Foodography: A Singapore Food Blog

Long gone were the days of breakfast where the simplicity of toasts take the center of attention on the dining table. Things have evolved from those olden days of traditional goodness to bring about something bigger (quite literally) than before. Despite its long, lingering presence from medieval times, this quintessential dessert is back to please both young and old. Presenting to you – the fab waffle. Here is my guide to the city’s best, in no particular order whatsoever.

Predominantly a chocolate and desserts cafe, Wimbly Lu serves up waffles that are indisputably one of the best on the island. The X factor? Their waffles are crisp on the exterior and fluffy interior-wise. Accompanied with them are their homemade ice cream with flavors including chocolate truffle, honey cinnamon (must-try!) and salted caramel. Though Wimbly Lu boasts an interesting array of cakes (try the root beer cake), pies and tarts, the conventional waffle remains as the crowd’s favorite. Don’t miss this quaint spot. The waffles with a scoop of ice cream are priced at $8.50 and $3 for an additional scoop.

The newly renovated Strangers’ Reunion may cause a controversy on the spatial arrangement but one thing’s for sure, the waffles are still as crispy and popular as ever. Choose your buttermilk waffles with either berry compote and ice cream ($13.90), artisan greek yogurt ($12.90), strawberry maceration and ice cream ($13.90) or maple syrup and fresh fruits ($11.90). Tip: Go for the artisan greek yogurt, which is also my favorite. Recently, Strangers’ Reunion has opened Waffle Slayer just next door, featuring gourmet waffles of exotic flavors. If you’re bold enough, pop by next door and get that squid ink waffle as well.

New kid on the block Assembly Coffee is a “third wave coffee movement” which is getting busier by the day, what with the good coffee paired with scrumptious waffles you can get at this small cafe. The Salted caramel buttermilk waffles ($11.50) packs a powerful punch with the thick salted caramel (oh so good) drizzled all over vanilla ice cream atop crispy yet fluffy waffles. Indeed, this new cafe with a thriving business can give old favorites like Strangers’ Reunion and Wimbly Lu a run for their money. An alternative to the salted caramel version is the Chocolate and strawberries ($11.50).

Catered to the joy of heartland folks is Creamier, an ice cream parlor under a block of flats in old residential estate Toa Payoh. I’ve been a proud fan of Creamier since their early days of establishment and even though the space is getting less spacious and quiet, it doesn’t stop me from setting up ice cream dates with friends here. Creamier’s waffles come in fun-sized squares and are extremely crispy, thick and airy. Some of the more crowd-pleasing ice cream flavors include the signature sea salt gula melaka, the seasonal orange milk chocolate, and the limited edition satsuma imo. The possibilities are endlessly interesting. Waffles with a scoop of ice cream are priced at $8.50 and $2.50 for an additional scoop.

Department of Caffeine, or D.O.C. in short, has served up waffles which rose to fame almost instantaneously for their quality. The result is the hefty price tag put on each of them. Despite that, cafe-hoppers come and go without complaints and instead, relish the all-time favorite Buttermilk waffles with ice cream and rum bananas ($15, $4 for additional scoop of ice cream). Those rum-soaked bananas on that thick waffle are sure to make you crave for more. Other waffles include the waffles with peanut butter jelly ($14), the savory sundried tomato and herbs waffle ($17) and the limited edition valrhona chocolate waffles ($20).

Yet another ice cream parlor, Salted Caramel has gained the delights of both school kids and working adults alike with their quality ice cream and waffles at pocket-friendly prices. Try their recommended flavors, which include salted caramel (…obviously), horlicks tim tam, and espresso & caramel biscuits. The only gripe I have is with it’s ill consistency at times. Waffle with a scoop of ice cream is priced at $6.50 and $2 for an additional scoop.

The Upper Thomson food enclave is just starting to get livened up. Adding on to the list of cafes is 3 months old One Man Coffee, which I’ve visited thrice already. If you’re having some trouble searching, just look out for Crust Gourmet Pizza – essentially both share the same space, and I find that a smart move with reference to rental issues. After all, Crust only opens it’s doors after 5 in the evening. Decor wise… yet another hipster layout – think wooden tables on bare cement floors.

Go for their coffee before anything else – I find them tasting more robust each time and there’s the occasional blend they use from Axil Coffee Roasters. For something savory, go for the Gashouse Eggs or, according to the menu, a.k.a. Toad in the Hole, or (also according to the menu), a.k.a Eggs in a Basket ($10), which is essentially an egg cracked in the middle of a toast. What’s interesting is the smoky bacon jam that comes alongside it – it may be an acquired taste for a few but I rave over it in a mainstream manner.

Most pastries here displayed in the glass cabinet are from B.A.O and Edith Patisserie, otherwise made in-house. The Salted Caramel Danish ($4.5) was a sweet delight while the Almond Croissant ($4.5) was a pity as it lacked a fresh crisp, even though it was decent.

We had a lovely cake affair. Our favorite has got to be the Peanut Butter Banana Cake ($6.5) which came from Edith Patisserie, what with those layers of smooth and creamy peanut butter, enhancing the taste of the typical banana cake. As we sank our teeth into the next item – the Lemon Cake ($6.5), it’s airiness and fluffiness could be felt immediately, in contrast to the former banana cake. The tinge of sweet and sour was just right. Lastly was the Chocolate Raspberry Cake ($6.5), which I felt had some texture which made it interesting but a combination a tad unfitting.

Thank god for the Ham & Cheese Croissant ($6) which offsets the almond croissant. Nothing could go wrong with an uber crispy croissant, even if it’s just basic ham and cheese sandwiched between the layers.

This has got to be the best, if not one of the best Brioche French Toast ($10) I’ve ever had. The brioche was done just as moist, fluffy and warm as I’d liked and topped with nuts and a dollop of fresh cream. Not that I’m complaining but I certainly wouldn’t mind if it came with vanilla bean ice-cream instead. It definitely scores extra points for that presentation giving it an artisanal, deconstructed look. On my second visit, the french toast had scored even better than the first.

Unlike some other cafes (which I shall not name), I feel that One Man Coffee is less pretentious and works it’s way towards serving both great coffee and brunch. Main problem’s with the consistency. On a good day my Toad in the Hole would come with a runny yolk in the middle which oozes like a poached egg. On less exciting days the yolk turns out overly cooked and less delectable. I guess there’s always room for improvement, but consistency is by far the key to sustainability. Overall, my impression remains very pleasant so it’s worth the trip down – hurry up now, before it gets as crowded as neighboring Habitat Coffee. Both are equally good, just that One Man gains some extra “hipster” points. I can’t wait to be back again.

215R Upper Thomson Road
Singapore 574349
Monday – Sunday (except Tuesday) 9am – 5pm

This Easter, Cedele’s special offerings are back again and they are, without a doubt, committed to Cedele’s love affair with all things natural and nutritious. Special thanks to Cedele for sending over this year’s Easter feature, the Hummingbird Cake. Primarily it’s a banana cake with a layer of pineapple in the middle – what I found interesting. Then it is frosted with their popular cream cheese (as in that of my favorite Carrot Walnut cake I always get from Cedele) and dark chocolate and topped with pecan nuts. It seems like a tacky combination of items at foresight but that’s hardly true once you sink your teeth into this gigantic cake. Everything comes together perfectly and of course it tastes just as well or perhaps even better than the typical, favorite-of-the-crowd Cedele cake. Do I taste some hints of cinnamon too? And also, did I mention that it is also tastefully sweetened with organic unrefined sugar? P.S. it’s also present in all of Cedele’s baked goods!  Here’s presenting more visuals of the Hummingbird Cake shot from my little, space-constraint living room and bedroom.

That’s not all. Old favorites such as the sweet Apple Cinnamon cake and Chocolate Walnut cake and savory Cheese Onion Mustard Hot Cross Buns are making a return to the menu. New, soon-to-be favorites you can expect are the Chocolate Nest Cupcakes, Midnight Chocolate cookies and Raspberry Thumbprint cookies. For the fans of savory dishes, there’s also a new Easter Sandwich Special with honey paprika chicken filling and avocado slices sandwiched within a spinach bun.

Cedele’s Easter special will run from today, 5th April (Saturday) to 25th April (Friday), so take this time to indulge in Cedele at their following locations at..

http://cedeledepot.com/locations.html 

Toss & Turn (Advance orders and selected Easter items sold here)

2 Orchard Turn

ION Orchard #B4-55

P.L.T Sandwiches (Advance orders & selected Easter items sold here)

Robinson Point

39 9Robinson Road #01-01A

Belonging to the list of the many places I’ve long wanted to go, Salt Grill and Sky Bar sits in the heart of Singapore and is perched 55 stories up high. With the sun shining in from those ceiling-to-floor glass panels, you can expect your lunch to appear exceptionally photogenic. The backdrop? A clean, white romantic table setting contrasted with red standing chandelier lamps. Sky dining at its best. Helmed by Luke Mangan, Salt Grill follows a modern Australian concept together with it’s sister restaurant Salt Tapas and Bar which I’ve yet to try out.

We were whisked to ION Sky via a separate lift by the ION art gallery. A perk of dining in Salt is that you gain complimentary access to the Ion Sky Observatory (which would cost 16 bucks normally) which takes up the space next to the restaurant. The skyline of Singapore may not be fantastic, but a panoramic view of the island is soothing and stress-relieving nonetheless.

Latte($8.50)

Instead of the usual buttermilk pancakes and full Aussie breakfast I thought I would go for something more interesting ie the Crab Omelette ($34). A layer of omelette wraps round some fresh crab meat  and, together with a miso and mustard broth, creates a seemingly light and healthy dish for brunch. There’s also a tinge of herb in the broth which complemented the taste and smell of crab meat.

And of course the best appetizer is Truffle Parmesan Fries ($14). The one here is definitely going on my list of the best truffle fries in Singapore. These skinny shoe-string fries were adequately tossed in truffle oil and came with an addictive, powering smell.

Off the brunch menu, we also had the Salmon Eggs Benedict ($31). I thought “For a $31 eggs benedict, it better be really really good”…. and thankfully I wasn’t disappointed, there was not much I could nitpick about their rendition of the classic item.  Instead of lox or smoked salmon, gravlax is used – salmon marinated with salt, sugar and dill. Just when I thought smoked salmon was my favorite, this cured salmon reached a new peak. The colors of the hollandaise, oozing yolk, spinach and salmon directly translates to freshness and quality.

Passionfruit Martini ($16) 

If I could, I would’ve gotten everything on the dessert menu – you have items such as a Mocha Brulee ($18) and Lemongrass Panna Cotta ($19) to entice you. Ultimately, I went for the Souffle ($22) and it may be overly sweet but it was balanced out by a nutty scoop of ice cream. Unfortunately the bottom layer was too moist for my liking.

We ended up spending about $163 for the 2 of us. I’d consider it quite a pricey brunch, even after factoring in the level and type of dining. Not that I would mind coming back though. The Sky Bar on the 56th level seems like a rather sleek place to have martinis too. Another issue I had was with the air-conditioning. With the sun directly above us on a blistering afternoon, I thought a cooler setting would deem us more comfortable. Other than that, it was pretty much a splendid experience.

2 Orchard Turn

ION Orchard

#55-01

Singapore 238801

You’ve not been to New York City if you’ve not set foot in a cafe there. The coffee culture in New York has been taking off since a few years ago and it’s hard to imagine life without a daily pick-me-up for New Yorkers. Over the past 2 years, more than 40 new cafes have entered the coffee scene in NYC – coffee brewing may now be treated as seriously as the money-making business on Wall Street. Thanks to a few recommendations from talented photographer Alice Gao, I got hold of a list of decent coffee bars and cafes and eventually the choice of Culture Espresso in the Fashion District was made.

Nothing beats the warmth from a radiator and aroma from coffee after a chilling, or should I say freezing walk down 4 streets. Like most coffee bars, Culture Espresso has a small, narrow space with marble counters and wooden tables. Oh they have a pretty wallpaper as well. I had a dose of the legendary daily cortado and it sure packed a powerful espresso shot. P.S. Coffees here are chosen and roasted by Heart Coffee Roasters of Portland, Oregon.

And if you’re feeling a little hungry, baked goods from a selection of bakeries are up for grabs, just like the coconut donut I had (below). As for their baked in house chocolate chip cookie, I didn’t get to try it but I’m pretty sure cafes here do not screw up cookies.

More photos right after this!

72 West 38th St Manhattan, NY 10018

This post documents my first ever Swee Choon Dim Sum experience…. after so many months of saying how badly I want to try their dim sum. An achievement unlocked for me, I guess. Nestled among rows of shophouses in Little India, I must say that the eatery isn’t quite location friendly. From MRT station of Little India we had to snake through quiet alleyways and walk the entire length of a street, so expect to take a 10 – 15 minutes walk there.

Since we’ve heard of long queues which can take up to 45 mins, we went as early as possible and arriving at about 6.20pm we easily got ourselves a good table indoors, where there was air conditioning. Turns out that Swee Choon takes up a few units’ worth of space so it only starts to get full from 7pm onwards.

Supposedly, dim sum is a morning affair. Yet somehow it seems to taste better for dinner or supper. Well if brunch can be served for dinner, why not consider the option of dim sum as well?

4.5/5 – Swee Choon’s Steamed Salted Egg Yolk Custard Bun ($3.60 for 3) easily gets into the list of the best custard lava buns in Singapore. It may also be the most popular item on the menu. The egg yolk custard flows and oozes out smoothly but it wasn’t too watery. I got custard all over my fingers, haha. This sweeter version of the egg yolk custard is enough to make me drool.

3.8/5 – Made more interestingly and refreshingly compared to the norm layer pancakes is the Layer Pancake with Egg & Meat Floss ($4.30). Surprisingly, the combination turned out well and the slice of cucumber in the center gives it an extra crunch.

4/5 – I’m never enough with salted egg yolk custard. For the unconventional, try the Fried Custard Pumpkin ($1.80 for 2). Essentially you’re biting into a really thick, chewy pumpkin layer and for some it can get quite filling, which is why most would prefer the custard in a fluffy steamed bun.

4/5 – The Fried Golden Tofu ($3.50) makes for a light bite after all those heavy food. The insides were soft while the outsides were fried to a nice golden yellow which kept the tofu firm.

4.2/5 – Made by deep frying mee suah (vermicelli), the Swee Choon Mee-Suah Kueh ($2 for 2) may not be the most photogenic food item around yet it is quite addictive. The crispy layers of fried mee suah paired with the softer, kueh-like bits of mee suah was the winning factor.

3.3/5 – Unfortunately, the Shanghai Xiao Long Bao ($4 for 4) here paled in comparison to my staple XLB at Din Tai Fung. The broth and pork simply weren’t flavorful enough. I’d substitute them for extra custard buns.

and last 2 pretty average eats..

3/5 –  Deep Fried Chive Roll ($4 for 3)

3/5 – Prawn & Banana Fritters ($2.80 for 2)

Dim sum meals are enjoyable and so was this one. If you’re unconvinced of my love for the dim sum here… I’d rather hike to Swee Choon then take the direct train to Tim Ho Wan. More than that, there are still so many stuff I’ve yet to try here like the Portuguese Egg Tart and Law Mai Kai. Also… those who haven’t been here may get the wrong idea that only dim sum is served here but in fact you can also have your tze char meals here. We’re talking about crispy pork ribs, la mian, hor fun and soups. You’ve gotta hurry though, they will be closing soon for a long Chinese New Year break.

183/185/187/189/191 Jalan Besar

Singapore 208882

Monday – Sunday (except Tuesday) 6pm – 6am