Brunch/Cafe

Even if this was a cafe and I got the meal for takeaway, I really cannot smooth over the sheer disappointment I had while struggling through the Signature Classic Barn Burger ($19.50+). My main gripe was that the bottom of the burger was completely soaked in grease! The base bread was all limp and soggy, and I couldn't get a bite in without the lettuce and patty all slipping out. - everything was just falling apart! And this was only about 5min after I collected the package and walked across the street to Timbre+ to have my meal. Simply terrible experience.

Dropped by this Hong Kong-inspired cafe in Bendemeer for lunch, and the interior was pretty spacious despite the nondescript entryway. We got the Slider Duo Combo ($20.90) and the Bolo Duo Egg Combo ($13.90), and each combo came with a drink.

For the slider combo, we chose the Larry Fisherman which came with tender and flakey battered haddock encased in soft brioche bun lathered with tartar sauce. Pretty good, pretty thick fish patty, but I thought the mushy peas could stand out a little more. For the other, we chose the Cultspicy which was fried chicken thigh in a spicy-tangy Comeback sauce. This was delicious, from the crisp coating of the chicken to the addictive sauce - highly recommend. The combo came with a generous side of fries which was fantastically crisp and tasty.
The Bolo egg combo was also nice, and we liked the contrast of the sweet bolo bun and kaya butter against the salty slab of luncheon meat. The half-boiled egg was also a nice touch - I saved some of the bolo bun to dip in the egg mix! As for the drinks, the matcha latte was passable but the masala chai latte was really good.

The main downside of the meal was that I thought the pricing could be clearer and the service could have a bit more initiative. There were multiple menus at the table and the waitress could have put in more effort to explain the various selections. For example, she only mentioned that choosing the crabby patty in the slider duo would be an extra $5 after we chose it rather than upfront, and only after paying did I realise the price of each combo I was charged was $1 extra from the menu prices. Was it for the drinks? I thought the lunch set came with the drink? Also, I had to walk up to the open kitchen to grab someone's attention for a refill of water, when it was just us in the eatery. Hence, overall there was cosy ambience with good brunch food, but I would hesitate to return.

Found this on the Quandoo app as I wanted to make use of the Valentine's increased cashback. Ordered the Mee Siam ($7) which came in a pretty substantial portion, though the taste is unlike the usual you'll get from those makcik & pakcik stores. More peanutty than sour. It's still good, but I prefer the Malay version.

Places specialising in "local farmers' produce-driven Singaporean cuisine" is certainly not a new concept, but Rustica manages to be one of the better ones I've had (in my books, at least!). The ambience of the cafe is bright and welcoming, and the service staff were so warm, friendly, and enthusiastic.

On to the food, we started off with the Crab Bergedil ($11) and Cereal Fish Bun ($12). The bergedil was fragrant and presentation was adorable, but we felt that there could be a stronger punchiness in taste, either from the crab meat or from the spices. A crispier exterior would also be good. On the other hand, the fish bun was excellent - loved the huge slab of crusty snapper fillet, which paired wonderfully with the herby tartar and soft bun

For the mains, we shared the Roasted Chicken Crown with White Pepper Sauce ($21), Golden Fish Broth ($25), and the Kailan with Fried Garlic ($14). LOVED all three dishes, and I think a recurring comment we had was the depth of flavour in every one of them. The roasted chicken had smokiness, traditional aromas of ginger and scallion, freshness from the crown daisy, and layered with the delicious white pepper sauce (couldn't stop slurping it up!). The fish broth was also thick, milky, gingery, flavourful, and overall warm and comforting. The kailan was also a surprise hit - the veges were crisp and fresh, and one can never go wrong with fried garlic. The table also gets a pot of Local Herb Rice which by itself is savoury (from the fried shallots) but went well with all the dishes.

Washed the fantastic meal down with the SG Lager Beer ($10/btl) and Vanilla Cold Brew ($9). Seriously well-executed dishes, and we enjoyed the unique renditions of local dishes. Definitely recommended for everyone!

Shared the Hoki Fish and fries ($16.80 + $3) with my partner and both of us were really wowed by it! Think not one, but two thick breaded fish fillets which was flakey and delicious, made even moreso with the fresh crunchy cabbage and an addictive tartar sauce. Highly recommend and we think it is worth the price. Although, the quality and quantity of the fries was slight regrettable for the price, so would not recommend adding it on. They have an extensive selection of sandos so we're excited to return whenever we're in the area!

Pretty chill ambience right beside Somerset MRT, with both indoor and outdoor seating. If you're lucky, there'll be a surfing lesson going on at the outdoor area for a unique people-watching experience!

Food-wise, they have an extensive menu of not just brunch mains but pizzas and light bites as well. Heard the pizzas were good, but we were feeling more like brunch that day so we ended up with the Yeastside Bakkie ($20) and the Salmon Burrata Tartine ($18). Yeastside Bakkie was your typical big breakfast set, everything was good and portion was quite filling as well. As for the salmon burrata tartine, I'm a huge fan of arugula and burrata so this was up my alley, though after awhile the saltiness became slightly too much - would be good if there was some sweetness to balance it out like sliced cherry tomatoes layered on the burrata or even honey.

There is no GST or Service Charge, so with Burpple this meal came up to only $20! Perfect for a lazy cafe brunch in the heart of Orchard. Sign up for Burpple with my invite code DARR9295 to enjoy 1-for-1 deals here and at many other restaurants now!

Came by for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up and the place was pretty empty with only a handful of tables filled - perfect for a chill Saturday afternoon tea break! I got the Matcha Latte ($6) and the Tokyo Special Banana Cream Bun ($4.50). Matcha latte was alright, not the worst, but I was sorely disappointed by the banana cream bun. The tokyo banana flavour did not really shine through and not really worth its price tag - perhaps just as a novelty treat.

Copped a 1-for-1 Signatures Mains Chope voucher during one of their sales. A pretty unique and aesthetic cafe serving an all-day breakfast menu and a wide selection of reimagined local faves. We had the Full Breakfast ($23) and the Dry Laksa Supreme ($22). The Full Breakfast had some interesting components like the curry sour cream and the sakura ebi rosti, but ultimately the entire dish fell a little bit flat in terms of flavours. The dry laksa fared better and I quite liked the laksa reduction - don't expect the creamy laksa sauce here - which went well with the juicy prawns and scallops. The ikura was an interesting choice of sprinkles too, although I think the fishiness it added was a bit off-putting. Would I return? Perhaps, if only to sample their other local renditions of cafe bites.

Had the Matcha Green Tea ($6.50) and the Iced Gula Aren Latte ($6.50). Matcha green tea did not have the characteristic bitterness of matcha, leaning towards the sweeter and milkier side. Gula Aren Latte tasted just like a standard latte. Overall, if not for the 1-for-1 deal, would probably not return.

Pretty pricey but I guess that's to be expected. Had the Spinach and Cherry Tomato Quiche which came with a side of salad in thousand island dressing. Quiche was alright, nothing fantastic and it was pretty small. The ambience of the shop was comfortable and cooling though, great to rest the legs after a day at the park.

Fantastic ambience. Quiet, cosy, and aesthetic cafe in a more 'atas' shopping mall along Orchard Road. The Prawn Capellini ($26.50) was splendid - chockful of ingredients which made it all the more fun to mix together and enjoy every delicious bite. The Crispy French Toast ($15.90) was also quite unique with the cereal crust on the brioche giving it a nice crunch with every bite. Pair it with the chantilly cream and maple syrup and you've got yourself a sinfully delectable sweet treat to end the meal with. We finished everything off with a Chengdu Tea Cup Osmanthus Latte ($9.50) which was technically just latte with sprinkles of osmanthus flowers which gave it a light aroma but not to the taste. Overall, a nice place to have brunch and chat but the prices are slightly steep.

Was looking for a dessert joint in the area and chanced upon this cosy-looking restaurant. Saw that they had a Yuzu Lavender Cake ($7.80) so could not resist. The sponge itself was the standard kind, with the yuzu and lavender infused into the cream/frosting. Citrusy flavour of the yuzu was quite prominent in certain parts, but only hints of lavender from the cream. Would have preferred the chocolate glaze to have stronger notes of lavender.