Pompette @ Beauty World Centre, Singapore

A deliciously merry time...

The longer I am on this earth, the more I appreciate the charm and spirit of little local malls where there are no cookie cutter shops and lots of little hidden gems in terms of food.

 
So, I was perplexed when I chanced upon some kind of Youtube or Instagram short, some time back, sharing about a yummy local place for soft serve ice cream in Beauty World Centre. I had been to that mall many times, but had never seen this place (and I love a good soft serve).

In the end, it wasn't too hard to find (on the main Ground level, concourse area) walk past the popular bakery (I-Bread), and turn into the first hallway/ walkway past the also yummy Thai boat noodles place (Victory Boat Noodles) and you will find Pompette hidden close by. 

(Basically, on the ground level, pretend like you're looking for the washroom, and you'll find it on the way)

 

 

What's better than 1 llama? 2 llamas!...

It is brightly lit and cheerfully decorated, a welcome sight in the lovely, but otherwise, a bit run down shopping center with many friendly llamas welcoming you in. When I was there, they looked a bit short staffed but service was friendly and quick.

On their menu, they have a small but interesting selection of freshly made soft serves ice creams, that you can opt to have in either a bowl or served on a cone. There is also a selection of optional toppings that you can add on for $1 to $1.50 more per serving. They rotate their flavours often, and I believe their most popular flavour is the Hojicha, but it was not available when I got there. So, I went for my other favourite flavour: Black sesame. 

They proclaim to use only the best fresh ingredients (with their main base ingredient being Meiji milk) and use a very light, balanced hand in terms of the sugar input - I really enjoyed it. The texture was light in a pleasant way, very smooth and the fragrance of the black sesame really came through, without any grainy texture at all and most importantly, without being too sweet.

My serving of black sesame soft serve...

I paid a little over $6 for it, which is a little on the pricey side but look, it was yummy - I have absolutely no complaints and enjoyed every bite. For a lower barrier of entry price, they have their Original flavor which is priced around $3 and other flavors ranging around $5.

I left feeling really curious about their other flavours (matcha, yuzu, matcha, mocha latte) - will have to head back soon to try them.

So, it's: Cute little owner run shop, friendly service, selling a range of (rotating flavors) freshly made, smooth and fragrant soft serve BUT location is a little hidden (still, not THAT hard to find), and price is more on the high side for some of the flavours (but worth it, in my opinion)....

Summary Information:
Pompette @ Beauty World Centre, Singapore
Website: CLICK HERE

Opening Hours:
Closed Mon
Tues to Fri 12pm-9pm
Sat-Sun 11am-9pm

Phone: +65 9877 0270

Address: 144, Upper Bukit Timah Road, Unit, 

#01-11B Beauty World Centre, 588177
Map: CLICK HERE

NO PORK SERVED

OTHER REVIEWS:
- 8 Days

Roberta's Pizza @ Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

From Brooklyn to the (Marina) Bay...

I'd never been to the original Roberta's Pizza restaurant in Brooklyn, but I had heard the lore: it's supposed to be one of Beyonce's favourite pizza places, and has been awarded a Michelin (USA) Bib Gourmand.

So, initially when they opened in Singapore back in 2022, with all that and being it's first branch outside of the USA, the lines to get in were a little off-putting. There wasn't too much of a way around it at the time, for the peak hours, and weekends, as they did not take reservations (and still do not). 

I waited a bit for the newness to die down before I headed over to try it, and have been eating there on and off ever since. They have really perfected their process, taking almost no time at all to prepare pizzas, so, wait times have become almost negligible (unless you are unlucky enough to go there at a rare, super peak time where patrons sit around and chat or hang out for very long).

I'm still a little sore that with the last tweak of their menu, they removed their decadent, flavor bomb of an oxtail stew (R.I.P.), but still keep returning for their:
- Meatballs (SGD 16++): large beef and pork meatballs, so tender and juicy, served with a piquant amatriciana sauce and topped with sharp, flavourful parmigiano
- House bread (SGD 9++): Served with Cultured butter, or Honey brown butter. It's just bread, but it's really not "just bread". Instead, it is a combination of quality ingredients, formed with years of honed skill, that has no right being this darn delicious. It's moist and flavorful inside, with the perfect balance of chewiness, encased in a light, crispy and smokey crust.

My favourite house bread....

As for their pizzas, they have a limited range, but all that we have tried so far are delicious. The crust is exactly what I like - moist but with enough crispiness and chewiness, with some smokiness from the wood fire oven. Our favourites for now are:
- MILLENNIUM FALCON Pizza (SGD 30++): tomato base, topped with parmigiano, pork sausage, basil, garlic, red onion, chili, black pepper & breadcrumbs, and
- BEE STING Pizza (SGD 30++): tomato base, with mozzarella, basil, spicy calabrese salami, chili & honey.

 
The sad thing though is that while they have a (small) selection of mocktails, cocktails, beer and wine, they have no desserts. So, if you insist, you can only choose something liquid to end the night with.

Oops..

So, it's: Relatively affordable (considering its location in MBS) with delicious pizza and to die for house bread, in a cool, casual setting, BUT no desserts :(....

Summary Information:
Roberta's @ Marina Bay Sands (MBS), Singapore
Website: CLICK HERE

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri 11.30am-11pm
Sat & Sun 11am-11pm
Last order 10.30pm

Phone: -

2 Bayfront Ave, B1-45, Singapore 018972
(Near the theatre)
Map: CLICK HERE

NOT HALAL

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Daniel Food Diary
- Shaun Chng

Shadows

Feeling melodramatic...

How strange, how life and time flies by.
Am I having fun?
Or am I just another human struggling to survive?

In a tumultuous world,
It feels ungrateful to complain.
But troubles and stress seem to keep adding, and never wain.

More gets lost to time, memories fade.
Were they happy? Were they sad?
Only an ache remains.

SG So Lit

---------------------------------------------------------
When you walk through the night,
You got to let your light shine, burn bright.
Hold on strongly to hope, to happiness.
Try your best not to give in to the darkness.
---------------------------------------------------------

I'm not one for crowds so I usually avoid festivals and carnivals, but we wanted to try something different, so headed out to check out this year's Light The Night festival.

Despite it having started on a rainy evening, there was a pretty big crowd walking around once the rain stopped.

Colourful durian building from afar....

 

We didn't go to the night market as we had already had dinner and didn't feel like shopping, so we just walked around checking out the beautifully lit and dynamic light projections on the various museums and galleries in the area.

 

Ever changing...

 

There was even an interesting interactive projection happening at the National Gallery, where participants could "compete" with each others via several stomp pads placed opposite it, on the Padang area.

Hello Mr Raffles.. 'Sup

 

 

What I found particularly cool was that the museums and galleries were having sort of an "open house" till late - the public could just walk in and check out all the exhibits. There were really a LOT of people in the National Gallery though so I didn't walk around in there.

I did enjoy walking around in the Asian Civilization Museum, which was far less crowded and I had never been to before.

 

Very creative way to display plates from the Tang wreckage...

We ended the night with a "picnic", chilling on the lawn near the Victoria Theatre, which was a nice spot to see the changing display loop on the building façade.

I'm sad that I'm not around this coming Friday/weekend to go check it out again (it's on till next Sunday) but will definitely look out for this event next year. :)


Details:
Starting: Fri 19 Jan 2018 till Sunday 28 Jan 2018
What's going on?:
- Extended hours at galleries and museums in the Art/ Civic District
- Special installations and exhibitions
- Music and artistic performances
- Art Skins on Monuments, Chromascope Interactive Facade and Colourscape Tunnel
- Art X Social Night market

Most of the above is happening on Friday to Sunday only. You can find more details at the official website:
https://www.lighttonight.sg/

Goodbye, Friend.

When did we meet?
I cannot remember exactly. It certainly was many years ago, through some common blogging friends.

You always characterized yourself as eccentric, introverted, and adverse to crowds but beneath that self professed allergy to humans, you were one of the most kind, authentic people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.

Your laughter, unbridled and straight from the heart, could warm up the coldest room. Your words, wise and honest but without malice, were always shared with no hidden agenda.

My regret? We never got to catch up as often as I would have liked. We are both workaholics, and certainly the physical distance did not help. Then came more work, family, and for me, my little monster. Life just gets in the way, doesn't it? And cruelly, it also takes everything  away with no warning.

I'm still stunned.
When I saw the news on FB, my only thought was, "It has to be a mistake"... but when I saw the news article, and the photo of your car, I was filled with a darkness and dread I cannot explain.

I'm still angry.
Why you? Why? It's not fair. You are the last person who deserved this.

I don't pray. I have never been the Godly, pious type... but I do hope you have found peace, and that heaven is a place where you have access to library filled with amazing books, a cosy nook all to yourself, with an amazing view, a record player, an endless selection of your favourite music and all the most delicious foods available 24/7.

RIP Gregory. You will be so very, very dearly missed.


Goodbye for now, Till I see you again,
J

Blog Birthday #12

Wow.

12 years!

Ok, to be fair: It probably shouldn't be counted as 12 full years, given that I haven't been consistently blogging (there were certainly some LONG lapses when my day job took over my life*),... but still, it's gotta count for something, right? :)

This blog has been with me from my first job to my N-th job, from my single days to my married days, my pre-baby days to my sleep deprived mama days, through good days and bad days, through heartbreak and love, through (relative) thin-ness and fatness.

If you're reading, thanks for humouring and supporting me.
If you're not reading, (especially to all the friends and bloggers I used to meet up with all the time): Know that I miss you. Well, not ALL of you. :P But there certainly are a few which I miss so much.


Hugs,
J

* What can I say?: I've got bills to pay lah...

All The Myo @ Everton Park, Singapore

Lovely local fusion...

Recent events had me thinking:
I'm really thankful that in my current job, I work in a team of people who are from diverse cultures, but actually get along, AND are further united by our love of food. :)
(So much time, 5 out of 7 days, is spent at work: so this is really such a major contributor to happiness, I think)

One day we ventured out to try All The Myo (by Sebastian Fusion Cuisine), hidden at the base of a HDB block (Everton Park) near the Outram Park/ Chinatown area:

Simple, but comfortable café setting...

Seating is very limited, so we were lucky we got there just before the lunch crowd (wow it got packed really quickly!), but even then, there was some confusion with the servers on what we had ordered. =_='
(Luckily, it didn't take too long to sort out, and we received our food)

That day, we tried one of the signature fusion dishes there: the Bacon Hae Bee Hiam Linguini (S $12). While it was just a tad too oily, I was surprised how much I enjoyed the mix of spicy, salty, umami flavours - never knew bacon would go well with hae bee hiam (spicy dried shrimp sambal) but I guess, as they say, "bacon makes everything better".

Fusion pasta...

If pasta is not your thing, there is also the Bacon Hae Bee Hiam Fried Rice (S $12).

I'd have to say, out of the 2, if I had to choose, I preferred the fried rice. Unfortunately it was also a bit oily, but I enjoyed that it was spicier, with the same delicious mix of  mix of salty, umami flavours, and came topped with a runny fried egg.

Carbs - my ultimate weakness...

If fusion isn't your thing, then there are classic dishes such as the Bacon carbonara pasta (S $12.50) instead. It didn't knock my socks off, but was enjoyable, with the spaghetti al dente and coated with a generous amount of creamy sauce and bacon.

Carbs + Cream = Indulgence...

The food was really filling so we didn't manage to try any desserts, but looking at other online reviews, I'm looking forward to going back soon to try their Onde Onde Crème Brulee...

Note: All The Myo is located right next to the excellent Nylon Coffee Roasters! So you have the perfect place to pop over to after your meal, for a great coffee.

Nice garden area just outside the restaurant...

So, it's: Good food at affordable prices, (fairly) convenient location BUT service levels can drop at peak hours....

Summary Information:
All The Myo @ Everton Park, Singapore
Website: CLICK HERE

Opening Hours:
Sunday to Friday 12pm-9pm
CLOSED SATURDAY

Phone: +65 8126 0646

Address: 4 Everton Park, #01-42, Block 4, 080004

NOT HALAL

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Rubbish Eat Rubbish Grow
- jiaksimi png . eatwhat rice

Man Man Unagi @ Kheong Saik Road, Singapore

Good food in Singapore = Lining Up...

I've found the unfortunate fact about good food in Singapore is that it's likely there'll be a long line up involved (unless it's also very expensive/ unaffordable).

Many people don't seem to mind though, as evidenced by the long lines,... but me?
I hate lining up. HATE it.
Most of the time, it's not that the food isn't nice. It just ends up not being worth the (for example) 1 hour time spent lining up to get in/ buy it.

Man Man is yet another one of those uber popular places with long lines, but it was a rare occasion where we were out in the Chinatown area early on a weekday... So, we decided to give it a try. No surprise though: It was around 11.15am and there was already a line outside the restaurant (which opens at 11.30am).

Dreaded line up for weekday lunch...

Unfortunately for us, as we missed the "first batch" when they finally opened their doors*, we had to wait outside for a further 25 minutes before we got in.
(* They started letting people in, and by the time they reached about one party before us, the restaurant was full - argh...)

WARNING:
The restaurant is ridiculously strict about seating - they don't take reservations, and they absolutely will not seat you unless you have a full party.
(None of that "Oh my friend is just parking the car and on the way", stuff - they'll just skip you and seat the next party in line while you wait for your friend to arrive)

Interior of Man Man...
The interior of the restaurant is a bit cramped, but still fairly comfortable. Food options are pretty limited though - just their signature unagi (eel) with varying combinations of rice/side dishes, one kind of pork and one kind of beef, and some side dishes like Japanese style egg omelet.

Once we decided what we wanted, we ordered and received our meal really quickly (within 10 minutes of ordering).

I decided to try their signature Hitsumabushi (S $26.80+) as it was my first visit. It comes with their signature Unagi kabayaki, served on top of rice, with soup, Japanese pickles, chopped spring onions, nori (seaweed), fresh wasabi and a teapot of dashi broth.

Bird's eye view of the Hitsumabushi...
While I like unagi, it's often clammy, overly sweet and with a fishy aftertaste... but not at Man Man.
The Unagi there was amazing - tender sweet flesh, not overpowered by the sweet glaze, with a slightly crisp texture on the edges and delicious smokiness from the skillful barbequing.

Close up of the charcoal grilled eel...
Another highlight was the fresh wasabi served on the side...
It took a bit of effort to scrape it to an edible state but was totally worth it. The fresh wasabi was  mildly "spicy" and fragrant - not like the processed wasabi which is usually just hella spicy and nothing else.

Fresh wasabi...

Scrape, scrape, scrape...
They recommend that the Hitsumabushi be eaten in stages:
1) First quarter: Just the rice and the unagi,
2) Second quarter: Sprinkle with the unagi with nori and spring onions,
3) Third quarter: Eat the unagi with wasabi, and/or the variety of sweet, normal and spicy sauces, and
4) Lastly: Drown the rice and unagi, with the dashi broth and tadah you have a delicious ochazuke.

... but you just should just eat it however you like lah. :)

Chefs hard at work in the open kitchen...
It was such a good meal! Unfortunately, I'm still highly averse to lines, so I really don't know when I would go back there again. :(

So, it's: Good food, convenient location (near Outram Park MRT), fast service (once you get in the restaurant) BUT inhibitively long lines (up to 2 hours if you're unlucky!)....

Summary Information:
Man Man Unagi @ Kheong Saik Road, Singapore
Website: CLICK HERE

Opening Hours:
Mon - Sat: 11:30 - 15:00, 18:00 - 22:30
PH: 11:30 - 15:00, 18:00 - 22:30
Closed: Sun

Phone: +65 6222 0678

Address: #01-01, 1 Keong Saik Road, 089109 Singapore
Map: CLICK HERE

NOT HALAL

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Seth Lui
- Daniel Food Diary
- mitsueki ♥ | Singapore Lifestyle Blogger – Food, Fashion, Travel & Random News

Yayoi Kusama @ Singapore National Gallery

Time flies!...

OMG It's the last week for the famous Japanese artist, Yayoi Kusama's exhibit at the Singapore National Gallery. :(

I had been there already, when I had family visiting, but meant to go back to enjoy the amazing art again.

Not like I get any commission from the gallery ticket sales, but just putting my 2 cents out there:
- Go see it!:
If you haven't gone already, it's really worth it. There's such an interesting mix of her vivid art on canvases, sculptures, video installations, and really cool interactive light exhibits.
- Go early!:
Seeing the crowds when I was there though, I would recommend going first thing in the morning, and be mentally prepared for more than the usual crowds anyway because of the long weekend.
(Best of luck... and may the odds ever be in your favour)

Yayoi Kusama Exhibition Details (from the website):
Date: Friday, 09 Jun 2017 - Sunday, 03 Sep 2017
Admission prices:
• $15 for Singaporeans/PRs ($10 for concession-holders)
• $25 for Non-Singaporeans ($20 for concession-holders)
• Free for children 6 years and under, local and locally-based students and teachers, persons with disabilities and one caregiver.
Note: On-site tickets must be purchased 1.5 hours before closing time.

Online ticket sales are available from 2 June.
For more information, please visit www.nationalgallery.sg/YAYOI-KUSAMA.

Museum opening hours:
– Sun–Thu, Public Holidays: 10am–7pm
– Fri–Sat, Eve of Public Holidays: 10am–10pm
Admission ends 30 minutes before closing time.

Walls lined with her earlier black and white art... 

Also a lot of interesting sculptures... 

Vivid infinite lights ...

Awesome room where you feel like you're floating in a universe... for like 20 seconds...

The gallery architecture itself is just beautiful...

OTHER REVIEWS:

Vatos Urban Tacos @ Beach Road, Singapore

Korean + Mexican = Match made in Heaven...

My sister in law and family were visiting Singapore (yay!), and staying in the new J.W. Marriott South Beach (amazing hotel BTW)... so, me and hubby were in the area, looking for some caffeine.

Coffee finally in hand, we were wandering around when we chanced upon Vatos Urban Tacos. It's quite hidden-tucked away in a corner of a beautiful old colonial style building, near the new office block:

Old facade with a renovated interior...

"MISS, NO OUTSIDE FOOD AND DRINKS ALLOWED", I was informed...

Once I had negotiated the terms of my entry** with the friendly, but very "by the book" wait staff, we proceeded to examine the menu.
(** I parked my coffee on a stool, and put it in the corner like it had done something bad, and promised I wouldn't drink it while I was on the premises)
(Look, it's not like I like breaking all these rules but we hadn't planned on having a meal - Vatos looked interesting so we just went in to try it)

I love Korean food, and I also love Mexican food.
But Ko-Mex fusion? Well, I've never tried it before and had my doubts on how it would work - both cuisines are spicy, but with distinct flavor profiles.

First up that day, we tried the Honey Tequila Chicken Wings (S$ 19++).

The crispy wings came coated in sweet and spicy honey tequila sauce, served with deep fried jalapeno slices, and blue cheese dipping sauce on the side. With just a few deep fried jalepenos and some optional blue cheese sauce, I didn't find it very different from the usual Korean fried chicken (albeit very well done).

Sticky sweet deliciousness...

For our main, we tried the Korean Po Boy Burrito (S$ 21++).

Slices of Galbi short rib, and Korean pork belly, wrapped up with Mexican Rice, black beans, cheese, sautéed kimchi, cilantro lime crema, ssamjang aioli, Asian slaw, cilantro, onion, pico de gallo, and Sriracha mayo... it was a nice mix of tender meat and punchy kimchi flavor - would definitely order again. :D
(I recommend sharing this though, as the serving is quite big)

A log/burrito...

The dish that really stood out to me though (still craving now) was the Kimchi Carnitas Fries (S$ 19++).

Seasoned fries, topped with braised pork carnitas, sautéed Kimchi, melted cheese, topped with sour cream, hot sauce, cilantro, and onion was an amazing mix of crunchy carbs, tender meat and sour spicy kimchi. So, SO, SO delicious.

I Love You, Deep Fried Carbs...

The inside of Vatos is just like any hipster resto-bar - comfortable and dimly lit, with a mix of industrial fixtures and exposed brick walls. It wasn't very busy as we were there at an odd hour on a weekday:

Interior of Vatos...

Overall, we both really enjoyed our meal there, and looking to returning soon to try more dishes, as well as the beer-itas. Next time, I'll remember to go without a rule breaking coffee in hand. :)

So, it's: Good selection of delicious fusion Mexican-Korean food, very conveniently located (near Esplanade MRT) BUT a bit expensive, friendly but sometimes blur service....

Summary Information:
Vatos Urban Tacos @ Beach Road, Singapore
Website: CLICK HERE

Opening Hours:
Sun – Thurs 12pm – 11pm
Fri – Sat; 12pm – 12midnight

Phone: +65 6385 6010

Address: 36 Beach Road Singapore 189677
Map: CLICK HERE

NOT HALAL

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Seth Lui.com
- Daniel Food Diary.com
- Lady Iron Chef

Horizon Bistronomy @ NOL Building, Singapore

Fusion is not always a bad word...

UPDATE Jul 2018: Sadly, Horizon (at NOL Building) is permanently closed. :(

It's pretty rare that I get to go out for lunch, as work is generally quite busy.

Lunch for me is usually a quick run to the nearby food court for takeaway, then back to office to enjoy my meal in the comforts of my office's pantry area with my colleagues. So, what a treat it was for me and my team-mates to go out for lunch at a nearby restaurant.

It turns out that Horizon Bistronomy has been opened for quite a while now, but I never noticed it before as it is located on the ground floor of the NOL building, which I don't pass by much. They serve fusion food (Asian/French/Italian) which is kinda passé, so I had my reservations.

Outside Horizon...

While there were interesting items on the a la carte menu, we focused on the Lunch set options:
- the Pasta/Risotto lunch set ($16.90++), which comes with a drink and choice of one starter and a pasta/ risotto for your main, OR
- the Main lunch set ($24.90++), which comes with a drink and a premium starter (eg. angel hair pasta with crab meat, tobiko and truffle oil) and heavier options for your main (eg. Duck Confit).

For my starter, I choose the Caprese salad - it was beautifully arranged and tasted refreshing, with the slightly sweet tomatoes pairing well with the mild pieces of mozzarella.

Cheese, Tomato, Basil deliciousness...

For my main, I chose the cauliflower risotto with Kakuni pork (Japanese style braised pork). The risotto was so delicious! - al dente grains of short grain rice, cooked to creamy perfection.

As for the pork, it was also absolutely delicious - tender texture, with a nice mix of savoury and sweet, pairing perfectly with the risotto.
(I was in a food coma after that, but it was totally worth it)

 

 Cauliflower risotto with Kakuni Pork...

 

I enjoyed the food there so much that I returned soon after.
During my second visit, I chose the Value Lunch instead - a small but very well priced selection of pastas.

That day, I chose the Laksa Pasta ($ 7.90++). It usually comes served with Mussels, as I understand, but that day they (ran out? and) served it with Soft shell crab instead (which I certainly don't mind). While it was just a tad too oily, but overall it was very enjoyable - fragrant, lightly spicy laksa sauce and al dente pasta. The crispy little morsels of tofu puffs added a nice texture too. The serving was pretty generous and I (again) fell into a (happy) food coma after.

Note: For the value lunch, you only get a main (no starters or drinks), but considering the serving size and ingredients, I think it was super worth it)

 

The Laksa Pasta...

 

As for the décor was nice but not too formal, and the service was always friendly - great place for a work lunch or a casual dinner date.
(Better to sit inside though I think, while it can get a bit noisy when it's full, the outdoor seating can get a bit warm)

So, it's: Really delicious fusion food, reasonable pricing, friendly service BUT nothing much bad to say :) I just wish it was opened on weekends!....

Summary Information:
Horizon Bistronomy @ NOL Building, Singapore
Website: CLICK HERE

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri 11am-11pm
(Closed Sat and Sun)

Phone: +65 6884 6884

Address: NOL Building, 456 Alexandra Road, 119962
Map: CLICK HERE

NOT HALAL

OTHER REVIEWS:

- PrisChew Dot Com

- NAHMJ

- Secret Life of the Fatbacks

Sow & Reap Cafe @ Viva Vista Mall, Singapore

Waffles are life...

We were in the area visiting a friend, and stumbled upon this café in a secluded location (new-ish shopping center at the base of Viva Vista condominium).

Secluded location...

Once you walk past the many empty shoplots - there is this cute and cosy little café, Sow & Reap:

A nice surprise at the end...

There are not many options on the menu (pretty much a burger, a pasta, some brunch options, a savoury and a sweet waffles, sandwiches, home made ice cream, and some baked goods like croissants and cakes)... Still, its more than enough to choose from.

They also have some daily specials like Herbal Chicken with Brown rice - doesn't fit on the more Western theme of the main menu but hey, whatever works, right?

We felt like brunch so we ordered the big breakfast ($15.90). The serving was big enough and everything was lovely - I especially liked the moist scrambled eggs and crusty slice of bread.

Certainly a hearty breakfast....

The highlight for me though was the Homemade Meatballs with Buttermilk Waffles ($14.90) - loved how crispy the waffles are, while still being moist inside. At first I thought the combination of scrambled eggs, spicy meatballs and cranberry sauce was a bit weird... but somehow it works! (Nice combination of savoury, spicy and sweet)

A rather eccentrically topped waffle...

 

The coffee was also decent, served in a oh so hipster mason jar cup ($5? - oops I forgot the price for this).

Caffeine is my only addiction (thankfully)...

Overall, I enjoyed the food there, and have been back a few times for the waffles which have been consistently yummy. :) Service is always friendly too - really feels like a very nice, homey café.

Cosy décor inside...

So, it's: Good food at good prices, friendly service BUT secluded location, there really isn't much else to do at this "mall"....

Summary Information:
Sow & Reap Cafe @ Viva Vista Mall, Singapore
Website: CLICK HERE

Opening Hours:
Tues to Sunday 9am-9pm

Phone: +65 6250 1220

Address: 3 South Buona Vista Road, #01-41 Viva Vista Mall, Singapore, 118136
Map: CLICK HERE

NOT HALAL

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Cannot find any :(

Park Bench Deli @ Telok Ayer Road, Singapore

I love carbs...

I usually try to avoid the CBD area like the plague on weekdays (as it just gets suffocating-ly packed), but had no choice one day - there were errands to be run, so I was in the area for lunch.

Interior of The Park Bench

A friend had introduced me to The Park Bench Deli quite some time ago, and I was craving a good sandwich, so we headed straight over.

I was initially surprised that it wasn't too hard to get a seat although it was in the middle of lunch time. I suspect this is due to the slightly higher price point - while the serving size is rather large, the simplest savoury sandwich (Fried Egg, Bacon and Cheddar on Brioche) is $10++, and goes as high as $17++ for a Meatball sandwich.
(Note: For an extra $5++ you can "Make it a Meal", with an added side of tater tots and a drink)

Looking out onto the busy street

My sandwich

That day, I opted for the Cheesesteak ($16++). It came with a generous amount of juicy sliced beef, sautéed onions and cheese sauce, nestled between some deliciously crusty bread. I really enjoyed it, but would struggle to finish it on my own for lunch.

Cross section of my Philly Cheesesteak

My hubby had the Cubano sandwich ($16++) - a tasty mix of savoury pulled pork, cheese, smoked ham with a little zing from the sauce (tasted like it had pickles in it?).

Cross section of the cubano sandwich

The tater tots we got on the side were absolutely delicious! So crispy on the outside, while still moist inside. It was also great that it wasn't too salty or greasy, which is usually the problem with such deep fried goodies.
(Note: They have proper Sriracha sauce here, and it goes very well with the tater tots - gives an extra spicy "kick")

Delicious Tater Tots

So, it's: Decent selection of delicious sandwiches, convenient location, friendly service BUT a bit pricy (although the serving size is worth it)....

Summary Information:
Park Bench Deli @ Telok Ayer Street, Singapore
Website: CLICK HERE

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri 1030am-10pm
Saturday 1030am-4pm
Sunday Closed

Phone: +65 6815 4600

Address: 179 Telok Ayer Street, Singapore, 068627
Map: CLICK HERE

NOT HALAL

OTHER REVIEWS:

- Daniel Food Diary.com

- Miss Tam Chiak

- The Hungry Bunny

- Timeless Facade

Patissez @ Holland Village, Singapore

Trying something new...

"When one door closes, another opens..."

As our favourite (convenient) Sunday brunch place was no longer available**, we were forced to look for a new place to go to. After racking our brains, we headed over to Patissez, a new-ish café located on the Ground Floor of the new Raffles Medical Center in Holland Village.
(** They suddenly decided they don't want to be open on Sundays anymore)

Outside Patissez

Overall, it's nice inside, although I did note that about half the tables are equipped with hard, uncomfortable, wooden "You are welcome here, but please don't stay too long" stools.
(We quickly swapped out our stools with the nearest available cushion-ed chairs once our buns started aching)

Interior of the café

The coffee was decent - I had the Iced Cappuccino (S$ 6), and The Husband had the Flat White (S$ 5):

Caffeine, my best friend

There was a decent (but not extensive) selection of brunch items and mains. After some deliberation I chose the Corn and Zucchini Fritters (S$ 15), which was served with smashed avocado, kale pesto, poached eggs and a grilled tomato.

I didn't like the kale pesto, which I found had a slightly bitter aftertaste, but was completely wowed by the so simple but so perfectly cooked, smoky grilled tomato (A pity there was so little of it though). As for the fritters, I enjoyed them - 3 generously sized pieces, which were moist in the middle and slightly crisp on the outside.

Zucchini Fritters

Interior of The Pattissez

The Husband had the Get Pig'd (S$ 20) - Pulled pork served with eggs benedict, bacon jam, atop a crusty sourdough slice and a side of spinach.

At first we were a bit disappointed by how small it was for the price, but it turned out to pretty filling as there was quite a lot of meat packed onto that little plate. The pulled pork was ever so slightly dry/ stringy but overall, it was enjoyable.

Pulled Pork Eggs Benedict

When I was preparing to write this post, I looked around online and there seem to be quite a mixed bag of opinions on this café. Apparently, the "famous" milkshakes here are way too sweet? I didn't try them, but just FYI so you can manage your expectations before you head over.
:)

So, it's: Decent food at ok prices, convenient location (just steps away from Holland Village MRT), friendly service BUT some of the seating is very uncomfortable (hard wooden stools)....

Summary Information:
Patissez @ Holland Village, Singapore
Website: CLICK HERE

Opening Hours:
Mon to Wed 10am – 6pm,
Thu to Fri 10am – 10pm,
Sat to Sun 9am – 10pm.

Phone: +65 6262 3616

Address: 118 Holland Avenue, #01-06, 278997
Map: CLICK HERE

NOT HALAL

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Lady Iron Chef
- Daniel food Diary
- Lirongs