D9 Cakery at Hilton Singapore is known for its six-meter (yes, extensive at SIX) showcase featuring decadent desserts. This includes their signature Hilton cheesecakes, homemade patisserie items, pastries to pralines, chocolates and macarons.

Imagine that you can indulge in ALL these sweets and savouries in a Saturday high tea spread. Literally a dessert heaven.

Time to gather your friends for a (long-overdue) date at this Endless Saturday High Tea, which has just been launched at Hilton Singapore. *Every Saturday, 2 timings: 12pm to 2:30pm / 3pm to 5pm

What you can look forward include limitless rounds of sweets. That means all the available artisanal desserts from D9 Cakery’s 6m showcase, freshly baked scones, Teppanyaki ice cream, and a fountain flowing with lemon chocolate.

For those craving for the savouries, the highlights include Roasted Chicken Tortilla Wrap, Croque Monsieur, Pulled Pork Slider, Quiche, Sandwiches, Mini Salads and a Swiss Raclette Cheese station.

All these at prices that won’t break the bank. At $41++ per person, you also get free flow of coffee and tea with over 10 handpicked selections of TWG tea.

If you like some free flow bubbly, selected wines and beers, the price is still at a friendly $76++.

[Good news for DFD readers: Quote “DFDD9TEA” to enjoy the Endless Saturday High Tea at $60++ for 2 persons. Limited to first 50 redemptions.]

Here are 10 highlights you can look forward to the D9 Cakery Endless Saturday High Tea:

Hilton Famous Cheesecakes
These Hilton cheesecakes are known to be decadently rich in taste, fluffy in texture.

The four signatures you can look forward to include the Classic American, Blueberry, Caramel, and Pecan & Maple.

Cakes From The Patisserie
The struggle is real. The choices aplenty that you do not know where to start – Rainbow Cake, Ivory Coffee, Cassis Caramel, Green Tea Matcha, Red Velvet, Fudgy Chocolate, Lemon Tart, Strawberry Rhubarb, Crème Brûlée, and Crème Caramel.

Red Velvet and Green Tea Matcha are my personal recommendations.

Lemon Chocolate Fountain
Chef explained that he wanted something different from the usual. Not just chocolate or green tea. So here’s a 33% Valrhona white chocolate with lemon fountain, which you can dip into with homemade financier, marshmallows, and fresh strawberries.

Freshly Baked Scones
Homemade Vanilla and Raisin Scones with Clotted Cream and Marmalade. The scones are good stuff. And I liked that they were small enough for me to try a variety without feeling overly full.

Teppanyaki Ice Cream
Vanilla or chocolate ice cream ‘fried’ on a cold-stone grill, then presented as rolls in a cup. This is the first time D9 Cakery is introducing this dessert.

Gourmet Dessert Jars
Ultimate Chocolate Decadence (3 types of premium Valrhona chocolate 68% chocolate soy, caramelized hazelnuts and walnuts, crunchy fruity praline pastein a single jar), The Apple of My Eye (apple compote, Calvados apple brandy, fresh apple juice), Citrus Panna Cotta (lemon, orange, lime, grapefruit) and Cassis Chestnut (blackcurrant, ladyfinger sponge soaked in cranberry juice, whole Marron chestnuts).

Soft Pork Curry Bun
Possibly my favourite food item. All my friends had at least two. These buns were assembled live, with soft pork cubes cooked in curry, sandwiched in a soft bun, buttered then sprinkled on with floss.

Mini Chicken Hot Dog
Simple stuff that reminded me of my childhood days – tiny hotdogs with caramelised onions, ketchup and mustard.

Pulled Pork Slider

Swiss Raclette Cheese
The semi-hard cow’s milk cheese was first heated then scrapped off on food, including baguette, potatoes, cheese crackers, six types of European olives, onion pickles, capers, and cornichon (picked cucumbers).

Pricing for Endless Saturday High Tea
$41++ per adult with free flow of coffee and TWG teas
$76++ per adult with free flow of selected wines and beer
$21++ per child (aged 5 to 12 years old) | Children below the age of 5 dine for free

Promotion for DanielFoodDiary.com’s Readers – $60++ for 2 persons [DFDD9TEA]
– Quote “DFDD9TEA” to enjoy the Endless Saturday High Tea at $60++ for 2 persons
– Limited to first 50 bookings
– Minimum 2 person per booking to enjoy the offer
– 1 redemption per table
– Prior reservations required. Quote promo code to utilize offer

Opus X DanielFoodDiary.com Promo – FREE Champagne
In addition, if you are intending to dine at Opus Bar & Grill at Hilton Singapore, quote “DFDOPUS2” to enjoy 2 free glasses of Champagne with any order of steaks order of the signature 800g Rangers Valley Angus Op Rib.
– 1 redemption per table
– Limited to first 20 bookings
– Prior reservations required. Quote promo code to utilize offer
– Can be used in conjunction with Opus Turns 2 Promo package

D9 Cakery At Hilton Singapore
581 Orchard Road, Hilton Singapore, Lobby Level, Singapore 238883
Tel: +65 6730 3392
Email: D9Cakery@hilton.com
Opening Hours (D9 Cakery): 9:30 am – 9:30 pm (Mon – Sun)
http://www.singapore.hilton.com/restaurants

Endless Saturday High Tea
1st seating: 12pm – 2:30pm; 2nd seating: 3:00pm – 5:00pm

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Hilton Singapore.

The post D9 Cakery – Endless Saturday High Tea At Hilton Singapore. DFD Promo At $60++ For 2 appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

It was a $38 Egg Caviar. I needed time to deliberate the potential order, and told the waitress ”I need a few more minutes.” Plus, this tiny one was $35 just a week ago.

One of New York’s most celebrated chefs, Jean-Georges Vongerichten has opened The Dempsey Cookhouse & Bar at COMO Dempsey.

COMO Dempsey at Block 17 has integrated Michelin-starred Candlenut, Ippoh Tempura Bar By Ginza Ippoh, and this restaurant-and-bar by acclaimed Michelin chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten in a single place.

We should probably see some stars here in the next run of Singapore Michelin Guide.

Back to the Egg Caviar, my friend and I went ahead to order it. The rationale being, it was so difficult to reserve a seat here, that we might as well try the signature. In case we would never return.

Oh that note, I called but was given very late slots for reservations. After I got one, there was constant reminder than we needed to vacate the table in 90 minutes. The restaurant was only about half full though (even as we left), and so I wondered.

The Egg Caviar ($38) was finished in less than 3 minutes. That worked out to be about $14-15 per minute?

A tiny delicacy – does size equate price or value, I leave it to you to decide. It came with the top of the egg shell removed, piped in with whipped cream with hints of vodka and lemon juice, topped with a teaspoon of (osetra?) caviar.

The quality and taste was refined, delicate, luxe-mouthful but yes expensive. I could imagine this being one of the courses of a Michelin 2 or even 3 star restaurant. It set a positive note to the rest of the meal.

The waitress recommended the Guacamole with Tortillas ($14), something I would not have ordered otherwise. After all, this was ‘cinema food’? But she was so bubbly I couldn’t refuse.

It turned out to be a fun and worthy choice. The avocado dip with petit pois was smooth and flavoursome, and found it hard to stop munching on the chips.

My favourite dish of the dinner was the Black Truffle and Fontina Pizza ($26), perhaps also because this was different from the usual fine-dining dishes of small portions and occasionally unsatisfying taste.

This was grubby, and you could get your hands dirty.

The sides of the pizza were slightly charred, though overall still crisp on the rim and chewier towards the centre.
The toppings of truffle sauce (cans of truffle peeling, with white truffle oil) with semi-soft melty Fortina cheese were part earthy, part umami.

French Chef Vongerichten is said to have invented the molten chocolate cake in New York City, though others have argued that such a dish already existed in France.

The Warm Chocolate Cake ($14) became a necessary order, just to taste what the fuss was about.

It didn’t scream life-changing, but was a respectable choice. Also, because I had so many mediocre (even un-flowy) ones in Singapore, this turned out to be expectedly richer and better.

Designed by renowned architect and designer Paola Navone, the open kitchen concept, prompt (and plenty of) service staff, upbeat music made dining here rather New-Yorkish.

Loved the vibes, liked the food. I was initially worried it would just be another over-hyped place, but this turned out to be quite worth its fanfare.

The Dempsey Cookhouse & Bar
Block 17D Dempsey Road Singapore 249676
Tel: 1800 304 5588
Opening Hours: Lunch (available from end March) 12.00pm – 2.30pm (Mon – Sun)
Dinner 6.00pm – 9.30pm (Sun – Thurs), 6:00pm – 10:30pm (Fri, Sat, Eve of PH, PH)

Bar 5.00pm – 12.00am (Mon – Sun)

Other Related Entries
The Lighthouse (Fullerton Hotel)
Fat Lulu’s (River Valley)
Mo’mor Izakaya (Tanglin Road)
Spago by Wolfgang Puck (Marina Bay Sands)
Jamie’s Italian (Forum Shopping Mall)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post The Dempsey Cookhouse & Bar – Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten Opens Restaurant In Singapore, With Signature Egg Caviar And Truffle Pizza appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

After a short break, Wild Rocket by Chef Willin Low has returned, offering freshly-made pasta dishes.

In between, the lawyer-turn-chef Willin has reflected and rejuvenated with travels from Japan to the Northern Lights, to get further inspirations on both food and life.

He probably needed that rest, after being involved in many projects from urban contemporary local dishes with PO at Warehouse Hotel, home-grown Roxy Laksa at Timbre+ to curry puffs at petrol stations. Add the occasional appearances on television shows and movies.

Willin was kind of everywhere.

When asked why he would introduce pastas in his Mod-Sin restaurant Wild Rocket, ”Our Mod Sin pasta have been very well received so we thought how else to make it better. Since my sous chefs and I came from Italian restaurants background we thought, let’s do it.”

He added that he loved freshly made pasta, but it was hard to find that in Singapore even at some Italian restaurants.

”We are probably the only non-Italian restaurant making fresh pasta.”

You can experience the pasta from the ala carte menu ($29 – $30++), as part of the dinner four-course meal ($73++), or the Omakase meal ($128 for nine-course).

The 3 new signatures include Spanner Crab Ravioli & Daun Kesom Ravioli In Laksa Broth ($30), Thai Red Curry Duck Confit Fettuccine ($29), and Har Ji Spaghetti with Bottarga (cured fish roe), Prawns and Kaffir ($30). There would be some occasional specials, so you may like to check with the staff.

My favourite was the Thai Red Curry Duck Confit Fettuccine ($29). After a trip to Italy, I could attest that you almost cannot turn back after having so many types of freshly-made pasta – the bite, the chew, the mouthful is just different.

It managed to marry the richness, intensity and spiciness of this Thai dish well into the pasta, still full of flavours but not overly fiery. (Though some might still feel that notch of heat.)

I liked that there were Thai pea eggplants within, one of my favourite components in the Thai green curry, this time soft and easy on the bite.

Wild Rocket also has great affinity with Laksa. They always open the restaurant with a new Laksa dish, from Laksa Pesto Linguine to Laksa Uni Risotto.

This time, you get to experience Spanner Crab Ravioli & Daun Kesom Ravioli In Laksa Broth ($30). A tad pricey, but there are two types of hand-hand ravioli in a single dish – one with crab and prawns, the other with laksa pesto.

The broth was light yet lemak (coconuty-rich), as though as you are having a more delicate version of Roxy Laksa.

The other two pasta dishes that I tried, a Har Ji Spaghetti ($30) and Rendang Oxtail Pappardelle ($28) bordered on being more ordinary.

While inspired by the Hong Kong style shrimp egg roe noodles, the Har Ji Spaghetti felt ‘limp’, and the roe somehow couldn’t ‘lift’ up the taste as what I would have imagined.

Desserts can bring you back to childhood with Milo Dinosaur with Chocolate Tau Tew Tempeh Crunch Ice Cream ($16) and Pisang Cekodok Banana Kueh with Pineapple Sorbet & Salted Caramel ($16).

Wild Rocket
The Hangout Hotel, 10A Upper Wilkie Road, Singapore 228119
Tel: +65 6339 9448
Opening Hours: Lunch 12.00pm – 3.00pm Last Seating 2:00pm (Tues – Sat)
Dinner 6.30pm – 10.30pm Last Seating 9:30pm (Mon – Sat, Closed Sun)
Reserve Online Now – Wild Rocket

Other Related Entries
Wild Rocket (Upper Wilkie Road)
PO (Warehouse Hotel)
Candlenut (Dempsey)
National Kitchen by Violet Oon (National Gallery)
New Ubin Seafood (Sin Ming)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post Wild Rocket – Mod-Sin Restaurant Offers Pasta Dishes, From Laksa Ravioli To Thai Curry Fettuccine appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Good news for those craving for authentic Sichuan style Mala hotpot, the popular Da Miao Hotpot from Chengdu China has opened at Clarke Quay.

The highlight is its Mala soup base, said to contain more than twenty spices, added with special plant oil and herbs. Therefore, it is not that greasy, yet still quintessentially Sichuan.

If you fear for your tickling tongue, you can always opt for a “modified to local taste” option, or have it the “original Chinese way” if you are up for the challenge. You decide.

Of course, there are also choices of Pig Bones, Tomato and Mushroom soup bases.

Ingredients-wise, get the Beef or Fresh Shrimp Paste ($18) – a flat block of freshly-minced meat paste, made without additional starch so that you can still savour the original favours after being cooked in the soup bases.

Come at night, and you will be entertained by traditional Sichuan performances of “Bian Lian” (literally meaning mask changing), and Chinese long-sprout tea pouring ceremony by professional “Stage Artists”.

Da Miao Hotpot 大妙火锅
Clarke Quay Block C #01-11, 3 River Valley Rd, Singapore 179024
Tel: +65 6250 9969
Opening Hours: 11:00am – 10:00pm Daily

Other Related Entries
5 Best Steamboat aka Hotpot Restaurants In Singapore
Beauty In The Point (Centrepoint)
Imperial Treasure Steamboat Restaurant (Great World City))
Steam Box (Serangoon Gardens)
Hai Di Lao (Vivocity)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. This was a hosted meal by Clarke Quay.

The post Da Miao Hotpot 大妙火锅 – Authentic Sichuan Hotpot At Clarke Quay Loaded With Entertainment appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Escape Restaurant & Lounge at One Farrer Hotel & Spa may not be at down-town area, but boasts of a spread with interactive kitchen that can make a trip there worthwhile.

(Click PLAY for highlights of Escape Restaurant & Lounge)

First things first, the restaurant is open 24 hours a day which means you can head over for a special Teochew porridge supper if you are having hunger pangs at midnight, as it is available from 11:00pm to 3:00am from March 29th 2017 onwards.

There is also an a la carte menu available, where you can still have your fill at the most uncommon hours.

In terms of set up, there is little boundary between the kitchen and dining room.

You know how sometimes you feel like you are walking for eternity to get food from the spread? The comfortable distance here feels like you are dining right at home.

Thus the name “Escape Restaurant & Lounge”, which aims to be a departure from everyday dining experiences by erasing those boundaries.

You can watch the chefs preparing the dishes right behind the counters in this interactive kitchen.

Other than a spread of all-you-can-eat items, you can order the “Chef’s Speciality Dishes” which will be served ala carte. (Those featured here are the Durian Fried Rice, KL Tai Lok Noodles, and Seafood Chilli Crab Noodles, though the dishes will change on a rotational basis.)

Here are 8 other (FOOD) reasons to escape to Escape Restaurant & Lounge:

Durian Fried Rice (served ala carte)
You inner heart may be screaming, but hold your opinions first before you try this Durian Fried Rice – whether you like this yellow, pungent (or aromatic) fruit or not.

Yes, durian flesh fried together with rice. Add generous portion of seafood such as scallops and prawns.

One thing for sure, the moment the plate was served, the steam from the piping hot rice was releasing this particularly distinct ‘scent’ of sweet durian and fragrant egg rice. It was almost unforgettable. I am not a durian lover, but actually found that aromatically-appetising.

So this is one of those combination dishes that made a difference on the smell, other than taste.

My tiny suggestion would actually be to increase the amount of durian by a notch, so that diners can taste the fruit more obviously.

KL Tai Lok Noodles (served ala carte)
Two words – wok hei.

The dark-sauced “Tai Lok Mee” which is popular in Kuala Lumpur, is not easy to find over at Singapore. It is therefore a pleasant surprise to realise this comforting dish is available at Escape.

This dish is cooked with Executive Chef Elson’s personal secret recipe.

The other ‘secrets’ to an authentic KL Tai Lok Noodles include using quality dark sauce, crispy pork lard, and of course proficient wok-frying skills.

Unlike some typical stalls which would just fry the noodles with black sauce, the chef here would cook the ingredients in a rich soup stock and sauce till dry, allowing the noodles to absorb the flavours more thoroughly. Slurp.

Seafood Chilli Crab Noodles (served ala carte)
Of the 3 dishes served ala carte, this was my favourite.

It combines the Singapore favourite spicy chilli crab sauce with thick noodles, which I would describe as a cross between Japanese udon and ‘bee tai mak’.

I liked how the dish was saucy, and the base eggy with sweet tomato flavours. I also wondered if it would have worked better with thinner vermicelli.

Seafood
Cold seafood spread prawns, mussels and oysters, alongside freshly sliced salmon, tuna, yellowtail and sea bream sashimi.

Local Specialty Dishes
I find Escape quite strong in their local hawker fare, comparatively. Having these dishes cooked before your eyes at the live-cooking stations add the elements of interaction, customisation and freshness.

You can expect a range from Chicken Rice, Roast Pork Rice, Noodles (include mee rebus, laksa on rotational basic), and Popiah – where you can wrap them yourself.

Western Favourites
Instead of just one, there are two styles of pizza – thin-crust and a thicker home-made crust.

Just across from the pizza counter is the live-pasta station, where you can have pasta customised the way you want it – from Aglio Olio, Bolognese to Carbonara.

Indian Cuisine
A small but sufficient spread of Indian cuisines from Lamb Gulai, Ayam Masak Merah, Chicken Tikka, Yellow Dhal, Mushroom Mattar, Vegetable Jalfrezi, and Briyani Rice.

Do not miss out the freshly -prepared Naan baked in the tandoor at the back of the live kitchen.

Desserts
I have the feeling that some may miss out this section, so let me direct you to the back of the restaurant where the sweet treats are.

You will get a changing selection of both European and local style desserts, from Chocolate Mousse, Red Velvet, Mango Mousse, Carrot to Rose Raspberry Mousse Cakes, Peranakan Kueh Kueh, Pulut Hitam to four flavours of ice cream.

Pricing for Escape Restaurant & Lounge

Sunday to Thursday
Lunch: $50++ per adult (inclusive of free flow soft drinks), $25++ per child (5-11 years old)
Dinner: $65++ per adult (inclusive of free flow soft drinks), $32.50++ per child (5-11 years old)

Friday, Saturday, PH Eve & PH
Lunch: $50++ per adult (inclusive of free flow soft drinks), $25++ per child (5-11 years old)
Dinner: $68++ per adult (inclusive of free flow soft drinks), $34++ per child (5-11 years old)
(Prices are accurate as of March 2017.)

Good news for DFD readers! Enjoy 1-for-1 meal when you dine at Escape Restaurant & Lounge in the month of April (1st – 30th April 2017). Use the promo code “DFDEscape” when making your reservations to enjoy this exclusive.

Terms and Conditions for “DFDEscape” promotion
• “DFDEscape” promotion is valid daily from 1st April 2017 till 30th April 2017
• Prior reservation is required and subjected to availability
• Please quote “DFDEscape” via phone reservation or email reservation to enjoy the discount
• Discount is applicable for lunch or dinner food spread only
• Minimum of 2 diners per reservation
• DFD promotion is not valid with other in-house discounts, promotions, privileges, loyalty programmes and vouchers

Escape Restaurant & Lounge
1 Farrer Park Station Road, One Farrer Hotel & Spa, Singapore 217562 (Farrer Park station)
Tel: +65 6705 7828
escape@onefarrer.com
Opening Hours: Breakfast 6:00am – 10:30am, Lunch 12:00pm – 2:30pm, Tea 3:00pm – 5:00pm
Dinner 6:00pm – 10:00pm, Supper 10pm – 5am
(Special Teochew porridge supper from 11:00pm – 3:00am)
http://www.onefarrer.com/en/escape.html

One Farrer Hotel & Spa Food Street (24th & 25th March)
‘Escape’ to the yesteryears with One Farrer Hotel & Spa’s Food Street happening on 24th (Fri, 5pm – 10pm) and 25th March (Sat, 11am – 10pm)

You can savour your favourite hawker dishes, along with Executive Chef Elson’s 3 specialties of Durian Fried Rice, KL Tai Lok Noodles and Seafood Chilli Crab Noodles at affordable pricings.

All purchases can be made using ‘Farrer Dollars’, available at $20 per booklet on sale at the ‘Moneychangers’ counter at the Food Street event, or bought in advance from One Farrer Hotel & Spa.

To purchase the ‘Farrer Dollars’ booklets, email fnbevents@onefarrer.com or call +65 6705 7825

* The entry is brought to you in partnership with One Farrer Hotel & Spa.

The post Escape Restaurant & Lounge – Interactive Kitchen With Durian Fried Rice, Chilli Crab Noodles And KL Tai Lok Noodles appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

This is for the steak lovers. Opus Bar & Grill at the Hilton Singapore offers one of the best dry aged beef around, and at value-for-money pricing for the quality you are getting.

Not even all steak houses in Singapore dry-age their own meats, and Opus is the first grill in Singapore to boost of a bespoke Himalayan salt-tiled aging cabinet.

[Promo: Celebrate #OPUSTURNS2. From now till 31 March, with any order of the signature 800g Rangers Valley Angus OP Rib, enjoy TWO complimentary side dishes, with 2-hour free flow wines (Sun to Thu) OR 50% off selected wine by the bottle (Fri & Sat).]

(Click PLAY for highlights of Opus Grill)

So what does dry-aging do to beef?

Dry-aged beef typically has a more outstanding depth of flavour. The process allows natural enzymes present in the meat to work its magic by breaking down the muscle tissue, before the large cuts are being trimmed and cut into steaks.

This results in both improved texture and flavour, compared to say fresh beef.

Opus Bar & Grill dry ages their 800g OP rib for 14 to 36 days within their customized cabinets, before cooking the meats over an open-flame charcoal grill. The cabinet not only helps to deter bacterial growth, and also infuses the meat with a hint of Himalayan-salty notes.

Over at Opus, the Beef Selection includes the
– Signature 800g Ranger Valley Angus OP rib dry-aged, marble score 4 ($120 for 2 persons)
– 1 to 1.2kg Rangers Valley Angus T-Bone steak, marble score 3 ($120 for 2 persons)
– 220g Kobe Cuisine Australian Wagyu Rib-eye, marble score 6 ($92)
– 250g Grainge Angus 150 days grain-fed, Rib-eye ($58)
– 220g Grainge Angus 150 days grain-fed, Tenderloin ($62)
– 220g U.S Great Omaha, 100 days corn-fed ($68 for Sirloin, $88 for Rib-eye, $78 for Tenderloin $78)

If this would be your first time here, the dry-aged Rangers Valley Angus OP Rib with a Marble Score of 4 was the recommended favourite.

The grain-fed Australian prime cut was all-in-all flavourful, juicy and tender, complete with smokey flavour.

There are sauces such as béarnaise, garlic herb butter, black truffle & mushroom, green peppercorn, and bone marrow with red wine for accompaniments, but I would recommend savouring the melt-in-your mouth slices on their own for the initial few pieces.

In terms of price, the 800g meant for two diners was a sizable slab – which you could take your time to slowly appreciate during dinner. I don’t think you can get some portions of steak at this price in the town area.

Other than the main itself, sides are definitely important (to me at least) for a fulfilling steak meal.

They are reasonably priced at $6 each, and you can choose from Mac & Cheese, Garlic Mash Potato, Truffle Fries, Arugula with vine tomatoes and shaved parmesan, Baby Green Salad, Portobello Mushroom, Grilled Green Asparagus, and Smoked Risotto, Leek & Pecorino.

If you are not a steak person, there are other starters and mains such as the Tartar of Bluefin Tuna ($17), Tandoori Chicken Skewer ($16, $22), Roasted Sakura Chicken ($48 for 2), 36 Hours Pork Belly ($36), and sustainable seafood choices – cooked over the open-flame charcoal grill.

As if the flames on the grill are not enough, you can end the meal with a sweet treat of Bombe Alaksa ($14) flambé for a more dramatic effect, layered with cream cheese ice cream and mandarin orange sorbet below.

Opus Bar & Grill
Hilton Singapore Lobby Level, 581 Orchard Road Singapore 238883
Tel: +65 6730 3390
Email: Opus@hilton.com
Opening Hours: Dinner 6:30pm – 10:30pm (Mon – Sun)
Bar 10:00am – 12:00am (Mon – Sun)
http://www.singapore.hilton.com/restaurants

Opus Turns 2 Promo
From now till 31 March, celebrate #OPUSTURNS2 with any order of the signature 800g Rangers Valley Angus OP Rib, dry-aged for 18 to 36 days in a Himalayan salt tile cabinet to enjoy:
– TWO complimentary side dishes and;
– Special wine package*:
– *2-hour free flow wines (Sun to Thu)
– *50% off selected wine by the bottle (Fri & Sat)

Opus X DanielFoodDiary.com Promo
Quote “DFDOPUS2” to enjoy 2 free glasses of Champagne with any order of the signature 800g Rangers Valley Angus Op Rib..

Terms & Conditions
– 1 redemption per table
– Limited to first 20 bookings
– Prior reservations required. Quote promo code to utilize offer
– Can be used in conjunction with Opus Turns 2 Promo package

Hint: When you dine at Opus, remember to join their #OPUSTURNS2 Facebook & Instagram contest and stand a chance to WIN a $100 dinner voucher.

D9 Cakery – Endless Saturday High Tea. Promotion for DanielFoodDiary.com’s Readers – $60++ for 2 persons [DFDD9TEA]
– Quote “DFDD9TEA” to enjoy the Endless Saturday High Tea at $60++ for 2 persons
– Limited to first 50 bookings
– Minimum 2 person per booking to enjoy the offer
– 1 redemption per table
– Prior reservations required. Quote promo code to utilize offer

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Hilton Singapore.

The post Opus Bar & Grill – Savour Dry Aged Steak, At $120 For 2 With FREE FLOW Wines & FREE 2 Sides At Hilton Singapore appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

My friends are fans of New Ubin Seafood.

When news of Garang Grill by New Ubin Seafood came along, we mai tu liao (waited no longer) made our way to Swan Lake Avenue. One literally from Jurong. Faster than the fumes (Sorry, bad joke.)

Garang Grill is New Ubin Seafood’s dream of a good neighbourhood grill, done in collaboration with Slake and its chef Jeremy Cheok. Though technically, Jeremy is considered part of the New Ubin Team now.

The word “Garang” can mean “fierce” or “powerful”. As its name suggests, Garang Grill offers fierce, bold charcoal flavours that is truly Singaporean, made possible by the acquisition of a traditional Spanish Mibrasa charcoal oven.

This is supposedly a 3-month pop-up, and dishes would change here and there. Though I have the feeling it would stay – due to the demand.

The recommended items include Chilli Crab Rillet with deep fried mini mantou ($14), Oyster-Uni-Ikura with ponzu dressing ($58 per half dozen), Garang Chilli Wings ($12 for 6 pieces), Crispy Pork Jowl ($12, appetiser 125gms) and USDA Beef – Prime Rib / Short Ribs ($18/100gms and $12/100gms respectively).

My warning to all is: If you are on a diet, trying to lose weight etc etc, don’t come here.

The USDA Short Ribs ($12/100gms) seemed to be more charred with a smokier flavoured take than New Ubin Seafood‘s USDA Rib Eye. Tasted ‘fiercer’ and bolder.

The amount of fats in proportion was astonishing, but there was also what made the ribs so melt-in-the-mouth. I would borrow the phrase of “finger licking good” to describe this.

Even though there was no wok used (no fumes too, and less risks of complaints), their Garang Rice (complimentary with order of beef, or $12 for a 300gm bowl meant for 2) cooked with rendang oil, chilli oil and fresh chilli padi, tasted as though there was wok hei.

If New Ubin Seafood has their Heart Attack Fried Rice, this is a version that reduce the risk of that heart attack – less oily, less rich.

I preferred this spicier bowl from Garang actually – it felt that HPB would more likely approve it, while my friends liked the rustic taste of the original.

BBQ St Louis Pork Ribs ($38 for half ribs) while still relatively tender, could have been less dry and more fall off the bone.

I wasn’t too sure about the accompany Gula Melaka mustard sauce. It sounded promising on paper, but didn’t gel totally well with the meat.

You can however, top is off with New Ubin Seafood’s house smoked sea salt to add that layer of smokiness. Yes, we did a #SaltBae but failed.

The Chilli Crab Rillet ($14) was a fun take on our national dish, and one of those unusual cases of not-enough-mantou for the crab sauce. Give me more!

Supporters of New Ubin Seafood might be curious enough to make a visit to the East. My friends mentioned that some dishes “can fight, or are even better”.

I find the experience rather different – in a positive way. More chill, a varied sort of satisfaction.

Garang Grill by New Ubin Seafood
15 Swan Lake Avenue, Singapore 455711
Tel: +65 9245 0184
Opening Hours: Lunch 11.30am – 3.00pm, Last Order2.30pm
Dinner 6.30pm – 10.30pm, Last Order 10:00pm (Tue – Sun), Closed Mon

Other Related Entries
PocoLoco (Jurong)
One Night Only (River Valley)
Tenderfresh Classic (Our Tampines Hub)
Otto Deli Fresh (Holland Village)
Chalong (Tanjong Pagar Centre)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post Garang Grill by New Ubin Seafood – Bold Charcoal Flavours, Tasty Meats And Garang ‘Heart Attack’ Rice appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

[NEW] Following the success of the Coco Chanel Café at Tokyo Ometesando, Singapore will have its own pop-up Coco Cafe at Visual Arts Centre, Dhoby Ghaut Green.

So lock these dates in if you are a fan of Coco Chanel – 8 to 16th April 2017.

While the food and beverage menus have yet to be announced, you can get a chance to try one of the company’s newest range of products – a line of lip glosses called Rouge Coco Gloss.

The café will literally serve all 24 varieties of the new lip gloss line for guests to try out themselves, known for its non-sticky, ultra-light formula.

It will also pre-launch exclusively the Chanel Cruise Makeup collection, Les Indispensables de L’été.

According to the Coco Channel website, you can select your preferred time slot at http://chanelbeautysg.com/events/cococafe to get priority entry, and enjoy a complimentary drink on the house.

For slots that are fully reserved, walk-ins are still welcome. Suspect it will be very crowded though.

Coco Chanel Café Singapore
Visual Arts Centre Singapore, 10 Penang Road, #01-02 Dhoby Ghaut Green, Singapore 238469
Dates: 8 – 16 April 2017 (Sat – Sun)
Opening Hours: 11am – 8pm Daily

Other Related Entries
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Luxe Sydney (Keong Siak Road)
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Hello Kitty Orchid Garden (Changi Airport T3)
L’ÉCLAIR by Sarah Michelle (Clemenceau Avenue)

The post Coco Chanel Café Singapore – Drink Tea And Try The Lip Glosses, At Dhoby Ghaut appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

I needed to do a double take when I thought I saw Joshua Khoo, the (previous) owner of Saveur, Concetto and Saveur Art at Ion Orchard slogging out at a hawker stall at Amoy Street Food Centre.

”Joshua?” It turned out to be him, and he waved back with a big smile, but quickly went back to cooking to rush out the orders.

Several questions ran through my mind, and I decided to return on another day when he would be less busy.

Shatec graduates Joshua Khoo and Dylan Ong got into the limelight few years ago, when they went from a coffee shop stall to setting up Saveur – which specialised in selling French cuisine at affordable pricing.

Saveur became a hit, and the restaurant subsequently expanded from its Purvis shop to branches and differing concepts at Far East Plaza, The Cathay, and Saveur Art at Ion Orchard.

The last I saw Joshua, he was in a suit at ION Orchard, a stark difference to the hawker dressed in a casual black tee.

He told me his story, but I choose not to dwell about it here. To answer any burning questions you may have, Saveur has been handed over to another partner; while Dylan would be setting up another new eatery The Masses at Beach Road. They are still great friends.

It may sound like starting from square one all over, but Joshua remains optimistic, ”I trust steadily in God.”

Taste Affair at Level 2 of Amoy Street Food Centre, is formed by Joshua and Joel Tan, focusing on serving European style food with Asian ingredients.

Prices remain very affordable, with most items priced at $5 – $7.

I thought that the stall’s location might have a slight disadvantage, as it would be visually blocked by a queue during peak lunch hours – from their very, very popular neighbour Han Kee Fish Soup.

Great that the stall opens as early as 7:30am for breakfast, serving Poached Egg with Hollandaise Sauce, Streaky Bacon or Chorizo Sausage & Toasted Bread ($5). For those who need a grab a bite before work.

For lunch, a selection of flavoured rice and angel hair pasta dishes are offered.

I would recommend the Boneless Poached Chicken Leg with Chorizo Sausage, Sauté mushroom with Angel Hair Pasta. All these for a super value-for-money $6.

After having this, I immediately texted a few friends to, ”You must try this.”

Tender chicken pieces, sumptuous and soft sautéed mushrooms, with al dente angel hair pasta cooked in jus for that extra flavour.

For those who would prefer something slightly wetter, get the Clam with Sauté Mushroom & Angel Hair Pasta ($6) which was cooked in a clam soup base. Add a runny sous vide egg to complete the dish.

As cliché as it may sound, this is like having restaurant quality food in a hawker centre. Do be prepared to wait a while, as every dish would be prepared a la minute, served with pride.

(This is such as inspiration. Despite the setback, what I still see is optimism, hope, and that deep passion for cooking. How many of us can say, “Let’s start all over again.” The strength and faith are admirable. I know with all that, they can make it big, and even bigger than before one day.)

Taste Affair
Amoy Street Food Centre, 7 Maxwell Road #02-128, Singapore 069111
Tel: +65 9139 5870
Opening Hours: 7am – 3pm (Mon – Fri), 11am – 3pm (Sat)

Other Related Entries
Hong Kee Beef Noodle (Amoy)
Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle (Chinatown Food Complex)
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Fish Ball Story (Timbre+)
Roxy Laksa (Timbre+)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post Taste Affair – Saveur’s Co-Founder Opens Stall Serving Affordable European Fare, At Amoy Street Food Centre appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

The team from halal certified The Ramen Stall at North Bridge Road has started out a new abode (literally opposite their current), serving up their rendition of Cantonese style cuisine with a localized twist to suit the wider community in Singapore.

The Dim Sum Place, has also plans to be halal-certified and is the midst of application.

“Huh, Dim Sum with no pork?”

My friend gave me a skeptical look and I could understand why.

While pork has been a key ingredient in mainstream Cantonese cuisine, it is interesting to see if replacing it with other ingredients would achieve a similar end product.

The menu is extensive with possibly over a hundred items available (during soft launch, only half the menu items are offered), which reminded me of a similar Swee Choon Tim Sum Restaurant at Jalan Besar – popular with supper goers.

You get varied selection such as Dim Sum, Noodles, Congee, Stir-fried dishes, Claypot dishes and Roasts.

For Dim Sum offerings, one can find the usual “yum cha” staples with a twist of ingredients used. Think Chicken Siew Mai ($3.90), Duck “Chee Cheong Fan” ($6.90) and Beef Congee ($8.90).

Beef congee is definitely not so common, and I was surprisingly impressed.

I loved how the congee had a silky smooth texture. Not forgetting the generous amount of tender beef slices paired with an egg, that would serve as a light nutritious meal.

The Beef Brisket Noodle Soup ($12.90) won everyone over with its savory soup that packed a punch with a rich herbal note, similar to what we usually get from Malaysian herbal style of ‘Bak Kut Teh’.

In addition, the collagen from beef brisket would probably appeal to those who are hoping for some smooth skin.

For the less adventurous, Wonton Noodle Soup ($6.90) would be your best bet with plump juicy prawn wanton and springy noodles.

The soup tasted slightly alkaline, but that would be the kind of flavor which we usually get from noodles stalls in Hong Kong? So I would say it had a certain level of authenticity?

In addition, I liked how they paid attention to details by serving extra condiments such as chopped chili padi and fried garlic slices together with noodles and congee to give an extra “oomph” to the flavor.

For mains, one can choose from the range of claypot dishes such as Lamb in Spicy Black Bean Sauce ($13.90), Stir-fried Prawn with Fish Fillet and Eggplant ($24.90) or Mongolian Chicken ($8.90).

Even a simple Garlic Egg Fried Rice ($8.90) was rich in smoky wok hei, luscious with garlic aroma. But probably not advised if you are going into a meeting later.

Spice lovers should definitely have a go at the Spiced Four Heavenly Kings ($7.90), where an assortment of vegetables such as long beans, eggplant, lady fingers and petai beans were stir-fried in sambal chili and topped with fried minced dried shrimp.

A savory blend of spiced vegetables which would definitely go well with plain rice.

While cheese tarts are already passé, their TDSP Cheese Tarts ($4.90 for 2) left an impression with its warm creamy cheese fillings on crusty buttery base.

Oh and, cheaper than BAKE Cheese Tart.

The Dim Sum Place
791 North Bridge Road, Singapore 198281
Tel: +65 6655 8787
Opening Hours: 11am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 11pm Daily
https://www.facebook.com/791DSP/

Other Related Entries
Canton Paradise (Marina Bay Sands)
Swee Choon Tim Sum Restaurant (Jalan Besar)
Tim Ho Wan (Plaza Singapura)
Lukyu Teahouse & Restaurant (Chinatown Point)
Bao Today (Hotel Rendezvous)

* Written by Lewis Tan @juicyfingers, a self-proclaimed coffee addict. Daniel’s Food Diary pays for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post The Dim Sum Place – Late Night Dim Sum at North Bridge Road With Extensive Menu, Pending Halal Certification appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

The search for Don Ho at 1 Keong Saik Road is real.

After all, the address is The Working Capitol with multiples restaurants such as Man Man by Teppei (forever long queue), Luxe Sydney, The Daily Roundup and Loloku under one roof.

From the photos on their Facebook Page, I reckoned that they are probably sharing the same space as Loloku, given the same garden-like wallpaper (sans the pinky flamingos), but was told by the staff at Loloku that the sliding door linking to Don Ho is not for public usage.

Oh I see.

The only route is to walk through the alley with wall graffiti beside Loloku, stare in awe at the long queue for Man Man by Teppei at the bottom of the slope, and enter via the back of The Working Capitol.

Taking over the defunct-Lollapalooza are both Loloku and Don Ho, with doors on different sides of The Working Capitol building.

Aloha! Don Ho was named after the Ambassador of Hawaiian music (and not because they sell Japanese Donburi, in fact they don’t), where the interior reminded us of the Nth number of tropical garden-themed restaurants (not again?) that opened in Singapore lately.

Here, we can catch the chefs in action (cues #SaltBae) from the open concept kitchen right from our seats, or mingle at the bar table with a glass of fresh tropical cocktail.

Serving modern Australia in small sharing plates, 3 plates as stated on the menu will be a comfortable number for each person (really?).

The menu is divided into “Land” for meats, “Earth” for vegetables and “Sea” for the seafood. Signature dishes include Roasted Iberico Pork Jowl ($16), Crispy Eggplant ($10), Wood Roasted Pumpkin & Sweet Potato ($12), Red Snapper ($18) and Baklava ($10).

My favourite was the Red Snapper ($18), pan-fried to give a crispy, golden-brown skin contrast to the moist and tender flesh that slices apart easily.

While the puffed wild rice was a bit dry and tough, the cauliflower puree and hazelnuts complements well with the fish.

The Wood Roasted Pumpkin & Sweet Potato ($12) was worth a mention.

The proportion was right: woody and earthly roasted scent of the pumpkin and sweet potato mixed with creamy and slightly sour garlic yogurt to balance out the taste.

The Pork Cheeks Char Siu Sliders ($20) might sound promising with toppings such as kimchi and chili mayo, which unfortunately turned out slightly hard and dry.

Bigger sharing plates are available for big group gatherings such as 600g Oven Grilled Lobster ($68), 2.7kg Beef Short Ribs ($190) and 4kg Crispy Whole Suckling Pig ($280), which is probably sufficient to feed an entire small village.

The dessert menu only consisted of 3 items: Baklava ($10), Chocolate Pudding ($10) and Passion Fruit Marshmallow ($10).

My favourite was the Baklava ($10), a pastry made up of layers of filo (thin dough) with pistachio crumbs and candied almonds in between.

Traditionally, honey or syrup is used to sweeten it, but instead, Pashmak (Iranian candy floss) is used instead to lessen the sweetness.

I enjoyed the contrast in texture between the filmsy filo and the crunchy nuts, but it could get a little dry without the use of honey.

For something more refreshing, the citrusy Passion Fruit Marshmallow ($10) will fit the bill, or opt for the classic Chocolate Pudding ($10) which is a safe choice.

Frankly speaking, I felt that the serving portion for each plate was a little small, and there was not a huge selection for carbs to fill up the stomach.

But the fun-loving vibes and interesting food selection made up for it.

Don Ho
1 Keong Saik Road, The Working Capitol Building #01-05 Singapore 089109
https://www.facebook.com/donhosg/
Opening Hours: 6pm – 12mn (Tue-Fri), 9am – 4pm, 6pm – 12mn (Sat), 9am – 4pm (Sun), Closed Mon

Other Related Entries
The Daily Roundup (Keong Siak Road)
Loloku (Keong Saik Road)
999.99 (Keong Saik Road)
Luxe Sydney (Keong Siak Road)
Man Man (Keong Saik Road)

* Written by Nicholas Tan @stormscape who loves all things [NEW].

The post Don Ho – Social Kitchen & Bar Serves Mod Australian Small Plates At Keong Saik appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

A Philadelphia Cheesesteak, or Philly cheesesteak, is a sandwich with fillings of sliced pieces of beefsteak and melted cheese.

Philly Shack’s is one of Singapore’s very first dedicated Philly Cheesesteak eatery, located at Clarke Quay. It replaced the space previously occupied by The Butchers Club Burger.

It serves pillowy rolls ($17++) filled with thinly-sliced yet generous portions of ribeye, topped with grilled caramelised onions and your choice of melted cheese.

Pick from American cheese, an original house-made Cheese Whiz, or Provolene.

Also featured on its menu is a range of American comfort food such as Philly Shack Burger ($17.50++), Wings ($8.50++ for 6 pieces, $14.00++ for 12 pieces), Beer Batter Onion Rings ($5.00++), alongside a wide range of craft beers and milkshakes.

Tip: Get into the store and look at their hot sauces compartment. There are more than 80 to choose from, but avoid those superbly spicy ones on first try. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Good to know: You can pick from a selection of tabletop games, like Jenga, dice, cards and beer pong to keep everyone hopping.

Philly Shack
Clarke Quay Block A #01-01-B, 3 River Valley Rd, Singapore 179024
Tel: +65 6837 0675
Opening Hours: 12:00pm – 11:00pm (Sun – Tues), 12:00pm – 2:00am (Wed – Sat)

Other Related Entries
Omakase Burger (Wisma Atria)
Burger Joint Singapore (Amoy Street)
Teepee Restaurant & Bar (Hong Kong Street)
Cook and Brew (Westin Singapore)
Park Bench Deli (Telok Ayer Street)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. This was a hosted meal by Clarke Quay.

The post Philly Shack – Philly Cheesesteak Store In Singapore At Clarke Quay appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

I AM… not only at Haji Lane, I AM… also at Level 3 of Our Tampines Hub, right next to HomeTeamNS.

Being one of the pioneer hipster Halal cafes, I AM… had 3 outlets all strategically located around Bugis, including And Why and All In.

As for the new I AM at Tampines…, it was weekday night around 9pm (past dinner time) and I was surprised to see that the cafe was brisk with business, even though it was only opened for 2 weeks.

Looks like fans of I AM… are well-informed, especially those staying in the East.

Good to know, this has a fully air-conditioned space unlike the outlet at Haji Lane.

The 50-seaters cafe was designed with a European touch, with a wall mural of Amsterdam, road signs, and a token hipster-bicycle on the wall.

The European casual dining inspired menu is somewhat similar between the 2 outlets.

2 dishes are exclusive here, namely “The Quest” Burger ($18.90), and Squid Ink Pasta ($18.90) – which also happened to be the most expensive items.

Other signature food include Fries & Mayo ($7.90) with 9 different types of dips (additional $1.50 per dip), Shrimp Loca Pizza ($16.90), Soft Shell Crab Burger ($16.90) and the long (not tall) Rainbow Cake ($8.90).

Using matcha buns, “The Quest” Burger ($18.90) looked like a miniature Hulk, with the same charcoal-grilled beef patty marinated with 7 different herbs used in all their beef burgers here.

The difference between the beef burgers are the various toppings and sauces used.

“The Quest” came with turkey bacon strips, spicy avocado sauce (with a garlic taste), truffle mayonnaise and BBQ sauce.

Sedap! The beef patty was soft and tender without being overcooked and dry, added with a smokey flavour from the charcoal.

On its own, I could detect a bit of green tea flavour in the matcha buns, but not when it was eaten with the patty and toppings.

The turkey bacon strip was unfortunately soft, chewy and limpy.

I decided to try out the Soft Shell Crab Burger ($16.90) served with chips, salsa sauce and toasted charcoal buns.

The deep fried soft-shell crab had a crispy, golden brown appearance that gave a crunchy sound with every bite.

Topped with pickled beetroot and wasabi mayonnaise, the combination worked well.

I loved the fries that came with “The Quest” Burger ($18.90), and ordered the Fries & Mayo ($7.90) with Cheese Dip (additional $1.50) to further satisfy the craving.

Freshly deep-fried, the thick-cut fries had a crispy outer layer, and was equally addictive.

I AM…’s menu appeals to the young diners with their offerings of burgers, pasta, fries and pizzas.

They have an edge over some of the other Halal cafes in Singapore, in terms of offerings of hip food, that are mostly well-presented

I AM… satisfied.

I AM… Cafe At Our Tampines Hub
51 Tampines Ave 4, #03-04, Our Tampines Hub, Singapore 529684
Opening Hours: 11am – 11pm (Mon-Sun)
https://www.facebook.com/Iamathajilane/

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* Written by Nicholas Tan @stormscape who loves all things [NEW]. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post I AM… – Popular Halal Cafe Opens At Our Tampines Hub. Oh, Matcha Burger appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Firebake means serious business.

At this restaurant along East Coast Road (quite near 328 Katong Laksa and Chin Mee Chin), there lies a full-scale woodfire bread oven, hand-built from 37 tonnes of 5000 bricks.

Bread is baked using traditional European methods, incorporating all-natural ingredients, flour milled onsite, filtered Nordaq fresh water. WAH.

In the era of Singapore where everything is about fast, quick, machinery, efficiency, having a restaurant like this can be enlivening.

Occupying the shophouse unit previously resided by Carlton Restaurant famous for their roasts, Firebake felt like a bakery in a “provincial town” in France. Almost.

The rustic setting, the centrepiece of woodfire oven, several pieces of furnishing made of recycled wood, cast iron stoves, classics style earthenware, vintage porcelain… the music was Top 40s yo.

Quick warning. Oven in the middle = hot = can afford to dress ‘lighter’.

This is the brainchild of veteran F&B consultant Konstantino Blokbergen – born in Greece, grew up in Switzerland, trained as a chef in French cuisine, who set up a restaurant in Singapore.

Breads are named The Wave, The Field, The Rock and The Valley, ranging from white sourdough to sourdough fruit loaf, priced at $8 – $13.

I got the sampler set of bread board ($10), containing 4 different slices, complete with Greek extra virgin olive oil and Norwegian butter.

My favourite was easily the Sourdough Fruit Loaf, followed by the Rye Sourdough Loaf. The bread was pleasingly rustic, with an agreeable sweet taste.

Personal preference, do request for the fruit loaf to be toasted for that added crisp and aroma.

The other two breads tasted more to the ordinary side, but still better than the average bread out there. I reckon the proportion of salt to be better managed.

For the mains, selected dishes are slow-cooked, and recommended dishes include Norwegian blue mussel, larger, chorizo ($25), Cured Norwegian salmon, bread crust, dill, leek, pickled onion ($25), 4-Spice chicken liver pate ($12), and Heirloom tomato, pickled cucumber, feta, oregano ($17).

I had the Roast Half Spring Chicken ($23) which worked well in terms of having tender, juicy texture.

Unfortunately, the dish was heavy-handed in the salt-component. In contrast, the other table which I asked for feedback said their dishes were not salty enough?

This could be an issue with consistency, managing of seasoning proportions, which I think they could be iron out in time to come.

No such problem with the Pork Belly in garden vegetable broth ($22), a comforting bowl which reminded me of traveling days in Europe.

The type that you would stumble upon in a suburban town, served home-style.

Do get the Bread and Butter Pudding ($10), made with a handed-down recipe from Chef’s family.

What was extremely charming about Firebake was that it strived to keep things right, up to the finest detail.

They probably ‘fought’ very hard to get all these things working together.

Perhaps in terms of food, they could work on emphasizing their strengths, in which some of the dishes could have more caramelisation and smokier flavours.

Firebake – Woodfired Bakehouse & Restaurant
237 East Coast Road, Level 1 Singapore 428930
Tel: +65 9784 2950
+65 6440 1228
Opening hours: 6:00pm – 10:00pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post Firebake – Woodfired Bakehouse & Restaurant With Traditional Breads And European Classics appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

[Melbourne] The café scene has been evolving in Melbourne. Known to be the city which serve one of the best (sorry, the best) 3rd wave coffee in the world, there has been shift in some cafes from coffee-centric, to emphasis in brunch and trendy food items.

One of the most visits, especially if you are tight for time, is Higher Ground.

Once you enter Higher Ground at 650 Little Bourke Street, you would realise this is a different ballgame all together.

Literally another level of café, or “high level” – as how my hipster foodie friends would term.

Higher Ground is brought to you by the same team (Nathan Toleman and Sarah Foletta husband and wife team) behind Top Paddock and The Kettle Black, known for their avocado on toast and gorgeous Ricotta Hotcakes.

Melbourne’s coolest café in the CBD is converted from a heritage-listed 19th-century power station.

When I walked in, even though I have seen Instagram pictures, there was literally a “wow” moment.

Open space and a 15 metre high ceiling, exposed brickwall, abundant planting, natural sunlight, and a semi-open kitchen sits behind.

The staff members are stylish, the energy is upbeat, and tables are frequently full.

This can be a place to date, hang out with friends, to have casual meetings. Upstairs is where you want to be if you want to be more cosy, and people-watch below.

During day time, you get photogenic pieces (ie good for Instagram) from Mango and Coconut Chia, Buffalo Yoghurt, Mint and Lemon Balm ($17.50) to that famed Ricotta Hotcake ($21.00).

Savoury brunch items included Spiced Cauliflower, Scrambled Eggs on Housemade Flat Bread ($19.50), Benedict Eggs, Dry Cured Ham, Emmental Bearnaise on Sourdough ($20.50) to Steamed Market Fish ($26.00) and other small plate items.

Coffee’s roasted by Square One Coffee Roasters, and you get Lune Croissanterie’spastries as well.

In Australia where many shops close relatively early, Higher Ground is opened till about 11pm during the Thursday to Saturday weekends.

As for the signature Ricotta Hotcakes ($21.00) in which some cafes in Singapore have also got their inspiration from (em, or copied?), it deserves its fame.

Sprinkled with seeds and grains for that crunch, flowers for aesthetic purposes, the texture was fluffy like a soft cake, drizzled with a touch of maple syrup for that distinct sweetness.

It was so pretty I felt happy eating it.

Portion could be big. I finished about a quarter and was fully satisfied.

I liked it, but do I want to have it again? This, I am not too sure. (By the way, I had another at Top Paddock, and happened to like it more at Higher Ground.)

A cafe of another level all together. Located within a power station, sorry for the pun, vibes are truly energetic.

Higher Ground Melbourne
650 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne
Tel: 03 8899 6219
Opening Hours: 7am–4pm (Mon – Wed), 7am–late (Thu – Fri), 8am–late (Sat), 8am–4pm (Sun)
Google Maps – Higher Ground Melbourne

Other Related Entries
The Kettle Black (Melbourne)
Lune Croissanterie (Melbourne)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post Higher Ground – Melbourne Coolest Cafe In The CBD Is A Must Visit appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Make a turn as you get out of Tanjong Pagar MRT station control, and you will find yourself in a Gourmet’s Haven.

Tanjong Pagar Centre, directly connected to the MRT station, is home to a wide range of new restaurants and cafes. Time to check it out, if you have yet to discover this place.

There are several new-to-market brands which already attracted some attention, including the first overseas Japan Rail Café, Hattendo Café (with its soft buns), SBCD Tofu House (specialising in Korean Sundubu), The Little Island (Penang style dishes) and Chalong (Thai fusion grilled bento boxes).

There is a wide range of food choices, though this post will focus on its basement.

You can expect popular Nasi Lemak eatery Crave, protein-filled salad shop The Daily Cut, artisanal coffee boutique Jewel Coffee, Mexican restaurant Guzman y Gomez, Indonesian restaurant IndoChili, bakery shop Swee Heng 1989 Classic, Azuma Sushi, KraftwichTM by Swissbake, llao llao, Boost Juice, Hans, AffiniteaTM, Fun Toast, Proofer Boulangerie, London Sandwich Co., Royce’, and Taiwanese snack shop Ximen Jie, amongst others.

Prices of the meals there are budget-friendly too. Here are 10 hidden gems at Tanjong Pagar Centre, where you can get food and drinks below $10:

Seattle Pike Chowder
#B2-27
Tel: +65 6910 4388
Opening Hours: 9am – 9:30 pm (Mon – Fri); 11am-6pm (Sat); 11-4pm (Sun, PH)

Regarded by many food lovers as America’s No.1 Chowder, Seattle Pike Choder has arrived from The Pacific Northwest, to CBD Singapore at the basement of Tanjong Pagar Centre.

Best if you are craving for something warm, hearty, rich and creamy.

Their specialty New England Clam Chowder came filled with clams, flavoured with onions, potato cream and a secret blend of herbs and spices. I do think this is one of the creamiest chowders you can get in Singapore.

The local store has also launched Seafood Rolls, and the recommended is the Captain Roll ($11.90), complete with both mixed crab and shrimp. A Lobster Roll is in the works, so look out for it.

What you can get below $10
Each of their Dreamy Chowders, from New England Clam Chowder, Seafood Bisque, Smoked Salmon Chowder, Manhattan Tomato Chowder to Alaskan Fish Chowder, is priced at $8.90 for an 8oz bowl.

For a fuller meal, get the Chowder in a BreadBowl, or with the Salad Set, still affordable at $13.90 and $14.90 respectively.

Chalong
#B2-21
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 2pm, 5:30pm – 7:30pm (Mon – Fri), 11:30am – 3pm (Sat), Closed Sun

This kiosk which serves up charcoal grilled meats on rice bowls, has become very popular with the office lunch crowd.

Options include an 18 hour Sous Vide Jowl bowl of apple wood smoked pork cheeks ($12), Gai of Thai basil chicken thigh ($9), and Grass-fed Black Angus Sirloin ($14).

Chalong’s most popular item is the Iberico Jowl bowl ($12), which uses premium cut of pork with better marbling. After being marinated with Thai aromatics, the jowl will be sous vide for 18 hours, then finished with charcoal grilling in a Josper charcoal oven.

What you can get below $10
The Gai Rice Bowl ($9), added with onsen egg and Yamagata Haenuki Japanese rice, comes with a Thai basil charcoal grilled chicken leg, tender and juicy with hints of Thai herbs.

Soup Living
#B2-22
Tel: +65 6386 8010
Opening Hours: 11am – 8pm (Mon – Fri)

This is for those of us who want some nutritious and nourishing soups, just like what mum would cook at home.

Soup Living is a soup kiosk of a different kind, serving Cantonese-style soups with family-handed local recipes. No MSG, no chicken stock powder used.

You would realise that the soups are tasty, yet without the greasiness or heavy herbal taste. The base is cooked using old hen with its skin removed, which is less oily.

What you can get below $10
Such value for money! A bowl of healthy to-go soup from Soup Living starts from $6, with add-on options at $3 for a bowl of fluffy Japanese Rice and two pieces of Siew Mai. The Siew Mai are also handmade in house.

I was looking for something to well, aid appearance (help look younger and better), and was recommended the Youth Elixir Bowl ($7 for regular or $9.50 for mighty) which used Chinese herbs that had anti-ageing properties.

CBD workers may like the Memory Fix Bowl ($6.50 for regular, $8.90 for mighty), said to help to reduce lethargy, great for those who work long hours facing computer screen and sleep late at night. (That’s me?)

The Little Island 小檳岛
#B2-29
Opening Hours: 9.30am – 9:00 pm (Mon – Sun)

The Little Island has 3 outlets in Malaysia, and this is their 1st outlet in Singapore.

They pride themselves in creating authentic Penang dishes, with pastes made in-house using raw herbs and ingredients. They believe in going back to the basics to create that special aroma for each dish.

What you can get below $10
Most of the Penang specialty dishes are below $10, from Prawn Mee Soup ($8.90), Assam Laksa ($8.90), Mee Siam with Fried Egg ($6.90), Nasi Lemak with Fried Chicken Strips ($9.90), Fried Hokkien Mee, Lobak Set ($8.90), Rojak ($7.90) and Cendol ($4.90).

The gravy of Assam Laksa was addictive with spicy, tangy and sour taste which could whet your appetite.

Good to know that it is made from fresh fish (not canned) which would be steamed and peeled within the store, giving the bowl a distinct level of seafood-sweetness.

Souperstar
#B2-31
T: 6386 6921

It is not common to find popiah, soups, stews and salads sold at the same place. Yes, popiah. Homegrown Souperstar was created by the second generation of the family behind Fortune Food – a brand with more than 10 years of experience serving Singapore hawker delicacies.

They are probably the first in Singapore to do wraps using popiah skin, with varieties such as The Traditional, Sesame Chicken, Sweet Thai Chicken and Seafood Wasabi Mayo.

What you can get below $10
A selection of soups, popiah, stews, sandwiches and salads, inspired by a fusion of flavours, are all priced below $10.

Get a comforting bowl of soup, starting from only $3.20 ($4.50 for medium, $5.60 for large), ranging from Souper Shroomy button mushroom soup, Classic French Onion to Creamy Tomato Basil.

If you would like a more funky meal, the Sesame Chicken Popiah ($3.80) with roast chicken wrapped in 100% homemade popiah skin, should make a great grab-and-go.

Food Anatomy
#B2-04
Opening Hours: 7.30am – 10pm (Mon-Fri), 11am – 10pm (Sat-Sun) (may close earlier on Sundays)

Imagine your favourite foods such as Nasi Lemak, Laksa Pasta and Teriyaki Chicken appearing in cube form?

These cake-sized savoury cubes are layers of ingredients stacked together into a visually appealing, and convenient to take-away meal.

Flavours are interesting and varied, which can range anything from Beef Yakiniku Rice, Beef Rendang Rice, Rice Dumpling (yeah, Bak Zhang), Yuzu Salmon Rice, Thai Cod Fish Rice to Thai Basil Rice.

What you can get below $10
The cubes from inexpensively priced at 2 cubes for $6.80, 3 cubes for $9.90, 18 cubes for $39 or 24 cubes for $75.

You have the option to replace cubes for salads; and they cost slightly cheaper during breakfast.

Makai Poké
#B1-08
Opening Hours: 11am – 8pm (Mon – Fri), 11:30am – 3:30pm (Sat – Sun)

Hawaiian word “Makai” means towards the ocean, and the kiosk serves up probably the most IN healthy food currently – Poke Bowls.

Good to know that all the marinations at Makai are made in-house, and not direct from suppliers’ source of ready-made sauces.

What you can get below $10
All 4 Poke Bowls that Makai offers – Makai Shoyu Salmon, Spicy Salmon, Yuzu Soy Ahi Tuna and Roasted Sesame Ahi Tuna are priced at $9.90.

This is probably one of the lowest priced (if not the lowest) Poke Bowl in Singapore.

Other than marinated fish cubes, you can expect generous ingredients of both rice and salad, along with a mix of avocado, Japanese cucumber, carrot, cherry tomatoes, pineapple, salmon roe and lime wedge. Now you know where to get fresh, healthy, affordable Poke Bowls in the CBD.

Samurice
#B1-07
Tel: +65 93384305
Opening Hours: 8:30am – 7:00pm (Mon – Fri)

Samurice founded in 2014, is an Onigiri specialty store.

While their Onigiri rice ball look simple and unassuming, all the ingredients are imported from Japan – Japanese rice from Niigata, seaweed harvested in Ariake Sea, salt produced in Seto Inland Sea.

What you can get below $10
The handmade Onigiri at Samurice cost between $3 and $5, with fillings such as Roasted Salmon, Teriyaki Salmon, Plum, Cod fish Roe and Tuna.

For a more filling, fuss-free takeaway meal, a Teriyaki Salmon Don ($8) should satisfy with fluffy Hokkaido rice with an oishii sweet taste. Even the Salmon Ikura Don with two premium ingredients of salmon and ikura, alongside egg, scallop, green perilla cost a reasonable $12.

Cocorica Plus
#B2-24
Tel: +65 9171 1114

The first things you would notice about Cocorica Plus’s drinks are its larger-than-usual cup sizes, and cardboard holder with a handle.

The reason is to reduce thermal convection, so as to keep the drinks cool. There would also be more ice cubes to maintain that temperate, thus the big cups.

Well, the additional handle also makes it easier to takeaway.

What you can get below $10
Despite the size of the cups, beverages such as the ice blended drinks and yogurt smoothies are still inexpensively priced between $2.80 and $4.50.

Can’t decide between chocolate and coffee? Get the Cocorica signature drink ($2.80, $3.80) which is a blend of Dark Cocoa and Liberica Coffee. It should be a satisfyingly chocolatey-rich cup.

Henri Charpentier
#B2-15
Tel: +65 6386 8422
Opening Hours: 8am – 10pm (Mon – Fri), 10am – 10pm (Sat – Sun, PH)

If you need a short reprise off work, or a place to chit-chat with friends, Henri Charpentier has opened a European Salon style café at Tanjong Pagar Centre.

The Japanese pastry brand is known for its gorgeous and delicate French-inspired pastries and desserts.

Their signature Crepe Suzette has also made its return at this branch. Watch the blue flame flicker while the crêpes soaked in rich orange juice are meticulously flambéed.

What you can get below $10
Sweet treats from sliced Matcha Roll Cake, Strawberry Roll Cake, Hanjuku Fromage, Double Cheese Cake, Pear and Vanilla Mousse Cake, Pudding Choux Pastry.

Tip: Ta-bao back to office to share with your favourite colleagues. Will make their day.

#DineAtTPC
Upload your food snaps for a chance to win a $10 TPC Voucher. 10 Winners will be selected weekly over a period of 9 weekends from 27 Mar to 28 May.

1. Like & Follow Tanjong Pagar Centre on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/tanjongpagarcentre and Instagram and @TanjongPagarCentre

2. Upload the photo with the hashtag #DineAtTPC and check in/geotag to Tanjong Pagar Centre

3. Set profile to public

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Tanjong Pagar Centre.

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[Melbourne] If you need a good cup of coffee within Melbourne’s CBD, make your way to Brother Baba Budan. (The other favourite is Patricia’s Brew.)

It was not only the name that attracted me (one of my nickname is actually BBB in short), but that several of my coffee devotee friends have recommended this shop.

The café is part of the Seven Seeds, which is a micro roaster, retailer with other cafes, including Seven Seeds Café at Carlton and Traveller.

Brother Baba Budan took its name from the Sufi who smuggled seven seeds of fertile coffee from Yemen to India during the 17th century.

This was to pay tribute to the guy who took coffee to other parts of the world.

Finding the café wasn’t hard, conveniently located on Little Bourke Street. (If it helps, Melbourne Central and Emporium are a 7-10 minutes short walk away.) This is a coffee focused place, though there are some pastries offered at the counter.

There will always be a good of people getting their takeaways, though it is not uncommon to find others crowding around the single communal table or at the tiny bar behind.

It is really a take and go place.

The house coffee is from the Seven Seeds blend, and they offer the usual range of Espresso, Shorty, Long Black (all $4), and cold brews of Iced Latte ($4.30), Affogato ($6) and Iced Mocha ($6.50).

Even though I had a number of cafés to cover under my ‘bucket list’, I actually came here twice.

I thought the coffee was strong yet smooth in a non-threatening way.

Easy to consume without any sharp bitterness, balanced without any ‘weird’ notes that you might get from coffee back home.

A friend commented that some cafes in Melbourne might be overly hipster just for the sake of Instagram, but lost some of its character at the same time. Brother Baba Budan on the other hand, still retains its personality.

Brother Baba Budan
359 Little Bourke Street Melbourne 3000
Tel: +61 03 9347 8664
Opening Hours: 7:00am – 5:00pm (Mon – Sat), 9am – 5pm (Sun)

Other Related Entries
Higher Ground (Melbourne)
The Kettle Black (Melbourne)
Lune Croissanterie (Melbourne)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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[Melbourne] Melbourne 5 years ago and now, is considerably different in terms of café culture.

The good coffee is still a given. Though the infiltration of ‘hipster cafes’ and brunch places, along with social media creating the demand of Instagrammable-food, are fuels of these changes.

Top Paddock must be one of the frontrunners of this trend, with the team subsequently bringing us the popular The Kettle Black and Higher Ground.

So I went full of expectations, having heard so much about their Top Paddock poached eggs, chorizo, bacon and relish on toast ($22.00), Avocado on sourdough toast ($15.50), and Blueberry and Ricotta Hotcakes ($21.00).

You can also get some of Lune Croissanterie’s pastries here, with their croissant sandwich with Qld King Prawns with iceberg Lettuce ($24.00).

What I noticed about the interior was that there were varying spaces, yet all with the consistent natural sunlight meets greenery concept.

Alert: Great place for those instagram shots and #OOTD.

You can sit by the long bench by the coffee station, on the round marble tables at the side, choose an outdoor area for a more garden feel, or the front section to people-watch.

The advantage is, they do have quite a bit of space to play with.

The Blueberry and Ricotta Hotcake ($21.00) with berries, maple syrup, seeds and cream is a must-have for a maiden trip – just for token sake.

However, you can probably choose to focus on other all-day items if you do come subsequently.

It deserves its fame, based on the presentation. People do get happy just looking at the hotcake, added with the dozens of photos.

Perhaps due to the over-drenching of maple syrup, some parts of the sponge got rather sweet, and might be hard to go beyond a quarter. No problems if you come with a group of friends to share this.

My Chilli Scrambled Eggs with Otway Shittake Mushrooms and Goat’s Curd on Toast ($19.50, add bacon $4.00) wasn’t particularly impressive though.

The addition of chilli gave that subtle punch, the goat’s curd gave a varying texture, though the egg itself could have been creamier and fluffier. Slightly disappointing.

Since its opening, Top Paddock has sealed its fate to be one of Melbourne’s to-visit hipster café. Perhaps I came with higher and high expectations, and also expected more.

However, the cool vibes, chill-out environment and personable service continue to make this tick.

Top Paddock
658 Church St, Richmond
Tel: +61 03 9429 4332
Opening Hours: 7am – 4pm (Mon – Fri), 8am – 4pm (Sat – Sun)

Other Related Entries
Higher Ground (Melbourne)
Brother Baba Budan
The Kettle Black (Melbourne)
Lune Croissanterie (Melbourne)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post Top Paddock – That Hipster Cafe To Visit In Melbourne. Those Ricotta Hotcakes Started Here appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants has announced the 2017 list of restaurants ranked from 51 to 100 ahead of its annual awards event, which is taking place in on Wednesday, April 5th in Melbourne.

The 2017 list includes debuts from Mexico (Sud 777, No.75), USA (Atelier Crenn, No.83), Russia (Selfie, No.88), South Korea (Mingles, No.89), Denmark (Kadeau, No.94), Japan (Sushi Saito, No. 97 and Florilège, No.99) and Brazil (Olympe, No.100).

Nine establishments honoured at this year’s Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2017 awards, which took place in Bangkok in February, are included on the 2017 51-100 list, including three from Japan. Tokyo’s Nihonryori Ryugin, (No.52) claims the top ranking among Asia’s entries, one place ahead of Singapore’s Burnt Ends.

Odette from Singapore, winner of the Highest New Entry at Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants awards, debuts at No.86 while 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana in Hong Kong rises 26 places to No.60.

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2016. Number 51 to 100

51. Mikla, Istanbul
52. Nihonryori Ryugin, Tokyo, Japan
53. Burnt Ends, Singapore
54. Lyle’s, London
55. Disfrutar, Barcelona
56. Nerua, Bilbao
57. Faviken, Jarpen, Sweden
58. Momofuku Ko, New York City
59. Combal Zero, Italy
60. 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana, Hong Kong, China
61. Hertog Jan, Bruges, Belgium
62. Quique Dacosta, Denia, Spain
63. The Test Kitchen, Cape Town, South Africa
64. La Grenouillere, La Madelaine-sous-Montreuil, France
65. Biko, Mexico City
66. Estela, New York City, USA
67. Benu, San Francisco, USA
68. The French Laundry, – Yountville, USA
69. Hisa Franko, Kobarid, Slovenia
70. Aqua, Wolfsburg, Germany
71. Lung King Heen, Hong Kong, China
72. Schloss Schauenstein, Furstenau, Switzerland
73. La Colombe, Cape Town, South Africa
74. The Jane, Antwerp, Belgium
75. Sud 777, Mexico City
76. Lasai, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
77. Martín Berasategui, Lasarte-Oria, Spain
78. Indian Accent, New Delhi
79. Maaemo, Oslo
80. Le Cinq, Paris, France
81. Maní, São Paul
82. Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare (New York City
83. Atelier Crenn, San Francisco
84. The Restaurant at Meadowood, St. Helena, CA
85. Belcanto, Lisbon
86. Odette, Singapore
87. Per Se, New York City, USA
88. Selfie, Moscow, Russia
89. Mingles, Seoul, South Korea
90. Manresa, Los Gatos, CA
91. St John, London, England
92. Twins, Moscow
93. Le Chateaubriand, Paris, France
94. Kadeau, Copenhagen, Denmark
95. Quay, Sydney, Australia
96. Epicure, Paris, France
97. Sushi Saito, Tokyo, Japan
98. Hedone, London, England
99. Florilège, Tokyo, Japan
100. Olympe, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Other Related Entries
Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2017
9 Best Restaurants In Singapore 2017

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Always great to see small cafes in Singapore going big. In this case, Baker’s Brew Studio which was a humble café and baking studio at Sembawang, has opened its 3rd branch at down-town high-end Orchard Paragon.

It was a chanced encounter, as I was searching for a place with coffee and cakes at at Orchard Road.

I know. Even though Orchard Road is already lined with so many cafes, I am still thinking of ”Where to eat?”

Baker’s Brew Café is a contemporary café and baking studio dedicated to serving handcrafted cakes and artisanal desserts, with specialty coffee from Papa Palheta and loose leaf tea from the 1872 Clipper Tea Co.

The Paragon store is an experiential concept space, with the provision of holistic one-stop offering – to “Learn, Savour, and Celebrate”. Again, happy that they have done well enough to afford the rent.

This cake café at Level 5 becomes a suitable resting point, for tai-tais (or man-tais who need a resting point after a day of shopping. Loved the marble tables and clean look by the way.

Some signature cakes included the Ondeh Ondeh ($8.80/slice), Tiramisu ($8.80/slice), Dual Fromage ($8.80/slice) and
Pandan Sugees ($7.80/loaf).

The Dual Fromage which was only available at this store, became my immediate order.

The first question my friends had was, ”How does this match up to LeTao’s?”

This was a creamy, smooth baked cheese cake, with light, fluffy, delicate chilled mascarpone mousse topped off with finely grated parmesan cheese. A delicious, soft blend of sweet and savoury.

I would reckon LeTao’s is still the most impressive, but Baker’s Brew Café should come running in 2nd or 3rds in Singapore.

The Thai Milk Tea Cake ($8.80/slice) was also not-bad a choice, and I particularly liked the Thai milk tea leaf crumble which added some varying textures. Would have personally preferred it to be moister to further bring out that milk flavour.

The smart thing here is, if you like any of the cakes, you can always learn to make them at the studio at the cafe. Or if you want to pick up a new hobby at the heart of Orchard Road.

Baker’s Brew Café
Orchard Paragon, 290 Orchard Road #05-46 Singapore 238859 (Orchard MRT)
Tel: +65 6909 0669
Opening Hours: 10:00 am – 9:00 pm (Mon – Sun)

Other Related Entries
23 Cafes At Orchard Road
LeTao (ION Orchard)
Butterknife Folk (River Valley Road)
Out Of The Cakebox (Our Tampines Hub)
Cake Spade (Tanjong Pagar)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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