Was scrolling around the phone and managed to learn about a new establishment that had seemingly moved into HomeTeam NS Khatib that is situated within walking distance away from Khatib MRT Station not too long ago — HomeTeam NS Khatib itself has been seeing the addition of some new F&B establishments of the late. Kopi Siew Dai 咖啡食代 is located at the ground floor of the entire compound within shop units that are located behind the main stretch of existing F&B establishments such as that of the outlet of Siam Kitchen and Suki-Suki Hot Pot. An establishment that seems to be jumping into the bandwagon of Nanyang Kopitiam-themed eateries that have entered into the local F&B scene in recent times, Kopi Siew Dai has definitely went with the retro, old-school look that some of such establishments had went for — the entire store is decked simply with wooden furniture and fittings that matches the cement floor and the pastel-coloured walls; old-school lampshades as well as other decorative pieces such as that of the cabinets that holds the old fans, televisions and other memorabilia certainly adds on to the nostalgic vibes of the establishment as well. Dining tables used in Kopi Siew Dai are of a slightly smaller size than desired; the tables are being configured in a way they would cater to those visiting the establishment in pairs or in groups of four (4) pax. Kopi Siew Dai is currently in its soft launch phase; the food menu is being split into sections that are dedicated to Toast Bread Set, Bee Hoon, Nasi Lemak and Signatures; beverages served up at Kopi Siew Dai are sectioned into categories such as Kopi / Teh, Homemade Drinks and Others.

Noting that there aren’t many items that Kopi Siew Dai was offering during our visit there, we found ourselves gravitating to the Nasi Lemak Fried Chicken Cutlet that is an item that is being listed in their Nasi Lemak section of the menu — the menu does describe the elements that are being featured in all Nasi Lemak dishes being Basmati Rice, Achar, Anchovies and Egg; the Nasi Lemak Fried Chicken Cutlet would be the rendition that comes with an entire slab of fried chicken as well. On first look, the portions of the food at Kopi Siew Dai does seem to be actually quite generous — both the portioning of rice as well as the size of the chicken cutlet being pretty large for one person to say the least. Digging into the Basmati Rice, one can observe that the rice does come with a dull green hue that seems to suggest the infusion of Pandan; the rice also carrying a soft fragrance of Pandan that was pretty distinct whilst being light and fluffy — quite a joy to finish even on its own. The fried chicken cutlet came in the form of being a pretty well-sized slab of chicken that came with a crisp and light batter that is fried to golden-brown perfection; the meat being all juicy and tender whilst carrying a light hint of saltishness that seems to suggest that the chicken has been somewhat marinated with light soy sauce as part of the preparation process. The sunny side-up features a runny egg yolk and soft whites; there is no lingering hint of any undesirable notes of overused oil for the sunny side-up, while the sambal chili does come with a familiar hint of sweetness whilst coming with a level of spiciness that would tickle the tastebuds of those whom are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness. The addition of achar tries to keep things refreshing for the tastebuds with the crunch it carries whilst also coming with a slight sweetness and a tang to cut through the heaviness for the carbs and the meat.

During the same visit to Kopi Siew Dai, we also went ahead with giving their Kaya Butter Toast from the Toast Bread Set section of the menu a go. It is worth noting that all of the items in the Toast Bread Set section of the menu are available in both ala-carte and in sets; the set would see the choice of toast selected by the patron accompanied with a cup of Hot Kopi / Teh whilst also featuring 2 half boiled eggs. The Kaya Butter Toast could probably be better toasted to achieve a more desirable texture; the toast being lightly crisp on the surface though slightly limp in the middle — it is worth noting that the folks at Kopi Siew Dai had made use of Hainanese-style Kaya for their Kaya Butter Toast, with the the Kaya bearing a brown hue. This also meant that the Kaya here came with a slight hint of earthiness amidst the sweetness that it carried, with the slab of butter providing for a corresponding saltishness to go along. The soft-boiled eggs are served in a way that requires one to break the eggs on their own; we did encounter one of the eggs coming with slightly more cooked egg yolk than the other, though it is noted that we had also taken a bit of time for photos before cracking the eggs open. As with most other establishments out there, Kopi Siew Dai does offer dark soya sauce and pepper to allow patrons to mix them into the soft-boiled eggs to their own fancy.

Opting for the Hot Kopi to go along as part of the Toast Bread Set that we had went for, we did find the Kopi to be pretty well-brewed that came with quite the caffeinated kick in the body without being overly sweet at the same time. We had also opted for the Hor Ka Sai to come as a cold beverage; this would be the concoction of Milo + Kopi which is pretty much the case for most other Nanyang Kopitiam-themed dining establishments out there. We did notice that the beverages is a little more Milo heavy at the start, though the caffeinated notes of the Kopi does become slightly more prominent as one reaches the end of the beverage.

Kopi Siew Dai does seem to be one of those establishments that would require a little bit more time to get used to its operations — there are definitely some teething issues where food orders have been missed out as well as wrong queue numbers were also being called out for patrons to collect their food from the counter; perhaps things that should only get better in the days to come where they have sorted out their operations. With that being said, we did find the quality of food to be decent; items like the Kaya Butter Toast Bread does seem to have some room for improvement, though other items like the Nasi Lemak Fried Chicken Cutlet were a pretty decent eat — it does seem that they are also attempting to be an establishment that tries to cater for all within the community considering how they are an establishment that does not serve pork or lard despite the lack of a halal certification at this stage. Prices of their offerings from the Bee Hoon, Nasi Lemak and Signatures section of the menu range between $4.50 to $8.50; the lowest-priced being the Chicken Luncheon from the Bee Hoon section of the menu, whilst the priciest would be the Chili Crab Noodles from the Signatures section of the menu. Kopi Siew Dai definitely adds on as a decent dining option to the neighbourhood of Khatib that residents around are likely to appreciate — we do hope that they are able to smoothen out their operations for a more pleasant dining experience in time to come as they go into official launch.

There doesn’t seem to be shortage of ice-cream / gelato parlours located all around Singapore especially given with the natural climate of the island — with this many ice-cream / gelato parlours located all around Singapore, it does seem that there is only to be more that would pop up in the local F&B scene here. Churn° is an ice-cream parlour that has most recently opened its doors within HomeTeamNS Khatib that is walking distance away from Khatib MRT Station. Churn° is located in the same exact area where Kopi Siew Dai 咖啡食代 is also situated; the two establishments being neighbours with one another — Churn° could be easily found around the area behind where one can find other F&B establishments such as that of the outlet of Siam Kitchen as well as Suki-Suki Hot Pot there. Churn° turns out to be an establishment by the same folks behind Melvados; a brand that is probably better noted for their ready-to-eat food that is retailed in shop units in various shopping centres. The interior of Churn° is fairly simply decked but also tastefully so; the dining furniture used comprising of wooden accents, while the entire shop is painted in a shade of blue that provides a vibrant look that would hopefully draw the attention of passers-by. The tables and chairs at Churn° is configured to a set-up that mostly comprises of two and four seater tables; there is also a communal table near the entrance that caters to larger groups as well. Being an ice-cream parlour, much of what Churn° has to offer surrounds around the various ice-cream flavours that they have to offer; patrons do get the choice to pair their ice-cream with cups, cones, waffles, waffles chips and dip or even in the form of an Affogato. Apart from their ice-cream, Churn° also serves up a variety of cakes and bakes that are prominently displayed in the display chiller at the counter. Beverages that Churn° serves up will include espresso-based specialty coffee, as well as matcha and drinking chocolate.

We visited Churn° during the first few weeks of their official opening and it seems that these folks do have a variant of a waffle that is being listed in their Monthly Specials section of the menu — this would be the Belgian Chocolate Waffle. Skimming through the selection of ice-cream flavours that they have to offer, we found ourselves settling for the Matcha Strawberry Ice-Cream which we thought was one of the more unique flavours which is being stocked up in their display chiller. The Belgian Chocolate Waffle does come with a shade of dark brown; a clear indication that the waffle batter has been infused with Belgian Chocolate as mentioned in the namesake of the item. We did find that the waffle wafts of a very light hint of bittersweet undertones from the chocolate, though the waffles does seem to verge a little towards being a wee bit dry and could definitely do with an extra note of sweetness that might bring out the chocolatey notes of the waffle batter even more. The scoop of Matcha Strawberry Ice-Cream does hit the spot however — perhaps inspired by that of the various Matcha Strawberry Lattes that several establishments had been serving up, the Matcha Strawberry Ice-Cream comes with shades of pink swirled amidst the shades of green; the matcha element carrying the strong bitter undertones of the Japanese tea, while the strawberry element balances things out with its tart and zippy notes that cuts through the notes of matcha just about right. The Matcha Strawberry Ice-Cream was also one that came smooth and creamy; all that whilst also not being overly sweet.

We also managed to try the Flat White during our visit to Churn°. It is worth noting that Churn° serves up a small cookie with the order of every beverage; the cookie that was served with our Flat White being one that comes with specs of chocolate chips and sugar-coated chocolate buttons much similar to that of Smarties/ M&Ms. The Flat White here is a decent attempt on serving up espresso-based specialty coffee for an establishment that primarily serves up ice-cream; the cuppa does come with a light body and an earthy and nutty flavour profile — though that the milk could be frothed to a better consistency for a silkier and denser texture that would also help with the latte art for the cuppa as well. Whilst there are other ice-cream parlours that are situated within the Yishun neighbourhood, Churn° is probably one of the only ones that are within the Khatib side of the estate that is located within close proximity to Khatib MRT Station. We do feel that Churn° does seem to specialise in their ice-cream offerings; we were definitely satisfied with the Matcha Strawberry Ice-Cream though perhaps more can be done to achieve a better consistency with their Belgian Chocolate Waffle at the very least. Given its fairly convenient location situated within the heartlands, Churn° does seem to be a spot that residents around within its vicinity are likely to appreciate in the neighbourhood that they can head to for ice-cream for a day out as a family or a spot to catch-up with friends without exiting their neighbourhood.

It has been a while since we have heard about Alani at KADA — for those whom have yet to know about KADA, KADA is the current iteration of the building at 5 Kadayanallur Street which has been recently revamped; the building being previously used as St Andrew’s Mission Hospital at one point of time; the same compound also houses other dining establishments such as ECHO and Shou Hand Made Dim Sum Restaurant. Alani is located at level 4 of KADA at the rooftop; this is also where Proud Potato Peeler is also located, which is also a dining establishment which are operated by the same folks as well. Alani does occupy its own space within KADA separate from that of Proud Potato Peeler — the shop unit of which Alani occupies being decked in a rustic but vibrant environment; the dining hall consisting of one communal table whilst also consisting of the espresso bar as well as the counter which sees a number of the bakes that they have to offer. Most of its dine-in seats are located at the sheltered rooftop area however; the tables being mainly catered to bigger groups though a also doubles up as communal tables where smaller groups will need to share with other groups of patrons. The menu at Alani is split into various sections dedicated to open-faced toasts, bread, cakes and other bakes — they also do offer a small selection of other items that includes yogurt; beverages available includes homemade lemonade, juices as well as espresso-based specialty coffee, just to name a few.

Amongst the various items that are displayed at the counter, we found ourselves being fairly intrigued with the San Marzano & Burrata Sourdough — this would be an item that is being listed on the “Breads” section of the menu. Alani takes quite a fair bit of pride in their sourdough offerings — Alani claims that their range of sourdough offerings are made from a hand-carried sourdough that is named as such to be dedicated to their grandmother; the hand-carried sourdough also being of 14 years of age. The San Marzano & Burrata is actually a rather simple offering — for those whom are not aware, “San Marzano” refers to the type of tomatoes that are being used for the dish being San Marzano Tomatoes. The San Marzano & Burrata Sourdough is an item that is best to be shared across the table — other elements included in the San Marzano & Burrata Sourdough not mentioned in the namesake of the dish will be the use of basil. Digging into the San Marzano & Burrata Sourdough, the sourdough itself comes with a lightly crisp exterior whilst the bread within is soft and fluffy — all that with a slight tang that is from the fermentation process in the making of the bread; the bread also coming with a bit of tension to pull apart. What is especially worth mentioning is how the tomato puree made from San Marzano tomatoes carry a hint of sweetness amidst that zing that tomatoes usually carry — also felt particularly fresh, while the soft burrata adds on a creamy and lightly savoury note to give the tomato puree a bit more depth in terms of flavour.

During our visit, we also managed to give the Scrambled Eggs with Fennel soaked with Chochugaru and Burnt Tomato Aioli. Apart from the elements mentioned in the namesake of the dish, the dish also comes with dill and coriander. The scrambled eggs come atop a slice of sourdough here; the scrambled eggs carrying an eggy note with a slight hint of creaminess likely from the addition of milk during the preparation process of the dish — the scrambled eggs also coming with a bit of seasoning from salt and pepper as well that further adds on to the flavours of it. Sitting atop a slice of sourdough toast, the sourdough toast comes with a tension to pull apart in the middle; the flavours being slightly tangy from the fermentation process in the making of the sourdough — the sourdough coming with crusty sides that adds on a crunch factor for an additional contrast of textures. Accompanied with fennel that is marinated with Chochugaru, we would have expected the fennel to come pretty close to being kimchi-like considering how Chochugaru is essentially hot pepper flakes — this turns out to be rather similar to pickled vegetables that comes with a crunch and a slight sweetness amidst the mild spiciness from the hot pepper flakes. The Burnt Tomato Aioli comes with a slight hint of smoky, savoury and tangy flavours that goes well with the scrambled egg, providing the dish with a bit of depth in flavour.

We also went for the Portokalopita with Bitter Chocolate & Phyllo Pastry — this was also one of the items that is recommended by the folks behind the counter whilst they had given us a broad introduction of the establishment. They had explained that this was a cake that sees the use of orange. Digging into the cake, we did find that the Portokalopita to be a slightly dense cake as compared to usual pound cakes that one would be used to getting elsewhere; it also does seem to come with dried orange bits and also with a bit of orange zest for an added citrus-sy note. The addition of bitter chocolate mousse over the top comes all smooth and luscious; very rich and carried bittersweet notes of chocolate that didn’t in any way feel heaty nor overwhelming — pairs well with the orange cake considering the classic combination of both chocolate and orange. The addition of Phyllo Pastry is pretty much similar to a sugar crisp that adds another dimension of sweetness with a crunchy texture to the entire cake.

Pairing everything up with a cuppa, we went for the White which is pretty much the espresso-based specialty coffee offering that we tend to go for when we first visit any establishment. The White here was one which we found to be pretty well-executed; the cuppa being smooth and creamy whilst coming a nutty and earthy flavour profile and a medium body — pairs up with their bakes pretty well. Alani is a spot that we have been hearing quite a bit of praise for in the food items that they have to offer — whilst we had only managed to try all small number of dishes that are being listed on its menu, we did feel that Alani does take quite a bit of pride in what they are serving out of their kitchen. It is no doubt that the highlight at Alani would be their sourdough offerings which seems to be the centre of focus here; that being said, the use of fresh and premium produce does seem to help to elevate the entire experience even further — this is especially evident in the case of the San Marzano & Burrata Sourdough and the Portokalopita with Bitter Chocolate & Phyllo Pastry which are items that we found to ourselves to be pretty impressed with during our visit to Alani. The San Marzano & Burrata Sourdough is worth mentioning considering how complex the favours of the dish is despite being a relatively classic combination of ingredients nonetheless – a showcase of how these folks have paid attention to the most minute of details to bring patrons their very best. This, alongside the unique venue and dining environment that they have to offer, makes Alani stand out as quite a unique establishment in its own within the F&B scene in Singapore that is pretty worth checking out just to see what they are all about!

It has been a while since Oriental Kopi has opened their doors in Singapore with their very first outlet being in Singapore that is located at Bugis Junction — for those whom aren’t aware, the Singapore branch of Oriental Kopi is opened as a collaboration between the original Oriental Kopi in Malaysia and the Paradise Group. The queues at the establishment had died down a little ever since their initial phase of opening, with the establishment seeing little to no queues for those whom are dropping by slightly before typical meal hours. Oriental Kopi takes over the former premises of the now-defunct 88 K Town there; some may also recall this spot being once home to other dining establishments such as the now-defunct Kogane Yama and the now-defunct Chir Chir. The Bugis Junction outlet of Oriental Kopi is decked in a way that replicates that of an old-school colonial-style coffeeshop with the use of wooden furniture and fittings, as well as tiled flooring with mosaic tiles; some of the furniture and fittings also consists of rattan-esque elements that further adds on to the vibes that they are trying to bring out. The food menu of Oriental Kopi is segregated into sections dedicated to Signature Egg Tart, Oriental Polo Bun, Homemade Toast, Homemade Bun, Nasi Lemak, Malay Rendang Chicken, Kampung Fried Rice, Prawn Fried Rice, Malay Fried Rice, Hainanese Chicken Rice, Nanyang Curry Chicken Rice, Kampung Mee Hoon, Oriental Chicken Hor Fun, Penang Char Kuey Teow, Oriental Prawn Mee, Mee Goreng Mamak, Chicken Herbal Soup with Rice / Noodles, Traditional PanMee, Mee Siam, Malay Rendang Beef, Oriental Laksa Mee, Dry Curry Chicken Mee Pok, Vegetarian Laksa Mee, Vegetarian Nasi Lemak, Local Street Food and Oreintal Dessert. The beverages section of the menu in the meanwhile comprises of Oriental Other Beverages, Oriental Coffee, Oriental Tea, Oriental Cham, Cincau & Soya Milk, Milo & Royal Chocolate.

Given our previous visit to Oriental Kopi in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, we were most curious on how the Oriental Signature Nasi Lemak from their Bugis Junction would fare against that of what is offered at Oriental Kopi outlets in Malaysia. The Oriental Signature Nasi Lemak from Bugis Junction comes with all the elements that one would expect out of a typical Nasi Lemak dish — this would include that of the Pandan-infused rice, Ayam Berempah (i.e. spiced fried chicken leg), peanuts, anchovies, sambal chili as well as sous-vide egg that is in place of the typical sunny side-up. We had always remembered the rice being served up with the Oriental Signature Nasi Lemak from Oriental Kopi to be somewhat unique; one that came with a very light hue of green that is quite unlike the neon green ones that one would typically come across for those infused with Pandan in Singapore. The flavours of the rice does seem like a cross-breed of the more gingery style of Nasi Lemak rice that some establishments are also known to serve up alongside the ones that get infused with Pandan here. The fried chicken leg in the meanwhile does come marinated with turmeric; all that whilst being fried to a beautiful shade of golden-brown on the outside where the batter was crisp and not thick — the meat being all tender whilst the chicken leg also came with fried crumbs that added on to the textures and flavours of the fried chicken. The anchovies does still come with a crunch as well as a hint of saltishness, while the sambal chili seems to come with a deeper hint of sweetness likely hinting at the use of Kecap Manis whilst coming with a spicy kick that should be tickle the tastebuds for those whom are tolerable to moderate hints of spiciness. The sous-vide egg is definitely a refreshing change from the usual sunny side-up; the sous-vide egg featuring soft whites and a molten egg yolk — the yolk eagerly bursting out as one breaks the yolk open.

During the same visit made to Oriental Kopi at their Bugis Junction outlet, we also went for the Penang Char Kuey Teow; the Penang Char Kuey Teow here comes with the usual suspects that include the broad rice noodles, greens, stir-fried egg, fishcakes, beansprouts and prawns. The Penang Char Kuey Teow does come savoury with the rice noodles being consistently wok-fried with the flavours of the dish being pretty even throughout. The addition of the stir-fried egg adds on a fluffy texture to the dish; the broad rice noodles being slippery and savoury, while the beansprouts gave the dish an additional crunch factor. The prawn does come pretty fresh, with the texture of the prawns being firm with a good bounce; all that whilst coming with a hint of natural crustacean sweetness. We also got to try the Double Butter Kaya Toast; it is interesting to note that Oriental Kopi actually carries two (2) variants of Kaya for their Double Butter Kaya Toast — one that comes with the Hainanese-style Kaya which they dub as the “Traditional”, while there is also the Pandan Kaya which we found ourselves opting for. The Double Butter Kaya Toast makes use of toasted white bread here — all coming with Nonya-style Kaya spread atop the bread and sandwiching a thick slab of butter in between. The white bread has been toasted to come with a crisp texture; the bread being of sufficient thickness that didn’t feel too heavy as well — something that some establishments do not manage quite as well. The thicker slab of butter meant that there is a heavier emphasis on the saltish-ness of butter, while the Pandan Kaya adds a hint of coconut-y and Pandan fragrance with a slight hint of sweetness which gives the Double Butter Kaya Toast just the right contrast of flavours here.

A trip to Oriental Kopi will not be considered as complete if one skips on their Signature Egg Tarts — it is worth noting that Oriental Kopi in Singapore only retails their Signature Egg Tarts in pairs which isn’t the same as what the brand does in Malaysia. That being said, the Signature Egg Tarts that are offered at Oriental Kopi at Bugis Junction follows the same as what is being offered in their outlets in Malaysia – one that features a flaky pastry that holds up the egg curd in the middle. The tart base here is light, flaky and buttery — all crisp without being particularly greasy at the bottom; this is something where those serving up such styles of egg tarts do not necessarily manage well. The egg curd here comes all soft and jiggly — we also liked how the egg curd isn’t overly sweet as well; despite being an egg tart that comes bigger than what one would usually expect as well, the egg tart is still a fairly easy way in general. Another item that is not to be missed during a visit to Oriental Kopi would be that of their Kopi (Cold) — just like the one that is being served up at their outlets in Malaysia, the Kopi (Cold) features a frothy look with an overflow; something that seems to have caught on to be the default look of iced Kopi that is served at Nanyang Kopitiam-themed establishments in both Malaysia and Singapore. The Iced Kopi here comes pretty thick though we do recall the same being a little thicker and sweeter in the rendition that is being served up in Malaysia — still quite a rendition of the Nanyang Kopitiam-style iced Kopi that is worth ordering nonetheless given how rich and frothy it is.

Having tried Oriental Kopi in Johor Bahru before, we did feel that the Singaporean version of Oriental Kopi does actually pretty much live to the quality and consistency that the original Malaysian chain had set-up their brand to be — items such as the Oriental Signature Nasi Lemak does appear to be pretty much like how we had remembered it to be, while prices of what they have to offer are kept fairly reasonable despite being priced higher than that of Oriental Kopi in Malaysia despite the conversion from Malaysian Ringgit to Singapore dollars. The various main dishes that they have to offer are priced mostly below $10; pretty reasonable considering how this is an independently-run establishment anyway — very wallet-friendly whilst coming at a pretty good quality for Nanyang Kopitiam-themed dining establishments in Singapore. Queues do seem to be going strong at their Bugis Junction location even after having opened their doors here for quite a while by now; the best times to visit are actually during non meal peak hours on weekdays where there might be virtually no queue to dine-in within its premises, though one would still pretty much have to endure the queues should they prefer to not go through the hassle of crossing territorial boundaries to get their Oriental Kopi fix during the weekends …

The opening of New Bahru has certainly seen some waves in the local F&B scene during its initial phase of opening — New Bahru is after all home to several locally born and bred names that have enjoyed varying success in their own right even before setting up shop within New Bahru; such establishments would include the likes of The Coconut Club, One Prawn Co., Artichoke, San Shu Gong Chao Yue, Dearborn, One Fattened Calf, PPP Coffee etc.; just to name a few. ÁTIPICO | ROOM #15 might be a lesser known name in the local F&B scene — these folks didn’t previously exist as a dining establishment, though ÁTIPICO is quite a familiar name in the local private dining scene. In fact, we have previously been exposed to a few of ÁTIPICO’s offerings through some pop-ups that they have set up during events previously. ÁTIPICO | ROOM #15 is situated in between Odem and the outlet of The Coconut Club that is located there — they should be relatively easy to find; the shop facade is being painted in a shade of red, while the interior of the shop comes decked in a rustic and industrial yet modern design theme. The decor features elements coming in a raw wooden accent matched with metallic furniture and fittings — all that tastefully matched with stone surfaces; the indoor dining tables featuring tables configured to accommodate to those dining in pairs as well as for groups up to four (4) pax. The food menu at ÁTIPICO | ROOM #15 is split into sections dedicated to All Day, Lunch, Sweets and Bakery — it is worth noting that items listed on the Lunch section of the menu are available on Tuesday to Sunday, while some items listed on the All Day section of the menu are available are only available on Saturday and Sunday. Beverages available at ÁTIPICO | ROOM #15 would include espresso-based specialty coffee, cold-pressed juices, and tea that is sourced from Dammann Freres — this is apart from the alcoholic beverages such as the various wines and beer that they have to offer.

One of the dishes that had caught our attention whilst skimming through the list of dishes that they have to offer in their Lunch menu would be that of the Pumpkin Ravioli. The Pumpkin Ravioli stood out to us considering how we have been quite into raviolis and other handmade pastas for quite a while ever since our visit to South Union Park years ago; we also found the composition of the Pumpkin Ravioli here to be pretty similar to what we have previously had at South Union Park back then that creates a very deep impression with us that we couldn’t forget. The menu describes the Pumpkin Ravioli to come with elements such as roasted pumpkin, toasted hazelnuts, sage butter and smoked ricotta. The Ravioli comes with a pasta that is smooth, soft and silky; the insides being filled pumpkin puree that is earthy and sweet. The smoked ricotta does seem to form the sauce base here; aptly savoury without being overwhelmingly salty — creates this sweet-saltish medley of flavours with a slight buttery fragrance together with the sage butter when had altogether. The inclusion of toasted hazelnuts provide an element of crunch and nuttiness that further adds on to both textures and flavours of the dish.

We also managed to give the Confit Onion Speck Fontina Roll that is being listed on the All Day section of the menu a go – the menu describes the Confit Onion Speck Fontina Roll to come with elements such as sweet French onion confit, Fontana cheese and speck; all featuring a flaky laminated dough. The Confit Onion Speck Fontina Roll is shaped in the same format as a scroll much like a Kouign Amann — the pastry base itself being a pretty well-executed danish that is light, flaky and buttery, whilst it also comes slightly sweet from the addition of bits of confit onion, the pastry also features short strips of crisp bacon that adds on to the savouriness of the Danish for another contrast of flavours. The soft Fontana cheese that is shaved atop further brings all of the elements together, binding the savoury and the slightly sweet notes with its inherent saltishness that does not overwhelm the entire pastry.

One of the desserts which we had been hearing quite a fair bit from ÁTIPICO | ROOM #15 would also be the Gateau St. Honore — this was also the item from the Sweets section of the menu that caught our attention given our usual love for cream puffs. The menu at ÁTIPICO | ROOM #15 describes the Gateau St. Honore to come with elements such as caramelised feuilltage, choux puff, vanilla pastry cream and mascarpone chantilly. This does feel like a deconstructed version of a cream puff where the vanilla pastry cream and mascarpone chantilly now sits outside of the choux puff rather than within; all sitting above the caramelised feuilltage that resembles the pastry that one will find in a Mille Feuille. The pastry comes all flaky but with also has a firmness to it, while the vanilla pastry cream carries a soft, light yet creamy texture that hints subtly of a fragrance whilst the mascarpone chantilly provides a bit more depth in terms of both textures and flavours. The choux puff does come with a layer of hardened caramelised crust over the top that adds a textural contrast to the spongey and airy puff pastry. During our visit to ÁTIPICO | ROOM #15, we decided to go for the Piccolo to pair up with the various dishes and bakes that we had went for. The Piccolo comes with an earthy flavour profile with a medium body; pretty much a cuppa that one can go for as a weekday perk-me-up. We also found the cuppa to be pretty decently-pulled; this is especially considering that the cuppa as pretty smooth and creamy for the most part.

ÁTIPICO had always consistently left a mark with us every time that they have set-up pop-up stalls at weekend markets in the past — in fact, there has been pop-up events that we would purposely make a visit to after knowing that ÁTIPICO is part of. Whilst our last time having anything served up by ÁTIPICO was quite a number of years ago, ÁTIPICO | ROOM #15 still seems to embody the spirit of what we recalled ÁTIPICO to be — these folks have always placed an emphasis on the execution of their dishes that always makes it gastronomical with the use of premium produce whilst being especially inventive at the same time. Whilst seemingly opting for dishes which seem to be largely more predictable this time around, we still left ÁTIPICO | ROOM #15 more than impressed and satiated with how they have paid so much attention in detail to all aspects of their dishes to achieve that consistency that they intend to showcase to their patrons — not missing out on how the dish had been conceptualised as well. Prices of the food at ÁTIPICO | ROOM #15 is being priced in the mid-tier; slightly pricier than that of artisanal cafes that are part of the third-wave coffee movement with the items listed on the Lunch section of the menu ranging from $22 to $42 for individually-sized mains — the lowest-priced being the Ricotta Tartine while the priciest being the Beef Cheek 2.0. With all that being said, ÁTIPICO | ROOM #15 is still worth a visit to check out what they are all about!

Have heard about the opening of the new Petals & Peak at CHIJMES fairly recently — whilst there has been some changes in the line-up of F&B tenants that are situated within CHIJMES of the late, there hasn’t been many establishments that had opened in CHIJMES similar to how Petals & Peak attempts to be in recent times; other similar establishments of its type being that of Glasshouse, Dough and Hvala which have been operating within the compounds of CHIJMES for a while. Petals & Peak is a new dining establishment that takes over the former premises of the now-defunct The Single Cask — itself being a gelato parlour. The interior of Petals & Peak has seen through quite a bit of a revamp, with the interior now featuring a pastel blue and white colour theme that is slightly dreamy and dainty, yet still not being too pretentious at the same time. Tables at Petals & Peak are arranged in a configuration that is suitable for both patrons visiting in pairs and in groups of four (4) pax. Being a gelato parlour, the flavours of gelato that they have to offer are displayed prominently in the display chiller at the front of the store; patrons also do get the option to pair their gelato with cones or with waffles. There are also options to go for further toppings to come with their orders, while beverages available at Petals & Peak include espresso-based specialty coffee and teas.

Thought we would give the waffles from Petals & Peak a go during our visit there and opt for two scoops of Gelato to go with our order of the waffles to go along — skimming through the various flavours of gelato that they have to offer. We found ourselves gravitating towards the Bluepea Lemongrass Pandan, as well as the Peach Sencha; both flavours seemingly being very unique ones amongst the other more conventional flavours which they have stocked up — the Peach Sencha also noticeably being one of the few sorbets that they have to offer. The waffle at Petals & Peak does seem to come a little plain considering how it does void of any drizzling of any sauce or syrup around the plate or on top of the waffle itself; that being said, the waffle does come with a crispness and wafts of a hint of fragrance that one would expect out of typical brown butter waffles that we felt was pretty decent even on its own. The gelato offered at Petals & Peak are said to be free from any preservatives — the Bluepea Lemongrass Pandan is a flavour that is also said to be coloured naturally by Bluepea flower for the beautiful hue of blue that it carries; the subtle hints of lemongrass fronting the entire scoop of gelato whilst the notes of Pandan lingers at the back of the tongue. The scoop of gelato is sufficiently creamy and smooth — free from any icy bits, whilst not overly milky. The Peach Sencha in the meanwhile was a very good balance between the fruit and pure tea — the texture of the Sencha swirled within being sticky and syrup-like, yet hints of a tea fragrance; not quite the sort of generic Iced Peach Tea-inspired flavour that one would typically expect and something which we would find ourselves craving for.

Noticing how they do offer espresso-based specialty coffee, it was needless to say that we had to give their White a go. We did feel that the White at Petals & Peak wasn’t necessarily quite well pulled, though it is a fairly respectable attempt in serving espresso-based specialty coffee for a gelato parlour. The White here was fairly decent, though we did note that the frothing of the milk to achieve the ideal consistency for the micro-foam could be better executed — this also resulted in the cuppa being a little less creamy than what one would expect it to be, though the cuppa did carry earthy notes with a medium body to it. One thing that Singapore isn’t particularly short of would be the number of ice-cream / gelato parlours that are operating all across the island — there are quite a number of such establishments around that lack soul and character considering how some serves up generic-tasting ice-cream / gelato where they had sourced either the ice-cream / gelato from another supplier or that they are made from premises obtained from other sources. It does seem that the folks at Petals & Peak does put in quite a bit of effort to their gelato offerings; all that whilst keeping things simple for their waffle offerings by only serving up one style of waffles on the menu — the Peach Sencha Sorbet is also the flavour that we undeniably cannot get enough of. These folks aren’t exactly the first local establishment to serve up tea-inspired or floral-inspired ice-cream flavours, though they do seem to be pretty earnest people considering how the cafe is being operated — we do hope that they could improve on some of its offerings like the waffles and their espresso-based specialty coffee though. That being said, Petals & Peak does seem like an establishment that is worth making the visit for if seeking for gelato / sorbets within the City Hall neighbourhood!

Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse is one of those dining establishments that had moved into Guoco Midtown ever since the construction works of the building had concluded — these folks are located around the same area where one can find other F&B establishments such as that of Mashi No Mashi, Umai Artisanal Udon Bar, The Telegraph by Olivia and the outlet of Dal.Komm Playground there. This may be a well-known fact considering how Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse had been in operations for quite a while; for those whom hadn’t heard of it yet though, Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse is actually a concept behind the same folks of The Royals Cafe at Siglap — these folks also do operate W39 Bistro and Bakery at Jalan Mas Puteh around the West Coast neighbourhood as well. The shop unit in which Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse occupies features a glass facade all around the dining hall of the establishment — the glass windows being tinted to allow some light to pass through, though it does minimise the chances of any glare from intense sunlight to say the least. The interior of the cafe is actually decked rather simply in an attempt to create a cosy and unpretentious vibe — the white walls matching the grey walls, while the counter does come with a brick-like look that adds on to the ambience of the dining establishment; there is the use of wooden furniture for the dining furniture of the establishment that fits just nicely to the entire setting as well. Tables at Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse are configured to a set-up that caters to patrons visiting in pairs or inJust like how The Royals Cafe & W39 Bistro and Bakery are, Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse is a halal-certified dining establishment; Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse attempts to be a cafe by day and a steakhouse by night as its namesake suggests — offering different menus during its daytime and evening operations, the menu at Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse is split into sections dedicated to Salads, Sides, Soup and For Our Mini-Me(s) (i.e. kid’s menu), Pastas, Burgers / Naan and Seafood which are available all day, The Folk’s Brunch and The Royals Signatures that available from opening till 5pm daily, and the From Our Charcoal Grill and To Share section that is only available from 5pm to 8:30pm daily. Beverages available at Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse will include espresso-based specialty coffee, teas drinking chocolate and a line-up of housemade concoctions listed under the Summer Folks Specials section of the menu — just to name a few.

We had been wanting to give some of items at Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse a go for a quite a while considering how the establishment does seem to serve up dishes with an Asian-influence despite being a cafe and steakhouse that also sees more brunch-style offerings as well as charcoal-grilled meats that are being listed on their menu. The Ayam Bakar with Nasi Berigin is one such example of a dish that can be found in the The Royals Signatures section of the menu only available from opening till 5pm daily. The Nasi Berigin is described on the menu as a dish featuring fragrant basmati rice and homemade achar — other elements coming along with the dish would be that of the sambal chili that comes along on the side; patrons do actually get a choice to opt between the Ayam Bakar and the Ikan Bakar which we opted for the former and both options do see the addition of the Chef’s Special Bakar sauce being drenched atop. For those whom hadn’t heard of Nasi Berigin, the dish is said to have been originated from Johor in Malaysia and is one that is served to royalties — itself being fragrant basmati rice that is said to feature elements such as lemongrass, Pandan and ginger; the entire result does seem to bring the flavours of the dish closer to a lighter version of pineapple-infused rice, though way lighter in flavour without the stark sweetness and zippiness that sometimes comes along with the typical pineapple fried rice. The Ayam Bakar was one that really caught us by surprise given how it was executed; the Ayam Bakar sauce here does seem closer to a very mild version of a Peri-Peri Sauce but the highlight is certainly on how it was being grilled — the Ayam Bakar comes all tender and juicy, whilst being marinated in turmeric for an added flavour. It seems that the Ayam Bakar itself has gone through the charcoal grill treatment here that gives the Ayam Bakar a hint of smokiness; some would liken this to how satay would typically be like, though this is also rather similar to that of Balinese-style grill to a certain extent as well. The achar that Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse had added to the dish provided a refreshing, tangy crunch to the dish — liked how they have also excluded the use of peanuts that seemingly caters to those whom may be allergic to them; some attention to detail there since there wasn’t mention of the use of peanuts in the dish in the menu as well. The sambal was fairly intriguing as well; whilst coming with a hint of spices lingering in the front whilst carrying a savoury and spicy kick that should
be manageable for those whom are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness.

During the same visit to Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse, we had also went for their Signature Nyonya Mee Siam — this is a dish that is pretty notable ever since the days that The Royals Cafe had been established, and is yet another time that is featured in the The Royals Signatures section of the menu being served up from opening till 5pm daily. Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse describes their Signature Nyonya Mee Siam to come with elements such as tamarind chili prawn broth, sous-vide egg, beansprouts, beancurd puffs, homemade sambal, lime and tiger prawns — it also further adds that the broth does come with dried shrimp, coconut milk and peanuts; a useful note for those whom may be allergic to these elements. For one whom is usually not too intrigued with Mee Siam in general, the Signature Nyonya Mee Siam was something that piqued our tastebuds and left us yearning for more. The key here seems to be in their tamarind chili prawn broth that comes with a refreshing tang and with a zippy note — despite the use of coconut milk, we liked how it provided sufficient depth to the flavours of the Mee Siam without being particularly heavy nor altering the flavours of what one would expect out of a typical Mee Siam dish. The thin Bee Hoon used in the Mee Siam soaks up the flavours of the broth, while the beancurd puffs does come with a spongey, airy texture that also absorbs all of that broth; the beansprouts adding a crunch to it. The sous-vide egg does come with soft whites and a runny egg yolk; gives the dish a silkier and smoother texture.

We also managed to try the Kaya Toast Set which is an item that is listed on The Folk’s Brunch section of the menu. These folks had described the variant of the Kaya Toast Set to come with Pandan Kaya, French Butter and Grilled Butter Top Loaf — coming as a set, this also comes accompanied with sous-vide eggs and a drink of the patron’s choice; the drink available as part of the set for the patron to choose from being just a limited variety of drinks that is listed in their full beverages menu. We found ourselves opting for the Hot Cafe Latte to go along with the Kaya Toast Set that we have ordered. It is worth noting that the Kaya Toast Set is only available as a set at Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse; there is no ala-carte option for the dish. The Grilled Butter Top Loaf does come sliced pretty thinly; well-toasted with the bread coming with some grilled marks and carrying a slight crispness while coming with Nonya-style Kaya that has a green hue — the Kaya being aptly sweet against the slab of butter that adds a slight savouriness to the toast. The sous-vide egg that comes along on the side comes with runny egg yolks and soft whites; the folks at Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse also provides light soy sauce and pepper on the side to pair with the sous-vide eggs.

Opting for the Hot Cafe Latte, it is worth noting that Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse uses a blend of beans roasted by local-microroastery Six Four Coffee named Seahawk for their espresso-based specialty coffee offerings — this blend features a mix of beans from three different origins namely being Ethiopia, Columbia and Indonesia; the tasting notes being that of plum, blackcurrant, malt and honey. The cuppa is pretty well-pulled; creamy and smooth while being one that comes with a medium body and an earthy flavour profile — quite a cuppa that would work well as a morning perk-me-up. Despite giving only a small number of the items that they have to offer a go, Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse does seem to have already impressed us with the food that they have to offer — it does seem pretty clear that Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse is an establishment that builds on the success that The Royals Cafe has become to be over the years; all that whilst expanding on a clear focus on charcoal grilled meats that is definitely a highlight at Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse for us. Prices of the items which Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse serves up during lunch hours are within the range of $9.80 to $29.80; the lowest-priced item being the Kaya Toast Set while the priciest would be the New York Strip Linguine. Being a cafe and a steakhouse, it does seem that Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse caters to those looking for just a spot serving up brunch-y fare for a weekend catch-up as well as those whom celebrating occasions with friends and family — service staff are also attentive to the needs of their guests and are also very quick to give patrons an introduction of the establishment and its various offerings as well. Considering our pleasant dining experience with food that delivers, Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse is one of those halal-certified dining establishments that we would recommend for celebrations as well as a place for casual meals worth checking out in the Bugis neighbourhood away from the Kampong Glam area.

Had been noticing a rather new stall that had recently opened at Chinatown Complex Food Centre of the late — Little Claypot Co. 小煲仔 is a stall that can be found situated within the blue zone of Chinatown Complex Food Centre; these folks should be considerably easy to locate since they are actually neighbours of Chef Leung's Soup Dumplings 梁师傅灌汤包. Despite being just a recent addition to the food centre, Little Claypot Co. has been featured on social media — the stall is being mentioned as a one-man operated establishment with the chef owner having a background in the fine dining scene here. The stall is rather identifiable with its yellow and white signboard, which also depicts the only two (2) dishes that they are offering as part of the line-up of food items that are sold here.

Between the two dishes that they have to offer, we went for the Braised Pork Belly with Radish over the Sesame Oil Chicken. All claypot dishes do come accompanied with a bowl of rice here — the menu at Little Claypot Co. also describes the Braised Pork Belly with Radish to come with elements such as pork, enoki mushrooms, beancurd puff, radish and meatballs; there is an emphasis on the non-usage of MSG, while they have also described the dish to come with a “Malaysia Taste” that suggests that the dish is one that replicates that of the Malaysian-style Bak Kut Teh offerings that only comes with pork belly and meatballs. First sip of the soup and we did note the light savoury notes that the it comes with. This does certainly make the Braised Pork Belly with Radish a dish that leans closer to that of Malaysian-style Bak Kut Teh rather than a braised pork belly dish; there is even a slight hint of herbal notes that were pretty nuanced — not too intimidating for those that aren’t too accustomed such notes with it running so ever lightly at the back of the tongue. The slices of pork belly came in well-sized chunks; came with a pretty good bite from the lean cuts while the fattier parts come with a bit of chew — all that whilst not requiring too much effort to chew whilst also not carrying any undesirable porky stench as well. The meatballs here come with a bouncy bite, seemingly infused with salted fish that also contributed to the savoury notes of the meatballs for a punchy flavour.

Meanwhile, the beancurd puff and beancurd skin absorbs the soup and provides a burst of flavours as one chews onto them, while the enoki mushrooms gave a soft crunch. The radish has been cooked to an adequately soft consistency; also absorbing the soup in the process and is particularly comforting to be paired with the bowl of rice on the side. Those whom can’t do without spice for their food can pair everything with the mix of garlic, chili and dark sauce that provides both a hint of sweetness and a punchy note of spiciness that tickles the tastebuds even for those whom are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness. At $6.50, the portion of the Braised Pork Belly with Radish is pretty generous while the dish itself is most certainly comforting — Malaysian-style Bak Kut Teh is not a dish that we see ourselves ordering often since it’s not necessarily something that gels well with our usual preferences, but the Braised Pork Belly with Radish is sure comforting to have on those days that rain randomly starts pouring; the claypot ensuring the dish stays warm as one digs into what seems to be comfort food for the soul.

Yet another day and it is also yet another opening of a dining establishment that is of a brand that is not new to the F&B scene in Singapore. One Raffles Quay seemed to have been seeing quite a bit of a switch-up with the F&B tenants operating within its premises, and it does seem that this also saw the opening of new establishments such as that of the new L’Vie 5 that is located right beside the outlet of NUMB Restaurant there. For those whom find the name L’Vie 5 being remotely familiar, L’Vie 5 is actually related to Le Vie 5 that has been in operations for quite a while along Upper Paya Lebar Road. L’Vie 5 takes over the former premises of the now-defunct outlet of Cedele at the basement of One Raffles Quay — L’Vie 5 has done quite a bit of work to the space vacated by Cedele; the space no longer surrounded by glass partitions for a more open look. The establishment attempts to give off a modern flair with the use of dark green that is matched with wooden furniture and fittings; the interior exuding a contemporary vibe yet with a slight element of Vietnamese at play. Dining tables at L’Vie 5 are configured to accommodate groups of diners that are visiting in pairs and in groups of four (4) pax. Whilst Le Vie 5 at Upper Paya Lebar Road seems to be offer a large variety of items on the menu, the food offerings at L’Vie 5 at One Raffles Quay does seem to be more limited during the initial days of its opening which was also when we made our visit there — the menu is being sectioned into categories such as Appetisers, Baguettes, Noodles (Soup / Dry) and Desserts, while the beverage menu is further split into sections dedicated to L’Vie 5 Signatures, L’Vie 5 Espresso, Non-Coffee and Refreshers.

Recalling from our previous visit to their Upper Paya Lebar Road where the Baguette offerings were a little lacklustre, we found our attention being drawn towards the Noodles (Soup / Dry) section of the menu instead. There is only a very limited variety of noodles that L’Vie 5 was offering during our visit — the Beef Noodle Soup being the one we eventually eyed on considering how beef is usually the norm for Pho. L’Vie 5 does not describe the elements that goes into their offerings on their menu, that being said, it can be observed that the Beef Noodle Soup comes with rice noodles, beef slices, coriander, sliced onions and spring onions — all coming in a clear broth. The clear broth does come with a light savoury note that is easy to drink — the finishing notes being pretty clean without clouding the tastebuds. The rice noodles were silky smooth and slurpy, while the beef slices used that came with the Beef Noodle Soup does come with a bit of gaminess that adds on to the flavours of the soup and noodles for those whom prefer it that way. We always liked our pho to come with a generous serving of coriander; it always adds a contrasting but yet complimenting note that cuts through the notes of the broth and meat that gives some complexity to the bowl of noodles whilst resetting the tastebuds.

We also managed to try the Fresh Rolls from the “Rolls” section of the menu during our visit to L’Vie 5. The Fresh Rolls do come with accompanied with a spicy fish sauce dip on the side, while the fresh rolls comes with cooked shrimp, pork slices, rice vermicelli and leafy greens within Vietnamese rice paper wraps. One serving comes with four (4) rolls, making it a good item to share around the table. These were some pretty decent Vietnamese-style fresh spring rolls with the rice paper wraps delivering a good chew, while the pork and prawns does contribute a soft sweetness and savouriness to the tastebuds — the rice vermicelli able to soak in a little bit of that spicy fish sauce as one dips the spring rolls into it just for a slight saltishness that adds on to the clean flavours of the fresh spring rolls. Since we were visiting a Vietnamese dining establishment, we had decided to give their Drip Coffee — Brown a go. Surprisingly, it does seem that all coffee orders served up at L’Vie 5 are served in takeaway cups despite our order being for dine-in. Opening the lid, we also found the cup of Vietnamese coffee to be rather foamy; not quite what one would expect out of Vietnamese coffee in general. We did find that the Drip Coffee — Brown does come with that intense kick of caffeine one would expect out of Vietnamese coffee; that being said, the notes of caffeine seemed to lack depth, though it does come with a corresponding note of sweetness from the addition of condensed milk that was thankfully not overly sweet. Whilst our impression of Le Vie 5 when we had visited them at Upper Paya Lebar Road wasn’t exactly one that we found to be outstanding, it did feel like L’Vie 5 does serve up rather decent noodle offerings in general — not the best, but does scratch the cravings for those whom are itching to have some Pho. That being said, we do wish that they could also expand their offerings in due time to include that of rice dishes that would make them appeal to those whom have a preference of rice over noodles. We do feel that their Vietnamese-style coffee offerings would require some work however; the Drip Coffee — Brown being rather different from what one expects Vietnamese-style coffee to be. With the price point of its Baguettes and Noodles (Soup / Dry) offerings being in the range of $9.50 to $21.50, L’Vie 5 is a spot worth considering for those looking for Vietnamese cuisine within the area.

There has been a wave of rather interesting stalls serving up western cuisine that had been opening all around the various heartlands around the island recently — one of those that we have heard about would be that of The Pasta & Tortizza. These folks are rather new in the local F&B scene; the stall can be found within the FoodHub coffeeshop that is located at the foot of Blk 631 Hougang Avenue 8. These folks should be rather easy to spot, considering how they occupy a corner road-facing stall unit that would be pretty obvious for those walking past the coffeeshop. The stall features a white signboard; the brightly-lit signboard and menu board are particularly attention-grabbing; the signboard being one that features an illustration of a plate of pasta and pizza that is pretty cutesy — something that stands out from the more traditional signboards of the other stalls that are located in the same coffeeshop. As the namesake suggests, it’s pasta and Tortizza offerings are the highlight at The Pasta & Tortizza — the offering of Tortizza on the menu being something worthy to mention considering how they are pretty much unique to the menu here in the local F&B scene. Other than pastas and Tortizzas, the menu features sections such as The Classic — this section features dishes like the Char Grilled Pork / Chicken Chop, Grilled Barramundi Filler and Classic Fish & Chips, while the section named The Sides feature a number of side dishes where patrons can pair with their order of a main or to share around the table. Patrons also can choose to add-on items to their orders of their main dishes as well — the list of the add-ons available being in the The Add Ons section of the menu.

The Tortizza line-up was exactly the reason why we found ourselves visiting The Pasta & Tortizza — turns out, The Pasta & Tortizza describes their Tortizza items as a “10-inch pizza” featuring “extra thin” crust made with Tortizza Flour. To put things simply, Tortizza is something that is in between that of a Tortilla and a Pizza — a fusion of the two. There are several interesting flavours of the Tortizza that The Pasta & Tortizza has to offer; this would include some locally-infused flavours such as that of the Satay Chicken, while some classic pizza-inspired flavours will include that of the Hawaiian and Smoked Duck Tortizza. We found ourselves opting for the Pork Pepperoni Tortizza, which The Pasta & Tortizza has described to come with elements such as pork pepperoni and tomato base — it is also observed to come with cheese much like a regular pizza would. Whilst coming at a size of 10 inches, the Pork Pepperoni Tortizza is sized just about right for one pax to finish whilst not being overwhelming. Though not the first place to boast about serving thin crust pizzas, we quite liked how their rendition of the Tortizza comes with a thin crust that is soft towards the middle to hold up all the toppings, while the edges to come a little more biscuit-like for a crunch. The toppings that came atop the Tortizza were a classic combination — the pork pepperoni being pretty similar to that of thick-cut pork shoulder ham that comes with a meaty bite and a savoury note typical of cured meat; all of that whilst featuring a tangy tomato sauce base that has been spread onto the Tortizza crust, while the melted cheese comes all gooey and stretchy whilst being all savoury as well.

During our visit to The Pasta & Tortizza, we had also given their Truffle Mushroom Soup a try. The Truffle Mushroom Soup here comes with an aesthetic that seems to suggest a heavier proportion of mushrooms; the soup being largely smooth and aptly dense whilst comprising of very finely-diced bits of mushrooms that gives it the earthy note that the soup carried. The addition of truffle oil does seem to be pretty evident with the blobs of oil floating above the soup; it does add a slight tang to the soup but the notes of truffle aren’t exactly very evident for those whom prefer stronger hints of truffle — that being said, it is still quite a decent bowl of Truffle Mushroom Soup considering the $3.90 price point. Overall, we did feel that the offerings at The Pasta & Tortizza is of those that may be pretty basic, but also one that seems to showcase the effort placed into the design of the various dishes well. Despite its simple construct where the ingredients used wouldn’t be quite as elaborate as that of the same that is served at bistros, we felt that quite some attention in detail has been placed in what they have to offer such as the flavour profile and textures involved with the dishes. The various dishes from The Pasta, The Classic and The Tortizza sections of the menu are priced in the range of $6.90 to $16.90; the lowest-priced being the Pork Bolognese from the The Pasta section of the menu, while priciest would be the Grilled Barramundi listed in the The Classic section of the menu. Would like to return to The Pasta & Tortizza to give the items from their the The Classic section of the menu a go; namely the Char Grilled Chicken Chop — something that would be more indicative of their overall quality against other western stalls around, though we do believe that it would be worth trying especially for those staying within the vicinity.

There has been quite a number of interesting western cuisine stalls opening up around the various coffeeshops in the heartlands fairly recently — Charlie’s Western being one of such stalls. These folks are located within the Happy Hawkers coffeeshop that is situated at Blk 215C Compassvale Lane — the coffeeshop being a walk away from Sengkang MRT / LRT Station / Bus Interchange, located slightly further down from where Kopitiam Square is. These folks aren’t exactly new to the F&B scene here — for those whom have heard of Charlie’s Grill previously located at Hougang Rivercourt — yes, Charlie’s Western is a concept brought by these very same folks. Those whom have been following the happenings of the local F&B scene would probably also know how Charlie’s Grill is a concept that is by the same folks behind Rise & Grind Coffee Co. that was once situated at Bukit Timah Plaza — now currently only operating within Oasis Terraces in Punggol. Despite being in the F&B scene for a while now, Charlie’s Western is their very first time going into business as a coffeeshop stall; something much more scaled down than what they are used to. That being said, it does seem that Charlie’s Western is an attempt to bring the very best out of Charlie’s Grill into the heartlands — the menu might have been scaled down following the change of its operations; the menu still however boasts a line-up of 43 main dishes which is quite a feat on its own. There is also a line-up of 16 dishes that are available to share across the table, and another 7 home-style sides that is presumably available to be paired with the some of the main dishes which they have to offer; also available to be ordered in ala-carte form.

We dropped by Charlie’s Western after our workout session and the item that somehow captured our attention the most was actually the Tomato Pasta and Country Fried Chicken. Patrons do have a choice to choose the type of sauce to go along with their order of the Tomato Pasta and Country Fried Chicken; the two sauces offered being pretty standard options elsewhere as well — Mushroom Sauce and Black Pepper Sauce. Our choice was for the former. We were also asked if we would like to upgrade our new into a set at $2 extra; the set would see the pasta being accompanied by a small portion of the salad and also a small portion of the Cream of Mushroom Soup — we found ourselves going for exactly just that. The menu does not exactly describe the elements that comes with the Tomato Pasta and Country Fried Chicken but it does come pretty much the same way as what one would have expected from its namesake; a breaded and deep-fried chicken chop as well as spaghetti that has been tossed with a tomato-based sauce. Digging into the pasta itself, we did find that the spaghetti was done al-dente; we liked how the tomato-based sauce isn’t one of those “cheap-tasting” ones that some western stalls situated within coffeeshops, hawker centres and food courts would serve up — amidst the tangy notes of the tomato-based sauce would be a note suggesting the use of aromatics and herbs such as that of basil whilst coming with sautéed cherry tomatoes that further enhances the flavours of the sauce. The flavours of the tomato-based sauce is certainly more complex here as compared to the typical ones being served by establishments of such a set-up. Both the portion of the pasta and the fried chicken are pretty generous; the batter of the fried chicken is actually surprisingly not too thick — also not greasy, while the chicken maintains its juiciness and tenderness. One could also tell that the slab of chicken was also marinated carrying a herb-y note and a light hint of spiciness from the use of pepper to help cut through the meatiness; the fried chicken was also not in any way greasy. Opting for the mushroom sauce, we would have felt that the mushroom sauce lacked depth if it were to be paired with chicken chop — that being said, it is savoury enough when paired with the country fried chicken, giving it a good flavour whilst not being overly salty or jelak when had together with the inherently-heavy fried chicken cutlet.

Since we had opted to go for a set with our order of the Tomato Pasta and Country Fried Chicken during our visit to Charlie’s Western, we also managed to try a small portion of their Cream of Mushroom Soup which one can also go for in ala-carte portion on their menu. The Cream of Mushroom here does seem a little bit more ordinary — more of the creamy sort with lesser concentration of mushroom bits that would probably gel well with those who like the more classic renditions of such soup that are being served in more established, casual dining establishments. With that being said, we did find a mix of Shimeiji Mushrooms and Shiitake Mushrooms within the Cream of Mushroom that not only further enhances the earthy notes of the soup, but also adds a bouncy bite. The croutons that come with the Cream of Mushroom were a little unnecessary however; the croutons having turned limp and soft, losing its crunch by the time we had made our visit in the evening. The salad that came along as part of the set felt more like a regular garden salad that one would tend to get whilst having typical western fare; something similar to a mesculun salad with a vinaigrette dressing — nothing too out of the ordinary.

Have always thought that these folks might fare slightly better as a concept in its current form rather than its former operations — we did recall the times where Rise & Grind Coffee Co. had been a little more inventive and experimental with its food offerings when they had first opened its doors at Bukit Timah Plaza; these days seem to have been long gone with both Rise & Grind Coffee Co. at Oasis Terraces and the former Charlie’s Grill serving up serving up more conventional western dishes that felt like a shadow of its former self. With that being said, their execution of western fare for a coffeeshop stall is one that feels a little more premium than what other establishments of similar set-up tend to offer, allowing Charlie’s Western to have an edge over the rest. Charlies’s Western is also in the midst of obtaining their halal certification that would eventually make it a dining establishment fit for all — the menu already currently being free from pork in the meantime. Prices of their main courses range between $7.90 to $19.90; the former being the price of which a variety of pasta dishes are being listed, while the priciest dish would be the Steak n Chicken that features two meats in one dish. A spot that Sengkang residents living around the area would likely appreciate having in their neighbourhood.

Shang Hao Kopi Taiwanese Breakfast Shop 尚好 KOPI 台湾早餐店 is one of those new establishments that we had managed to come across when passing through the Telok Ayer neighbourhood — the Telok Ayer area has been seeing an influx of Taiwanese eateries in recent times especially with the opening of Jiak Ba Food Heaven 甲霸食堂(Jiak Bar) along China Street and Bao Wei Tang 爆味堂 that is situated within ICON Link @ Club Street. Shang Hao Kopi Taiwanese Breakfast Shop is the last of the three establishments to have opened their doors; these folks are situated within Far East Square right beside Break & Bake — a local bakery shop within the same building that Shang Hao Kopi Taiwanese Breakfast Shop is located in. Those passing by the area would have likely observed how Shang Hao Kopi Taiwanese Breakfast Shop takes up a rather small shop space; the space primarily operates as a takeaway kiosk, though patrons whom intend to dine-in are able to sit around the four (4) dining tables that each seats four (4) pax that are located along the aisles. The food menu at Shang Hao Kopi Taiwanese Breakfast Shop is segregated into Classic Taiwanese Egg Crepe Roll, Traditional Taiwanese Rice Dumpling, Noodles and Traditional Taiwan Railway Ekiben — it is worth noting that Shang Hao Kopi Taiwanese Breakfast Shop only serves up their Classic Taiwanese Egg Crepe Roll and Traditional Taiwanese Rice Dumpling offerings during breakfast hours, while the Noodles and Traditional Taiwan Railway Ekiben are only available from 11am onwards. Beverages that are available at Shang Hao Kopi Taiwanese Breakfast Shop will include Soya Milk, Nanyang Kopi / Teh, as well as some housemade concoctions alongside soft drinks.

Since we could only choose between the Noodles and the Traditional Taiwan Railway Ekiben offerings, we found ourselves going for the Night Market Grilled Pork Chop Hot Plate Noodles from the Noodles section of the menu. We did feel that the namesake of the dish is rather misleading; whilst we do know that they are referring to the hot plate noodles that one is likely to find in Taiwanese night markets, the mention of “Hot Plate” is rather odd considering how all items at Shang Hao Kopi Taiwanese Breakfast Shop are served in takeaway packaging given the style of operations at the stall. With that being said, Shang Hao Kopi Taiwanese Breakfast Shop does not describe on the elements that will come with the dishes on its menu — it can be observed from our order that the Night Market Grilled Pork Chop Hot Plate Noodles features elements such as linguine with tomato sauce (the only sauce option for the pasta served here), grilled pork chop, sunny side-up and three (3) different types of pickles being pickled cucumber, pickled radish and Kimchi. The use of tomato sauce here felt like a missed opportunity since such styles of Taiwanese noodles would usually come with some sort of peppery brown sauce — the lack of a sizzling hotplate also meant that there wasn’t an opportunity for the sauce to get reduced either; the end result of the pasta does feel rather similar to that of a typical pasta with the noodles done al-dente served with a tomato-based sauce. The slab of pork does come tender and juicy though there is a certain area where it does take some effort to chew apart — the slab of pork does not come with any undesirable porky stench, all that whilst being glazed with a savoury sauce that provides sufficient flavour to the meat. Meanwhile, the sunny side-up comes with soft whites and a runny, molten egg yolk which is a plus point to the entire dish, while the addition of kimchi and various pickles provides a tangy note and a crunch to refresh the tastebuds from the meat and carbs.

Whilst we note that Shang Hao Kopi Taiwanese Breakfast Shop does serve up Soya Kopi, we were feeling a little less adventurous on the day we made our visit there and decided to just go for the Nanyang Kopi. Opting for the Hot variant of the beverage, we did find the Nanyang Kopi to come with sufficient kick of caffeine and well-balanced with a manageable level of sweetness. Having only tried only a limited number of offerings that Shang Hao Kopi Taiwanese Breakfast Shop has on its menu during our visit, we did feel that the items offered at Shang Hao Kopi Taiwanese Breakfast Shop especially for its lunch menu seem to lack that Taiwanese flair that we are seeking from such an establishment — whilst the pork chop in the Night Market Grilled Pork Chop Hot Plate Noodles does somewhat scratch our cravings for proper Taiwanese fare, the pasta itself lacked that feel. We also felt that the offering of Classic Taiwanese Egg Crepe Roll, Traditional Taiwanese Rice Dumpling to just breakfast hours quite limited the establishment’s potential especially given how “Breakfast Shop” is quite literally in the namesake of the shop — we would think that there are patrons who would purposely make the trip here hoping to have Taiwanese-style breakfast dishes at any given time of the day; these would also be the items that might make Shang Hao Kopi Taiwanese Breakfast Shop seem a little more authentic as compared to the Noodles and Traditional Taiwan Railway Ekiben that are available for lunch. Prices of its Noodles and Traditional Taiwan Railway Ekiben that comes with chicken / pork are priced at $7.90 — pretty wallet-friendly especially since they are located within the Central Business District. That being said, it would be interesting to see how these folks would fare in the long run given the competition in the area.