Foodography: A Singapore Food Blog

I remember when news of the opening of a Jamie’s Italian was first released. There was that hype among foodies in general,  fans of Jamie Oliver in particular. Initially, queues were crazy long (though that of Tim Ho Wan’s starting days remain unbeaten) and reservations were full for 3 months from that period. That sort of deterred me from heading there until recently, when I dropped by on a weekday afternoon to find a rather empty Jamie’s Italian – a nicely decorated one indeed.

What’s Jamie’s Italian without their freshly made pasta?  The Tagliatelle Bolognese ($15/$22) packed a powerful punch with its bolognese of beef and pork ragu, herbs, parmesan and breadcrumbs, complementary to it’s firm, al dente counterpart – tagliatelle pasta. As a bonus, pasta here comes in 2 sizes. The smaller plate leaves you enough space for side dishes and dessert while the bigger portion would leave you full and satisfied just with it alone.

The Jamie’s Italian Burger ($27.5) is a much raved about main course. As it gets sent to your table, the towering stack of wagyu steak with smoked mozzarella, balsamic onions, tomatoes, pickles, chili and pancetta looked appealing, but not so to the taste buds. The beef patty was a little dry and slightly burnt. Everything else in the burger tasted alright… and in fact, nothing to rave about actually. This left me puzzled.

We weren’t too keen on salads and greens as a side dish, so their chips were the other sides left. Since it was claimed to be so, Our Famous Polenta Chips ($7.5) was our pick over Funky Chips and Posh Chips. The chips looked quite a sight but are merely deep-fried corn starch fried with cheese and with parmesan cheese atop them, somewhat like a crossover between mozzarella balls and potato balls. Oddly enough they held no particular flavor. It would have been better if there is a more distinct, cheesier flavor.

Desserts such as the Tutti Fruitti Lemon Meringue ($11.5), Raspberry Frangipane ($9.5) and Creamy Panna Cotta ($9) all sound enticing on the menu but instead I went for the classic Tiramisu ($11.5) as I usually do in Italian restaurants. Unlike traditional versions, it is much thicker and denser but generously soaked in rum. I probably prefer less layers in my tiramisu ie a tiramisu to a tiramisu cake, but this was quite a delight.

Considering that Jamie’s Italian is a casual Italian eatery, prices are not cheap. We paid about $85 for 2 pax yet the food had its hits and misses. Not that I wouldn’t head down for a meal again when I’m in VivoCity, though. Overall the ambience is laid back and perfect for post retail therapy and the food is above average standards. Here’s an update that Jamie’s Italian now have a new menu which keeps the old favorites and introduces new dishes! I might just check that out now.

1 Harbourfront Walk

VivoCity

#01-165/166/167

Singapore 098585

Tel: +65 67335500

Sunday to Thursday 12pm – 10pm

Friday & Saturday 12pm – 11pm

On a recent “ice cream tour”, our first stop was Merely Ice Cream – an artisanal ice cream store between Bugis and Bras Basah (next to Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts), dedicated to serving hand craafted ice cream in their natural flavors.

A colorful storefront stands out from neighboring food stalls, what with it’s glass panel adorned with chalk drawings seemingly to attract the youngsters out there. And then behind it is a typical ice cream shop scene: clean, simple, white walls, minimal in decor. Against those plain walls are crate-like tables… a perfect backdrop for those scoops of ice cream you’re about to order.

Flavors are abundant here at Merely Ice Cream. What’s even better is that they are ever-changing (you can check out for their updates on flavors on their facebook page). A single scoop costs $3.30, a double scoop $5.60 and we had the triple scoop for $7.90 with an additional waffle costing $2.80 to go with it. From L-R is the Dark Chocolate, Salted Butterscotch and Peppermint Mocha. My favorite has got to be the Salted Butterscotch. If you like stuff like salted caramel, this is for you. The waffle looked average but surprisingly it surpassed average standards with it’s crisp outer layer.

This is quite the underrated ice cream store compared to places like Tom’s Palette and Udders. Well, they are “Merely” ice cream but I believe they are a lot more than that. If you’re looking for a quieter, less overrated place to have a sweet treat, this might just be it.

Sunshine Plaza

#01-13

91 Bencoolen Street

Singapore 189652

Mondays to Saturdays 12pm – 11pm

Hello.

Over the past month or so I’ve been living the holiday life. Basically I commit the sin of gluttony almost daily and leave no regrets. Sad to say, it is impossible to capture all of these wonderful moments with my DSLR to make a proper, full review on all the places I’ve been to. So I decided to compile them into a single post and give these iPhone snaps some sort of a caption to go along. Meanwhile, I’m out of Singapore currently and I’ll be back soon with gorgeous photos and a write-up on the amazing cities I’m travelling to and from. Also, get closer to my travel adventures at instagram.com/crystal_wee.

I went on a staycation in Marina Bay Sands’s Orchid Suite and my time in MBS felt like I was in a little nirvana in Singapore. Never had such a carefree time in those 24 hours as I was in the past 4 years. Skypark dining was unexpectedly mediocre with the poor service but truffle fries was definitely a saving grace. Wading in the infinity pool shortly afterwards under a sunless backdrop and breezy atmosphere made me feel….. infinite. That night, I brought my friends for an Italian dinner at Pizzeria Mozza by Mario Batali. Their thin-crusted pizzas never fail to satisfy me. We had meatballs, yukon gold potato pizza, burrata pizza and a squash blossoms pizza. Even later on that night, we had cocktails and mocktails  at the bar in Sky on 57. A suite stay means that our complimentary breakfast buffet is at Sky on 57 on the 57th floor instead of Rise on the lobby. Though the breakfast items were nothing close to fantastic, the buffet was one of the better hotel breakfast buffets I’ve had.

It was truly disappointing to go all the way to Cafe Melba at Goodman Arts Centre and then find out that my lens protector of my dslr shattered.  Nonetheless it didn’t stop me from having a good meal. The Chicken Parmigiana I had were alright; the truffle fries fared a lot better. Two very big downsides – hefty prices and very warm air in the cafe.

When I’m just going solo to somewhere to get some work done on my laptop, I’d think of a cafe along Robertson Quay (my usual haunt). A weekday is the best time to visit Toby’s Estate for their coffees since they are extremely packed on weekends. The space at Toby’s is spacious with high ceilings, resembling Australian cafes. Such a darling. The Espresso Maple Bacon Croissant appeared very sinful with it’s huge amount of bacon along with scrambled eggs sandwiched between croissants.

On my first visit to Haji Lane I was greeted by a bustling Samsara fair between the lanes of vintage stores. This customize-your-own-breakfast store caught my eye. That small bag of goodies, at $7, wasn’t cheap at all though.

I headed back to CSHH on a rainy day for coffee and pastry. That Lime Coconut Cake was sweetness overload without much presence of lime and well, the quality of the espresso + milk would be needless to say already. Still one of my favorite coffee joints in Singapore. Read the full review of Chye Seng Huat Hardware Coffee Bar on my first visit here.

All pictures in this post are shot on the iPhone 5S. 

The Bravery Cafe is brought to you by the folks behind The Plain and it might seem to be one of the most popular on. This post might be a little late considering I first went to The Bravery sometime when it was just opened. The truth is, ever since my first visit, I’ve went back on two other occasions to check out more food on the menu. Well I hardly go back to the same places I’ve visited so you can tell I pretty much like this cafe. The Bravery is located in Jalan Besar along with other favorite haunts like Chye Seng Huat Hardware, Windowsill Pies and the newly opened Tiramisu Hero and despite the distance from my area it  one of my most-visited food enclaves alongside Robertson Quay.

Decor-wise, most things are kept simple: Plywood tables, crate-like stools (now changed to proper retro chairs), no signs, no obvious entrance point (push through that golden panel in the middle). Yet there are some good coffee shop vibes about the space. Talk about color-textured walls, hanging light bulbs and a golden horse as a centerpiece.

I’m a sucker for pancakes and The Bravery’s Pancakes Stack ($15) hits the bulls eye. The pancakes themselves are fluffy and infused with bananas and served with a generous helping a maple syrup. The last layer of pancake is literally soaked with it. As a result the pancakes were moist and very fluffy at the same time (with an overload of sweetness) to my liking. An additional $3 for honeycomb.

Two poached eggs, bacon and avocado atop corned beef hash is what Brave Begedil ($17) is all about. However the egg yolks were not runny enough (they couldn’t flow) and the hash was a tad dry. Otherwise, it would make for an interesting dish since the combo works out well. The staff approached for comments and we got them to take note of that. Fortunately on my second visit, their poached eggs were superbly poached and the yolks were oozing. This time I had the Eggs on Toast ($8) with additional smoked salmon ($5).

Just like The Plain, The Bravery brews great coffees. I especially like their Mocha ($5.10) which leaves a smooth, velvety taste. Another interesting one would be the Lavender Latte ($5.50) from which every sip is infused with an aftertaste of lavender. Only a few desserts and pastries are available and among them, the Flourless chocolate cake ($6) is easily one of the most popular pastries with the cafe-goers. I can guess why, what with its consistency and that topping of nutella.

I think location is hardly a factor for us Singaporean foodies these days. So apart from that and the fact that it can get quite noisy and crowded, the cafe is great for a casual brunch with friends. The ambience allows for a lazy, long meal and the coffees are on par with many top notch coffee joints. What’s more, I feel that the food is a lot better than that at The Plain!

66 Horne Road

Singapore 209073

Mondays, Wednesdays to Sundays 8am – 8pm

Not long ago, I found out about the existence of several months old Lola’s Cafe. It’s hidden on Simon Road which is a mere 5 minutes walk from Kovan MRT Station. Despite passing  by that area countless of times en route home, I have never ever noticed it, probably being distracted by the busy row of coffee shops facing the main road.

On a particular Saturday I had thought of reaching at 10am (when they open) on the dot to avoid a crowd but the (occasionally) tardy me ended up being a few minutes late. It was quite of a surprise to find that all the tables indoors were taken up already, even though it can only fit no more than 30 people. The decor of the place is ever-changing, with furniture being shifted and added in often since my first visit. Somehow I preferred it’s very first look but I agree that change is refreshing.

Cappuccino ($4.50) and Mocha ($5). Not exactly a big fan of their coffees. Brunch is served everyday from 10am to 3pm, excluding two options which are only available on weekends and coincidentally the two main courses we had. Lola’s Poached Eggs Benedict ($15) consists of poached eggs, honey baked ham and the unconventional avocado mayo on wholemeal toasts. Initially it seemed weird to me to replace very savory greens with avocado in eggs benedict however it made a good substitution. The avocado was smooth and along with the 2 poached eggs oozing with runny yolk, it enhances the taste of the eggs pretty well. Would just be better if the hollandaise sauce was drizzled more generously.

In contrast, Lola’s Big Brunch ($15) was alright in general and had nothing much to shout about. That roll of sausage was a tad too tough, though.

You mustn’t leave without trying their homemade desserts. They’re mostly smaller in portion than the standard sized dessert, great for ordering a few and sharing them. Or having one all by yourself and not feel bloated and sick of it. The petite Lemon Meringue Tart ($4) was neither too sour nor sweet, while the Honey Panna Cotta ($7) feels more like a silky soy beancurd than the traditional panna cotta. Still, both are equally good homemade desserts with equally tempting counterparts on the menu such as earl grey tart, dark chocolate sea salt tart and wasabi white chocolate mousse.

If brunch is too overrated for you, head down for dinner from 6pm onwards and choose from a variety. Expect duck leg, halibut, avocado chicken burger and more. This relatively small, cosy restaurant-cafe is perfect for heartlanders especially as a weekend respite. The place to go for comfort food at comfort prices. Note that even the main courses on the dinner menu, whose portions are not stingy at all, are reasonably priced below $20!

5 Simon Road

Singapore 545893

Tel: 6343 1808

Tuesdays 3pm – 11.30pm

Wednesdays, Thursdays & Sundays 10am – 11.30pm

Saturdays 10am – 12am

Hip coffee roastery, bar and restaurant Common Man Coffee Roasters is the latest talk of the town. This newest venture is a collaboration between Harry Grover of Forty Hands, the Spa Esprit Group as well as Five Senses Coffee from Australia. With such a huge tie-in comprising popular figures from the coffee/f&b scene, it’s no doubt that this place will remain packed on weekends with a queue during lunch hours. I too, was eager to visit. I’ve heard much about Five Senses Coffee from those who’ve had their coffees in Australia just recently. I’ve sipped good coffees at Forty Hands. I’ve relished every morsel of food at House Dempsey, a casual western restaurant brought to you by the Spa Esprit Group. I guess the collaboration creates an impact, such that social media is booming with reviews and snapshots of this place.

The dimly-lit space emits some cool, modern vibes. Upon entering, you’re faced with an 8 metre long coffee bar where you can watch baristas at work. Very retro indeed. Somehow, it feels more of a bar than a cafe. Overall, the ambience is laid-back and fun – my ideal place to have a good Sunday brunch.

Latte ($5) and Cappuccino ($5)

If you can’t decide between that burger, big breakfast or eggs benedict, order a cup of coffee first.  The coffees here are definitely strong and if you’re feeling adventurous go for their filtered coffees.

Possibly one of the best eggs benedict I’ve had, the Organic eggs benedict ($24) braised ox cheeks, two poached organic eggs and chive hollandaise, with artisanal sourdough toast is a must-try for egg lovers out there. The eggs were cooked extra soft and gooey on the inside yet staying firm on the outside – exactly how the perfect eggs benedict should be done. Let’s not forget about the ox cheeks lying beneath them eggs which probably added much to the price but I’m not complaining. They were superbly tender, nearly giving that melt in your mouth feeling.

Another recommended dish was the Common Man burger ($28) 100% ground ribeye, provolone, grilled tomatoes, caramelised onions and pickled guindilla on a fluffy brioche bun with fries. I would credit the most to the ribeye patty, which was rather well done and of quality. I wish they could swap the mediocre fries with my favorite truffle fries, though.

Unlike the traditional Spanish churros, Common Man’s Churros ($12) sugar-dusted fluffy churros with a luscious chocolate sauce were a lot more chewy and sticky on the inside rather than being fluffy as stated in the description. I thought it was alright (would’ve preferred a fluffier version). Nonetheless, the remaining 2 desserts on the menu sound promising – a mango panna cotta and creme caramel.

Just like many other cafes, CMCR has the usual all-day breakfast concept serving usual brunch favorites. What distinguishes them from the “many other cafes” is how they prepare the same dishes in a much better way. I guess this makes them stand out from the rest. Many people have pointed out the hefty prices for their food which can go up to $30 for a normal portion size but still…. It doesn’t change the fact that Common Man has got to be one of my favorite brunch places so far.

22 Martin Road

#01-00

Singapore 239058

Tel: +65 6836 4695

8am – 7pm daily

Stepping into Club Street Social  is akin to entering a downtown Manhattan bar cum restaurant – one full of vibes. With their high ceilings, brick walls, marble tables and wooden chairs, the ambience… I like. A lot. Labelled hipster for sure. One can tell from the interiors that this place serves up western food wholeheartedly, including all-day, everyday breakfast. Perfect for the increasing number of oddballs (not) who have eggs and toast for dinner. For drinkers, go for some cocktails by the bar.

While waiting for my dining mate, I thought I should get something small but alas, the Granola, mixed berries, greek yoghurt ($9) was served in a huge glass… better this way as well, even though I didn’t manage to finish it. I hardly have granolas while dining outside but it’s for sure that theirs is one of substantial quality. You see those dried slices of apples at the top? I wished it’s a mandatory ingredient of granola.

The much raved about Scrambled eggs with fontina and chives ($12) fell  short of my expectations. After all, I’m a fan of eggs. Sure it may surpass standards of the average wannabe hipster brunch spot serving up their own rendition but it still wasn’t enough. Certain parts were just overly cooked and it ended up being plain. Not that those thin slices of toast helped much. I guess my motto to not regret any life decisions I make (as much as possible) was crushed… now I really need to try their truffle egg toast.

Other than the usual edibles, Club Street Social also offers Italian delights Crostini, Panini and Piatti. Crostini is an appetizer of toppings on small slices of toasted bread (like a bruschetta) and I got the Duck rilette, green apple, fig compote ($10/$14) from the selection of crostinis. The duck rilette here was melded much more perfectly and this of course led to a creamier rilette. It’s such a refreshing dish that it made me hungry to try all their other crostinis. If you feel that the portions of crostini are too small, you may want to opt for Paninis, which are Italian sandwiches, or Piattis, the main dishes.

With  only 4 desserts on the menu, the Nutella bread pudding, vanilla ice cream ($11) stands out prominently as the one to order. Obviously, nothing could go wrong with nutella. I only wished that the bread pudding could be fluffier and not as dense and at the same time being moist. Still, many would love this dessert.

I guess it all comes down to the consistency. I’ve seen pictures of Club Street Social’s dishes looking oddly different from time to time (it’s not due to different angles) and this leaves me in doubt as to whether I’d come back here again. Otherwise, it can make a great laid-back place serving perennial favorites.

5 Gemmill Lane

Singapore 069261

Tel: +65 6225 5043

Mondays to Fridays 11am – 10.30pm

Saturdays 9am – 10.30pm

Sundays 9am – 9pm

Photo credits: Foodpanda

In this hustling city where flurries of modern activity flash past before your eyes, time is inevitably insufficient. Insufficient for leisure, for entertainment and most importantly for dining. And that is why for many busy workers out there, dining arrangements may become part of their distress. Sometimes it seems nearly impossible to frequent your favorite restaurant when you’re out of time. At this juncture, the option of food delivery is the best solution. You might just want to consider Foodpanda (www.foodpanda.sg) for the matter.

Foodpanda is a food delivery service which allows you to order food from popular restaurants all over Singapore. The more popular ones are namely Spizza, Picotin Express, Golden Pillow, Tony Roma’s, Sarpino’s Pizzeria, Mad Jack and Nihon Mura. Altogether there are well over 100 restaurants that Foodpanda collaborates with to bring food to your doorstep. The wide range of restaurants provided encompasses the different cuisines you can expect to find here in Singapore. Other than the usual Western and Italian favorites, there are also Chinese, Mexican and Indian restaurants. Talk about variety!

To start off the whole process, you may want to either order from their website www.foodpanda.sg or the Foodpanda app downloaded on your smartphone. You’ll be prompted to enter your postal code and after that, a list of restaurants will be made available for you to order from, depending on the area of residence. Once you’ve selected the dishes you’d like to order, you can then opt for payment via paypal or in cash. And that’s it! You’ll only have  to wait for that doorbell to ring.

The following are self-taken shots of my delivered, Italian meal via Foodpanda from Napolizz Pizza Delivery.

As for me, I’m impressed by the efficiency of Foodpanda’s delivery system. This was also helped by their attractive, vast options from numerous restaurants. You’ll never have to consume icky, generic dinners at home again!

Tel: +65 6602 8051