Homey ambience aside (great for weekday tête-à-têtes with friends), this west side cafe once again makes our list for its delicious, totally Instagrammable plates and creative cooking. Just check out their much talked about Berry Muffcakes ($20). An upgraded version of their once famous berry ricotta hotcakes, the gorgeous plate sees slightly dense muffcakes (a cross between muffins and hotcakes) topped with vanilla bean ice cream cubes, fresh berries, and chocolate crumbs. It's tasty but also rich and sweet, so don't hesitate to share with a friend or two. Balance off the sugar with Paddy Hills' stellar mains like the 黑 Rice ($22), a wok hei infused dish of squid ink rice drizzled with mentaiko mayo and served with flavourful fried chicken and egg, or the Green Papa ($26), which sees handmade herbed pappardelle slicked in a robust tomato sauce and topped with foie gras stuffed meatballs. On hot days, eschew coffee for the refreshing Autumn Iced Tea ($8), which surprises with umeshu jelly. Pro tip: Tucked in a quiet residential estate, this cafe is quite a trek from the nearest Haw Par Villa MRT station. Spare yourself the sweat and take a cab.
Avg Price: $40 per person
Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Rachel Xie
Unless you live in the Pasir Panjang area, making the trek down to this Westside cafe takes serious planning, but boy are we glad we did. Because it is tucked away in a quiet residential estate, it is relatively peaceful on weekday afternoons, making it ideal for an afternoon with your favourite girlfriend. Catch up on all the goss as you sip on a smooth, well-balanced Latte ($5.50) and nibble on the much photographed Berry Ricotta Hotcake ($23). Okay who are we kidding? Like us, you'll probably be too busy scooping up the crumbs of this sweet, moist and beautifully textured hotcake to think about chatting. We love the sticky sweetness of the drizzled on maple syrup, as well as the uplifting dollops of yuzu gel. Granted, it is a lot pricier than the version at Curious Palette, but the texture is a lot more consistent and its smaller size also means you're less likely to tire of it. We're pleased to share that Paddy Hills executes its mains very well, too. Like many Burpplers, we thoroughly enjoyed the Tonkotsu Risotto ($25). Creamy yet al dente risotto topped with tender, flavourful pork belly and a raw quail’s egg yolk. Pro-tip: The cafe is quite a trek from the nearest Haw Par Villa MRT station. Spare yourself the sweat and take a cab.
Avg Price: $30 per person
Photo by Burppler Sheryl Sherbakes
Sprucing up the dining scene in the Buona Vista area is Paddy Hills, a beautiful space that should be high up on your list of places to visit. The menu is diverse and refreshing, with a fusion of several cuisines. A feast for the eyes, the Berry Ricotta Hotcake ($19) is served with mascarpone, blueberry sugar and fresh berries, inspired by Melbourne's Top Paddock. A crisp exterior gives in to a fluffy interior tinged with maple syrup — a must-order dish that tastes a lot more cake-like than the usual hotcakes. The Japanese-inspired Squid Ink Tagliatalle ($23) features tobiko, ikura, mentaiko, puffed rice, and seared scallops. Also order the Cauliflower Fritters ($12) served with masala yogurt, and the Toasted Spicy Rice Cakes ($15) with gochujang mayo to snack on. Besides the usual coffee and tea, they have cocktails, ciders and wines as well.
Taking over the space previously occupied by the legendary Lim Seng Lee Duck Rice at South Buona Vista Road, Australian-style Paddy Hills serves cafe food in the day, and Asian-inspired small plates after 5.30pm. There is a strong fusion aspect to their offerings which aim to surprise the tastebuds, as seen in their intriguing Cauliflower Fritters with paprika salt and masala yogurt ($12). For brunch, share their gorgeous Berry Ricotta Hotcake ($19) — a huge, fluffy, crisp cake that's topped with berries, mascarpone, berry sugar and beautiful edible flowers. Also go for their Squid Ink Tagliatelle ($23), a Japanese fusion dish topped with ever-so-lightly seared scallops. For dinner, select from their wide array of yakitoris and share their Golden Man Tou Sliders ($23)!
