Latest opening: SHIOK!
What: An upscale patisserie with a Singaporean twist just across the road from Liverpool Street Station on the eastern edge of The City. SHIOK! is part of the fairly recently launched Pan Pacific London but is situated across the plaza from the glam, Singaporean-owned hotel on the ground floor of Devonshire House. Open from 7am to 6pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 6pm on the weekend, SHIOK! looks to be primarily aimed at the upper end of the grab-and-go market. The offer is mainly sweet but a handful of savoury items are also available.
Who: High profile pastry chef Cherish Finden. The no-nonsense, low-fringed chef - who is best known for being a judge on Bake Off: The Professionals and for executive pastry chef roles at a number of other top London hotels - is a great fit for the project having been born and raised in Singapore. Indeed, Pan Pacific London is a homecoming of sorts for Finden, who cut her teeth at Pan Pacific Singapore in the early 90s. As executive pastry chef she also oversees The Orchid Lounge, which offers seasonal afternoon teas, and anything else related to pastry across the hotel's various F&B outlets.
The vibe: Packed with fresh flowers, SHIOK! comprises a counter and a 25-cover seating area with marble floors, tan leather banquettes and charcoal fabric-shod chairs. Shelves of retail products made by Finden and team line the walls but it is the contents of the refrigerated counter that draws the eye the most.
The food: Fans of Is It Cake? will appreciate Finden’s attention to detail with her petit gâteaus, eclairs, travel cakes and traditional Singaporean biscuits. The most striking item is a lemon cake styled to look like a handbag and The Apple Tin, which sees caramel sponge, apple compote, cinnamon crumble and delicate slices of apple encased in white chocolate. Breakfast items include fluffy milk shokupan buns with options including coffee, pandan and summer berries while savoury options include sausage shokupan and pork floss buns. Classic viennoiserie and croissants are also be available. As one would expect, this level of detail does not come cheap with most of Finden’s petit gâteaus priced around the £15 mark.
And another thing: Pronounced ‘shook’, shiok translates as ‘very tasty’ in Singaporean English. “In Singapore the word shiok conveys a feeling of pure pleasure and happiness and this is what I want to capture,” she says.
