Chin Mee Chin Confectionery Is Back (And Better Than Ever) With Charcoal-Toasted Buns & Pastries Along East Coast Road!

Chin Mee Chin Confectionery is finally open for business! The old-school Katong favourite’s reopening has been a highly-anticipated one ever since it was first announced that they will be back with a fresh new look and menu in March. Despite Phase 2 Heightened Alert putting a damper on their plans, their first day saw an impressive line of long-time fans eager to get their hands on the famous kaya toasts and pastries. 

For the uninitiated (or those too young to know about this place), Chin Mee Chin Confectionery, which was founded by Mr Tan Hui Dong, has been a household name in Katong since 1925. The family business then saw closure in 2018 for two years before it was revived in partnership with the Ebb & Flow Group.

The confectionery has settled comfortably along 204 East Coast Road — the place where it all started. Nostalgia abounds in the mosaic floor tiles, wooden furniture and simplistic white walls. The outdoor patio is a bit more modern, with pale blue and white walls and potted greenery. 

Apart from the classic kaya toast and soft-boiled eggs combo, the revamped menu sees a mix of savoury and sweet goods that are perfect for breakfast and afternoon tea. The bread and pastries are in especially high demand; once they’re sold out, even the cashiers can’t confirm what time the next batch will be ready. 

There’s the all-time favourite Luncheon Meat Bun ($2), Hae Bee Hiam Bun ($2.20) and Otah Bun ($2.20). If you’re craving for something sweet, their collection of pastries include Chocolate Cupcakes ($1.80), Cream Horn ($2), Sugee Cake ($2.30) and Chocolate Peanut Butter Tarts ($2.20). 

I decided to get the full kaya toast and eggs set that came with a drink and upgraded it to a milo dinosaur ($6.20). The pillowy buns were toasted over charcoal and slathered with their signature fragrant kaya spread alongside a slab of butter. I would have preferred a bit more crunch for the bread but it still made for a heavenly combo with the creaminess of the kaya and butter. 

The soft-boiled eggs were cooked to perfection. Mix it up with the dark soy sauce and pepper before dunking the kaya toast in! As for the milo dinosaur, they were no doubt generous with the milo powder on top and I appreciated how the beverage itself wasn’t excessively sweet. 

They also serve good ol’ Kopi ($1.60) and Teh ($1.70), both hot and cold. The teh had an intense flavour that didn’t get diluted from the addition of milk. As for the kopi, it went down well without any lingering notes of acidity. 

Expectations were high for the Luncheon Meat Bun but unfortunately, they dipped a little once I received it. The ratio of meat to bread saw the latter being higher and I wish the cut of luncheon meat was thicker. The bread was just as soft as the ones for the kaya toast so no complaints there. 

Sweet-tootheds will love the Gula Melaka Coffee Chiffon Cake ($2.20). Texture-wise, it was very fluffy and the definition of a superb chiffon cake. The aroma of coffee could stand to be stronger though, as I felt the sweetness of the gula melaka took precedence over everything else. 

My favourite, however, was the Cheesecake Brownie ($2.60). Talk about a perfect balance; the savouriness of the marbled baked cheesecake gelled with the richness of the thick brownie like a dream. 

Despite their two-year hiatus, it was lovely to see that they’ve managed to retain so much history, and the throngs of fans showing their support. It’ll be a while before the queues die down but I can at least guarantee that you’re in for a delicious taste of nostalgia.

MissTamChiak.com made an anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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