SINGAPORE — Ensconced in a rare green spot in the heart of the city, this cafe at The Foothills of Fort Canning (opposite Liang Court) has made quite a name for itself, thanks largely to baker-owner Juwanda Hassim dolling out his wide and wildly creative selection (close to 50 flavours to date) of layered cakes and tarts.

It does, however, seem a natural progression for this theatre veteran, who fell in love with cooking at the tender age of eight when he whipped up his first dish: Fried rice. (This love for both the performing and culinary arts runs in the family — his father, a natural baritone, and mother, who sang soprano, are also both quite the skilled cook and run a catering business.)

For Juwanda, though, the allure of his creative confections created the perfect scenario for a more substantial menu of savouries. Working with Chef Alvin Tan, the cafe is open all day and even boasts an extended menu for dinner as well as a brunch offering. Both menus showcase a balanced mix of bistro classics paired with a few local inflections.

The steak frites (S$25), for example, is prepared just the way one would expect: Grilled 230g New Zealand grass fed sirloin served with fries and a wonderfully sweet-savoury deglaze of onions and mushrooms. There is also the chilli crab mac and cheese (S$18), which is a toss of macaroni in a mildly cheesy bechamel, topped with a sort of chilli crab ragu. Unlike many variations on the market, the cafe’s rendition packs just the right harmony of heat and natural sweetness to deliver a scrumptious alternative. It makes for a good dish to share, as you will want to make space for the all-American serving of deep-fried buttermilk chicken (S$21). Cooked to reveal a lovely crisp skin it is still moist and tender on the inside and served on house-made waffles with a generous drizzle of syrup. As a refreshing counterpoint, it is paired with Chinese pear and purple cabbage slaw on the side.

It is said that Juwanda’s roots in the world of entertainment coloured his culinary leaning. But so have his travels to Europe and Bangkok, not to mention stints as group operations and marketing manager with the One Rochester Group. It could also explain why Juwanda has always wanted to have his take on the classic duck confit (S$21) on the menu. Here, it is slow-cooked and finished with a blowtorch instead of under a salamander to keep the leg from drying out too much. The simple side of creamy mash and an aptly rich plum compote did just what a great supporting cast does: Elevate the experience while letting the star shine.

That said, it was hard for anyone with a penchant for good pasta to resist a plate of Ju’s Prawn Pasta (S$20), which was the star dish of the evening for me. As unfussy as it sounds — tiger prawns cooked in a discreetly luscious crustacean cream, which is then tossed with al dente egg pappardelle — the fact that the pasta was not freshly made didn’t matter as much. The secret is the use of aligue (Tagalog for crab fat), inspired by a similar dish he had in the Philippines.

The menu does tend to embrace a rather worldly palate, but, to be honest, such variety and quality at this price point is a boon.

The Fabulous Baker Boy, The Foothills, 70 River Valley Road, #01-15. Telephone: 6694 8336. Opening hours: Tuesdays to Thursdays 11am to 10pm, Fridays and Saturdays 11am to 11pm, Sundays 11am to 5pm.