“Always tasty, always homemade. With love.”

That’s Little Diner for you.

The humble eatery that sits amidst the lush greenery of Bukit Timah, away from the humdrum of city life and stress – cosy and unpretentious. It is a no-frills place; just earnest comfort food in generous portions. Lunch, dinner, weekend brunch… whenever you need to please that tummy of yours, Little Diner will take care of that.

Nothing here costs an arm and a leg – most of the dishes on the menu are reasonably priced below S$20 – and all that we’ve sampled and had were delightfully yummy to say the least. Some classics are as good as gold, some creations took us by surprise and left us lingering for more. Little Diner has also just launched its new 2-course weekday set lunch at S$22.50++.

Today, we share 10 Must-Try Dishes at Little Diner and we urge you to drop by for a meal that you will not have regrets for.

There are three various “feeding times”, and the menu differ for each.

Lunch hours on weekdays (11:30am to 3pm, Tuesdays to Fridays) call for value-for-money 2-course set lunches at S$22.50++, including one coffee or tea. Portions are of the original size no less, and there are several starters and main courses to pick from, of which we will be sharing some of our favourites in this list.

We’d love to think of the set lunches as casual affordable options when we want to avoid the lunch crowd in town and major restaurants. From now till 31 May 2015, quote “ladyironchef” and get a free dessert of the day with every set lunch ordered.

Then, there is a comprehensive menu when it comes to dinner. We promise you’ll be so spoilt for choice, but more than that, we’d love for you to spend your night with great comfort food and drinks. It is like dining at a home outside of your home.

Weekend brunches are not confined to cafes. A local eatery off the beaten track sounds lovely too, yes? Especially so when they’ve got some really impressive items. Trust us on this – you’ll be hooked to the first dish that we are going to share.

#1 STUFFED SUPER CEREAL-CRUSTED FRENCH TOAST (BRUNCH ONLY)

Nutella, Nutella and more Nutella in Little Diner‘s version of stuffed French Toast which is served during weekend brunch. At S$16.50, this is a notch above your usual French Toast. Thick brioche with a crunchy cereal crust, lavishly stuffed with everyone’s favourite hazelnut spread, topped with fried bananas and drenched with chocolate sauce. What’s a better word than ‘heavenly’?

Now, you’d be pretty darn sure you need this for your weekend.

#2 ROSARIO’S FRIED RISOTTO BALLS (LUNCH AND DINNER ONLY)

With a melty mozzarella center, tomato coulis, basil pesto and parmesan cheese, the Rosario’s Fried Risotto Balls (S$9.50) is a rustic appetiser that is good for sharing, but we’d prefer to have them to ourselves. It might sound foreign, but they are really just crispy balls with a warm filling of cheesy rice grains, tangy tomato and herbs. 

For weekday set lunches, this option is also included as a starter, and it is certainly our favourite thing to order.

#3 CROQUE MADAME (BRUNCH ONLY)

Pretty much like your ham and cheese sandwich, except that Little Diner’s Croque Madame (S$14.50) – only on weekend brunch hours – is like a gigantic deconstructed version.

What seemed like a messy pile actually turned out to be a delightful surprise of toasted brioche, a thick slice of ham and lots of melted cheese, with a copious amount of truffle scented bechamel sauce. Topped with a gorgeous fried egg and some greens, the Croque Madame was wolfed down by our party within minutes.

#4 VERSION 2.0 BAKED MAC & CHEESE ROYALE

Damn, this is one hell of a Mac & Cheese! We are always lamenting about the lack of a good mac & cheese in Singapore, but no more complaints – we’ve found the best. The Version 2.0 Baked Mac & Cheese Royale (S$20.50) is a divine portion that comes with wild enoki and shimeji mushrooms, complete with truffle oil. Let’s just say the fragrance is unparalleled, and unlike most overly cheesy and sick mac & cheese, this rendition is lighter and works as a main on its own.

Not a fan of truffle? Sure. Go for the Old School Baked Mac & Cheese (S$16.50).

#5 THE XXX BACONATOR

Every man needs a badass burger. It is food for the soul! The XXX Baconator (S$21.50) is a fascinating tower of thick and juicy beef patty, melted Swiss cheese, and, behold – crispy bacon strips, espresso bacon jam and bacon aioli. Definitely not for the faint-hearted, but… the more badass the burger, the more we love it.

And by the way, Little Diner has an Empire Burger Challenge. To begin, the Empire Burger (S$50) is a massive burger that is good for 3-4 persons, unless you are incredibly hungry. And if you are, then challenge yourself to finish the Empire Burger plus fries. Do that all in twenty minutes and your burger is free!

#6 PAN ROASTED FILET OF SEA BASS

Something lighter is the Pan Roasted Filet of Sea Bass (S$25). Simple white fish that is lightly pan roasted, and served with seasonal greens and whipped potatoes. The ladies will love this.

Also available as a main in the weekday 2-course lunch sets (S$18.50++), this dish is ideal for those who do not want something overly filling lest you snooze when you get back to the office.

#7 THE “KRUSTY KRAB” BENEDICT (BRUNCH ONLY)

Want to try something different from your usual egg Benedict? Then go for The “Krusty Krab” Benedict (S$19.50) that is available on Little Diner’s weekend brunch menu. Golden crab cake pillow sits atop toasted brioche, accompanied by crispy bacon, grilled asparagus, poached egg, and two sauces – Hollandaise and a hint of chipotle aioli. You know what this means? Explosion of flavours with every bite.

#8 THE BBQ PIGWICH

The BBQ Pigwich (S$18.50) features juicy spiced pulled pork cocooned in a thin wrap with smoky BBQ sauce and fresh pickled onions. Served with a side of homemade coleslaw, this option is also available as a main course in the weekday lunch sets, and the robust flavours of the dish sure work as a perk-me-up.

#9 SMOKED DUCK BREAST SALAD

The salad lovers will enjoy the Smoked Duck Breast Salad (S$13.50). With many slices of smoked duck breast, shaved poached pears, tangy dried cranberries and honey glazed walnuts atop mixed greens, this salad is tossed in a light citrus vinaigrette. Also available as a starter for the weekday lunch sets.

#10 ALL AMERICAN BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN (LUNCH AND DINNER ONLY)

We have nothing but praises for the All American Buttermilk Fried Chicken (S$18.50). It has a preparation time of 20 minutes, but thou shalt always wait patiently for indulgent fried chicken.

Little Diner’s golden fried perfection is indeed a perfect treat for dinner, and guess what? It comes drizzled with maple syrup for more oomph! Served with handcut fries and homemade coleslaw, this is an all-time favourite that we will return to Little Diner again and again for.

Besides the set lunches deals, Little Diner also has several ongoing weekday promotions. On Tuesday, it is burger day at Little Diner. Enjoy all burgers (except the Empire Burger) at S$15++ all day. On Wednesday, one dines for free with three paying diners. On Thursday, get a jug of beer at S$19.50++, a bottle of housepour wine at S$40++, or a bottle of premium wine at S$60++

For the latest updates, go to littlediner.sg and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Little Diner
789 Bukit Timah Road
Tel: +65 6466 4088
Tue to Fri: 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Sat & Sun: 11am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Holland Village/Botanic Gardens

This post is brought to you by Little Diner.