Sashimi (5 kinds) We ordered 5 but the chef went above and beyond and gave us 7. All his selections were impeccable as well.

Tuna and Egg Yolk Sushi ITS A MUST ORDER! It was soooo good.

Isojimman sake, otoro, kaki-uni What can go wrong?🤪

Taiwanese dinner A gem in the neighbourhood! Ordered the gua bao, peanut ice cream roll with fizzy ice lemon tea and mentaiko fish! It was a cozy ambience and we were seated outside. However, it was raining on the day itself but there's shutters that shields us from the splatter of rain so it doesn't destroy the atmosphere at all! Enjoyed myself and the food was good. Definitely going back again. Price wise was a little pricier than normal coffeeshop but worth it!

Salted Egg Prawn Bun My second time back at Abundance after about 2 years and their gua bao still slaps (yas to the peanuts). Apart from their classic braised pork belly bun ($7.90), the Salted Egg Prawn Bun ($13.90) was a surprisingly hit (albeit pricey). The house-minced prawn patty was succulent (think nice chunky bites of prawn) and uber savoury. Love the salted egg sauce, crispy egg floss, fragrant curry leaves, and chili padi garnish - fun textures and taste. I really enjoyed the fact that the taste of the salted egg wasn’t too in the face, was distinct but not cloying, and was complementary to the crustacean sweetness from the deep-fried patty.

Beef Noodles Soup The unanimous favourite at the table was the Beef Noodles Soup ($16.90). Served with smooth bouncy QQ knife-cut noodles, the flavourful beef broth was lip-smacking (and not thirst-inducing, in my opinion). The collagen-rich beef bone broth had a pleasant sweet-tanginess - umami and comforting. The braised beef cuts were good as well. Tender and juicy, the use of premium beef golden coin stewed in their concoction of homemade beef oil and spices for over 3 hours really set them apart from others.

Black Forest | $13++ Kirsch-soaked Morello Cherries and Chantilly Cream with Greek Yoghurt Sponge and Valrhona 70% Dark Chocolate Mousse. One of the best cake I’ve tasted. A must try!

Smoked I love this cocktail. It was of gin, shiso umeshu & saffron. I like mix of woody feel. It sort of like drinking whisky with a cigar on hand. Will I order this again? YES!

Afternoon tea Tried @ginger.lilysingapore's afternoon tea recently and we enjoyed it quite a bit! The serving was rather large especially for the savouries, there was a good variety of items and we got to try different types of tea! The dessert stood out more than the savouries and my favourite item from the dessert is the Valrhona 46% Amatika Chocolate Cake, it was rich, chocolatey and moist at the same time 😍 The savoury items were rather normal but decent and my favourite item is the Iberico Ham Crostini because it was more unique. I especially appreciated how the teas offered were more unique, they are from @gifeltea and they have a Ginger Lily House Blend too. I preferred the Ginger Lily in the kombucha form, served as their welcome drink and the tea I liked most served hot was the Singapore's Glory which features a floral blend of flavours. Overall, I thought this was quite value for money with good food and tea, along with a relaxing atmosphere and good service too! I would return again when their menu changes to try more items 😋

🧅🍄 Sourdough Classic #Bialy ($5) There is a hit and then there is a miss! This one falls into the latter category. The bialy supposed to be the healthier version of bagel with its lighter texture. Somehow it's quite chewy and greasy at the base. It could have had more desirable texture to have this bialy fresh out of the oven. However, when checking its oily base, I am not too keen to reheat and dispel it. The generous amount of sliced potato, onion & poppyseed gives a soft pat on my shoulder, maybe it's not my bialy day. 🤔

🥐 Sourdough Almond Croissant ($5) At 8:30 am sharp, people are already lining up to buy #woodlandssd freshly baked goods. So many sourdough choices to pick from. SD almond croissant is unlike anywhere else croissants. With denser texture, it tastes more like kouign-amann covered with crunchy sliced almonds. Just take a mouthful of this with your cuppa, the slightly sour full body of 🥐 goes so well with sweet almond paste. 😍

Lime Buttermilk Bundt Cake ($5.50) Cake was moist with a coarser crumb, wasn't as limey in the middle, but the bottom was super limey and zesty, makes u pucker but I like supersour stuff so this was great. The icing was v sugary but also v limey, tasted like lozenges for some reason. Honestly could do without the icing, it’s too sweet. But I guess it’s the standard bundt glaze. Overall not bad, would want to try the other bundt flavours!

Percik Kambing $38 | Sambal Kangkong with Cuttlefish $14 Coconut Rice $2 australian lamb short ribs marinated in coconut milk and tamarind, charcoal-grilled stir-fried water morning glory, cured cuttlefish, sambal belacan

Otah Katsu Sando $7.80 space buns, panko-crusted spicy fish cake, shredded cabbage, mayonnaise

Charcoal-grilled Kaya Toast $7.80 space buns, homemade coconut jam, butter, soft-boiled eggs

Flat White — 8 Oz Was informed by a friend about Venture Drive Coffee’s newest outlet at Alexandra Village, and decided to check it out. Occupying a space that is half of the usual size of a HDB shop unit, Venture Drive Coffee’s latest outlet is definitely smaller than their space at their former location at Vision Exchange. Their current space at Blk 123 Bukit Merah Lane 1 also puts them diagonally opposite Rookie’s Coffee Shop at Blk 124 Bukit Merah Lane 1; the latter of which also serves specialty coffee with a limited selection of bakes. Whilst Venture Drive Coffee is now decked in a largely black colour scheme with a industrial-themed decor, the space does feel a little haphazard with most of the dine-in seats located outside the shop — the interior is largely dedicated to the retail section where one will be able to grab their roasted coffee beans to-go, as well as the espresso counter and a coffee roaster. Serving simply just beverages at their new space at Bukit Merah, the menu comprises of espresso-based coffee and hand brews featuring beans from various origins. For those who are not into coffee, one can also opt between the beverages listed in the Single Origin Chocolate sections of the menu, as well as the Ceremonial Matcha Latte and Tea by the Pot as listed in the Specialty Tea section of the menu as well. Going for the Flat White — 8 Oz, it is noted that the cuppa pulled was done with a single shot of espresso; we heard that they did so as there were other patrons which had provided them with feedback that the roast is actually fairly strong if done as a double shot. Featuring a blend of beans from Costa Rica, Colombia and Ethiopia, the Opus 27 Moonlight Sonata Seasonal Blend is said to carry notes of chocolate, hazelnut and moonlight flower as stated in the menu — this explains how the cuppa turned out to be one with a light body, whilst having a earthy flavour profile. The overall cuppa lies towards the milkier end, but this was well-pulled considering how smooth and creamy it was. Having been established far later than most other cafes that are part of the third-wave coffee movement, Venture Drive Coffee may not be a name that is as recognisable as some of the industry veterans but this really puts Venture Drive Coffee as one of the underdogs in the cafe scene here. That being said, we were really into how they seem to carry a slightly different vibe to the cafe scene with its somewhat rowdy outlook yet with a clean and minimalistic approach while at it - all that whilst being knowledgeable in the craft; something which they have carried since their days at Vision Exchange. Whilst Venture Drive Coffee may no longer be situated at Vision Exchange (the building being located at Venture Drive, hence the namesake), their name would probably still live on as an establishment that takes prides in serving up their very own locally-roasted specialty coffee.

Bike Stop for Cyclists Beer battered fish fillet was fried to golden brown and served with potatoes fries, vegetables and tartar sauce. I was elated that the fish n chips had met the expectations.

Echelon Mussels Pasta A few newly-opened cafes have been making their rounds across social media recently and one of them is Blue Balls Cafe — a bike-themed cafe that is situated at 44 Pasir Panjang Road. For those whom are unfamiliar with the area, the cafe takes up a stand-alone space with the same grounds as Anytime Fitness Pasir Panjang, and is located pretty close by to the Pasir Panjang outpost of Eat 3 Bowls as well. Having an al-fresco dining area that is pretty much only sheltered by an awning, as well as an outdoor dining area apart from the main indoor dining hall, the al-fresco dining area does seem to be pet-friendly, whilst patrons who are less keen to sit in the area can actually choose to sit in the outdoor area that is accessible through the indoor dining hall. The cafe does exude some industrial vibes with the large use of brick walls and cemented floors, as well as the mix of metallic and wooden furnishing and fittings — does somewhat remind us a little of Wheeler’s Yard where a similar approach was used as well; from the colours of the walls to the hanging of the bicycle parts. Walking into the dine-in area, one is greeted by a display rack of biking apparel that showcases the items available for retail; on the other side, the display chiller is stocked with the cakes and wraps available for the day. The menu here features hot food ranging from mains (mostly meat, fish or poultry dishes), burgers and pastas, as well as soup and salads, bites that are good to share at the table, and a small selection of desserts. Beverages include smoothies, specialty coffee, teas from Teapigs Tea from UK and canned drinks; just to name a few. While one can argue that a lot of thought was placed in the decor and environment of the cafe, the food could be said as something that probably has some room for improvement. While the Grand Tour Fish & Chips that we had was rather uninspiring, the Echelon Mussels Pasta left a slightly better impression. Featuring elements such as mussels, white wine, butter, garlic, chili, parsley and linguine, the broth that the linguine was tossed in had that slight alcoholic zing that made it taste pretty close to a rather decent Vongole — all that spiked with a bit of spiciness coming from the bird’s eye chili that they have included for the kick. That being said, we felt that the noodles could do with a bit more cooking time for that truly al-dente texture, while the quality of the mussels could admittedly been better since the quality just seemed to vary between the pieces that were in our plate. A lot of the hype on Blue Balls Cafe seems to be placed on the interior — no doubt a very conducive environment which we found ourselves enjoying and even staying for longer than we would usually. Whilst we only tried a select few items off their menu, we felt that their offerings seem a little generic and just doesn’t seem to be made to impress — probably something that may appease the most basic of taste buds, though mostly a tad off for the seasoned cafe hopper. Nonetheless, they have done quite a good job with the interior here; something that is likely to attract avid cafe hoppers as well as bike enthusiasts alike — though one should manage their expectations on the food which could do with more attention to details here.

Cafe Natsu (2)🍡 Mochi Donuts😋 Please refer to my previous Cafe Natsu post for my full review!😄

Cafe Natsu (1)🥢 Went to Cafe Natsu three weeks ago and ordered their Wagyu Hamburg Bowl Set ($36), an Iced Matcha Latte ($8.50), and Mochi Donuts ($12)!😇 Overall ratings 9/10! Food and drinks were not too bad but was a bit pricey to me😅 Would head back again though👍🏻

Fish Pao Fan Star item was the hearty bowl of Fish Soup Pao Fan

Morning Caffeine Fix Mocha $6.50 | Banana Cocoa $5

Morning Caffeine Fix White $5.50 | Lemon Drizzle $5

Morning Caffeine Fix Iced Black $5.50 | Banana Cocoa $5

Pain au Suisse Chocolate, American Cinnamon Rolll Back at La Levain where I was first introduced to pain au suisse chocolate! The ones you find here are the finest as with most of their bakes. We also had an American cinnamon roll which was a refreshing rendition of the good ol classic for me. Topped with icing sugar a danish pastry swirl was smattered with cinnamon - this was another real treat!

Earl Grey Latte Chanced upon La Levain and decided to hide inside to do some work. We got 2 of their earl grey lattes which were fragrant and heartwarming, while being not too milky

Onigiri Croissant La Levain has launched yet another super creative creation: the Onigiri Croissants! These adorable pastries are shaped like Japanese onigiris, complete with a strip of seaweed to complete the look. 🌱Scallion Sour Cream ($7.20) This croissant is so fresh and savoury! The sour cream is light and creamy while the scallion is slightly crunchy and tangy, the perfect combination. Savoury croissant fans must try this. 🧀Mentaiko Cheese ($7.50) They really do not hold back on the mentaiko! The filling is super rich and creamy with a strong mentaiko taste plus bits of roe that give the cream a unique slightly grainy mouthfeel. Its a tad salty for me but for those who love strong flavours, you’ll probably love this. 🍠Orh Nee ($7.20) Omg where to begin with this??? This was 100% my favourite of the 4 flavours I tried! Dont expect any ordinary taro paste, this filling is jam-packed with sweet and savoury flavour. The aroma of the shallots shines through in this croissant and its perfectly smooth and delectable. So amazing, must try! 💚Sicilian Pistachio ($7.20) The pistachio flavour is rich and very nutty, I love how the cream isn’t too sweet. I love pistachio so I loved every bite of this!