily, making it Tan's first foray into a proper dinner service. 'We've always wanted to target areas like Serangoon Gardens, Holland Village – the nightlife there is better for serving dinner as well,' he says.
Tan and his wife Thai will be personally manning the kitchen at Holland Village for now, ensuring consistency.
STEEPER RENT AT UNIT WHERE PREVIOUS TENANT "RAN AWAY"
This HV joint seats about 70 diners, a mix of air-conditioned and al fresco seats, versus the 50-plus seats at Balestier. Expect a vibe more in line with Treasure Toast's minimalist and casual aesthetic than Balestier's old-school feel.
"The rent is steep in this area," Tan said, noting that he and his wife Thai, alongside their business partner, invested around S$200,000 to convert the space, which was formerly occupied by a mala hotpot shop called Spicysichuan SG 辣食你.
According to Tan, the previous operators 'ran away' without notice, leaving the place vacant. Despite the previous tenant breaking the contract, he says they didn't enjoy a rental discount. 'We got the same rate as the previous tenant,' he added.
WHY HOLLAND VILLAGE?
Meanwhile, Tan shared that business at Treasure Toast is 'sustainable', even after the initial media hype and buzz died down. But he admitted that aside from busier lunch hours, its CBD location means it's "quite quiet at night". Tan hopes that his upcoming Holland Village eatery will have better evening footfall to justify its extended operating hours and higher rent.
UNLIKELY PARTNERSHIP WITH OPTICAL SHOP BOSS
This marks the second collaboration between Tan and his childhood pal, also named Jeremy (Wong), 39, following their Treasure Toast partnership. The latter is the owner of optical chain W Optics and the two have known each other since they were six years old.
The division of labour remains the same: Tan and his missus handle the kitchen, while their partner leverages his optical chain business experience to manage backend operations, accounting and rental negotiations.
BAO ER BALESTIER STILL DRAWING CROWDS
Tan shared that business at Bao Er in Balestier is still going strong. 'Revenue is very consistent.' The outlet continues to draw loyal fans – with average waiting times of 20 to 30 minutes during peak hours. 'Parking is easier there and prices are lower,' he reasoned. That being said, the upcoming Holland Village outlet is a key piece in Tan's ambitious plans. "Once our Holland Village outlet is in place, we will look for more locations to open shop – not all central. So there will be a Bao Er located in the north, south, east, west, too'.
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