Grand Jeté Cafe & Bar – Hidden Japanese Fusion Cafe in Town

This hidden cafe in Takashimaya is a cosy hideaway which serves Japanese-Western fusion food. Apart from hearty sandwiches, they have pastas, healthy salads, a selection of rice bowls and a variety of Japanese pastries. Their signature pastry is the Apple Pie, an all-butter flaky pastry that encases large pieces of Japanese apple. It is advertised on standees throughout the interior and exterior of the store, and is a MUST TRY.

What’s even better is that Grand Jete only uses the freshest products air flown all the way from Japan. The quaint little cafe is owned by a Singaporean who stayed in Fukuoka, the capital of the Fukuoka Prefecture which sits on the Northern shore of Kyushu Island in Japan. It has a casual and cosy ambience, with wooden furnishings and friendly service.

Note that they are situated outside of Takashimaya Shopping Centre (after passing through the walkway with Tower B lifts). While it may be difficult to find the first time round, its a great spot tucked away from the hustle and bustle of town to grab a cup of joe and a sweet pastry.

Their bestsellers are listed on the chalkboard, and the crowd favourite seems to be the Double Decker Tonkatsu ($14.80 for whole, $6.40 for half). 2 pork cutlets, along with cabbage, are sandwiched between white bread, and completed with tonkatsu sauce, butter, sesame dressing mayonnaise and hot mustard. Japanese white bread is also known as milk bread and has a soft and buttery texture, unlike the archetypical white bread. We liked that milk bread was used in this sandwich. The tonkatsu was extremely tender and crisp. Being freshly fried upon order, the warm tonkatsu was exceptionally crispy. It was not oily at all! We liked that the tonkatsu was thick and juicy, yet the batter was airy and light.

This sandwich is good for big eaters as the double slices of tonkatsu fills you up quickly. If you’re looking for a quick bite, get half of the sandwich instead. The sandwich also comes with fried lotus chips which have a sweet aftertaste, and are not as heavy as fries. A small side of salad is served together as well.

We also tried the Japanese Keema Curry ($14.50). Keema curry basically refers to a curry dish made using minced meat. Traditionally, it is an Indian dish that has been introduced and adapted into Japanese cuisine since the 1950s. Here at Grand Jete Cafe, minced beef is used in the keema curry. The curry is not spicy, and is unlike the watery versions you might get at other Japanese curry establishments. It is more dry and paste-like. The menu states that it comes with long beans, carrot, tomato and potato, but sadly, they were missing from our curry. The onsen egg was cooked perfectly though! After being mixed, the minced beef curry coats each rice grain adequately, leaving it glisteningly smooth and savoury. We liked that they used authentic Japonica rice which had a nice mouthfeel. The portion of beef was rather generous, but the overall serving runs small.

Grand Jete has a small selection of 6 pastries/desserts for diners to indulge in after their meal. Their signature item which is freshly baked multiple times throughout the day is the Apple Pie ($3.40). The pie has Japanese apple in a flaky pastry coated with sugary sweet syrup. Advertised as “crispy pie, crunchy apples, mildly sweet”, the apple pie sure lives up to its reputation. It is baked to mouthwatering perfection and smells heavenly. Upon ordering, the pastry is heated up before being served. The buttery and flaky crust simply melts in your mouth after you take a bite, while the sides have a crisp and satisfying crunch. The addition of caramalised apples is the cherry on top! 

Simply put, Grand Jete Cafe is a place that we’d want to visit again. Other fusion items which are also on their ‘Must Try’ list include the Demi-Glace Meat Sauce ($16.50) which has long-hour cooked special demi-glace meat sauce on top of minced beef and parmesan, and the Cino & Nara ($16.50) which is a combination of peperoncino and carbonara. It has olive oil, garlic, lady finger, egg and bacon. Sounds like heaven on a plate!

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

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