New Restaurants, Cafes And Bars: July 2014

You'll never be bored at this newly opened, super quirky space. Extremely well decorated by owners Don and Selena, the walls are lined up with lots of interesting vintage art and pieces. Chill out with a good cup of coffee and desserts like yogurt cheese pudding and nonya coconut kueh.

This place, nestled in Opera Estate, serves up a small but delectable range of highly original food. Do yourself a favour and try their pulot hitam risotto stuffed squid, sticky date pudding (with homemade bacon ice cream, perhaps?), and sweet potato chips. Oh, not to mention their crackly pork as well. While you're at it, slake your thirst by choosing from their selection of sodas, beers, and wines to go along with amazingly presented food. See what we did there?

The only naughty thing about this place is its ability to keep you coming back for more of their signature BBQ ribs and premium cut specialties. Their Naughty Ribs, Naughty Collar, Naughty Buddy (pork chop) and the like are tender, juicy, well-grilled and thoroughly flavoured with their signature marinade. Prices of mains range from $9 for the Naughty Belly to $18 for the Naughty Ribs, all of which come with Naughty Rice and greens. The ideal go-to place for a casual dining experience with premium-quality food!

The newly-opened second Mamacitas outlet located in the ever-busy Lau Pa Sat has wasted no time in drawing a crowd. Tired of typical hawker food day in day out? Food of Costa Rican cuisine ought to solve the problem. Business at their first outlet in Amoy Street Food Centre is brisk, and their already-popular second outlet is testament to their success. Bestsellers include the satisfying chicken/beef burrito, crunchy chalupas, and owner Ms Vega's signature dish, the arroz con mariscos (a seafood fried rice).

You're going to want to head here before word gets out. As if Creamier's waffles and ice cream weren't picturesque enough, the folks behind Sunday Folks have outdone themselves. They're still serving their signature flavours such as earl grey lavender and roasted pistachio, but - wait for it - as a soft serve in handmade cones. Customize your cones with various toppings like matcha nama chocolate, gula melaka mochi and fresh fruit. Or have your soft serve atop their famous waffles if you like. This space is much roomier, but it won't take long before a queue forms.

Tired of the same old Pasar Malam Ramly burgers? Why not shake things up by checking out the newly opened Sedap Giler for affordable burgers? Go for their Hansem Burger, served with a side of nachos and cheese (or choose cookies instead), and their Satay In A Cup.

Forget the cupcake craze... We're going crazy for tarts! Equipped with an arsenal of scrumptious sweet and fruity tarts, Tart is ready to take the world by storm with their perfectly balanced, firm-base treats. Mini tarts, large tarts, with flavours like matcha azuki, cookies & cream, and of course classics topped with fresh fruit - we can't get enough! From the number of times we've mentioned 'tart', I think you get the idea.

Bodacious offers all-day breakfast, burgers, and mains like duck confit and seafood stew. They're a pretty good contender for coffee as well. With Bodacious Bar & Bistro's recent opening, Buona Vista seems like the next up and coming neighbourhood for cafes. Those whose offices are around the area will definitely rejoice. About time.

Serving cheap & good izakaya-type dishes that pair well with beers from neighboring The Good Beer Company and Smith Street Taps, Fork n' Fingers is unique and fun. Give all their dishes a try, especially the Hae Bee Hiam Rice ($3) and Spicy Sesame Spinach & Tofu ($2). This stall is certainly a refreshing addition to the already awesome Chinatown Complex Food Centre.

A new spot for a fun night out with good friends over a darn good lobster? Sounds about right. Choose from Live Whole Lobster (steamed or grilled), Lobster Roll or the Chili lobster. Burppler Jasper describes the Lobster Roll as, "😍 Chunks of marinated lobster flesh (a whole lobster is used) tossed with mayo and chives stuffed between divinely buttery buns. Sorry but I ain't gonna be sharing this next time we're down at #pinceandpints..." At $48++ per dish, this is a good place for a birthday celebrations or date nights!

Situated in a small shop space next to a coffeeshop in Tanjong Pagar Plaza (right across from Chef Yamashita), Flourish offers classic modest goods that are enjoyable and easy on the wallet. The cream puffs seemed to be the crowd fave, but I personally love their chocolate tart - decadent but not overly bitter. The lemon tart is not bad too though not the best I've had.

This fairly new Ang Mo Kio spot offers good coffee, pancakes, baked goods, and simple mains like Fish and Chips or Pasta Carbonara. It's a nestled in a pretty quiet area, check them out for a quiet weekend respite !