It’s three days before the grand opening of the cosy and Insta-worthy new Cafe Bakeaholic on Springside Green. It’s nestled in a quiet mixed-use commercial-residential development, The Brooks ll, deep in Upper Thomson, near Yishun. 23-year-old Charmaine Hui bustles between the dining area and kitchen, rushing to put the finishing touches to her spacious two-unit cafe — all while her father, veteran Hong Kong actor Benz Hui, 70, calmly looks on from the sidelines.
Just five months ago, Charmaine started her home-based bakery, Bakeaholic (which 8days.sg covered), as a way to turn her passion for baking into a full-time business after the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled her grad school plans and she was stuck in the family’s Singapore home (she splits her time between Hong Kong and SG). At the time, Benz — known for his iconic roles in films like Running Out of Time and Line Walker — had been separated from the family since January, with only daily video calls to keep them connected, and no certainty on when they would next see each other again.
Now, the Singaporean PR is back in town, after flying back from Hong Kong with Charmaine and his Singaporean wife, Angeli at the start of December — just in time to help his daughter set up her cafe, which is a walk away from their family’s terrace house. “The three of us have been at the cafe pretty much every day since we’ve landed back in Singapore [and finished quarantine],” says Charmaine, who’s prepping for a soft opening on 21 December.
If you’re a hopeful TVB fan, you might just spot Benz sipping a latte at Cafe Bakeaholic once it opens.
All photos cannot be reproduced without permission from 8days.sg
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1/241/24“It’s crazy and doesn’t feel real.” -
2/242/24Finally reunited with Benz in HK -
3/243/24What’s Benz doing in SG? -
4/244/24Proud dad and mum -
5/245/24Handling renovations from HK -
6/246/24A team effort -
7/247/24Cafe finished two months from signing the lease -
8/248/24Incredible support from celeb friends in HK -
9/249/24A tough but rewarding journey ahead -
10/2410/24Will we see Benz at the cafe? -
11/2411/24The space -
12/2412/24The menu -
13/2413/24Genmai-Matcha Madeleines, $3.90 each; $22 for six (8 DAYS Pick!) -
14/2414/24Plain Bagel, $2.30; Cranberry Walnut Bagel $2.90 -
15/2415/24Matcha, Cinnamon Apple, Blueberry Lemon Jam; $14, $12, $16.50 a jar(8 DAYS Pick!) -
16/2416/24Lemon Blueberry Loaf, $5.20 a slice; $36 loaf -
17/2417/24Smoked Salmon Bagel, $10.90 per portion -
18/2418/24Cauliflower Chickpea Salad, $10 -
19/2419/24Cocoa and Matcha OrnaBombs, $8 for Cocoa; $9 for Matcha -
20/2420/24A fun drink -
21/2421/24Coming soon: Mochi Monsters, $3 per piece -
22/2422/24Coming soon: Donuts, $2.80 for Sugar and $3 for Cinnamon -
23/2423/24Coming soon: Pull Apart Milk Buns, $12 plain, $16.50 Matcha Lava -
24/2424/24The details