Toby's The Dessert Asylum Tasting Session

Toby's The Dessert Asylum Tasting Session
80 Marine Parade Road
#02-68 Parkway Parade

18 Boon Lay Way
#01-35 Tradehub21

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 10pm


http://www.tobys.com.sg/


This was an invited media review. I did not pay for the meal during the free hosted tasting session.
Attended with representatives from Foodielicious, and Damien_TC.

7 Wonders (SGD $12.50)

Tasty Home Made Desserts & Cakes

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 6
Ambience & Setting: 6
Food & Beverage: 7
Service: 7
Value for Money: 6
Spent about SGD $32 per person.


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Founded in October 2009, Toby's The Dessert Asylum is a fun, casual, American cuisine inspired, dessert focused cafe. I visited several times when they were previously located at the Marine Parade area, though they've shifted to the Jurong East area since 2015. Back then, what stood out for me was their desserts, and I'm glad to say they've been rather consistent in this area till today.

Toby's The Dessert Asylum Packaging

Ambience at Toby's The Dessert Asylum projects, a cheerful, playful vibe. The clean, modern, brightly lit seating area has comfortable, modern furnishings in vibrant shades of red, black, green, white, and tan. The ample natural lighting is inviting, and the attractive display of home made dessert pastries and cakes presents an eye-catching facade. I also love the green faux grass wall, and the giant monkey in corporate black and purple outfit at the entrance.

Toby's The Dessert Asylum Exterior

Toby's The Dessert Asylum Interior

Service at Toby's The Dessert Asylum is friendly and casual. The mostly young staff are chirpy and fulfill requests quickly. While I didn't have an opportunity to test their menu knowledge, I note they're efficient at clearing away empty / dirty plates and tables. The relatively out-of-the-way location also means the place is rather quiet, and staff are able to accord more attention to each diner.

Counter

Food at Toby's The Dessert Asylum is American and Italian cuisine inspired, with a modern Asian Singaporean twist. While the menu is extensive, the focus is naturally on their home made desserts and cakes, prepared with quality ingredients such as Varlhona chocolate. Generally, I find taste of most dishes to be decent enough. Portions are medium to large, but very filling. This also makes it better value for money. Budget SGD $32 per person for a full meal here.

Menu

Menu

The Coffee Chendol (SGD $7.90) is their house signature ice blended, and it's very good. The robust flavour of roasted coffee beans in the espresso is strong, and complements the floral sweetness of the gula melaka / palm sugar, which is sourced from Malacca, Malaysia. Completed with earthy chewy red beans, and soft fragrant pandan / screwpine leaf infused jelly. Part dessert, part beverage, and actually quite tasty. Personally would have liked it to be a little sweeter, but I think this will appeal to most. Good!

Coffee Chendol (SGD $7.90)

Coffee Chendol

The Hulk-A-Mania (SGD $5.90) is a refreshing fruit juice cooler, made with freshly squeezed green apples, lime, and infused with sour plum. This gives the fruity beverage a strong sour sweet flavour. However, you'll have to drink it quickly, as being fresh, you can actually see it oxidise and brown over time. Love this. Highly recommended!

Hulk-A-Mania (SGD $5.90)

The Battered Button Mushroom (SGD $6.50) is nice, they've used wild button mushrooms, coated in a light, crisp flour batter spiced with paprika. The batter sticks tightly to the moist, tender mushrooms, and the light earthy savoury sweet taste is decent. Served with a tartar sauce dip, the portion is large enough for sharing. Worth ordering!

Battered Button Mushroom (SGD $6.50)

Battered Button Mushroom

The Taco Wings (SGD $11.90) is decent. Fried chicken wings, spiced with a little papika, with meat that is moist and comes off the bone easily. Little skinny on the meat though, and not as outstanding as elsewhere. The house made sauce is unique, an acquired taste. Bold sun-dried tomato paste, spiced with chili, intense sour floral with a touch of spicy heat. The flavour of the dip strongly overwhelms the flavour of the chicken. Personally, preferred it without the dip.

Taco Wings (SGD $11.90)

Taco Wings

Sun-Dried Tomato Dip & Pickled Gherkins

The Toby's Deluxe Burger (SGD $16.50) features a large, juicy, home made minced beef patty, whose center is gooey molten mozzarella cheese. Stacked between fluffy soft burger buns with crunchy lettuce, juicy tomato, sharp onions, and savoury salty bacon strips, cutting or biting this burger causes a delicious mess when the cheese oozes out. Decadent and satisfiying. The medium cut chips on the side are warm and spiced with a little paprika, pairs well with the burger. Highly recommended!

Toby's Deluxe Burger (SGD $16.50)

Toby's Deluxe Burger

Toby's Deluxe Burger

Loved the flavours of the Stewed Pork Pizza (SGD $15.90), bold and savoury salty chessy. The thin chewy pizza crust is topped with a generous portion of stewed pork, onions, and mozzarella cheese, along with a sharp fragrant garlic sauce. The stewed pork is slow cooked over hours, marinated with Chinese 5-spice powder and other herbs, giving it a lovely herbal earthy flavour, similar to that of a Kong Bak Pau. Incredibly tasty, but also incredibly heavy on the stomach, this pizza quickly fills you up. Highly recommended!

Stewed Pork Pizza (SGD $15.90)

Stewed Pork Pizza

Stewed Pork Pizza

The force remains strong with the Lord Vader (SGD $15.90) dessert mudpie. I loved this American style, home made creation years ago when I had it, and it's still as good today, though the portion size is now smaller. A rich mudpie of rum & raisin ice cream, over double chocolate ice cream, garnished with chocolate chips, chocolate sauce, waffle bits, and laced with Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge, and orange flavoured liqueur. Flavours of sweet boozy milky chocolatey, loved it. Would order this again. Highly recommended!

This is inspired by the American dessert known as Mississippi Mud Pie, a chocolate dessert pie which originated in Mississippi, United States Of America.

Lord Vader (SGD $15.90)

Lord Vader

Lord Vader

The signature house creation of Arctic Bombshell (SGD $12.90) is an elaborate presentation dessert. A house made chocolate brownie, soft and warm and sweet, is layered with thick, smooth chocolate ganache. Topped with either creamy vanilla ice cream or earthy floral coconut ice cream, the entire dessert is then covered in a fluffy, rich, sweet meringue, forming an envelope / shell around the entire dessert. The meringue is lightly torched before serving. Looks absolutely beautiful and delicate on the plate, and when cut through, the distinct layers are visually appealing. Sharing is advised for this rich, decadent dessert treat. Highly recommended!

This is inspired by the American dessert known as Baked Alaska, a dessert consisting of ice cream and cake coated in meringue which originated in New York, United States Of America.

Arctic Bombshell (SGD $12.90)

Arctic Bombshell

Arctic Bombshell

With The Godfather (SGD $7.90), this new and modern dessert cake is a take on the classic Tiramisu dessert. Creamy smooth and rich in flavours of roasted coffee beans, caramel, and almonds, giving it a sweet floral nutty taste. Pretty good.

The Godfather (SGD $7.90)

The Godfather

Toby's The Dessert Asylum was kind enough to allow our guest barista, Damien_TC, to pull a couple of shots. I requested for a rooster / chicken coffee latte art, in homage to the upcoming Chinese New Year 2017. Must say he did an excellent job, both in the art and in the coffee! Thank you!

Drawing Latte Art - Rooster

Latte (SGD $4.90)

Latte

Overall, Toby's The Dessert Asylum impresses with its range of Western style dessert options, and its consistently decent execution in quality. With its friendly staff and comfortable, quiet atmosphere, Toby's The Dessert Asylum is well worth visiting for those in the West of Singapore.


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