Run by the same guys behind the now-defunct Ronin and Punch at North Canal Road, Gather is their new concept at Raffles Hotel Arcade that opened its doors on the 1st of February.

Gather serves both sweet and savoury French crêpes, sandwiches, baked goods, coffee and other beverages. Being a treat loved by most, crêpes are no stranger to us, but what makes Gather stand out amongst the rest? Read on to find out!

Being situated in a British colonial designed building, Gather boasts an old-school charm. The simple interior and open concept was inviting and comfortable;  it is a cosy place to unwind and spend some private time.

They have a merchandise corner as well for those who might be interested in take-homes such as soap, fragrance oil and so on.

We had the Parma Ham (S$18) that came with Italian parma ham, Gruyère, cheddar and egg. It was absolutely delightful with a crispy outer layer and when layered and folded, it had a chewy and fluffy texture. The parma ham and cheeses paired well with the light batter, while the egg in the middle helped to reduce the saltiness.

You’d expect this combination to be too overwhelming with sodium that it might be cloyingly sick but we promise you, it isn’t.

You get to witness the skilful crêpe making process over the counter as they freshly prepare it upon ordering at their open-concept kitchen.

Currently, they have six types of savoury and three types of sweet crêpes on their menu. Main or dessert, up to you!

Breakfast is never complete without a cuppa. The White (S$5 for 5oz) had a nice froth and was fragrant, but no wow-factor from it nor a differentiating flavour from other coffee shops. Still, it is a decent cup of coffee for a casual caffeine fix.

The crêpe itself was enough to make us want to revisit this cafe again. Good ambience and great hospitality from the staff there! They were really cheerful, welcoming and polite, constantly making sure everything was of satisfaction and made appropriate recommendations.

Also, they are still in their soft launch period until the 5th of February where payment is by a tipping basis to pay-as-you-like. Give these guys a visit ASAP for some great food and vibes!

Gather
328 North Bridge Road
#01-12 Raffles Hotel Arcade
Singapore 188719
Mon to Sat: 8am to 10pm
Sun: 8am to 6pm

Nested along the rows of bars at Seah Street is Papi’s Tacos. Opened by the crew behind the famous Employees Only, this back-alley taqueria blends fun with food to serve up only the best and most authentic Mexican delights.

From excellently done burritos to tacos, mezcal to a range of tequila-forward cocktails, this humble joint is not only great for a quick taco fix, it is also perfect for winding down after a long workday.

Adorning the shirts with “Papi knows best” on them, the chefs display what real Mexican food is like while they scoop black beans over their tomato rice, toss giant bowls of salsa and fold burritos like it’s nobody’s business—right from behind the open counter.

We ordered Papi’s Classic Margarita (S$15), Steak Quesadilla (S$15), Burrito de Carnitas (S$15) and a set of Tacos de Pescado (S$13).

It didn’t take long for the margarita to arrive. The margarita was a zesty lime cocktail that was nicely balanced without the tequila overpowering the flavour of the lime. We had ours shaken instead of frozen so it diluted a lot less quickly and retained the tang for much longer.

What’s different here is that they use coarse rock salt to line the rim of the glass instead of fine grain salt, which while was an interesting change-up, to some it might make the drink too salty to enjoy.

While it’s much smaller than the likes of Stuff’d, the Burrito de Carnitas is still an extremely generous portion meant to satiate the hungry. It was filled with slow-braised pork, Mexican rice, black beans, shredded cheese, pico de gallo and sour cream.

Not to be daunted by the amount of rice and black beans in it, the pico de gallo was extremely fresh and tangy and provided that acidity required to cut through all the flavours.

The Tacos de Pescado is a set of flour tortillas topped with grilled white dory, fresh cabbage, and smoked chipotle aioli.

It proves that size doesn’t matter here as, despite its small size, they were handheld pockets of flavour. The firm juicy white fish flaked off beautifully and was complemented by the creamy rich aioli, which was slightly spicy without overbearing.

The fresh cabbage provided a good crunch to add on to the layers of texture in the dish. Our only pity was that we devoured them too quickly.

Our last dish was the quesadilla. Within the tortillas were good honest strips of steak cooked till slightly pink in the middle and covered in cheese, served with homemade salsa and sour cream.

We had a hard time deciding if we liked the taco of the quesadilla more. The meat wasmoist and tender while the cheese provided that savoury umami taste that left us feeling guilty and sinful but still wanting more.

As the eatery is a small dining space with only 16 seats, do try to make your way down before peak hours to snag a good seat—be it over the counter to watch the chefs at work, or to dine alfresco and enjoy a good smoke.

Papi’s Tacos
39 Seah Street
Singapore 188395
(Closed on Sundays)
Mon to Sat: 5pm – 11.30pm
Nearest Station: City Hall

For more recommendations, read our guide on 20 Mexican Places in Singapore with authentic Mexican food.