8 November 2007
Tan Hsueh Yun
PS OF HEAVEN
Right next door to Le Bon Marche is a cake shop with a screaming pink and white sign.
Walk into Centre Ps (pronounced centrepiece), and you'll find another very pink wall.
I've never been so glad to see dark brown from the dark chocolate used in the rather fancy-looking cakes in the display case.
They are the creations of pastry chef Steven Ong, 39 (above), who is letting his imagination run wild and free after leaving the hotel industry, where he's worked for 20 years.
The unfettering was a good thing too. D'Tanjung Katong ($7 a slice), named after another old, charming area of Singapore that he likes, has a dark chocolate ganache and sweet, chunky bananas in between layers of coconut dacquoise.
I like how the bananas still have bite and provide a sweet counterpoint to the dark chocolate.
The cake sounds terribly rich, but it isn't.
Dark chocolate fans should try the Grand Cru Royale ($7 a slice) - a deeply chocolatey cake on a crunchy hazelnut base.
I've eaten more ethereal macarons ($18 for a box of 18) but I am going back for the chocolate and cafe creme ones.
The violet one, in a bright blue hue, is fantastic.
Ong says he's happy to customise cakes for his customers.
He also has a terrific sugee cake, made originally for a resident in the neighbourhood who used to go to the East Coast to satisfy her craving.
I had a taste of one of these cakes warm from the oven, and it was a springy, buttery thing.
Soon, the shop will also offer quiches, pies and pissaladiere, a Provencal-style pizza topped with caramelised onions, olives and anchovies.
hsueh@sph.com.sg
Centre Ps, 78 Guan Chuan Street, 01-43, tel: 6220-1285. Opening hours: 10am to 8pm (Mondays to Thursdays), 10am to 9pm (Fridays and Saturdays).
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