I am always good at finding the best places to eat, but when it comes to drinks, I am lucky to have a group of friends who are familiar with the Best Bars in Singapore. To most people, alcohol is very important, but I always prefer eating to drinking.

Together with Cafe Fables and A Thousand Tales (vintage furniture store), Bar Stories is a funky bar nestled within a shop house in Haji Lane. Apparently Cafe Fables operates in the day, and it transforms into Bar Stories when nightfall arrives.

Depending on individual preferences, the mixologists will create different cocktails right before your eyes. It was very interesting to watch them prepare each drink with different ingredients and liqueur – it felt like watching a performance.

The drinks at Bar Stories are very unique, and quite unlike the usual ones that you get from other bars. They use fresh food for every cocktail, so there is no artificial colouring.

I was tempted to reply “surprise me” when Jeff the mixologist asked me to make my order. Since it was my first time there, I decided to play safe and told him I like anything-sweet. He whipped out the Honeydew Sake Martini ($22, see above picture) in an instance, and I really enjoyed it.

My friends had the Midori Sour ($22) – a gorgeous shade of light green, pretty to look at and pleasant to drink; the Absinthe Forward Martini ($25) which had a heavy dosage of Absinthe & Gin and smacked us right in the face; and the Kyoho Grapes Martini ($25), a cheerful red mixture that made us rather gigglish. I don’t know about you, but pretty colours always make cocktails nicer to drink.

Tell me your life stories and I’ll buy you a drink. There is really nothing like a good cocktail after a long day of work. Have you been to Bar Stories at Haji Lane? What is your favourite drink there?

Singapore Food Blog Review
Bar Stories & Café Fables
55-57 Haji Lane
2nd Floor Singapore
Tel: +65 6298 0838

Perched at the top of Phoenix Park in Tanglin, Spruce is a nice cafe which is just a few minutes drive from Orchard. I had been dying to go Spruce after hearing so much about their weekend brunch.

Today, I am going to share with you something else, though. Not the weekend brunch, but the Weekend High Tea Set that Spruce has launched. And it is only $14++/pax $21++/pax.

Every once in a while, we should all partake a nice afternoon tea with your family and friends. Whilst popular afternoon tea restaurants like TWG Salon, Marmalade Pantry are conveniently located along Orchard Road, they are more often than not very crowded. Even on weekdays!

Other than the reasonable price point, the secluded location of Spruce is definitely a highlight for it gives that exclusive and serene feel for being far away from the busy city life.

I have readers telling me they cannot make it for the nice afternoon teas on weekdays due to work. Now, there are no more excuses because I am introducing their Weekend High Tea!

The $14++/pax $21++/pax Weekend High Tea Set is available during Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays from 3pm to 5pm. It is definitely one of the cheapest high tea set in Singapore.

The High Tea Set includes savoury sandwiches and pastries: Cranberry Scone, White Peach Muffin, Madeleine, Fruit Tartlet, Macadamia Pistachio Biscotti, Cucumber & Egg Sandwich, Salmon & Sour Cream Sandwich, Tomato & Yogurt Sandwich and free flow of coffee/tea.

However, there is a small catch. To get the High Tea Set in a nice three tier stand, you need a minimum of two people ($21 x 2 = $42++) to share. Otherwise, they will just serve the food on a single plate.

Food wise, I have to say that there was nothing really fantastic – the sandwiches and the pastries were quite ordinary. But there is nothing to complain about since the High Tea Set is priced at a reasonable $14++/pax $21++/pax. On a different note, please be knowledged that reservations have to be made in advance to secure a seating!

You know what? I think you should just pick up the phone and make a reservation for Spruce’s Weekend High Tea now. Come on, it is the long weekend. Go for your Easter Brunch and follow up with the high tea at Spruce. Awesome.

As for me, I am making plans to head back to Spruce Cafe for their weekend brunch. Very soon. And oh yes, be sure to check out Spruce’s Taqueria too. On Monday to Friday 12 noon – 3pm, Spruce has a little taco shack by the side that serves Tacos and Quesadillas.

For more recommendations: read Best Cafes in Singapore | Afternoon High Tea Places.

Singapore Food Blog Review
320 Tanglin Road
Phoenix Park Singapore
Tel: +65 6836 5528

Operating Hours:
Lunch (Monday to Friday) 10.30am – 2.30pm
Dinner (Daily) 5.30pm – 10.30pm
Weekend Brunch 8.30am – 4pm
Weekend High Tea 3pm – 5pm

I finally went to PS Café! I’ve been meaning to try out PS Café for the longest time, but somehow I did not get the chance to.

PS Café has four branches in Singapore (Ann Siang Hill, Dempsey Hill, Paragon and Palais), and each of them gives a different vibe. For the PS Cafe Palais Renaissance outlet, the interior is chic and classy with dim romantic lighting. It also has a lovely white-tiled terrace dining area if you prefer to dine outside.

There are many nice Cafes in Singapore, what exactly makes PS Cafe so popular?

PS Cafe serves mainly western dishes like soup, salad, sandwiches, burger, pasta and main courses. Prices range from $25-$40 for a main course whilst desserts are mostly between $10-$15. I have to agree that prices are not exactly cheap, but then again, you are paying for the ambiance.

Nothing beats having a drink before dinner. Bagaholicboy highly recommended the Sangrias at PS Cafe and we had a glass each to start with the Grilled Prawn Salad. Nothing fanciful, just nicely grilled prawns and greens with a creamy dressing.

In terms of portion, PS Café’s truffle fries were mightily impressive.

However, it is probably not advisable to order it unless you are in a big group. As you can well imagine, we only managed to finish half of the huge stack of fries.

I am not a big fan of truffle fries. To me, I think it is kind of silly to pay a premium for fries that are merely tossed with truffle oil. The smokey gasoline aftertaste, which everyone seems to love, does not really appeal to me.

If you are looking for an appetiser or a main course that is not too filling, go for the Crab Tart. Drizzled with prawn bisque cream, the crab meat within the crisp tart was actually quite decent. I’d prefer the usual dessert tart to this savoury tart though.

Ps Cafe is the perfect place for a lazy weekend breakfast, the place for a nice afternoon tea, the place for a romantic dinner with your date, the place for a girls night out – the place to go when you want to dine in a nice restaurant with your favourite people.

Whilst there are some who argue that Project Shop Cafe serves overpriced food and the place is often crowded and noisy, I can still see myself returning for brunch and desserts.

PS Cafe may not have the best food, but it does not really matter since people come here for the ambiance. Service though, is a little lacking, as it was quite difficult for us to get the attention of the waitress. But then again, this could be due to the positioning of our table at a corner of the restaurant.

I will probably head to PS Café Ann Siang Hill or Harding Road for brunch next! Which is your favourite PS Café outlet?

Singapore Food Blog
PS Cafe
390 Orchard Road
#02-09A Palais Renaissance Singapore
Tel: +65 6887 2207

28B Harding Road
Tanglin Village (Dempsey Road) Singapore
Tel: +65 6479 3343

290 Orchard Road
#03-41/44 The Paragon Singapore
Tel: +65 6735 6765

45 Ann Siang Road (ASH)
#02-02 Singapore
Tel: +65 6222 3143

Cafés have different interpretations in different countries. In the American context, a café or coffee house is a casual restaurant serving proper food and sandwiches. Whilst a café in other countries is simply a place that serves coffee with light snacks/desserts.

I have been cafe-hopping around to check out some of the Cafes in Singapore. It is nice to see how new places like Artichoke, Forty hands, The Plains, The Pigeonhole have injected vibrancy into the Singapore food scene.

Who can resist the lovely smell of brewing coffee, the chic display of desserts on cake stands, and the cozy ambiance of a cafe? Not me, that’s for sure.

Here is my list of the best Cafes in Singapore:

I have included the following: a) cafes that serve good coffee, b) new and upcoming cafes c) hidden indie cafes d) nice chill out cafes e) restaurants-cafes that have affordable and good food and f) cafes for people-watching. I will probably do a separate list of cafes with free wifi in Singapore, but I am pretty sure most of the places will let you tap on their network if you are dining there.

Artichoke Cafe

This new cafe has been making a name for itself amongst the food lovers. I have not been to Artichoke cafe yet, but I am very sure that I will be making a trip there very soon.

161 Middle Road
Tel: +65 6336 6949

Ardent’s Cafe Bar *NEW*

A new cafe along Neil road, Ardent’s Cafe serves comfort food like salad ($12.8), soup ($5.8), breakfast ($12.8 – $15.8), sandwiches ($12.8 – $16.8) and pancakes & waffles ($12.8)

80 Neil Road
Tel: +65 6325 7077

Barracks Cafe House Dempsey

Barracks Cafe is one of my favourite restaurants in Dempsey. They have a variety of food selections on the menu, and I love the desserts there! Do drop by for a visit if you have not been there before.

8D Dempsey Road
#01-01 to 06 Tanglin Village
Tel: +65 6475 7787

Broadway Cafe *NEW*

15 Duxton Road
Tel: +65 6224 6131

Broun Cafe

Located near Clark Quay Mrt, Broun Cafe is a new cafe which has a corner dedicated to local arts. This place is definitely on my to-go-list next.

36 North Canal Road
Tel: +65 6535 0430

Cafe Hacienda

Most of the dempsey restaurants can be quite pricey, Cafe Hacienda by the Prive group is probably one of the more affordable options there. They have recently launched a new Weekday set lunch: $22++ for 3 course, and $20++ for 2 course.

13A Dempsey Road
Tel: +65 6476 2922

Caramel Cafe

Caramel Cafe is a cutesy cafe – a great place for all occasions; girlfriends outing, a cute date, birthday parties, or just simply hanging out with a bunch of friends. I love this whimsical cafe!

100 Beach Road #01-50/52
Shaw Towers Singapore
Tel: +65 6295 2188

Drips Bakery Cafe * NEW *

Drips Bakery Cafe is located on 82 Tiong Poh Road and it serves gourmet coffee on the menu along with hot foods, cakes and buns.

Block 82 Tiong Poh Road #01-05
Tel: +65 62220400

Epicurious Cafe

One of my all time favourite cafes, Epicurious Cafe serves good and affordable breakfast food. If you are going to the Robertson Quay branch, make sure you are there before 12noon otherwise there will probably be a long queue for tables.

392 Upper Bukit Timah Road
The Rail Mall
Tel: +65 6894 5926

60 Robertson Quay
#01-02 The Quayside
Tel: +65 6734 7720

Fine Palate Cafe

Another new cafe in Singapore, Fine palate Cafe is located at Waterloo Street. Has anyone been there yet?

51 Waterloo Street
#01-04/05 Singapore
Tel: +65 6336 5120

Food For Thought Cafe

Between Food For Thought’s two branches, I’d recommend you to go to the 8Q SAM outlet at Queen Street. Simple comfort food, love it!

420 North Bridge Road #01-06
North Bridge Centre Singapore
Tel: +65 6338 8724

8 Queen Street Singapore
Tel: +65 6338 9887

Forty Hands

Unless I am mistaken, The Spa Esprit Group (the folks behind House @ Dempsey) has ownership in Forty Hands – a pretty new cafe in Singapore.

I know it may sound strange for a cafe to be located amongst the Tiong Bahru shop houses, but that is exactly where Forty Hands is at. I just went there last weekend, and they were full during brunch. The coffee was good, but I felt that the food was not exactly fantastic.

Blk 78 Yong Siak Street
#01-12 Singapore
Tel: +65 6225 8545

Hatched

I love the concept of an all day breakfast place. What can be better than having pancakes and eggs during dinner at Hatched?

26 Evans Road
#01-06 Evans Lodge
Tel: +65 6735 0012

Group Therapy Cafe * NEW *

One of the latest cafes to open in the trendy Duxton road, Group Therapy Cafe is a space that is tucked away on the 2nd storey of a reconstructed shophouse above Etna Italian restaurant. I fell in love as I stepped inside the cafe. The best thing is, it is not as crowded as not many people know about them yet. Definitely one of my new favourite cafes in Singapore.

49 Duxton Road Singapore
Tel +65 6222 2554

Jones the Grocer

Since Jones the Grocer has two branches in Singapore, it depends on what you are looking for. If you want a nice place to chill out while waiting for a friend, drop by Jones the Grocer at Mandarin Gallery. It is a lovely cafe to have a cup of coffee and desserts for afternoon tea.

Otherwise, their outlet at Dempsey road is very popular for their breakfast menu which is available from 8.30am – 12noon on weekdays, and 8.30am – 3pm on weekends.

333A Orchard Road #04-21/23
Mandarin Gallery Singapore
Tel: +65 6836 6372

Kith Cafe

At the far end of Robertson Quay, there is a nice little cafe which is very simple and homely. Trust me, you will definitely want to drop by Kith Cafe and have a cup of coffee.

7 Rodyk Street #01-33
Watermark @ Robertson Quay
Tel: +65 6341 9407

Kki Dessert Cafe

I know Kki is probably more like a patisserie than a cafe but hey, it serves cakes and coffee. A good option if you are looking for a dessert place to catch up with your friend.

7 Ann Siang Hill
Tel: +65 6225 6650

L’etoile Cafe
160 Owen Road
Tel: +65 6298 2872

Little Part 1 Cafe

Little Part 1 Cafe is an indie cafe located at Jasmine road near Thomson Plaza.

It is one of the best hidden cafes in Singapore. For folks living in the Thomson/Bishan/Ang Mo Kio area, now you know where to go for dinner.

15 Jasmine Road
Adelphi Park Estate Singapore
Tel: +65 6451 7553

Loysel’s Toy Cafe

Papa Palheta has been making waves in the Singapore Food Scene with its premium gourmet coffee. They have recently opened Loysel’s Toy Cafe at Kampong Bugis (Raw Kitchen Bar has shifted there as well), which is located ten minutes away from Lavender Mrt Station.

Barista Ryan Tan from Papa Palheta has just won the 2011 Singapore National Barista Championship. This gives them the official bragging rights for the best coffee in Singapore.

66 Kampong Bugis
Tel: +65 9451 0236

Maison Ikkoku
20 Kandahar Street
Heritage Centre
Tel: +65 6294 0078

Marmalade Toast

There are some places like Prive Bakery Cafe and PS Cafe that I love for their ambience; other places like Oriole cafe and Epicurious for the affordability; and Artichoke, Spruce and Barracks for the food. But when it comes to a cafe that I go all the time, Marmalade Toast is definitely the place.

Marmalade Toast Cafe is a hidden gem in Orchard Road. It has been around for very long, but even up till now, I’m surprised that not many people know about them. Located at a corner of Ngee Ann City, the cafe is a simplified version of Marmalade Pantry restaurant. They have a pretty straightforward menu of salads, wraps, sandwiches and desserts – everything priced reasonably under $10.

#02-11 Ngee Ann City
391 Orchard Road
Tel: +65 6733 8489

Novus Cafe

The plus point for Novus Cafe is definitely its location in the National Museum of Singapore. The cafe is a very nice place to chill out and have a light snack if you are in the Orchard area.

93 Stamford road #01-04/05
National museum of Singapore
Tel: +65 6337 1397

Oriole Cafe & Bar

With the owner and the head barista getting the top two positions in the National Barista Competition last year, it is not surprising that Oriole Cafe at Pan Pacific Suites is one of the cafes with the best coffee in Singapore.

And of course, it helps that Oriole Cafe is conveniently located in Orchard road. The al fresco area of Oriole cafe is excellent for people watching.

96 Somerset road
#01-01 Pan Pacific Serviced Suites
(Opposite Brotzeit 313 @ Somerset)
Tel: +65 6238 8348

Pique Nique

Besides Marmalade Toast at Takashimaya, another place that I like to go whenever I am in town is Pique Nique American Cafe by Chef Pang Kok Keong.

It is located at the basement of Takashimaya where McDonald’s used to be. It serves favourite American comfort food like mac & cheese ($12-16), hot dogs ($8.5-11), burgers ($10-13), all day breakfast ($7.5-13.5), whoopie pies ($2) and desserts ($4-8).

#B1-01 Takashimaya Shopping Centre
Ngee Ann City Tower A
391A Orchard Road
Tel: +65 6238 6705

Prive Bakery Cafe

Prive Bakery Cafe at Keppel Bay is one of my favourite place for brunch. There’s nothing fantastic about the food, just simple, well-executed comfort food served at reasonable prices.

They are opened till midnight, so if you are looking for a place to have coffee and desserts till late, remember to check out Prive Bakery Cafe.

2 Keppel Bay Vista
GF Marina @ Keppel Bay
Tel: 6776 0777

PS Cafe

Well known for its chic and elegant ambiance – PS Cafe is the place to be seen. Other than the two lovely branches at Dempsey and Palais Renaissance, they have recently opened a new cafe at Ann Siang Hill.

PS Cafe may not have the best food, but honestly, are you really expecting that? People go there for the ambiance. No doubt, fans of PS Cafe will definitely agree that they are the best cafe in Singapore.

28B Harding Road
Tanglin Village (Dempsey Road) Singapore
Tel: +65 6479 3343

45 Ann Siang Road
#02-02 Singapore
Tel: +65 6222 3143

Raindrops Cafe

Hidden at the back of the new *Scape Mall beside Cineleisure Orchard, is a small cutesy place called Raindrops Cafe. I like the place because it is small and cozy, plus they serve simple comfort food at affordable prices. Raindrops Cafe is a nice cafe for dinner in Orchard.

2 Orchard Link #02-38
*Scape Singapore
Tel: +65 6834 4977

ReStore Cafe

It is hard to find a common link between Vintage furniture, drinks and desserts. To answer this question, go to ReStore Cafe at Tanjong Pagar. It is a new vintage furniture cafe which serves simple food and drinks, and of course they sell vintage furnitures too.

124 Tanjong Pagar Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6222 3510

Riders Cafe

“Where is the best brunch cafe in Singapore?”

If location is not an issue, Riders is definitely one of the best cafes in Singapore to enjoy a lazy breakfast. Remember to make your reservations in advance, they are always fully booked during weekends.

51 Fairways Drive
Bukit Timah Saddle Club
Tel: 6466 9819

Smitten Cafe

Coffee lovers should absolutely check out Smitten Coffee & Tea Bar, one of the newer cafes in Singapore. Who can resist the lovely smell of brewing coffee?

60 Robertson Quay
#01-11 The Quayside
Tel: +65 9876 2347

Society Cafe & Bar

The restaurants at One Fullerton can be quite pricey, so if you are looking for a more affordable place for dinner, look no further than Society Cafe & Bar.

1 Fullerton Road
#01-11 One Fullerton
Tel: +65 6423 9689

Spruce

If you ask me, Spruce is one of the best cafes in Singapore. Cliche as it may sound, the best cafe is the cafe that I like. And yes, I like spruce. They are very popular for their weekend brunch, and they have recently launched a new weekend high tea menu as well.

The location is just a 3 minutes drive from Orchard, and the place is not as commercialised as the Dempsey restaurants.

320 Tanglin Road
Phoenix Park Singapore
Tel: +65 6836 5528

Strictly Pancakes

Strictly Pancakes can be quite crowded during lunch/dinner. I love to have pancakes during the middle of the day, naturally Strictly Pancakes makes an ideal place for me to have a quiet afternoon tea.

Don’t you love the idea of all day pancakes?

44A Prinsep Street Singapore
Tel: +65 6333 4202

Sugarica Sweet & Savoury

Another new cafe at Robertson Quay, Sugarica Sweet & Savoury is one of the few places in Singapore where you can get both savoury and sweet crepes.

7 Rodyk Street
#01-32 Watermark Robertson Quay
Tel: +65 91054407

The Coffee Daily
75 Brighton Crescent
Tel: +65 6284 8894

The Garden Slug

For those who are staying in the East of Singapore, I’d definitely recommend The Garden Slug. It is unpretentious, and they serve comfort food at reasonable prices.

55 Lorong L Telok Kurau
#01-59/61 Bright Centre
Tel: +65 6346 0504

The Pigeonhole

I have not been to The Pigeonhole yet, but from what I have heard, it seems like a pretty cool place to hang out.

52 Duxton Road
Tel: +65 81231607

The Plains Cafe

The owner describes The Plains Cafe as a Melbourne Cafe in Singapore. I had brunch there last weekend, and I have to admit that the food was slightly better than Forty Hands. Oh, they have excellent coffee of course.

50 Craig Road
#01-01 Singapore
Tel: +65 6225 4387

The Orange Thimble

The once-sleepy Tiong Bahru estate seems to be coming alive this year as more and more cafes deciding to open there. Besides Forty Hands and Drips Bakery Cafe, there is also The Orange Thimble, where art meets cafe.

56 Eng Hoon Street #01-68
Tel: +65 6223 8068

Wild Honey

Is Wild Honey a cafe or restaurant? I don’t think it matters. Wild Honey is a very nice place to enjoy your all day breakfast, and the location in Mandarin Gallery makes it an ideal location for friends to meet.

333A Orchard Road #03-02
Mandarin Gallery Singapore
Tel: +65 6235 3900

15 Minutes

“If my school has such a cool cafe, I will go to school every day.”

15 Minutes Cafe is situated in Lasalle College Of The Arts with a quirky old school canteen concept. The Lasalle students are so lucky, yes?

1 McNally Street Blk D #01-01
LASALLE College of The Arts Singapore
Tel: +65 6333 5915

Which is your favourite cafe in Singapore? Have fun cafe-hopping!

If you fancy a nice cocktail or martini after a long day of work, there are Bars in Singapore that have good deals during Happy Hours. There are also plenty of options if you want to find a nice chill out place for a pint of cold icy beer with some finger food to enjoy the weekend with your friends.

Here’s a guide to the Happy Hours at some of the Bars & Drinking Places in Singapore:

Barpazza

The 1-for-1 Pasta/Pizza promotion at Barpazza is not available anymore. In place of that, they have two new dining promotions from 5pm to 10pm daily: Selection of 1 pizza + 2 Pints of Hoegaarden Draft at $32.90, or any 2 Pastas + 2 Half Pint at $36.90. Happy hour is from 5pm to 8pm, with bottles of San Miguel, Hoegaarden, and Stella Artois at $6 per bottle (u.p: $11-13)

25 Church Street #01-02
Capital Square
Tel: +65 6536 0572

Bedrock Bar & Grill *New*

The sister restaurant of Oriole Cafe, Bedrock Bar & Grill has a Happy Hour Promotion from Mon to Thu 5-7pm: free flow mini steak burger with purchase of Belvedere or Strathisla beverages.

96 Somerset Road #01-05
Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Singapore
Tel: +65 6238 0054

Five Izakaya Bar

I only came to know about Five Izakaya Bar after my friend tweeted about the cheap drinks and Japanese finger food that she had there. $5 specials on Asahi Draught, Red & White Wines, Sake, Shochu, Choya and, all house pour spirits – sounds like a terrific deal! Has anyone been there before?

16 Collyer Quay #01-05B Hitachi Tower Singapore
Tel: +65 6536 8955

Gusttimo di Roma

Gusttimo di Roma is first and foremost an ice cream place at Ion Orchard, sitting at the opposite end to Sephora Singapore. While they may not have the best service, Gusttimo’s Happy Hour house pours are priced at $6 per drink from 6pm to 9pm, and there’s also 1-for-1 beer all night long.

2 Orchard Road #01-17 ION Orchard Singapore
Tel: +65 6509 9380

KPO Cafe Bar

The Happy Hours at KPO Cafe Bar is from 12noon to 8pm daily. Promotions include house pour of Gin, Vodka, Brandy at $7-8 per drink, wine house pour at $7 (u.p: $12), and bottled beers at $8 (u.p: $13).

1 Killiney road
Killney Post Office
Tel: 6733 3648

No. 5 Emerald Hill Cocktail Bar

Ice Cold Beer, Que Pasa, and No. 5 Cocktail bar at Emerald Hill, are some of the popular bars in Singapore, where friends hang out over drinks and pub grub.

Are you a fan of martinis? No. 5 Emerald Hill Cocktail Bar has 1-for-1 Martini for just $16 from 9pm to 1am. Beers + Martinis + Best Chicken Wings = Happy Me

5 Emerald Hill Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6732 0818

Orgo Rooftop Bar

“Best rooftop bar in Singapore”

My friends who frequented Orgo at Esplanade told me that. Happy Hour is till 8pm daily, and includes Wine house pours at $10/glass, and a selection of beers (Asahi Super Dry, Erdinger White, Guiness Draught Surger) from $8-10.

1 Esplanade Drive #04-01,
Roof Terrace Esplanade
Theatres on the Bay Singapore
Tel: +65 6336 9366

Prel.ude @ Boathouse Fullerton

Prelude is an open-air rooftop bar on the Boathouse at Fullerton. While their Happy Hours 1-for-1 beer promotion from Monday to Thursday 7pm to 8pm is only an hour, the bar has a fantastic view overlooking the whole Marina Bay area. A great chill out place if your office is in the Central Business District.

3 Fullerton Road #04-01 Singapore
Tel: +65 6538 9038

Sol Tasca

A hidden enclave under the Esplanade bridge where Merlion now resides, Sal Tasca is one of the newest Spanish Tapas Bars in Singapore. They have the longest happy hour in Singapore, from 9am to 7pm – 1 for 1 on all house pour spirits, Sangria, Wine & Beer.

3 Fullerton Road # 01-04
The Fullerton WaterBoatHouse

Salta Argentina Restaurant

With a claim as the first Argentine Restaurant in Singapore, it’s difficult not to notice Salta at Icon Village. Now, I have no idea what is Argentinian cuisine, but Salta has a pretty attractive 1-for-1 beers & house pours during Happy Hour from 4pm to 8pm (Monday to Friday).

12 Gopeng Street #01-56/57 ICON Village Singapore
Tel: +65 6225 8443

Southbridge Jazz @ 7atenine

The Cocktail Frenzy promotion caught my attention when I was having dinner at the re-branded Southbridge Jazz @ 7atenine. 7 Cocktails at $77++, this is the perfect idea for a nights out. Otherwise, they also have a selection of drinks on promotion: 2 for the price of 1 from 5pm to 8pm daily.

8 Raffles Avenue
#01-10/12 Esplanade Mall
Tel: +65 6338 0789

Standing Sushi Bar

Standing Sushi Bar at OUB Centre has opened two new branches at Marina Bay Link Mall & 8Q Queen Street in quick succession. To celebrate the opening of the two new locations, SSB is running happy hour promotion: $20 free flow Asahi draft beer from 5pm to 7 pm (Monday to Friday).

8A Marina Boulevard
#B2-51 Marina Bay Link Mall
Tel: +65 6634 7068

8 Queen Street
Unit 01-03
Tel: +65 6333 1335

Stereolounge

1 for 1 house pours during Happy hours from Monday to Friday is 5pm – 11pm, and Saturday from 9pm to Midnight.

Pan Pacific Hotel
7 Raffles Boulevard, Marina Square
Tel: +65 6337 0800

Tab Singapore

At Tab Singapore, they have a promotion of free flow steak sandwiches & fries during Happy hours from Mon to Fri 5pm – 8pm for all paying customers. This deal is rather similar to Morton’s Steakhouse, but who cares? Yay to free flow steak sandwiches!

Other promotions include: 1 for 1 cocktail for ladies from 8pm to closing every night, and a student special: Tab Burger and 1 house pour for just $12.75++.

442 Orchard Road #02-29
Orchard Hotel Singapore
Tel: +65 6493 6952

* * *

Do share with us some of the bars in Singapore that you always hang out at, and if you know of any drinking places that have good deals during happy hours.

“Shall we go and have the best Har Cheong Gai in Singapore?”

When I saw this conversation between my friends on twitter, I knew that I must try the best chicken wings in Singapore that they were talking about. We even created a blackberry group nicknamed: har cheong gai to discuss and plan for our assault at No. 5 Emerald Hill Cocktail Bar for their famous chicken wings which are marinated with shrimp paste.

‘Food Blogger conned to No. 5 Emerald Hill with the lure of best chicken wings in Singapore.’ After praising the chicken wings to the sky, my friend was a little worried about my expectations of it, and teased me with this headline.

When the waiter brought the basket of chicken wings ($17 for 6) to our table, my brain was whispering to the stomach: you know what, this better be good!

“Dear god, or whoever that is listening, please, please let the No. 5 Emerald Hill’s chicken wings be the best prawn paste chicken in Singapore.” I prayed. I took one by the side, and placed it carefully into my mouth. At that point, I did not care whether or not the wings would burn my tongue and make me go oww. As sadistic as it might sound, I’d probably remember the har cheong kai better if it burnt me.

Anyway, No 5 Emerald Hill’s Har Cheong Kai was extremely crispy. It wasn’t oily, nor was it too dry. The wings were great as finger food, the perfect snack to wash down with a jug of cold icy beer. While they were excellent as chicken wings, one would probably not classify them as Har Cheong Kai since the prawn paste flavor wasn’t strong enough.

While the pizza wasn’t outstanding, it was not too bad for pub grub. Thin-crust, light and not too filling: the excuse for you to eat again after dinner.

The fish from the “Fish and chips” was disappointing. The saving grace was the fries, which quickly filled our stomach.

“Why does the beef stew tastes like salmon?” This was one of the funniest comments made when we were at No. 5 Emerald Hill. It actually tasted like a normal beef stew to me. Nothing fanciful, something warm and hearty to go along with the bread.

* * *

No. 5 Emerald Hill Cocktail Bar has a 1-for-1 Martini for just $16 (from 9pm to 1am), which is a very good deal. Martini plus chicken wings after a long day at work? Sounds like a plan to me.

Edited (I forgot to include this para): I had a shock when I first stepped into No. 5 Emerald Bar. Everyone was throwing empty peanut shells on the floor. If you want to litter in Singapore without getting fine, No. 5 Emerald Bar is probably the place to go! Even though it was a little awkward initially, the place soon unleashed the monster in me. It felt so liberating to throw empty peanut shells onto the floor!

Do you have any recommendations of any good pubs/bars in Singapore to chill out?

// The Emerald Hill restaurants and pubs are located directly opposite 313 @ Somerset and Orchard Central.

Restaurant Bar Review
No. 5 Emerald Hill Cocktail Bar
5 Emerald Hill Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6732 0818

I have never been shy to declare my undying love for breakfast. Be it a simple breakfast of kaya toast & soft-boiled eggs, or the Western All Day Breakfast; I love to explore and discover new breakfast places in Singapore.

OverEasy at One Fullerton is an American restaurant that serves comfort favorite food. The menu is refreshingly simple. It consists of popular choices like burgers, sandwiches, pastas, breakfast food, and milkshake — all done the American style.

Scanning through the menu, my eyes immediately locked onto three words: All Day Breakfast.

On its own, the sausages and eggs are probably not worth a second look. But when you have both of them together, the sausages and the eggs somehow blended together effortlessly; the salty bacon enhanced the taste of the fresh and creamy eggs, while the eggs provided the counterbalance to the otherwise over-salty bacon — the resulting combination was something very simple, yet sophisticated.

We were barely aware that there’s the bacon, potatoes, tomato and the delicious sauteed mushrooms in the hotplate too. I didn’t see the crispy and crackly bacon streaks by the side of the plate, nor the slightly tanned & toned hash browns – together with the cherry red grilled tomato and the juicy sauteed mushrooms – they would have to wait till later.

The perfect choice for all day breakfast – OverEasy’s Eggs Skillet ($15).

I am a very superficial guy. Size does matter when it comes to burger!

While OverEasy’s “To-die-for” Burger ($19) wasn’t exactly ‘big’, it was pretty satisfying with the beef patty done medium. Other than the distasteful deep-fried buns (too sinful), the burger was decent with the aided of the flavorful (salty) fries. The presence of pickles reminded me of the McDonald’s cheeseburger. Other than that, a glass of coke, or a pint of beer would be excellent to go with the OverEasy’s burger.

Okay, so the to-die-for burger at OverEasy wasn’t really to-die-for. While it was decent, I had better burgers that were cheaper elsewhere — I’d probably order the breakfast food over the burger on my next visit.

Cool vibe, reasonable prices, decent food – I can definitely see myself coming back to OverEasy at One Fullerton again. Especially when they offer all day breakfast on the menu.

A couple of my friends were at OverEasy for drinks at night, and they mentioned that it’s one of the chill out bars in Singapore that they frequented. Will you come to OverEasy at One Fullerton for food, drinks, or both?

Restaurant Review
OverEasy One Fullerton
1 Fullerton Road
#01-06 One Fullerton
Tel: +65 6423 0701

7atenine at Esplanade was one of my favorite restaurants in 2009. My last visit was a year ago, and the restaurant has since been re-branded to Southbridge Jazz @ 7atenine. Gone was the lunch unlimited concept. Instead, they also currently serving food with a cosmopolitan local flavor, combining the best of Western and Asian food.

Even though they have a Moroccan chef at helm, the direction of the menu is mainly influenced by their sister restaurant 7atenine Kuala Lumpur. This explains the presence of KL Hokkien Mee, Char Kuay Teow and Laksa on the menu. Interestingly, there are also Indian food alongside the remaining popular tapas and Western dishes that survived the previous menu.

To be frank with you, when I first heard that 7atenine changed the whole dining concept; I thought it was a shame as I really enjoyed the lunch unlimited ‘buffet’. I wasn’t too keen to go for a second time especially since I had such a good experience the last time.

But I must say it’s a very intriguing idea to combine Jazz with food, so I was finally tempted to drop by 7atenine again. Entering the restaurant and looking at the menu, it felt like the restaurant was going through an identity crisis. I couldn’t figure out if they were trying to be a Western restaurant with Jazz music or another ‘atas‘ restaurant that served hawker food?

Imagine this: you are having KL Laksa in a classy Western restaurant that is playing Jazz music in the background. Confused?

Surprisingly, their KL Curry Laksa ($14.70) was actually quite good. The laksa gravy was thick, and robust and addictive. To pay $14 for laksa is insane. But hey, the huge portion is probably enough for three person and you never know when your laksa craving kicks in during the middle of the night. Another item that we had from the Asian Menu was the Beef Fried Rice ($12.70): decent, it was but nothing breathtaking.

The interesting name – 52 degree Salmon ($27.70) – stood out from the other dishes on the menu. It didn’t taste like the usual pan-seared or grilled salmon. Nor was it like raw sashimi. 7atenine’s interpretation of the fish was like salmon at the most natural stage. Every slice just fell off easily and it came close to the crumble-in-your-mouth effect. There’s a problem though – the portion was too small for a main course.

If there’s a dish that will catch everybody’s attention, it will definitely be the Beef Kebab ($50). Even though the meat was slightly cold as I took a long time to take photographs of it; but every bite was so tender, and together with the fries and grilled vegetables, we called this – the date dish – perfect for sharing between a couple.

If you give me an air ticket that flies to any part of the world, I’d definitely choose to go to Spain. I have always been a big fan of the Spanish culture, somehow everything seduces me. From Spanish football, to the magnificent scenery of the country (that I saw on TV), to Spanish food and the tapas culture, please let me wake up and find myself speaking Spanish!

When the Churros ($7.70) arrived on our table, we experienced the phenomenon again. Everyone went quiet and focused on the dessert. Coated with heaps of sugar and cinnamon, the churros were deep-fried and served pipping hot. Dipping it with the nutella-chocolate sauce, oh em gee, this is surely the best-est thing ever! Chocolate, nutella and churros. I can’t think of a better combination. How could flour taste so good?

I just found my new love, her name is Churros with nutella.

I will like to thank Danielle from ate media for the invitation. Southbridge Jazz @ 7atenine is definitely a good chill out places in Singapore for jazz lovers to hang out with their friends over some food and drinks. The al fresco area is cooling at night for dinner. If you must have air-con, there’s a few tables inside as most of the interior area was converted for the jazz bar.

While I am not a very big drinker, we had fun trying out the different types of mojito at 7atenine. The whole new concept is bold and adventurous, but when it comes to the food, prices are not exactly in the affordable range and honestly, I’m not quite sure how people will react to it. So tell me: are you game enough to order Laksa and Hokkien mee in a restaurant? Well, one thing is for sure, I will definitely be back for the churros!

I need some recommendations for good chill out places please!

Restaurant Review
Southbridge Jazz @ 7atenine
8 Raffles Avenue
#01-10/12 Esplanade Mall
Tel: +65 6338 0789

I’m head over heels like love with brunch. It’s more like the feeling of being able to slowly enjoy a long extended breakfast plus lunch, while watching time slips by. The idea of an all-day brunch place appeals to me – it’s damn sexy.

Of late, I’m always too busy over the weekends that there wasn’t a chance to have my favorite brunch, and so when I found out that KPO Cafe serves all day brunch during my first visit, I casually suggested to my friend, “let’s have brunch for dinner.” Okay, maybe casually is an understatement; it was a desperate attempt to plot and make her believe that instead of having steak and salad, it’s the norm to have eggs and pancakes for dinner.

Now, I think I’m really a crazy person (having ice cream for dinner) when it comes to food; I mean who in the right mind will want to have brunch during dinner ? Not many. I have pitched the idea to some of my friends, but most of them think that I’m joking. Surprisingly, it’s either my scheme works or my friend is just as crazy as me – we had brunch for dinner.

How can any brunch be without Eggs Benedict? It is like what har hau is to dim sum, or how chili crabs will be without the deep-fried mantou. After my first encounter with eggs benedict, I’m hooked. The thick creamy hollandaise sauce that is drizzled on top of the beautifully poached egg – it’s a truly magnificent sight to behold.

KPO’s Egg Benedict ($13) uses bacon streaks instead of ham or salmon, and together with the poached eggs, they sat prettily on a slice of thick white toast. For $13, I was expecting a lot more, and sadly it did not deliver. Oh, there’s only one poached eggs? I turned to my friend with a we-have-to-share-kind-of-look. On second thoughts, it was actually not that bad, the streaky bacon was a hit with poached eggs, I would however prefer to have muffin or baguette, instead of white toast. Anyway, the hollandaise sauce was pretty awesome too – honey, it’s all about the butter.

Do you want to pancake with me?

And yes, if there’s one thing which I absolutely adored (besides eggs benedict) – it will be Pancakes ($6). Like I said before, eating pancakes required some knowledge, to cut the long story short; just dunked the fluffy pancakes into the bowl of syrup, let it soaked and immerse in the essence of the wonderful liquid, and I guarantee: you will be happy boys and girls.

I know, the pancakes here look rather sad, they are certainly not like what I had before, but what to do? When you are a hungry man craving for brunch in the middle of town, there’s not much options. Well to be fair, it’s not expensive to have two pancakes for six dollars, it’s more like the consistency of the pancake; one is over-toast, and the other one pales in comparison.

Anyway, this time round, the first question that they asked was not credit card or cash. Instead, they went one step further, they brought me the bill (when I did not ask for it) immediately after the eggs benedict arrived on my table. And so if you are one who will be disturbed by such “tiny acts”, I suggest you head to somewhere else instead. As for me? I like the place enough to go back the following weekend after my first visit. All right, maybe I’m intoxicated by the happiness of finally having eggs benedict after such a long time that I’m not making sense now. If you like brunch, go here, here or here.

KPO @ Killney post office
1 Killiney road
Killney Post Office
Tel: 6733 3648

I always dread to have dinner in Orchard, well the place is great for shopping, people-watching, movies, but food? It is always an issue whenever my friends want to meet there and if you ask me, there’s hardly any place that I like in Orchard.

It was a coincidence that both Lingzie and Kenny were in town, so there was a minor crisis in deciding the place for dinner. Initially I wanted to bring them to my favourite place in Orchard, but we ended up at KPO Cafe.

Most people will have thought that KPO stands for Killiney Post office since the cafe is located on the premises of Killiney post office. But the name actually comes about because it’s at the intersection of Killney, Penang, and Orchard road.

We started dinner with the Pizza Yorkshire ($25). The 10 inch thin crust pizza was thoroughly enjoyable; sweet thin slices Yorkshire pork and well-baked crust with mozzarella cheese matched perfectly with the natural crust.

Even though the Grilled juicy mini beef patties were tiny, I love the way they are done – topped with melted Emmental cheese and served in home-made baguette. The Patty Melt ($12) is one of those things that you wish it would come in bigger portions. And oh yes, the home-made chips were great too! But for the kind of price, it’s more like a snack to go along with drinks rather than a main course for dinner.

The KPO Pork Ribs ($23) was the other signature dish of the cafe. A full slab of ribs marinated with the tantalizing sauce, we have to agree that the marination was very done-well. But having tried better pork ribs elsewhere, KPO’s rendition lacked the ultimate melt-in-the-mouth sensation. Still, it was pretty good.

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I have no doubt that KPO, situated right in the middle of town and yet seemingly away from the hustle of the city, will be a success. The location is already a hit, with the chic environment, it is definitely the place-to-be-seen-at. While it’s a great watering-hole, with the food being pretty decent, but they really need to improve on the service.

I got a shock when the first question they asked, was not what I’ll like to order, but whether I’m paying by credit card or cash. No matter how nice the ambience was, or how excellent the food tasted – that was a total turnoff. But oh well, at least there’s no service charge & GST. Anyway, with the good location plus the chill-out atmosphere, I went back again the following Saturday.

KPO @ Killney post office
1 Killiney road
Killney Post Office
Tel: 6733 3648