Tag Archives: serangoon

Arbite – a hearty brunch

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Arbite is no newcomer to the list of popular brunch places in Singapore. It’s cosy interiors created by wooden furniture in a white space is no doubt a less formal, more chillax place for heartlanders to have gatherings there especially on weekends. The view overlooking Serangoon Gardens may not be posh but it certainly made the place look airy.
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I jumped straight into my order immediately. With such a pretty name, the Sea Salt Banana Pancakes ($14.90) was a definite call. With huge chunks of banana heavily caramelized in between the pancakes, you’ll never have to endure an overload of plain, boring pancakes. What’s more, the plate is rimmed with caramel sauce, berries and nuts.
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In my opinion many brunch places have mediocre breakfast sets with a random mixture of sausages, eggs….. but even till now, the Arbite Breakfast ($12.90) lingers in my cravings  with a note set in my memory. A good spread indeed: veal bratwurst which was tender to my liking, greens, bacon, mushrooms, fried potato balls, a nicely grilled tomato, soft brioche and of course truffle eggs (additional $3). Even though I preferred truffle on fries, I must agree that truffle on anything is still good.
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The Truffle Fries ($10.90) here are of a thicker cut. The hints of truffle salt and oil are barely there on the fries, they’re mostly hidden in the truffle mayonnaise. So don’t forget to dip them in!
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By that time, the both of us were pretty full from such a hearty and filling brunch. Yet, I didn’t want to miss the opportunity for desserts since they sound delicious by descriptions on the menu. Sadly, My Wife’s Chocolate Cake ($8) was quite a disappointment. I would think that a wife has better standards for her chocolate cake. It was undeniably dry and normal with no kick to it. I can imagine a sallow-faced wife.

 

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Lucky for Arbite’s Gula Melaka Tiramisu ($8) which saved the day. Having a gula melaka mascarpone made the dessert extra sweet but I’m not complaining. Because of the well-infused gula melaka into a tiramisu, it has turned out to be a unique rendition which is not too heavy on the stomach.

The number of tables here are limited but you’ll be happy that Arbite has opened another eatery, A for Arbite at Aliwal Street. Both the concept and menu mimics the original outlet except for its funkier location.

66A Serangoon Garden Way

Tuesdays to Fridays 11.30 am – 3.00 pm     6.00pm – 10.30pm
Saturdays & Sundays  9.00 am – 10.30 pm

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Kabe no Ana

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Pumpkin croquette

Nex has always provided the dining option for me whenever I need a quick fix at somewhere convenient. Kabe no ana is a casual eatery specialising in Japanese pastas and pizzas, part of the Japanese chain of eateries at a corner of the mall – Shokutsu 10. Its a cozy space with warm lights and particularly attractive to families. There you can also find seafood by Kuriya market, soba by Shimbashi Soba and japanese pastries from a bakery all on my list to try next.

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Chicken teriyaki

I tried two pizzas – Teriyaki Chicken ($5.9) and Pumpkin Croquette ($6.9) and a pasta – Mentaiko Carbonara($13.9). Personally I find the pizzas here much better than the pastas. They were certainly good and that surprised me. I like that the crust is thin and a little crispy, just of the right consistency. The teriyaki chicken (a house favorite) was certainly flavorful; the pumpkin croquette was special with a quirky yet unforgettable taste. Another point to add is that the pizzas come in small sizes as well – no worries about  sharing.

On the other hand, I felt that the bacon bits enhanced the carbonara but the dish was a tad too dry. Still, the menu has an extensive range of japanese pastas to choose from (more than 25) and with a little bit of luck it may be possible to get a hidden gem. Not to forget, many set lunches and meals are there to satisfy your wallet.

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Service was rather shabby at times with some miscommunications between the waitresses and customers. I was rather disappointed that most of the better-looking desserts on the menu were not available, I had to make do with a strawberry ice cream ($6.9) which looked better than it tasted. Otherwise, I would be more than happy to have the lava cakes and tiramisu on the menu.

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23 Serangoon Central

#B1-80 NEX Mall

Opens 1100 – 2200 daily

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