Spruce

Located away from all the hustle and bustle of city life, is Spruce. Looking for an unforgettable dining experience? Here it is.

I've been to Spruce for brunch a couple of times and for dinner once.

The Star and I went there for brunch one sunny Sunday afternoon with a bunch of friends. Sad to say, I accidentally deleted all photos of their gorgeous brunch. SIGH.

These photos are all I have left so here we go. 

Introducing.....

THE MAGNIFICENT AHI TUNA TARTARE

MY FAVOURITESTESTESTEST DISH 10.5/10
I have a constant craving for it.





First, lets talk about the ciabatta. The ciabatta is soft on the inside, crunchy on the out. Good as it is on its own. Freshly baked ciabatta with fresh, juicy tuna chunks. This dish is PHENOMENAL. I have never been a fan of avocado, but I have to admit that I was overwhelmed by how avocado kind of tones down the taste of the tuna and yet bring the whole combination to a different level. It's insane. I'll go back anytime, anyday just for this. Its $21, and many will think it's expensive for a starter, BUT YOU HAVE TO TRY IT!!!


Okay, moving on.. Spruce is a great place for brunch. The outdoor dining area is extremely popular. On a typical Sunday, Spruce is PACKED. You definitely have to make a reservation. The crowd is usually more mature and sophisticated and I enjoy people-watching while having my meal. Their British Brekkie and Big Brekkie are the more popular choices and they're pretty good, with a variety of items.

Oh yes, not forgetting the banana hotcakes. Yummy.

Spruce has one of the worst menus ever, because they have so many awesome dishes and you'll want everything!! Always takes me a long time to decide what I want. I mean, with breakfast options like Spruce Signature Steak Benny, Greek yogurt, toasted bagel with smoked salmon and cream cheese.. You get my drift right?


I can't help but love how Spruce looks at night.




Kurobuta pork ribs
With mashed potato and corn. Really delightful dish but a pretty small portion for $38

Mushroom risotto.
The first mouthful tastes so so good but I got a bit sick of it towards the end.


Spruce burger

The dinner items are pretty good but I feel that their portions are too small.

I think they've made some changes to their menu so I'm not sure if these items are still available. BUT I pray that AHI TUNA TARTARE will always be available. I'll kill myself if this dish becomes extinct at Spruce. Can you imagine the horror??

Oh yeah Spruce has quite a number of desserts too. The sticky date pudding is pretty impressive,


Oops, I apologize for the blur photo

The chocolate tart which was okay.

I think their cakes aren't very nice but their ahi tuna tartare will make up for anything! BEST THING EVERRRR. Prices are on the high side but it's pretty worth it for the quality of food that you get.

Spruce is the perfect place for a nice Sunday brunch and it's definitely a great location for dinner too. Parking is available in the compound if you're driving. If not, there are public buses that go there! I think 111 does!

Something you HAVE to remember : MAKE A RESERVATION!

320 Tanglin Road
Phoenix Park

Weekdays 10:30am-10:30pm
Weekends 8:30am-10:30pm

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Love, The Sun

Sun's rating of Spruce : 8/10

Two Chefs

Two Chefs has been around for a pretty long time and I've been there quite a number of times. I simply can't get enough of their signature dishes. Of course I'll have to share such joy with The Star so one night I brought The Star there for dinner! Being a mountain tortoise he doesn't know Two Chefs exist(DUH) HAHAHA kidding

We love cockles and Two Chefs' cockles are a notch above any other cockles you would have eaten. Drunken cockles, served cold. The savory sauce, garlic and the yummy cockles, this dish sings! We can polish off 2 plates each! Haha lets just say it's so good we went back a few more times, JUST for the cockles. Haha

Sorry for the blur photo.. The photo doesn't do justice to this dish at all. Their famous dish : BUTTER PORK RIBS. I looooove it. Love how the chunks of buttery powder goes so well with the crispy pork. Trust me, you'll fall in love with this too. MUST TRY

This is another of their signature dishes. Its something like golden tofu with mushroom or something. Can't remember the name but yeah its tofu with golden mushrooms! I think it's just pretty normal. 

Omelette with prawns. A common and simple dish which tastes yeah, average.  

Two Chefs is the ideal place for dinner for a small group! Affordable and delicious! Butter pork ribs butter pork ribs butter pork ribs.. The thought of it is making me drool.. Can't wait to go there for dinner again soon!

Blk 116 Commonwealth Cresent

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Love, The Sun

Sun's rating of Two Chefs : 8/10

Papa Palheta

Listen up coffee lovers, here's the real deal.

Papa Palheta is THE coffee place that coffee lovers HAVE to visit

The Star and I were in town when we decided to head to Papa Palheta since it's near Newton. We turned in at Hooper Road and there were parking lots right there. We walked to the front of the building right next to the parking lots. We were searching for 140 but we did not see Papa Palheta. Instead, we saw a random sign on the door of a random shop that says something along the line that the entrance is at the back. We didn't think that that would be Papa Palheta. We double checked the map and all and here we are at the correct place but no sight of our destination. So we decided to walk to the back alley and there it was! Such an interesting idea to have the entrance located at the back. One of the reasons why I like this place for sure.





When we first stepped in, this was what greeted us. So laid back and I really adore the carefree atmosphere.

The whole layout of Papa Palheta is peculiarly intriguing. There are a few doors which lead you to different places. I was pretty lost as to where I could get the menu and I was too shy to ask for help, so to save myself any further embarrassment of walking around like a lost sheep, I walked back to our table and told The Star that I don't know what's going on HAHAHAHA. I know I phail.

While walking around like a lost sheep, I also took a few photos (act like I'm just taking photos but actually was desperately trying to look for a menu) but I guess I was in the wrong room to begin with haha





Love vintage-y things





So The Star went to get the coffee, just like how he's always the one ordering.

I never liked warm coffee so I was looking more towards having an iced latte or iced cappuccino. But they only serve warm coffee. A true coffee specialist indeed. Like the idea of how they want their customers to enjoy coffee at its best.

We got a cup of latte. We usually add sugar to our lattes and cappuccinos because they are just too bitter for us. However, this cup of latte changed our views on warm, sugarless coffee. It was SO good we finished it with no sugar at all. It was the first time I've ever drank anything without sugar(besides water duh) and I was really impressed by the aroma and taste of the coffee. When we both took a sip initially, we were like "err. I think we need sugar" but I'm really glad we decided not to add any sugar because after a few more sips, The Star said "actually don't need sugar, it's nice like that" and I was like YEAH! my sentiments indeed. It was definitely the best coffee I've ever tasted in my life. Not exaggerating. What a life changing experience.






The room where you're supposed to get your coffee



Papa Palheta operates on a 'tipping' basis. No one's gonna come after you with a bill or tell you how much your coffee cost. You place however much you think their coffee deserves or you will like to give them into the container at the counter. Our latte was so impressive we felt that it was well worth $6.

We like coffee but we sure aren't coffee connoisseurs and we might not know how to appreciate coffee or tell the difference between different beans and all, but one thing we do know is that we just had a really amazing cuppa coffee

Such awesome coffee coupled with a unique setting and laid back atmosphere, this is definitely the place one can spend a lazy afternoon with old friends and loved ones.

140 Bukit Timah Road
Tue-Fri 9am-6pm
Weekends 9am-7:30pm

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Love, The Sun

Sun's rating of Papa Palheta: 9.5/10

egg3 cafe

Brunch has officially became the favourite part of the weekends. Nothing beats sleeping in till the hot afternoon sun shines and heading out to a nice cosy place for your first bite of the day. Here we are again travelling to our supposedly brunch venue at the Egg3 cafe all excited and bubbly. Sadly, when we arrived there at 1pm, we were told that their breakfast menu is not available. Breakfast serving stops at 12. Not exactly the best start, but never mind, the Sun and I shall settle for their lunch.

Egg3 cafe is located at Mountbatten road, housed together in the premise with kindergartens and tuition schools. The location kind of reminds me of where Loysel's toy is at. A turn into a small lane from the main road and it literally takes you to another place. If you have been to loysel's you would know what i'm talking about. Avid reader of our blog would know by now how we shun those overpacked and hyped places, loving those hidden, quaint and quiet ones.

picture paints a thousand words. love the simple design, furniture and the cosy feeling.


part of the cafe has a retail space where they display items for sale.


Big tables ideal for group gatherings




lovely place






chair fit for a king








rustic looking clock which i like







we started off our lunch with the soup of the day. Mushroom soup! the sun's favourite. Their mushroom soup is tasty, unlike those boiled from a condensed chunk. It comes with chewy mushrooms shreds which gave the soup a really good texture. Definitely works in whetting our appetite for the mains.

Mushroom soup - $5.50


Fish and chip SGD - $13.90

choosing food can be such a chore, at times you dont know what you should get. And other times, you know straight on what you want once you read the menu. I was finding it hard to decide, and there wasn't any dish that stood out to me so i went for the safest bet among the lot, fish and chip. On that day, it pays to play it safe. The home-made battered fish was crispy and juicy and that fries that came along with it was pretty much just as good. Towards the end, i began to find the fried fish abit oily, but i still finished it nonetheless. It exceeded my expectation and i think i enjoyed the fish and chips.


Mixed seafood pasta - SGD $ 23

The Sun order a seafood pasta which came with a quite a generous serving of seafood. Like the fish and chip, the pasta was good on our taste buds. It was quite a safe option chosen by the sun, seafood with spaghetti and tomato puree sauce and it worked out well. However, we felt that it was too pricey. After all, we have had seafood pasta costing about the same price with twice the amount of seafood and pasta @ Sailors along Robertson quay. That was the little down side to the dish.

lava cake - SGD $ 7.50

The sun loves lava cakes. The moment i told her egg3's lava cake is one of their specialties, she knew she wanted to try it. Having worked at several ice-cream parlors and tasted many different ice creams, the sun has very high standards for the ice creams she chooses to put into her mouth. Many times, she ended up with the disappointed look when the ice cream falls below the bar she sets.

This time, though, there was no such disappointment. The vanilla ice cream was just okay enough and most importantly, the lava cake was delightful. The taste of the molten chocolate in your mouth is one filled with such euphoria. really, anyone who doesn't eat desserts is missing out on alot of joy. The serving however, is pretty small but good things come in small packages right? Also, you have to wait for about 10-20 minutes for the lava cake after ordering it so do order before you finish your entree. The heavenly lava cake we had at Gobi might have been the best we ever tasted, but egg3's lava cake is not too far behind. Worth a try if you are there.

231 Mountbatten road (guillemard crescent entrance)

block D , #01-06/07

Tue-Thu: 10:30 am - 9:30pm

Fri - Sat: 10:30am - 10:00pm

Sun: 9:00 am - 9:30pm

+65 62413823

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★ ★ rating of the food: 7/10

★ ★ rating of the place: 7.5/10

love,

★ ★

Gobi

Number one on my dessert list is a pretty little shop in Joo Chiat. Her name is Gobi. I was taken there by The Star for dessert after dinner on my birthday. We were trying to find the place and the pretty signboard caught my eyes and I went "It's here it's here!" And The Star was like "your eyes are pretty sharp!" Haha, oh please. How can anyone missed that signboard?



We managed to get a lot in the lane right next to Gobi and it was only about a 50 metres or less walk from our car to Gobi. Okay actually now I can't really visualise how far 50 metres is. HAHA but its just a short walk

We were amazed by the simple yet breathtaking design of Gobi.

REALLY PRETTY ISN'T IT.

The Star's face was priceless when he saw the wall and he kept saying that he wants a wall like that too. Okay, I draw for you? Haha

Plain white walls and furniture that are dolled up with cute decorations. Simplistic and at the same time, beautiful.









Highlight of the day #1

Creme Brulee Poire William

Never thought Creme Brulee will taste so good with pear. I was never a big fan of creme brulee, but this has changed my life. The crust was crunchy and the custard was soooo smooth and so good. It was love at first taste really. So so good. We couldn't get enough of it!

Highlight of the day #2


Molten Lava cake
A classic and I LOVE lava cakes. Gobi's lava cake was BRILLIANT. It was so good I was speechless. It was as if I was sinking into a bottomless pit of happiness as I savoured the cake. TOO GOOD. Everything about the cake was divine. The slightly crispy exterior with the warm and soft interior, together with the chocolate lava that was of the right temperature, texture and taste. Decadence at its epitome. With the cake melting in our mouths, we were both grinning from ear to ear

Blogging about Gobi now is a really bad idea. I am craving for their lava cake so badly..

If you haven't heard of Gobi, or have never tried it, I URGE YOU TO. Some things in life can't be missed out on. And Gobi is DEFINITELY one of them. The Star and I loved the design of the place, how it felt homely and welcoming and of course, we loved the dessert. In short, We loved GOBI. Disturbingly delightful indeed.

If only I stay in Joo Chiat..


350 Joo Chiat Road


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Love, The Sun

Sun's rating of GOBI: 9.5/10