Scotts Road has gotten more lively with new additions to the cluster and revamps to existing restaurants.

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The latest spotlight is on AMI Patisserie, an elegant Patisserie Cafe set in a Kyoto-style wooden townhouse.  It was a Saturday afternoon well-spent in this beautiful space a stone throw away from Orchard Road.  AMI Patisserie is a culmination of Chef Makoto Arami’s life experiences, with stories behind most of the pastries on the menu.
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We started off with a ham & cheese croissant ($8.40++).  Buttery croissant that is crispy and crunches ever so slightly when you bite into it.
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The other savoury croissant that we had was the Burrata Chee & Parma Ham Croissant ($14++).  This is an item that we would order when we next drop by for a casual lunch.  Artisanal burrata cheese, 24-month cured parma ham and rocket leaves are sandwiched between a light flaky croissant and lightly drizzled with extra virgin olive oil.  Sounds simple, but the quality ingredients make this a satisfying bite. 
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A pastry that I recommend you try when visiting AMI is the Awajisima Onion Tart ($15++).  Made with onions from Awaji island, the onions have a sweeter  (and less spicy) profile compared to usual onions.
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They are pan-seared and brushed with a balsamic glaze before being placed atop a filo pastry tart base with a quiche filling of onion, truffle, shiitake mushrooms and roasted cauliflower.  This tart is one of the more complex pastries on the menu, but I enjoy the textures and how Chef lets onion take centrestage here. 
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Onto the sweets, Chef Makoto’s signature are the choux puffs.  There are about 8 flavours on the menu, and we had the Uji Matcha Kinako Choux ($11++) on this visit.  The choux puff is light, has a crispy exterior and is filled with velvety custard infused with matcha, kinako and white chocolate. 
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Available in limited quantities each day, AMI Patisserie also offers seasonal Japanese fruit parfaits, reminiscent of those served at coffee houses in Japan.  Each parfait features intricate layering of fresh fruits, cream, sponge cake, jelly and other treats.  We had the Musk Melon Parfait ($38++), a composition of muskmelon, vanilla, mint and shochu.  This dessert was so pretty we could not bear to dig into it. 
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AMI Patisserie also has plated desserts and we had the Almond Pain Perdu ($18.50++), which turned out to be one of our favourites for the day.  Chef Makoto’s French toast uses house-baked brioche that is brûléed and served with cognac orange sauce, whipped vanilla cream and house-churned vanilla ice-cream.  Look at how clean the crispy edges are.  You can also smell the fragrant butter wafting through the air before this dish reaches your table. 
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The last sweet treat we had was the Kuri Mont Blanc ($20++) – chef’s interpretation of a well-loved French classic enhanced with Japanese chestnuts and whisky ice-cream.  I love how the whisky in the ice-cream is not overwhelming, but serves to elevate the dessert with slight bitter notes. 

This oasis in the city is not to be missed.  The meticulous craftsmanship is evident in every detail – the food, the architecture and design of the cafe and the service. 

Apart from the cafe, AMI also has a 8-seat Dining Room where diners can go on a Chef’s Table Discovery Experience.  I would definitely love to try this pastry-led multi-course menu on my next visit.  We heard that seats are fully booked till March so fingers crossed on snagging a seat! 

Budget per person: $15 to $20 per person

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