When King Albert’s Park is mentioned, people normally think of the good ol’ days when McDonalds occupied the area. However, now, the place has been completely revamped into an up-and-coming mall space.

Just a walk through King Albert’s Park Mall, you will see several cafes and restaurants, including a new cinema. One such place that caught our eye was the sleek and simple Camaca cafe.

Camaca is a sugar-free dessert cafe, serving up indulgent treats that come without the guilt, along with a wide selection of single-origin coffees.

We ordered the Roasted Oolong Tea gelato (S$4.80++) and were pleasantly surprised by how creamy and flavourful the ice cream was even though it is sugar-free! The deceiving giant macarons on display were actually just packaging for the gelato inside.

The staff explained this keeps the gelato from turning too icy, hence maintaining a smooth texture. They even have a special machine to “de-shell” their gelato and to churn it out in a swirl after. One gripe we had was that it started to melt very quickly after it was served, but it was satisfying nonetheless!

Their gelato features all-natural flavours such as Pomelo Tea, Lychee Rose and even Musang King Durian. You can choose to have your gelato with an add-on of waffles (S$10.00) as well.

Camaca also serves a selection of pastries, and we managed to try their popular Vanilla Cheese Roll (S$4.00++), served with a splash of berry coulis.

It was truly one of the softest roll cakes we have ever tried—the texture of the cake and cream felt like cloud on our tongues. It was mildly sweet, with specks of vanilla bean running through the cream.

Lastly, we tried their Camaca SG Limited blend in the form of a Cappuccino (S$5.50++). It had a well-balanced flavour with hints of acidity and a lingering bitter note. The blend consists of 5 different beans from various origins including Ethiopia and Columbia.

They do serve up more varieties of single-origin coffees with other more unique tasting notes. Their staff were more than happy to explain the tasting notes of each of the bean varieties when we asked. They don’t provide any sugar with their coffee but you can request for some syrup!

Located just a stone’s throw away from King Albert’s Park MRT, Camaca is a great place to fight the increasingly warm weather with their gelato or to simply enjoy some cake and coffee. Keep an eye out for their bright green signboard; it’s hard to miss.

Camaca
9 King Albert Park #01-11 / #01-12
Singapore 598332
Tel: +65 6904 3811
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: King Albert’s Park

While exploring the Kampong Glam enclave on a hot, sunny afternoon, cool down and treat yourself to a refreshing scoop of Italian ice cream at aROMA, a new takeaway shop on Arab Street that serves up Gelato.

This humble gelato store features an alluring array of flavours that many might find usual in comparison to its other Italian ice cream counterparts. Be dazzled by the likes of their Chocolate Chili, Strawberry with Mint, Watermelon and Lemon with Basil—all of which happen to be heavy hitters among regulars.

The best part is, all their ice cream is made daily in-house using only fresh and natural ingredients.

Photo Credit: aromasg

The fabulous folks at aROMA pride themselves with only using the best and freshest ingredients to make their gelato—from fruits, nuts and herbs to the type of milk they use. Experimental as they may be in crafting their ice cream, they try to keep things subtle so as to allow the natural flavours of each respective ingredient to shine.

Beyond gelato in cones or cups, aROMA also has a variety of gelato sundaes available as part of their La Torta series as well as the Sorbetto Frappè—essentially an ice-blended beverage comprising of sorbet as a primary component.

Alternatively, you can also pair your gelato with coffee in an Affogato. Featuring a scoop of premium gelatos such as the classic vanilla or coconut, with a shot of espresso made with freshly roasted arabica-blend coffee beans, what you end up with is a sweet chilly treat that comes with a delightful hit of caffeine.

Photo Credit: aromagelato.sg

If you happen to find yourself around the Orchard Road area, aROMA also has another outlet that recently opened up in Plaza Singapura with seats and waffle options.

aROMA
29 Arab Street
Singapore 199728
(Closed on Mondays)
Tue to Fri: 11am – 9pm
Sat & Sun: 10.30am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Bugis

Most of us who live in the West should have already visited JEM, but how many of us are actually familiar with JEM inside and out? No one mentioned a hidden eatery located above Cookhouse by Koufu. If you think the fifth storey is the highest level in JEM, think again.

Poppy Pops actually sits on the sixth floor and is only accessible through the food court or the breezy rooftop located at the top of the shopping mall. If you are seeking a place with tranquil ambiance, sunlight and pleasant bites whenever you feel peckish, take a seat and grab a Poppy Classic along with the café’s Maple Butter Waffle.

What else is better than pleasant fare? Free Wi-Fi! Visitors do not have to pay for GST and service charge at Poppy Pops too.

The sixth storey of JEM is rarely accessed even by frequent shoppers, so it took a while for us to locate the café.

The interior of Poppy Pops is decked with gorgeously-lit bulbs and entwining vines, exuding a leafy, outdoor vibe.

We were also given an assortment of popsicle flavours to choose from: Yuzu, Pistachio, Lemon Blueberry, White Chocolate Raspberry, Honey Yogurt Apricot, Coffee Caramel and the classic flavours, Chocolate, Strawberry and Vanilla.

The Premium flavours are each priced at S$5.80 and the Classics at S$4.80 each.

The popsicles are Poppy Pops’ specialty. We got ourselves a Poppy Trio (S$6), Poppy Classic with added on Maple Butter Waffles (S$7.80) and Truffle Fries (S$12).

We were stoked to dig into our Honey Butter Waffles with Lemon Blueberry Poppy topped with Milk Chocolate and Salted Biscuits.

Unfortunately, there was nothing extraordinary about the truffle fries and S$12 for a serving like that may be a tad hefty.

All in all, we found delight in the complimentary Wi-Fi and a cozy ambiance. It is certainly charming to discover a homely place within all the mayhem.

Poppy Pops
#06-03 Jem
52 Jurong Gateway Road
Singapore 608549
Tel: +65 6262 0339
Mon to Thu: 11am – 10pm
Fri & Sat: 11am – 11pm
Sun: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Jurong East

For more recommendations, please read our guide to the best cafes in the West of Singapore.

Situated along East Coast Road, Birds of Paradise Gelato Boutique is a delightful ice cream paradise that is highly popular on social media for its extremely photogenic interior and of course, its amazing ice cream.

A prominent face in the vibrant Katong food scene, you will find signature flavours of ice cream inspired by natural botanical elements in this humble parlour. 

Two flavours that got our attention were the Spiced Pear and Strawberry Basil. The former is a heavenly combination of William pears, cinnamon and star anise; the latter is a tarty melange of farmed and wild strawberries rounded off with the mellow tones of an organic basil infusion.

Apart from being extremely refreshing on the palate, the flavours of pear in the Spiced Pear were in perfect harmony with the acidity of the cinnamon and star anise. Likewise, the Strawberry Basil was incredibly light and had undertones of basil in its scent and taste.

At S$4.70 for a single scoop or S$7.70 for a double, this is a sweet deal for ice cream bursting with so much goodness and flavour. 

Other exciting flavours to look out for include the Pandan, Vanilla Fig Swirl, White Chrysanthemum, Lychee Raspberry, Mango Sorbet, Mint Cacao and Lemongrass Ginger.

Enjoy your ice cream in a cup or in their signature Thyme Cone with a top-up of S$1. The Thyme Cone is made from waffle batter with infusions of thyme and all cones are made in-house daily.

A charming ice cream parlour that offers interesting flavours in the East; we love this combination.

Birds of Paradise Gelato Boutique
63 East Coast Road #01-05, Singapore 428776
Tel: +65 9678 6092
Sun, Tue to Thu: 12pm – 10pm
Fri & Sat: 12pm – 10.30pm
Nearest Station: Dakota

Jalan Kayu is a well-known street in Singapore, and apart from roti prata, it is also home to many established cafes and restaurants. An up-and-coming bistro in the row of shophouses that you should know about is Savoury.

For all our Muslim friends and those who are bringing their Muslim friends out for tea or a meal, Savoury offers Halal-certified mains and homemade gelato!

The bistro opens till late and there is no service charge. And most of the mains are affordably priced below S$20. This is a place where you can have a hearty meal without breaking the bank.

From now until 15 January 2017, our readers can quote ‘ladyironchef’ to get a free Crème Brûlée (worth S$11.50) when you order a main course. This promotion is limited to one redemption per table.

From the spacious interiors of the bistro to the elaborate decorative details on the walls, Savoury in Jalan Kayu has got it all right. It is the kind of place that makes you feel instantly at home, even if it was your first visit.

Their premium coffee comes from Common Man Coffee Roasters, which is famed for its coffee roasts so you know you must not leave without having a cuppa. Now, moving onto the best part—the food!

Since Savoury is a Halal-certified cafe, our Muslim friends can have anything they desire from the menu.

Expect to see a wide variety of options on their menu offering Western delights such as pasta, seafood and meat. Visitors have the option of topping up S$5 to complete their meal with mushroom soup and a drink when they purchase a main course.

PASTA

The Vongole Spaghetti (S$13.80+) is a light, yet flavourful pasta dish that had us digging our forks into it for more. It may look like a simple recipe put together but perfect timing, temperature and an experienced chef makes all the difference. This Italian classic is garnished with garlic chilli, parsley and extremely generous portions of freshly dug clams.

With the truffle trend not dying anytime soon in Singapore, we have been seeing an increase in various types of food choices being paired with it. You can imagine how excited we were when we found out that Savoury has also hopped on the bandwagon too!

For those who prefer something heavier on their taste buds, the Beef Truffle Linguine (S$16.80+) will not disappoint. The aromatic truffle smell hit us before we even took a bite, building up our expectations.

We are glad to say that everything from this dish turned out to be what we had hoped for—mouthwatering slices of beef tenderloin enveloped in rich brown sauce infused with truffle oil.

Other pasta choices on the menu include Black Pepper Chicken Aglio Olio Spaghetti (S$11.80+), Seafood Alfredo Linguine (S$14.80+) and Marina Linguine (S$14.80+).

MEAT AND SEAFOOD

Nothing called out to us more than the Lamb Shank (S$26.80+), looking all glorious while lying on a bed of creamy mash and doused in dark brown sauce.Lamb shanks can be tough if they are not well done but that was not the case at Savoury, for the meat was tender and tasted divine, especially when paired with the sauce. It was a clear winner for us.

Lamb shanks can be tough if they are not well done but that was not the case at Savoury, for the meat was tender and tasted divine, especially when paired with the sauce. It was a clear winner for us.

Fans of duck confits can look forward to this timeless French classic here at Savoury. The duck leg is fragrant and juicy, hiding underneath a coat of golden brown crispy skin.

This delicious Duck Confit (S$15.80+) sits atop warm buttery mash potatoes and was served with an appetising orange-brown sauce.

The pan-fried Salmon (S$18.80+) had a very crispy skin and we heard a crunch as we dug into it with our knives—an indication of a chef’s expertise at whipping up a well-done salmon.

The Chicken Thigh (S$14.80+) features a pan-fried boneless chicken—tender when served warm to the table, and spiced up significantly with the lemon pesto cream sauce.

DESSERT

No one can say they made a visit to Savoury without ordering their Signature Waffle. You can choose to have one (S$14+) or two (S$18.50+) scoops of their iconic gelato on top of the waffle.

The fluffy waffle is made on the spot and served warm, complete with Chantilly cream, chocolate sauce and various fresh fruits that have been cooked in cinnamon sauce for an extra boost of sweetness!

Apart from the waffle, their dessert menu also encompasses the Mao Shan Wang Lava Cake (S$13.80+), Brownie (S$11.80) and Crème Brûlée (S$11.50+ for one scoop and S$16+ for two scoops of gelato).

And last but certainly not the least, anyone who steps in to Savoury would totally be drawn to the massive gelato counter. All gelato are handmade in house, and the recipes are created by the boss himself. They are definitely worth a special trip down to Savoury!

From now until 15 January 2017, our readers can quote ‘ladyironchef’ to get a free Crème Brûlée (worth S$11.50) when you order a main course. This promotion is limited to one redemption per table.

Savoury
246 Jalan Kayu
Singapore 799470
Tel: +65 6752 9288
Mon to Fri: 6pm – 11.30pm
Sat: 12pm – 1.30am
Sun: 12pm – 11.30pm
Nearest Station: Sengkang

This post was brought to you by Savoury.

Happy 2nd birthday, our favourite waffles heaven Twenty Grammes!

Twenty Grammes is a dessert bar that has been so popular since its first outlet in North Bridge Road, and the newer outlet at Ang Mo Kio is no less inviting. They specialise in waffles and ice cream, and that’s pretty much the best things on earth.

In conjunction with their 2nd anniversary this month, Twenty Grammes has rolled out a dessert that is bound to get you excited—Hojicha Soft Serve on Waffle.

And on top of that, we have a really great deal for all of you. From now until 23 December 2016, quote ‘ladyironchef’ to get 50% OFF the second waffle or bingsu (on the lower-priced item) on weekdays.

Here are 10 Most Instagrammable Desserts From Twenty Grammes.

#1 S’MORES WAFFLE

Made up of Twenty Grammes’ signature crispy and fluffy Belgian waffles, the S’mores Waffle (S$15) is topped with melted torched marshmallows, chocolate hazelnut sauce, graham crackers, whipped cream and a scoop of ice cream to your preference. We recommend getting a chocolate-based ice cream flavour to go with this particular waffles!

#2 SASSY FELLOW

If you are not the biggest fan of chocolates, how does a banana waffle sound? The Sassy Fellow (S$12.90) features slices of fresh bananas cooked inside a waffle batter. The cooked waffles are then topped with more bananas, walnuts for an added crunch, maple syrup, sea salt caramel sauce and a huge scoop of Vanilla or Honey-Scotch Ice Cream.

#3 ISABELLE WAFFLE

The Isabelle Waffle (S$16.50) is a full-black charcoal waffle topped with everything a health nut will love—greek yogurt, peaches, strawberries, blueberries, banana, granola, pumpkin seeds, maple syrup and a sprinkle of icing sugar. A very pretty one indeed, and it’s great for days when you don’t want to sin too much but still need your waffle fix.

#4 YUAN YANG WAFFLE

The Yuan Yang Waffle (S$15) is an Instagram hit. Half of the waffle is charcoal, and the other is the classic batter. This monochromatic beauty is topped off with a huge serving of milk soft serve, cookie sticks, granola and chocolate hazelnut sauce. Simple, but it works for our soul all the time. This has always been one of our favourites at Twenty Grammes.

#5 INJEOLMI BINGSU

Yes, you read it right. Twenty Grammes has introduced the Korean dessert to their menu! The Injeolmi Bingsu (S$12.90) is a classic rendition of the Korean snow ice dessert and is topped off with soybean powder.

#6 CHOCOLATE FUDGE BROWNIE BINGSU

The Chocolate Fudge Brownie Bingsu (S$14.50) is a more badass version with generous toppings; just look at those huge chunks of fudge brownies. Although this version isn’t quite like the traditional bingsu, it is definitely more satisfying and we prefer this to the former!

#7 RAINBOW CREPE CAKE

Twenty Grammes makes all of the cakes in house and for this, we are certainly impressed. We actually really enjoyed this Rainbow Crepe Cake (S$8.90), a 2nd Anniversary special. We know that most people write off rainbow desserts as they usually look better than they taste but in this case, the crepe cake was creamily good. The layers were even and the buttercream was delicious.

#8 BLUE VELVET CAKE

This Smurf-coloured cake (S$7.90) is gorgeous and we could not keep our eyes off it. The cake layers are fluffy and soft, and sure you may say the blue comes from food colouring but we love how pretty it is anyway. By the way, it is not overly sweet like normal coloured cakes would taste.

#9 WHITE CHOCOLATE COTTON CANDY AFFOGATO

The White Chocolate Cotton Candy Affogato (S$7.90) is such a beauty. Fluffy pink cotton candy cloud sits atop white chocolate ice cream and warm espresso, and when you pour the chocolate over, the cotton candy crumbles and melts into the coffee. Sugar rush, anybody?

#10 2ND ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL – HOJICHA SOFT SERVE ON WAFFLE

Saving the best for the last—Twenty Grammes introduces Hojicha Soft Serve on Waffle (S$8.50) in conjunction with their 2nd anniversary. The soft serve sits nicely in a cup with bite-sized waffle pieces, and is decorated with beautiful lavender edible flowers. We loved the taste of the Hojicha waffle. Intense roasted flavours but not overpowering; just the way we like it!

From now until 23 December 2016, quote ‘ladyironchef’ to enjoy a 50% discount OFF any second waffle or bingsu (on the lower-priced item) at both Twenty Grammes outlets. The offer is only valid on weekdays, and is not applicable for takeaways.

Twenty Grammes
753 North Bridge Road
#01-01
Singapore 198721
Tel: +65 6717 1733
Mon to Thu, Sun: 12pm – 10pm
Fri & Sat: 12pm – 1am
Nearest Station: Bugis

529 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10
#01-2353
Singapore 560529
Tel: +65 68161916
Mon to Thu, Sun: 12pm – 10pm
Fri & Sat: 12pm – 1am
Nearest Station: Ang Mo Kio

This post is brought to you by Twenty Grammes.

Chances are you will not find notice Archipelago Creamery unless you are consciously looking out for it.

Hidden within the grounds of Nanyang Community Centre at Jurong West Street 91, you would need to take a bus from Boon Lay MRT Station to get to the community centre.

Sure, making it to the destination cafe requires some effort on top of searching for it within the compound. And the question is – is it worth the trip?

Although the west has a reasonable amount of good cafes, it is always exciting when a new one pops up. First look into Archipelago Creamery and you will realise how comfortable it is to walk around the cafe. Unlike many cafes in Singapore that are mostly cramped and stuffy, this ice cream parlour utilised its space wisely.

Archipelago Creamery boasts a nautical theme complete with anchors, and blue and white life buoys hanging on the walls. Ladies will love the pastel Tiffany Blue tones and wooden table tops – totes perfect for Instagram!

The Fruit Compote Waffle (S$11.90) looked like a dream and of course we had to give it a try. Generous toppings of sliced bananas, strawberries and blueberries filled up the entire charcoal waffle, jazzed up with a single scoop of Madagascan vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce.

Sweet bananas, sour berries, fluffy waffles, and creamy ice cream; exactly the kind of dessert we needed to cool us down from a walk under the sun.

And because the waffle was so good, we could not resist ordering another item from the menu as well. The Aoyamo (S$15.80) is what every matcha lover should try and it is basically a matcha Shibuya Toast with (plenty of) azuki beans. We loved the matcha ice cream as the flavour was rich and intense, and it paired extremely well with caramelised biscuit crunch.

NTU Students finally have a great dessert haunt that is not too far away from the campus!

Archipelago Creamery
60 Jurong West St 91
#01-09
Singapore 649040
Tel: +65 9856 1234
Daily: 12pm – 12 Midnight
Nearest Station: Boon Lay

Living in the heartlands of Singapore does not mean artisanal gelato is inaccessible. Barely a year old, Double Scoops is an artisanal gelato cafe situated right in the heartlands of Ang Mo Kio, offering premium low-fat gelato at very reasonable prices, alongside a plethora of desserts.

Gelato is always a good idea, especially with Singapore’s humidity. Gelato is loved for being a healthier option as opposed to ice cream because of the lower fat content and use of better ingredients.

This humble gelato parlour has won us over with their no-frills concept that focuses on serving quality desserts. From now till 31 March 2016, readers of ladyironchef can flash this post or quote “ladyironchef” to enjoy 50% OFF the 2nd Waffle/ Shibuya Toast (of same value or lower) purchased from Mondays to Fridays.

The cafe takes up one shop space along the row of shophouses and is a cosy and modern space amidst the rustic neighbourhood charm. The interior is minimalistic yet comforting – great for a midday or post-meal hang out spot over sweet treats, coffee and light savoury bites.

We love how the cafe is so ideal for photos. Natural sunlight streams in through the glass panels in the day. Every table is evenly spaced out and nobody will feel intruded. Potted plants are placed sporadically. Light music on the loop. The brick wall makes a great backdrop for our desserts.

Among the many, Double Scoops is indeed the best artisanal gelato cafe in Ang Mo Kio.

LOW-FAT GELATO WITH ONLY 8% FAT

Double Scoops makes their own gelato in-house daily. Smooth and fresh, the flavours are aplenty. Some are on rotational basis, but the mainstays that you totally have to try include Thai Milk Tea, Baileys, Sea Salt Gula Melaka, Orh Nee and Speculoos.

If it is your lucky day, you might have a chance with the limited flavours of Salted Egg Yolk and Matcha Kit Kat.

The gelato are good on their own, and can be served in cups or cones. But to up the game, we say go for the waffles and thick toast with ice cream. Double Scoops – but of course, right? No pun intended.

FUN DRINKS

Your regular selection of coffee is available, starting from S$4. Brewed tea ranges from Chamomile to Peppermint. But for some fun, we suggest going right for a Soda Float (S$4.50) or an Ice Cream Shake (S$6 with a choice of 2 scoops).

An Ice Cream Shake is a great to-go option if you are in a little rush to sit down for a scoop of gelato. Talk about best summer treats!

SHIBUYA TOASTS

Everyone’s no stranger to thick toasts, yes? We love ours topped off with ice cream. Double Scoops offers two choices – a classic Shibuya Honey Toast (S$10) and a Nutella Banana Toast (S$11), each with one scoop of gelato of choice.

While honey toasts are evergreen, it was the Nutella one that tugged our heartstrings. But of course, right? Nutella is always wonderful, especially when lavishly drizzled over a thick toast alongside smooth, premium gelato. We had ours with a scoop of Earl Grey Lavender ice cream and the fragrance sure balanced out the sweetness of the dessert.

We do recommend sharing the toast as the serving is really generous!

WAFFLE SELECTIONS

You can have both Charcoal Waffle (S$5.50) and Classic Waffle (S$3.60) here.

With the rise of sexy black desserts, we were initially more drawn to the former. However, we actually preferred the batter on the classic waffle as it was fluffier and more fragrant, with a nice crisp exterior.

That is not to say that the charcoal waffle option is to be overlooked though. If you want something more interestingly-flavoured, this is it. Accompanied with a beautiful rich valrhona white chocolate ganache sauce, the charcoal waffle is also jazzed up with crunchy maple pecan granola and strawberry bits.

You can choose to top up your waffles with a single, double or triple scoop (S$3.30, S$5.80, S$8.80 respectively) of gelato. The more the merrier, of course!

You can also top-up for caramelised bananas and popcorn alongside your gelato. The caramelised bananas were torched well and added a nice textural variation to the classic waffles and ice cream dish.

A premium gelato flavour that we enjoyed our waffles with is the Bailey’s flavour. We have had many Bailey’s ice cream and gelato in our lives, and this by far, took first place for us. The flavour and texture were just right, and the alcohol was generous yet did not overpower.

CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKE

Need cake?

The Chocolate Lava Cake here at Double Scoops is pretty decent. It comes with a drizzle of raspberry sauce and your pick of gelato. This is best eaten immediately for the nice mixture of warm chocolate fudge and cold ice cream, and when your lava still flows.

GELATO FLOWER POT

The Gelato Flower Pot here may be nothing to shout about, but your kids are definitely going to love it. Your gelato of choice is packed into a mini plastic ‘flower pot’ and topped off with bits of crushed oreo and served with gummy worms.

We like the thoughtful touches of a plastic ‘spade’ spoon and garnishing of a herb as the ‘leaves’ of the plant.

50% OFF DESSERTS AT DOUBLE SCOOPS

From now till 31 March 2016, readers of ladyironchef can flash this post or quote “ladyironchef” to enjoy 50% OFF the 2nd Waffle/ Shibuya Toast (of same value or lower) purchased from Mondays to Fridays.

Double Scoops
Block 226A Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 #01-627
Singapore 561226
Tel: +65 6452 0208
Sun to Thu: 12pm – 10pm
Fri & Sat: 12pm – 11pm
Nearest Station: Ang Mo Kio

This post is brought to you by Double Scoops.

Local cafe famed for their specialty desserts – Sunday Folks – opened its doors about a year ago at Chip Bee Gardens and took our nation by storm with its irresistibly delicious sweets.

Café hoppers and foodies alike flocked to the spacious café to sample Sunday Folks’ delectable offerings of freshly baked Belgian waffles and mouthwatering ice cream. The one-year-old café’s menu is fairly limited – there are only six ice cream flavours – yet sees no lack of customers till date.

The sweet treats at Sunday Folks do not just look good – they taste good too. The folks at Sunday Folks aim to present their desserts in the freshest form, and this vision had soon became their winning recipe.

Indeed, waffles will only be baked after your order is taken and the same applies to the preparation of the freshly churned ice cream. As a result, a minimum waiting time of 15 minutes is required and subjected to increase when volume of orders is high.

There are only six ice cream flavours to choose from – Dark Chocolate, Earl Grey Lavender, Roasted Pistachio, Sea Salt Gula Melaka and Summer Strawberries – and each portion comes with preselected toppings. Have your tasty ice cream concoction in a cup (S$7.20) or handmade cone (S$7.20).

You can also have your ice cream on a waffle slice (S$8.80) or two slices (S$11.80) – they will be paired with blueberries, sliced strawberries, maple syrup and chocolate hazelnut sauce.

Sunday Folks
44 Jalan Merah Saga
Chip Bee Gardens #01-52
Singapore 278116
Mon: Closed
Tue to Fri: 1pm – 10pm
Sat to Sun: 12pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Holland Village

For more recommendations, read our guide to the best waffles in Singapore.

About the writer:
Hui Jun Ng is a staff writer for ladyironchef. She previously worked in the food and marketing industry. She loves traveling and enjoys exploring underrated destinations. In her free time, you will find her indulging in coffee and her all time favourite local dish – bak chor mee.

With ice-cream parlours sprouting up at almost every corner of Singapore, it triggers our curiosity even further to get our hands on their latest creations. Very often, we are in search of the very ice cream that will leave us in awe with its out-of-the-world flavours.

They say ice cream makes people happy, but we believe that with an added touch of creativity, it will send your endorphins trickling with excitement.

From Salted Egg Yolk Ice Cream to savoury Bacon Ice Cream, we are here to make the calories count. Join us on this journey to discover some of the Uncommon Ice Cream Flavours in Singapore that will rock your world.

#1 APPLE PIE – ISLAND CREAMERY

Priced at S$3.50 per scoop, expect to find apple bits and biscuit crumbles in this cup of goodness. Being one of the first ice cream parlours in Singapore, Island Creamery is home to countless of interesting ice cream flavours suited to the Singaporean taste buds. During Chinese New Year, they also serve seasonal flavours such as Pineapple Tart ice cream.

Island Creamery
Holland Village Shopping Mall
3 Lorong Liput, #01-02
Singapore 277725
Tel: +65 6466 6865
Sun to Thu: 11am – 10pm
Fri, Sat, Eve and PH: 11am – 11pm
Nearest MRT: Holland Village

#2 SALTED EGG YOLK – TOM’S PALETTE

At Tom’s Palette, all ice cream are made in-house with less cream, sugar and less air beating-in for richer tastes. Having the Salted Egg Yolk Ice Cream (S$3.20) is like eating spoonfuls of smooth salted egg yolk custard, with textures similar to that of Italian gelato.

Since you are able to choose 2 flavours in a cup, you might want to opt for their Sarsi Vanilla Float Ice Cream or their Soy Bean and You Tiao Ice Cream!

Tom’s Palette
Shaw Towers
100 Beach Road
Singapore 189702
Tel: +65 6296 5239
Mon to Thu: 12pm – 9:30pm
Fri to Sat: 12pm – 10pm
Sun: 1pm – 7pm (Closed on the last Sun of the month)
Nearest MRT: Bugis

#3 ROSE PU’ER – SERIOUSLY ICE CREAM

Located at Everton Park, Seriously Ice Cream is both an ice cream parlour and a retail store selling accessories and apparels. The Rose Pu’er Ice Cream (S$3.50) exuded strong fragrances of Pu’er tea and had a thick consistency throughout.

Seriously Ice Cream
4 Everton Park, #01-44
Singapore 080004
Tel: +65 9621 6889
Mon, Wed to Thu: 11am – 9pm
Fri to Sat: 11am – 11pm
Sun: 11am – 9pm
(Closed on Tue)
Nearest MRT: Outram Park

#4 PEANUT AND KIDNEY BEAN – YILI PAOPAO ICE

Originated from Taiwan’s Shilin Market, the ice shavings at YiLi PaoPao Ice is blended with natural ingredients and is without cream for a healthier choice. The Peanut and Kidney Bean flavour consists of peanut shaved ice and smooth kidney beans – an unconventional pairing but so well done that it is also a crowd’s favourite. Customers can match any two ice shavings at an affordable price of S$4.95.

Yili PaoPao Ice
Orchard Central, #B2-05
Singapore 238896
Tel: +65 8275 6001
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest MRT: Somerset

#5 THAI MILK TEA – CREAMIER

Found in a neighbourhood setting, Creamier has been making its name with its signature waffles and an extensive range of ice cream. Their Thai Milk Tea Ice Cream (S$3) is made with Ceylon tea brew, with its taste being light and mellow. This will be perfect for an afternoon treat!

Creamier
128 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh
Singapore 310128
Tel: +65 6250 1476
Tue to Thur: 12pm – 10pm
Fri to Sat: 12pm – 11pm
Sun: 12pm – 10pm
(Closed on Mon)
Nearest MRT: Toa Payoh or Braddell

#6 BACON – OMB (OH MY BACON)

Bacon lovers, this will be your heaven. Made with red bean cream, milk, and brown sugar, this glorious savoury Bacon Ice Cream (S$5) has bacon slices stuffed sufficiently in every nook and cranny of the ice cream. You will be sure to scoop up a handful of savory bacon with every spoonful, and be amazed by how the medley of sweet and savoury can come together so beautifully.

OMB (Oh My Bacon)
7 Dunlop Street
Singapore 209337
Tel: +65 6635 2633
Tue to Fri: 12pm – 10pm
Sat to Sun: 10am – 10pm
(Closed on Mon)
Nearest MRT: Little India

#7 oKAYAlah! – THE DAILY SCOOP

Think your favourite Kaya spread served in the form of ice-cream. The smooth Kaya Ice Cream (S$3.50) at The Daily Scoop tickled our local taste buds and left quite an impression. We were even fantasising about bagging it home and spreading it atop a slice of bread. Other unique flavours include their Passion Pinada made with a trio of tropical fruits – Pineapple, Passionfruit, and Mango. Yum!

The Daily Scoop
Chip Bee Gardens, #01-78
Singapore 278115
Tel: +65 6475 3128
Mon to Thu: 11am – 10pm
Fri to Sat: 11am – 10:30pm
Sun: 2pm – 10pm
Nearest MRT: Holland Village

#8 SALTED SPECULOOS – UDDERS

Udders is no stranger to any dessert connoisseurs out there, with its range of freshly made ice cream and its famed liqueur ice cream conceptions. The Salted Speculoos Ice Cream (S$3.80) is made with brown butter base with huge slices Lotus cookies sandwiched in between. Salted Caramel swirls were also added in for an elevated savoury kick!

Udders
246D Upper Thomson Road
Singapore 574370
Tel: +65 6452 0803
Mon to Thu: 12pm – 1am
Fri to Sun, Eve of PH: 12pm – 2am
Nearest MRT: Marymount

#9 PARMA HAM AND MELON – DESSERT PROJECT

It might seem challenging to convert such an intricate ingredient to an ice cream flavour, but the people at Dessert Project aced it with their Melon Parma Ham Ice Cream (S$4.50). The bits of ham left a piquant aftertaste which did not steal the limelight from the melon ice cream base. Be sure to try out their other creations such as White Truffle, White Rabbit Candy and After Eight.

Dessert Project
22 Havelock Road, #01-673
Singapore 160022
Tel: +65 8113 5385
Mon to Thu: 11am – 10pm
Fri to Sat: 11am – 11pm
Sun: 12am – 10pm
Nearest MRT: Tiong Bahru

#10 GRAPE YAKULT YOGHURT – MERELY’S ICE CREAM

Grape Yakult is undeniably a childhood favourite for most of us, and Merely Ice Cream did a fine job in reinventing the drink with a healthier twist. The Grape Yakult Yoghurt Ice Cream (S$3.50) charmed us with its slushie-like texture and light flavours which would be the excellent dessert after a meal – much like the health drink itself!

Merely’s Ice Cream
Sunshine Plaza
91 Bencoolen Street, #01-13
Singapore 189652
Tel: +65 6238 0890
Mon to Sat: 12pm – 11pm
(Closed on Sun)
Nearest MRT: Bras Basah

About the writer:
Cassandra is a staff writer for ladyironchef. During her free time, she fuels her passion for fashion through shopping and indulges in all things food. She loves anything egg related and is always ready for a cafe-hopping adventure.

With the erratic and humid weather here in Singapore, we all need something chilled or cold to soothe and hydrate ourselves. Why not grab a cup of coconut ice cream? Served on a halved husk, this style of serving is largely adapted and inspired from the ones you get in street markets in Thailand.

With more and more specialised coconut ice cream shops popping up in Singapore, getting a cup of this delicious thirst-quenching desserts is more accessible than you think. Now, you need not travel all the way to Chatuchak in Thailand just to have it!

Here is a list of 5 Bangkok-Style Coconut Ice Creams in Singapore that you have to try!

#1 320 BELOW

East-siders rejoice because yes, there is one near you! Located inside OneKM Mall along Tanjong Katong Road, 320 Below is just a 5 minute walk from Paya Lebar MRT. 320 Below uses liquid nitrogen to freeze their ingredients, hence the ice cream served here is always tastes fresh.

Although 320 Below does not serve their freshly-made coconut ice cream in a halved coconut husk, we can ensure that they have one of the best and freshest coconut ice creams you can find here in Singapore.

11 Tanjong Katong Road
#01-K1 One KM
Singapore 437157
Tel:+65 6702 2727
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Paya Lebar

#2 CO NUT INK

Priced at S$5 for a portion served with the standard topping of Classic Peanuts, you will be presented with a scoop of sorbet-textured coconut ice cream served atop young coconut husk and a complimentary cup of coconut water. Definitely a must-have to combat the sweltering weather while taking a stroll along Esplanade!

Esplanade Waterfront
1 Esplanade Drive, #01-K7
Singapore 039802
Tel: +65 9685 5573
Mon to Fri: 1:30pm – 10pm
Sat to Sun: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Promenade/Esplande

#3 KOKO ICE CREAM

Opened by a group of three young men, this fresh concept stands out inside Amoy Food Street and is probably one of the most affordable around! For S$3, you get a halved husk, with coconut flesh, a scoop of coconut ice cream, two toppings of choice and a cup of fresh coconut water!

We loved Koko Ice Cream for being unpretentious and the simplicity of their ice cream, makes this a winner for us. Add a little crunch to your ice cream with either cornflakes or peanut (or pick both!) or pick a sweet sauce to be drizzled on your ice cream for a little something extra.

7 Maxwell Road
#02-104 Amoy Street Food Centre
Singapore 069111
Mon to Sat: 11am – 3.30pm
Closed on Sundays
Nearest Station: Tanjong Pagar

#4 PONG

Located in the heart of Orchard Road, Pong serves a great purpose of quenching shoppers’ thirst with their delicious coconut ice creams. The main unique point about Pong is that they serve their coconut ice cream with a choice of another fruit sorbet or ice cream.

A good choice as an accompaniment is the mango sorbet, which adds a nice slightly acidic and fruity touch to the overall taste. Top your ice cream off with a variety of ingredients such as red beans and nata de coco.

2 Orchard Link
*Scape #02-18C
Singapore 237978
Daily: 12.30pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Somerset

#5 WIMI ICE CREAM

We can ensure you that a photo of this will be a hit on your social media platforms because of the beautiful and bright colours. As possibly the closest you can find to the one in Chatuchak, Wimi serves the biggest variety of toppings and condiments to accompany the coconut ice cream.

For S$4.90, get a scoop of coconut ice cream on a halved husk with three toppings of your choice. The toppings range from fresh pomegranate (we really loved this) to taro and even Thai red ruby. For ice cream wise, they have two types – original and ‘The Stronger’. The latter is just a more concentrated version of the classic one.

321 Clementi Ave 3
#01-13
Singapore 129905
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Clementi

I have a problem when it comes to ice cream. You see, I tend to stick to places that I’m comfortable with: like Island creamery, U.d.d.e.r.s, and Haato. So I decided that I need to try out more ice cream parlours this year, especially so when there’s so many new ice cream places in Singapore.

Vanilla bean, chocolate, cookie & cream, durian, strawberry, hazelnut, lemon sorbet, rum & raisin, orange chocolate, tiramisu, baileys, chunky monkey, cherry, salted caramel, earl grey, pistachio, matcha, sesame, and nutella. Whichever flavor it is, I hope that you are eating it.

I’m deeply in love with ice cream, for a split moment of insanity, I thought that she might actually like me back.  Ice cream is always irresistible; it’s like dew drops to a thirsty man in the desert, like air after being underwater for a long time, like sex to the forty year old virgin, like that Gucci bag to the fashionista – it is love.

I hope this list of ice cream parlours in Singapore will help on your hunt for the perfect scoop. Because ice cream will never let you down.

Anderson Ice Cream
6 Raffles Boulevard
#02-207A Marina Square
Tel: +65 6334 4727
Also at other outlets

Awfully Chocolate
1 Harbourfront Walk
#01-156 VivoCity
Tel: +65 6410 9725
Also at other outlets

Azabu Sabo Ice Cream
6 Eu Tong Sen Street
#01-46 The Central @ Clarke Quay
Tel: +65 6534 7178
Also at Marina Square, Taka, Plaza Singapura

Ben & Jerry
8 Dempsey Road
#01-14 Tanglin Village
Tel: +65 6473 3231
Also at other outlets

Blic Ice Cream Cafe
Blk 802 Tampines Ave 4 #01-23
Tel: +65 6786 0860

Buttercake N Cream
Blk 106 Clementi St 12
(Sunset way) #01-52
Tel: +65 6777 3477

Canele Patisserie
252 North Bridge Road
#B1-81 Raffles City shopping centre
Tel: +65 63347377
Also at Shaw, Paragon, Robertson Quay

Cold Rock Ice Creamery
24A Lorong Mambong
Holland Village
Tel: +65 6763 1323

Coccogelo Artisan Gelato
89 East Coast Road

Estivo Gelateria
26 Greenwood Avenue
Hillcrest Park
Tel: +65 6469 6763

Futta La Viva
21 Lorong Kilat
#01-01 Suncourt
Tel: +65 6838 8986

Gelare
181 Orchard Road # 04-23
Orchard Central Shopping Centre
Tel: +65 6509 9113
Also at other outlets

Gelatissimo
350 Orchard Road
#01-01 Shaw House
Tel: +65 6736 1618
Also at Singapore Flyer

Gelato Art
Blk 105 Clementi St 12
#01-16 Sunset Way
Tel: 9734 6243

Gelato Twist
3 Temasek Boulevard
#03-025F Suntec City Mall
Tel: 9226 2785
Also at Pearl Centre

Gusttimo di Roma
2 Orchard Road
#01-17 ION Orchard
Tel: +65 6509 9380

Haagen-Dazs
3A River Valley Road
#01-07 Clarke Quay
Tel: +65 6337 0846
Also at other outlets

Haato @ Ridgewood
5 Ridgewood Close Unit G1
Tel: +65 6464 9607
Also at Liang Court, Suntec, Thomson Plaza

Ice Cream Chef
520 East Coast Road
#01-06 Ocean Park
Tel: +65 6446 6355

Ice Cream Frenzy
Blk 501 West Coast Drive
#01-250
Tel: +65 6778 4498

Ice Cream Gallery
491 River Valley Road
#01-20 Valley Point
Tel: +65 6235 0870
Also at Eastwood Centre

Ice Cream Kingdom (** closed)
40 Holland Grove Road
Tel: 9699 9916

Ice Edge Cafe
2 Kovan Road #01-10
Simon Plaza Singapore
Tel: +65 6858 5729

Island Creamery
10 Jalan Serene
#01-03 Serene Centre
Tel: +65 64688859
Also at Great World City

Ice3 Cafe
11 Kensington Park Road
Serangoon Garden Estate
Singapore 557263
Tel: +65 6282 8126
Also at Bedok Library

Icekimo
8 Sin Ming Road
#01-03 Sin Ming Centre
Tel: +65 6455 7585

Lick Little Ice Cream kafe – Ice Cream Buffet
258 Tanjong Katong Road
Tel: +65 6440 8526

Maggie Moos Ice Cream & Treatery
313 @ Somerset #B3-54
Orchard Road

Marble Slab Creamery
201 Victoria Street
#04-01 Iluma @ Bugis
Tel: +65 6884 5933
Also at Cluny Court

Marvelous Cream
2 Orchard Turn
#B4-81/82/83 ION Orchard
Tel: +65 6509 8427
Also at Raffles City Link

New Zealand Natural Ice Cream
290 Orchard Road
#B1-K2 The Paragon
Tel: +65 6737 6259
Also at others outlets

Once Upon A Milk Shake
32 Maxwell Road
#01-08 Maxwell Chambers
Tel: 9823 3779

Raffles Creamery
1 Beach Road
Raffles Hotel
Tel: +65 6337 1886

Scoopy and Cream – Ice Cream Buffet
1 Pasir Ris Close #02-119
E!Hub @ Downtown East Singapore

Tiong Bahru Plaza #04-00
302 Tiong Bahru Road #04-00
Tiong Bahru Plaza Singapore

Scoopz
80 Marine Parade Road
#B1-154 Parkway Parade
Tel: +65 6440 3412

Seven Heaven
10 Raeburn Park
#01-24 Marketing Institute of Singapore
Tel: +65 6227 7787

26 Sentosa Gateway #01-207/208,
The Forum Resorts World Sentosa

Simply Shiok
9 One North Gateway #01-39
One North Residences Singapore
Tel: +65 6779 7926

Swensen’s Cafe Restaurant
68 Orchard Road
#03-23 Plaza Singapura
Tel: +65 6837 0650
Also at other outlets

Swirl Gelateria
557 Bukit Timah Road
#01-04/05 Crown Centre
Tel: +65 6464 6180

Taste Matters
501 Bukit Timah Road #02-19
Cluny Court Singapore
Tel: +65 6297 9713

The Daily Scoop
41 Sunset Way
#01-04 Clementi Arcade
Tel: +65 6463 3365
Also at Chips Bee Garden

The Ice Cream Man
7 Haji Lane Singapore
Tel: +65 6398 0919

Tom’s Palette
100 Beach Road
#01-25 Shaw Leisure Gallery
Tel: +65 6296 5239

U.d.d.e.r.s Ice Cream
17 Lorong Kilat
#01-08 Kilat court
Tel: +65 6466 1055
Also at Novena Goldhill, West Mall

Venezia Gelateria
1 Fifth Avenue
#01-01 Guthrie House
Tel: +65 6468 3656
Also at Tiong Bahru Plaza.

I will be adding this list to the top of my Delicious page, if there’s any place that I’ve missed out, feel free to let me know and I’ll add on to this list.

. . . In ice cream we trust

The idea was to eat, eat, and eat, but plan b, or rather the lack of a proper plan, meant that we start at Plan B. We started off easy, but it was surely one of the best burgers that I’ve.

It took everything that I got to resist ordering another burger for myself, and missed out on all the stuff that was about to come – and so three hungry dude shared one burger.

Plan B by Becasse is famous for their wagyu beef burger, and at just ten bucks, you must try this burger! What is wagyu, anyway? When even the MacDonalds in Sydney sell Angus beef burgers, you probably think it’s not a big deal.

But the real wagyu burger, comes in the form of a thick beef patty, everything was kept simple; there’s no exotic ingredients like foie gras, nor were there redundant sauce – it was so good that you could feel the sauce gushing out! Interesting, beetroot was used, and it provided the contrast from the other burgers.

Plan B, 204 Clarance sheet, have you taken down the address?

It will be disappointing if one did not step into any pub/bar when in Australia. The folks here simply love (read: adore, head over heels, cannot do without) drinking. Be it a glass of the fine wines from the vineyard, or a pin of beer straight from the brewery, say cheers! There’s a strong drinking culture here; it’s not surprising to see people drinking during lunch time, or 3pm in the afternoon.

I was glad when Richard proposed that we make a trip to his favorite pub, Bavarian Bier Cafe for some beer to chill down the hot afternoon heat. Since I always have a sweet tooth, I went for the Mango, which had a smell consistency of the fruit. The taste however, did not have such a strong mango flavor.

No one in their right mind will pass on the chance to have German Sausages, and so we ordered a platter to share. There was a krunching sound when I bite the cracking roast pork, as with the German food that I visualize, it was hearty, tasty and definitely not enough.

‘Deep-fried sushi?’

Richard casually asked if we are keen to try it out, but I could sense the excitement in his seemingly-subtle-tone.

‘I don’t know, I’m not so sure.. about this’

And the next thing I know, we were standing in front of Kana Express kiosk. This is one place where most people wouldn’t have heard of, much less try the snacks here; an oblivious kiosk by the corner of a back alley.

The sushi was done Korean-style, and there’s other popular Korean snacks like spicy rice-cake, but our focus was on these two words: Deep-fried, & sushi.

As the guest, or so they said, I was entitled to the first bite. It was edible. I think one’s enjoyment of this sushi comes from the revelation of deep fried to the mind. On it’s own, the sushi tasted very tame, but the addition of the fiery hot chili sauce enhanced the flavor greatly.

I love summer. I really do.

Summer, is the perfect excuse for us to indulge with ice cream, and more ice cream. We dropped by Passionflower, a dessert cafe which exotic ice cream flavors. The choice of vanilla hazelnut & burnt caramel was made by me, the former was evidently the favorite, and I liked the nutty taste in the vanilla ice cream, while the latter had a strong burnt caramel taste.

Summer, is not summer, without ice cream.

I stole a glance at Krispy Kreme when we walked by the shop, and was immediately dragged in and convinced to have one (just one) of the original donut. This should be the definition of how a good donut taste like: glazed with a layer of sugar, yet not to the point of being cloyingly-sweet, there wasn’t any hint of oilyness that a poor donut will have. One, simply isn’t enough.

Our original plan was to have tonkatsu at a nearby Japanese restaurant, but it was closed by the time we got there, so we went to Harry’s instead. I’m sure, any reputable guidebook will list the pies & hotdog at Harry’s Cafe de Wheels as one of the must-try in Sydney. Tiger pie is particularly famous, but to be honest, I’m not very certain of it. Mashy and meaty, maybe it’s just me, but I didn’t really enjoy it.

On the other hand, we thoroughly enjoyed the hotdog, it was a shame that we only had one to share. I’d imagine one to hold the big sausage with both hands, and put the whole thing into the mouth!

While on the way to Max Brenner, we passed by Le Patissier and decided to stop here for some sweets instead. For a small place, they have quite an array of desserts to choose from. I wanted to try vanilla pastry cake but it wasn’t available that day, so we had the Lemon Ganache. The sourish lemon ganache provided a good counterbalance to the sweet chocolate layers, but the whole cake was too dry, and I’m not a big fan of kirsch that’s also present in the cake.

When the fork first sank into the Creme Brulee, we already came to the conclusion that it failed. And unsurprisingly, the surface of the dessert was not caramelized properly; it was either a leftover, or they had torched and caramelized too early. However, the custard underneath was actually quite decent, and there’s even vanilla beans used.

* * *
Just in case you are wondering again, yes, we ate all of these in one afternoon.

Plan B by Becasse
204 Clarence Street, Sydney 2000
Tel: 9283 3450

Bavarian Bier Cafe
24 York Street, Sydney, NSW 2000
Tel: 02 8297 4111

Kana Express kiosk
Corner of Central Street

Passionflower
580 George Street
Sydney NSW 2000

Krispy Kreme
Queen Victoria Building
429 – 481 George Street,
Shop 95 – 97 Lower Ground Floor,
Sydney, NSW 2000

Harry’s Cafe De Wheel
Haymarket, NSW 2000
Next to Paddy Maguires Pub
Tel: (02) 9281 6292

Le Patissier
50 Clarence Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Tel: (02) 9299 0015

It’s always a good thing when visiting another country, especially when you are like me who usually do not research much on the place, to be in the company of fellow food bloggers.

I was fortunate to have my Sydney food blogger friends to show me around, and it was so much fun to hang out with them, everyone connected and soon we were chatting like we’ve known each other for years. And the food was good of course, no restaurant in their right mind will serve bad food to a group of hungry food bloggers.

Without Helen’s arrangement, I probably would never make it to Newtown, an suburb outside the city area, and I must say I’m glad I did. The place is a charming shopping paradise with the fashionable boutique by day, and when the sun goes down, it instantly transformed into a cool chilled-out area for all the night owls. The restaurant we’ve dinner was called Rowda Ya Habibi, they served Lebanese cuisine and we sat on the floor on cushions. Other than the exotic Lebanese cuisine, there was also special entertainment in the form of a belly-dancer, she’d danced around the room and then grab one of us up to dance (or rather move around) with her. Boy, it was hell lot of fun that night!

The eight of us went for the Extra Special Banquet ($30 per pax) which has a variety of 10 dishes selected by the chef. We began with Hummos, a chicken pea & sesame seed kind of dish that was really quite difficult to describe in terms of taste and appearance. The generous serving of Lebanese bread was somewhat like the Indian Naan, to dip with all kinds of sauces, and to be wrapped with the other sides to eat together.

I got confused by the Baba Ganooj because it looked so similar to the Hummos, but the main ingredient was smoked eggplant (one of the raw vegetables that I do not eat), and then all was good with the arrival of the fulsome Shish kebab, tender lamb fillets grilled on skewers that were mouth-watering.

In comparison to the Shish kebab, the Chicken skewers were much more tender, and juicy, and I couldn’t help stealing a glance around the table to see if there’s any leftovers. The remaining of the dishes include felafel, a deep-fried vegetarians balls of crushed chick pea (again), beans with spices, ladies finger which bears an uncanny resemblance to the Chinese fried spring roll, only that this one was filled with meat, onions and pine nuts.

Five minutes after we stepped out of the Lebanese restaurant, we headed further down the street for round 2 – ice cream! A few of the others unanimously agreed that Gelatomassi has the best (read: number one, top of the world, absolutely unbeatable) pistachio ice cream, and after trying it, I must say I agree with their judgment – it’s definitely by far one of the best green-nut ice cream that I’ve had before. The distinct pistachio nut taste would drive any fans of the green-nut crazy.

I’ve the ferrero roche flavour, which seemed tame after I tried the pistachio; it lacked the crunchy bite and wasn’t ferrero roche enough. Most of the folks didn’t like the lemon sorbet as they found it to be too sourish, but I on the other hand, thoroughly enjoyed the citrus sting. The other flavours we’d include chocolate cake, peanut, and strawberry.

Are we done? No, not yet, we went to another place in the Darlinghurst area called Messina for even more ice cream! Madness isn’t it? But that’s what happen when a group of food bloggers hang out together. The coconut lychee was a big hit here, but since I’m neither a fan of coconut nor lychee, it didn’t appeal to me. In addition, the second scoop was tiramisu which was pretty decent.

Afterwhich, the group of us went across the street to another place for frozen yogurt. It’s probably not the most sensible thing to do in the middle of a chilling night, but yet there’s nothing better than to sit out there in the cold weather while having ice cream and frozen yogurt.

‘Where are we going next?’ This simple question brought us to our fifth and final stop for the night, the very popular Chat Thai, in Chinatown. It was already midnight by the time we arrived at the place, and there’s still a long queue outside waiting to get in. No one could possibly miss out on Pad thai when in a Thai restaurant, so we had one to share. Just like the recent one that I’ve before I left for Sydney, it was sweet, not spicy at all, and the rice noodles were considerately thinner. I’d like my Pad thai to have lots of raw beansprouts and eggs, however Chat Thai’s rendition did not have enough of both to satisfy me.

* * *

Just in case you are wondering, yes we covered all these places within one night. This is the second part of my Twelve days in Sydney series, to be continued . . .

Rowda Ya Habibi
101 King Street Newtown
Tel: 02 9557 5368

Gelatomassi
262 King Street
Newtown NSW 2042
Tel: (02) 9516 0655

Messina
241 Victoria Street
Darlinghurst NSW 2010

Chat Thai
20 Campbell Street
Haymarket Chinatown
Tel: +61 (02) 9211 1808

Across the big colourful bridge, it is a path to company, fun, and good food on a Saturday afternoon. Thirty-eight of us, chat, laugh, and eat.There was a lucky draw, giving out some free desserts, tapas, pasta & burgers to the lucky few. And for the rest of you all, I’m glad you will not leave the place empty-hand, with the 1-for-1 vouchers.

The menu which I discussed with Helena, was to showcase the specialities of Epicurious. Simple, comfort food that you and I can do it at home if not for the fact that half of us are lazy creatures who preferred to eat than cook. Mushroom soup paired with croque Monsieur toast.

A lightly dressed Asian salad, paired with bacon-wrapped chicken. The latter was a brilliant creation. Taking one bite, I proclaimed it as the bacon Ngo hiang (prawn roll), just that instead of the beancurd skin that we are familiar with, they replaced it with the bacon, and the chicken in place of the prawn.

Mini burger paired with spaghetti Vietnamese bolognaise. Instead of the full size Epicurious burger, we did a half-patty-bun so that it will not be too overwhelming given we are having a four course.

And for the non-beef eaters, we specially did this pork patty for them. Oh-oh-oh-oh! The famous Epicurious burger! I’m trying to persuade Helena to have this pork burger on their menu as well! All right, the next time I go back, I’m gonna have my special order for this.

Hello everybody! Can you see the sparking vanilla bean that shines from the surface of the cold, creamy white? Vanilla-bean ice cream! Oh my, the sight of it never failed to excite me! The apple crumble at Epicurious was done on-the-spot, and the combination of chill ice-cream and warm crumble is surely a hit! My dear friend commented it’ll be better if there’s cinnamon added as well.

And the pairing of the apple crumble was the simple french toast, given a make-over by the folks at Epicurious.

* * *

I’m glad all of you came for my food outing, and I do hope it was an enjoyable one! This was my first time having a lucky draw for some fun, with Helena sportingly giving out several free vouchers for the lucky few, and everyone-else getting a 1-for-1 vouchers. Burgers, pastas, tapas and desserts. Whee!

I’ll like to thank Helena and her crew for hosting us at Epicurious, and see you all next time! I reckon there will be more impromptu small group food outing soon, but I probably just announced it through my Facebook page for those smaller outings, so do check it out!

Read about my previous visits to Epicurious here, and here.

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