A bowl created by Chef Mano Thevar, Bombay street with a twist - basmati brown rice, corn and chana dhal kichdi, pumpkin vada with kachumber raita, curry leaf crumb and crispy onions. I loved all the flavours, especially the vada but wished there was a bigger portion of dhal and raita as I had excess rice which was a little dry on its own. All bowls by Bamboo are plant-based with meat and low-carb options at additional cost (plus $3-$5).

Bamboo has a unique concept where you order through their app and use the app to open your pod for collection. Although the main goal is for a contactless transaction, my main gripe is that the process was not as seamless as expected. Not only do you need to download an additional app that is only unique to this store, they only accept credit card payment (no ApplePay yet though they’re working on it according to an employee) and each pod can only hold two boxes - meaning that if I do a large order for my table an employee still has to hand me the food boxes. Cool idea but not practical with form over function…? We probably spent more time with the employees trying to help us download the app than a typical system with an employee taking down our order.

Recently brought a good friend to try out Tonito, which is my absolute favourite restaurant at Jewel. This is my first time here since they have changed their menu and this Arroz Con Pato is supposedly the replacement dish for the previous Arroz Con Pollo which was my favourite. Instead of chicken on tomato rice, a slow-cooked duck leg is served on top of coriander rice garnished with piquillo peppers and salsa criolla on the side. The duck was so tender and the rice hearty and comforting, though I think I prefer the tomato + chicken combination better! The service here is still pretty good even during dinner rush.

Shaking your box to mix the ingredients and the sauce is such a cute element. A great option as a post workout meal, it was even yummier because of a $5 Shopback voucher. Added pumpkin because the minimum spend was $10 but it was still cheaper with an additional topping. All the carbs, proteins and veggies needed to fuel you for your day.

One of the only Korean restaurants that I know of in City Hall (the other being Ahjumma’s at Funan), so this place is frequented whenever my friends and I are in the vicinity and have cravings for Korean. This was a very hearty and comforting bowl of spicy seafood soup, the amount of ingredients were reasonable with a generous serving of tofu. The standard here was pretty good until it dropped during the period of COVID restrictions though it seems to have come back up again. Side dishes were alright, I’ve had better!

The manpower shortage seems to be hitting every restaurant hard and Din Tai Fung is of no exception. There were literally two waitresses managing the whole restaurant during a weekend lunch crowd, hats off to these amazing ladies. DTF’s wanton soup is always my go to comfort food when I’m not feeling super hungry! The shrimp in the wantons are always crunchy and the chicken broth is light yet flavourful.

A generous mix of salmon sashimi, aburi salmon belly, cubed spicy salmon, mentaiko seared salmon sashimi and ikura over Tanuki’s signature rice. Definitely a bit pricier due to dinner, but the service was amazing. I had bought cakes for a friend’s birthday and the staff prepared the cakes with candles right after we had finished our mains. Thanks for trying to sing a birthday song and for the mini cocktails on the house!

Two perfectly poached eggs sitting on pulled pork on top of Hokkaido brioche toast. Served with a side of pinto bean salsa, romaine salad and peri-peri sauce. The pork was lightly marinated and wasn’t too overwhelming, which paired well with the runny yolks that burst open when cut into. Both salsa and salad were delicious sides. I thought the brioche toast felt a little stale - it wasn’t toasted nor fluffy. But overall, a great place to have all-day brunch with generous servings and brisk service!

One word to describe this cake: m o i s t! The bakes looked so lovely sitting in the display we couldn’t help but choose one as dessert as an addition to our brunch and coffee. A very yummy butter cake, with a delightful topping of honeyed mascarpone and the crunch of pistachios to balance out the richness. Nothing beats catching up over coffee at a cafe on a calm weekday morning.

I was feeling hungry but didn’t have a lot of time to eat, so I decided on the Bread & Butter set. For $6.90, you can get three slices of any sourdough of your choosing. I got the Cheddar and Jalapeño to fulfil my savoury palate though they have sweeter or nuttier options too! The bread paired with the butter and peanut butter with chia was so yummy. The Bread Rack’s menu is small but it’s a cosy place if you’re craving some good bread and looking to catch up with a friend or on some work.

Isn’t Three Nuts Baker’s logo so adorable! Pretty yummy cup of iced black, I think they use beans from Common Man Coffee Roasters. Note that all drinks are served in takeaway cups regardless whether you dine in or takeaway.

Another cafe we found while looking for nearby places to have brunch while Bellie gets groomed. The bakes only come out at 12pm so we’ve been trying out the brunch menu. It’s a pity it has such a small space (one outdoor table and one indoor counter) but weekday mornings are quiet and it definitely adds to the cosy vibe.

Tenderly braised veal cheek sit on top of sourdough toasted to perfection where the edges are crisp while the bread remains soft. The onion marmalade adds a sweet balance to the bitterness of the arugula, cut with a smattering savoury from the parmesan cheese. We ate brunch while eyeing the glass display longingly for the bakes to be ready. Definitely check out their cinnamon rolls! The service here is lovely too.

Chanced upon this Korean cafe while looking for a place to catch up on some work while my dog was at the groomer’s. The cafe vibes are really nice - warm and cosy while being spacious with clean lines at the same time. I had a Dutch Iced Latte ($8) which was good but I felt that their brunch plates were a little on the expensive side, albeit delicious. The scrambled eggs were milky and fluffy, the side salad well dressed and the croissant paired with the triple cheese & ham was crispy, flakey and yummy. Will definitely be coming back here for coffee. Note that the mobile signal on the inside is not very good but there is free wifi available upon your payment at the cashier. There are also no power plugs available.