Met a new friend today and decided this was the cafe to make an impression, also because I had hoped the 1-for-1 deal would cushion the impression it made on my wallet. However, having taken our seat, I noticed a robust $12 lunch set that would’ve been cheaper than the 1-for-1 offer, and was left with mixed feelings. On one hand, I was pleasantly surprised at the affordable lunch set, and on the other, I was offended that it was more affordable than this 1-for-1 offer I had paid good money for. Deciding to be the bigger man, I abused the 1-for-1 offer and ordered the two most expensive pastas on the menu— that’ll teach them to undermine my cheapskate tactics.

Just as the Benjamin Barker brand feebly attempts to mask over its painfully Singaporean origins, the ‘Pomodoro’ in Spicy Pomodoro Crab Pasta attempts to mask over what is really a simple tomato-based pasta. With the crabmeat sliced so thin I could see through them, I was reminded of Caitlyn Jenner, who Kylie Jenner would call trans-parent. However, my simple tastebuds were hugely satisfied with the overall spicy flavour and the firm texture of the pasta— definitely better than PastaMania!

What does Truffle Carbonara have in common with Italian Soft-Serve? Both are gelat-o. Saw the law of diminishing marginal returns come to live with every bite my friend took, and by the end, Truffle Carbonara was well and truly a Struggle Carbonara. As I unashamedly asked to try the Carbonara, I decided on the socially acceptable number of two strands of pasta— one being too small a sample size, yet keeping it under three to be conservative. Yet, these two strands still managed to overwhelm the senses.

Over all, it was a nice lunch experience, and I especially appreciated the initiative of the waitresses to serve us water even toward the end of the meal when most would use drought tactics to evict us from our seats. We felt especially welcome and taken care of with these small gestures!