Montana Singapore @ PoMo Review: Sweet & Savoury Waffles Done Right

The search for the best waffle in Singapore battle continues as more cafes are producing epic-looking and tasting waffles – one after another.

First, it was the waffle topped with a photogenic swirl of soft serve and sprinkle of nuts on top and other customisable ingredients on the side, then came the black Charcoal waffle and the thick buttery drizzle of Salted Egg Yolk sauce. Cafes have also been banking on more unique ice cream offerings like Butter Beer, Truffle and Thai Milk Tea to lure Instagrammers and the adventurous foodies to pop by.

Being an avid waffle fan, I have visited eight cafes serving waffles, including Salted Caramel, Sunday Folks, Twenty Grammes, Rabbit Owl Depot and Fat Cat Ice Cream Bar; Salted Caramel was one of the few dominant waffle cafes in the late 2000s serving the round waffle. I can’t believe how the rest popped up within the recent years!

Famous for its Mac and Cheese and Red Velvet Waffles, Montana Singapore is under these additions and after visiting two times at its revamped outlet at PoMo, I can safely say that has made it to my top three to-go waffle places in Singapore!

 

Came here for Sunday brunch at 1pm and it was a sizeable crowd.

Since it was in the afternoon, all I was interested in was their savoury waffles.

I had a hard time deciding between the Assam Crab Waffle [$18] and Bulgogi Beef Waffle [$16.80], but settled on the latter since my company is not big on assam or gula melaka. *Sniffs*

The Bulgogi Beef Waffle had an eye-catching presentation with the dash of red Gochujang sauce and green spring onions on top.

Taste: 3.5/5

The Gochujang rice waffle comes with sous vide bulgogi beef, kimchi coleslaw and poached egg; the flowy egg signalled a good start to our meal. After drenching the waffle with the yolk, we proceeded to dig into the crispy waffle and realised that the waffle had the taste of the Gochujang, which gave it an orange hue. Yummy!

After savouring the waffle a couple of times, I noted that the beef was served cold and did not feel very fresh. It was a bit limp and not those that you have during shabu shabu, where the meat is springy on the outside and tender within. On second thoughts, for the price, I guess it’s all right.

My company, on the other hand, articulated that the waffle had a milky taste; I thought that it could be due to the marinade of the kimchi? It wasn’t a huge factor for me to put down my cutlery!

Overall, the components came together quite well, especially for the waffle; batter was tasty and crispy. I would rate it higher if all the ingredients were served warm. Great effort on making a fusion Korean-Western waffle!

On another occasion, since I was around the vicinity for a dinner with my Junior College buddies, I decided to give Montana’s sweet dessert waffles a go!

One was craving for waffles too, but I was nervous because I had no idea if they were any good. This happens to me when discovering a new eatery with my friends from time to time; I feel pressurised sometimes to make sure that the food is good, since I usually do an in-depth research before visiting anywhere and tried many more places than my friends and family LOL. Does anyone feel me?

Anyways, when we arrived at 9pm, my friends thought I have brought them to a bar and they don’t drink. Well, I found out that cafe does serve alcohol at night! The place was also one-quarter filled, so business seemed not too shabby for a weekday.

We ordered two waffles because the guys were in a good mood; we were still full from our ramen meal before that! After waiting for 20 minutes, we were wondering where our waffles have gone to. I looked back and saw the chef assembling the red velvet one in utmost concentration.

Mango Berry Waffle [$13] with Fresh Mango, Mixed Berry Compote, and Vanilla Ice Cream.

Taste: 4/5

The description sounded basic, but it turned out better than expected! The waffle had two toppings that were just enough to coat the waffle. I preferred the side with the fresh berry compote; it had a sweet and tangy flavour with the texture of fresh berries.

I believe that the compote is made from frozen raspberries and blackberries.

The maple syrup given on the side thus wasn’t needed anymore.  The waiter also allowed us to choose between crispy or fluffy waffle and we had the crispy one. It was crispy to the extent that I could taste the dryness throughout – equivalent to a death sentence to my throat.

However, one of my friend LOVED it so much and finished most of the mango side by himself that lacked a sauce, whereas my other friend and I were fighting for the berry compote side because we liked the semi-soaked waffle.

Soggy waffles, come to Mummy…!

The winner of the day has got to be the Red Velvet Waffle Stack [$14] with Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream and White Chocolate Rose Syrup, as I found myself hogging over it!

Taste: 4.5/5

This is a must-order at Montana! It was so B.O.M.B. and exactly what I needed to wow my tastebuds.

I noticed that previous food bloggers had this classic waffle with Vanilla ice cream, which was in the old menu; I’m glad that they switched it to Strawberry Shortcake flavour as it has a richer taste and complemented the red velvet flawlessly! The waffle also had the appropriate amount of crisp and was fluffy inside.

This would have been full marks if the ice cream didn’t melt so fast; it melted waaaay faster than the vanilla on the otherMango Berry Waffle. I also felt that some ingredients were missing and made the dish “empty”.

Perhaps some red velvet cake crumble, marshmallows or berries would be nice to accompany the waffle? My friend actually transferred some of the berry compote for an added texture and taste to the red velvet. That could be an idea.

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BUNNY’S VERDICT: 

YES, I WOULD HOP BACK FOR THEIR WAFFLES!

BUNNY RECOMMENDS: Bulgogi Beef, Red Velvet Waffles

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RATING

Overall Taste: 4/5 Montana seems to be gaining the upper hand through their unique waffle creations in Singapore. Although I prefer all my waffles to be sweet, I’m sure that their savoury would be popular for lunch or dinner. I would love to return for their Red Velvet and the rest – Black Sesame and Carrot Cake Waffle. They all sound so interesting! Price-point wise, it might be steep for the extra GST and service charge that cost us $5 more. Their location is not bad nonetheless, accessible from the city area.

Ambience: 3/5 Decor had a Middle Eastern atmosphere, largely due to the exotic-patterned tiles and gigantic spread of red tapestry spanning across the cafe. The boys loved the test tubes on each table that held salt and pepper. However, we were seated on the same table as my previous visit and surrounding decor was not very photogenic or Instagrammable.

Service: 3/5  Mediocre service. Staff were not very welcoming, but still attentive at filling our waters. Food took around 15 t0 20 minutes to be served.

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Montana Singapore
PoMo, 1 Selegie Road #02-25
Singapore 188306
Tel: +65 98331790
Opening Hours:
Daily: 8am – 10pm
Facebook

Directions: Nearest MRT would be Bras Basah (CC Line), or Dhoby Ghaut (CC Line, NE Line, NS Line).

• I usually walk from Dhoby Ghaut and it would take 10-minutes. Walk towards the Cathay and along School Of The Arts at Princep Street, and PoMo would just be next to it.

Hopping out…
ANDREA THE #FOREVERHUNGRY BUNNY

The Laneway Market @ 266 Tanjong Katong Road Review: All About The Vibes

The Laneway Market has been on my cafehopping list for over a year now. I mean, the name itself already sounds so hippie. Iconic for its suspending bouquets of flowers and rustic embellishements, it has been featured on quite a few programmes on MediaCorp and YouTube series, and their food is oh-so-hard to ignore on Instagram.

You’ll find out why soon.

I have considered coming here on so many occasions, but my plans usually fall apart because the cafe is too out of reach from where I live in the North! The MRT station is also not located anywhere nearby. When I was notified that my brother was going to be overseas for a few days, I grabbed the chance and borrowed his car without any hesitation!

The Laneway Market is situated amongst many well-known eateries like Domino’s, With A Pinch Of Salt, Ng Ah Sio Bak Kut Teh, Eng’s Noodle House, and Kay Lee Roast Meat Joint.

When we first arrived at about 1pm,  every table was occupied – except the bar and communal ones. I told the waitress that I have reserved a table the day before; she didn’t bother checking and immediately asked a customer in green, who was left with a drink, to shift the communal table instead.

I felt so bad! Nevertheless, I was impressed by how she handled it so professionally.

Browsing the menu was redundant for me, as I knew the two dishes that I wanted to try! I noticed that most of their dishes are actually not very friendly for vegetarians; sausage and ham seem to be the VIP staples in the menu, where they make quite an appearance in almost every dish.

Did I mention that it’d be bad for the waistline? Oops.

Dining at the Laneway Market would be incomplete if we did not order a cuppa! Out of all the coffees offered, I was interested in their Earl Grey Latte [$6].

I was really excited to try it.

Indeed, the coffee is infused with a light Earl Grey note and was not acidic at all. However, I felt that it was inclined towards the milkier side. Just wished that it would have a heavier ratio of coffee to tea.

Taste: 3/5

Our brunch dishes came one after within 20 minutes. Voila!

The Laneway Market’s Dashi Risotto [$20] with Hon Dashi, Field Mushrooms, Onsen Egg and Crispy Mushrooms is forever on their Instagram feed, as quite a number of influencers have raved about it. I was keen on trying it because I didn’t mind Dashi, onsen egg, and I like my carbs to be wet and soggy – which means that risotto should be fine?

When the dish came, however, it did not look like the ones I’ve seen on Instagram; I asked their waiter about it – with a reference of the Instagram picture. He checked the issue with the chef and later told me that dish is in transition of changing its presentation style.

Needless to say, I was a tad disappointed because previous version had bonito flakes in it. The other waitress then came and said she can help me add some. Now, that’s some good service!

Taste: 3.5/5

My company, who had a bad impression of risotto, actually liked the dish!

For me, I wanted it to be wetter, with a soggier texture. It tasted like hard rice to me. Since our responses were different, I think that opinions of this dish would be subjective based on your personal preferences of how you like your risotto to be – wet or dry.

It definitely turned out better when the sous vide egg was cut open and we could combine all the yolky goodness with the risotto.

A splash of Dashi sauce for this dish would be great addition too, I feel.

After the letdown, the second dish we had – Stacked French Toast [$15], which came with Bacon strips, Caramelised bananas, Granola, Banana toffee sauce and Blueberry Marmalade, fortunately cheered me up again!

Taste: 4/5

Everyone by now should know that I’m a HUGE sucker for French Toasts, and this is the dish that first lured me here after spotting it on Instagram. Despite the portion size looking rather small, I was already bloated by the time I was halfway through the dish!

The banana was almost perfectly caramelised – where the charred sides were quite obvious. Nevertheless, the rest of the ingredients scored well; bread is fluffy and tastes even better when soaked in the toffee sauce that’s not too sweet.

Granola bits are abundant and they even had corn flakes in it! MAJOR LOVE. Hands up to my other corn flake homies out there?

The dish still tasted great after being left out for my photo-taking session, but I reckon it would be absolutely divine when eaten hot. Both of us liked this dish better.

The rest of our afternoon was spent at the cafe watching the Siglap Secondary School students’ having a photography field trip! So envious of them. We did not have thuch programmes back then.

I was interviewed by four students, which turned out to be an amusing experience. They asked me questions about the food here and whether I would be back. “This is exactly your forte”, my company commented.

True that. So here’s what I told them:

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BUNNY’S VERDICT: 

YES, I WOULD HOP BACK FOR THEIR BRUNCH!

BUNNY RECOMMENDS: Stacked French Toast

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RATING

Overall Taste:  3.75/5 I would definitely return whenever I am craving for a French Toast and have a car. Prices of the dishes are also predominantly wallet-friendly i.e. below $20. All prices are NETT with no GST or Service Charge! Very comparable to Lola’s Cafe.

While the space is small, it is a rustic and and cosy cafe that would be wonderful for a girly meeting here. However, I would advise visitors to reserve a table a day or two before coming here. Walk-in customers would be directed to communal tables if you don’t mind them.

Ambience: 4/5 The cafe seems to be popular amongst young girls and foreigners, which could be due to the attractive design of the cafe. We were seated next to a Caucasian couple and a group of male ABCs who spoke with an accent. I guess they could be living nearby? Regardless, cafe is suitable for small groups of 2 to 4 people. Any larger than that would be a squeeze.

Service: 4.5/5 I have to give credit to their service, as the waiters regularly topped up our water and were pretty smooth on dealing with issues that propped up during our experience. Another problem, in particular, arose when I had a discount code for a minimum spend of $40 and forgot to use it while we were footing the bill. They kindly refunded me the extra money that I paid for! I was really touched by this action and would like to give a shout-out to them.

Thank you so much for being so flexible and making my first TLM experience a positive one! 🙂

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The Laneway Market
Address: 266 Tanjong Katong Rd, Singapore 437053
Phone: 6719 8832
Opening Hours:
10am -9.30pm (Wed-Sun)
Closed on Mon and Tues
http://thelanewaymarket.com/

Directions: 

• It would be best to drive here and park along the stretch of shophouses; it is actually free in the early afternoon! Wasted a coupon because I wasn’t aware of it.
• Nearest MRT would be Dakota MRT station. Take Bus 31 towards Tampines Interchange. Take 3 stops and drop off at “Katong PO”. Walk 2 minutes to the cafe along Tanjong Katong Road.

 

Hopping out…
ANDREA THE #FOREVERHUNGRY BUNNY

Honey-Roasted Pumpkin Salad | RECIPE

Anyone into pumpkins? I’m not usually fussy about the vegetables I have, but when it comes to those that I dislike, I can only eat them cooked in a certain manner.

While I was having a spontaneous calling to cook for my family a Western meal dinner one day, I was adamant on doing something with pumpkins. It is a nutritious vegetable rich in Vitamin A, C and potassium, and it would be such a pity if I missed out on these!

Eating pumpkins alone or as a soup ain’t that exciting, so I decided to bring it up a notch by roasting them with honey and adding them into a healthy salad! They look oh so sexy with that shiny glaze of honey.

I had a box of mixed spinach greens on hand, but you can feel free to use other greens like kale or rocket. Salads are incredibly fun and flexible to work with, as you can toss almost anything you like into them! I topped mine with beetroot and homemade Dukkah.

The former is always a must in my salads, as it contains a bit of citrus contrast with with the sweet ingredients. I believe adding crumbled feta cheese would make this salad more delicious for those who are fine with dairy!

The homemade Honey Dijon Mustard sauce tied the whole salad together and it was a crowd-pleaser! Got lucky when I found a jar of traditional Dijon Mustard from England lying in the fridge, which had been used just once.

HONEY-ROASTED PUMPKIN SALAD

Feeds: 5-6 as a side dish,
or 1-2 hungry piggies
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Photo-taking time: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS FOR SALAD

• 600g butternut pumpkin, deseeded, peeled, cut into wedges
• 2 teaspoons olive oil, or other vegetable oil of high smoke point
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
• 1 x 150g pkt baby spinach leaves (or other greens of your choice)
• 75g toasted nuts (almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds etc.)

INGREDIENTS FOR DRESSING

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Place the pumpkin in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil and honey. Season with salt and pepper. Gently toss until the pumpkin is well-coated.

2. Place the pumpkins in a single layer on the lined tray and bake it for 25 minutes and to, turning once during cooking, for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle evenly with the sesame seeds. Return to oven and bake for 5 minutes or until the seeds are lightly toasted. Remove from oven and set aside for 30 minutes to cool.

3. Combine the lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, mustard and extra honey in a screw-top jar and shake until well-combined. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Place the pumpkin, spinach and nuts in a large bowl and gently toss to combine.
5. Drizzle with the dressing when ready to serve.

Recipe adapted from Taste Australia.

Everyone loved it and polished the ginormous bowl of salad up. Try this as a side dish or a main, and let me know how it turns out!

 

KEEP ROCKIN’ AND COOKIN’!

 

 

Dukkah | RECIPE

The first ever recipe post on bunnymunchestheworld.com has gotta be Dukkah because it’s probably one of the best foodie discoveries I’ve had in my entire life.

Not kidding.

Most Singaporeans – including me, are not very exposed to Middle Eastern food because it is not very commonly found in Singapore. Thankfully, I’ve encountered it while I was cafehopping back in Brisbane and Gold Coast! Now that I’m back in Singapore, I would not expect Dukkah to appear anywhere in my dishes.

To satisfy my cravings for it, I would make one batch every 1.5 months to pair with my food at home! It is not only delicious, but also healthy!

Moreover, something serendipitous happened during my Valentines day lunch at Salt Grill and Sky Bar, which made me squeal when the waiters arrived with our starters.

You would know if you’ve read my post here.

When I saw the plate filled with nuts and spices, I was hyperventilating: Who, What, When, Why..?

“Why is there Dukkah here?!!”

After a few moments, I laughed to myself because silly me… I forgot that Salt Grill is a modern Australian restaurant! I have passed by the Surfers Paradise outlet before, which slipped my mind.

Well, it is obvious I am still not over with Dukkah. Before I started making my own, I had no idea what it is or made of – apart from the sesame seeds that I usually spot. Nevertheless, the fusion of ingredients definitely made WHATEVER I ATE super tasty.

If you like nuts and spices – you HAVE  to try Dukkah one day. Read on to see how to make this deliciousness that originated from Egypt!

What is Dukkah?

Dukkah is an Egyptian dry mix of roasted nuts, seeds and spices finely blended together. Traditionally, dukkah is eaten by dipping fresh Egyptian bread first into olive oil and then into the nut mixture, but it also serves as a versatile seasoning in Egyptian cooking. Somehow, dukkah was introduced to Australia and it seems to be one of the staples in their cuisine!

Here are some of the dishes I’ve had in the land Down Under, which added Dukkah in them! I’m salivating while writing this. *cries*

The last two dishes were from the same cafe and it’s apparent that they’ve added Paprika into their dukkah to give it a reddish hue. So dukkah is really a versatile staple to have on stand-by for any occasion as an appetiser or main dish.

It can be sprinkled on a salad, avocado, eggs, wraps, bread, or even coated on meat or fish, etcetera.

Dukkah can be made with any kind of nuts, including hazelnuts, macadamias, pepitas, walnuts. However, I like mine with pistachios because they have that mild hint of bitterness from their skin, and the nuts smell so fragrant when removed from the oven!

DUKKAH

Feeds: 6-9 piggies
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 110g (2/3 cup) nuts of your choice (hazelnuts, pistachios, macadamias etc.)
• 80g (1/2 cup) white sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
• 3 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon flaked sea salt (like Maldon brand)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.

2. Spread the nuts over a baking tray and cook in preheated oven for 3-4 minutes or until toasted. Rub the nuts between a clean tea towel to remove as much skin as possible – this is needed for hazelnuts with skin on.
3. Place the toasted nuts in the bowl of a food processor and process until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl.
4. Heat a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the sesame seeds and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes or until golden. Add to the bowl with the nuts.
5. Place coriander seeds and cumin seeds in frying pan over medium heat, and cook, stirring frequently, for 1-2 minutes or until aromatic and seeds begin to pop. Transfer seeds to a mortar and pestle. Pound until finely crushed (alternatively, use a coffee or spice grinder).
6. Add the crushed spices, pepper and salt to the nut mixture and mix well.

Recipe adapted from Taste Australia.

DUKKAH IS BEST PAIRED WITH

• Extra virgin olive oil and crusty bread
• Poached eggs
• Avocado
• Roasted potatoes
• Salads
• Wraps

EXTRA NOTES

• Store remaining dukkah in an airtight container at room temperature.
• Coriander and cumin seeds are available from most Asian grocery stores and supermarkets.
• Microwave tip: Place the nuts in an oven bag and twist the opening to seal. Cook, gently shaking the bag every minute, on High/800watts/100% for 3-4 minutes or until lightly toasted and aromatic.

Let me know if you’ve tried this recipe!

The aroma and aesthetics of dukkah would impress anyone coming over to your place for a meal. I like mine with a little more salt and pepper for that extra kick and warmth. All seasonings should be to your own taste.

KEEP ROCKIN’ AND COOKIN’!

 

Boufe Boutique Cafe @ 308 Tanglin Road Review: Service More Impeccable Than Instagrammable Food

Iconic for its white-washed walls, old-school swing and brunch dishes like their French Toast and Strawberry Shortcake – which looks exactly like the emoticon, I’m sure anyone who has scrolled through Instagram on trending Singaporean cafes would have come across Boufe Boutique Cafe.

Boufe has long been on my list of “to-go” cafes in Singapore since its opening in January 2015, but the location can be a little far off to where I usually hang out at – Orchard; there are only two buses that pass by Tanglin Road. Nevertheless, the perfect opportunity arose when they have recently launched their new menu two weeks ago, and my best friend had her whole afternoon free on a weekday.

We therefore embarked on our cafe-searching adventure!

As usual, I brought my trusty umbrella and water bottle in a bid to battle the hot sweltering heat! After half an hour of transport and navigation from Somerset MRT station, we managed to reach the cafe just before 2pm (specific directions to the cafe will be posted below).

I’ve always thought that Boufe is an independent colonial house – seen from pictures online, but it is actually linked to another building of offices at Phoenix Park, where Spruce is situated as well. The exterior of the cafe is very inviting for photo-taking due to its dark wooden decks and minimalistic black and white design.

We had to give taking #ootds on their swing a miss because it was too hot, and our poor stomachs were growling! #anotherreasontocomebackagain

When we opened the door, the waitress immediately asked us where we would like to be seated. I promptly replied: by the window!

I had three dishes in mind: Brioche French Toast [$19] (because I’ve been the ultimate French Toast and Brioche lover since forever), Salted Egg Yolk Crayfish [$18], or Scotch Egg Guacamole [$19].

Since my company wanted the Salted Egg Yolk Crayfish, I decided on Scotch Egg Guacamole for a double #Eggporn brunch!

When this dish was rolled out in the menu, it gained quite a significant popularity on Instagram – obviously riding on the salted egg yolk craze in Singapore’s foodie scene.

Salted Egg Yolk Crayfish [$18] with duck yolk sauce, in-house baked buckwheat bun, sautéed mushrooms  & cherry tomatoes.

Taste: 3.75/5

My company adores salted egg yolks and mushrooms, so it was a no-brainer for her. She squealed in delight while having the mushrooms. They were tasty and juicy. When asked how she is going to “attack” the crayfish, she wasn’t sure.

Later, something magical ensued…

She was able to pick the shells right off the pieces of crayfish! This was really a thoughtful gesture from the chefs and marked a positive start to our meal.

Other great indicators were the fluffiness of the buckwheat bun and salted egg yolk sauce that was drizzled evenly on it. We joked that I was taking “food pornography” as the crayfish was literally lying naked on the soft bed of bun!

I had a portion of her dish, and we unanimously agreed that the crayfish was overcooked. It was simply tough and required some effort to break it apart in our mouths. Nevertheless, I was smitten with the sauce and crispy edges of the freshly-baked buckwheat bun.

I’m sure my company did too; I couldn’t help but notice that she had brushed almost the entire bun up!

She rated this dish either a 3.5 or 4, so I chose the in-between for her. It would have been a 4 if it weren’t for the overcooked crayfish.

Scotch Egg Guacamole [$19] with homemade guacamole spread, fresh greens, crème fraîche, pan-seared vine tomatoes or edible flower. Having a choice of sesame rye bread, walnut rye bread or sourdough, I settled on Sesame Rye Bread as I found it novel.

Oooh… When the dish came, my heart skipped a beat. The success of the flowy scotch egg is impressive! I had a friend who tried making half-boiled scotch eggs during Christmas, and not all of them had runny yolks.

Moreover, my company who has eaten quite a few noted that Boufe’s version has an outer crust that is not as dry as others.

I liked the sausage meat; it was moist with just the right amount of saltiness. The greens and roasted vine tomatoes also came with generous servings, and their seasonings were on point.

On the contrary, I was disappointed by the Sesame Rye, as I thought that the sesame would be within the bread and not on the surface of the loaf. In addition, it was difficult to cut through the crust and both of us left the edges untouched in the end. This is a common problem for artisanal breads. Perhaps it needs more time in the oven?

I was looking forward to having the Guacamole, but it fell short of my expectations. I’ve made my own before, and am used to quite strong lemon, garlic and pepper flavours. Theirs was tasteless and felt more like an avocado spread. The crème fraîche  also proved to be redundant, especially when the scotch egg already encases a burst of flavours. Despite this, I rate it higher than the Salted Egg Yolk Crayfish due to its presentation, fresh greens and technicalities behind on creating the perfect scotch egg.

After eating, I had a mini tour around the cafe:

Their cakes look really enticing. I did not lie about their Strawberry Shortcake loking like the emoticon, right?

I had no idea that it has Liqueur Syrup in it. This makes me want to try it next time!

Another part of Boufe that is impressive is their in-house bakery; self-produced bread means they are fresh out of the oven!

The final section is the reason why they chose “Boufe” to be their cafe name – the boutique! Because Boutique + Cafe = Boufe.

Their were various items – from shoes to home decor on sale. What a range! Smart move to make the accompanying boyfies to buy their shopaholic girlfies something that they want; there’d be no chances for negotiation since it shares the enclosed space with the dining area.

This shopping concept also brings me back to the several cafes in Australia I’ve encountered with a small grocery store. No harm looking at pretty stuff, right? Consumerism at its best hehe…

The cafe had a little power failure at 4pm, where it caused all the kitchen appliances and cash register to be down. Thank goodness it only lasted for about 15 minutes!

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BUNNY’S VERDICT: 

YES, I WOULD HOP BACK FOR THEIR BRUNCH AND DESSERTS!

Although Boufe’s location can be a bit far, it is definitely a great respite from the hustle and bustle of the city life. I might be back to explore their tantalising desserts that look so sexy in the display. I also feel that the new menu is worth a try! If the elements that I pointed out were to be improved, I’m sure they’d wield the potential to sustain a loyal following for their new brunch items.

BUNNY RECOMMENDS: Salted Egg Yolk Crayfish, Scotch Egg Guacamole

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RATING

Overall Taste:  3.9/5

Ambience: 4/5 What’s not to like about the minimalistic interior with lots of natural light shining in? Photos of their food on Instagram always look so perfect. Cafe seems popular amongst hipster youths for brunch, and taitais, who drive here for tea time with their children after 3pm.

The atmosphere is also boosted by their playlist… The owner is an obvious Bieber and Bruno Mars fan. Some nostalgic songs that I loved in secondary also started playing in-between like “Why Can’t I” by Liz Phair. Couldn’t help but sing along to them.

Service: 5/5 Prompt in serving food, where both dishes arrived TOGETHER within 20 minutes and the waitresses were polite and well-trained from the moment we stepped in, until we left. This particularly applied to the young waitress who served our table; she was attentive at refilling our water, and to my surprise, she even asked for feedback about our food. Furthermore, during the power outage, she apologised to the customers seated at every single table.

As we all know, the service of an F&B establishment can make or break anyone’s perception of it, and most of the time, the additional 10% service charge in Singapore does not define the quality of their service. This was one of those rare times that it was translated to our experience. Kudos to her and her manager!

They remind me of Brisbane’s Shouk Cafe while I was still studying there; the staff would never fail to ask comments about their dishes (I’ve visited over five times). This brings hope to the cafe service in Singapore because let’s admit it, our quality of service here ain’t great and it has a large room for improvement. I truly wish that every customer would receive such lovely treatment during their visit!

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Boufe Boutique Cafe
Address: 308 Tanglin Road, Phoenix Park #01-01

Singapore 247974
Opening Hours:

Closed on Mon

8am – 10pm (Tues – Fri)
10am – 10pm (Sat – Sun)

www.boufesg.com

Directions: Nearest MRT would be either Somerset or Redhill.

• For me, I took 111 from the bus stop directly opposite 313 Somerset, and alighted at “Bef Chatsworth Rd” after 8 stops.
• Walked along Tanglin Road towards Chestnut Drive and cross the road towards Phoenix Park that is a commercial property for office rentals.

• Turn left when you see the sign above and walk all the way inside to building 308. It would take around 10 minutes to walk there.

• And… Tada! Boufe is located at the back.

Hopping out…
ANDREA THE #FOREVERHUNGRY BUNNY