Ex-Noma Pastry Chef Sells Gelato & Pastries At Newly Reopened Le Matin In Buona Vista

Sourdough brioche rolls for brekkie and lunch

At Le Matin Petit (10am to 2pm), the menu is focused on a compact selection of sourdough brioche rolls. There are four to choose from: Truffled scrambled egg ($13), fish and chips ($14), Red Hot Fried Chicken ($15) and braised beef cheek banh mi ($16). You can choose to make a meal of it with soup, salad or fries ($3 each), and wash it down with coffee, tea or kombucha.

Elevated gelato

In Apres Gelato mode (2pm to 9pm), it’s all about icy, creamy confections. And, when chef Matin is involved, you can expect elevated ingredient and flavour combinations made with finesse. Gelatos currently include Brown Butter Jerusalem Artichoke, Pink Guava with Sour Plum, After 8, Toasted Rice and Pear and Ginger ($6 for a single scoop). You can choose to have yours in a cup, a waffle cone or with brown butter waffles. It’s also available for takeaway in 500ml and 1,000ml portions.

Why gelato? “Because I like to eat gelato,” Matin quipped. “People always ask me if I’m sick of eating my own food. I’m like, ‘No!’” His personal favourite flavour is the After 8, a marriage of mint and cacao nibs reminiscent of the classic mint chocolate thins. “I try to do more interesting flavours. But, if people don’t want to try the gelato, we have vanilla soft serve.”

There are also parfaits built with fruits like strawberries or mango, layered on vanilla soft serve.

Popular pastries available on weekends only

Pastry fans should wait until the weekends to come by, as the bakes that first propelled Le Matin to virality are only available Fridays to Sundays in a condensed selection that includes the crowd favourites of kouign-amann, pain au chocolat, pistachio escargot, macadamia pain Suisse and Fermented Mushroom Quiche.

But you can enjoy cakes all day

Cakes are available all day, including the Hazelnut Paris Brest, Pistachio Textures and Kombu Tart. In addition, there’s now a small selection of merchandise including T-shirts and tote bags.

While the menu isn’t as large as the one at Le Matin’s previous restaurant at Ion Orchard, which closed in 2024, the quality of the bakes remains unchanged.

“I call it Le Matin Petit because we downsized the menu. For example, there are four flavours of sourdough brioche rolls, four sweet pastries and four savoury pastries,” Matin explained.

Matin worked for two years as pastry sous chef at Noma — the award-winning haute restaurant in Copenhagen that has been in the news lately because of abuse allegations levelled at its chef-founder René Redzepi by ex-staff.

Chill vibes here

What Le Matin Petit lacks in size, it makes up for in vibes.

He likes the “chill” atmosphere of his new location and the return to a casual, more rustic setting similar to what he had at his very first bakery in Raeburn Park, which he started during the pandemic. “I wanted to bring back Raeburn Park vibes,” he said. “And, I can interact with people more as well.”

He added: “I think a lot of people have missed Le Matin for the past two years. We’ve got new stuff, we’ve got old stuff, and I can’t wait to feed you guys again.”

Le Matin Petit/Apres Gelato is located at 3 South Buona Vista Rd, #01-05 Viva Vista Shopping Mall, S118136. Closed on Mon & Tues. More info via Instagram.

Source: CNA/my

The original version of this story first appeared in CNA Lifestyle.

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