Cafe Grub

Not authentic by a long shot, but for $10 this is pretty good. Rich and thick, the parmesan infused cream sauce is tasty but does get cloying after a few mouthfuls, especially with the beautifully oozy egg mixed in, but is helped along by the saltiness of the smoky bacon.

Thanks @burpple for the invite and @dstarbistro for the hospitality!

Taste: 3/5

Encased in a cracklingly paper-thin batter, the fish within was of the usual “dory” variety commonly found at Western food hawker stalls. What stood out was the citrus tartar sauce – light and lemony, it lifted the dish as a whole.

Thanks @burpple for the invite and @dstarbistro for the hospitality!

Taste: 2.5/5

A perfect example of a model quiche if I ever saw one - a vibrantly golden-hued filling encased in a flaky, buttery crust. Plenty of eggs went into this and you can taste it. The rich custard is streaked through with sheets of salty smoked salmon, and while the surface of each slice is burnished a golden brown and specked with abundant dill, you can unfortunately barely taste the herb as the more dominant flavours overwhelm it. Still very much enjoyable.

Taste: 3.5/5

Homegrown coffee brand @gotdrip.sg bottles up cold brews with a healthy dose of hip hop attitude. Get Drizzy ($6) with it, a classic combo of smooth black cold brew with rich, creamy milk. Or perhaps you’re of the vegan persuasion? Hey Ya! My coffee don’t mess around, Oatkast ($6) oat milk coffee got dat crunchy cereal flavour that’s so goddamned popular right now.

Order online or self pickup at @thepanicroom_sg

Taste: 3.5/5

The most popular cafe in Bedok Reservoir draws in the crowds with unpretentious, hearty food at pocket-friendly prices.

The eggs are poached to wobbly, runny perfection and lightly coated in a well-balanced, none too rich hollandaise, served on a bed of tender, moreish pulled pork, that while overly sweet was still enjoyable.

Taste: 3/5

My friend couldn't recommend this highly enough and I was already intrigued by the name so it was a no-brainer when it came to ordering this. Headily potent coffee adulterated with milk steeped in the essence donuts? Why yes please. The donut flavour isn't obvious right off the bat, but gets steadily pronounced the more you drink from it, lending the sweet, distinctive flavour of one of my favourite junkfoods to a quite dessert-like beverage.

Taste: 3.5/5

All the makings of an excellent quiche can be found here – short, buttery crust encasing a soft eggy-tasting custard riddled with sweet corn and shimeiji mushroom. What made this stand out was the subtle undercurrent of heat and flavour from chilli running throughout the tart.

Taste: 3.5/5

I’m torn as to what I think about Mother Dough’s almond croissant. On one hand it’s fantastically flaky, buttery and brimming with the nutty fragrance of almond and frangipane paste. On the other, I’m a purist when it comes to croissants, and this was verging on dense and just a little burnt. Either way, it’s still an enjoyable pastry.

Taste: 3.5/5

The initial distaste at the overwhelming smell of truffle oil when we first entered the restaurant gave way to nods of approval once we tasted the dishes. The thick slices of smoked duck were supple and fatty, and the pasta perfectly al dente, but what impressed most was the well-balanced cream sauce spiked with a zing of chilli padi.

Taste: 3.5/5

Top marks for presentation – a cheese coated beef patty encircled by a gorgeous parmesan tuille sat on a tangle of pasta. There was even an onsen egg hiding underneath. I admit I ordered this dish solely based on its appearance, and while it was tasty enough, a couple of things threw me off. The patty was too heavily spiced and that detracted from the natural flavour of the beef, and the parmesan tuille was quite tough and chewy. Overall, still worth a try.

Taste: 3/5

Very healthy and not too shabby in the flavour department either, the avocado-slathered ciabatta is topped with grilled portobello mushroom, feta, and pea shoots. At $16, the poached eggs really shouldn’t be add-ons though.

Taste: 3/5

Hardly a hint of sesame in the sesame mayo, and the fried chicken fillets looked(and tasted) like they came out of the freezer section of the supermarket. Also the service here is terrible. They mixed up our order and other customers' orders as well. Why is this $16 again?

Taste: 2.5/5