This Unassuming Old School Bakery In Katong Is Home To S’pore’s Best Banana Pie

There is a familiar nostalgic feeling when I first patronised this old school bakery located in a quite corner at the basement of Katong Shopping Centre.

It reminded me of those days my nenek would take me to my neighbourhood bakery and I’d beg her to get me my favourite rainbow-sprinkled donut.

My friends claimed that Dona Manis Cake Shop in Katong makes the best Banana Pie in Singapore. I knew I had to try this one for myself to believe it. 

Famous Old School Bakery In Katong

As I headed down to the basement level of Katong Shopping Centre, all I saw were rows of domestic helper and travel agencies.

I wondered, “Why in the world would Singapore’s famous old bakery be located here?”

After making a couple of turns, there she was, in all her glory. 

[caption id="attachment_34495" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Image Credit: Discover SG[/caption]

Upon reaching, I met the owner of Dona Manis, Mdm Soh Tho Lang and her husband, Mr Tan Keng Eng, who were busy prepping their bakes for sale. 

At first glance, anyone can tell that running this bakery involves a lot of labour. It was a lot of hard work for someone of their age.

[caption id="attachment_34496" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Madam Soh Tho Lang and Mr Tan Keng Eng, owners of Dona Manis[/caption]

Their bakes are made and sold in this one unit shop. Everything about this bakery was outdated but it definitely gave off safe and homely vibes. 

Nothing about this bakery screamed “OMG I NEED A PICTURE FOR THE GRAM” but I was so excited when I saw trays of freshly baked cream puffs. 

I was immediately sold when I took my first bite. It was like biting into a cloud. I don’t know what she puts in her cream puffs, but it was highly addictive. The cream was really light and not overly sweet.

[caption id="attachment_34497" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] The best Cream Puffs I’ve ever had[/caption]

It took me less than 5 minutes to devour everything – I have zero self-control when it comes to cream puff. Each box comes with 5 cream puffs for only $3.50!

You can’t leave Dona Manis without getting their famous Banana Pie as well. A slice will cost you $2.50 and $25 for a whole pie.

[caption id="attachment_34498" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Dona Manis’ famous Banana Pie[/caption]

This Banana Pie is what I’d describe as the perfect cure to a broken heart. The pie that will comfort you and make you forget about all your problems. This pie that knows how to treat you right. Who needs Ben and Jerry’s ice cream when you have Dona Manis Banana Pie?

Its buttery base was the perfect complement to its sweet banana filling, while the bits of grated coconut and roasted almonds on top added a new dimension of texture to each bite.

This was the Banana Pie I’ve been searching for all my life.

[caption id="attachment_34499" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Image Credit: Discover SG[/caption]

This was the first pie I’ve had in a long time that is perfectly balanced and not jelak at all. It’s no wonder that Dona Manis’ Banana Pie is touted as the best in Singapore.

My trip to Dona Manis was a fruitful one. I left with a bag of goodies and a huge smile on my face. I bid goodbye to Mdm Soh and told her I’ll come back for another helping of Banana Pie and Cream Puffs.

Dona Manis is Singapore’s hidden gem. Heck it should even be considered as a Singapore National Monument. You won’t find bakery shops like Dona Manis in Singapore anymore. This humble bakery is truly worth a visit.

Dona Manis Cake Shop
Address: 865 Mountbatten Road, #B1-93, Katong Shopping Centre, Singapore 437844
Opening Hours: Mon: 9am – 5pm, Tue – Sat: 9:30am – 6pm
Contact No.: 6440 7688
Website

Also Read These 10 Bakeries In S’pore Serve The Best Bread – And They All Deserve A Toast

(Header Image Source: Discover SG)

These Unassuming Brown Boxes Contain A Different Curated Dessert Experience Every Month

Rose tea, gold leaf soft serve ice cream, rainbow prata… it seems every other week, some new type of food emerges onto Singapore’s food scene.

With the incredible variety of eats for us to choose from, it can all be a little overwhelming, even for the biggest foodies among us.

If you’re fan of food, but not so much the clutter that’s on our plates these days, Pare is here to help.

A Box Of Goodness Every Month

Pare was born out of its founders’ philosophy of trimming away the excess in the food scene today. A monthly themed dessert box, each month presents a different theme, and with it, a different kind of bake.

That means you can expect anything from cookies to macarons, to apple pies, depending on what kinds of produce are in season, and the story its creators – Felicia and Geraldine – wish to tell.

Last month, the box was themed around the duo’s childhood dreams of a fruit tart, inspired by the Enid Blyton books they read as children.

[caption id="attachment_30801" align="alignnone" width="1417"] Image Credit: Pare[/caption]

This month, it was a tea set that was all about the scone.

The box contained 3 scones and 3 accompaniments including jams and creams! This was inspired by the hours they would spend in cafes during their travels, slowing down, reflecting on life over a pot of tea. To complete the experience, it even came with a custom-blend floral black tea!

[caption id="attachment_30799" align="alignnone" width="3733"] Image Credit: Pare[/caption]

The scones came in 3 different flavours: Classic cream, lemon basil, and rosemary grana padano. These were paired with wild berry compote, honeyed cream, and roasted garlic cream cheese.

[caption id="attachment_30800" align="alignnone" width="5184"] Image Credit: Pare[/caption]

With each release, Pare hopes to share with the world a bit of magic, drawing from the stories of their childhood to the fleeting moments of everyday.

Next month, they will be presenting an entirely different concept.

Fastest Fingers First

Because the baking duo believe in serving only good things and pay great attention to detail, all their bakes are small batch only – specifically, they produce 10-15 boxes each month for a very lucky group of 10-15 people who manage to put in their orders first.

You order a box, pick it up, and enjoy it wherever and however you want!

[caption id="attachment_30803" align="alignnone" width="1508"] Image Credit: Pare[/caption]

The bakes come packaged in a recyclable brown carrier box – rustic, minimal, and oh-so-Instragrammable!

Have it in your office on a gloomy day, put on some good tunes and enjoy your bakes in the comfort of your own room, or gift it to a friend!

[caption id="attachment_30824" align="alignnone" width="1080"] Image Credit: @pare.sg[/caption]

Unfortunately, Pare rarely revisits and re-features an old box, but they’re not opposed to the idea if there is strong demand for a certain one. Look out for the surprise releases they hold occasionally, where they sell some of their baked items in very limited quantities. Whatever it is, the rule is always fastest fingers first.

To make sure you don’t miss out on Pare’s bakes, be sure to follow them on Instagram. The pair tease new releases on their stylish Instagram feed, and once these hints are out, it won’t be long before you can start putting in your order!

Prices differ from box to box, depending on the bakes and experience you’ll be receiving.

Love baked goods that taste and look amazing? Keep an eye out for Pare because they’ll be rolling out some amazing bakes in the coming months!

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