Dean and Deluca @ Orchard Central

Many people have walked around Orchard Central and it would be almost impossible to miss Dean and Deluca, which took up the space left vacant by Gelare Cafe. The cafe space is ever-changing due to accommodate the retail section of Dean and Deluca, but for the better as the seating spaces have increased. I like to be nearer to the counter rather than at the far end nearer to their delicatessen. The place is usually noisy and full of people around brunch time, and it only really frees up around 2pm. This is in spite of the 37% user review reflected on hungrygowhere. Given it's location, I would say it's a nice place for friends to meet as the high (or lack of) an immediate ceiling means that the place feels spacious. The seats are also adequately spaced so that one can have his or her own private conversations. I like to drop by to just get a few muffins for breakfast the next day as they are cheap and good ($3.50 for a very filling and wholesome muffin). Their regular mains are good, but not extremely so. Their drinks are rather underwhelming as well,  and perhaps this is why they've garnered such low ratings. This is because their prices aren't exactly for the budget-conscious. Therefore, I don't usually go for their mains but I usually like to custom my meals ala carte as I get what I want at a slightly cheaper price.

Pan-seared Salmon steak, Herb Mixed Vegetables

Normal-tasting salmon that is a little on the dry side. Needed much more of the lemon butter sauce but couldn't get more. The more fatty parts of the salmon tasted good though, and they're pretty stingy with the greens. I ordered mixed herb vegetables which included beetroot, pumpkin and potatoes to accompany this dish so I managed to get this combination for under $15.

Angus Beef Bulgogi Aglio Olio Linguine

Extremely tasty and it only costs $13.50. You're unlikely to get this deal at the moment, but one can always hope. I got this under the "Pasta of the Week" promotion, which recently increased their price to $14 for the week's pasta. Not sure if this promotion is still ungoing though, but it was certainly good over the weeks when it lasted. The linguine was adequately tasty and not too oily, which I enjoyed. The angus beef was also very flavourful and slightly spicy. The portion was also enough to satisfy me, and it's certainly a steal for the price.

Spicy Marinara with Soft Shell Crab

Another one of my catches during the promotion! The pasta here is definitely more moist due to the tomato base sauce. I liked the taste of the herbs they used to season the pasta, and the mashed tomatoes were good. There was a decent portion of soft shell crab, which was nicely battered. However, the crab was a little cold by the time I ate it, but it was still tasty nonetheless. It tastes better on its own and just perhaps with a dash of the tomato or tabasco sauce. Otherwise, the batter will turn soggy and the crab won't be as pleasant-tasting.

Boston Shrimp and Avocado Sandwich

Another budget alternative, one can always try the Chef Special that is slightly cheaper than their all-day breakfast mains. However, the quality of the chef's special changes and it really depends on the individual if you want to go for it. Here, the sweet taste of the shrimp bathed in a light mayo sauce tasted great. The avocado was fresh and sweet too, and hence it provided a nice texture to the sandwich on a whole. There is a sizable portion of a side salad, and potato chips that go well with the BBQ sauce that they provide. Or you could be like me and have chips drizzled with Tabasco sauce. Not the most orthodox way of eating it but oh well.

Portobello Cheese Burger

Angus beef steak, with porotbello mushrooms (obviously, lol!), gouda cheese, tomato and lettuce. The bread patties simply cannot contain the burger, which is almost certain to fall apart when you try to eat it. The beef patty is good, definitely very tasty and juicy. Only eat this if you do like beef, as the taste can be a bit strong. The lettuce and tomatoes are normal, but sufficiently fresh. The gouda cheese is a good alternative and goes well with the burger on a whole, and having just the portobello mushrooms with the gouda cheese is pretty heavenly. Their serving of fries is quite large, so it might take a while for you to finish it. That being said, the burger isn't that filling on its own. Have this with the BBQ sauce that they provide at the counter. However, it was slightly expensive in my opinion for a burger.

Chicken bacon and Apricot Roll

Another one of my budget selections! This is pretty filling on its own, and it wasn't as dry as I had expected it to be. The chicken bacon is extremely tasty, and goes well with the flaky pastry of the roll. The apricot flavour is nice too, and the sesame seeds help to make the roll more fragrant overall.

The New Yorker

One of Dean and Deluca's signatures, I had high hopes for this, especially since I was paying $25 for it. Scrambled eggs and smoked salmon in a sesame-seed bagel accompanied by a vine-ripened tomato. Although I wasn't disappointed by the dish's taste and appearance, the price was rather high. For the same price, I would have gotten much larger servings and better service at Wild Honey. The smoked salmon had a strong smoked flavour which was enjoyable, but the slices were bordering on stingy. The scrambled eggs were good, and so was the freshly-baked bagel. However, this dish is certainly not filling because of it's small size. I would have liked another vine-ripened tomato too because mine was a little small for me. 

The verdict for Dean and Deluca? I would say that it's a nice place to start your day for brunch, and perhaps for their stack of pancakes which look delicious. I wouldn't come here specifically for their drinks or for their food though. Definitely a bit overpriced for its quality. If you don't mind experimenting with their ala carte dishes, you probably can come up with something nice and value-for-money. This is because I find their normal menu much nicer than that of their all-day breakfast. However, with it's location at Orchard and the relative ease of getting a seat, it's definitely a good place (for larger groups especially) to meet up. I would recommend, however, their baked goods such as muffins and cakes, especially for a takeaway.

Expect to pay: $20-30

#04-23/24

Orchard Central

181 Orchard Road

Barossa @ Esplanade Mall

Tired of always meeting up with your friends at yet another Orchard Road eatery or at City Hall? This restaurant is somewhat off the beaten track, and it's not somewhere that everyone will have been to. It's name is Barossa, and is situated in Esplanade Mall. As a general guide, it's near the performance area that looks like a sailboat and is facing the sea. I had the luck of stumbling upon this place due to Visa's aggressive 1-for-1 lunch promotion and hence everything here was both good and cheap. The ambiance here was awesome for 2 reasons. Firstly, the sea breeze. Although not as strong as the breeze you would expect at East Coast Parkway, it was certainly decent and a welcome change from our air-conditioned enclaves. It also boasts a view of Marina Bay Sands and the buildings surrounding the bay. The second reason? The reception here sucks. It's not an understatement - Your mobile data and phone reception just dies here. Want to get away from work? This is the place your boss can't contact you. Your partner will definitely appreciate it, as you can have a meaningful and engaging conversation uninterrupted by smartphones, which is the norm today.

Barossa has Archipelago beers on tap, which goes well with the food in general. However, I don't really fancy having beers in the day so I usually stick to their coffee, which is documented below. On with the food!

Seafood Bisque

On the day that I actually bothered to document the soup I was having, it just so happened that they replaced the usual mushroom soup with Seafood Bisque. This soup is definitely not for everyone, as the seafood taste is VERY strong, and it might leave an unpleasant aftertaste for some. Love the breadsticks though. They soak up the soup well and are tasty even on their own.

Beer Battered Fish and Chips, Gourmet Beef Burger

I lost my picture of the Gourmet Burger, so we'll have to make do with this shot of the Fish and Chips. The beer batter is extremely evident which I found very enjoyable. The portion of fish is also large, considering that they were running a 1-for-1 promotion. Their fries were also chunky and fried well. There was a good variety of greens in the side salad, and the dressing complemented both the fries and the battered fish well. 

The most outstanding part of the Gourmet Beef Burger is probably their patty. Their sesame seed bun tastes like your regular commercial bun you can get at McDonalds, but their beef patty is certainly a class above. Although I wouldn't say its the best beef patty I've had, the quality of the beef was good and the beef patty was well done, not too raw and neither was it overcooked. The same fries accompanied the burger, but there wasn't really a side salad to speak of.

I like how their dishes were served on wooden boards which made it extremely classy. Be warned though! The baking paper that accompanies it does catch the wind so sometimes it's annoying, but top marks for presentation.

Blue Mussel Aglo Olio

Simple Spaghetti tossed in olive oil and cheese, accompanied by mussels. I was pleasantly surprised as the dish was much tastier than it looked. I was worried it would be bland, but that was not the case. The cheese was a nice addition, as was the garlic bits which made the dish more fragrant. The mussels were fresh and to my liking.

Branded Coffee! Heh. It costs just a $2 top up for this cup of goodness. While it isn't the strongest coffee around, it's very smooth and tastes like filtered coffee although it's pressured. The sugar cubes were yet another classy touch that I liked, and hot milk is served at the side even without a prior request for it. Overall doesn't have a super strong coffee taste, but does provide a nice "kick" for those (like me) who need caffeine to function. Or not to be so grumpy. Either way, this coffee is a nice add on if you're not having a beer.

Barossa serves good quality food, and it's certainly a nice place for lunch and dinner. At night the ambiance is fantastic, but the prices are not so accommodating. The lunch promotion is definitely worth it, although I am not entirely sure if they're still running it. That being said, they're usually victimised by the Singapore F1 Road Closures so I expect to see promotions by then, if not earlier, as their lunch-time can be fairly quiet without people from the nearby workplaces. They also serve an all-you-can-eat beef buffet, so that might be of some interest to those meat-lovers. I would certainly drop by for a beer by the bay if I was in the area at night as the ambiance is nice and the sea breeze really relaxes you and makes you feel like a towkay, if only for the time that you're there.

#01-11
Esplanade Mall
8 Raffles Avenue

Odeon Beef Noodle @ Food Republic Wisma Atria

Just a short post to promote my favourite beef noodle. Take note that this probably isn't the original because they have a whole slew of franchisees, but I find this to be one of the better ones. This is primarily for convenience as I am in Orchard much more than other places. This  costs $6 currently for the whole set including the beef soup with beef balls at Food Republic's Wisma outlet. I used to eat this when it was located at the basement of the current Scott's Square, years before their overhaul. What makes me like this version of beed noodles so much is its gravy. Sure, it's starchy, but just the right amount and is extremely flavourful. The beef soup is also AWESOME, but I would take it dry as the soup doesn't taste as good when you order their beef noodles in soup. The cook here is rather generous with the beef slices, which are well done. Like I mentioned earlier, this isn't the original so the sauces aren't as nice as I remember them to be, but they're better than average. Do give this a try the next time you're at Food Republic Wisma Atria

Expect to pay: $6 onwards

Wild Honey @ Scotts Square

When people talk about breakfast, brunch or cafes, the first place that comes to mind is always Wild Honey. Therefore I'm going to give this place a solid, wholesome review (: This is because I feel that they are one of the few places that dedicate their efforts into giving you, the customer, the best breakfast experience possible. Their all-day breakfast is available at both their outlets, at Scott's Square and Mandarin Gallery. However, there are certain menu items that are only available at either one of the two outlets, and there are occasional daily specials as well. Wild Honey is definitely a one-stop joint to experience breakfasts from all over the world, and they are particular about their presentation as well. Each picturesque dish is definitely instagram-worthy on its own, and looks even better on a DSLR or after some post-editing. Lastly, you are GUARANTEED a quality breakfast each time as they maintain high standards when preparing your food. 

Both cafes are generally vibrant and noisy, with the nondescript furniture at Mandarin Gallery giving it an extra homely feel. However, seating space between tables and at tables is rather tight, and it can get slightly uncomfortable in big groups. Carrying bulky items is definitely not a good idea as you're highly likely to bump into someone or something. However, it's definitely very cosy and good for a romantic date as the lighting is dim. If you're meeting a friend, however, I would definitely recommend you to go for their outlet at Scotts Square. For starters, the ceiling is much higher and the space is very much bigger. It still retains it's cosy feel but I find seating here much more comfortable (BACKRESTS!) as most of the chairs are spacious and for the ladies, you can place your bags behind you rather than on the floor. The service here is also great in general, although you can see that some staff are markedly more enthusiastic than their lacklustre counterparts. However, it can get a little hard to get the attention of the servers during peak hours (12pm-2pm) but other than that, no big issue. If you are queueing, be prepared to wait up to an hour to get your seat, especially on weekends.

The Wild Honey menu items are named after their country of origin, which really gives a straightforward, no-nonsense approach that I like, instead of giving names that are hard for the common man to grasp. 

Wild Honey Bread Basket

Such a pretty basket of bread! An assortment of bread that can be shared by up to 5 people, it's a good way to start the meal if you're hungry and can't wait for your mains to arrive. I would advise you to ask for sharing plates and try their different freshly-baked breads as each has its own individual taste and textures. Condiments include butter, chocolate sauce, raspberry jam and a zesty lemon jam.

Norwegian

Poached eggs on wheat toast, wrapped with Norwegian smoked salmon and grilled asparagus, topped off with Hollandaise sauce and salmon roe. This pretty much looks like the cousin to the European (pictured below later), but the Norwegian replaces ham with smoked salmon, which is a match made in heaven. Furthermore, the salmon roe bursts with flavour when you bite it, and really every bit of this dish tastest great. The eggs are poached perfectly and do not taste too rubbery (which often is the case) and I like to let the yolk ooze out onto the toast to make it more moist. A must-order for those who love salmon.

European

2 poached eggs on toast, wrapped with imported Italian ham and drizzled with Hollandaise sauce, topped with sauteed mushrooms. Although this is perhaps one of their other more ordinary offerings (the other being the English), the ham is seasoned well and has the right amount of saltiness to go well with the runny eggs. Similarly, I like to soak my toast in the yolk before eating it. The sauteed mushrooms are also tasty and it's one of the little things that make the European more special. I generally prefer Hollandaise sauce with salmon dishes, but it worked well with this one. 

English

Scrambled eggs, back bacon, pork sausage, baked beans, grilled vine-ripened tomato, breakfast potatoes and 2 slices of Wild Honey's signature brioche. As I mentioned in another post, I like to try the "big breakfast" that each restaurant has to offer, and although I have to say the English is good, it's definitely not one of Wild Honey's better dishes. This is no fault of theirs, but I feel that the wide range of other alternatives doesn't make this a first choice for many diners. That being said, the bacon and sausages are delicious. The breakfast potatoes are also well done, and the baked beans go well with the scrambled eggs on toast. I loved the vine-ripened tomato which was grilled to perfection, and it is extremely juicy. Vine-ripened tomatoes are certainly a class above your ordinary tomato or cherry tomatoes. Parents, feed your kids with this to start them on vegetables (: Wild Honey's brioche is probably the best around, but 2 slices of it might be too much for the conservative eater to finish. Do order this on your first visit to Wild Honey though, English breakfasts don't get much better.

Tunisian

I'm just going to lift the description off Wild Honey's website as I doubt I can do justice to this dish with my mediocre judgment of its ingredients. Sizzling pan of spicy shakshouka (tomato, red onion, pepper chilli), studded with Chorizo sausage, crowned with 2 fried eggs, signature brioche and Israeli salad. Sounds funky doesn't it. The Israeli salad is simple, with cucumbers and tomatoes inside but I don't find this exceptional. This is best eaten by just tucking into the stew directly, and dipping the brioche as and when you feel like it. I don't find this dish that spicy, and it's certainly edible for those who don't like spicy food. The Chorizo sausage, however, might be a put off for people who aren't a fan of sausages as it has a strong meat flavour, and tastes a bit like salami.

Spanish Hash

Diced Chorizo sausage, corned beef and potatoes, with poached eggs in Hollandaise sauce, and with ciabatta bread. I had this recently when I met up with a friend and I have to say I was a little envious of her Norwegian. The dish tastes great, but it can get a bit monotonous after eating corned beef and potatoes for the majority of the dish. I also wish that there was more Hollandaise sauce (despite my claim above that I prefer Hollandaise sauce with salmon). I think my main grouse was that by ordering this, I deprived myself from having my favourite brioche at Wild Honey. However that is my personal bias for the brioche, and looking back objectively, ciabatta was probably the better choice to match the dish. The bread was filling, and so was the rest of the dish. Definitely one for the big-eaters.

Boulevard St Michel

Baked Spinach Souffle, Savoury french toast with double-baked cheese, grilled back bacon, slowroasted vine-ripened tomatoes, and poached egg with cheese batter. My current favourite dish at the moment, due the assortment of flavours and colours that this dish offers. The spinach souffle is tasty, and is a good complement to the back bacon which is a little on the salty side. The spicy tomato chutney goes best with the Parmesan coated poached egg, as well as the souffle. The vine-ripened tomatoes, like its counterpart in the English, is extremely juicy and this juice explodes in your mouth when you bite it. The portion of the french toast is decent enough such that this dish is filling, but not to the point that you'll feel bloated. 

Breakfast Hangover Sandwich

Club sandwich with back bacon and scrambled eggs, served with breakfast potatoes. Don't feel like having one of Wild Honey's breakfast sets? This is a safe choice for most people, as you can't go wrong with bacon and scrambled eggs. The serving of breakfast potatoes is also substantial, and extremely well-seasoned. Your meal here is also well presented, and can be shared by 3 people for a light appetiser in place of the Bread Basket mentioned above.

Paris Valrhona Bittersweet Hot Chocolate

This is probably the best Hot Chocolate that I know of. Needs no introduction, just sweet hot chocolate that has just enough of the taste of bitter cocoa to keep true chocolate lovers satisfied. The marshmallow on the side is a nice touch, and it's super squishy. I wish I had more of them to go with my drink. On my must-order list each time unless I am in a desperate need of caffeine.

Macchiato

Wild Honey's coffee is perhaps it's weakest selling point, with the coffee being good, but not something to come back for. This is because it lacks a strong aroma and a unique taste that will make you come back wanting more. That being said, the macchiato was well prepared with the right level of milk and foam.

Cafe Mocha

Can't decide whether to have either the Paris Valrhona Bittersweet Chocolate or the macchiato? Why not both? Enter the Cafe Mocha, which is well-balanced between being a comfort drink for chocolate lovers and giving the caffeine kick that many people need to get their day going. However, I would still stick to the Bittersweet Chocolate if you really want a wholesome chocolate drink as the chocolate flavour is simply better without the caffeine.

Bostok

A weekend-only dessert, Wild Honey's signature brioche is dusted with almond flakes, icing sugar and jam. It's a simple, homely dish that is guaranteed to satisfy. Well, expect maybe for the price tag. For it's price, I would probably venture into Wild Honey's other dessert offerings in the future. This goes very well with the Bittersweet Chocolate though. 

Wild Honey is, and probably will continue to be my favourite breakfast/brunch in the near future. Although prices are bit on the high side, it's definitely worth saving up for (Eat biscuit lo!). Eating here is not merely a consumption of food, but the enjoyment of a beautiful breakfast experience. Do push the boundaries of your comfort zone and try new dishes each time as every dish is pretty much good, if not excellent. If you are going in larger groups, you should definitely make reservations at the Scotts Square outlet, where the Verandah is available for large groups. Furthermore, you can book the same Verandah, which overlooks Orchard Road, for private functions. Good for meet-ups, first dates, family meals, and even business meetings. If you haven't tried Wild Honey before, you're really missing out.

Expect to pay: $25-30

#03-01
Scotts Square
6 Scotts Square

#03-02
Mandarin Gallery
333A Orchard Road

Tiong Bahru Bakery @ Raffles City Shopping Centre

Tiong Bahru Bakery by Gontran Cherrier is one of my favourite cafes in town at the moment given its location at Raffles City Shopping Centre, which is like connected to 3 of Singapore's MRT rail lines. Despite patronising them on a few occasions, I usually "tar-pow" or take away my food from there as I usually like to have it for teatime or for the next day's breakfast. What I like about this outlet of Tiong Bahru Bakery is that it has ample seating and the water feature gives it an open-ness that I find to be calming. This is especially since the water feature cuts through the middle of the cafe, giving each quite a bit of personal space to each table. The concept is simple: You go up to the counter and choose which pastries you want, then you choose which drinks you would like to go with your pastries, and then proceed to pay up and then you may sit wherever you wish. Plain water is provided, as is a free flow of packaged butter and jam. In a few words, I would say that Tiong Bahru serves excellent pastries, and although prices are slightly high at the moment, it's certainly a good alternative to commercialised coffee joints such as Starbucks or The Coffee Bean.

Tiong Bahru Bakery also serves excellent coffee of the "40 hands brew", a similar one to the one you will find at Common Man Coffee Roasters. I've had the latte on 2 occasions and the taste has been consistent, which I'm pleased with. Pictured below is a layman's guide to ordering coffee, showing the amount of coffee, milk and water in each drink, which I found extremely helpful. 

Their croissants, which are not pictured here, are definitely one of the better croissants in Singapore, trumping those made by Maison Kaiser, San Moulin, Paul's and DONQ. They are extremely flaky and crisp (even on the second day) and it tastes extremely good even on its own without any condiments. Its variants include chocolate, almond and orange croissants, which all have their own distinct flavours, but I prefer the original one personally as I feel that it is the most crispy. 

Large Latte ($7.50)

Like I mentioned earlier, a little bit pricey for the size of the cup, but the quality of the coffee and the luxury of space makes it worth it to come here. I would also say that their coffee is one of the stronger and better pressured coffees in Singapore. Their latte art is very ordinary though. I would have liked more variation instead of getting hearts all the time but ohwell -shrug-.

Kouigh Amann ($4)

One of Tiong Bahru Bakery's signature pastries apart from their Croissants. This pastry is extremely sweet on its own, which is why I like to take it with salted butter to balanced out the taste. It also happens to be one of the victims of the price increase (it used to cost $3.50) so sales for this have definitely dropped since then. There is also a chocolate variation of this ($4.20) but I prefer the original. MUST TRY if you are here for the first time.

Apple and Raisin Brioche (4.20)

I'll be the first to admit that I love things that are value-for-money, and hence when I realised that the Apple Crumble cost a whopping $6.80 for a 10cm by 5cm size with a thickness of about 0.6cm, I immediately went to source for an alternative. My answer? The Apple and raisin brioche. The filling is pretty much the same, and I find the brioche a much more crispy and pleasant on its own than the crumble which looks a bit on the dry side.

Expect to pay:  $10-15

#B1-11/12
Raffles City Shopping Centre
252 North Bridge Road