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Initially drawn in by the opulent Morrocan aesthetic, I can declare that I am now in love with Bacha Coffee’s croissants! A lavish coffee experience to say the least, the shelf of shunning pastries put on display would drive you insane before the crazy array of coffee does. Torn between the cakes and croissants, we settled for the latter and got the Pistachio as well as the Raspberry Cinnamon Croissants ($3/each) to share. Warm, flaky and buttery, they were perfect afternoon treats. The Pistachio providing a well-balanced sweetness though I would have preferred a more pronounced nutty note layered within the slightly fluffy interior. Next, enclosing a vibrant raspberry filling, the Raspberry Cinnamon Croissant was simply a gem. The tart-sweet combination carrying a comforting yet delicate dose of spice. The berries also supplying a nice sharpness and zing, helping to refresh the palate.

While declaring that I am no fan of the notoriously pungent 'king of fruits', Tino’s Pizza Cafe Mao Shan Wang Durian Pizza ($22.90) certainly challenged my stance after I took my first cautious bite. Mixed with cheese, the generous layer of creamy molten filling was pleasantly sweet and savoury; the flavours melding together harmoniously. Their signature Napoletana thick crust also worked well as the base had a great chewy-soft bite with a hint of sweetness, charred goodness along the edges and a lovely doughy fragrance. Though I won’t be screaming for more anytime soon, it was best when just out the oven and is certainly one for the durian lovers as my lunch companion had no problems finishing her slices.

One of Plain Vanilla Bakery’s Flavours of the Month, the Rose Pistachio was a beautiful union of the two delightful elements. Filled with a rose-scented whipped cream core, the cupcake was topped with a swirl of rose water pistachio buttercream, studded with more crunchy pistachio and finished with a rose bud. Buttery and moist, the hints of floral in the cream seemed to round out the nuttiness. I also found the flavours gentle yet fragrant and refreshing with them complementing one another.

While I found the signature milk tea to be a tad underwhelming and the steep price tag made me cry a little, Fong Sheng Hao’s charcoal-grilled omelette sarnie did deliver for me. Having the Pork, Egg & Cheese ($6.30 a la carte, $9.60/ set-milk tea) Sandwich, I would say skip the drinks and focus on their classic Taiwanese thick toast. Simple yet utterly comforting, it was a winning combination of thin pieces of marinated pork with gooey melted cheese and a luscious slab of fluffy eggs. The sweetness from the layer of homemade mayonnaise in between adding to its whole appeal. Overall, a great breakfast or tea break option if you want to splurge or seek a change from your usuals.

Dishing out limited portions of roast meats to the neighbourhood of Potong Pasir, Tong Luo Wan is a new charcoal roasts stall that operates from 7am till sell out. Think the classic offerings of Roast Duck, Soy Sauce Chicken, Roast Pork, and Char Siew which the chef had learnt to prepare from someone who honed his craft in Hong Kong. My favourite of the lot, the Soy Sauce Chicken 油鸡 ($8/lower quarter & $7/upper quarter) was succulent, savoury and saucey - perfect with a steaming bowl of rice. The Char Siew 叉烧 ($10 portion) was also well-executed though they were sliced much thinner than I preferred in order to cater to the more elderly customers that they get at the coffeeshop. Similarly, the Roast Duck 当归烤鸭 ($12/lower quarter & $11/upper quarter), which was initially done with a more pungent hit of dang gui was toned down with the feedback of the diners. Yet as one who loves a stronger herbal flavour, I am still able to appreciate the subtleness and the pairing with the natural sweetness of the meat. The mee kia too, was cooked to a springy perfection.

Thank you @alhsx for the kind invitation and @jthejon for the hospitality!
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📌Tong Luo Wan 铜锣湾
Jin Biao Coffee Shop 锦标咖啡店
Block 136 Potong Pasir Ave 3

Giving the other unagi specialty restaurants a run for their money, Una Una’s Regular Hitsumabushi ($14.80) was pretty darn satisfying especially due to the fact that I didn’t have to compete with a snaking queue. Surprisingly good, the eel did not have any fishy odor and was quite plump. Fairly smoky, the best part of the charcoal-grilled unagi was the soft interior as some tend to dry out while trying to achieve the glisteningly crisp exterior in my opinion - so their rendition had both. As for the array of condiments, namely spring onions, wasabi, nori and dashi; they were pretty standard. Though my main qualms were that the dashi that lacked oomph and the slightly sweeter tare could be made more savoury. Nevertheless, it was a steal for the portion!

Offered a crash course into the different variant of sea urchins they carry; I was blown away by Uni Gallery’s latest Multiple Foodgasm Kaiseki. Available in 6-course ($118++) and 8-course ($188++), the uni-centric restaurant source their seafood from all over the world. Hence, even with the 6-course menu that I got to try; you are sure to get your money’s worth with the lavish spread.

To start, we had the Le Tetsuya ($38/ ala carte), a martini glass filled with Australian Sea Urchin, topped with exquisite Siberian caviar and at the very bottom a slurpy amaebi dripped in white miso sauce. The uni itself was fairly creamy and paired well with the sweet-salty crushed shrimp. One for the oyster lovers, the Uni Oyster Shot was the real deal. Freshly shucked oyster with briny salmon roe and similarly coupled with short-spine Australian uni.

Next up, to truly sample a taste of the sea, the Seasonal Sashimi presented fatty Otoro, delicate Botan Ebi, fresh Kinmedai, firm Hotate, crunchy Sea Grapes and luscious Japanese Shiro Uni in a lovely platter. All utterly sweet and clean tasting, the ingredients were exceptional. However, what really stole the show was the Tempura Truffle Chawanmushi ($20/ ala carte).

For added indulgence, the Caviar Bone Marrow featured premium Oscietra Caviar on Grilled Bone Marrow sprinkled with beef bits. A textural experience to say the least, it was a tad jelat for me. Lastly the Toro Squid Ink Sushi ($22/ per pc ala carte) was a literal mouthful with the small mound of ikura though the flavours kind of overpowered one another.

Thanks Burpple for the invite and Uni Gallery for the warm hospitality!

A good take-away option for breakfast, Egg Stop’s Smoked Chicken ($5.90/ $7.90 set) and Turkey Bacon & Cheese ($5.50/ $7.50 set) was pretty satisfying especially when enjoying it with Burpple Beyond 1-for-1 deal. Toasted lightly, the thick buttery brioche was pleasantly soft. The scrambled eggs too, were fluffy-soft albeit a tad bland on its own. For the Smoked Chicken, there was a gentle hint of smokiness to the shredded meat while the latter was a classic sarnie stuffed with turkey bacon and slices of cheddar cheese. Topped with drizzles of mayonnaise and slathered with their special sauce within, they offered a nice tang and savouriness respectively - tying the flavours together.

Fully-booked for tonight and tomorrow night, Kabuke’s 2nd year anniversary promotion was such a steal! Serving their Guilty Pleasure Bowl ($88) and Kabuke Pleasure Bowl at 1-for-1, the deal is available for 2 days only. Both featuring luxe ingredients such as uni, foie gras, caviar, and ikura. Opting for the Kabuke Pleasure Bowl ($58), the protein was a hearty Australian Wagyu Striploin. Lightly charred, not overly lean or fatty. The beef was seasoned just right with the garlic chips, umami Truffle Shoyu and runny onsen egg adding a nice oomph as well as seemingly tying the premium elements together. Though, noting that the portion is on the smaller end.

Last 3 days for you to get your hands on Tiong Bahru Plaza’s Food Hunt Pack where you can get $20 worth of coupons for F&B places for just $15! The packs will contain 2 X $5 Dine-in Coupons, 2 X $2.50 Take-out Coupons and 1 X $5 Bonus Coupon (only valid at participating new F&B outlets). Exclusive to AMperkz members, a free collapsible cup can also be collected with the purchase of 2 packs. Thus, like me, you can utilize your coupons by indulging in the wide array of affordable sushi at Sushiro which is a relatively new Kaiten sushi chain from Japan.

With two conveyor belts, one personalized at the top with every order you make on the iPad and the standard belt at the bottom; each plate are priced at $2.20 for red, $3.20 for gold and $4.80 for black. And for me some of the highlights included their Fatty Tuna sushi, Scallop sushi, Fried Shrimp Avocado Roll, the Triple Salmon plate with Broiled Salmon Belly, Salmon Belly and Salmon - all fresh tasting and essentially infallible. Or step out of the norm and have a go at their melty Broiled Salmon Basil Cheese, Roasted Pork Belly topped with lots of spring onions and the unique Mapo Eggplant. Besides sushi, there's also side dishes such as Ramen and Chawanmushi with Scallop.

So don’t miss out, grab Tiong Bahru Plaza's Food Hunt Pack and invite some friends for sushi! For sale until 6 October, the promotional pack can be found at the Customer Service Centre at level 2.

Exclusive to their outlet at SCAPE, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is one of the newer Burpple Beyond Merchants! With 1-for-1 deals on regular sized beverages as well as on mains, you can have your pick from their pretty extensive drinks menu and their All-day Dining menu. From pastas to sandwiches, or simple salads; all worked as something a bit more substantial to accompany your favourite concoction.

Having their recommended Caesar Salad ($9.90), the classic rendition was foolproof and the portion was hearty. The vegetables tasted fresh and crisp, pairing well with the light dressing and crunchy croutons. But if you have a few dollars to spare, do yourself a favour and pimp your salad with Smoked Salmon ($3.60). The sliced salmon offering a good punch of savouriness and added texture.

A big thank you to @coffeebeansg for hosting us and @burpple for the invite!

Settling for an odd pairing as they were out of Chrysanthemum Pearls by the late evening; thus my first cup from Playmade was their Chrysanthemum Milk Tea with Black Sesame Pearls. On the sweeter end with a strong floral aroma, the tea at 50% sugar level was smooth and not too milky. The black bobas were chewy and quite distinct in flavour. Love the subtle nuttiness and earthy notes. Hence, while they didn’t necessarily match, the individual elements were pretty good.