Colourful “Bacha Coffee-Inspired” Croissants From $2.50 At Muslim-Owned HDB Bakery

Chin Chih Lin

At first glance, One 18 Bakery looks like any other heartland bakery. A peek inside the nondescript Tampines HDB joint, however, reveals an array of artisanal treats including circular croissants (which went viral on TikTok last year) and colourful Danish pastries.

That said, the six-month-old shop doesn’t limit itself to just fancy pastries. One 18 Bakery – named after its unit number – also offers house-made kuehs, curry puffs and even nasi lemak and lontong in takeaway boxes outside the shop.

Its owner, Mahdi Bamadhaj, 43, tells 8days.sg that the expansive but random menu is meant to attract a broader clientele. “We open at 7am and customers [who are residents from the area] will grab them for breakfast,” he explains. While the curry puffs and packed meals are from suppliers, traditional treats like kueh salat and sugee cake are based on his mum’s recipes (“she used to run a small home-based kueh business a long time ago”)

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He’s a self-taught baker

For five years, Mahdi helped to manage his mum’s abaya (a loose-fitting full-length robe worn by some Muslim women) boutique in Geylang Serai. When Covid began affecting sales, she decided to wind down the shop and retire. “When I started to think about what to do next, opening a bakery was the first thing that came to mind,” he shares.

Despite a lack of formal pastry training and experience (he worked in logistics prior to managing his mum’s shop), Mahdi says baking has always been a passion. “I used to bake cakes for my family and friends. After my mum closed her shop, I thought it was time [to pursue baking seriously].” To do so, Mahdi enrolled in classes at a commercial baking studio in Kuala Lumpur, where he learned how to make croissants and other pastries.

Inspired by Tarik owner to take the plunge

Mahdi also credits popular Arab Street tea shop Tarik’s owner Ali Redha as an inspiration for finally opening his bakery. Ali and Mahdi’s younger brother were primary schoolmates and they’ve remained close family friends. “I was inspired by how he persevered and clocked the hours [to achieve Tarik’s current success]. He told me, ‘if you’re ready then just go for it’,” says the baker who welcomed a baby boy last year. “The toughest part [of starting my own business] so far has been juggling the bakery and my baby. But I think it’s good that I don’t start off being too comfortable as you can get complacent.”

Artisanal bakes are made in small batches

Customers are mainly residents from the area, with a good mix of all races. Initially, Mahdi chose to set up shop in Tampines as he saw potential in offering artisanal bakes in a heartland area – and is pleased to note that the decision has started to pay off. “Business has been picking up as more people have found out about us from social media,” he adds. The large variety of bakes is made in small batches throughout the day, and there’s a rotation of daily specials (check their Instagram page for updates)

Mahdi has employed three bakers to help with the daily workload, while he focuses on experimentation. “I’m always on the lookout for what’s trending,” he says. Recent creations include a vibrant stripy croissant “inspired by Bacha Coffee” and a new stuffing for his circular croissants – house-made chicken satay.

In the future, Mahdi hopes to provide seating for dine-in customers at his bakery. “It’d be nice if we can expand this unit and get a cafe licence so they can enjoy some coffee with our bakes,” he shares.

Plain Croissant, $2.50 each (min. two pcs)

These “Bacha Coffee-inspired” croissants definitely look the part, albeit with slightly more garish and colourful stripes. When we remarked on their festive appearance, the owner jokingly responded: “We’re ready for Christmas!”. They are also slightly larger and come at a more budget-friendly price compared to Bacha’s croissants, which cost $8 for two petite ones. While it doesn’t sport a perfect honeycomb interior and the layers aren’t incredibly airy and fluffy, the croissant has a lovely crispy crust and is satisfyingly crunchy. There’s also subtle richness and fragrance from the French butter used. At $2.50 a pop, it’s an enjoyable, pretty treat.

Beef Rendang Supreme, $6 (8 Days Pick!)

Boasting more layers, this circular croissant is flakier than the crescent-shaped version. All stuffed croissants are prepared to order, so the pastry doesn’t get soggy. There’s a range of savoury and sweet fillings – including this bestseller, beef rendang. The house-made rempah is robust and aromatic, and pairs well with the crispy layers of pastry. Very tasty, though the richness of the combination left us sated after a few bites.

Chicken Satay Supreme, $6 (8 Days Pick!)

The newest Chicken Satay flavour is worth a try as well. It features bigger chunks of well-seasoned meat, which lends a good bite to the croissant ‘sandwich’.

Pistachio Supreme, $5.50

This sweet, nutty option is subtler and less shiok than the savoury ones, but delicious nonetheless.

Sambal Ikan Bilis Classic, $4.50

The house-made sambal is spicy and the crispy ikan bilis adds chewiness and savouriness to the crispy croissant. Not bad if you’re looking for something with a kick, though we found the other savoury fillings to be tastier.

Ondeh Ondeh Roll, $8 (8 Days Pick!)

Fragrant pandan sponge stuffed with gula melaka cream and bits of palm sugar to emulate that delightful burst of caramelly sweetness that you get from ondeh ondeh. Yum.

Cinnamon Roll, $4.50

Soft, lightly sweet bread with a punchy cinnamon filling, though the roll could benefit from a more generous glaze.

Pulut Hitam Creme Brulee, $6

We were surprised to find this classic French dessert at a neighbourhood bakery. The creme brulee is caramelised to order with a blowtorch – though ours ended up slightly overdone. Still, we enjoyed the textural contrast between the rich, smooth custard and chewy black glutinous rice.

Suji Cake, $4

Among the traditional kuehs and cakes offered here, this is our fave. Pleasantly crumbly and nutty, the house-made sugee cake is rich, flavourful and has an intriguing floral hint from rosewater.

Bottom line

One 18 Bakery’s ambitious menu has a mix of hits and misses, though you can’t go wrong with the hearty circular croissants stuffed with beef rendang and chicken satay, as well as the fragrant ondeh ondeh-inspired Swiss roll. Apart from the plain croissants, we found the prices a little steep for a heartland bakery. We hope the bakery will whittle down its menu and focus on what we consider the highlights – artisanal treats with a Malay twist.

The details

One 18 Bakery is at #01-118, Blk 826, Tampines St 81, S520826. Open daily except Mon, 7am – 8pm. More info via Facebook & Instagram. Order online at one18bakery.com.

Photos: Kelvin Chia