Best Kept Hidden Secret Cafe in Upper East Coast-Siglap — Alto Cafe, Singapore

Bayshore Park has always been a landmark condominium. Back in the good old days when there were no GPS nor Grab, dwellers in Upper East Coast would tell taxi drivers to drive in the direction of Bayshore Park before giving specific directions to their destination once they reached Upper East Coast.  

Hidden within the compounds of Bayshore Park itself and already popular with residents is Alto Cafe.  Alto Cafe serves pretty simple fare (breakfast items, croissantwiches, pasta) done really well at very affordable prices.  The excellent comfort food is served within a leafy, Scandinavian decor.

Though they look young, owners Bash and his partner already have at least 15 years of  experience in the kitchen.  Their experience and finely honed instincts show in the balanced conceptualization of their dishes.

Spicy Chicken Croissantwich $13

Croissant, cheddar, mozzarella, trio capsicums, magic sauce, tomatoes, greens

I haven’t had a really competent croissant in a long time and this one hit the spot.  Baked daily in-house, the golden brown exterior was crusty and flaky while the white interior was chewy.  The zaatar chicken was completely filled with an exotic, mildly spicy flavour and should speak to how much time the chefs had spent marinating it.

Alto’s Breakfast $16

Chicken sausage or chicken or salmon, scrambled eggs, white button mushrooms, tomatoes, sourdough, butter, greens

The eggs were creamy and the salmon was delicious with the freshly squeezed lemon juice over it.

Surprisingly, the vegetables are more delicious than the proteins.  

The chefs have painstakingly removed the skins on the baby tomatoes and they are the right balance of sweetness and tartness.

On their own, the mushrooms may be a tad strong.  However, as the eggs and salmon were relatively humble in flavour, the mushrooms provide a welcomed punch to the palate.

The salad greens were the most delicious item on the plate.  I usually hate salads – they are so cold, but this one was warming, thanks to the olive oil and almonds.  

Parma Rosa (V) $15

Linguine, mix cream & tomatoes, Porto Bello, parmigiano

I am a die-hard meatarian but I decided to try a vegetarian dish in the interest of road-testing Alto Cafe to the max.  This unassuming plate of linguine confounded all expectations and was the best dish I have tried that day.

It did not taste “grassy” (my stereotype of vegetarian dishes) at all.  On the contrary, it was warming and creamy.  The surprise here was the very mild spiciness of the sauce that should appeal Singaporeans who need chilli to go with everything.

Alto Cafe is one of those rare gems in the Singapore of today that truly offers good value.

Alto Cafe

54 Bayshore Park Bayshore Road #01-01 Singapore 469979

Tel: 88409354

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