Local confectionary brand Old Seng Choong no longer exists as a purely online treat. Earlier this week on Jan 7, the brand opened its very first brick-and-mortar, flagship store at Clarke Quay Central—so everyone can share in the buttery goodness, in person.
Founded by local pastry chef Daniel Tay (of Bakerzin fame), Old Seng Choong was started as a tribute to his father, a confectioner himself. The name comes from his parents’ own shop, Seng Choong Confectionary, which ran from 1965 to 1996 in Marine Parade. Hence Tay’s focus on heritage since Old Seng Choong’s conceptualization in 2016—from the traditional Chinese cakes sold online, to the new store’s retro look, a thoughtfully designed space of mosaic tiles, marble, and Chinese lattice work.
Chef Daniel Tay at the all-new Old Seng Choong store
But while the bakery is better known for its decadent butter cakes, it’s the physical store’s newest offerings that are the star product. Making their debut in the Clarke Quay store is a range of heritage-inspired cookies that pay homage to various aspects of Singapore culture. Divided into three series, the cookies come in beautifully decorated canisters perfect for gifting both locals and tourists.
The Botanic Flora Series comprises Lavender cookies and Earl Grey cookies, a nod to our very own UNESCO World Heritage Site, Botanic Gardens. The Changi Picnic Series includes flavors like Satay, Cereal Prawn, Bak Kut Teh, and Putu Mayam, to celebrate the weekend picnics of yesteryear, where kampong folk would gather to feast by Changi Beach. And lastly, the Katong Breakfast Series pays homage to the rich Katong history of English, Chinese and Straits Chinese settlers—through Laksa, Gula Melaka, Gai Zai, and Smokey Bakwa cookies. More themed concepts will be launched in the future, and will likely represent a specific era in Singapore’s history too. The current cookies are priced from $18.80-$19.90 per can.
Also available in-store during the Chinese New Year period are festive goodies like carrot cake, nian gao, yam cakes and more. Two brand new pineapple tart flavors, in Spicy Nonya (infused with hae bee hiam, or dried shrimp chilli paste) and Orange Peel, will join the line-up, and go on sale Jan 18. We foresee a lot of households boasting the elegantly packaged treats this Chinese New Year.
Old Seng Choong is located at Clarke Quay Central, #01-48, and is open daily from 11am-10pm. Stick to online shopping here, or find out more here.
