Loong Fatt Review: Famous Tau Sar Piah Bakery In Balestier Since 1948

Loong Fatt Tau Sar Piah is an old-school bakery in Balestier

We’ve been doing some deep dives into heritage food of late, and one more to add to the list is Loong Fatt Tau Sar Piah: a true Balestier icon that’s been in the game since 1948.

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On paper, Loong Fatt is a 75-year-old bakery, but in truth, the history of their tau sar piah is about 30 years shorter. Before Hainanese native Lee Wang Long founded Loong Fatt, he was a housekeeper in a local home, where he learned to bake Western-style pastries. In 1948, he struck out on his own to open a bakery-kopitiam where Loong Fatt still stands today.

It was much later, in the 1970s, that he turned to making tau sar piah, though he elevated the humble Teochew pastry with the addition of butter, giving rise to a crispier crust—the very same one that’s synonymous with Loong Fatt today, and said to be the original Singaporean tau sar piah.

But do their bakes still hold up today, or are they just another overhyped tourist trap? We dropped by to find out.

Food at Loong Fatt Tau Sar Piah

There are 16 cakes and pastries on the Loong Fatt menu these days, two of which are their signature Sweet Tau Sar Piah ($1.30) and Salty Tau Sar Piah ($1.30). While they look almost identical at first glance, there’s an easy way to tell them apart: the sweet version comes with a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top, while the salty one comes plain.

FYI, if you’re not ordering single pieces, they come in boxes of five, six, or 10. Each of these boxes comes in a single flavour, but if you are getting the six- or 10-piece boxes, you can opt for half in each flavour. We went with the six-piece box to get the best of both worlds.

Our mouths watered the moment we lifted the lid off our box of freshly baked tau sar piah. A strong buttery aroma wafted through the air, whetting our appetites before we had even taken a bite!

The Sweet Tau Sar Piah was filled with a generous slab of sweet mung bean paste. It was thick and velvety, contrasting well with the delicately crisp and flaky pastry encasing it.

The paste itself was sweet with a distinct lotus fragrance, complementing the buttery, savoury crust. As we had it on its own, it did become a tad cloying after a while, though we imagine it would pair wonderfully with a cup of tea.

Between the two flavours, the Salty Tau Sar Piah was our favourite.

The salty version came with the same addictive, buttery crust and a savoury, earthy-sweet mung bean core made with fried shallots, oil and more. Unlike the sweet rendition, this one had just the right amount of sweetness, making it an easy treat to devour. In fact, we finished all of them on the spot, and had to order more to bring home!

In a nod to Loong Fatt’s beginnings, their selection also includes a spread of cakes and cream puffs. Some, such as Butter Cake ($1.50), Banana Cake ($1.30), and Peanut Buttercream Cake ($1.50), are available daily, but other items, including the Coffee Walnut Cake ($1.50) and Orange Cake ($1.30), are only sold on selected days of the week. For the full schedule of their bakes, check out their “Buying Guide” on their website.

For example, Loong Fatt only bakes their Pandan Cake ($1.30) on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. As fate would have it, we visited on a Monday, giving us the perfect opportunity to try the popular bake.

We were impressed by their Pandan Cake. Each bite was incredibly light and airy, with a soft, fluffy centre that felt almost cloud-like.

Flavour-wise, it carried a fragrant pandan aroma that made it all the more addictive.

We also tried their popular Peanut Buttercream Cake.

Once again, we were wowed by the heavenly, soft, and airy sponge. Paired with a slather of sweet, smooth buttercream and a scatter of crushed peanuts, this was a simple yet satisfying treat. We also appreciated the extra effort of toasting the peanuts, which lent a deep, roasty aroma.

Another old-school favourite is their Custard Puff ($1). Like the Pandan Cake, this elusive treat is only available on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

The bite-sized puffs were filled with a substantial amount of traditional, eggy-sweet custard. Unlike the crunchier choux pastry you normally get in a Japanese custard puff, the ones here are soft and fluffy, pairing well with the silky, creamy, and slightly jelly-like custard.

It makes for a tasty snack, but if we had to nitpick, we would’ve preferred it to have less pastry and more custard.

Ambience at Loong Fatt Tau Sar Piah

Stepping into the Balestier shop space is like walking 50 years back in time; the original tiled walls and flooring are still there, and you’ll still find some of the wooden tables, chairs, and booths from back in the day in use! Everything in their display is baked fresh daily, and if you’re lucky enough, you might even get your hands on one of the 3,000 to 4,000 tau sar piah they make daily, right out of the oven.

Loong Fatt Tau Sar Piah is located along Balestier Road, an 11-minute walk from Novena MRT Station. It is also within a short walking distance of several bus stops.

Loong Fatt Tau Sar Piah – Eatbook review

Loong Fatt Tau Sar Piah impressed us, not just with their iconic tau sar piah, but also their other old-school cakes and pastries. Coupled with the fact that everything is affordably priced under $2, it’s easy to see why the heritage bakery has stood the test of time.

In related content, check out our guide to the best traditional bakeries in Singapore for old-school banana pie, orh nee tarts and more. Otherwise, read our guide to the best old-school breakfast spots in Singapore, including those with charcoal-grilled kaya toast and putu mayam.

Address: 639 Balestier Road, Singapore 329922
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 7:30am to 4pm
Tel: 6253 4584
Website
Loong Fatt Tau Sar Piah is not halal-certified.

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Photos taken by Heather Ng.
This was an independent review by Eatbook.sg.
By: originally written by Michelle P on 22 February 2023.