Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Hatched

Hatched is a must-visit for brunch fanatics. Especially if you love eggs. You can have your eggs baked, fried, scrambled, however you like them! And guess whaaaaat, Hatched serves breakfast all day long! Means you get to enjoy all your favourite breakfast delights at anytime of the day! How awesome is that?

It was a sunny Tuesday afternoon and mummy decided to take The Star and I out for lunch. I decided on Hatched since The Star has never been there before(thoughtful #1 haha) Parking is available beside Evans Lodge and opposite Evans Lodge at CCAB.

It was pretty empty that afternoon, as it was a weekday. I've been there on a Saturday before and boy, was it crowded. I was glad it was pretty empty so we could enjoy our brunch in peace instead of being overwhelmed by loud conversations held by others.

I adore their menu. With its colourful designs, cute names for their dishes and thorough descriptions, this has gotta be one of my favourite menus! Plain and simple menus are really boring..

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Sir Benedict

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Smoked Royale

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Good ol' English Muffins with poached eggs. Hmmmm yum yum in my tum tum! We like the hollandaise sauce especially. Also, the poached eggs were almost perfect and not overcooked. It's no wonder eggs are their specialty! The homemade mashed potato was a good side to have.

I have had their pancakes before and I liked them. Although I had wanted pancakes, I was too full at the end of the meal to ingest anymore. Really weird, because there's always room for desserts in my stomach! Guess part of my stomach decided to sleep that day. Haha.

Anyway, if you'll like to have drinks, please don't order their hot chocolate or iced lemon tea. The hot chocolate tastes like it's made from hersheys syrup and the iced lemon tea came without lemon. So, err iced tea? I really hope they will improve on their drinks!

Well, we'll definitely be back for more! I have yet to try their baked eggs! Sounds yummy, no?

Hatched is a great place for brunch/dinner. And it's a good place for family meals too as their menu caters to your precious little ones. The prices are pretty decent and overall, it was a pleasant dining experience. The staff are attentive and approachable too!


26 Evans Road
Evans Lodge, Singapore 259367

Tues- Thurs, Sun : 8am - 10pm(last order -9.30)
Fri-Sat : 8am - 11pm (last order- 9.30)

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Love, The Sun

Sun's rating of Hatched : 8/10

Monday, October 10, 2011

Artichoke Cafe + Bar

Guess whose turn it was to plan the day? Yes, it was my turn. On a warm sunny Sunday afternoon, I was trying to direct The Star to Artichoke without revealing its road name and all. But I got mixed up with the directions for a bit and he kept bugging me "you tell me I sure know how to go!" IRRITATING. So in the end I reluctantly said "Middle Road" and he shouted "ARTICHOKE!" and I was like "no lahhhhhhhhh" Hahahaha and he confidently replied "CONFIRM. DON'T LIE" Hahaha hate how he's so knowledgeable in foodiology in Singapore.

So anyway, we parked by the road outside sculpture square. It was around 2 in the afternoon when we got there and it was pretty crowded. We opted for an indoor seat as it was pretty hot that day.

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The high tables and chairs

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A really big cup of hot chocolate

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Looks not bad but it was hardly average ):

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Iced coffee

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Scrambled eggs and smoked bacon chop -$18


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Hardcore scrambled eggs (view #1) -$28

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View #2

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Without the wild rocket

I've been to Artichoke for dessert before and I also tried their meat candy which is the bacon chop drizzled with maple syrup. I fell in love with the meat candy and have been wanting to go back again for it for a long time. When I saw the brunch menu, and there wasn't meat candy I was devastated (HAHA exaggerating a bit here) BUT I realised that the meat candy is actually the bacon chop! So yay I was happy again. Haha

Okay let's talk about the scrambled eggs with bacon. As you can infer from its name, its scrambled eggs with bacon chop haha. There were also toasts and tomatoes accompanying them. I thought that the toasts were pretty nice!

For my hardcore scrambled eggs. It was too hardcore for me. I couldn't finish my eggs haha. There were sausages, hash, mushroom, haloumi and my favourite bacon chop too! The buttered mushrooms and the haloumi were yummy. I'm not a fan of hashbrowns and I don't like them in my brunch so yeah. I really like the bacon chop but this time round, coupled with all the other items, I felt that it wasn't as nice as the first time I tasted it. A lil disappointing but I still like it. The portion of the hardcore scrambled eggs is huge and I had trouble finishing it. Recommended to be shared if you aren't one with a big stomach!

Overall, Artichoke is quite a good place for lunch. They are great for dinner too. The outdoor dining area is super chill at night. I like how it is kinda hidden away from the main road. Oh their desserts are not bad too! Think I had a pear and almond cake and a valrhona & hazelnut brownie with mascarpone vanilla the last time.

In addition, they give you a packet of gummies when you leave! Haha they come in a small paper bag with "Artichoke" stamped across. How cute is that

161 Middle Road
Singapore 188978
Inside Sculpture Square
(beside NAFA)

Brunch - Sat & Sun: 1130am -2.45 pm(last order)
Dinner: Tues – Sat: open at 630- 9.45(last order)
Closed on Mon 

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Love, The Sun

Sun's rating of Artichoke : 7/10

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Fei Fei Wan Tan Mee

Joo Chiat oh Joo Chiat..

The food paradise of the little red dot. I envy people who stay in the East really.

The Star and I were in the East, rehoming a Husky puppy when we decided to try the famous Fei Fei Wan Tan Mee. I was really excited because I've seen how crowded it gets at night. Must be really good right to receive such attention. Luckily for us, we found a parking lot by the stall just a few metres away. Even at an odd timing of 330pm in the afternoon, the place was pretty packed. The Star was very excited too and went to order right away once we found a table hahaha kiasu.

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I ordered a small bowl with ketchup while The Star got a large one with chilli
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When I first poked my noodles with my chopsticks, I wasn't very pleased. The noodles were in a clump and they were like pretty hard. So i started mixing my ketchup in, praying that the wanton mee will not disappoint me

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The noodles are a little thicker than your usual wanton mee and it's slightly chewier. Oh and the only lonely wanton in my noodles was not bad. That's about all that I like about it. The sauce was nothing special, and when mixed with the ketchup, I felt that it was reduced to very normal or common noodles, with nothing unique about it. Kok Kee wanton mee is way better. The Star seemed to think that the chilli version is not bad though.


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This was probably the best part of the meal. The fried wantons are really crispy and yummy. The portion of every wanton seems to be just right. The sweet chilli sauce that they provided is unique and goes really well with the wantons. We wanted to order another plate! A little oily though but they were satisfying. The Star secretly wanted to tabao. Don't think I don't know HAHA

We spent about $11++ and felt that it was reasonable.

I'd say they're worth a shot but don't get your hopes up. The top of my list is still Kok Kee wanton mee. Any recommendations on good wanton mee? Please share them with us!


62 Joo Chiat Place
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Love, The Sun

Sun's rating of Fei Fei : 6/10

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

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

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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.

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

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

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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,

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Oops, I apologize for the blur photo

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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

Sunday, October 2, 2011

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

Friday, September 30, 2011

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.
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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
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Love vintage-y things

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

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The room where you're supposed to get your coffee

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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