Yep, they’re both plant-based options. But they taste amazing! I really looooove The Roots (this was my first time trying) but it was so flavourful and to me, it even had notes of curry. The vegan patties were made of zucchini and pumpkin respectively, I think. But I’m not sure but it’s still reeeally good. The sauce they use ties everything together perfectly and adds that DEEELICIOUS broadcast message to me haha. Do note that it falls apart easily though! Comparing this to the drier VeganBurg burgers, I would say that The Roots is much wetter, which is not a bad thing, and also more flavourful and less health food-tasting. Definitely recommend getting this.

I’m picky about my salads but I enjoyed Beets by Dre! It would be a good introduction to salads, I feel. Beets by Dre had feta cheese in it, which really amped up the flavour of the salad. I think they used rocket, butternut squash (which looked like a crunchier pumpkin), beets and lettuce? Gotta check the menu to know what are really included. I loved the dressing - it’s probably balsamic vinegar - it complemented the sweetness of the vegetables and cheese by enhancing the flavour profile! Would get this again, and you should too if you don’t hate salads. Tastes and sounds basic though, salad lovers.

And yes, water is complimentary. ;)

I’ve always been a solid fan of Apiary for their fragrant, crispy waffles and quality ice cream. As usual, this time doesn’t disappoint.

I picked out one of my favourite flavours, Earl Grey, while my friend chose The Apiary, which was part of the popular choices. The Earl Grey ice cream here is significantly better than those in other establishments - it’s much creamier, with more obvious Earl Grey taste. We both agreed that Earl Grey was also better than the popular The Apiary, which main notes were honey and cacao nibs that added a favourable crunch and texture.

As a rule of thumb, I do prefer flavours like Matcha and Earl Grey over their popular flavour like Blue Milk as their depth in flavour is different. Go for the popular ones if you prefer lighter flavours though.

Note that the ice cream these days melts more quickly than a while back, so eat that ice cream fast!

Interestingly, I quite like this almond croissant because I usually don’t prefer them - the almonds on this were fragrant and slightly sweet. However, I think the croissant would’ve been better without the chocolate (don’t get me wrong, I looove chocolate) as the chocolate had slightly overpowered the taste of the almond. Though, I guess it was a good addition still but the slightly bitter chocolate cuts the sweetness of the icing sugar that they sprinkled on top of the croissant. Texture-wise, it’s rather compact and makes for a filling dessert or snack. Overall, would I recommend this? Yes, I think it’s worth trying at least once if you like almond croissants, albeit the steep price.

The pricier nature of this dish probably came from the freshly made tagliatelle pasta (and maybe the prawns, I’m not sure). The portion is much bigger than what appears in this picture haha (my bad). Overall, this was a pretty yummy dish,m that I might order again, barring the better options on the menu (such as the Crab and Scallop pasta [$33++]). The pasta was a tad too al dente for my liking. Not sure what to make of the kombu, but the prawn could definitely be tasted in the sauce (and by itself). There were three medium- to large-sized prawns that were very juicy and fresh. The sauce was very much to my liking, bearing a resemblance to upgraded prawn mee but with a flavour not as prawny and strong. It was quite savoury and had me reaching for more. Would recommend to try definitely, it’s a clean dish. But if you prefer a deeper and stronger flavour, I’ll advise going for the Crab and Scallop equivalent instead.

Definitely a dessert to share despite the small portion. Topped with honey-glazed cinnamon and cream of a viscous consistency, this pecan pie is loaded with the sugars. Pecans topping the pie were very fragrant, but my lasting impression of this dish is that it was just incredibly sweet. If you have a very sweet tooth, go for this. Note that the whiskey is practically nonexistent taste-wise though.

The double cheeseburger is an all-American (or so they proclaim on their menu) burger graced with a double beef patty, bacon ketchup, lettuce, tomato, gherkins AND CHEESE (not indicated on menu), that is served with crispy, thick-cut fries. There’s nothing to be excited about for the burger itself. While the star of the show—the double beef patty—came in an undeniably generous portion, being probably thrice the thickness of a Shake Shack beef patty, the patty was tougher than expected and definitely not as juicy as the latter. Though I did enjoy the special sauce (I assume it’s the bacon ketchup) that topped the burger very much. The fries were excellent, being fluffy on the inside but crispy on the outside. I’m also glad I asked for the tartar sauce from the Calamari [$16++] dish to accompany my fries in addition to the given ketchup. I don’t know what they added inside the sauce, but it’s divine.

Staff was very friendly and very accommodating to our requests, though they seem a bit short-handed. They quickly helped us use our ChopeVoucher (30% off from 11am to 6pm on Sat and Sun + More options), so definitely remember to book via Chope and grab a voucher before going if you intend to spend more than $50 (the minimum spend for reservations).

Exactly what I expected—sweet and fluffy with all that maple syrup and custard. Though fragrant, the soufflé pancakes seemed a little wet in the middle, but it was not very discernible. The fruits provided a nice bit of sourness and crunch in contrast to the sweetness and softness of the pancakes that helped to make the dessert less gelat. Ice cream was also a nice touch with the coldness and the vanilla flavour complemented the flavours well. I probably wouldn’t come to the cafe specially for the soufflé pancakes since it’s nothing special for the price and there are cheaper options around that taste the same. But if I do end up here again, I wouldn’t mind forking out the extra buck to get this again since it was overall pretty satisfying and yummy.

Definitely not your authentic carbonara that’s made with an egg yolk base, but I still liked the creaminess and butteriness of the Alfredo on this one. The Crazy Carbonara comes with Alfredo sauce, smoked duck, a sous vide egg and your choice of pasta depending what is available that day. Having tried Tipo multiple times, the pasta has always been consistently al dente. Honestly, I’m pretty plain and not a fan of the flavours added to the pasta, so I always try to get those with the least obvious flavours. I remember one time I got a garlic-based one and it overpowered my pasta. Smoked duck complements the dish well with its thick slices and its saltiness had me gobbling up the dish. Portion was very generous as well. I immediately broke the sous vide egg and mixed it into my pasta, which gave the dish an added richness and creaminess. Overall, it’s a pretty good and rich pasta that’s satisfying and one of my favourites here.

Do remember to make a reservation because the queues can get insanely long. Even with a reservation, I had to wait outside for around an additional 20 minutes. So just 5 minutes before your time, and don’t come early (had to wait in the scorching sun).

Note that you can also add some free toppings to your pasta, from chilli flakes to extra virgin olive oil to grated Parmesan to bird’s eye chillies. The regular size might be a little small for big eaters, so do upsize for an additional $3.

The cafe was quite out of the way, but if you’re walking from Changi Airport, there are many signs along the way to signal to you where to go. I just followed the signs and I didn’t even need to use Google Maps. I ordered the Aglio Olio with Prawn [$13.90], the Big Breakfast [$15.90], Truffle Fries (Regular) [$7.90], Passion Fruit Green Tea [$3.90] and Peachy Peach Black Tea [$3.90].

Aglio Olio initially didn’t have my hopes up because of how thick the pasta looked, but it surprised me with its flavour. It was very garlicky and had enough oil, which I generally appreciate in my Aglio Olio. Pasta was also al dente, and dish tasted like prawns, which I liked. :D There were four prawns, but they were bigger than average and nice and crunchy! Was quite satisfied!

The pasta was my favourite... The other dishes were a lot more disappointing. I wouldn’t recommend the Big Breakfast—it was very bland, from the scrambled eggs to even the sausage, and it didn’t match the picture in the menu. :( The truffle fries smelt very strongly of truffle oil, but tasted like regular fries, and the portion wasn’t very big for the price (think an amount less than that of P.S. Cafe’s, which charges $8 for half a portion of truffle fries).

Both drinks were good, and live up exactly to their name. For the Passion Fruit Green Tea, they were very generous with the passion fruit. I got 25% sugar level for both and it was great. Note that the Passion Fruit Green Tea is slightly more sour though.

That being said, the cafe does have rather nice decor and the pasta was delicious, so I’ll definitely come back for the pasta. Another plus point is that the prices are net, though it’s self-collection (they hand you a buzzer). Staff are generally friendly and helpful. I had a pretty pleasant experience.

This dish comes with an English muffin stack, Australian grass fed ribeye, kombu, scrambled eggs, arugula, tomatoes, parmesan and homemade chips. I got the ribeye in medium-rare and it was perfect. I don’t know what sauce they drizzled onto the arugula but it was super delicious, in a sweet and savoury way too. Scrambled eggs were very well cooked. I’ll definitely be coming back for this again :) Worth my penny, definitely.

Also love how this cafe takes reservations, so you don’t have to always wait awkwardly outside. Saw some pets on my way out, so I guess it’s pet-friendly too.

This pasta comes in linguine, and with bacon, white wine sauce, clam, diced tomato and chilli. It tasted good, but not great. For the price point, I would’ve expected a larger portion, and would’ve liked the taste of the white wine to be stronger. The pasta also tasted more strongly of bacon than clam, which was quite disappointing. That being said, they are quite generous with the clams (but Aglio Olio at Saizeriya gives more for around $6), but I mean you’re also paying for the ambience). If I wanted something safe to try, this would be it, but if you have a sweet tooth and are on a budget, try the similarly priced Creme Brûlée French Toast [$18+$2 for additional ice cream] instead.

Though I must say, one of the good things about this place is that the prices are net. Service varies depending on server, but the petite lady serving us was very sweet and helpful.

This set comes with two cuts of buttery brioche topped with custard, strawberries, blueberries, hazelnuts, biscuit crumbs and whipped cream. It was absolutely divine, but I believe that it is best shared by two as the sweetness may get overwhelming if you eat this whole dish by yourself.

If you ever get this sweet, definitely add the $2 for the ice cream! I was debating whether to get the ice cream, but the server recommended us to add it as the french toast alone would be quite dry (even with the whipped cream). I also found that the coolness added a nice dynamic to the warm toasted brioche. The custard on the toast was nicely blow-torched, and it really added to the decadence of this dessert. Whipped cream and strawberries are also a tried-and-true combination, though I also ate those with my toast. Toasted hazelnuts were also way more fragrant and crunchy than I had expected. :)