Chin Mee Chin Confectionery in East Coast Road

Happy #SG50! It was indeed a fun and relaxing long weekend that just passed and how I wish we can have more reasons to celebrate like this. So, on Singapore's National Day, all trains and buses gave free rides for the entire day and Paul and I took this opportunity to explore the other side of town -- the East.

Our adventure started early in the morning where we took a 45 minute train ride all the way to Dakota MRT Station. This was followed by a quick bus ride to East Coast Road -- our first destination of the day. After attending Sunday mass, we checked out this famous old-school coffee shop which dates back to the 1920s! I first learned about Chin Mee Chin Confectionery when I saw a couple of random Instagram posts from fellow bloggers about it.



Before heading to church, we saw that there was a long queue outside the coffee shop. Luckily, the line has cleared up by the time mass was over and Paul and I were immediately able to get a nice table for 2 closest to the open kitchen.

Chin Mee Chin Confectionery was initially named Chin Mee Chin Coffee & Cake Shop. Not a lot of things have changed about it too. Looking at old photos, the coffee shop has still kept the same mosaic tiles, the plastic plates and containers, even the cake display shelf looked quite vintage.

This coffee shop specializes in Kaya Toast and so that's what we immediately ordered. While waiting for that, I wandered towards the front of the shop and saw that they have laid out freshly baked cupcakes. I heard that these would go really fast so I immediately got a plate and helped myself with a chocolate cupcake and a butter-flavored one. Each just costs S$1! Would you believe?! Just when I thought, S$1 can't buy you anything in Singapore, well you can at least have a cupcake. Admittedly, I must have had really high expectations for these baked goodies as I found the cake texture to be quite dry. I surely have had way better cupcakes in the past and this was just something that I was happy to try to understand what the craze was all about. True enough, all cupcake pans were cleared within minutes!

Finally, out came our Kaya Toast (S$1) with Half-Boiled Eggs (90 cents each). Expect to wait a while for these as I noticed that the aunties and uncles manning the kitchen, would just prepare your food upon getting your order. Well, who wants cold and hard kaya toasts, anyway? Unlike its more commercialized counterparts, the bread used is a thick bun very similar to the one used for homemade burgers. We love how generous they were with the pandan-flavored kaya jam and that thick slice of butter. I'd say that this is one of the best Kaya Toasts that I've had so far! How sad that they only have one branch and it's located at the opposite side of the country from where I live. *sniffle* Well, I told Paul that we have to explore the east more often from now on.

With almost everything increasing in costs in Singapore, it's so fun to see that Chin Mee Chin Confectionery has maintained its very low price. For one order of Kaya Toast, two half-boiled eggs, two cupcakes and one glass of Ice Teh-C, we only paid S$6.30! Keep the change, please. :)

Chin Mee Chin Confectionery is located at 204 East Coast Road, Singapore. The nearest landmark would be the Holy Family Church which is just right beside it.