Indulgence

It's great to indulge in desserts now and then... but having such an outlet right in front of your doorstep can be devastating! This is the first branch of what could become a new patisserie chain. They have certainly opened in the right spot. Katong is a vibrant area, with lots of new creative food retail shops opening up around the area. In terms of desserts, I can mention Gobi, Obolo and Awfully Chocolate and they have all succeeded in Katong. Indulgence is designed for take-aways, although there are a couple of seats for those who can't wait and have the urge to tuck into their dessert asap. They are located right in front of the check-out of Cold Storage in Katong Mall, and they are open until late (22:00). My full review can be found at: http://foodieah.blogspot.com/2009/03/indulgence.html

Indulgence proposes a distinctly different style of desserts as compared to its neighbour competitors. Their chef was trained in France, and he produces a good range of classic French desserts. The initial impact is not as convincing of their closest rival, Canele'. However, once you will try some of their deserts, you won't regret of having indulged.

Apparently the most popular choice, the profiteroles ($1.50 each) are filled with a choice of custard or nougat cream. In my opinion, these should be eaten on the first day that they are delivered from their kitchens (deliveries happen on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays), otherwise they tend to dry up a bit.

I find their chocolate pavlova particularly exceptional. I love the way the meringue is internally layered with Valrhona chocolate, topped by a creamy contrast of milk chocolate and nougat mousse. A crunchy "chocolate caviar" tops the creation, adding an extra layer of texture.

It's not actually that easy to find a good Creme Brulee, even when you try it at some French Restaurants. Sometimes it's too 'eggy', sometimes too creamy, rich or soggy. Their vanilla creme brulee has the right balance of creaminess, sponginess and consistency, without feeling too heavy towards the end. They caramelise the top as you order, although they recommend that you should have it within a maximum of 2-3 hours since it's been caramelized in order to enjoy the crispy caramel topping. They also have different flavours besides the original vanilla, including Earl Grey, chocolate, coffee and cinnamon.

My second favourite is their version of tiramisu. It might be the Italian in me, but I can say that although this is not actually a tiramisu (it's a patisserie version, inspired to the original dessert), it's an extremely tempting variation. Like the original dessert, their tiramisu, exposes different layers of textures and flavours, keeping your interest throughout the eating experience!

Finally, I tried some of their pannacotta's, topped with fruit coulis. This has never been my favourite dessert in the first place, although I believe that they do it well. Maybe I am just not too keen on the traditional sweet/sour coulis topping , and I am waiting to see the launch of a more innovative pannacotta in Singapore.

I am extremely delighted to see new businesses such as this opening in Katong, especially when they are genuinely offering authentic, quality, adequately priced products as Indulgence does. They are still working on some new creations, so keep an eye on this space and pay them a visit!