Cafes

Had lunch in this cafe/bar near my workplace, and was really satisfied with the food!

The Melba breakfast ($27) had a variety of ingredients and they were all cooked very well and I loved their bacon especially, as it had a good sear without being too hard. Definitely a very filling portion as well!

Tried my friend's beef stew (part of $25 lunch set) and the beef were so flavourful and tender! Lovely pieces to go with the creamy mash under.

A big place to have conversations with your colleagues and friends. Definitely recommended!

SYIP recently opened a new outlet and this outlet boasts a much bigger space!

We had the Truffle Cheese Sandwich ($19) and the Mentaiko Shrimp Burger ($20) and we were very satisfied with the mains! The cheese sandwich had really strong truffle flavour which went so well with the savoury melty cheese within. Dip them in the tomato soup given and you get a wonderful breakfast meal.

The Mentaiko Shrimp Burger patty reminded me of fried shrimp rolls you get from chinese restaurants. Loved the buttered brioche buns and the thick layer of mentaiko sauce too!

As for drinks we had Iced Mocha ($7) and SYIP White Coffee ($7). The Mocha had good chocolate flavours, with aromatic coffee notes. Not grainy at all, the chocolate used was definitely of good quality! The white coffee had a thick layer of cream on top which made the aromatic coffee even richer.

Definitely will be back to try more dishes and coffee!

With Simple Cafe moving closer to the east where I stay, we had to give it a try.

We ordered 2 coffees and 2 different bakes. The Spring Onion Amann ($7) is a very interesting take of the usual kouign amann, as it is a savoury pastry. The outer crust is beautifully crispy, and you get a good bold flavour from the spring onion slices within. The egg on top is a beautiful addition, as it adds another dimension to the pastry.

The Vanilla Donut ($4.5) was really soft and fluffy and nicely coated with sugar to give it an additional satisfying crunch. The vanilla custard is not too sweet and has a good vanilla taste!

Now to their coffee. Their mocha ($6.50) is okay though I feel like their chocolate syrup is a little lumpy.

We swapped out the hazelnut espresso you see in the picture for hazelnut latte ($7) that is not in the menu, and wow this is probably the best hazelnut latte I've had. The syrup they put in definitely isn't artificial and has very fragrant nutty flavour. Pity it came in a small cup!

Always a fan of their brunch fare, but sadly this pasta did not meet my expectations.

I had the Mushroom Bacon Truffle Alfredo ($15) and pasta noodles were overcooked and the sauce was too watery in my opinion. However, the nacon pieces were well sautéed and did give the dish their umami flavour. There was a strange flavour in the dish, not sure if its the truffle oil?

With the 20% off main dish from #burpplebeyond, perhaps it can be better used on their brunch fare!

Always loved the food in this cafe, and the dishes I tried today is good as always!

The Truffle Bacon Mushroom ($18) is really the winning dish for today, as the flavour was on point on so many areas. The pasta was al dente and it was coated well with the creamy truffle sauce that had a good amount of truffle oil flavour and was not too cloying. The bacon pieces were very well fried, giving so much flavour to the pasta itself. The mushrooms gave even more umami to the dish, making this a very addictive one!

The Pork Chop & Sweet Mash ($19) was interesting, as they used sweet potato to make the mash, giving it a sweeter touch. The grilled pork chop was well seasoned and grilled, with really satisfying fatty parts around the meat. The meat itself can be a little tough though!

The Plus Burger ($20) was pretty wholesome altogether with the thick bacon and flavourful sauce within, but the patty can be abit dry on its own.

The Truffle Tatertots ($11) were wonderfully crispy and creamy within, but it did get soggy after a while. Truffle taste isn't strong in this one.

The Mocha ($6) was great, with a good balance between the earthy chocolate flavours and the aromatic coffee brewed. Not too acidic and milky!

So glad that we had #burpplebeyond, as it helped to cut 30% off our bill! Definitely a wonderful place and will be back for more 😍

Cheesy Tater Tots ($11) will probably be a favourite dish to share, as this came as a pretty huge portion that is good for 3-4 to share. Each piece has a satisfying crunch, with a creamy potato within! Love how they are very generous with the cheese sauce and it is a wonderful addition to the already addictive pieces of mini hash browns.

Had a lovely dinner, will be back again!

The Soy Garlic Chicken Burger ($16) came with a pretty massive fried chicken patty. The crust is slightly crispy and the chicken was really tender due to the use of thigh meat! Definitely well seasoned, the soy garlic flavours were powerful. Look out for the yuzu mayo they put on the burger buns, as they complemented the patty really well by adding a little tartness to the dish. I actually prefer to have the pickled radish on the side instead. A wonderful dish overall!

Been some time since I've been to Lola's and so many things has changed, including their menu!

We got the Duck Confit with Truffle Mash ($18) and we loved how tender the duck meat was. Really succulent, every mouthful of the duck meat paired with the mash and the sauce was a burst of flavours. Though the mash didn't have much truffle taste, it was creamy. The sauce reminded me of a good meat stock, with additional balsamic vinegar to ease the fattiness. Loved how they added a few pomegranate seeds for citrus touch to cut the heavy flavours!

Finally got to try brotherbird and I must say I was really impressed with their crossiants! I had the Mentaiko Prawn Crossiant (~$6.50) which was pretty much well stuffed with mentaiko cream which was strong but not too surfeiting! The prawn bits definitely gave it a good bite and a more intense seafood flavour.

The Earl Grey Chocolate (~$6.50) was pretty much bursting with Earl Grey cream, and I loved how it is neither too subtle in flavour nor too rich (or it becomes perfume tasting). The chocolate is on the sweeter side.

Although by the time I ate their crossiants they were not that crispy, they were already very good. I can only imagine how glorious they are if eaten fresh at the cafe. Albeit expensive, they indeed are a treat.

Always been a fan of the food here, and tried something new! The steak sandwich ($14, 20% with #burpplebeyond) was pretty well filled with steak cuts, cheese and mushrooms which was very well cooked! The steak cuts were flavourful and very tender. Together with the creaminess of the cheese and umami from the mushrooms, it was a wholesome sandwich! Even the homemade bread useful was good and can be eaten on its own. The sandwich comes with a soup, and it was a homemade tomato soup that was alright. Pretty good lunch option if you work nearby!

Been here for their brunch on weekends, but I think their weekday dinner menu is even better! I had the Miso Salmon Carbonara ($21 1 for 1 with #burpplebeyond) and it came generous with pieces of tender flavourful salmon and a dollop of ikura. There is a whole load of umami flavours going on in this dish, and the thickness and creaminess of the dish is surprisingly not surfeiting! The portion is huge as well.

They were very generous with the cheese on the Truffle Fries ($11) and combined with the perfect crispy yet fluffy texture of the fries, it was very addictive!

The Brownie with Ice Cream ($9) was a really huge portion and it really rich but abit too sweet. Totally will come back again!

Located right smack in the heartlands of bedok is this chill cafe with wonderful vibes! We went there for a little coffee and snack, and we were delighted by the food. The Iced Latte ($6) was strong, not too milky, but the Iced Mocha ($6.50)with Ice Cream was even better! There was a good balance of chocolate and coffee notes and the ice cream made the Mocha even thicker. The Mentaiko Fries ($7.90) was really moreish and we loved how strong the Mentaiko flavours were! However, the fries were just a tad soggy. Will be back to try their highly raved mentaiko pizza!