RAINBOWS.

It's been so long since I actually posted, mainly because I was afraid that I would run out of places to write about. That being said, I thought it would be nice to start 2015 with one of my favourite desserts, the very tempting and visually-appealing Rainbow Cake. Honestly, I personally prefer the visual aspect of a rainbow cake compared to the actual taste of the cake (TLDR, instaworthy cake). That being said, although I am more attracted to the aesthetics of a rainbow cake, I find it important that the reviews are of a decent nature before I decide to try them. 

Rainbow Cake from Medzs

Medzs was a place that used to serve up rather good desserts, and I was looking forward to trying the cake here as it had been advertising that they had been voted as one of the places serving one of the best rainbow cakes in Singapore. As you can see, the cake looks pretty enough, but the taste was rather underwhelming in my opinion. The individual layers did not taste like sponge, but something analogous to that of a light-medium cheesecake. Credit where credit is due, this is where this rainbow cake is distinctive relative to the others. I tasted the individual layers but there was nothing very noteworthy with regards to the taste. Priced at $6.80, I would say that it is average in terms of value.

Rainbow Cake, Dean & Deluca

Rainbow Cake, Dean & Deluca

Dean and Deluca's rainbow cake is probably my personal favourite, although some have critiqued for it tasting like candy. While it is slightly on the sweet sight, I feel that is it one of the better rainbow cakes as you can actually taste the individual layers of the rainbow cake. The light cream on top is also not too heavy, although you might not want to eat all of it. Priced at $7, it is of a good price-quality-taste balance, and it is certainly the place I would recommend for those who have yet to try rainbow cakes at any location. The coffee here is sadly nothing to shout about, a good flat white would have been a great accompaniment. 

Rainbow Cake, NOM Cafe.

I recall making quite a pilgrimage to get to NOM Cafe, which is located at Macpherson Community Club. As you can probably tell, the instaworthy-ness of the cake was what attracted me the most. They had a selection of rainbow cakes on display, with the main difference between the choices being the cream cheese used. This was a decent-sized cake with some good flavour, with the only peeve being the cake being too sweet. However, taking a flat white without sugar does help to counteract the sugar-overdose. That being said, the accompanying coffee was not really impressive except to serve the purpose of being a caffeine fix. 

Medzs Milennia Walk
#01-46, Millenia Walk, 9 Raffles Boulevard

Dean and Deluca
181 Orchard Road, 04-23/24, Orchard Central

NOM Bistro and Bakery
Macpherson Community Club Level 1 - 400 Paya Lebar Way, Singapore

Coast and Company @ 54 Siglap Road

I haven't been blogging for a really long while, and I suppose it took a food trail by my friends as well as the opening of a new cafe - Coast and Company, to get me blogging again. Coast and Company is the newest addition to the cafe scene in the east, a collaboration between Papa Pahleta and Coast Cycles, and the first thing that came to my mind - "Will this be a concept similar to Wheeler's Yard?" The answer? Although there is a bicycle workshop on site, it's definitely not as chic as Wheeler's, but the concept of having a coffee joint next to a bicycle workshop is definitely practical. You can actually pay for your bicycle to be maintained while enjoying a cuppa at the same time, in air-conditioned comfort. The coffee, from Papa Pahleta, the same people behind Chye Seng Huat, is definitely something to go for anyway. The inclusion of bicycle racks is also practical as there is limited legal parking available without causing obstruction to the residents in the somewhat sleepy neighbourhood. Therefore, both residents and cafe hoppers alike can take advantage of this cheap and healthy form of transport.

Just my luck to have a "cycle" in the frame, but no, they don't sell motorcycles.

Lyssa Zampa, already seen at this new joint!

I'm expecting this cafe to fill up quite a bit over time, as more people learn about it through social media and word-of-mouth, and you'll probably end up like this moth, waiting outside and peering into the cafe in hope of a seat. There is no outdoor seating as of now, but there are some air-conditioned recess areas within the cafe. I estimate that the cafe can seat about 25-30 people at once, so do head down early if you're going to be there on a weekend or public holiday. I went down in the afternoon so I gave their food a miss, but went for teatime instead. They serve a variety of cakes, cookies, muffins and even traditional ang ku kuehs and nine-layer kueh (九层糕).

Blueberry Cheesecake

The blueberry cheesecake that I had was delicious, and to my delight, there were fresh blueberries on top. The cake was sufficiently sweet and the cheese wasn't too overpowering. It also wasn't too heavy that it would be difficult to finish one in a sitting. The cookie crust was also soft and just crunchy enough to satisfy cheesecake lovers. 

Flat White and Latte

Coffee from Papa Pahleta - What more can you ask for? Definitely saves you the time from travelling down all the way to Chye Seng Huat or Loysel's Toy if you stay in the East, and for now, ensures you a good cuppa in a quiet environment with friendly service. They do serve their hand brews here as well, if you prefer that to pressured coffee. Check out more drinks that are available in the menus below.

Overall I enjoyed my time at Coast very much, given its spaciousness and minimalist architecture. The coffee is undoubtedly excellent, and the pastries are decent too. As of now the food menu is pretty limited, but I expect this to expand over time. Definitely coming back here in the near future.

Expect to Pay: $10-20

Coast and Company
54 Siglap Road
Singapore 456176

Cups N Canvas @ Selegie Road

One of my good friends recently suggested that we go to a cafe that we haven't gone to before, with the only condition that it had to be near the Orchard area has he had errands to run later on in the day. I'll admit that it was rather challenging for me. The Orchard district and cheap and good cafes are hardly synonymous with each other, owing to the higher rental costs of the area. Hence, to stumble upon a place such as Cups N Canvas gives one a good feeling. A short walk off the corner of School of the Arts Singapore, Cups N Canvas blends in well with its surrounding shops and eateries, and you would easily miss it if you're not looking for it. I had read positive reviews on its food and coffee here, and therefore I had fairly high expectations for this place. Imagine my delight when I found out that there happened to be a lunch special ongoing at the time. Since we were all pretty hungry, we decided to place our faith in the reviews and not even look at the menu before entering the premises.

The interior of the cafe is partitioned into two, with one side being the main cafe area for the consumption of food and beverages, and the other being the place for art classes and activities. During days when classes are being conducted, the seating in the cafe will be restricted to the main area, and this could lead to insufficient seating space when this happens. However, on the day that I went, we pretty much had the luxury to choose which seat we wanted. We settled on the art area as the higher tables made it more suitable for the consumption of food. The smell of paint was faint, but pleasant, something I'd not felt since I used to take Art classes in my Secondary school days. The lunch specials were written with markers on drawing block, which I found practical and in line with the theme of the cafe. As you can see, art pieces adorn most of the free spaces on the walls, making it an art lover's abode.

The three of us decided to try the lunch specials, despite having her good things about their bacon pasta, Blanc Bacon. Maybe on a future visit (: We had the BBQ Quesadillas, Crispy Chicken with Mango Mayo and Pan Seared Dory with tomato salsa. We were surprised to receive a beverage that looked like orange juice, and it was to our delight that it was a complimentary drink due to the Chinese New Year period. Kudos to them for really going the extra mile to making the customer happy.

Crispy Chicken with Mango Mayonnaise

Probably the safest item on the lunch specials, how do you go wrong with fried chicken cutlet :D The cutlet was tasty but could have done better with more meat as the chicken was dry overall. The mango mayonnaise was nice, especially since mango has always gone well with chicken. The fries were nicely done, with them not being too salty. The salad dressing was strange though (not in a bad way), and tasted like grapefruit dressing. It left a strong bitter aftertaste though.

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

I don't really eat Quesadillas often, and hence I can only judge it based on its overall taste, as I have only tried quesadillas on another occasion at T.G.I.F. The skin was nice and soft, but did not taste that flaky. Also, the dish was definitely on the healthy side as it didn't really taste salty at all. The BBQ Chicken also could have done with more seasoning before preparation, as it comes out flat overall. Same grapefruit-like salad served here.

Pan Seared Dory with Tomato Salsa

I enjoyed this the most (perhaps because I'm partial to seafood). The fish fillet was very succulent, and was good enough to be eaten on its own without the salsa. The fish was also well seasoned with herbs and did not have any fishy smell at all. The salsa was good though, being a bit on the spicy side. The portions are also much more reasonable, though I wouldn't say it would be more filling than the fried chicken option. 

The above-mentioned orange juice-tea drink. 

Having heard good things about the coffee, we ordered a ristretto latte and a soy latte. The soy milk in the soy latte overpowered the coffee and the result was not being able to taste the caffeine. The soy milk choice might have been questionable because it wasn't a very smooth combination. I had higher hopes for the ristretto latte, as I had been promised that it would be much stronger. The result? Yes, it was stronger, but lacked the aroma that I was expecting. It was certainly better than the soy latte but still ended up tasting quite normal as the coffee was a bit too weak-bodied to be expressed in a latte.

Menus for your viewing pleasure and reference. Updated as of 27/01/14

Overall it was a pleasant experience here! Was glad to be away from the daily grind, and also to enjoy such cafe comforts a short walk away from the Orchard district. The food is good enough, and I would say it is better than average, especially for its price. I enjoyed the complimentary orangejuice-tea drink more than the coffee though, but it's a passable standard for most people. The price for the drinks might be on the higher side for its quality. Would definitely consider meeting up with friends here because of the quiet ambiance.

Expect to pay: $10-20

Cups N Canvas
139 Selegie Road

Department of Caffeine @ Duxton Road

The Duxton area is one of the areas that is teeming with cafes now, serving various cuisines and catering to different dining experiences. Just a stone's throw away from the bustling Chinatown district (especially during this Chinese New Year period), the Duxton area provides a good hideaway for those who prefer to stay away from the thronging crowds. One of the more popular/highly-rated cafes in the area is the Department of Caffeine. It had a rather unassuming storefront and you would certainly miss it if you weren't looking out for it. The cafe itself is long and narrow, and I have to say that seating here is quite tight, that is, your personal space can be quite limited especially during peak hours. That being said, it's nice to have a noisy environment so that you can meet up with friends without it being too awkward. The interior looks classy, with wooden panels visible around the cafe and sharp edges. I got a swivel stool so I was pretty happy spinning around in that.

With a name like the Department of Caffeine, one would expect a high quality of coffee served. Is the coffee on par with its name? More on that later.

The barista hard at work

Five Senses Hand-drip Coffee

Cute blocks to display on your table while waiting for your order (:

Hotcakes ($16)

Served with maple syrup and honey, dusted with icing and homemade blueberry compote, and comes with butterscotch ice cream. 

Just look at how pretty it looks in the picture (: The taste did not disappoint either, especially with the fresh blueberries. They were extremely juicy and went well with the plain hotcakes. The maple syrup and honey ensures that those with a sweet tooth will be satisfied. The pancakes were light and fluffy, and it's good that the batter did not have any contrasting tastes (i.e salty) that would ruin the dish. In my opinion, having the maple syrup is completely optional as the compote and the ice cream already make it a very wholesome serving. However, having only 3 relatively small pancakes means that this might not be the most filling choice on the menu.

Buttermilk Waffles ($13)

Served with rum bananas, maple syrup, New Zealand Vanilla ice cream and dusted with icing.

Another salivating picture for you guys to enjoy (: I LOVED THIS. The waffles had a much stronger taste as compared to the above featured hotcakes, and I like how the waffle traps little pockets of melted ice cream with every bite. The rum taste was present, but not overpowering in the bananas and I had to control myself not to finish all the bananas before my waffles. I also shared the blueberry compote with my friend so i was able to have like the taste of blueberries, rum bananas, vanilla ice cream and maple syrup in every bite. Heavenly. A must order, especially for its price.

Cappuccino

Time for the Coffee Test! I was pleasantly surprised that my Cappuccino didn't have as much foam as I expected, and the latte art is fairly pretty as well. However, I have to admit that I was slightly disappointed with the coffee overall. It's good, yes, but I'm relieved that I did not order a latte, or I would have been hard-pressed to taste the coffee. That being said, the drink as a whole is smooth, especially since Meiji milk was used in its preparation. It also wasn't as roasty as I'd hoped it would be (still comapring coffees with that served in Chye Seng Huat and Tiong Bahru Bakery) and it lacked a bit of the coffee aroma that coffee lovers love.

The Weekday Menu

I spoke to the staff and apparently the weekday menu doesn't differ much from its weekend counterpart, except that they focus on their all-day breakfast items on weekends. 

In conclusion, it was a great experience at Department of Caffeine. I would definitely come back, especially since they do their customers a great service by accepting reservations. That means no needless waiting is necessary. I didn't get to try their food items on this visit, but I look forward to trying their salads, Pulled Pork burger and Cordon Bleu chicken in future visits as they have been highly rated by others. The cafe can easily accommodate up to parties of 6 per group, but for larger groups, it might be better to call in. For their desserts, stick to their buttermilk waffles! Super delicious and probably the only thing you should order if you have only room for one item.

Expect to pay: $20 for food and drinks

15 Duxton Road

Brotzeit @ East Coast Road

Ever since I've been to Brotzeit the other day, I've been craving to try their Brotzeitplatte which includes their famed pork knuckle. There has to be a reason that almost every other table orders the pork knuckle right? For those who don't know, the Brotzeitplatte features a pork knuckle, 2 pieces of pork schnitzel, and a selection of their sausages. The greens are more for presentation's sake, but they do come with whole pickles which help to break the monotony of the taste of the meat. As for the sauces, there is your staple ketchup, mustard and sweet mustard (I enjoyed this the most, especially with the schnitzel). There is also a sauce that is heated up specifically for the pork knuckle which makes it much more moist. The platter makes for a very good instagram picture, especially when it's served on a slab of polished wood. In addition, there is a choice of 2 sides from the extensive range of sides available in the menu to accompany the platter. Although they recommend it for 4-5 people, I would say that it would feed 4 comfortably, whereas for 5 people more definitely needs to be ordered.

Full view of the Brotzeitplatte

The Pork Schnitzel comes in a rather generous portion, but is rather underwhelming in my opinion. Not sure if this is meant to make the pork knuckle much tastier in comparison or... In any case, the pork is nicely battered but is way too dry and bland. There was nothing really special about the schnitzel. I would have to say that the saving grace of the schnitzel is when it is taken together with beer. On hindsight, I would probably order the Pork Knuckle ala carte the next round to avoid having to eat the schnitzel.

Close up of the Pork Knuckle and Sausages

The Pork Knuckle is easily the star of the platter, because it has the most distinctive taste. I would recommend scraping away the fats as it can get a bit nauseating to keep eating the fats with the pork. However, I would still eat the crispy skin together with the meat and perhaps abit of fat. That, in my opinion, is the optimal way to enjoy the pork knuckle. Of course, you need to dip into the sauce so that it becomes both warm and moist with every mouthful. 

The selection of sausages allows you to try a bit of each of their sausages. In a nutshell, all of the sausages are good, and it all boils down to the individual which one you like best. They include cheese, pork, and chicken sausages. Personally I found the larger sausages to be more juicy and the texture of these sausages was also better. The spicy sausages might be too spicy for some, but like I said, it's good to have a variant of flavours to avoid being sian of just eating a platterful of meat. 

Now, on to the sides that I chose.

Napkin Dumplings

The napkin dumplings are made of eggs, flour, milk and some other ingredients. They don't really have a distinctive flavour, but its a good alternative to having all the other potato-based sides to go with every main. Definitely worth a try, although I would probably order something else on my next visit.

Roast Potatoes

A staple that you can't go wrong with. The potatoes were well seasoned and roasted, and the roast onions were a welcome surprise. The potatoes were also not too salty which make them suitable to be eaten with the meat platter.

Winter Beer

Glad to see this is still around, but not sure for how long. A friend that frequents Brotzeit says that they usually will carry on with a particular brew as long as there is demand for it, and they'll slowly phase it out over time. I hope that this is still around on my next visit though!

The Brotzeitplatte is what I believe to be the most value-for-money dish on the Brotzeit menu when they are not having any other promotions. It's also a good and safe order for those visiting Brotzeit for the first time. However, I'll be sticking the to pork knuckle and sausages for future visits. 

View my other post on Brotzeit here!
http://eatwheresia.blogspot.sg/2013/12/brotzeit-313-somerset.html

Brotzeit German Bier Bar and Restaurant
126 East Coast Road

Hawker Spotlight: Ah Kow Mushroom Minced Pork Mee

When I want to satisfy my craving for Bak Chor Mee (Minced meat noodle), I will often head down to Ah Kow Mushroom Minced Pork Mee to meet my needs. The food pictured here is taken from the outlet at Hong Lim Food Centre. Be prepared to queue for quite some time here, especially on the weekends. This is because the stall is only open 4 days a week (Thursday to Sunday). 

"In Singapore, follow queue won't go wrong right?"

I suppose you can say so, when it comes to hawker food anyway. Your bowl of noodles is served with dumplings, mushrooms, minced pork, salted fish and tossed in vinegar and oil. This strays from the standard make-up of a Bak Chor Mee recipe we have come to see at many food courts around Singapore. There are no fishballs, fishcake or meatballs here, just good old plain minced meat noodle. The verdict? It's definitely worth your time and money, but it'll be enjoyed the most by those who like dumplings and minced pork, as these 2 items are the more outstanding ones. There is a little bit of salted fish in each dumpling, which greatly enhances the flavour and makes the dumpling more fragrant. The minced pork is done such that the pork is very fine, and I like the fact that there isn't that much fat in the minced meat. It can taste a little salty especially with the vinegar and tiny bit of salted fish as a garnish, but it's still okay when taken with the soup. The soup is just your typical clear soup, but like I mentioned earlier, makes it much easier to wash down the saltiness in your palate. 

However, the portions are definitely insufficient for those heavy eaters, and those who want more variety in their Bak Chor Mee will most likely be disappointed as well. It's yet another sad instance where quality hawkers have raised their prices such that it's definitely not value for money in terms of portion, but have solely placed customers returning to enjoy the flavour of the food. That being said, I would still come back and pay premium for their Bak Chor Mee, which is probably one of the better ones around. They have another stall at Old Airport Road Food Centre, another foodies' haven. However, I find the Minced Pork Mee to be better at this stall, although the one at Old Airport is more generous with their portions. Do head down if you're in the area!

Expect to pay: $5

#02-42
Hong Lim Food Centre
531A Upper Cross Street

UPDATE: The Humble Loaf @ Katong Shopping Centre

Sorry that the posts haven't been coming as often lately. Been rather busy and haven't had the time to update the blog. That being said, if you haven't given The Humble Loaf a try, it's a great time to do so now as they have a lunch set for only $10 nett.

It includes, a choice of sandwich, pastry and one of their drinks. 

Taken from The Humble Loaf's Facebook Page

Ham and Gruyere Sandwich

This is your classic ham and cheese sandwich, improvised with parsley and garlic butter. As you can see, the bread is well toasted making it very crispy,which is to my liking. However, those who want soft breads can opt for it not to be toasted, The bread used is their Mutigrain Chiaseed Loaf ($6/loaf) which smells and tastes great. I would have preferred more ham though.

Spicy Tuna Sandwich

I loved this sandwich because of the spicy tuna, which was not too salty. It also wasn't saturated with mayo or onions. The cured cucumbers tasted fresh and did not have any bitter aftertaste. The same multigrain chiaseed bread was used. Personally I felt that this was better than the Ham and Gruyere sandwich.

Shoyu Caramel Latte

I upgraded the Americano in the meal in favour for a Shoyu Caramel Latte, which I have enjoyed on mutiple occasions. The subtle saltiness of the shoyu and the hint of caramel syrup somehow go well together and tastes great as a latte. The coffee here might not be the strongest (The coffee is from Highlander) but it tastes okay. Not the strongest coffee but smooth enough to keep you satisfied. 

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Pardon the overexposure on the cake. This dessert was brilliant. It literally melted in your mouth, and to me, it was largely reminiscent of the molten chocolate lava cakes that are around. The chocolate quality is decent (tastes something along the lines of hershey's baking chocolate) and it is extremely moist. I like strong, dark chocolate, and hence the bitterness of the chocolate was balanced well against the sweetness of the cake overall. The best part? It only costs $2 to buy this ala carte, a price I haven't seen since my school days.

Cinnamon Chocolate Roll

Delicious stuff. This is best eaten hot/warm as the chocolate tastes best in a semi-melted state. The bread used in the roll is also tasty, although it is slightly more chewy than I expected. The bread is fragrant as well, providing a safer alternative that is not as sweet for the discerning eater.

It was hard to get seats when I was there earlier today, and most people were seen ordering the lunch set. So don't miss out now if you're in the area!

Read the full post on The Humble Loaf here: http://eatwheresia.blogspot.sg/2014/01/the-humble-loaf-katong-shopping-centre.html

Don't say good deal bojio!