Instagram @cafehoppingkids

Red prawn tartare - Cold dish of fresh and juicy prawns served with pomelo and tosazu jelly. The jelly was a delightful and complex balance of sweet, salty, and tangy from the likely mix of soy, vinegar, mirin, and citrus.

Citrus afternoon tea ($58/pax)
🍴Exquisitely plated sweet and savory selections in a cosy setting. Nice for special events or a relaxing afternoon, and we liked that there was no rush with us staying for >3 hours. Us girls were sufficiently stuffed from the platter but bigger eaters might likely still need dinner 😂.

𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐲
👍🏼 Asian style salmon rillette sandwich
👍🏼 Black truffle & pastrami pinwheel sandwich
👍🏼 Seafood chowder
Pancetta & ricotta quiche

𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭
Yuzu meringue tartlet
Blood orange panna cotta
Cranberry mousse
Lemonade macaron
👍🏼 Zesty financier - among the desserts, this was the only one with a more complex sour, citrus finish while personally found the others a tad too sweet

𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 with clotted cream, bitter orange jam, grapefruit preserve

Includes free flow 𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦/ 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐞𝐭, and a choice of 𝐜𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐞/ 𝐭𝐞𝐚. We enjoyed the wide range of TWG loose leaf teas.

📍@thelobbyloungesg, @interconsin, 80 Middle Rd, Singapore

Another of my favourites with the generous amounts of tender thinly cut beef tongue paired with piquant gribiche sauce.

Always a fan of raw juicy oysters and enjoyed theirs, albeit a bit steeper price-wise even with the 50% happy hour discount. Coromandel was creamier in flavour, Fanny Bay more classic salty and briny finish, and Sun Seeker a personal favourite for the more complex meaty, mineral, sweet taste.

𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐮𝐚 𝐞𝐠𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐟𝐮 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐝 (4.5⭐️; $14) - Favourite and most memorable dish with creamy and silky homemade tofu paired with century eggs, salmon roe, and flavourful garlic & bonito flakes

𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐨 𝟑 𝐃𝐫𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐤𝐬𝐚 (4⭐️; $21) - Unique take on a local classic dish with chewy sweet potato noodles tossed in Laksa gravy and hae bee hiam. Served with grilled tiger prawns and squid and soft seafood tofu. Mildly spicy and rich in umami flavours.

Been a few years since we patronized Marche and glad to say that the popular rosti is still the standard we remember.

Perfectly fried to have crispy top and bottom, and fluffy soft potato strips. Paired with luscious sour cream and spring onion (latter is available at the self-serve counter). The smoked salmon is a pricey top up but generous portion of 4 big slices. Chewy and tender, and well-marinated with fragrant dill that added an enjoyable herbaceous finish to the potato.

We also added on a perfectly fried egg ($1.90) with an oozy center yolk and lightly crisp white edges for a more complete and creamy meal.

📍@marchesingapore, Level 1, @313somerset, Singapore (other outlets at Vivo, Jem, Suntec)

Whole range of uniquely flavoured gourmet hotdogs available. The buns are soft and fluffy, and the sausage while pretty standard, was elevated by their pairing of ingredients for satisfying and balanced bites.

Fiery chic bolognese ($8.50) - Tangy tomatoes with fiery undertones from jalapeños, balanced by creaminess from the mayo and cheese for a hearty savory mix.

Heavenly Yuzu crab ($9.50) - The Yuzu wasn’t the most obvious but provided a refreshing citrus undertone that brightened the richer sausage, and the juicy pops of pomegranate sealed the deal. Paired with succulent crab, lettuce, and pickled cabbage. A flavour profile I’d return for.

For bigger eaters/ protein lovers, check out their jumbo hotdog (+$2) that escapes the bun. We added on a combo for +$3.50 to get a choice of side and regular iced drink. The nachos were quite standard but glad to say they stayed crisp even with the melted cheese, and liked that the carby potato salad wasn’t too creamy. Their iced drinks were generously sized and rich in flavour, and we appreciated the bits of barley and lemon within our honey barley and honey lemon.

📍@supersubhotdogs, B1-K8, Suntec City Tower 5, Singapore (other outlets at PLQ mall and Our Tampines Hub)

Originating from Chiba, Japan, these freshly baked banana cakes are healthy-tasting without compromising on taste. More on the dense rather than fluffy side, with distinct banana fragrance. The cake is free of preservative, and is less sweet and oily.
📍@nakanishicakes, 01-34, Harbourfront Centre, Singapore / NEWest / Takashimaya / Plaza Sing

In my last visit here right before the chicken export ban, we only managed to try their basic nasi lemak without ingredients and left with great impression of their fragrant rice and sweet-spicy chili. Glad to see chicken back on the menu and that queues have shortened (20-30 min wait on the weekend).

The chicken was undoubtedly the star of the show although the sambal was a close contender. Chicken was well-marinated with spices and fried to have crispy skin and crunchy bits while retaining a juicy fragrant interior. Choose between the fried chicken leg ($9.20) or boneless thigh ($4.20).

The half boiled egg, peanuts, ikan billis, and cucumber were standard, and the rice could be fluffier. But the chicken is one I’d return for.

📍@dicksonnasilemak, 320 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore

Great elevation of classic duck rice with the introduction of succulent duck confit and creamy onsen egg. The rice was a delight with the flavourful soaking up of the herbal broth.

Honestly had higher expectations for this dish that propelled her home business to stardom. While I liked that it was lighter on the palette (not too rich in coconut), and decently flavoured with various spices, the overall profile was unmemorable (especially when compared to the other dishes).