Dawn isn’t just any pretty cafe. They’ve got pretty darn good pastries too. Sprouting unassumingly along the Clarke Quay stretch, you’ve got to keep your eyes peeled to find this unconventional storefront with its name in small print. Quickly becoming one of the more popular cafes that’s populating on our social media feeds, there’s that unfinished aesthetic and charm to it that draws the curious gaze of ongoing passerbys.
This hole-in-a-wall is decked with beige derelict walls, alluring travertine tables and sleek wooden furnishings – strangely reminding us of a Daniel Arsham show. The beverage menu is straightforward as is, standard coffees brewed from single-origin coffee beans from El Salvador, a seasonal selection of slow pour coffees that showcase different tasting notes, cold brew tea, and home-made sodas.
Encased in a wooden box are freshly baked goods on the daily and boy, are they proud of their creations. The crowd favourite is the Apple Crumb ($6), featuring buttery crumble and cinnamon-spiced apple slices layered atop a moist pound cake base balanced with a touch of salt – good enough to turn a bad day around. Looking for something out of the ordinary, try the Sesame Friand ($5) which displayed subtle nuttiness from the sesame and dense textures when bit into.
Berry lovers, the Blueberry Galette ($9) is a no brainer as macerated fresh blueberries are cuddled by flaky biscuity pastry to deliver an overall satisfying bite that can brighten up dull mornings. Everyone knows that cookies are aplenty and they ain't hard to find. But real good ones are hard to come by and Dawn’s humble Chocolate Chip Cookie ($3.50) happens to be pretty darn delicious. Pledging at least 70 percent dark chocolate and a noticeable reduction in sugar, each bite is a perfect balance of semi-sweet chocolate with a touch of salt to contrast.
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