Despite Singapore and Malaysia sharing quite a number of similarities in our dining cultures especially where Hainanese-style breakfast is of concern, one thing that is rather difficult to find in Singapore would be that of the type where soft-boiled eggs are served atop on toast — something that we had managed to have come across during our trip to Penang some months ago where we chanced upon Yit Hooi Kopitiam. Turns out, there is a small number of establishments in Singapore that do serve Eggs on Toast in the same manner — one such establishment being GC Cafe 即时咖啡铺. They do operate at two (2) locations; one being at the open air hawker centre at the top of Beauty World Plaza, whilst the newer location would be the one at Bukit Timah Interim Market @ Food Centre that is located at Jalan Seh Chuan. These folks are located in the block away from the main food centre itself; this part of the food centre houses tenants such as that of thatsmypizza.sg, the outlet of MS Inasal BBQ, and Durian Soh amongst others. Primarily a stall that serves up Nanyang-style beverages such as local Kopi & Teh, the outlet of GC Cafe at Bukit Timah Interim Market & Food Centre also serves breakfast sets such as the typical Kaya Butter Toast, Peanut Butter Toast and a Ham & Cheese Muffin — just to mention a few.

The Eggs on Toast at GC Cafe came pretty much as how we expected things to be; as the toast offerings here are only prepared order-by-order, there would be some waiting time involved if they do have more than one toast order in the queue to prepare. Spread with margarine, the white bread is toasted to a crisp on the side where the soft-boiled eggs are topped above; this gives it a beautifully browned hue whilst also giving it a savoury note. The soft-boiled eggs are done in a manner where the egg yolk is done a little more cooked without being totally runny, though the whites are still effectively runny — perhaps done intentionally to avoid the egg yolk from totally slipping off the toast; quite close to whatever that we had experienced in Penang. The Iced Kopi here is also prepared in the same manner as what one would usually see at Malaysian establishments as well; the Kopi goes through a manual whisk for that bubbled-up aesthetic that usually comes with Malaysian-style Iced Kopi. The Kopi here is also pretty thick and rich — sufficiently sweet yet providing a good caffeinated kick as well. Though not a spot that we would make an out-of-the-way visit for, GC Cafe does still deliver that Hainanese-style breakfast with a Malaysian touch that is worth checking out if one is to be in the area.

The rage for Pan-Fried Meat Buns (i.e. Sheng Jian Bao) hasn’t quite ended yet as it seems — there has been yet another establishment that had recently sprouted up in the heartlands specialising in this dish. Located within the coffeeshop named Bishan Cafeteria right above Bishan MRT Station, Bishan Fried Buns 碧山煎包 is a pretty new addition to the coffeeshop that takes up a stall space between the Chinese-style economic mixed rice and the vegetarian stall there. It does seem that this stall does share a relation with the other stall serving up mainland Chinese cuisine here named Shixiangge 食香阁
based on the bowls that they are using at Bishan Fried Buns. The stall adopts a self-service approach similar to that of fast food establishments where ordering is done via a self-service POS system; patrons also key in their buzzer number upon making their orders as well much like the “table service” option at fast food establishments. Considering how Bishan Fried Buns is just as an offshoot of Shixiangge, it is noted that the menu at Bishan Fried Buns is a little more limited — patrons can expect to find a small variety of buns and dumplings like the Pan-Fried Meat Buns, Xiao Long Bao and Dumplings being served at Bishan Fried Buns, while the small variety of noodles will include that of Beef Vermicelli Soup, Pork Ribs Noodle and Wanton Noodle Soup.

With their specialty being in their Sheng Jian Bao, it is needless to say that our primary reason in heading down to Bishan Fried Buns was to give the Pan-Fried Meat Buns a go. Bishan Fried Buns serve up their Pan-Fried Meat Buns in three (3) pieces per serving — much like how other establishments also serve up their Sheng Jian Bao — we also note that these seem to be prepared fresh on-site; our order was part of a new batch as they seemed to have run out just slightly before we made our order for it. Coming all piping hot, the buns came with a beautifully browned bottom from the pan-frying process. As we took a bite into the pan-fried meat bun, the delicate skin on the top breaks apart with a slight tension that requires just a teensy bit of chew — the savoury soup encased within the bun squirting out from within. Well-filled with meat filling within; the meat provides a savoury note with a firm bite, while the crusty undersides of the bun added a crunch for a contrasting texture. We also note how the Pan-Fried Meat Buns did not feel particularly greasy as well; a plus considering how some may tend to feel as though they are soaked with oil at the bottom.

The Noodles with Soy & Scallion is only an item that can be found in the self-service POS system and is not listed in the menu that also forms the signboard of the stall. Essentially being the usual bowl of dry noodles that one can find at establishments serving Mainland Chinese cuisine, we did note the interesting addition of dried shrimp that gives the slurpy, smooth and slightly chewy noodles a hint of umami-ness apart from the typical savouriness of such noodle dishes that features soy sauce and scallions. Whilst we had only given a very limited variety of food items at Bishan Fried Buns a go, we can definitely say that the Pan-Fried Meat Buns from Bishan Fried Buns are certainly worth going for. These do seem to do well even when compared against the likes of the more notable Sheng Jian Bao offerings that other establishments in Chinatown serves up — the price of $5.50 per serving is also pretty similar to that of those other establishments as well. Certainly one to add to the list for those whom are particularly interested in Sheng Jian Bao for sure!

Had been seeing the name Muro Coffee & Focaccia for quite a while whilst passing through South Bridge Road — these folks had taken over the former premises of Rough Guys Coffee (Rough Guys Coffee is currently in the midst of moving to another location in the meanwhile), and had just recently opened their doors for their soft launch. Located right beside Masjid Jamae, Muro Coffee & Focaccia should not be too difficult to locate — landmarks around the vicinity of Muro Coffee & Focaccia includes The Southbridge Hotel Restaurant and Whiskey Bar, as well as Sri Mariamman Temple located several blocks down the road from Muro Coffee & Focaccia as well. Those whom are familiar with the former location of Rough Guys Coffee would also know that they were located in the second floor of the shophouse unit at 214A South Bridge Road — just look out for Muro Coffee & Focaccia’s signages and the “Open” standing signage located right beside the door that leads to the staircase to access Muro Coffee & Focaccia on the second floor. The basic layout of the shophouse hasn’t changed much since its days being Rough Guys Coffee — the spiral staircase in the middle of the space still pretty much an iconic feature, though the space is now filled with proper dining tables and chairs for its dining hall. There is a slight bit of industrialism in its interior, and features a black, grey and white colour scheme for a modern vibe. With their speciality being in their specialty coffee offerings as well as in their focaccia sandwiches, the menu features a variety of focaccia sandwiches with different fillings; they also do carry a line-up of bakes and pastries that are stocked in the display case at the counter. Beverages available at Muro Coffee & Focaccia would include a line-up of espresso-based specialty coffee offerings, as well as some special concoctions that are listed on the “Specialties”section of the menu; they also do have a small selection of Non-Coffee and Artsian Tea on the menu as well.

Skimming through the selection of Focaccia sandwiches which they have to offer, we decided to settle for the Ponzu Salmon Sandwich since we were craving for something on the lighter side — the menu describes the Ponzu Salmon Sandwich to come with elements such as smoked salmon, mascarpone cheese, sliced tomatoes, ponzu sauce and arugula. For an establishment that places an emphasis on their Focaccia offerings, their Focaccia used for their sandwiches are a stunner — we absolutely liked the light and spongy texture that provides for that chew that we are looking for in a good Focaccia; that, all along with the crispy surface on the top was what a solid Focaccia meant to us which these folks seemed to have achieved spot-on here. Whilst the description of the Ponzu Salmon Sandwich does make it sound like a standard smoked salmon sandwich that features a classic combination of elements that one would expect at specialty coffee joints, we really liked how there is a balance of flavours from the savouriness from the cured fish, the creamy and slight tang notes of the mascarpone cheese, the refreshing tang from the slices of juicy tomatoes and that slight bitterness from arugula. What made this feel different from the standard smoked salmon sandwich is perhaps the addition of ponzu sauce; the ponzu shoyu giving the smoked salmon slices a lot more depth of flavour in terms of savouriness without making the already savoury smoked salmon overly salty.

During our visit, we had also went for the Earl Grey Pound Cake; despite being a very simple cake that is pretty no-fuss without fancy frostings and all, we liked how satisfying this turned out to be. It carries a very evident Earl Grey tea aroma that is infused into the batter; the cake itself being aptly sweet, while the exterior still retains a bit of a crustiness that compliments the texture of the cake which is firm, but not too dense. Noticing that they do have an Orange Tonic Espresso on the menu, we had to go for that — this is pretty much the same Tonic Espresso + Orange Juice concoction that have started to become quite a common find amongst specialty coffee joints that had opened their doors fairly recently. The one here comes well balanced in which the orange provided a zesty tang that went well with the slightly sweet yet bitter Tonic Espresso that comes with a fizziness — a very good thirst quencher to go along with their focaccia offerings. Despite it being fairly early days for these folks at Muro Coffee & Focaccia, we do feel that these folks are definitely off a very good start here — their offerings do feel like they have been created full of heart; one where we can feel that there is passion in putting the best in what they have to offer to their patrons. Despite giving only a limited variety of the items that they have to offer a try, we were satisfied with everything that we have had — very few places do leave us with such an impression these days. With that being said, it is needless to say that we are looking forward to drop by Muro Coffee & Focaccia again once they enter into their official launch; definitely excited to see what these guys have to offer as they move into the next stage of their business!

Got to hear about Kang Ji Curry Mee from an social media post fairly recently — these folks are probably an establishment that one wouldn’t quite know about unless one frequents Far East Shopping Centre (not to be confused with Far East Plaza at Scotts Road). Hidden up at Level 5 of the shopping mall, Kang Ji Curry Mee is actually sharing its premises with Gai Inn Oyster Izakaya — the space operating as Kang Ji Curry Mee in the day, whilst it switches into Gai Inn Oyster Izakaya in the evening. Considering so, the interior of the space is one that is reminiscent of those tiny Japanese Omakase-style restaurants around. The interior decor features a dark look with a mix of black walls and wooden furniture and fittings — yellow lighting is also used in the interior to create that bar-like atmosphere that would suit especially well with its evening operations as well. Most of the seatings at Kang Ji Curry Mee would be bar counter seats that are spread throughout the length of the counter, though there are three (3) normal dining tables that seats two (2) pax each located along the walls on the other side. During the day where Kang Ji Curry Mee operates the space, the menu is concentrated solely on their Curry Mee offerings — this would include the Signature Curry Mee Soup and the Jumbo Curry Mee Soup. Kang Ji Curry Mee also offers a range of add-ons that one can add to their curry mee soup if they fancy more toppings, whilst the list of beverages offering at Kang Ji Curry Mee includes a list of canned beverages, as well as Fiji water.

Whilst the menu at Kang Ji Curry Mee does not describe the elements that come with the Signature Curry Mee Soup, we were being told that the Signature Curry Mee Soup does include all of the elements that come with the Jumbo Curry Mee Soup except the seafood — the Jumbo Curry Mee Soup in turn coming with all of the elements that are listed as an add-on. As such, it can be said that the Signature Curry Mee Soup does come with other elements such as crispy pork, pork skin, cuttlefish, sotong, fried wanton, fishball, fried beancurd skin, egg, long bean, beancurd puff and beansprout. Considering how Kang Ji Curry Mee describes itself as an establishment serving up “authentic Penang flavours”, we found ourselves opting for their recommendation of yellow noodle and beehoon for the type of noodles that would come with our order which is pretty much the usual for Penang-style curry noodles — they also do offer thick bee hoon and Mee Kia as well for those preferring other noodle types. Going for the gravy, we liked how the gravy here wasn’t too heavy — a well-balanced sort of lemak-ness from the coconut milk with sufficient curry aroma to go around. It does come with a lack of the chili oil that some would expect for Penang-style curry noodles; perhaps an omission since most would likely not be too tolerable to the level of spiciness that it would add to the bowl of curry noodles anyway.

The roast pork comes a little more savoury with a stronger note of the spice rub used in its marination; there’s still a little bit of a crunch on the exterior despite it having soaked in all of the curry gravy. The fried wanton maintained crispness; all that whilst being quite packed with fillings within. Other elements like the beancurd puff and pig skin soaks up all of that gravy for flavour, giving it a good burst of flavours as one chews into it — all that whilst being all soft and for the case of the pig skin, a little gelatinous. The fishballs provided a bouncy bite, while the long beans and beansprouts give an element of crunch to the entire bowl; the half-boiled egg adding a bit of a wholesomeness to the dish. For $9.90, some might argue that the Signature Curry Mee Soup at Kang Ji Curry Mee is pricier than that of most establishments serving up curry noodles situated in food courts, coffeeshops and hawker centres — that being said, the folks at Kang Ji Curry Mee do serve up quite a generous portion of toppings with their curry mee soup anyway. The flavours of their Penang-style curry mee is kept rather true to what it should have been as well — notable differences being the pig blood cubes that cannot be served here, as well as the chili oil that seems to be omitted to better accommodate to the tastebuds here. They do seem to be pretty popular as a dining option for the other tenants within the building as well — probably something worth giving a shot if craving for some Malaysian fare in the heart of town.

Those whom have been following the happenings of the local F&B scene would probably have heard about a thing or two about Serangoon BBQ & Curry 1983 in recent years. An establishment that is located at Blk 22 Sin Ming Road, these folks have been around since the year 1983, and is formerly named Serangoon Nasi Padang. These folks had recently expanded their operations; the son of the founder had recently brought the brand into the shopping mall — their very first of such locations being situated in the basement of Junction 8 that is just right outside of Bishan MRT Station. Being neighbours with TORI-Q, it is worth noting that the hole-in-the-wall space at Junction 8 does come with dine-in seating — whilst there are some dining tables located by the side, most of the seating would surround a communal table that forms the centrepiece of the establishment. The shop unit is also tastefully decorated with a modern touch; marble table tops, dried flowers and a mix of white, green and wooden elements for its furniture and fittings, this creates a look that is no doubt pleasing to the eyes. Unlike how things have been at their Sin Ming Road location, there isn’t a counter which one can find where all of the dishes are prominently displayed — instead, the dishes do seem to be bundled into sets in a manner similar to the menus of “Create-Your-Own-Bowl” sort of establishments; patrons can either choose the Petite, Regular or Double Up which features the patron’s choice of meat in various portion sizes, and one can also pick the various sides, chili, and sauces to go with their order. Beverages available at Serangoon BBQ & Curry 1983’s location at Junction 8 would include a variety of canned drinks or slushies.

One thing quite obvious about Serangoon BBQ & Curry 1983’s Junction 8 location is that it is more primarily positioned as a takeaway / quick service eatery — the self-service aspects of the establishment is pretty evident from the ordering stage where it can be done via QR code or the self-service POS machine; collection of food is done via a small window cut-out. Everything served at their Junction 8 location would involve disposable ware; from the paper bowls, to the plastic cutlery which are packed neatly in its own packaging. Our order during our visit to Serangoon BBQ & Curry 1983 would be for their regular-sized Serangoon Fried Chicken Sedap Bowl; our choice of sides being the Begedil, Curry Vegetables and the Thai Fragrant Rice (though rice is an option that can be switched out for the carb-conscious — pretty surprisingly at a Nasi Padang stall!), while we opted for the Sambal Balachan for our choice of Chili. For the sauces, we went for both the Teriyaki Sauce and the Salted Egg Sauce; the former being a free option anyway. For those whom opt for the Petite, the portion of meat served would be half the size of the Regular; retrospectively, the Double Up would feature twice the portion of meat from the Regular. We were expecting quite a fair bit for the fried chicken considering how it seems to be a signature here — looking rather similar, but not exactly the same as Ayam Goreng Berempah (probably more towards the colour of the fried batter itself), the fried chicken is well-executed in the way that it is fried, though we would recommend for one to opt for a Sauce if ordering this item.

If anything, the fried chicken does come with skin on; it is tender, juicy and yet crisp on the exterior — very well-executed boneless chunks of chicken that they have absolutely nailed down in terms of texture. That being said, the chicken itself does seem to lack flavours from marination somewhat. Both Sauce options are interestingly drenched over the fried chicken chunks only; perhaps the execution of the chicken is intended as such. Between the two, the stronger-tasting one would be the Salted Egg Sauce which we found to be a balance of savoury and creamy notes, though for those whom prefer savoury notes without the creaminess for fear of things tasting a little too jelak can go for the Teriyaki sauce instead. The Begedil does come with a crisp exterior and soft, fluffy mashed potatoes that didn’t require effort to chew through; all with a hint of spices pulling through, while the curry vegetables came with rich and aromatic curry that came with a deep note of coconut-y fragrance with that light hint of umami-ness from dried shrimps. Also an interesting addition to the version of the curry vegetables here is the beancurd puffs that added some bite amidst the soft crunch of the vegetables. Whilst the Sambal Balachan does add a piquant spiciness from the use of raw chili padi, we weren’t a fan of how these were stored in a chiller in a vacuum pack and therefore created an odd temperature contrast with everything in the bowl. Prices of the Petite Bowls start from $8.90 here, with prices going up to $15.90 for the most basic Double Up Bowl without any chargeable add-ons; we would say that this is a little bit pricier than the usual prices of Nasi Padang which tends to be a little higher than most local fare even. There is something about the Nasi Padang at Serangoon BBQ & Curry 1983 that feels distinctively Chinese-style in its execution though — a little bit of a twist from the classic ones that we know which some tastebuds might actually prefer!

For those whom are around the Central Business District, the name Museum Cafe might come across as familiar to some. Located within the Singapore Musical Box Museum that is within the well-known Thian Hock Keng Temple situated along Telok Ayer Street, these folks had recently gone through a bit of rebranding — they are currently known as Le Shan Cafe, and has seen a bit of revamp of their operations. Some may also recall this space being taken up by yet another operator named Chong Wen Ge Cafe some time back. Hidden behind the arches of the Chinese temple that it is housed in, one can probably tell that an eatery exists within if they notice the promotional posters that are located outside the temple. One can find Le Shan Cafe hiding within the blue-coloured building towards the left of the entrance of the temple. There hasn’t been too much of a change within the interior of the space — for one, Le Shan Cafe does still retain much of the look that Museum Cafe used to have. The mosaic floors, dining tables with mosaic surfaces, old-school lampshades and bright orange plastic dining chairs — all these being familiar touches to those whom have been to Le Shan Cafe before; the interior colour scheme still being quite bright and vibrant as it used to be. Considering how these folks had re-branded and revamped their operations, there are significant changes done in terms of the food that they have to offer as well; the menu at Le Shan Cafe comprises of sections dedicated to Mains, Sides, and Cendol. There is also a range of Peranakan Kueh that are prominently displayed at the counter in which are also available to be ordered. For beverages, Le Shan Cafe offers a variety of Nanyang-style Kopi and Teh — all that with the usual variety of concoctions like Iced Lemon Tea, Lime Juice, Sour Plum, Milo, Sou Milk and canned drinks.

Serving up a limited number of main dishes, we were fairly intrigued with the Ayam Tempra which we hadn’t quite heard about that was listed in the “Mains” section of the menu. As it turned out, Ayam Tempra can be described as a Peranakan dish — one that is a braised dish that features dark soya sauce. The Ayam Tempra at Le Shan Cafe is paired with a serving of blue pea-infused rice, as well as Nyonya Achar on the side. It wouldn’t be too wrong to say that the Ayam Tempra carries a certain likeness to Ayam Panggang — the Indonesian-style grilled chicken that usually comes with Kecap Manis; there is a different in the sauce used during the preparation of Ayam Tempra however, with the soy sauce here being more nuanced in its sweetness being more akin to a braised dish while the sweetness of Ayam Panggang is usually harsher. The flavours of the dish could perhaps be attributed to the use of soya sauce and onions, giving it a more well-rounded flavour profile in general. The infusion of blue-pea flavour helps to increase the aesthetic appeal of the dish — that being said, it is more akin to that of white rice anyway; the Nonya Achar which comprises of a mix of pickled carrots, cucumbers and peanuts provide a tangy and refreshing crunch with a slight zing and nuttiness. We had also managed to give their Cendol a go since there was an ongoing promotion on the day that we made our visit there — whilst coming with red beans, Cendol jelly, coconut milk and Gula Melaka, there are add-on toppings such as Cream Corn Kernel and Attap Seed that one can opt to go for at a top-up. Which actually did find that the Cendol was one which is well-made; ignoring that stray shard of ice that came with our bowl, the shaved ice otherwise carried a pretty consistent texture throughout. There was sufficient coconut milk and Gula Melaka going around the entire bowl of dessert, and the red beans provided an earthy sweetness that adds on to the rich flavours of the coconut milk and Gula Melaka that went atop the bowl of shaved ice. We liked how the Cendol Jelly also does not seem to be of the artificial, mass-produced sort — they come in a nice hue of dull green and did carry a very slight hint of Pandan aroma as well.

During our visit, we also went for the Kopi; the Kopi at Le Shan Cafe is one of the better brews around – one where we could definitely feel a caffeinated kick whilst suitably sweetened. This is especially considering the many locations serving up local Kopi around the Central Business District that tends to serve versions that tend to lean towards the sweeter side of things. We did recall Museum Cafe’s food offerings are priced on the steeper side of things and the price point of the food at Le Shan Cafe are priced slightly lower; though still considerably at a premium when one considers their fare to be local food nonetheless. The lowest-priced main dish from the Mains section of the menu is priced at $12.30, while the priciest would be the Sing Laksa that comes with Ramen noodles that is listed at $16.30. Perhaps a spot that is more aimed towards visitors than the locals, Le Shan Cafe is one spot that still carries a different sort of vibe from the typical cafes we are used to seeing around — one with an air of nostalgia and heritage not just in the food that they serve, but also in its surroundings as well.

Whilst these folks have been around the Central Business District for quite a while with outlets located in One Raffles Place and Marina Bay Link Mall, we found ourselves pretty curious with Patrons’ offerings when they we had spotted them open a new location at the basement of One Raffles Quay. These folks had taken over the former premises of the now-defunct location of The Asian Kitchen there — a pretty long-standing establishment which had recently shuttered its doors. Patrons’ is located beside an outlet of Numb Restaurant 川麻记 which had first started its operations at Marina One. Patrons’ occupies quite a decently-sized space at One Raffles Quay; though seemingly slightly smaller than their existing location at Marina Bay Link Mall, there is still a decently-sized space that allows patrons to perform dine-ins within the shop unit. The signboard of Patrons’ is rather eye-catching with the use of a bright orange text against a wooden background; inside, the space exudes some Turkish vibes with its arched mirrors and Moroccan lamps that hang from above. If one hadn’t got the clues yet, Patrons’ is an establishment with a Turkish twist (considering how they are by the same folks behind Kebab Station); being an establishment that primarily serves up the DIY salad bowls that are ever popular in the Central Business District, the Create Your Own Box would be Patrons’ core focus. With that being said, they also do offer Pides on their menu at their One Raffles Quay location as well. Unlike most other salad / grain bowl-centric establishments in the Central Business District, Patrons’ do serve up a small variety of desserts and housemade beverages as well.

The Create Your Own Box is priced at $12.90, and each Create Your Own Box is entitled to a choice of 1 Base, 1 Protein, 3 Greens, 1 Premium Greens and 2 Sauces — our order was for the Crispy Fries for the Base, Kebab Chicken for the Protein, Cooked Onion, Purple Cabbage and Olives for our choice of 3 Greens, Eggplant for the Premium Green, and Hummus and Spicy Salsa for the sauce. Patrons’ actually do offer quite a number of interesting Bases which other grain bowl / salad bowl-centric establishments do not necessarily carry — this would include the likes of the Homemade Pita and Lavash Wrap. Our choices of Crispy Fries is a classic combination to the Kebab Chicken which we went for; the Crispy Fries really delivered where their claim on “crispy” was at; these were also not particularly greasy as well. The Kebab Chicken would probably the safest bet to go for when picking a choice of protein that would stay true to Patrons’ seemingly Turkish theme — we liked how to chicken was juicy, tender and well-marinated; the ends being smoky and slightly crisp whilst being all savoury. Our choice of Hummus for the sauce wasn’t necessarily the smartest since that would likely go better with the Homemade Pita base; whilst there wasn’t a salsa that we could visually identify in our box, there is an earthy, slightly savoury sauce that carried the fragrant undertones of chili pepper that was included in our box — we felt that this went well with the chicken. Our chosen greens was a good mix of a soft bite, a little bit of chew and a refreshing crunch, while the Eggplant provided a soft bite whilst seemingly seasoned with a bit of paprika for some flavour.

We also went for the Sutlac Pudding which we had been craving for quite a long time — it is quite surprising to find Patrons’ offerings the Turkish rice pudding on their menu considering how much of a rare find the item is. Whilst these were made for quite some time beforehand and stocked in the fridge, they were still pretty creamy and hinted of a milky note with a slight hint of cinnamon spice — something quite similar to that of a eggnog to some degree. The rice pudding within is soft; the grains didn’t need too much effort to chew through — all that with a sweetness that puts a good end to our meal. We initially wanted to give their Turkish Apple Tea a go, but was told that they were sold out of it despite us making our visit just before the lunchtime peak hours; we found ourselves going for the alternative — the Turkish Lemon Tea. Interestingly, Patrons’ retails their Turkish teas in bottles. We liked how their Turkish Lemon Tea comes with prominent, floral aroma coming from the black tea, while the lemon does seem to be reminiscent to that of actual lemonade that provides a zingy punch to the tastebuds. Overall, Patrons’ does bring a relatively fresh experience for Create Your Own Bowl concepts within the Central Business District — we have many of such concepts speckled all across the neighbourhood, though they tend to end up serving bases of leafy greens, brown rice or fancy grains, as well as pasta. The Turkish approach of Patrons’ does stand out as a result — giving folks working around the Central Business District a sense of familiarity with what they are offering yet allowing them to learn about new flavours that may appeal to them. Needless to say, it probably wouldn’t be our last time checking these folks out either; definitely wanting to give their Pides, Butter Rice, Pistachio Baklava and Turkish Apple Tea a go some day!

Taste Fusion Hainanese Chicken Chop 好滋味海南鸡扒 is one of the more recent additions to Maxwell Food Centre — we had given these folks a go some time back when they had first opened their doors, though we did notice that they had recently just revamped their menu since the very first time that we had dropped by. Located right in between 1980 Hokkien Prawn Noodle • Laksa and Old Beauty World Hong Wen Mutton Soup, the stall also now features a different signboard that now illustrates some of their offerings in the background; they have also included a larger menu board at the stall in place of the TV screens which they had previously installed — the new menu board coming with larger photos of what they have to offer as well. These folks do mention on the signboard that their offerings are based on an “Ipoh Traditional Recipe” as stated in the signboard. The items offered on their menu had also seen a bit of a revamp; whilst focusing on their chicken chop and pork chop offerings previously which are served with rice, the menu at Taste Fusion Hainanese Chicken Chop had further expanded with more Hainanese-Western style offerings — think their various pork chop and chicken chop dishes coming with fries rather than rice. There is also a variety of other items such as Fish & Chips, Salmon Steak, breakfast dishes as well as a small variety of spaghetti dishes available too.

During this revisit, we had decided to go for the Hainanese Pork Chop Set. The menu at Taste Fusion Hainanese Chicken Chop does not describe on the elements that come with their dishes; that being said, it can be observed from our order that the Hainanese Pork Chop Set comes with elements such as the pork chop that has been drenched in that red sauce that one would typically associate Hainanese-style western fare to come with, as well as sides such as coleslaw, baked beans, fried mantou and fries. Coming with the same exact batter that comes with their Hainanese Chicken Chop, we must mention that we felt that their Hainanese Pork Chop impressed us a little more as compared to the Hainanese Chicken Chop that we have had previously. The batter is light and crisp here — the loose batter coming on some of the ends is almost akin to the texture of the undersides of a sunny side-up. The pork is tenderised for a good texture; very easy to chew and slice through with no porky stench that could be detected. The sauce itself is the mix of Worcestershire sauce and tomato sauce combined; though a little bit on the lighter side for our preferences, we did enjoy the light tanginess and savoury finish that it carried — there is also that slight sweetness from the caramalised onions that one can find in here. It also does come with the nibs of carrots and corn that one would usually be able to find for such Hainanese-Western fare.

The fries oddly reminds us of the sort that Shake Shack serves up; we would prefer it to be seasoned with a little bit more salt for better flavour, though we did enjoy how the fries weren’t too greasy. The addition of fried mantou is probably their twist to the usual fried lunch buns that comes with Hainanese-Western fare; considering the size of the pork chops served, the fried mantou proved to be less intimidating to have compared to a regular lunch bun — the fried mantou also carrying a hint of sweetness at the same time that they are known to carry. The coleslaw comes all consistently creamy with crunchy vegetables that refreshes the tastebuds; served chilled while the baked beans are something pretty standard — nothing much to shout about. Whilst we wished the flavours of most elements such as the sauce and the fries to come a little stronger, we must give credit to Taste Fusion Hainanese Chicken Chop for how they execute the Pork Chop — definitely one which we would most certainly develop a craving for; this is not forgetting how it feels easy to have as compared to those that feature a batter of panko crumbs that can get a little jelak after a while. Prices of the dishes served up at Taste Fusion Hainanese Chicken Chop are generally kept below $10 with the exception of the dishes featuring salmon, beef and lamb; the NZ Ribeye Steak Set being the priciest at $15.80. A stall worth considering a visit if craving for some true-blue Hainanese-Western fare whilst around Maxwell Fold Centre!

For those whom have been following us for quite a while, the mention of the name Caro Patisserie might ring some bells — this was an establishment that we had visited some time back when we had first heard about it their existence at The Stradia along Yio Chu Kang Road. These folks had since expanded their operations with a new location in the East — occupying the shop unit that is located right beside Cafe Wabi Sabi’s newest location along Joo Chiat Road, Caro Patisserie takes over the premises that used to house the now-defunct gelatolabo location there. Whilst still being a quite a hole-in-the-wall space, it is interesting to note that the folks behind Caro Patisserie had since included a dine-in section for their Joo Chiat location; the most visible dine-in area when one looks at the establishment from the outside would be the outdoor seating space, though there is a limited number of high chairs facing a mirror within the establishment that dine-in patrons can choose to take a seat and enjoy the tarts that Caro Patisseire has to offer. The interior of Caro Patisserie is decked in a quaint and almost cottage-like flair, giving the interior a slight European-chic vibe with its large use of white elements with contrasts of bright colours and gold embellishments that adds on to the vibes. Being an establishment that is noted for their lineup of dessert tarts, the dessert tarts are central to whatever that they have to offer; that being said, Caro Patisserie also does serve up French baguettes and also do have a good variety of cookies that are available for retail as well.

The first tart that had caught our attention whilst skimming through what they have stocked up in the display fridge. While Caro Patisserie does not describe on the elements that is included in their various creations, it can be observed from our order that the Lemon Meringue Tartlet comes with the usual suspects like lemon curd and carefully-piped meringue that is “plopped” onto the lemon curd meticulously for a visual appeal — all of that sitting atop a tart base. The tart base at Caro Patisserie could be likened to that of a shortbread; whilst it does take a little more effort than usual to dissect the tart, the tart base still slices off pretty neatly without crumbling into a mess — it also held the wet elements atop of it quite well as well. Here, the lemon curd itself leans towards sweeter notes; still providing a slight zing, though it ends off with a sweetness in its finish. This is also where the meringue steps in; itself carrying a slightly more neutral profile that not only bridges between the lemon curd and the tart shell, but also mellows out the flavours of the lemon curd at the same time for a good balance.

We had also checked out their Pistachio Chocolate Tartlet during the very same visit and this is definitely something more on the indulgent side when compared against that of the Lemon Meringue Tartlet. The chocolate is the more prominent element here, with the pistachio being a bit similar to the likes of a pistachio paste that is not only piped atop the chocolate filling, but also in between the chocolate ganache and the tart shell that gives a somewhat subtle sweetness and nuttiness. These folks had also included a sliced raspberry in the middle; provides a zing that refreshes the tastebuds considering the heavier-tasting elements featured in this tart. Caro Patisserie has been pretty consistent with the quality of their tarts thus far; we do feel that they so however have a slight edge in the fruit tarts that they have to offer as compared to those that makes use of other elements though this could also be a matter of preference anyway. Prices of their tartlets which are sized just about right for an individual diner are priced around $8.80 to $9.80; the sort of price that one would expect for such offerings these days. An addition to the Joo Chiat neighbourhood that we think the residents around the area would enjoy despite the number of cafes and bakeries operating within the area.

One of those brands that probably does not need an introduction these days would be Awfully Chocolate — the brand is founded in Singapore since 1998, and is also one that is pretty much commonly found in shopping malls across the island; the brand also runs Sinpopo as well. Whilst the Katong location of Awfully Chocolate is the flagship outlet that operates with a restaurant-style concept, its locations within shopping malls have been a mix between retail stores and dine-in cafes that offer a different experience from its Katong location emphasising on cakes and beverages. The brand had recently opened their latest outlet in Wisma Atria — located at level 3 of the mall, the Awfully Chocolate outlet at Wisma Atria is located right across from the outlet of 海底捞 Haidilao there. This is the very first location of Awfully Chocolate where they have re-looked into their dine-in cafe-cum-retail operations — at the front of the store, passers-by can have a view of the various plated desserts that they have to offer at this outlet; there is also an entire shelf of chocolate bars stocked-up for retail that one can grab-and-go as well. Hiding behind the retail shelf is the dining hall; unlike most Awfully Chocolate locations which feature a black-and-white interior decor scheme, the Wisma Atria location is decked in a refreshed look that features a large use of shades of brown involving elements of stone, marble, leather and wood for a more upscale and contemporary look. Considering the number of changes made to their dine-in operations at their Wisma Atria outlet, there is also a outlet-exclusive line-up of menu items available here to bring a different Awfully Chocolate experience to its patrons — the menu is segmented into sections dedicated to the Singapore Chocolate Experience, The Chocolate Raclette Wheel and hēi ice cream — all that aside from a selection of cakes which one can also find at their other locations; the beverages menu is further separated into sections such as The Awfully Chocolate Cacao Tea Series, Iced Cacao Tea Series, The Original Blend AC Hot Chocolate, Chilled Dark Chocolate, and a line-up of espresso-based specialty coffee as well.

One clear move with Awfully Chocolate’s Wisma Atria outlet is how they are attempting to fuse what the brand has successfully explored with Sinpopo Brand into the Awfully Chocolate experience — this is strongly felt particularly in their offerings under the Singapore Chocolate Experience and their hēi ice cream creations; the former being heavily based around the Kueh offerings that Sinpopo had introduced earlier during the opening of its TANGS Plaza location and expanded further on in recent times, while the hēi ice cream line-up at Awfully Chocolate at Wisma Atria sees their usual hēi ice cream served in parfait form where parfaits were also introduced into Sinpopo Brand at Tampines One. With our usual interest in Kueh, we found ourselves going for the Cocoa Kueh Dadar — a twist to the standard Kueh Dadar that Sinpopo had been offering for quite a while. The Kueh Dadar sees a cocoa-infused crepe featuring pastry cream, coconut and Gula Melaka — we found it interesting how the folks at Awfully Chocolate consistently plates the elements that the item comprises of beside the items itself; probably a way to allow patrons to better understand what they are having. The Cocoa Kueh Dadar is well-filled with pastry cream and Gula Melaka-infused desiccated coconut; there is definitely an earthy sweetness with a slight coconut-y fragrance that one can detect in the Cocoa Kueh Dadar, all that while the cocoa-infused crepe carries a slightly bitter undertone that lingers in the finishing notes of the dessert. The addition of pastry cream being something that seemingly adds a neutral note to ensure that the Gula Melaka-infused desiccated coconut gels with the cocoa-infused crepe.

The 100% Awfully Chocolate Muah Chee is another item that felt inspired from the Warabimochi offerings that Sinpopo Brand has to offer, though this seems to be made slightly differently nonetheless with the use of 100% Premium Dark Chocolate and coated with peanut soil — it comes with chocolate sauce and more of the peanut soil on the side. Coming with a pair of chopsticks on the side, patrons can toss the Muah Chee into the chocolate sauce and peanut soil; apart from the soft and chewy (but not sticky) texture of the Muah Chee, the highlight for us would be the chocolate-y, sweet, nutty and umami notes from the peanut soil that provided a crunch — very addictive. We had also made a subsequent visit where we have had their Goreng Pisang hēi and Vanilla Sundae from the “hēi ice cream” section of the menu; this essentially comprises of two scoops of Awfully Chocolate’s signature hēi chocolate ice-cream that is accompanied with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream, as well as caramel, cinnamon and Singapore-style tempura bananas — the other dish on the menu featuring the Singapore-style tempura bananas would be the Pisang Pisang from the “The Chocolate Raclette Wheel” section of the menu which had been mentioned quite a fair bit on social media posts on the establishment. This seems like Awfully Chocolate’s version of a Banana Split with a local twist; of particular note would be the Singapore-style tempura bananas that seems to replicate that of Goreng Pisang, though comes in a format where the banana is all chopped up before being coated with a batter and deep-fried. We liked how the fried bananas were crisp on the exterior with a batter that isn’t too thick, while they were also free from grease. The hēi ice-cream itself is a rich and decadent chocolate ice-cream flavour which would likely appeal to chocolate lovers, while the inclusion of a single scoop of vanilla ice-cream helped to balance the flavours out.

We had also given the Cacao 180 from The Awfully Chocolate Cacao Tea Series a try; essentially a by-product from the making of chocolate, cocoa tea is being made by double-roasting cacao husks — Awfully Chocolate serves up quite a number of variants of Cacao Tea which includes the Cacao 160, Cacao 170 and Cacao 180; we were told that the difference is in the temperature that the cacao husks are being roasted, and the Cacao 180 is the most intense due to it being roasted at the highest temperature amongst the three. Whilst carrying the aromas of cocoa in its scent, the Cacao 180 carries quite a tea-like flavour with a very clean finish; a very guilt-free beverage which they had also claimed to be caffeine-free and antioxidant-free as well. We aren’t folks whom would be this intrigued with the Awfully Chocolate brand; whilst they had been a brand that have been around in the local F&B scene for quite a while, the entrance of more artisanal bean-to-bar chocolatiers such as Mr Bucket Chocolaterie and Lemuel Chocolate have made Awfully Chocolate felt less relevant in the competitive F&B scene in Singapore — their offerings have also been a little stagnant for its dine-in offerings for quite a while. It is certainly refreshing to see how Awfully Chocolate has tried to reinvent their brand’s experience with the way that they approach chocolate, which incorporates the use of local elements with their expertise from running Sinpopo, as well as looking into some of the things that such artisanal chocolatiers have done and incorporating it into their offerings. Prices of the dishes at Awfully Chocolate’s Wisma Atria location are however on the higher side, though none of the items on the menu are priced above $19 — the numbers do add up quickly when one orders more than one dessert item per pax though. Still, Awfully Chocolate does seem to be pretty successful in creating a new dine-in experience with its brand that is worth checking out nonetheless.

There is certainly a bit of a void when it comes to dining establishments in Singapore that focuses on serving up dishes in claypots — whilst there are a handful of establishments situated in hawker centres that serve up claypot rice dishes for quite some time, it does seem that establishments serving up dishes cooked in claypot have only started to become a little bit more common in recent times. Though not an entirely new idea, we do commend establishments like Bao Duo Duo 煲多多 that helps to add vibrancy in the local F&B scene. Bao Duo Duo is a new concept that focuses on claypot dishes that had recently just sprouted up along Foch Road — they had taken over the former premises of a now-defunct location of Ng Kuan Chilli Pan Mee at 36 Foch Road not too far from the Bistro 8 coffeeshop in the vicinity. Bao Duo Duo had did some work with the shop space; despite its fairly simple set-up, the establishment does come decked in a way that we found to be rather expected of a Malaysian-style dining establishment; functional furniture matched with walls that comes with posters depicting the food that they serve up; the use of orange paint for some walls helped to provide a visual contrast against the pastel yellow walls. The menu at Bao Duo Duo is segregated into categories comprising of Chicken, Meat, Seafood, Soup, Vegetable and Noodles; the list of beverages served up includes canned drinks and tea — just to name a few, with alcoholic options limited to Heineken, Asahi and Blanc 1664.

We found it difficult to resist ordering the Claypot Bee Tai Mak after spotting the dish being listed on the “Noodles” section of the menu. Bao Duo Duo does not describe the elements that come with their dishes on their menu; that being said, it can be observed from our order that the Claypot Bee Tai Mak does come with Mee Tai Mak seemingly doused in a dark sauce, prawns, minced meat and cabbage — all that with a raw egg cracked over it; in fact, it wouldn’t be too wrong to describe this as the KL-style Dai Loke Noodles that comes with Mee Tai Mak for its noodles, and served in a claypot. Mixing the raw egg into the entire dish provided a runny and silkier touch for the Mee Tai Mak. Considering the amount of dark sauce that the dish came with, the noodles did come with a slight savouriness and sweetness from molasses; all that whilst coming with a slurpy texture that also came with a bit of chew. The minced pork does add a meaty bite, while the cabbage provided a soft crunch that gave a slight contrast of textures as well; the prawns were pretty fresh and added a natural sweetness when had together with Mee Tai Mak. Yet another dish that we found ourselves enjoying during our visit to Bao Duo Duo would be their Herbal Chicken. Encased within a plastic bag and a tinfoil-lined bowl, the Herbal Chicken does come with the usual suspects such as ginseng, cordyceps and other herbs. The herbal broth is one which we find to be pretty refreshing and soothing; the chicken also seemingly having absorbed all of the herbal notes of the broth whilst being tender and juicy — the meat falling off the bones pretty easily. It was a pity that we did not go for an extra portion of rice to go along with our food; the herbal broth would definitely do well when drenched into white rice.

The Pork with Curry was one dish that we were looking forward to have but did end up feeling a little underwhelming nonetheless. Whilst we did enjoy seeing the curry gravy bubble up considering how the dish is being served in a hot claypot, one major factor which we found to be lacking with the Pork with Curry was how the pork didn’t seemed to have absorbed the flavours of curry gravy here — seemingly tuning the flavours down with the pork being a little bland for our preferences. With prices of its claypot dishes mostly priced below $10 with the exception of some of the dishes (i.e Sambal Petai with Prawns, Nonya Assam Prawns, Claypot Lala Soup and the Prawn Paste Chicken), Bao Duo Duo does seem like a rather accessible option for most to dine-in with its wallet-friendly prices — this is considering how the portioning of the food works, with two pax sharing two dishes being pretty manageable for standard appetites. No doubt that there is some room for improvement with some of the dishes like the Pork with Curry that could do with some extra oomph that would make it match that of what one would find at other zichar-style establishments all around the island serving the same, though they do present themselves as a decent dining option to go for whilst wanting to try something new in the Jalan Besar area.

When we had previously made our visit to Cafe Wabi Sabi when they had first opened their doors in 2023 at Everton Park, we guessed we wouldn’t have expected these folks to expand their operations in such a short period of time. Fast forward to November 2023, and Cafe Wabi Sabi had since started operations at their second outlet. Cafe Wabi Sabi occupies the space of the now-defunct Cafe Natsu which is within a shophouse located at the junction between Joo Chiat Road and Dunman Road. Situated within the Peranakan-style shophouse, Cafe Wabi Sabi has did some sprucing up to the space that Cafe Natsu had left behind; whilst most of the layout and some of the fittings are still retained, Cafe Wabi Sabi has adopted a slightly less colourful interior decor theme for the space — the space now sees the use of white, grey and black elements that are matched with dining furniture of wooden accents, with the green dining chairs giving a visual contrast to its surroundings; quite similar to what has been adopted for their Everton Park, though with a cleaner look. The premises at their Joo Chiat location is also much larger than their Everton Park space — this also seem to allow Cafe Wabi Sabi to offer a wider variety of food items on the menu. Apart from their Sando, Donburi, Desserts, Ice-Cream and Side offerings, the Joo Chiat location also offers a further line-up of Soba, Salad, Chirashizusi Don and Sashimi offerings that are exclusively available at this location. Beverages available at Cafe Wabi Sabi’s location at Joo Chiat will include items split into categories such as Wabi Signature (mostly tea-based beverages), Fizzy Drinks, Coffee (brewed using beans roasted by local micro-roasters Two Degrees North Coffee Co.), Non-Coffee, Tea and Non-Tea; there is also a line-up of alcoholic beverages served up at Cafe Wabi Sabi as well.

Eager to give the items that are exclusively available at their Joo Chiat location a go, we decided to opt for the Wasabi Chirashi Don that is listed as an item under the Chirashizusi Don section of the menu a go. Available as an ala-carte item to be order on its own or as part of a set, we went with latter option — opting for the dish to come as a set would also include a salad, Miso Soup, and a choice of side (Gyoza, Chicken Karaage, or Chawanmushi) to be served by the side. Our choice of side dish for our order was the Chawanmushi. The menu describes the Wasabi Chirashi Don to come with elements such as Sashimi-Grade Salmon, Tuna, Tako, Sushi Ebi, Sushi Rice, Lemon Slice, Tobiko, Ikura, Onsen Egg, Wasabi, Yakitori Sauce, Roasted Sesame Seed, Wasabi Sauce and Chopped Takuwan. There is quite a bit of waiting time involved with the dish — we were told that it had to be prepared by the head chef and the fish is freshly-sliced only upon order; we did wish they could probably perhaps give us a heads up considering the wait time for the dish did a go upwards of an hour for us.

Luckily for us though, the Wasabi Chirashi Don did not disappoint — the Wasabj Chirashi Don comes at room temperature; something which we were alright with considering how some places serve their Chirashi Don with warm sushi rice that tends to cause an odd temperature contrast with the raw fish. Tossed in a somewhat creamy sauce that came with a slight hint of wasabi flavour, we liked how the raw seafood still managed to pull through in terms of its flavours with its freshness; the creaminess seemingly to help with raw fish to gel together with the other elements such as the sushi rice and onsen egg. The onsen egg provides a runny texture for the entire bowl, while the addition of wasabi further elevates the notes from the wasabi sauce; gives a real punch of spicy, numbing notes that tantalises the tastebuds as well. There is a slight zing in some parts of the Wasabi Chirashi Don that refreshes the tastebuds — all these coming from the interesting addition of lemon slices here that we usually would not find it Chirashi Don elsewhere, while the Chopped Takuwan provided a crunch and slight tang to do the same as well. The inclusion of Tobiko and Ikura also helped to add a popping, umami sensation to the entire bowl.

Meanwhile, the Spicy Cheesy Medama Tori Katsu Sando — this item is described on the menu to come with elements such as Spicy Chicken Katsu, Sunny Side Up Egg, Melted Cheddar, Mozzarella Cheese, Mixed Greens, Cucumber, Tomato, Onions, Wasabi Mayo, Spicy Sauce and Goma Sauce; patrons can opt for their order of the Sando to come with a choice of sides either being the Tater Tots Potato or the Wabi Fries which we went for the former. The Spicy Cheesy Medama Tori Katsu Sando feels like a simple sandwich featuring a thicker than usual slice of bread that has been evidently toasted as observed from the grill marks on the bread; the toast here delivering a bit of heft from each bite. The Chicken Katsu comes with a fried batter that isn’t particularly greasy, while the chicken patty remains tender and juicy — slightly spicy as well while the other elements helped to provide a wholesome feel for the entire sandwich. Meanwhile, we had also tried Iced Blue Lagoon — an item listed in the Coffee section of the menu featuring coffee, blue pea flower, and mint. Think of this as a flavoured latte that is created with an aesthetic appeal considering the layers of brown, white and blue of the drink.

Overall, our experience at Cafe Wabi Sabi was decent when it came to the overall quality of the food; whilst there wasn’t much to shout about when it came to the Spicy Cheesy Medama Tori Katsu Sando, we did feel that a lot of effort has been placed into the Wasabi Chirashi Don which does showcase the efforts that these guys place into the creation of the new dishes that they have to offer at their Joo Chiat location. We liked how the service crew was very aware on the fact that we hadn’t received our order of the Wasabi Chirashi Don; they even split up the serving of the sides that form part of the sets to allow us to have something whilst waiting for the main dish to arrive, though we would feel that it might work out better if they could inform us on the waiting time required earlier on to better prepare patrons whom do not necessarily have the luxury of time to wait on for it. Prices of the various dishes listed in the Sandos, Donburi, Soba, Salads and Chirashizusi Don sections of the menu are priced between $15.90 to $27.90; a competitive price to the price range of the other specialty coffee joints around its vicinity. With its focus towards more Japanese-style fare, Cafe Wabi Sabi does seem like an interesting addition to the Joo Chiat neighbourhood that cafe-hoppers might get interested to add to the list of places to visit to find out what they are all about.