Windowsill Pies

Windowsill Pies
78 Horne Road

95 Soo Chow Walk

http://windowsillpies.sg/


Eat (More Than) Humble Pie

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 9
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 9
Value for Money: 8
Spent about SGD $12 per person.


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Picture Credits: Windowsill Pies

Tucked between industrial shophouses, Windowsill Pies / Windowsill In The Woods is a whimsical, fairy tale like cafe, serving up sweet, artisinal dessert pies since October 2011. Brothers Jonathan and Sean Gwee, along with chief baker Michael Liu, have grown their humble pie shop over the years, finally settling in the Jalan Besar area in December 2012.

Ambience at Windowsill Pies is so cozy and inviting, you'll never want to leave! Faux trees and wooden panelling comprise a "forest", while a creative layout creates semi-private alcoves for dining. A retro yellow fridge stands beside a hand made wooden cupboard, while toy aeroplanes hang from colourful criss cross beams in the "sky". Picnic baskets complete with checkered cloths lay around the trees, beside the resident giant teddy bear, Mr. Picklechips. Playful, fairy tale like atmosphere!

Service at Windowsill Pies is very good. Staff are polite, friendly, and welcoming, and more than eager to display their knowledge on the various types of pies in the attractive display case. The young, high energy staff are chirpy and upbeat, efficient in fulfilling orders, and generally appear happy working at Windowsill Pies.

Food at Windowsill Pies revolves around their speciality, pies. Not savoury pies... they only make sweet / dessert pies, full of robust flavour and presented beautifully. Each slice of pie is like a work of art, you can actually see the different textures and ingredients that go into it! Portion sizes for each pie slice is large for one person, and sharing is recommended. Pricing is similar to desserts in other cafes as well, budget about SGD $7 per slice of pie, and about SGD $6 for a beverage.


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The playful, whimsical shop stands out amidst the drab workshops around it. Inside, the colourful display of pies attracts customers, and staff are well versed with the ingredients of each! Few shops do sweet / dessert pies as well as them; tasty with full flavour but still balanced, firm texture that holds up well but yields when cut, ingredients layered like a work of art, all at wallet friendly pricing.

Windowsill Pies Exterior

Windowsill Pies Interior

Quirky touches of decor make the place both cozy and memorable. Picnic Baskets lie around the area, and you can't miss the bright Yellow Refridgerator & Hand Crafted Book Shelf in the corner. Toy Planes hang from the wooden rafters, and as befitting its woodland / forest theme, even Smokey The Bear makes an appearance!

Mr. Picklechips

Picnic Basket

Yellow Refridgerator & Hand Crafted Book Shelf

Toy Plane

Toy Plane

Smokey The Bear

While I commend the attempt at creating art within the Hot Chocolate (SGD $5.50), the actual taste is somewhat lacking. Yes, there is still a rather muted chocolate taste, but not as intense, not as thick, or not as rich as I'd hoped. Rather below average.

Hot Chocolate (SGD $5.50)

Hot Chocolate

The Latte (SGD $5) fared slightly better, with a medium body and strength. The artwork was also slightly better, but still somewhat sloppy at the end of the pour.

Latte (SGD $5)

Latte

There is also a small selection of 6 gourmet teas on the menu. The Aloe Vera Rooibos Tea (SGD $6) is a good tea on its own, with a floral, fruity essence, and fragrant aroma. But while refreshing, the deep nutty taste of rooibos is somewhat lost.

Aloe Vera Rooibos Tea (SGD $6)

The Moscato Blanc Tea (SGD $6) is so fine like a wine. Smooth, fruity, fragant, with a light body and light sweetness, this floral tea goes down a treat. Almost feels like pampering yourself when drinking this!

Moscato Blanc Tea (SGD $6)

Absolutely loved the Corn Dog With Gucamole & Coleslaw (SGD $6)! The vegetables are fresh and crunchy, especially the gucamole which has some sweetness and tartness from mixing the mashed avocado with diced tomatoes and lime juice. But the star is the corn dog, featuring a meaty, juicy, perfectly grilled chicken cheese sausage, wrapped in salty, smoky bacon, with a crisp, savoury batter that shatters when bit. The gooey cheese, hot sausage, and satisfiying crunch of the batter is unforgettable.

Corn Dog With Gucamole & Coleslaw (SGD $6)

Corn Dog With Gucamole & Coleslaw

Corn Dog With Gucamole & Coleslaw

Corn Dog With Gucamole & Coleslaw

One of their top 3 bestsellers, the Strawberry Lemon Pie (SGD $7) features a tangy, zesty lemon curd, pierced through with 2 ribbons of sweet, tart strawberry compote. Topped with a creamy meringue, this pie is well balanced and luscious, and a refreshing delight to eat!

Strawberry Lemon Pie (SGD $7)

Strawberry Lemon Pie

Strawberry Lemon Pie

Inspired by the classic Grasshopper Cocktail, the similarly vibrant green Grasshopper Pie (SGD $7.50) features a soft, flourless chocolate cake, topped with vibrant, refreshing crème de menthe green / mint cream. While containing no alcohol, this pie does have chunks of dense chocolate brownie within, and is garnished with shards of luscious dark chocolate, and clusters of crunchy chocolate cookies.

Grasshopper Pie (SGD $7.50)

Grasshopper Pie

There aren't nothing funny about the Funny Apple Pie (SGD $7.50), with its succulent, juicy apple slices baked into a luscious almond custard, studded with almond flakes, rum soaked raisins, and dusted with icing sugar. This classic American pie is like a festive holiday in the mouth!

Funny Apple Pie (SGD $7.50)

Funny Apple Pie

The ultra dense and super sweet Pecan Pie (SGD $7) is heavy on the palate, with its combination of brown sugar and crunchy whole pecans. Very filling, the overwhelming sweetness of this classic American pie means it's better off shared amongst friends!

Pecan Pie (SGD $7)

Pecan Pie

The Camp Symmetry Pie (SGD $8) is a seasonal special, and the elaborate combination of white chocolate pudding, white truffle, cookie streusel, raisins, and candied thyme, is indulgent but exquisite. Slightly tart with a heavy dose of sweetness, it looks beautiful like a landscaped forest floor, and was created in collaboration with the Camp Symmetry 2013 indie music festival.

Camp Symmetry Pie (SGD $8)

Camp Symmetry Pie

Camp Symmetry Pie

The Coconut Lime Vodka Pie (SGD $7) features a zesty, tangy lime curd, topped with a nutty and smooth coconut cream. Hidden within are cubes of vodka jelly, with its distinctive sharp bitterness, but without the spicy burn of this alcohol. Unique, and rather interesting to eat!

Coconut Lime Vodka Pie (SGD $7)

Coconut Lime Vodka Pie

Coconut Lime Vodka Pie

The Pork Belly With Sweet Potato Puff Pastry (SGD $12) is a unique fusion dish, featuring soft, tender slices of fatty pork belly, along with smooth, creamy sweet potato mash, and set in a crisp, flaky puff pustry, then topped with a fresh garden salad. I love how smooth and tender the pork is, although it's rather oily, and the sweet potato mash is so good! The combination of all the ingredients is amazing, each bite is a pleasurable mouthful. Highly recommended!

Pork Belly With Sweet Potato Puff Pastry (SGD $12)

Pork Belly With Sweet Potato Puff Pastry

Pork Belly With Sweet Potato Puff Pastry

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