Do.Main : Home-style, Casual French Bakery at Tanjong Katong Road

Do.Main is the brainchild of French pastry chef Frederic Deshayes. Started in December 2014, the bakery combines the best offerings from a French bakery and a French patisserie – good breads, pastries and dessert prepared using classical French techniques.

‘Do’ refers to ‘dough’, while ‘Main’ means ‘hand’ in French – the two essential tools for the preparation of French breads and pastries. Here, everything is made according to the uncompromising standards of Frederic Deshayes, from the must-have baguette and other French breads, puff pastries, tarts, Danish pastries, choux pastries, entremets to verrines.

Recently, Do.Main Bakery has rolled out a savoury menu. Based on home-style French classics inspired by the oven, the menu is jointly created by Chef-owner of Do.Main, Frederic Deshayes, with good friends Christophe Megel (founder of A-munition) and Stephane Istel (chef-owner, Bar-Roque Bar & Grill).

For a richly flavoured and textured French classic, the “Tartiflette” ($16), the ultimate French home comfort food, is a heady mix of Reblochon cheese, bacon, potato and confit onions. Do.Main also serves up a range of sandwiches, including Croissant Ham and Cheese, Curry Chicken with Salad; Tuna; Cream Cheese mixed with Sundried Tomato and Herbs and the Dagobert (cereal baguette with ham/cheese/marinated carrots – a classic from Belgium).

When it comes to soup, Chef Frederic looked to his mother-in-law, who shared her recipe for the Tomato Soup ($6.50) she serves up at home in Alsace, France. This soup is naturally thickened with bread, and served with toasted cereal bread at the side. Do.Main also features artisanal Charcuterie Platter ($20), which comprises of 3 hearty selections – Duck Pate with Pistachio, Pork Rillette, Kurobuta Ham, Assorted Artisanal Breads. Chef Stephane, who hails from the Alsace region in France, an area celebrated for its hearty French-style charcuterie, curates the selection, which changes monthly depending on seasonal ingredients.

The “Broken Eggs”, available in 3 different variations, is baked until it is half-cooked on a stone bake oven, and then served piping hot with strips of toasted cereal bread for dipping. The familiar French favourites, such as Cassolette of Bourguignon Snails, Tomato Fondue and Toasted Bread, served on a bed of tomato confit and topped with homemade garlic butter, is served with a mix of breads.

I like their rich and creamy “Mac and Cheese” ($14), featuring baked ravioli with comte cheese. The Red Wine Oxtail Stew Pie ($12) is also not bad. The soft and tender shredded oxtail is wrapped in a buttery and flaky crust. Not the best I have tried because I preferred it to have more flavourful sauce, but this stew pie is definitely very generous in their fillings.

Besides the bread and savory, you can enjoy a range of desserts to end the meal. We had “Bourdaloue Pear & Almond Tart” ($5), Salted Caramel Eclair ($5), White Coffee Cake ($8) and Royal Chocolate Cake ($8).

Here’s a group photo of Chef Frederic and his team.

Do.Main
Address: 226 Tanjong Katong Road Singapore 437015
Tel: 6348 1406
Website: www.do-mainbakery.com
Opening Hours: 8am – 930pm (Tues – Thurs); 8am – 1030pm (Fri – Sun); Closed on Mondays.