86 – On Teh Tarik And Straits Snacking: Toast Box, Trinoma

(AUTHOR’S NOTE: This restaurant is defunct and Toast Box has fully occupied its space. Timestamp: 19 July 2019, 03:12 pm.)

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A cup of teh or kopi, kaya toast, and soft boiled eggs seasoned with soy sauce and white pepper. This is just one of the many ways Singaporeans start their day. But what exactly is kaya? It’s a spread mainly made from coconut milk, eggs, sugar (or honey in some variations), and flavored with pandan (fragrant screw-pine). Much like the Filipino minatamis na bao (coconut jam) – it is usually spread on warm toasted bread.

Kaya toast is a common breakfast staple in the Straits. Thankfully, we don’t need to book a flight to Singapore to enjoy this yummy delicacy. Toast Box has made it possible for Filipino foodies to enjoy this breakfast specialty—any time of the day. A sister company of the Singaporean bakery chain Bread Talk, it has branches in SM Aura, Greenbelt 5, Greenhills, and Trinoma; the last one I will feature in this entry.

My first taste of kaya toast was about two or three years ago, at a Singaporean restaurant in Cubao that has since folded up. I felt excited upon finding out about Toast Box, as it had been a while since I last ate the breakfast specialty. The restaurant has expanded with the kaya toast concept, offering a wide range of variants—like hazelnut, blueberry, and pork floss. However, what attracted me to this place was the fact that they served teh tarik – tea mixed with evaporated and condensed milk to give it a sweet and creamy taste. I’ve tried nai cha (that’s Hong Kong-style milk tea), and this one from a nearer neighbor was a good idea too. Freshly prepared teh tarik was something new to my taste buds, after seeing a lot of instant milk tea powders and having one too many servings of pearl milk tea.

Toast Box’s interiors are reminiscent of kopi tiam establishments in Singapore—but with an added twist of cream in the store’s color palette and warm white lighting, something carried over in their other locations. I noticed, however, that the locations in Greenbelt, SM Aura, and Greenhills are larger. Given that Toast Box is a sister restaurant of Bread Talk, some branches have both stores sharing a single space. Order your bread from Bread Talk, and eat it at Toast Box. I wasn’t able to take much pictures of this branch as they apparently had a “no photos” policy in place. Thankfully, I explained the nature of my visit as a food review for my blog – and the management was understanding. Nevertheless, I didn’t mind not taking a lot of photos as long as I had my teh tarik. Now I’m a believer.

Do check out the photos below to find out more about Toast Box’s offerings. I encourage you to like their Facebook page for more updates and promotions. Until the next post, bon appetit.

Kaya spread, Horlicks, and condensed milk for teh tarik. (Now that rhymed!)

Toast Box’s menu (apologies if it’s rather blurry).

I’ll try this one next time.

Right out of a colonial mansion.

Nanyang Kopi.

Kaya Toast.

Teh / Teh Tarik (P105): With the right balance of robust tea and creamy milk, this is a refreshing break from the common milk teas we have.

Ginger Lime Soda (P90): The lime contributed a strong, tart flavor while the ginger gave a smooth, sweet finish. Perfect for the throat (sans the ice).

Floss Thick Toast (P165): Fans of Bread Talk’s floss bread will enjoy this one.

Hazelnut Thick Toast (P165): Everything with Nutella becomes awesome, but a sprinkling of candied nuts can add a bit of crunch.

I liked the middle slice, though.

Soft-boiled eggs. You can request these to be hard-boiled.

Cracked in the bowl, and seasoned with soy sauce and white pepper.

Mee Siam (P205): Would you believe me if I tell you that the only “meat” in this dish is fried tofu?

Hainanese Chicken Chops (P259): Singapore’s Hainanese chicken rice gets fused with Taiwan’s chicken chops!

The frying process gave the chicken a crispy skin while retaining its flavor.

Nasi Goreng (P195): Stir-fried rice in kecap manis with chicken chunks and cabbages – served with shrimp paste, anchovies, cucumber slices, and a sunny side up egg.

I liked this dish, but this was too salty for CJ’s taste. Reminded her of Banana Leaf’s nasi goreng.

Nasi Lemak (P245): Fried chicken and coconut cream rice topped with a sunny side up egg – served with shrimp paste, cucumber slices, and anchovies.

Mix the shrimp paste with the white rice for best results.

Toast Box
L011B, G/F Trinoma Mall
EDSA corner North Avenue
Barangay Pag-Asa, Quezon City 1105

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