Cafes

Spicy rigatoni with swimmer crab in a tomato garlic white wine sauce. While the crab portion was generous and the sauce was sufficiently spicy, I did wish the tomato sauce was a little more tomatoey. A small tip to come early for dinner or make a reservation, the weekday dinner was surprisingly crowded and we were seated outside instead.

Another cafe we found while looking for nearby places to have brunch while Bellie gets groomed. The bakes only come out at 12pm so we’ve been trying out the brunch menu. It’s a pity it has such a small space (one outdoor table and one indoor counter) but weekday mornings are quiet and it definitely adds to the cosy vibe.

Tenderly braised veal cheek sit on top of sourdough toasted to perfection where the edges are crisp while the bread remains soft. The onion marmalade adds a sweet balance to the bitterness of the arugula, cut with a smattering savoury from the parmesan cheese. We ate brunch while eyeing the glass display longingly for the bakes to be ready. Definitely check out their cinnamon rolls! The service here is lovely too.

Chanced upon this Korean cafe while looking for a place to catch up on some work while my dog was at the groomer’s. The cafe vibes are really nice - warm and cosy while being spacious with clean lines at the same time. I had a Dutch Iced Latte ($8) which was good but I felt that their brunch plates were a little on the expensive side, albeit delicious. The scrambled eggs were milky and fluffy, the side salad well dressed and the croissant paired with the triple cheese & ham was crispy, flakey and yummy. Will definitely be coming back here for coffee. Note that the mobile signal on the inside is not very good but there is free wifi available upon your payment at the cashier. There are also no power plugs available.

One of the better plates on the menu, this french toast was delightfully fluffy. It is paired with caramelised banana, fresh fruit, candied walnuts and a yummy caramel sauce. It is worth it with Burpple 1-1, but not for its original price. Service was rather slow (note that they only serve tap water and have no carafes for tables) and ambience is definitely not the best (majority outdoor seats in the alley).

A triple threat sandwich with mozzarella, brie and cheddar, this grilled cheese sandwich is a hearty brunch option. The tomato jam is very very yummy and the side salad is probably one of the best I’ve had on a brunch plate in awhile. All, if not most of micro’s brunch plates showcase slices of their signature sourdough bread which is toasted to the perfect crunch and are sufficiently tangy.

We were quite delighted to find this cafe at a corner of Little India after our unexpected cultural walk when we found our intended eating place to be closed. Steep is a small and simple cafe which provided us just enough respite from the hot afternoon sun.

French Toast looked better than it tasted, nevertheless it still provided a pretty good brunch. Personally, I felt that the bread could have had more egg flavour and would have been quite tasteless if not for the mascarpone, berry compote and the unique honey thyme syrup.

Typical cafe mainstay that surprised me at this unassuming place! OTC Cafe has a really nice ambience - a brightly lit, spacious cosy little corner on L3 of our national library. The eggs were poached perfectly and their runny yolks were a creamy combination on top of the multigrain toasts together with the generously sliced avocado and parmesan.

Salmon fillet served on a bed of roast potatoes, broccoli, sautéed mushrooms and tomato salsa. Usual cafe fare, nothing much to say!

Would love to give a quick shout out to the staff at Eleven Strands! We were celebrating a friend’s birthday and wanted to surprise her with dessert. The waiter I approached played along with the surprise right down to every detail - when the dessert should be brought out and whether a candle was needed. Rich and decadent, this chocolate lava cake was to die for, though the ice cream was on the milkier side.

Fluffy truffle scrambled eggs and chestnuts served on top of a freshly baked brioche. The brioche was buttery and crunchy!

Recently opened Kream & Kensho is a Japanese-inspired cafe taking over the space of Strangers’ Reunion. This capellini is a must try for spice lovers! Tossed in shio kombu, chilli oil and garnished with black fungus and spring onions, it is topped off generously with ikura which give umami flavour to the dish when they gently burst in your mouth. Definitely fusion done right.

This was definitely on the pricier side, as were most things in the menu but the lovely vibes and friendly staff left me feeling satisfied with my meal overall! The eggs were poached perfectly, creamy hollandaise was a perfect match with the crunchy sourdough. The star of the dish was definitely the Bayonne ham, it’s not too salty if paired with the other components of the dish.