There are plenty of new additions to the Singapore cafe scene lately, and we stumbled upon some tasty eats which worth to revisit again one day. As you may already know from my Instagram account, I just returned from my last trip to Singapore in early December 2015 and thought to write a summary of my trip with my friends on this article. If you have a plan to visit Singapore and still confused about where do you have to go, it’s time to add these places to your cafe-hopping list! I hope this list can be a good reference for you to catch-up with friends, or spending time with the people you love while in Singapore.
1. Lady M Confections at Orchard Central
Lady M, the famous cake boutique from New York, made its debut in Singapore since 2013. The one that we visited in Orchard Central is the latest establishment (third boutique) after successfully opened in Marina Square and One Fullerton. I fell in love not only with their stylish, elegant, and white ambiance but also with their signature Mille Crepes. We chose to sit on the Mezzanine level that offers a window view facing Orchard Road through its floor to ceiling glass windows. The Chocolate Mille Crepe ($9 SGD/slice), which is exclusively available at Orchard Central, topped with chocolate shavings atop twenty paper-thin chocolate infused crepes, layered with chocolate cream. It was rich and so smooth. Then I fell in love with Signature Mille Crepes ($9 SGD/slice) which is made of twenty paper-thin handmade crepes stacked with layers of light pastry cream was still the best for me. I also loved the light almond flavor from Gateau Aux Marrons ($8.50 SGD/slice), almond flour cake that topped with cross-hatched piping of chestnut-infused cream. All Mille Crepes were incredibly moist, not overly sweet and had the right amount of cream between each of its 20 layers.
2. The Pantry at Shop Wonderland, Hajilane
I immediately fell in love with this cake shop when I first stepped in. It was almost Christmas, and the whole ambiance in the cafe equipped with a lot of beautiful Christmas decorations, and the Christmas background music made us feel so comfortable that we could sit in all day long. I ordered the special edition cake for Christmas, called the Apple Caramel Cake (for $8.60 SGD nett), and I really liked it! The cake was fragrant, moist and not too sweet. And the Hot Peppermint Mocha (for $6.50 SGD nett) was nice to accompany this cake. Apparently, there’s a small flower shop on the second floor where you can buy fresh or dried flowers for home decor. Thank you, Hans, for the recommendation! Guys, make sure you do not miss this hidden gem if you’re planning to visit Haji Lane!
3. Maison Ikkoku at Hajilane
There’s also another hidden gem situated amongst the shophouses in Hajilane area, named Maison Ikkoku. We chose to sit outside because the cafe is quite small and there’s no space left to sit inside. This year, Maison Ikkoku awarded as Top 3 Best Brunch Restaurant in 2015 voted by AsiaOne readers, so my first intention was to try any of their brunch dishes. A lot of interesting breakfast menu is available on the menu, but, unfortunately, they are only available for a limited time. So I ended up with a cup of Signature Maison Ikkoku Latte ($6 SGD nett) and Oreo Cheese Cake ($6.50 SGD nett) that day. The cheesecake was perfect as was the coffee.
4. Wheeler’s Yard at Balestier
Nestled in the heart of Balestier, Wheeler’s Yard is like a hidden gem that’s waiting to be discovered, housed within a huge industrial warehouse. This cafe is unique where bicycles, coffee, food and the vintage things are all available in one place. That explains why we immediately liked the ambiance as we walked in. I was quite surprised by the crowd on a Saturday afternoon to this hipster cafe, but thankfully, we managed to find us a table for 6 persons. We tried the Hazelnut Matcha ($6 SGD) and a cup of Hot Latte ($5 SGD). The latte was good, and it came with traditional meringue biscuits. While the cake was light and not overly sweet! Meanwhile, my best friend, Welly Caslin, who was so kind to invite me to join him, ordered the Brownie with Ice Cream ($9 SGD), and Homemade Buttermilk Waffle ($9.90 SGD) served with honey and butter. All these food tasted good, especially the Waffle. Overall, Wheeler’s Yard is not a typical cafe that you will commonly find in Singapore, so you’ll probably want to add this cafe to your list!
5. Monster Curry at ION Orchard
My friend, Alex, recommended me to try the Monster Curry when in Singapore. Apparently it’s a Japanese curry joint under En Holdings Group, and we visited the Ion Orchard branch among five other branches. Much like Coco Ichibanya, there are five levels of spiciness that we can choose from, ranging from Normal Hot to Monster Hot. We were tempted to try the Flame Monster Curry ($24 SGD), which consists of pork shabu-shabu, Tori-kara age, Shrimp Tempura, served with cheese and beautiful onsen egg on top. The portion was surprisingly huge as the name suggests. Though all the toppings were not as big as displayed on their menu, it was still enjoyable! The curry sauce was quite thick, creamy and smooth, a typical Japanese curry that I like. If you are looking for a Japanese comfort food like this, don’t forget Monster Curry!
6. Boon Tong Kee
Since we’ve been in Balestier area, we immediately went to Boon Tong Kee for lunch after visiting the hipster coffee shop at Wheeler’s Yard in the same area (scroll up to find out more). Boon Tong Kee has long known and famous for its chicken rice, and I’ve been here several times. Of course, we ordered the famous Steam Chicken ($15 SGD half portion), Fried Spinach with assorted egg ($10 SGD), Plain Rice ($0.60 SGD), and Chinese Tea ($2 SGD per cup). The chicken was flavorful, smooth, tender, and all the bones have been removed. Not to forget, the spinach that came with a century, duck and chicken eggs also tasted good to complement the chicken. We loved it!