A little bit of Paris in Singapore

Asians, in general, aren't that much into desserts, especially those cloyingly sweet ones.  Much to my surprise, I found lots and lots of bakeries and pastry shops springing up like mushrooms after rain this last trip to Asia. I suppose the local bakeries and cake shops have always been around but I don't ever recall seeing that many French-style pâtisseries (and they even carry the French term "pâtisserie on their signboards) during my last trip home.

Layered cakes, entremets, charlottes with fruits not indigenous to this region yet one can easily forget that one's no longer in Paris while browsing through the plethora of French-style desserts here.

An interesting take on one of my favorite French pastry - take a guess at what these are - they aren't doughnuts.

Paris Brest, a truly Parisian pastry finds it way here, albeit customized to suit local tastes.

Chocolate cakes and desserts dominate the display shelves here.......

And of course, one should expect to find the French classic, the Opera in this tiny, ambitious, we-have-it-all Republic. I tasted a slice of L'Opera from pâtisserie Canelé, one of the top French-style pastry chain in Singapore. Aesthetically on the mark but flavor and texture-wise? Missed by a mile, unfortunately.

As usual, I taste-tested a variety of their pastries - most were good, but none truly spectacular. Whether it was the paired-down less-sugary-less-buttery attempt to suit local tastebuds or the sweltering humidity or the ever-boisterous decibels - it was always crowded everywhere we went - my pastry-tasting experiences in Singapore fell short of spectacular. I did, however, like the thoughts they had put into their packaging:
A packet of silica gel inserted in each box of pastries, a necessity in humid weather:

 Sturdy, well-designed boxes in various sizes, with double- tabs for a tight close:

If I had to pick, this would be one of the better desserts I've tasted during my stay there: matcha mousse with chestnut cream on a layer of matcha biscuit from Canelé

I was surprised to see a version of this - it was one of the three items on our final exam just weeks ago: Plaisir. 

I didn't get to photograph this but they even had the Galette des Rois, the cake to celebrate Epiphany, a typical European (especially French) celebration but an event that's not typically celebrated in Asia. Then again, in a city-state where expatriates and foreign workers represent a-third of the population, there should be no surprises to find a proliferation of imported products, ideas and cultures.
So what if you were thousands of miles away and couldn't ring in the New Year's on Champs de Mars, with a clear view of Eiffel in front and a glass of bubbly in your hand? Well, they have their own London Eye  (the Singapore Flyer) and a version of Sydney's Opera House (the Esplanade) but  until they erect the next Eiffel Tower on this tiny island, then a late-night repas at DB Bistro Moderne (by none other than the renowned French chef Daniel Boulud) would just have to do.
Starters: gougères

 Tomato Tarte Tatin

Casserole Provençale: seafood in saffron broth

on the mark: a very delicious Duck Confit

 Chocolate-blueberry cake - definitely the best French pastry I've tasted on the island