For those who live in Clementi, Balmoral Bakery is an old-school bakery that would be no stranger to you. With roots dating back to the mid-1960s, Balmoral Bakery is well-loved for their baked pastries and fluffy cakes.

If you’re not sure where Balmoral Bakery is, all you’ll need to do is use your sense of smell to guide you. We kid you not — that’s how amazing their bakes smell even from a distance away. Here’s what you can expect at this traditional bakery.

Balmoral Bakery is located at the edge of the rows of shops at Sunset Way Residence. However, what makes this humble bakery stand out is its brick walls and tiled flooring. Given that the logo of Balmoral Bakery bears resemblance to the Balmoral Castle in Scotland, the choice of red brick walls for the bakery’s was definitely an appropriate choice.

Although Balmoral Bakery doesn’t occupy a very large store space, customers would be impressed by the range of baked goods that they carry within the store. We were drawn in by the rows of freshly baked pastries which made a feast for the eyes.

The pastries at Balmoral Bakery are priced affordably and most are below S$2 each. Our picks were the Chicken Pie (S$1.80), Char Siew Soh (S$1.60) and the Beef Pie (S$2.50). Other options that you can choose include the Chicken Curry Puff (S$1.60), Beef Curry Puff (S$1.60) and Sausage Roll (S$1.60).

Our thoughts? We were big fans of the Chicken Pie and Beef Pie. Each pastry was filled with large chunks of meat, and the flavours were rich and slightly peppery. Best of all? The pastry crust was crispy and flaky even after keeping the pies in the fridge and reheating them the next day. That means you can order more pies and freeze them for future consumption.

As for the Char Siew Soh, whilst the pastry had a pleasing appearance, we weren’t impressed by its flavour. So if you’re visiting Balmoral Bakery for the first time, we’d recommend giving this a miss.

The Bacon & Onion Quiche (S$2.50) was a pretty decent option. The quiche was filled with a generous portion of bacon and white onions, and the saltiness of the bacon was a beautiful contrast to the sweetness of the white onions. The egg custard of the Bacon & Onion Quiche was also pretty tasty and the layer of melted cheese atop the pastry brought all the flavours together.

It would be a crime to leave a traditional bakery without ordering some of their traditional western cakes. We selected Coconut, Vanilla, Kaya Pandan, Chocolate and Coffee Chocolate, all of which were priced at S$1.80 per slice. The buttercream of each slice of cake was light and not overly sweet, and the texture of the cakes was soft and sufficiently fluffy.

Balmoral Bakery
105 Clementi Street 12,
#01-06, Singapore 120105
Tel: 6779 2064

Bored & Hungry is a Non-Fungible Token (NFT) themed restaurant which is inspired by the world famous NFT project, Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC). The restaurant was established by founder Andy Nguyen in March 2022 in Long Beach, California.

Bored & Hungry—Bored Ape Yacht Club-Themed Restaurant—will be having its first pop-up in Singapore for a week from 11 to 19 Aug 2023.

Since its opening in 2022, the Bored & Hungry franchise has gained a devoted and passionate fan base, thanks to its delicious signature smashburgers.

The Parlour Singapore—a pioneer NFT lounge in Singapore—has hosted a wide array of innovative ventures and gatherings related to NFTs, such as BAYC (SG), Goblintown, Azuki, and others.

Within The Parlour Singapore, you can find Mirage, a bar & restaurant, where patrons can enjoy a diverse range of craft beers and savor a distinct fusion of Mediterranean and Japanese culinary influences.

Bored & Hungry Singapore Pop-Up
Dates: 11 -19 August 2023
5:00-10:30pm (last orders for food 9:30pm)
The Parlour Singapore (Mirage)
140 Owen Road, Singapore 218940

We have Bob The Builder, and we have Bob The Baker Boy who is fond of cakes, especially moist and cottony-soft cakes, which are exactly what you can look forward to when placing an order with Bob The Baker Boy.

You have probably seen Bob The Baker Boy’s customised cakes and dessert tables making their rounds on Instagram and Facebook. There are over 400 designs to choose from. And if you have any particular design in mind for your cake, you can always let the creative team know and they will make your wish come true.

That’s not all. Bob The Baker Boy also has a range of awesome bakes including mini tarts, and brownies.

Bob is our new best friend and he will be yours too when you next need a customised cake. Or tarts. Or anything sweet, really.

DEFYING GRAVITY FLOATING BEER CAN CAKE

Let’s start off with their customised cakes, shall we? They are what made Bob The Baker Boy famous, and our dear Bob deserves all the recognition for the superb hand-crafted cakes that have made birthdays memorable for countless people.

For the fickle-minded ones, you are going to be in trouble because they have hundreds of designs for you to choose from. And everything looks so cute and realistic, it’s impossible to just select one. We feel you, really. Even if you are a decisive person, the range will leave you mind-boggled, even if it’s just for a while.

Being the alcoholics we are, we eventually decided on this gravity-defying beer cake. We went with a classic flavour that will please the crowd—Belgian Chocolate cake covered with pearl sprayed vanilla buttercream, and layered with zero-added sugar chocolate custard.

The layered cake was decadent and satisfying with every bite. You know how some cakes look way better than they taste? Not for this. This looked every bit photogenic and Instagram-worthy, and tasted legit. We are already dreaming of our next customised cake by them!

STRAWBERRIES & CREAM CAKE

Adapted from the ever-so-popular strawberries shortcake, expect moist and velvety vanilla layers for this cake. Slice your fork into cake that’s fluffy like the clouds, filled with freshly whipped Chantilly and farm-picked sliced strawberries.

Money may not buy us happiness, but it can buy us Bob The Baker Boy’s Strawberries & Cream Cake and it’s about the same thing. This is one classic flavour to love, great for both young and old, and definitely one we will reorder.

BROWN SUGAR BOBA MILK CAKE

You guys, this cake is a dream come true. Imagine your favourite brown sugar boba milk, but in a cake form. That is exactly what it is—literally! Cut into fragrant vanilla cake layers, generously filled with creamy brown sugar Chantilly and sweet starchy boba fillings.

The Brown Sugar Boba Milk Cake is such a brilliant creation by Bob The Baker Boy. We love. the cottony soft and moist cake that is accompanied with fragrant brown sugar cream. And that boba filling! That chewy, sweet boba filling completed the cake with a lovely texture variety.

It is also noteworthy that Bob The Baker Boy bakes cakes with lower sugar content (30-50% lower in sugar than regular customised cakes). This is a huge plus point for us because we are the kind of people who dig into whole cakes even when it is nobody’s birthday, and we can do with something that’s significantly lesser in sugar so we do not feel as guilty for eating cakes. You feel us?

ASSORTED FOUR CHEESE TARTS

These cute little tarts are great for small parties and the kids are bound to love them. With a firm tart shell that crumbles upon sinking your teeth into it, the Brûlée Cheese Tarts (S$23.90 for 12) is our favourite flavour. Fresh cheese filling encased in fragrant vanilla tart crust, these little bites of happiness are super addictive and you simply cannot stop at one. Or two. Or three.

The other flavours to love are Strawberries Cheesecake Tarts, Cookies & Cream Mini Tarts and Blueberry Cheesecake Tarts. These are slightly stronger in terms of taste, but nothing too cheesy that non-cheese lovers can’t take.

AU NATUREL BROWNIES

Their brownies are slightly cakier and are more like cupcakes, actually. But we like that they are not cloyingly sweet. Reheat them in the microwave oven before eating.

Go on, you deserve some sweet treats. Click here to enter a whole new realm of desserts, and start customising your dream cake for that special occasion that is coming up. Or grab yourselves some molten lava cookies; we promise you won’t regret it.

Bob The Baker Boy
369 Sembawang Rd, #01-03, Singapore 758382
Tel: 9499 4015
https://bobthebakerboy.com/

This post was brought to you by Bob The Baker Boy.

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Bugis is a popular hotspot for numerous attractions; from brightly coloured murals to hip cafes for scrumptious brunch, significant cultural sights and 2 huge malls to shop till you drop.

After taking in all the sights under Singapore’s burning sun, spending some time in an air-conditioned environment while savouring a dessert is very much well-deserved.

Whether you need a quick break or just need a pick-me-up, here are 13 Desserts Around Bugis To #TreatYourself.

Photo Credit: Edith Patisserie

#1 BUBBLE TEA TARTS

Edith Patisserie has created Bubble Tea Tarts (S$8.50) that are made of handmade almond tart shells and a luscious tea-infused ganache that come in three flavours: Milk Tea, Thai Milk Tea and Matcha. The highlight of this dessert is, of course, the boba tea pearls that add an element of delightful chewiness and excitement to the decadent tart.

Not only are these tarts highly Instagram-worthy, but they are also incredibly gooey and a satisfying treat that is worth all the calories.

Edith Patisserie
772 North Bridge Rd
Singapore 198740
Tue – Sat: 10am – 5pm
Sun: 10am – 2pm
(Closed on Monday)
Tel +65 6443 7150
Nearest Station: Lavender

#2 ARTISANAL PIES

If all pies tasted like the ones from Windowsill Pies, we’d gladly eat humble pie any day. This cosy little cafe along Haji Lane will make you do a double-take with their storefront display of alluring pies.

Their pie selection ranges from bright fruity delights to intense chocolatey decadence. Awaken your tastebuds with their Coconut Lime Vodka Pie (S$7.50), brimming with zingy citrus sweetness undercut by a mild alcoholic accent. Their Chocolate Truffle Pie (S$7.50) is equally formidable with its power combo of cocoa and truffle mushroom.

Windowsill Pies
17 Haji Lane
Singapore 189210
Tel +65 9772 5629
Sun – Thurs: 11am – 8pm
Fri – Sat: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

#3 UNIQUE ICE CREAM

Tom’s Palette creates some of the most whacky and funky flavours of ice cream in Singapore. These unique ice cream flavours constantly attract curious customers into their shop.

With creative ice cream (S$5 for a 4oz cup) flavours such as Pipagao, Pineapple Tart, Mala Chocolate, and even Nasi Lemak, this ice cream shop has brought fun back into the icy sweet treat and has us looking forward to their next unique flavour creation.

Tom’s Palette
51 Middle Rd, #01-01, Singapore 188959

#4 EGGLET WAFFLES AND ICE CREAM

Lickety Ice Cream & Waffles is a Halal dessert cafe serving a crispy egglet waffles that pair beautifully with their rich ice cream. The ice cream comes in tasty flavours such as Earl Grey and Fig, Cotton Candy Bubblegum and Taro Yam & Coconut.

The egglet waffles come in two different choices: Buttermilk and Red Velvet; for those who can’t decide they have an option to have Half and Half, whereby you get to have both flavours in one egglet waffle!

A half & half egglet waffle with your choice of a single scoop of ice cream costs an affordable S$8.50.

Lickety Ice Cream & Waffles
34 Bussorah St
Singapore 199452
Tel +65 6291 7670
Mon – Thu, Sun: 11am – 10pm
Fri – Sat: 11am – 11pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

Photo Credit: All Things Delicious

#5 FLAVOURED SCONES

All Things Delicious is a Halal favourite along Arab Street for their tasty lunch meals, quick bites and wide selection of baked goods. Amongst the light bites and baked goods are their flavoured scones which have won hearts all over Singapore.

With scones coming in flavours such as Lemon Blueberry Scones and Gula Melaka Scones, these baked goods are crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside; plus, they even heat it up for you to enjoy them at their best.

All Things Delicious
34 Arab St
Singapore 199733
Tel +65 6291 4252
Tue – Fri: 8am – 7pm
Sat – Sun: 9am – 7pm
(Closed on Monday)
Nearest Station: Bugis

#6 LOCALLY-INSPIRED CUPCAKES

With locally inspired cupcake flavours such as Teh Tarik Cupcake, Durian Pengat Cupcake and Putri Salat Cupcake (that even comes with glutinous rice on top), the cupcakes at Fluff Bakery are priced at S$4 each and not to mention they are Muslim-owned too!

Moist and light, Fluff Bakery’s artisanal cupcakes are a sweet indulgence that makes for a great reward after a long week at work.

Fluff Bakery
4 Jln Pisang
Singapore 199071
Tel: +65 8251 1353
Tue – Sat: 12pm – 7.30pm
Sun 11am – 5pm
(Closed on Monday)
Nearest Station: Bugis

#7 RAINBOW CAKE

The Rainbow Cake (S$8.90) at I am… has made many rounds across social media since its launch. Not only is a slice of this cake generously huge in portion, but it is also filled with luscious cream cheese that complements the dense and vivid layers of cake too.

This Muslim-owned establishment also has a plethora of scrumptious food selections too, which makes I am… a go-to eatery within Bugis.

I am…
674 North Bridge Rd
Singapore 188804
Tel +65 6295 5509
Mon – Thu: 9am – 11pm
Fri – Sat: 9am – 1am
Sun: 9am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

Photo Credit: Nunsongyee Korean Dessert Cafe

#8 BINGSU

Shaved ice always makes for the perfect dessert when the sun is out and bearing down its scorching rays of sunlight upon us. Nunsongyee Korean Dessert Cafe serves sweet and icy Bingsu that are ideal for sharing with a group of dessert lovers.

For something more traditional, order the Black Sesame Bingsu (S$15.90) or their Injeolmi Bingsu (S$12.90). The Chocolate Banana Bingsu (S$13.90) and Cheesecake (S$15.90) are more contemporary favourites amongst regulars.

Nunsongyee Korean Dessert Cafe
534 North Bridge Rd
Singapore 188749
Tel +65 6268 8220
Daily: 11am – 6am
Nearest Station: Bugis

Photo Credit: KANE MOCHI

#9 MOCHI ICE CREAM

Combining the very best of both worlds, KANE MOCHI serves Mochi Ice Cream that is both wonderfully cold and chewy. Offered in a variety of exciting flavours such as Melon, Thai Iced Thea, Milo Vanilla and even Durian, customers are invited to pick any 3 flavours for S$6.20.

KANE MOCHI
201 Victoria Street
Bugis+ Link Bridge, #02-50
Singapore 188067
Tel +65 6509 1915
Daily: 10am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

#10 CHENDOL SOFT SERVE

OVERRUN.SG serves creamy soft serve ice creams that are ideal for a hot day out. Rich in flavour and covered in a huge portion of toppings, this Muslim-owned ice cream shop is most known for their Chendol Soft Serve (S$6).

OVERRUN.SG also offers soft serves in other mouth-watering flavours such as Salted Caramel Banana Soft Serve (S$8) that are loaded with cookie crumbs and a bittersweet Durian Soft Serve (S$8).

OVERRUN.SG
18 Baghdad St
Singapore 199657
Tue – Thu: 12pm – 8.30pm
Fri: 2pm – 10pm
Sat: 12pm – 10pm
Sun: 12pm – 8.39pm
(Closed on Monday)
Nearest Station: Bugis

#11 FUSION CROISSANTS

Asian-inspired croissants with the perfect honeycomb texture? Sounds way too good to be true. Try it for yourself at Brother Bird Bakehouse, which dishes out impeccably flaky croissants of the most unique flavours. Mochi croissants, churros croissants and cruffins – you name it, they have it.

Slice open one of their croissants and you’ll be greeted with anything from black sesame lava to “orh nee” paste. With flavours rotating every month, you’re in for a surprise every time.

Brother Bird Bakehouse
32 Bali Lane
Singapore 189868
Tel +65 9800 7628
Wed – Mon: 12pm – 9.30pm
Tues: 6 – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

#12 TRADITIONAL CHINESE DESSERTS

This humble little eatery popped up in Fortune Centre pretty recently and we’re so glad they did. Yat Ka Yan Dessert serves up comforting family recipes that taste straight out of your grandma’s kitchen.

Their range of Chinese desserts sees anything from black sesame paste to steamed egg pudding. But, take it from us and get their Chendol (S$3.20). You’ll be swept off your feet by the shaven ice drenched in thick coconut milk, rich gula melaka syrup and sweetened whole red beans.

Yat Ka Yan Dessert
190 Middle Rd, #02-08, Fortune Centre
Singapore 188979
Daily: 11.30am – 9.30pm

#13 ARTISANAL PASTRIES

Get transported into a cosy little Parisian cafe at Mother Dough, a Halal bakery-cafe that churns out arrays of impeccable, artisanal pastries. You’re bound to get lost in the mounds of fresh bakes set before you, but set your sights on their croissants. This cafe has certainly mastered the art of this tedious pastry.

Flawlessly flaky, buttery and crisp, their Almond Chocolate Croissant ($5.20) is stuffed with rich, luscious chocolate and frangipane cream. A generous studding of almonds seals the deal.

Mother Dough
749 North Bridge Rd, #01-01
Singapore 198717
Tel +65 6909 6604
Tues – Sat: 11am – 6pm
Sun: 11am – 5pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

Brownies are irresistible chocolate squares that will win bae’s heart over with its indulgent, chocolatey goodness. Said decadent treats come in an assortment of flavours and textures — fudgy, dense or crisp — and will light a smile on your faces upon the first bite.

Here are the best brownie spots in Singapore that dish out addictive, fudging good brownies.

BUNDT BY THE BACKYARD BAKERS

Join the hype — and queue — for BUNDT by The Backyard Bakers! Located a stone throw’s away from Clarke Quay MRT, this acclaimed takeaway kiosk doles out the likes of jet-black, fudgy brownies, blondies and speciality cold brews. They also switch up their menu daily, offering a different baked surprise each time.

Skyrocketing to success for their toothsome brownies, these treats come in a variety of mouthwatering flavours such as Nutella Hazelnut and Crunchy Peanut Butter. Dark chocolate lovers will also be pleased to know BUNDT serves mean dark chocolate brownies as well.

BUNDT by The Backyard Bakers
2 Havelock Rd
Havelock II, #01-22
Singapore 059763
Mon to Fri: 7:30am – 4:30pm
Sat & Sun: 10am – 3pm
Nearest Station: Clarke Quay/Chinatown

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TIONG BAHRU BAKERY DINER 

Satisfy bae’s brownie fix here at Tiong Bahru Bakery Diner. Boasting a stellar line up of French pastries, savouries and a cosy ambience, this prominent diner makes for a perfect casual spot to share a post-meal dessert with your date.

Their brownie flavours change from time to time, but we would recommend their signature Chocolate Brownie. A classic, it is lightly sprinkled with sea salt and topped with crunchy walnuts and pecans. The treat has a crisp exterior and moist middle; each bite is also chock full of luscious chocolate flavour.

Tiong Bahru Bakery Diner
Raffles City Shopping Centre
252 North Bridge Rd, #B1-11
Singapore 179103
Tel: +65 6333 4160
Daily: 8am – 10pm
Nearest Station: City Hall
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

TOLIDO’S ESPRESSO NOOK

Tolido’s Espresso Nook is a humble cafe at Crawford Lane which dishes out comfort cafe fare and all-day breakfast items at affordable prices (most dishes are priced under S$20). Think Scrambled Eggs with Norwegian Smoked Salmon, Rösti and Prawn Laksa Pasta.

They have recently launched a new Homemade Fudgy Brownies topped with sea salt which is going for S$7/slice! The brownie may look unassuming, but it is one of the better brownies that we’ve had in Singapore.

462 Crawford Ln, #01-63, Singapore 190462
Tel: 6648 0178
Mon to Fri (except Tue): 8am – 4pm
Sat & Sun: 9am – 6pm
Nearest Station: Bugis/Lavender

SHUBBY SWEETS

Get addicted to sweet indulgence at Muslim-owned dessert shop, Shubby Sweets. Upon stepping into their small bakery, you will be awed by their tantalising array of bite-sized brownies and choux. Perfect as gifts, the handcrafted brownies are sold in a box of five at S$7.50. Customers can also take their pick from the six different flavours available.

Our favourite out of the lot was their Speculoos Biscoff Blondie. It was generously scattered with crushed Biscoff biscuits and had an aromatic, nutty flavour. Leaning towards a cookie-like texture, the blondie was crumbly with just the right amount of sweetness.

Shubby Sweets
42 Chai Chee St, #01-68
Singapore 461042
Tel: +65 8419 9614
Wed to Sun: 12:30pm – 8pm
(Closed on Mon & Tues)
Nearest Station: Bedok

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P.Osh

Looking for sinfully good and affordable brownies? P.Osh is a popular brownie shop which is known for their wallet-friendly brownies and cakes. You will be spoilt for choice with their extensive choice of brownies — think over-the-top treats studded with M&M’s, fruit loops and cream.

Only available in their standard chocolate flavour, the goodie is laced with rich, thick streaks of chocolate fudge before it is topped with an assortment of designs. Boyfriends take note: you can also pre-order and customise your brownies to surprise bae!

P.Osh
9 Yio Chu Kang Road
Space @ Kovan, #01-41
Singapore 545523
Tel: +65 9007 0014
Mon to Sat: 10am – 8pm
(Closed on Sundays)
Nearest Station: Kovan
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

AWFULLY CHOCOLATE

Indulge your cocoa cravings with Awfully Chocolate’s signature Salted Butterscotch Brownie! The gourmet treat is made from a moreish, opulent combination of their famed artisanal chocolate and salted butterscotch. Beautifully presented in a sleek box, the dessert is well-packaged and exudes a classy vibe.

Baked in thick layers of chocolate brownie and butterscotch batter, the middle is sprinkled with natural sea salt, resulting in a full-bodied treat with a perfect balance of sweet and salty nuances. The brownie is also incredibly moist with a cake-like texture.

Awfully Chocolate
Raffles City Shopping Centre
252 North Bridge Rd, #B1-52
Singapore 179103
Tel: +65 6338 3527
Daily: 10am – 10pm
Nearest Station: City Hall
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

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PLAIN VANILLA

Sticking to traditional recipes and serving pastries of familiar, nostalgic flavours, Plain Vanilla serves up good ol’ pastries that will surely remind you of your grandmother’s baking. Savour their Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownie, a thick slab of dark chocolate made from dark chocolate chunks and coated with a peanut butter frosting.

Their chewy brownie sent us to sweet paradise; the peanut butter frosting was soft and creamy, melding extremely well with the dense and fluffy brownie base. The brownie was reminiscent of a cake and had a harmonious blend of sweet nuttiness.

Plain Vanilla Bakery
ION Orchard, IN GOOD COMPANY Concept Store
2 Orchard Turn, #B1-06
Singapore 238801
Tel: +65 8299 9422
Mon to Thurs: 11am – 7pm
Fri to Sun: 10am – 7:30pm
Nearest Station: Orchard
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

BigDaddy at Republic Plaza specialises in hearty, nutritious protein bowls. Perfect for health-conscious diners — or those seeking to begin an eat-clean diet in a bid to lose some extra calories — this new kid on the block is your ticket to having a “fitspo” body.

Conveniently nestled in the CBD area, diners can look forward to customisable bowls that come with one protein, three sides, and a homemade sauce. With its generous mixture of carbs, fibres, and proteins, they are a guaranteed bang for your buck.

So, get creative with your meal, take charge of your lifestyle now and check out these delectable, unbelievea-bowls at BigDaddy!

You cannot miss out on their signature item — the Grilled Wagyu Beef (S$13.90). This highly raved about bowl boasts succulent grilled beef cubes, crunchy sides of various vegetables, and a sous vide egg.

Each juicy beef cube was grilled to perfection, resulting in a smoky, caramelised char. The sear on the meat brought out its innate, savoury flavour as well, leaving us hankering for more. The yolk from the runny egg also added a creamy sweetness to the rice.  

The Norwegian Salmon (S$11.90) is a great alternative for those who prefer fish. This dish features a variety of ingredients which includes the likes of chunky pieces of grilled salmon and well-seasoned greens. There are Brussel sprouts too!

The fish had a crisp skin and exterior, while the inside was tender, giving each bite a contrasting mouthfeel. We recommend pairing the protein with their piquant mentaiko sauce; each dip adds an oomph of sweet and salty nuances.

BigDaddy promises wholesome, healthy food served in big portions which are sure to keep you full throughout the day. So, come on down and give them a try!

Big Daddy
9 Raffles Place
#02-04 Republic Plaza
Singapore 048619
Mon to Fri: 11am – 3pm, 5pm – 7:45pm
(Closed on Sat & Sun)
Nearest Station: Raffles Place

If there is one thing we cannot live without, it is, undoubtedly, desserts. You name it, we love it. There is just something about that sweet, indulgent treat that never fails to light up our day. This time around, instead of going for our usual choice of ice cream and waffles, we decided to spoil ourselves with something a little different — an underrated, yet equally sinful treat: brownies.

We paid a visit to one of the most highly-raved brownie shops in Singapore lately: BUNDT by The Backyard Bakers. Nestled in Havelock II, they are a hole-in-the-wall takeaway kiosk near Clarke Quay MRT dishing out sinful pieces of chocolatey happiness, also known as dangerously addictive brownies. They also serve coffee.

Albeit hard to find, the joint was still constantly packed with eager customers waiting to sample BUNDT’s bite-sized goodies.

Each brownie is lovingly prepared and made from scratch; customers can also look forward to a different menu from them each day.

First up, we tried their Crunchy Peanut Butter Brownie (S$4.80). Upon unwrapping its package, we were greeted by the tantalising aroma of peanut butter. Specked with bits of sliced peanuts, the chewy brownie also contained a fudgy middle with peanut butter oozing out. 

The decadent brownie was moist and rich with a slightly crispy crust. It was also baked with just the right amount of sweetness and salt.

We also got a taste of their Nutella Hazelnut (S$5.20). One of their best-sellers, this is the one to go for if you are a chocolate lover! Take a bite, and you will be surprised by the burst of chocolate taste.

This brownie is definitely the winner for us — it had a crumbly exterior and was generously studded with chunks of melted milk chocolate. It was also extremely dense, almost reminiscent of a cake.

Those who prefer a coffee that is light on the palate should opt for their Signature Iced White (S$5). Mellow in flavour, it was clean and crisp with a hint of nuttiness.

If you are in the vicinity, treat yourself to a post-work indulgence here at BUNDT by The Backyard Bakers! Do take note that their baked treats sell out fast, so fastest fingers first.

BUNDT by The Backyard Bakers
2 Havelock Rd
Havelock II, #01-22
Singapore 059763
Mon to Fri: 7:30am – 4:30pm
Sat & Sun: 10am – 3pm
Nearest Station: Clarke Quay/Chinatown

Photo Credit:www.facebook.com/belimbingsuperstar/

The sister restaurant of The Coconut Club, Belimbing Superstar, has suddenly announced a ceasing of operations after a mere five months of opening. The news was conveyed through an official Facebook post on 21st January 2020, without any reason provided for the abrupt closure.

This news follows the recent passing of the company’s co-founder, Mr. Lee Eng Su, in September the last year. He passed on three weeks after Belimbing Superstar opened along Ann Siang Hill in August, but the Peranakan eatery still continued to operate afterward.

Founded upon the vision to raise the accessibility of Peranakan cuisine to Singaporeans, Belimbing Superstar offered authentic Nyonya dishes through an economical-rice concept. Their best-selling dishes included Pork Belimbing and Cincalok Bomb.

Well-frequented by office workers and CBD-goers, it’s safe to say that many are going to miss this beloved Peranakan establishment.

From famed household names such as Koi and Liho, to the popular overseas brands—including HEYTEA, Nayuki, and Machi Machi—that have arrived in Singapore, we’ve got you covered.

Ready yourself and be prepared to conquer all the bubble tea options we have—this is a comprehensive guide to 62 bubble tea brands in Singapore.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/koithesg/

KOI THÉ

KOI Thé  
23 Serangoon Central
NEX, #B1-07
Singapore 556083
Tel: +65 6634 8623
Nearest Station: Serangoon
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/gongchasg/

GONG CHA

Gong Cha
313 Orchard Road
313 @ Somerset, #01-37
Singapore 238895
Tel: +65 6200 2288
Nearest Station: Somerset
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

LiHO

LiHo
23 Serangoon Central
NEX, #04-K22
Singapore 556083
Tel: +65 6634 9008
Nearest Station: Serangoon
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/taigaisg/

TAIGAI

TaiGai
23 Serangoon Central
NEX, #B2-34
Singapore 556083
Nearest Station: Serangoon

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/HollinSG/

HOLLIN

Hollin
190 Toa Payoh Central
Toa Payoh Mall, #01-538
Singapore 310190
Tel: +65 6252 2456
Nearest Station: Toa Payoh
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

HEYTEA

HEYTEA
2 Orchard Turn
ION Orchard, #B4-29
Singapore 238801
Tel: +65 6908 0019
Nearest Station: Orchard
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/singapore.thealley/

THE ALLEY

The Alley 
78 Airport Blvd
Jewel Changi Airport, #B2-273
Singapore 819666
Nearest Station: Changi Airport
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/milkshasingapore/

MILKSHA

Milksha
Suntec City
3 Temasek Blvd
Tower 3, #02-375/376
Singapore 038983
Nearest Station: Promenade/Esplanade
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

BOBER TEA

Bober Tea
Bukit Panjang Plaza
1 Jelebu Road, #01-23
Singapore 677743
Tel: +65 9816 1440
Nearest Station: Bukit Panjang
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/tigersugarSGofficial/

TIGER SUGAR

Tiger Sugar
13 Stamford Road
Capitol Piazza, #B2-32
Singapore 178905
Tel: +65 9581 9283
Nearest Station: City Hall
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

NAYUKI

Nayuki
107 North Bridge Road
Funan Mall, #01-01
Singapore 179105
Nearest Station: City Hall
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/thewhaleteasingapore/

THE WHALE TEA

The Whale Tea
21 Choa Chu Kang Ave 4
Lot One Shoppers’ Mall, #B1-25
Singapore 689812
Tel: +65 8799 8336
Nearest Station: Chua Chu Kang

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/teabrary.official/

TEABRARY

Teabrary
90 Bras Basah Road
Esplanade Xchange, #B1-12
Singapore 189562
Nearest Station: Esplanade
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/tpteasg/

TP TEA

TP Tea
60 Airport Road
Changi Airport, Terminal 2 Departure Hall, #026-015-01
Singapore 819643
Nearest Station: Changi Airport
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/truedansg/

JENJUDAN

Jenjudan
1 Raffles Link
Citylink Mall, #B1-13
Singapore 039393
Nearest Station: Esplanade/City Hall

XING FU TANG

Xing Fu Tang
1 Sengkang Square
Compass One, #B1-10
Singapore 545078
Nearest Station: Sengkang
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/kungfuteasg/

KUNG FU TEA

Kung Fu Tea
Hougang Central
Blk 810, #01-24
Singapore 530810
Tel: +65 6475 7217
Nearest Station: Hougang
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/themomentinsg/

THE MOMENT

The Moment
51 Telok Ayer St, #01-06A
Singapore 048441
Tel: +65 9654 5289
Nearest Station: Telok Ayer

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/bccteastudio/

BCC TEA STUDIO

BCC Tea Studio
Fengshan Market
Bedok North Street 4
Blk 84, #01-29
Singapore 460084
Nearest Station: Bedok
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/Blackball.Singapore

BLACKBALL

Blackball
23 Serangoon Central
NEX, #B1-46A
Singapore 556083
Tel: +65 9742 1630
Nearest Station: Serangoon
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/chichasanchen.sg/

CHICHA SAN CHEN

Chicha San Chen
313 Orchard Road
313 @ Somerset, #03-41
Singapore 238895
Nearest Station: Somerset
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/eachacupsingapore/

EACH A CUP

Each A Cup
11 Rivervale Crescent
Rivervale Mall, #01-K7
Singapore 545082
Tel: +65 9816 3863
Nearest Station: Rumbia
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/Heeteaasia/

HEETEA

HeeTea
133 New Bridge Road
Chinatown Point, #B1-46
Singapore 059413
Nearest Station: Chinatown
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/KurotakiSG/

KUROTAKI CHABANN

Kurotaki Chabann
1 Raffles Link
Citylink Mall, #B1-49
Singapore 039393
Tel: +65 8722 7665
Nearest Station: Esplanade/Cityhall
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/itea.sg/

I-TEA

i-tea
25 Bendemeer Road, #01-595
Singapore 330025
Tel: +65 6909 2297
Nearest Station: Boon Keng
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/yifangtea.sg/

YI FANG FRUIT TEA

Yi Fang Fruit Tea
277 Orchard Road
Orchard Gateway, #B1-01
Singapore 238858
Nearest Station: Somerset

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/TenRenTeaSG/

TEN REN TEA

Ten Ren Tea
133 New Bridge Road
Chinatown Point, #01-07
Singapore 059413
Tel: +65 6423 9433
Nearest Station: Chinatown

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/rbteasg

R&B TEA

R&B Tea
6 Raffles Blvd
Marina Square, #04-101/102
Singapore 039594
Tel: +65 6506 0161
Nearest Station: Esplanade
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/MuYooSG

MUYOO

MuYoo
252 North Bridge Road
Raffles City Shopping Centre, #B1-67
Singapore 179103
Tel: +65 9838 4183
Nearest Station: Raffles Place
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/NineFreshDesserts/

NINE FRESH

Nine Fresh
1 Sengkang Square
Compass One, #B1-41
Singapore 545078
Nearest Station: Sengkang
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/parteasg/

PARTEA

Partea
Suntec City North Atrium, #02-470
Singapore 038983
Tel: +65 6252 6279
Nearest Station: Promenade/Esplanade
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/playmadeonezo/

PLAYMADE

PlayMade
10 Tampines Central 1
Tampines One, #01-59
Singapore 529536
Tel: +65 6509 9693
Nearest Station: Tampines
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/ShareteaSG/

SHARETEA

Sharetea
200 Victoria Street
Bugis Junction, #01-14A
Singapore 188021
Nearest Station: Bugis
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/SuperteaSingapore/

SUPERTEA

Supertea
9 Raffles Blvd
Millenia Walk, #01-75
Singapore 039596
Nearest Station: Promenade

Photo Credit: https://facebook.com/teaheesgbbt/

TEAHEE

TeaHee
301 Serangoon Ave 2, #01-328
Singapore 55030
Nearest Station: Serangoon

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/teatreecafesg/

TEA TREE CAFE

Tea Tree Cafe
Block 205 Hougang St 21
Heartland Mall, #01-03
Singapore 530205
Tel: +65 6858 2298
Nearest Station: Kovan
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/toptea.pte.ltd/

TOP TEA

Top Tea
111 Somerset Rd, #01-48
Singapore 238164
Tel: +65 6655 8333
Nearest Station: Somerset/Orchard

Photo Credit: https://facebook.com/winnies.sg/

WINNIE’S

Winnie’s
1 Fusionopolis Place
Galaxis, #01-34
Singapore 138522
Tel: +65 9652 5358
Nearest Station: one-north

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/YuniqueteaSingapore/

THE YUNIQUE TEA

The Yunique Tea
470 Lor 6 Toa Payoh
Singapore 310470
Tel: +65 6273 7488
Nearest Station: Toa Payoh

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/woobbee/

WOOBBEE

Woobbee
1 Tanjong Pagar Plaza, #01-18
Singapore 082001
Tel: +65 6220 8220
Nearest Station: Tanjong Pagar
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/BRUinfusions/

BRU INFUSIONS

Bru Infusions
5 Straits View
Marina One, #B2-21
Tel: +65 8141 8162
Nearest Station: Marina Bay/Downtown

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/KECHASINGAPORE/

KECHA

KECha
21 Choa Chu Kang North 6
Yew Tee Point, #B1-41
Singapore 689578
Nearest Station: Yew Tee
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/daboba.sg/

DABOBA

Daboba
Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6
Blk 727, #01-4254
Tel: +65 6451 8233
Nearest Station: Ang Mo Kio

Photo Credit: https://www.https://www.instagram.com/ilovetaimei/

I LOVE TAIMEI

I Love Taimei
230 Victoria Street, #B1-K11
Singapore 188024
Tel: +65 6341 9983
Nearest Station: Bugis
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/lalune.sg/

LALUNE

Lalune
313 Orchard Road
313 @ Somerset, #B3-48A
Singapore 238895
Tel: +65 9833 5112
Nearest Station: Somerset

Photo Credit: https://facebook.com/unice.sg/

UNICE

UNICE
930 Yishun Ave 2
Northpoint City South Wing, #B2-135
Singapore 769098
Tel: +65 9092 9382
Nearest Station: Yishun

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/NineTalesTeaSG/

NINE.TALES.TEA

Nine.Tales.Tea
371 Beach Road
City Gate, #02-42
Singapore 199597
Tel: +65 6970 1169
Nearest Station: Nicoll Highway

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/yuancha.singapore/

YUAN CHA

Yuan Cha
14 Scotts Road
Far East Plaza, #01-39
Singapore 228213
Tel: +65 9243 5650
Nearest Station: Orchard
** Multiple outlets islandwide.

Photo Credit: https://facebook.com/MaoteaSG/

MAOTEA

MaoTea
2 Orchard Link
SCAPE, #02-29
Singapore 237978
Nearest Station: Somerset

Photo Credit: https://facebook.com/societeasingapore

SOCIETEA

Societea
41 Bencoolen St
Singapore 189623
Tel: +65 9088 3379
Nearest Station: Bencoolen

Photo Credit: https://facebook.com/hopiisingapore/

HOPII

Hopii
10 Eunos Road 8
Singapore Post Centre, #01-107A
Singapore 408600
Tel: +65 8183 8761
Nearest Station: Paya Lebar

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/teapulse/

TEA PULSE

Tea Pulse
3 Phillip St
Royal Group Building, #01-04
Singapore 048693
Tel: +65 9457 6395
Nearest Station: Raffles Place

Photo Credit: https://facebook.com/IceForkSG/

ICE FORK

Ice Fork
107 North Bridge Road
Funan Mall, #B2-K09
Singapore 179105
Nearest Station: City Hall

Photo Credit: https://facebook.com/GOCHABAR/

GOCHA BAR

GoCha Bar
109 North Bridge Road
Funan Mall, #02-36
Singapore 179097
Nearest Station: City Hall

Photo Credit: https://facebook.com/heylongchasg/

HEY LONG CHA

Hey Long Cha
5 Changi Business Park Central 1
Changi City Point, #01-K11
Singapore 486038
Tel: +65 6604 6887
Nearest Station: Changi Airport

Photo Credit: https://facebook.com/M?O-Milk-Bar-????-104052711013863/

MAO MILK BAR

MAO Milk Bar
21 Tampines Avenue 1
Block 1A Temasek Polytechnic,
Sprout, #02-76
Singapore 529757
Nearest Station: Tampines

Photo Credit: https://facebook.com/yochasg/

YOCHA TEA & DESSERTS

Yocha Tea & Desserts
238 Thomson Road
Velocity, #01-07
Singapore 307683
Nearest Station: Novena

Photo Credit: https://facebook.com/arteasg/

ARTEA

ARTEA
1 Harbourfront Walk
Vivocity, #01-100/101
Singapore 098585
Nearest Station: Harbourfront

Photo Credit: https://facebook.com/BobaBubbleTea8/

BOBA BUBBLE TEA

Boba Bubble Tea
Blk 117 Aljunied Ave 2
Geylang East Centre Market & Food Centre, #01-07
Singapore 380117
Nearest Station: Aljunied

Photo Credit: https://facebook.com/ChunYangTeaKCH/

CHUN YANG TEA

Chun Yang Tea
78 Airport Blvd
Jewel Changi Airport, #03-207
Singapore 819666
Nearest Station: Changi Airport

MACHI MACHI

Machi Machi Singapore
25 Arab St
Singapore 199724
Nearest Station: Bugis

Headed by Chef Brenda Buenviaje who grew up in New Orleans, Brenda’s French Soul Food is the place to dine at when you’re looking for some good ol’ Southern style of cooking in the West Coast.

Located on Polk Street and dubbed by some as one of the best restaurants in California, Brenda’s French Soul Food serves up an array of New Orleans-style of dishes which have been prepared using Creole cooking with French technique to invent the term ‘French soul food’.

As we arrived at a rather early time for brunch, it didn’t take long for us to get seated at a cozy table where we were handed a rather extensive-looking brunch menu which included their unique house favourites and signature beignets.

We eventually settled on a Chicken, Sausage & Okra Gumbo, Pulled Pork Eggs Benedict, the Chocolate Beignets and Grandma’s Molasses-Black Walnut Iced Coffee.

Though it looked unassuming, we had to say that we were pleasantly surprised with our cup portion of the Chicken, Sausage & Okra Gumbo (USD$6).

As the ingredients were already mixed in with the rice in the form of a stew, we had thought that there would be a disjoint in taste. However, the gumbo proved otherwise with its amazing burst of wholesome flavours.

In a simple sense, the gumbo was very much the tastier and more flavourful western version of our mui fan.

Probably the heartiest version of eggs benedict that we’ve ever tried, Our Eggs Benedict with Pulled Pork (USD$14.50) arrived with a serving of hash and two poached eggs that sat atop cream biscuits that were drenched with a layer of creole hollandaise.

Despite having the saucy pulled pork nestled on the top of the biscuits, they were still able to maintain their soft and crumbly texture. When paired together with the poached egg and pulled pork, the dish presented a good fusion of flavours which paid homage to the Creole cuisine.

While it might be possible to finish the dish on your own, the richness of the hollandaise could prove a little too filling. So, we would recommend sharing this dish with another person.

Filled with molten Ghirardelli chocolate, our beignets arrived fresh from the fryer in a plate of three. Unlike your typical jam-filled doughnuts, these beignets were a lot more doughier which did make chewing a little tougher.

Though we had a bit of a struggle with the chewy fritter, we really liked the chocolate filling within which wasn’t too sweet. We suggest that you order the beignets after you’re done with your main meal as they could be a rather filling snack.

Another winner in our book was Grandma’s Molasses-Black Walnut Iced Coffee (USD$5) which came with whipped cream on top. Unlike some potentially strong black coffee, we were pleased to find that this version of iced black coffee came slightly sweetened with a slight walnut note.

Instead of having any kind of accompanying milk, the whipped cream acted as a sort of creamer which complemented the drink, making it a good cup of medium-bodied coffee.

Brenda’s French Soul Food
652 Polk Street @ Eddy
San Francisco
CA 94102
USA
Tel: 415-345-8100
Mon to Tue: 8am – 3pm
Wed to Sat: 8am – 10pm
Sun: 8am – 8pm

Tucked away in the palatial JW Marriott Singapore South Beach is Beach Road Kitchen, a modern all-day dining establishment that aims to take diners on an epic, gastronomic journey.

Beach Road Kitchen was built in honour of the old Beach Road Market that first started out in 1873. Staying true to its roots, the place has never stopped believing in the importance of fresh produce and quality food, which is an ideology that the folks here at Beach Road Kitchen firmly believe in.

From indulgent brunch classics such as Eggs Benedict to spiced up local delights such as Lobster Laksa, this lavish brunch buffet is an epicurean feast that will be the highlight of your Sunday. There is no better way to spend a lazy day than at a sumptuous Sunday Brunch at Beach Road Kitchen.

It’s S$168++ per adult for the champagne brunch which comes with free-flow champagne, wine and beer.

On top of that, quote ladyironchef upon making your reservation to enjoy 50% OFF every second diner (terms and conditions apply) for the Sunday brunch at Beach Road Kitchen from now until 30th Dec 2019.

LOBSTER THERMIDOR AND BAKED OYSTERS

An opulent treat that you definitely should indulge yourself in is the free-flow Lobster Thermidor.

For the uninitiated, the Lobster Thermidor has its roots in France and consists of a mixture of chunks of lobster meat, egg yolks, brandy and mushrooms that are stuffed into a lobster shell, drizzled with cheese and baked to perfection.

The result is a decadently creamy ensemble packed with a medley of varying textures and flavours — the sweetness and chewiness of the lobster, the mild acidity of the brandy and the saltiness of the cheese — all come together to create a flavour bomb that will leave you gobsmacked and hankering for more.

Another must-try treat is the Baked Oysters which features briny oysters that are generously slathered in a thick layer of mash potato and then baked to a lovely golden brown. We could easily down a dozen of these!

SEAFOOD ROOM

Seafood enthusiasts, nothing can prepare you for Beach Road Kitchen’s iconic Seafood Room. This clean and white temperature-controlled alcove houses a tantalising selection of fresh seafood which includes the likes of smoked fish, sashimi and seafood on ice.

If you’re craving for some freshly-shucked oysters, you can help yourself to unlimited oysters sourced from Northern and Western France.

EGGS BENEDICT 

What is a Sunday brunch without some runny Eggs Benedicts? Eggs Benedicts are a staple of any brunch session; you can’t go wrong with a winning combination of toasted English muffins and perfectly poached eggs draped in a generous coating of hollandaise sauce.

Beach Road Kitchen has 3 variations that comes garnished with either spinach, bacon or smoked salmon. Break into the egg and watch the yolk sensually ooze out.

WHOLE ROASTED LAMB LEG 

Carnivores will be excited to chow down on this bad boy.

A whole roasted leg of lamb awaits you at Beach Road Kitchen’s Sunday Brunch and it is hard to simply walk past this massive hunk of meat. Get one of their friendly staff to help carve you a rack or two; it is quite a feat to have to tackle it all on your own.

It is undoubtedly hard to cook such a gargantuan block of meat thoroughly, but the chefs here did a phenomenal job. The lamb was incredibly tender and had a decent meat-to-fat ratio which gave every mouthful a nice, succulent bite.

CHARCOAL GRILL

A highlight of all Beach Road Kitchen’s buffet spreads is their Charcoal Grill, where diners get to select their cuts of meat and seafood and have them grilled à la minute. Look forward to a premium meat selection filled with options such as Asian Marinated Iberico Pork and Tomahawk Beef.

PIZZA FROM THE WOOD FIRED OVEN 

Standing right smack in the middle of the restaurant is the restaurant’s very own wood-fired oven that makes some of the most drool-worthy pizza out there.

Their Signature Truffle Mushroom Pizza comes highly recommended and it is coated in a copious amount of truffle oil, stracchino cheese and mushrooms.

Do try to get your hands on this slice of heaven when it comes fresh and hot out of the oven so that you can enjoy it at its peak. The edges of the pizza have a lovely char that adds texture to the chewiness of the pizza base. This is further enhanced by the glorious mess of melted cheese and truffle oil that provides the pizza with an earthy, garlicky flavour that is incredibly addictive.

CHILLI CRAB AND LOCAL SPECIALITIES

For something a little more close to home, pop by their Local Specialities station for an appetising array of Singaporean favourites. Diners get to savour classics such as Signature Chicken Rice, Crispy Pork Belly and Roast Meat.

Crustacean aficionados will also be glad to know that the buffet lineup will include the holy grail of all local seafood dishes: chilli crab. Break open those bright red pincers and tuck straight into the sweet, plump flesh that lies beneath. Don’t forget to soak up all that ambrosial chilli gravy with the deep-fried man tou!

NOODLE BAR WITH LOBSTER LAKSA 

For more live-action, head on over to The Noodle Bar where you can get yourself a hearty bowl of Asian-style noodles of your choice. We love their Laksa broth which features a rich sweet and spicy broth that hits all the right notes. You also get to dazzle up your bowl of laksa by choosing your own ingredients and noodles that are displayed neatly next to the noodle station.

An open secret is that you can pick out a lobster (or two!) from the neighbouring Seafood Room, pass it to the chef and have him cook you a sinfully good bowl of Lobster Laksa. Definitely not something you can do at most places!

CHEESE AND CHARCUTERIE 

Beach Road Kitchen takes immense pride in their Cheese and Charcuterie selection which is switched up daily. Their impressive range of cheeses will make any cheese fanatic’s heart palpitate and you can expect flavours such as Blue Cheese, Taleggio, Brie, Camembert and Savarin.

You can also pair the cheeses with some of their cold cuts that come from different regions across Europe.

CHILDREN’S CORNER 

If your little ones are fussy eaters, fret not as the buffet line has a Children’s Corner that is packed with child-friendly options such as beef sliders, chicken nuggets and pasta. There is also a children’s play area set up in a corner of the restaurant for fidgety kids who won’t stay still.

THE BAR

Don’t worry, adults, we haven’t forgotten about you! If you want a glass of bubbly to celebrate the weekends, march on over to The Bar for some drinks. You can also top up S$70++ and enjoy free-flow champagne, wine, cocktails, beer and juices.

SWEET SHOP 

Don’t stuff your face at all the other stations and forget about the dessert section. Combat all the savouriness with some sweetness at Beach Road Kitchen’s Sweet Shop, where you can feast your eyes and tastebuds on their extensive dessert display with sweets such as cakes, macaroons as well as nostalgic snacks and sweets from the heydays.

Diners can also have some fun with the chocolate fountain which dispenses a mesmerising waterfall of milk chocolate for you to dip fruits and marshmallows in.

LIVE MUSIC AND BALLOON SCULPTING 

To add to the mood, there will be live music for you to enjoy while you gorge yourself silly on all that food. There will also be a balloon sculptor for the kids who will be going around making balloons for everyone. Adults, don’t shy away if you secretly want a balloon; you can ask for one too!

Quote ladyironchef upon making your reservation to enjoy 50% OFF every second diner for the Sunday brunch at Beach Road Kitchen from now until 30th Dec 2019.

Terms & Conditions
– Offers not applicable on eve & day of Public Holidays, and all special occasions as determined by the Hotel
– Valid up to a maximum of 8 persons per bill only
– Not applicable with other loyalty programs discounts, credit card promotions and other privileges; cannot be combined for redemption with other vouchers
– Not applicable for Kids price
– Advance reservations required and subject to availability

Champagne Brunch
Sun: 12pm – 3pm
Adults: S$168++
Child: S$59++ (Children under 6 dines free)

Beach Road Kitchen 
JW Marriott Singapore South Beach 
30 Beach Road
Nicoll Highway
Singapore 189763
Daily: 6am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Esplanade

This post was brought to you by JW Marriott Singapore South Beach.

It is no secret that Singaporeans love Bangkok for being such an affordable travel destination; who can resist cheap shopping, food and massages all conveniently situated in one place?

If you’re visiting Bangkok for the first time or you just want some new ideas to add to your itinerary, we have here a 4D3N Bangkok itinerary that you can use as a guide to plan your next Bangkok trip!

DAY 1 

HAVE LUNCH AT INTER RESTAURANT AFTER CHECKING INTO YOUR HOTEL

If you’re feeling a little peckish after your flight and you want to find some hearty Thai grub to dig into, we recommend popping by Inter Restaurant at Siam. This place is one of our perennial favourites in Bangkok and they serve up unpretentious and authentic local dishes at affordable prices.

9 Rama I Road
Pathum Wan District
Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 251 4689
Daily: 11am – 9pm

INDULGE YOURSELVES IN SOME DECADENT DESSERTS AT AFTER YOU

If you’ve been to Bangkok before, this dessert cafe should be no stranger to you by now. After You first started in 2007, and it has been synonymous with Shibuya Toasts ever since. The Shibuya Honey Toast is what After You got famous for, and fast forward many years, queues still form outside its various outlets every day for their amazing desserts. They have multiple outlets across Bangkok but the biggest and prettiest one is at Siam Square one.

Siam Square One
991 Rama 1 Road
Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Tel: +66 02 115 1949
Daily: 11am – 12midnight
Nearest BTS: Siam

SHOP TILL YOU DROP AT SIAM CENTER, SIAM PARAGON, SIAM DISCOVERY AND MBK CENTRE 

The Siam area is the heart of Bangkok’s shopping district and the place is packed with popular malls such as Siam Paragon, Siam Discovery and MBK Centre. As the area is conveniently linked to a BTS station, this shopping paradise is easily accessible and not hard to locate.

PET A RACOON AT LITTLE ZOO CAFE  

While Bangkok is famous for having plenty of animal cafes, our absolute favourite out of the lot is Little Zoo Cafe. The place features all sorts of animals such as dogs, cats and birds of different breeds. To top it all off, there are also exotic animals such as an Arctic fox, Fennec foxes and a massive raccoon. Rest assured, all the animals here are tame and docile when they play with humans.

Entrance to the cafe is free, but all visitors are expected to purchase a main and drink each in order to maintain the welfare of the animals.

424/7 Siam Square
Rama I Road, Pathum Wan District
Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Daily: 11am – 8pm

HAVE DINNER AT NUER KOO 

Located on level four of Siam Paragon in Bangkok, Nuer Koo is known for its premium beef noodles, with prices ranging from THB170 for the sirloin to a whopping THB950 for a bowl of Kobe beef noodles. The beef noodles may be pricey by Bangkok’s standard, but by its quality and taste, it is still considerably reasonable, especially when we are talking about premium beef cuts such as wagyu and Kobe.

Rama I Road
Khwaeng Pathum Wan, Khet Pathum Wan
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10330, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 610 9773
Daily: 11am – 10pm

TAKE SOME INSTAGRAM-WORTHY SHOTS AT CHANG CHUI PLANE MARKET 

If you’re looking for a more unique and artsy night market to explore, we recommend that you pay Chang Chui Plane Market a visit. Located in the Thonburi district, this massive lifestyle space is a one-stop destination for everything art-related.

Think fashion apparel stalls, concept cafes, food trucks and a vintage cinema for the film buffs. The creative co-working space looks more like a page from a fairy tale book than the usual boisterous Thai night markets you are used to seeing in Bangkok. Also, remember to get a picture with their iconic plane that’s right smack in the middle of the place!

460/8 Sirindhorn Road
Khwaeng Bang Phlat, Khet Bang Phlat
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10700, Thailand
Tel: +66 81 817 2888
Thu to Tue: 11am – 11pm
 

DAY 2

WAKE UP EARLY FOR CHEAP WHOLESALE DEALS AT PRATUNAM MORNING MARKET 

You can forget about scrolling through Taobao for the next few months after visiting this gargantuan wholesale paradise. The market is filled with hundreds of vendors selling trendy pieces for dirt cheap prices. We recommend coming here with a group of friends because you can get even cheaper prices when you bulk buy!

Ratchaprarop 1 Alley
Khwaeng Thanon Phaya Thai, Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Daily: 5am – 6pm

HAVE BREAKFAST AT LUNG PRATHUNAM BOAT NOODLES

There are multiple places in Bangkok that serve up decent bowls of boat noodles but one of our absolute favourites is Lung Prathunam Boat Noodle. Here, they have 6 different broths and 8 different types of noodles to choose from. Each bowl costs a mere 30 baht and an upsized version would be 40 baht. For those of you who are in a rush, you can also do a take away for 50 baht.

960/14 Phetchaburi Road
Khwaeng Makkasan, Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Tel: +66 85 919 1994
Daily: 8am – 5pm

GO SHOPPING AT PLATINUM FASHION MALL AND PANDTIP IT MALL 

It is impossible to not have heard of Platinum Fashion Mall and this shopping paradise is home to a plethora of stalls that sell cheap and trendy clothes, accessories and shoes. With 6 floors housing over 2000 stalls, the place will keep you busy for hours! If you aren’t keen in fashion, you can also head on over to Pandtip IT Mall to check out some of the tech stuff that they have available.

GET A MASSAGE ALONG PETCHABURI SOI 15 

While shopping may be fun, it can also be pretty exhausting. To ease those muscles and give yourself a break, we recommend heading over to the row of massage parlours at Petchaburi Soi 15 to treat yourself to a good session of kneading and back cracking. While all the parlours there are pretty decent, our favourite is Number One Massage!

If you want more recommendations for other massage spots worth checking out, you can read our article about them here.

Number One Massage 
1/7-8 Pratunam
Phetchaburi soi 15
Thanon Phaya Thai, Ratchathewei
Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Tel: +65 +66 2 653 9967
Daily: 9.30am – 12am

HAVE LUNCH AT THE PLACE 168 

If you’re on a tom yum hunt with a group of ravenous friends, we recommend that you pop by The Place 168 to share their massive Tom Yum Koong Soup. The Place 168 is a humble Thai restaurant tucked away at a rundown building near Pratunam Market. While the small shop has a pretty extensive menu filled with authentic Thai dishes, most people go there for their gargantuan bowls of Tom Yum Koong Soup.

1/49 Phetchaburi Road
Khwaeng Thanon Phaya Thai, Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 657 0880
Daily: 10.30am – 9.30pm

VISIT THE NEW MALL, ‘THE MARKET’

The shopping scene in Bangkok just gets better and joining the slew of malls is The Market. Located just across the road from Central World, The Market is home to plenty of stalls like boutiques, blogshops, cafes and massage parlours. The prices here are a little on the steeper end but we feel like the things sold here are of better quality.

111 Ratchadamri Road
Khwaeng Lumphini, Khet Pathum Wan
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10330, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 121 8888
Daily: 10am – 10pm

HAVE TEA AT BOYY & SON CAFE 

Located conveniently at the recently renovated Gaysorn Village, BOYY & Son is a chic, stylish and incredibly Instagram-worthy cafe that sells coffee, tea and an interesting array of pastries. We absolutely love their croissants which are flaky, buttery and fragrant all at once!

BOYY 127 Unit L00-01 GAYSORN Tower2 Lumphini
Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 253 8300
Daily: 8am – 8pm

SHOP EVEN MORE AT CENTRAL WORLD SHOPPING MALL 

Like we said, the shopping never ends at Pratunam! Another mall to check out is the famous Central World Shopping Mall. While it is similar to many Singapore malls and the stuff here isn’t as cheap as the markets, it’s still a great place to do some window shopping and enjoy the air-con!

HAVE DINNER AT GO-ANG PRATUNAM CHICKEN RICE 

If you want to try a different variation of chicken rice aside from Singapore’s Hainanese chicken rice, we recommend that you pop by Go-Ang Pratunam Chicken Rice. These plates of Michelin Bib Gourmand chicken rice certainly live up to its name and we can see why it’s so popular with both the locals and tourists. Brace yourself for some really long queues!

960 962 Phetchaburi Road
Khwaeng Makkasan, Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 252 6325
Daily: 6am – 2pm, 5pm – 2am

END THE NIGHT WITH TALAD NEON NIGHT MARKET 

If you still have time, you can also hop on over to Talad Neon Night Market for even more shopping and feasting. We prefer this place to Palladium Night Market as we feel that the things sold here are catered more to the youths. They also have a larger array of stalls that sell food so it’s a great supper spot!

1087, 167 Phetchaburi Road
Khwaeng Makkasan, Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Daily: 5pm – 12am

DAY 3

VISIT THE MAJESTIC GRAND PALACE 

If you’re into culture, history and art, one place you definitely need to check out is the majestic Grand Palace. Located in the old city of Bangkok on the banks of the famous Chao Phraya river, this majestic, sacred landmark is nothing short of breathtaking.

Na Phra Lan Road
Khwaeng Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang
Khet Phra Nakhon, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10200, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 623 5500
Daily: 8.30am – 3.30pm

ADMIRE THE GORGEOUS STRUCTURES AT WAT PHO

After the Grand Palace, you can head on over to the gorgeous Wat Pho, home of the famous reclining Buddha. The breathtaking structures and statues make for the perfect backdrop for a nice photo for the gram!

2 Sanam Chai Road
Khwaeng Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Khet Phra Nakhon
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10200, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 226 0335

HAVE LUNCH AT THE SIXTH 

If you’re feeling a little peckish after exploring the Grand Palace and Wat Arun, you can have your lunch at The Sixth. located just a short walk away from the famous landmarks, The Sixth is a cosy and hip little cafe that is run by a young couple. They specialise in wholesome and soulful Thai food which include the likes of Tom Yum Koong, Phad Thai and Thai Green Curry.

Maha Rat Road
Khwaeng Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang
Khet Phra Nakhon
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10200, Thailand
Tel: +66 64 316 6890
Mon to Sat: 10.30am – 5pm
(Closed on Sundays)

TAKE A TUK TUK TO CHINATOWN 

Travel in style to your next destination by hopping onto a Tuk Tuk. These adorable little open-air taxis are a fun way to get around Bangkok while you enjoy the sights along the way. However, do be careful as some of the Tuk Tuk drivers tend to overcharge customers to earn a quick buck.

GRAB SOME DIM SUM AT LHONG TOU CAFE 

Situated right smack in the middle of Chinatown is Lhong Tou Cafe. This eclectic, cosy eatery is popular for their dim sum as well as their very interesting interior; both of which are incredibly Instagram-worthy. Our favourite menu item here is the Shitake Mushroom Bun!

538 Yaowarat Rd, Khwaeng Samphanthawong
Khet Samphanthawong
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10100, Thailand
Tel: +66 64 935 6499
Daily: 8am – 10pm

EXPLORE THE STREETS OF YAOWARAT 

The streets of Yaowarat, Bangkok’s Chinatown, are filled with a plethora of things to eat see and do. We recommend coming here during the evening or at night as that’s when the place comes alive with people, street vendors and lights.

SLURP SOME NOODLES AT NAI EK ROLL NOODLE 

Situated at the heart of Chinatown, Nai Ek Roll Noodle is a humble stall that specialises in —you guessed it — roll noodles, as well as some of the crispiest deep-fried pork we’ve ever tried. The food here is so good that they’ve even earned themselves a place in the Michelin Guide

442 Khwaeng Samphanthawong
Khet Samphanthawong
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10100, Thailand
+66 2 226 4651
Daily: 7.30am – 1.30am

EXPLORE THE MASSIVE TALAD ROD FAI SRINAKARIN

If you don’t have much time to go night market hopping in Bangkok, the one market you need to head to to get the full experience is the famous Talad Rot Fai Srinakarin, also known as Rot Fai Train Market. There are a number of similar train markets across Bangkok but this is one of the bigger ones.

What we love about this place is how it feels like there are multiple night markets packed into one area. Just when you think that you’ve finished walking the whole stretch, you find yourself in another completely different area filled with more rows of exciting things to explore.

Soi Srinagarindra 51
Khwaeng Nong Bon, Khet Prawet
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10250, Thailand
Thu to Sun: 5pm – 1pm
(Closed on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays

EAT LENG SAAP FOR SUPPER 

Leng Saap essentially translates to ‘Spicy Pork Bone Soup’ and it basically consists of giant portions of pork ribs and spine that are generously doused in a rich and addictively spicy broth as well as plenty of lime, coriander and chilli. We’ve tried the one at Golden Mile Tower back in Singapore and were instantly hooked, and we pleased to say that the ones here in Bangkok taste even better.

Soi Srinagarindra 51
Khwaeng Nong Bon, Khet Prawet
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10250, Thailand
Thu to Sun: 5pm – 1pm
(Closed on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays)

DAY 4 

DO SOME LAST MINUTE SHOPPING AT UNION MALL 

One mall that has slowly but surely gained some popularity over the years is Union Mall. Located near Chatuchak Weekend Market, this mall has 8 levels full of shopping, food and services. Girlfriends, your boyfriends will love this place as much as you do as there is a whole level just dedicated to men’s fashion. Do take note that as this is a mall that is more frequented by locals, some of the stall owners here may not be fluent in English.

1 Khwaeng Chom Phon
Khet Chatuchak
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10900, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 512 5000
Daily: 11am – 10pm

EAT BOAT NOODLES AT KIN TIEW KAN 

There are few things as addictive as boat noodles and we love the satisfying feeling of stacking all those finished bowls up high. The great thing about boat noodles is that because the portions are all so small and cheap, you get to try a variety of different broths and noodles till your heart’s content without feeling a pinch in your wallet.

One hot spot to try out boat noodles is Kin Tiew Kan at Union Mall. The stall is perpetually packed with patrons but don’t let the queues discourage you; the place is completely worth a try!

Lat Phrao, Khwaeng Chom Phon
Khet Chatuchak, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10900, Thailand
Tel: +66 81 849 9292
Daily: 11am – 9pm

STROLL THROUGH CHATUCHAK PARK 

Walk off the food coma after lunch at Kin Tiew Kan by taking a stroll in Chatuchak Park. This scenic spot is full of lush greenery and is one of the oldest parks in Bangkok. The place is also well-connected to Chatuchak MRT Station and Mo Chit BTS station, making it a convenient pitstop for a nice walk

Kamphaeng Phet Road
Khet Chatuchak
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10900, Thailand
Daily: 4.30am – 9pm

VISIT THE BANGKOK BUTTERFLY GARDEN AND INSECTARIUM

If you’re not afraid of little critters and creepy crawlies, you can check out Bangkok’s very own Butterfly Garden and Insectarium to admire some gorgeous butterflies. The lofty enclosure is home to a few species of butterflies which flutter around the various rockeries, flowers and shady ferns.

Kamphaeng Phet 3 Road
Lat Yao, Khet Chatuchak
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10900, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 272 4359
Tue to Sun: 8.30am – 4.30pm

POP BY CHATUCHAK WEEKEND MARKET 

Chatuchak Weekend Market is no doubt one of the most well-known markets in Bangkok and for many good reasons too—the sheer size of this outdoor market makes it impossible for you to cover the entire place in a day. Covering 27 acres of land in total, this is one of the largest markets in Bangkok and it is home to over 8,000 stalls featuring Thai street food, fashion, homeware, flowers and so much more.

Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road
Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
Sat to Mon: 9am – 6pm
Wed & Thu: 7am – 6pm
Fri: 6pm – 12am
(Closed on Tuesdays)

GRAB SOME COOL VINTAGE WEAR AT THE CAMP VINTAGE FLEA MARKET 

If you want to pop some tags but you only have 20 dollars in your pocket, you can head on over to Camp Vintage Flea Market to go thrift shopping. Not only is this place a vintage paradise, but it is also a very artsy spot to snap some great photos for the gram. We also love how they decorate the place with repurposed planes and other air crafts to go with the vintage theme.

The Camp Vintage Flea Market
482 Kamphaeng Phet Soi 1, Bangkok, Thailand
Tue to Thu: 11am – 10pm
Fri to Sun: 11am – 11.45pm

]]> https://www.ladyironchef.com/2019/11/4d3n-bangkok-itinerary/feed/ 1 https://www.ladyironchef.com/2019/11/barking-irons-speakeasy-singapore/ https://www.ladyironchef.com/2019/11/barking-irons-speakeasy-singapore/#comments Sat, 02 Nov 2019 00:21:26 +0000 Phyllis Leong https://www.ladyironchef.com/?p=191227 Continue reading →]]>

Barking Irons is a new steampunk-themed speakeasy bistro bar in Lavender serving up an interesting innovation: local-inspired cocktails! The catch? These cocktails are made from a harmonious blend of both our all-time favourite childhood beverages and liquor.

They also have a sweet story behind the inspiration for their local drinks: they wanted to adopt the “coffee-shop style” with drinks that reminded others of their throw-back childhood generation.

A fairly new kid on the block, Barking Irons has slowly been gaining recognition amongst alcoholics for their killer cocktails and toothsome mains.

We had to try their famed local-inspired cocktails, so we went for their Bandung with Grass Jelly (S$19.00). At first glance, it looks like an unassuming glass of bandung; the drink is actually a balanced mixture of your standard rose syrup, grass jelly, and a douse of roku gin.

It even came with a giant syringe containing condensed milk, making the drink picture perfect for Instagram!

Inject the syringe into the drink, give it a good swirl, and the familiar pink drink comes alive right before your eyes. Upon taking the first sip, we were hit with a heady wave of earthy notes. The sweetness of the bandung paired well with the alcohol, giving it a light, rose aftertaste while elevating the gin’s natural botanical sweetness.

Complementing well with our drink was their Charcoal Skewers in Teriyaki Chicken (S$8.00).

We could taste the charred smokiness from the chicken, which was nicely grilled. The coating of the sweet sauce also added on to its savouriness. While the skin was crisp, the meat inside was tender and slid off the stick easily.

If you are craving for something substantial, definitely try out their Har Cheong Gai Burger (S$18.00)! Taking centre stage among their range of delectable mains, the burger is served with tantalising charcoal buns sandwiching huge chunks of chicken.

The chicken was coated with a thick layer of prawn paste; it was also well battered and crispy, oozing juiciness when we bit into the succulent meat.

Barking Irons is the bar to go to if you are looking for a chill watering hole with a variety of alcoholic options to spend with friends. This place promises nothing except good vibes, amazing service and strong booze guaranteed to give you a buzz!

P.S, the folks here are also coming up with new flavours for their local drinks, such as Ondeh Ondeh and Ice Ka Chang. If that hasn’t tempted you to head down and give them a try, we don’t know what will.

78 Horne Road, #01-01
Singapore 209078
Tel: +65 6909 0349
Tues to Sun: 4pm – 12am
(Closed on Mondays)
Nearest Station: Lavender

Nestled away in a crevice near Ratchathewi BTS station is B-Story Cafe, a botanical wonderland that not only looks picturesque but serves up fantastic food too.

You’ll feel like you’ve walked into a fairytale upon stepping into this magical French bistro-style restaurant. Brick walls and metal finishings are adorned with luscious green plants and pretty dried flowers that fit in perfectly with the mismatched chairs and tables. Every corner of this quaint, elegant cafe is Instagram-worthy and the place is a short respite away from Bangkok’s bustling city life.

Aside from the enchanting get-up, the cafes extensive menu is something else to get excited about. From local delights to your usual cafe nosh, B-Story dishes out scrumptious dishes that are as stellar as their interior.

We had to wait a fair bit for our food to be prepared but that was no problem at all because it gave us time to be mesmerised by their gorgeous interior.

We started off our meal with a bowl of their Som Tum Thai which for the uninitiated, is spicy Thai papaya salad.

We have to warn you in advance that the papaya salad here is really very spicy and we actually got a shock when we took our first bite. However, the fiery spice did not outshine the refreshing flavours of the papaya and we feel that this is a great appetiser and palate cleanser, especially if you’re about to have a very heavy meal ahead of you.

The dish that surprised us the most was this unassuming plate of Stir-Fried Cabbage with Thai Fish Sauce. We honestly weren’t very impressed when the server placed this on our table but we were proven wrong after taking our first bite.

The amount of wok hei in this dish was off the charts and we were shellshocked by how much flavour was packed into this otherwise sad-looking plate of vegetables. A serving of this goes amazingly well with rice and other dishes but honestly, we could eat it all by itself.

For something a little more filling and substantial, we ordered ourselves a plate of Basil Fried Pork Rice with Fried Egg. Each plate features a generous helping of your choice of basil fried pork or chicken, cucumber, a dollop of white rice and a fried egg.

The basil fried pork was chock full of umami and its juices provided a nice meaty flavour to the rest of the components of the dish. Overall, it wasn’t the best plate of basil pork rice that we’ve ever had but we like how it had an authentic and homely touch to it.

B-Story Cafe 
89, 70 Phayathai Road
Khwaeng Thanon Phetchaburi
Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand

Located conveniently at the recently renovated Gaysorn Village, BOYY & Son is a chic, stylish and incredibly Instagram-worthy spot to chill at after a hectic day of shopping. Many similar cafes that we have come across produce pretty subpar food but that isn’t the case here at BOYY & Son.

The cafe is by the people behind BOYY, which explains its gorgeous and clean interior. For shopaholics, you’ll be glad that right next door, you can find BOYY Boutique which sells handbags, shoes and accessories.

Their simple and straightforward menu consists mostly of drinks and pastries that are pretty affordably priced.

We’ve heard great things about their croissants so we ordered ourselves a Plain Croissant (80 baht) which came with a side of apricot jam. If apricots aren’t your thing, you can choose to have either strawberry or wild blueberry jam instead.

The croissant was the perfect combination of fragrant, crisp and buttery and we appreciate how it wasn’t too oily and flaky. We also love how the apricot jam paired well with the croissant and added a lovely sweet and slightly tart touch to it.

We enjoyed our croissant with a very aesthetic glass of Iced Latte (140 baht). Smooth and rich with a mellow amount of acidity, the iced latte definitely was a mid-day perk-me-up from all that shopping.

If you love pastries and fragrant brews, we highly recommend a visit to BOYY & Son the next time you’re in Bangkok.

BOYY & Son Café BOYY 127 Unit L00-01 GAYSORN Tower2 Lumphini Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand Tel: +66 2 253 8300 Daily: 8am – 8pm Daily

Aside from mala and salted egg, another thing that Singaporeans are unanimously addicted to is bubble tea. We don’t know why but these little starchy balls of happiness never fail to make any drink taste better and every time there is a new bubble tea store in town, we find ourselves gravitating towards it even if the queues are 2-hours long.

This time around, it isn’t a new bubble tea store that’s opening, it’s a bubble tea factory. That’s right, you read that right! For just two months starting from 19 October 2019 onwards, The Bubble Tea Factory will be welcoming bubble tea fanatics to enjoy an enthralling and immersive bubble tea journey that features larger-than-life cups of bubble tea and an infinite galaxy of pearls.

Designed to stimulate the mind and provide a feast for the senses, visitors can look forward to more than ten multi-sensory and visually-stunning installations that will extend across its 7000sq ft premise at *SCAPE. The immersive experience expects you to make use of your five senses to enjoy and appreciate the exhibit.

Bubble tea lovers can look forward to things like the Pearl Pit, where you can dive into a massive “pot” brimming with taro pearls.

You can also swing on a giant pearl wrecking ball or pose with an IV drip of bubble tea!

Upon entry, each visitor will also be given a Boba Booster Pack which contains a set of limited-edition collectable cards that feature fun and interactive challenges. After you’re done with the exhibit, you can also enjoy a refreshing cup of bubble tea on the house to end the journey on a sweet note.

Tickets for the event will be available from 19 September 2019 from 10 am onwards.

Ticket prices
Weekday: S$24
Weekend: S$28

Opening special tickets prices
Weekday: S$18
Weekend: S$23

The Bubble Tea Factory
19 October 2019 to 18 December 2019
*Scape
2 Orchard Link
Singapore 237978
Mon to Fri: 4pm – 10pm
Sat & Sun: 10am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Somerset

Having opened its first outlet in 2012, Baker & Cook has made a name in Singapore for their freshly-baked goods and classic pastries. Serving up an array of delectable sweet treats, it’s perfect place to grab a bite on a weekend morning with a coffee in hand.

We visited Baker & Cook at their Hillcrest outlet, hidden in Greenwood Avenue’s enclave of eateries. As soon as we opened the doors, we were greeted with the smell of warm butter, sugar and a faint waft of freshly brewed espresso. Check out what we tried and our thoughts on this homegrown bakery!

Nestled at the edge of Greenwood Avenue’s row of shophouses and restaurants is the cosy storefront of Baker & Cook. Decorated with warm lights and the irresistible smell of sweets, Baker & Cook had a calm and inviting ambience.

As you step into the bakery, you will be immediately greeted by the beautiful displays filled with multi-coloured tarts, cakes and other bakes.

From the sweet pink Strawberry Lamingtons (S$5.50) to the sinfully fudgy Caramel Brownies (S$6.50), you’ll be spoilt for choice as you scan through the aisles of Baker & Cook.

One of the highlights of our trip was having their classic Croissant (S$3.90). The delicate pastry was flaky and tasted so indulgent and buttery, we were tempted to grab another! It had an almost smoky aftertaste that we enjoyed.

We saw it as the perfect accompaniment to a cup of Baker & Cook’s AllPress Espresso from New Zealand.

This is one cafe in the West we wouldn’t mind another trip to.

Baker & Cook (Hillcrest)
77 Hillcrest Road
Singapore 288951
Tel: +65 6469 8834
Sun to Thu: 7am – 8pm
Fri & Sat: 7am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Tan Kah Kee

Just like how Bangkok has its own rendition of chicken rice, they also have their own version of what we Singaporeans call roast pork noodles. The Thai’s call theirs bak mee moo dang and while it looks pretty similar to Singapore’s roast pork noodles, it has a few differences as well.

Bak mee moo dang consists of Chinese-style egg noodles that are tossed in a savoury sauce and accompanied with ingredients such as leafy greens, pork slices and dumplings. The dish also isn’t hard to find in Bangkok and you can easily get your hands on a bowl of this goodness at any market, street or mall.

While people hear more of the famous Sabx2 Wanton Mee, there are other places in Bangkok that are quite popular for their roast pork noodles too. One of them is Bamee Sawang and for our recent trip to Bangkok, we decided to try it to see how it compared to both Sabx2 Wanton Mee and Singapore’s roast pork noodles.

Bamee Sawang has a pretty extensive menu that consists mostly of noodle and pork dishes that are all very reasonably priced.

We went straight ahead and ordered ourselves a bowl of Egg Noodle With Barbequed Pork (50 baht).

We like how the noodles were al dente and incredibly springy with a good bite to it. The sauce it was tossed in was also not too oily and overpowering and it added a nice savoury touch to the overall dish. The pork slices, on the other hand, were a tad too dry for our liking despite being thinly sliced, which was slightly disappointing.

The portion size of the dish is also pretty small so if you’re a big eater, you may need to get two bowls.

We also had a go at their Stewed Pork Leg Over Rice (40baht) which featured chunky strips of pork leg paired with white rice and doused in a rich, full-bodied gravy.

The pork leg was outrageously tender and the layer of fat on each piece of meat provided it with an additional amount of umami. We also like how the pork had been stewed long enough to soak up the juices and goodness of the gravy.

All in all, Bamee Sawang may not have the best roast pork noodles out there but in terms of quality and service, we still prefer it over Sabx2. However, at the end of the day, we still feel that nothing so far is as good as what we can get from our Singapore hawkers.

If you’re popping by Bamee Sawang, we recommend getting the Stewed Pork Leg Over Rice instead of their noodle dishes but if you are more of a noodle person, there’s no harm in giving theirs a shot either.

Bamee Sawang 
982 Phetchaburi Road
Khwaeng Makkasan, Khet Ratchathewi
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 056 0663
Daily: 9.30am – 11pm

With an influx of bakeries, patisseries and sweets shops from overseas, it’s good to be reminded of what some of our passion-driven locals can do as well.

Located just behind Empress Road Food Centre, Bakery Brera serves up freshly-made bread, croissants and other pastries.

Helmed by passionate owners Jacky Chan and his wife, Thrina, Bakery Brera revolutionises the concept of neighbourhood bakeries. Gone are the days of overly-sweet yet flavourless sliced cakes and Swiss rolls! This is a modern change that we all hope to keep in Singapore’s ever-shifting culinary landscape.

The heartland bakery occupies a compact space at the foot of an old HDB estate. From classic buttery Croissants to the sweet Pain Au Chocolat, Bakery Brera did not disappoint.

We first tried Bakery Brera’s Kouign Amann. The flaky croissant hybrid was crisp and glazed generously with sugar.

Even with the deceiving amount of sugar dusted on top, it wasn’t too sweet and in fact was one of the best renditions of the pastry we have ever tried. It is one of the most indulgent croissant hybrids.

Now, we’re sure you’ve seen these well-hyped babies all over social media. Bakery Brera’s creatively flavoured Cruffins have been making its round on Instagram. We tried their PB&J Cruffin and it certainly lived up to the hype.

The sugar-encrusted pastry was generously filled with creamy, savoury peanut butter and a sweet jam and they complemented the crispy pastry impeccably. It was definitely the highlight of our trip.

Other than what we mentioned, Bakery Brera also serves up other delicious variants of their signature cruffins – Nutty Salted Caramel, Lemon Curd and Kaya Coconut.

Bakery Brera is a true reminder of why we should continue supporting passion-filled local endeavours into Singapore’s diverse food landscape. Their indulgent handcrafted pastries should definitely be on your to-get list!

#01-05, 8 Empress Road
Singapore 260008
Tel: +65 6492 5428
Daily: 7am – 7pm
(Closed on Mondays)
Nearest Station: Farrer Road

Situated in Vanguard Campus, the newest addition to the café enclave in Kallang is Banchong Café. Contrary to its mod decor which screams hipster café food, Banchong Café serves up local fare and the classic Singaporean breakfast of kopi and toast.

Going for an al fresco concept, the café was incredibly aesthetically-pleasing—white cages for walls, with plants adorning them, high ceilings and minimalist decor—definitely instagrammable according to our books.

With such aesthetics, you wouldn’t expect it to have a name like Banchong Café. But the origins of the name can be found on the stone plague, bearing Banchong Industries on the wall right at the entrance. The previous occupants of the building, Banchong Industries was a corrugated cardboard box manufacturer. And as a tribute to them, the café has named themselves after them.

The menu was simple and featured toasts, bowls and drinks, which were all at wallet-friendly prices. The café also prides themselves on locally-sourced ingredients and their kaya is made fresh in-house daily; none of that artificial colouring or preservatives.

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First up was the French Loaf Kaya & Butter Set (S$4.50) which came with 2 soft-boiled eggs and a coffee or tea. Colloquially known as jiam tao loti or pointed bread, this type of bread is not usually offered when we order kaya toast.

Slightly toasted with a chewy core, the French loaf had a unique fragrance that went extremely well with the homemade kaya and huge slice of butter. Definitely a must-try when you’re here!

We also ordered the quintessential Kaya Toast (S$2.20). The perfectly toasted traditional bread was crisp and slathered with their homemade kaya and a thick wedge butter.

The homemade kaya from Banchong Café was an absolute delight. Light, fluffy and fragrant, it’s probably why the kaya toast here stands out from the crowd despite its simplicity.

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Last up was the Laksa Set (S$6.50) which includes a coffee or tea. We thoroughly enjoyed the rich and thick laksa broth made from coconut milk and dried shrimps which was surprisingly spicy. It came in a sizeable portion and saw a generous serving of ingredients such as fresh prawns, fish cake, shredded chicken breast, hard-boiled egg and tau pok.

Our freshly brewed and pulled kopi was reminiscent of the traditional ones you’d get in coffee shops without the acidity. It was nutty and not overly sweet too. A good balance of tea and milk, we could tell quality tea leaves were used for the teh.

Catering mostly to the office crowd in the area, Banchong Café is a great place for local fare in a spruced up environment. And we love that they have taken it upon themselves in keeping traditions alive!

1 Kallang Junction
Vanguard Campus
Singapore 339263
Mon to Fri: 8.30am – 6pm
(Closed Saturday and Sunday)
Nearest Station: Bendemeer