L’Atelier Tiramisu, The Central @ Clarke Quay (Singapore)

When we think about Italian desserts, one of the most popular desserts will spring to mind – tiramisu. Translating to “pick me up”, it is no wonder that this coffee-infused dessert became ubiquitous worldwide. It is normally just one of the several dessert items at Italian restaurants but not so for one café.

Opened sometime in mid-2013, L’Atelier Tiramisu (meaning “The Tiramisu Workshop”) specializes only in its namesake dessert.  Situated in a remote corner of The Central’s basement, the owner, Judith, and her French husband could be seen doing everything hands-on, overseeing the prep work for their tiramisu, making coffee and taking orders. The ambience and décor was minimalistic and very casual, and their drinks menu was just a short coffee list propped up at the counter, while their display chiller took center stage, featuring six variations of their specialty tiramisu – Classico, Dark Cherry, Lychee, Matcha, Pistachio and Brûlée. They have several size options, and their website allows ordering and customization of the 7″ ones, which is convenient for parties and events.

One of the first tiramisu I had when I was younger had coffee liqueur in it, and of course, being a kid, tasting alcohol felt kinda cool. More importantly, it lent such a wonderfully intense, boozy punch to the overall flavour of the tiramisu, hence my lifelong misconception that authentic tiramisu is one where the ladyfinger sponge biscuits have been soaked thoroughly with coffee liqueur or rum. Truth is, there was no alcohol in the original recipe of the traditional tiramisu, so moving forward, I have to change my expectations a tad.

Classico (SGD7.20)

The Classico stayed true to tradition, comprising of sweet, creamy mascarpone cheese layered with espresso-soaked finger biscuits, and topped with a dusting of cocoa powder and chocolate flecks.  The harmony of flavours and textures was pleasant without getting too cloying, and I ate quite a bit despite not being that huge a fan of tiramisu in general.

Dark Cherry (SGD7.20)

My pick was the Dark Cherry Tiramisu, which seemed to me like a fusion of tiramisu and one of my all-time favourite cakes, the Black Forest. Laced with orange liqueur, the sweet and slightly tangy cherries gave a refreshing pop of flavour, cutting nicely through the richness of the cream cheese and bitter coffee-soaked ladyfingers. Thumbs up from me!

Mocha (SGD5.50) with Ice (+SGD1.00)

As it was a sweltering day (like any other day lately), I got an Iced Mocha, but the strong coffee overpowered any hint of chocolate. Still, it was very good coffee and perked me right up amidst the humid afternoon. All their hot beverages can be served cold with a top-up of SGD1.00 for the ice – fair? The drink was served with a decorative tile “coaster” which served no purpose as the glass could slip around precariously on it. Not to get all pedantic but as I recall, a great chef once said, “Perfection is lots of little things done well”.

Although L’Atelier Tiramisu has been around for a couple of years and seemed to be known by many, it still felt like a hidden gem due to its obscure location and lack of queues outside. This is probably a good thing for them so that they can focus on being consistent in maintaining the quality of their tiramisu. It is not something one can/should eat every day but great for an occasional indulgence and I just might return to check out the other interesting flavours.

Overall rating: 6.5/10

Location:

L’Atelier Tiramisu
6 Eu Tong Sen Street
#B1-09 The Central @ Clarke Quay
Singapore 059817
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (Exit F)

Opening Hours:
Mon – Fri: 12pm-9pm
Sat: 1pm-8pm
Sun: 1pm-7pm

Website:
http://www.latelier-tiramisu.com/