Creamier Handcrafted Ice Cream and Coffee (Toa Payoh)

Creamier Handcrafted Ice Cream and Coffee is one of those local F&B brands that perhaps does not require much of an introduction at this juncture — best known for serving up artisanal ice-cream, these folks had first started operations at the foot of Blk 128 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh before expanding its operations further with the opening of other stores all across the island; this includes outlets such as the one in Tiong Bahru, Margaret Market and Northshore Plaza just to name a few. It has also moved its Toa Payoh outlet from Blk 128 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh to Blk 131 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh some time back as well. Creamier Handcrafted Ice Cream and Coffee had most recently renovated their store at Blk 131 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh — the refreshed look strays away slightly from the setup of which Creamier is known to have adopted previously since they had first started operations; the new look sees a more contemporary and modern design despite using several elements such as the white walls, concrete flooring and wooden furniture and fittings that has always been part of the Creamier branding. The use of yellow accents are now restricted to several elements for the store facade that includes the tiles beneath the outdoor seating area and windows, as well as for the door handles and a bench that is placed outside. The counter now occupies the middle of the entire space, with dine-in seating surrounding the counter — there are also some geometrical elements that one can find within the shop itself to keep the look clean and modern. Best noted for its waffles and ice-cream previously, Creamier Handcrafted Ice Cream and Coffee’s renovation also sees the introduction of a line-up of Deli and Bakes that is currently exclusively served up at its Toa Payoh location — this is on top of the same range of waffles and ice-cream offerings that have since become classics that its patrons have come to love. Beverages available at the Toa Payoh outlet of Creamier Handcrafted Ice Cream and Coffee will include Gourmet Coffee, Matcha and Tea.

It is worth noting that a number of the items that are introduced as part of the line-up of the Deli section of the menu at Creamier Handcrafted Ice Cream and Coffee are actually toasties / sandwich / burger-related items. That being said, the one and only item in the Deli section of the menu that does not feature the use of bread would be that of the Creamier Mac & Cheese. Creamier Handcrafted Ice Cream and Coffee describes its Creamier Mac & Cheese to come with 3 Cheese and is a Mac & Cheese dish that is their very own “take on the classic done the Creamier way”. To be really fair, the Creamier Mac & Cheese was one version of a Mac & Cheese that does not come with much surprise — it fits the bill where one would minimally expect a layer of gooey, melted and stretchy cheese that covers the macaroni beneath. The soft, moist and bouncy macaroni pieces is not only laced with the stretchy cheese, but also comes with white sauce that provides a richness and a savoury note for the Mac & Cheese. There is a slight texture variance and contrast provided with the crusty layer of cheese over the top, and the panko crumbs sprinkled over the Mac & Cheese itself giving it an extra crispness at the same time.

During our visit, we had also managed to give their Butter Croissant a go — they were actually having a promotion of which a free Butter Croissant was being served to the first twenty (20) patrons daily that purchased any beverage. The Butter Croissant is an item that is being listed in the Bakes section of the menu; the other items in the same section of the menu comprises of Sourdough, Shokupan, Croissants and Focaccia as well — the Sourdough and Shokupan being retailed in an entire loaves. For the Butter Croissant that we have had, the croissant was served to us heated up by default to allow patrons to enjoy the pastry whilst it is still warm. The Butter Croissant actually comes across as pretty well made here; the pastry itself being light, flaky and crisp — airy and buttery with the consistency being something which one would expect from an artisanal boulangerie more than that of the usually uninspiring commercially-made croissants that we are used to seeing being served up at other ice-cream parlours around.

A trip to Creamier Handcrafted Ice Cream and Coffee would not be considered complete if one skips out on having their ice-cream. Skimming through their display chiller to have a view of the ice-cream flavours that are available on the day of our visit, we found ourselves settling for the Butterscotch Almond — one of the classic flavours that Creamier Handcrafted Ice Cream and Coffee has to offer though something that we have also yet to have tried all these years. Creamier Handcrafted Ice Cream and Coffee describes the Butterscotch Almond as a flavour that comes with elements such as caramel and crushed roasted almonds. We were glad to have discovered this flavour during this visit, considering how the Butterscotch Almond does come with a starting note of sweet and smoky of butterscotch — but we were really impressed with the inclusion of crushed roasted almonds that not only adds a textural contrast with its crunch, but also a smoky and nutty finish that was smooth transition from the notes of butterscotch. A new favourite for us to go for when we make our revisits to Creamier Handcrafted Ice Cream and Coffee.

Since we had visited Creamier Handcrafted Ice Cream and Coffee in the morning, it is needless to say that we were in need of some coffee to kick-start the day — the Gourmet Coffee of choice from the menu for us would be the White. The White here was pretty well-pulled and is quite aligned with our previous experiences with the espresso-based specialty coffee at Creamier Handcrafted Ice Cream and Coffee; one with a medium body that comes with an earthy and nutty note — a good perk-me-up cuppa. Creamier Handcrafted Ice Cream and Coffee has definitely established its presence within the local F&B scene over the years — it is through their consistency in both their waffles and ice-cream that had them garner a following all these while. Whilst this isn’t the first time that a Creamier Handcrafted Ice Cream and Coffee outlet is serving up savoury food, they are most certainly entering new ground with the offering of their Deli and Bakes. Having tried the Creamier Mac & Cheese and the Butter Croissant, we did find that both of the items do come within the expectations that one would except out of the Creamier Handcrafted Ice Cream and Coffee — definitely well-executed whilst being simple yet comforting. The items off the Deli section of the menu are also well-priced; these are priced from $12 to $18 with the lowest-priced items being the Creamier Mac & Cheese and the Grilled Cheese Toastie, while the priciest item here would be the Roast Beef Stack. It will be interesting to see how the Deli and Bakes offerings would further elevate the dining experience at Creamier Handcrafted Ice Cream and Coffee in being a one-stop destination for brunch and desserts under one roof; looking forward to be back to give the other Deli and Bakes offerings a go some other time!