3 Must-Visit Melbourne Cafes Within Half A Day: Lune Croissanterie, Hammer & Tong, and Top Paddock

Having a quick stopover at Melbourne, but afraid that you have not enough time to enjoy their famous brunch spots? Don’t worry as this Bunny has got a game plan for you busy travellers!

This guide will take you to the crux of the cafe hopping scene in half a day, so you aren’t missing out on anything. Good thing is that they aren’t too far away from each other.

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HALF-DAY MELBOURNE CAFE GUIDE

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#1 LUNE CROISSANTERIE 

Set your alarm clocks on to 7.30am because you have to get out of bed for this one. Trust me on this one, because it’s going to be all worth it. The lines just speak for themselves. I was here at 8.30am and at least 30 people were already in the queue.

Looks like Singaporeans are not the only “kiasu” ones.

Why are their croissants famous?

Well for one, they have been dubbed by the New York Times as “possibly the world’s best croissant” and the founder had apprenticed at the renowed Paris boulangerie Du Pain et des Idees.

And as the menu suggests, they offer a wide range of croissants from the Traditional [$5.50] to novel ones like Coconut Pandan [$9.50] and Carrot Cake [$12.50].

All baked fresh within an immaculately sterile glasshouse, I managed to snag the Twice-baked Almond [$8.50] and Traditional Croissant [$5.50] in 30 minutes.

Taste: 4.5/5

The texture was everything that I expected; feathery, honeycomb thin layers which flaked on every bite. For the Twice-baked Almond ones (pictured below), you’d find a pleasant surprise inside too, as the interior was filled with an ooey gooey syrup, making it even more irresistible.

This is by far, the best croissant I’ve had to date!

The bad part about the cafe is the limited number of seats that were tiny and claustrophobic. It wasn’t the best place to chill – unless you’re here alone. It was on first come first serve with no table service.

I had no time to waste and headed down to my next stop nearby after savouring my croissant. I kept the other one for a mid-day snack, as the best must be saved for the last.

Lune Croissanterie
+61 3 9419 2320
119 Rose St, Fitzroy VIC 3065, Australia
Opening Hours:
7am – 3pm (Mon)
7.30am-3pm (Thurs, Fri)
8am – 3pm (Sat, Sun)

 lunecroissanterie.com

Stop #2 HAMMER & TONG

Take a 5-minute stroll from Lune Croissanterie and you’d find yourself at your next destination – Hammer & Tong. It is located along the main street of the unpretentiously hipster suburb of Fitzroy.

While its popularity may not match up to the previous cafe, I had been admiring their eclectic modern Australian brunch spread on Instagram for awhile. I wanted to to order everything on it!

I managed to boil down to one dish that is stunning in every way.

Coconut yogurt with strawberry, jasmine and lemon balm [$16]. 

Taste: 4/5

 

Hammer & Tong
412 Brunswick St, Fitzroy VIC 3065, Australia
+61 3 9041 6033
Opening Hours:
7am – 4pm (Sun, Mon)
7am – 10pm (Tues to Sat)

Stop #3 TOP PADDOCK

• 10-minute drive from Melbourne CBD. Parking can cost up to AUD10 per hour. I parked for 2 hours.

If you have not heard of Top Paddock, you’re missing out on the what could be the world’s most popular hotcakes.

Many cafes overseas, including Singapore have duped it, but I wasn’t impressed with them. Those I had here were cakey, cloying and very much like a dessert instead of a wholesome breakfast.

I hoped that the real ones weren’t like that.

To demystify this, I insisted on visiting Top Paddock no matter how packed my schedule in Melbourne is. Lucky for me too, the cafe is a short 10 to 15 minutes drive from the CBD.

Coffee aroma was already in the air, as I approached the vicinity. I loved how diners seated by the windows could pop their heads out to take a breath of fresh air.

Once I was in, I felt like I have entered the busiest cafe in the entire history of my cafe hopping experience.

Brisbane’s cafes were usually small, serene and cosy. But this was the total opposite: loud chatters, a long queue for takeaway coffee, shrill clings of cutleries and waiters manoeuvring around with a tough balancing act on their arms.

Welcome to Melbourne.

We were led to the extended alfresco area and had my order of a Mocha Latte. It was a decent cuppa with a distinct shot of espresso and cocoa.

For the savouries, we had a Hanger steak sandwich [$21.50] with red onion jam, wasabi butter, horseradish, tempura beetroot leaves in a brioche roll to share.

Taste: 4.5/5

One of the better steak sandwich I’ve had! Beef was tender and not chewy at all.

In particular, I was amazed by the chef’s attempt to blend the East and West. The wasabi butter definitely helped to add a kick to the protein, and the beetroot leaves were deepfried to perfection with a crisp edge.

I had never imagine them to be treated in this way, as tempura vegetables to Asians are usually long beans, okra or squash.

Another dish I couldn’t resist not getting was the Fresh Queensland soft-shell mud crab [$24] with fennel, dill salad & lime mayonnaise in a brioche bun.

Taste: 3.5/5 

While the Soft Shell Crab burger looked so enticing, I was left utterly disappointed! The crab was unpalatable with the heavy hand on the salt. The lime and dill mayo didn’t add much value to it.

Felt like there could be a better condiments to match the perfectly fried and plump crab that was oh juicy. Sorry Queensland fishermen, the chefs didn’t do justice to your crab. I would totally toss it into my Thai Curry!

Blueberry and Ricotta Hotcakes [$21] with maple syrup, seeds & cream.

Taste: 5/5

This, thankfully did not go wrong.

It wowed me not just in its aesthetics, but also its texture! Nestled inside the batter were small chunks of ricotta, as well as blueberries that were oozing out their juices.

You can be assured that it is not cakey, and the occasional sweetness from the maple syrup was not overpowering. Still, it was a tad too large for one to finish. I would recommend sharing this between 2-3 people. I enjoyed crunching on all the nut toppings and made me feel lots healthier.

While it was about an inch thick, the hot cake was incredibly fluffy, light – and nothing like dupes that I’ve tried. The original one is indeed the best. However, I would like the Marscapone cream to be replaced with an ice cream scoop like Bailey’s onto the warm hotcake for a temperature contrast!

The rest of my day was spent dog-watching, and wishing that I could have this alluring piece of Matcha, Black Sesame & Mandarin Slice [$6]. Perhaps next time!

BUNNY RECOMMENDS: Hangar Steak Sandwich, Blueberry & Ricotta Hotcake

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RATING

Overall Taste:  4/5 Mostly hits! The Ricotta Hotcakes matched up to our expectations and Hangar Steak Sandwich was executed really well. Such a pity about the Soft Shell Crab Burger, but I hope they would tweak its salt content soon.

Ambience: 4/5 The cafe was unexpectedly huge with a modern and relaxing decor! Plants surround the cafe, and flowers are spotted at each corner. I was a bit worried that we wouldn’t have a seat at 1pm, but it was unfounded for. It could easily fit at least a hundred people. There is an indoor and alfresco area, which was so lovely. Dog owners even brought their pets here while they have their lunch!

Service: 5/5 Staff were genuine and unpretentious. I was impressed by how well they are trained – despite being such a busy cafe! Sometimes staff from highly reputable cafes can get aloof, but this one is as good as it gets. They memorised my orders and was alert in refilling our water.

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Top Paddock
658 Church St, Richmond
VIC 3121, Australia
03 9429 4332
Opening Hours:
7am – 4pm (Mon to Fri)
8am – 4pm (Sat, Sun)
Website
info@thetoppaddock.com

Bookings for groups of 4 or more Monday to Friday. No bookings on Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays.

 

Directions: 

• 10-minute drive from Melbourne CBD. Parking can cost up to AUD10 per hour. I parked for 2 hours.

Hopping out…

ANDREA THE #FOREVERHUNGRY BUNNY

DON’T BE A STRANGER!
STAY CONNECTED WITH MY MUNCHING JOURNEY ON INSTAGRAM ❤

Wildseed Cafe by The Summerhouse @ 3 Park Lane Review: Relaxing Brunch Within a Beautiful Charming Garden

New year, new cafes to hop to!

Following the floral cafe trend in South Korea and Bangkok, I am elated that cafes filled with lovely fresh flowers have finally arrived in sunny Singapore! Located at Seletar Aerospace Park, I was excited to check out what Wildseed Cafe has to offer on a Saturday morning for two hungry girls.

Opened by the people behind The Summerhouse restaurant, this area is reminiscent of restaurants that have occupied the colonial bungalows at Dempsey. My Hong Kong friend commented, “Wow, I haven’t seen this side of Singapore before!”

Well, who said Hong Kong and Singapore are similar?

I drove down here and was delighted that there were ample parking lots.

While we headed towards the cafe, I noticed that it was not very big with less than 5 tables. Nonetheless, I was relieved that there were more seats outside, where patrons could bring their pets over.

Yes I’ve seen dogs being their customers already.

Wildseed has got the garden ambience just about right with the overhanging pots, ferns and red brick walls. I’ve been to a couple of Florist x Cafe collaboration cafes like Casa Lapin in Bangkok, and I adore them.

There’s something relaxing about staring at plants and the florist constructing her bouquets from scratch.

And FYI, the flowers and plants here at Poppy Flora aren’t cheap though. One small pot starts from $20, while the bouquets are a lot more than that. I can’t complain though, they really spruced up the space really well.

All orders are done at their counter.

I couldn’t make up my mind on what dishes we should have after I came face-to-face with their dessert display. I wanted all of them! That’s when I realise that most had a common denominator – using flowers and herbs to incorporate the “nature” theme in their bakes.

I was tempted to get their Pea Flower Coconut Muffin [$6.50] until someone ordered their Chocolate Banana Bread [$6.50] and I followed suit. It looked extremely alluring under the spotlight.

Below are the Wildseed Cafe’s menus for All-day Breakfast on weekends (until 5.30pm), and the other – Sandwich menu on normal days. I tried to find them online but they don’t seem to have a website yet. I was apprehensive about the All-day  breakfast as it was $28+ per person and have no idea how big the portions are.

Not your average price for breakfast, for sure.

Thankfully the Sandwich Menu seems to have more reasonably-priced with options  that are below $20. They also provide sharing platters for families or larger groups.

We couldn’t go past the Drinks Menu. There were quite a wide selection of coffee brewed by Nomad the Gallant Coffee Roasters, juices and cocktails. However, we were notified that not all smoothies were available that day.

I craved for something healthy to start the day and ordered The Vegano 1.0 Sandwich [$14] with Tomato, Garden herb salad, Eggplant, Nuts & Hummus. It came inside the brown wrapper and when I opened it, it was a burger instead of a sandwich!

How cute.

Taste: 4.5/5

For $14, you definitely get the bang out of your buck. It came with three tasty herbal falafels that were one of the best ones I’ve had. It is packed full of proteins and minced herbs.

I was pleased how the vegetables like the cabbage and cherry tomatoes were fresh, and the nuts adding a wonderful dimension the burger; it would be plain without them. Furthermore, the filling to bun ratio was just right. The top bun had a spread of hummus, while the bottom was lined with tomato sauce and sunflower seeds.

Every bite was bliss.

The bun was also made out of sourdough, one of my favourite breads.

The felafels were unforgettable and deep fried till its crisp and golden brown. It also had a few whole chick peas ambushed inside for a texture explosion.

This is my first vegan burger that has left me wanting more and more. I need a Vegano 2.0 and 3.0 after this! Setting healthy goals for the new year.

To accompany our sweet treat, my friend ordered a Pink Potion [$5] fresh pressed juice, while I had a Cappuccino [$5].

Sadly, Pink Potion, which was made from Pink Grapefruit, Apple, Carrot, Lemon and Ginger juice, was extremely sour – even for someone who actually likes sour drinks. It was a mess of flavours that were indistinguishable. I am guessing that the grapefruit and lemon overpowered everything else.

My coffee, on the other hand, was quite smooth and not too milky. Quite a decent cuppa. The cute madeleine at the side was a pleasant surprise too.

All these were enjoyed with our Chocolate Banana Cake [$6.50].

Taste: 4/5

The cake is moist, fluffy and delectable at our first few bites. I could taste some raisins inside, but thought that it could have more walnuts, or even chocolate chips for more crunch and a burst of cocoa.

This is perfect for those who do not have a sweet tooth, but craving for something to go with your coffee. It was so delicious that I couldn’t stop digging into it.

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BUNNY’S VERDICT: **** out of 5 stars

Great cafe for couples, youngsters and families alike. I can see myself bringing someone of any age here for breakfast and tea.

BUNNY RECOMMENDS: Vegano 1.0 Vegetarian Sandwich, Chocolate Banana Cake, Coffee

DAMAGE: $16+ per person. Service Charge not included.

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RATING

Overall Taste:  4/5  Great ambience with great affordable brunch food with unconventional dishes, what’s not to love about this cafe? I can’t wait to return for more sweet and savoury items! I would want to try more of their sandwiches, Honey Lemon Rosemary Tart and Garden Dessert Bowls. I admire chefs who actually dare to experiment with different flavour combinations using fresh produce on hand.

Ambience: 4/5 Everyone is here for its whimsical nature design! Nonetheless, I wish that the al fresco area would be slightly more decorated with more plants and fairy lights for a better dining experience for larger groups.

Service: 4/5 Food and drinks took about 15-20 minutes to be served.The staff were all smiles despite being slightly underhanded and busy on their first few days of operation.   They were eager to serve and tried to answer my questions. However, something was lacking during my visit – tap water. This is usually mandatory in all my cafe hopping visits around Australia and Singapore.

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Wildseed Cafe
3 Park Lane
The Summerhouse
Singapore 798387
Opening Hours:
Daily: 10am – 7pm (Tuesday to Friday)
9am – 7pm (Saturday, Sunday)
Closed on Mondays

Directions: 

• 103 (Serangoon Interchange), 117 (Punggol Interchange)
• Stop after Rolls Royce Pte Ltd

Love,
The Hungry Bunny
Follow @BunnyMunchies on Instagram for more honest reviews!

Riders Cafe Review @ 51 Fairways Drive: Perfect Getaway Brunch Spot For Horse Lovers

Anyone who like secretly wanted to own a horse or see a stable, your dream is answered.

I used to be obsessed of ponies and even learnt how to groomed them – but given Singapore’s land space, it’s impossible. Good news, though for horse-lovers… There is a cafe where you can actually get up close to horses if you’re lucky enough!

 

 

As what the signboard suggests, the cafe is located at Bukit Timah Saddle Club and the ambience reminded me of a colonial house with white-washed walls and wooden frames.

My family and I were greeted immediately upon reaching the bustling cafe on a Saturday afternoon. The cafe seemed full house as most tables at the side were taken. They had a view.

We were brought to a table in the centre instead.

Full menu can be found here.

Our food arrived pretty fast and almost all were served at the same time.

We unanimously agreed on having the famous Pacific Benedict with poached eggs, crab cakes, smoke salmon flakes & hollandaise [$18++]!

This is featured in numerous listicles of  Eggs Benedict To Try In Singapore.

Taste: 3.5/5

While the Crab cakes were an interesting touch, they were a tad too moist. The salmon flakes lent a dominant hint of saltiness to the dish.

I was a tad displease with the overcooked spinach because the nutrition level plunges. At least the poached eggs were flowy!

Pacific Eggs Benedict

One other famous dish is their Brioche French Toast with burnt bananas, bacon, honeycomb butter [$16++]

Taste: 4/5

A look at Instagram, and this is wildly popular on other people’s feed. Must be good right?

Well, YES. Although French toast with bananas are very commonly done these days in cafes, finding one that hits all the right spots is hard.

Riders Cafe almost nailed it.

It may look like quite a small portion, but nope. The dish was so satisfying; it consists of sweet, creamy caramelised banana and fluffy BRIOCHE (a must-have bread for all french toasts) that had the eggy aroma. It smelt heavenly.

I was also glad the maple syrup given was also enough to cover the bread!

On a side note, I think vanilla ice cream would work well in this dish for some temperature contrast! French toast and ice cream are usually a match made in heaven, and Riders Cafe should consider topping up a scoop on it.

I’ve had many French toasts experiences, and I think this is way better than Clinton Street Baking Company. I like how whole bananas were given. They were caramelised with a crispy residue of  glaze that you could crunch into.

 

On top of that, we had House Truffle fries [$10++].

Taste: 2/5

My mum was craving for them, but man, this fell flat taste-wise. It was quite soggy and truffle oil given was very mild. Texture of the fries are worse than McDonald’s!

Good thing was the variety of sauces given for FREE: mayonnaise, thousand island and ketchup! The Truffle Fries at Paddy Hills had a small saucer for a big bowl of fries and expected us to top up money for more. Geez.

I would not recommend this at all.

With many dishes on the heavier side,  something refreshing was chosen to further cleanse our palate – Watermelon & Crab Salad with avocado, edamame & feta [$18++].

Taste: 3/5

It is not something I would actually order again.

There seems to be a lack of sauce to tie all the elements of the dish together.  A basic balsamic vinaigrette dressing should do the trick.

Avocado was also somewhat underripe. This would never happen in Australia.

Huge chunks of fresh crab were given, but I actually confused it with the feta cheese! The latter overpowered the sweetness of the crab. At least the crab is not crabsticks – which may be the reason why the portion is kinda small for its price.

 

Finally, we had a separate stomach grown just for desserts.

We just couldn’t resist while browsing the menu. These are NOT kaya toast sticks, but…

Pound Cake Cinnamon Churros with Vanilla Cream & Chocolate Ganache [$10++]!

How glorious do these look?! And I betcha that it tasted better than it looks. Hohoho…

Taste: 5/5

I’ve had many disappointing Churros in Singapore that I don’t actually want to try anymore, but this was B O M B dotcom! The only churro I’ve had that has enough cinnamon!!!

It was love at first bite… as cheesy as it sounds.

I like the idea of replacing the usual stick churros with pound cake, which was fluffy and moist. It could even be a healthier alternative to the usual deep fried churros!

There were also plenty of dips to go by, and we couldn’t stop ourselves from reaching out towards them even though we were already falling into a deep food coma.

That’s how good they were. I reckon I could have these all these by myself!

For our drinks, we had their Mixed Berries Smoothie [$6++] and Mocha Float [$6.50++] with Vanilla Ice Cream.

They were pleasant with rich, creamy berry and chocolatey goodness.

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Midway eating, I started wondering: Where are the horses?

I didn’t see any up to this point, and decided to get up to “look” for them. Coincidentally, while I looked out of the window, there was one beautiful white horse that was heading towards the pen!

My sister and niece were already there. I was so ecstatic that I sprinted ahead of them to take a closer glimpse of the horse!

As I haven’t gotten up-close to one in a long time, I took a couple of selfies and even patted when it came closer to the edge. However, do take note that the pen is surrounded by electric wires and the caretaker has locked it inside.

I spent about 15-20 minutes just observing it from the fence and left when it started snotting at me haha.

Swoosh! Look at that smooth silky tail.

With a great ambience and brunch dishes you may  familiar with, this may be a perfect spot for your weekend afternoon!

I mean, how often can you dine with horsies close-by?

BUNNY’S VERDICT:

YES! Perfect hangout for couples, girlfriends, taitais and families.

BUNNY RECOMMENDS: French Toast, Pacific Benedict, Pound Cake Cinnamon Churros

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RATING

Overall Taste: 3.75/5 Had a wonderful time with my family! Riders Cafe seems to be a forgotten gem with many openings of other cafes. While it’s my first time here, the food that didn’t fall short on its taste and execution! Some dishes can be fine tuned though. I can see myself coming back here for a solid brunch fare.

Ambience: 4/5 My first alfresco dining in awhile! Relaxing with charming European rustic vibes. There were occasional flies and smell of horse stables, but they were no biggie. How often can you dine amidst the lush greenery, fresh air and upclose to horses?

Service: 4/5 Friendly and quite attentive. Eager to serve us with a smile!

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Riders Cafe
51 Fairways Drive
Singapore 286965
Phone: +65 6466 9819 (reservations)
Bukit Timah Saddle Club
riderscafe.sg (menu)

Opening Hours:
Sunday – Thursday 8am – 9pm
Friday & Saturday 8am – 10pm
Closed on Monday

 Directions: 

• Free carpark available at the Saddle club

Hopping out…
ANDREA THE #FOREVERHUNGRY BUNNY

DON’T BE A STRANGER!  FOLLOW MY MUNCHING JOURNEY ON INSTAGRAM ❤

 

 

 

 

 

Shiberty Bakes [UPDATED] @ 46 Owen Road: Sugar-High on Thick Toasts, ChurroWaffles & Old-school Treats

If you haven’t already known, @Shiberty is a prominent baker slash blogger.

At a young age of 23, the opening of her own cafe under her name in April 2016 was an unexpected move because young bakers rarely do that – unless they are really successful right?

After You Bangkok’s Thick toasts have a special place in my heart and when I learned that Shiberty Bakes serves them in such an alluring manner, I had to come.

Nonetheless, 2 months was how long it took me to make the decision to visit due to the bad publicity created – they served melted ice cream during the first few days of its opening. What a turn-off that would be if it happened to me!

And so, I waited for review to turn positive before visiting. Also had a friend who dined there thrice in  2 months.

It SHOULD be good, right?

The cafe, however is located at Farrer Park – a secluded neighbourhood to me.

I was lost while navigating my way here and having a standee, or sign outside and a block number listed in Google Maps would benefit them.

We met here at 3pm for tea on a Saturday, and I was surprised that only two tables were occupied.

Selecting our food was a no-brainer because there’s only two of us who were craving for thick toasts. It was particularly amusing when we unanimously agreed on having the Matcha Shiberty Toast [$16] not long after browsing the menu.

You’re a true matcha lover when you choose Matcha over Rocher Toast; I was a bit torn between the two of them, but thought Rocher may be nothing special because most cafes serve this flavour, or with Nutella.

The ordering is done at the counter where several cupcakes, cakes and macarons are being displayed.

Our Matcha Shiberty Toast [$16] with cookies, white chocolate drizzle, green tea & vanilla ice cream arrived after our 20-minute chatter.

Taste: 3.5./5

This is my 5th thick toast in Singapore and my standards for thick toast is pretty high now. With edges that were crispy and easy to cut through, I’m glad to say that the quality of the toast is better than Dessert Project’s. It was also evenly buttered.

While saying that, it was sad when the middle part of the toast uncontrollably collapsed before even tucking in! This did not ever happen for four thick toast cafes I’ve been to so far.

Maybe the weather was too hot. Hmm…

Another downside was the artificial taste of the ice creams. Their matcha ice cream was on the sweeter side and the vanilla had a “cheap” taste – “like Wall’s” – commented by my friend.

One more thing that you would either love, or hate was the haphazard sprinkle of sweet treats on the side.

They include Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Cream candy bar, matcha roll wafers,  Pepero white chocolate sticks, matcha Kit Kats, and crushed peanuts.

I liked the fact that each was given in an even number so two of us wouldn’t have to fight for them hehe…

These snacks were definitely an interesting addition that is distinctive from the rest of the thick toasts in the market. The Hershey’s candy bar made me reminisce my primary school days, where I’d buy them in primary school whenever I was peckish after classes were over.

My company, on the other hand, was unfazed by these “junk” and wished that the toast is serve plain with the ice creams alone.

On another occasion, we came back for the iconic “Churro Waffle“ [$15].

I know, it already sounds larger than life.

It consists of cinnamon sugar, toffee lashings, chocolates, hazelnut & sea salt caramel ice cream. 

Taste: 3.5/5 

I have to give them credit for trying to be different, but it has a severe lack of cinnamon, which caused the entire dish to be rather bland alone. I joked that I would bring my own cinnamon powder and up the spice game.

Nonetheless, the ice cream quality has leapt by miles because it wasn’t cheap vanilla. While we were supposed to have the Hazelnut flavour, somehow it switched to Dark Chocolate – I’m not complaining though.

This waffle may be something worth trying if you are adventurous and a fan of sugary things and old school treats like chocolate wafers and biscuits!

The cafe also offers pretty macarons and *gasps* Pokeball cake!

BUNNY’S VERDICT:

I really returned for a second visit!

BUNNY RECOMMENDS: Shiberty Toast, Churro-Waffle

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RATING

Overall Taste:  3.5/5  A few hits and misses for the Matcha Shiberty Toast and Churro Waffles, which causes this dessert cafe to be labelled as “mediocre” under my cafe rankings.

The price tag of $16 is also quite high, considering that Dessert Project costed me $14.90 for better quality handcrafted ice creams. I reckon the ice creams here are not freshly made by the cafe. This was one big factor that may have compromised their taste.

Ambience: 4/5 The best ambience out of all the dessert cafes located in the heartlands that I’ve been to. Much effort has been put into the decor, like vases of flowers, and corners framed with calligraphy quotes. They are THE perfect back drop for your Instagram photos.

I had a problem with their toilet though because my experience was ruined by how there wasn’t any toilet paper and handwash left (a bit of an OCD freak here) and the toilet door was really tough to close.

Service: 3/5 Staff were generally all smiles, but they didn’t seem that genuine or eager to serve. Maybe because there is no service charge?

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Shiberty Bakes
46 Owen Road, #01-277, Singapore 210046 (Farrer Park MRT)
Opening Hours:
12pm – 9.30pm (Tues – Sun)
Closed on Mondays.
Facebook

Directions: 

• Cafe is near Pek Kio Market, if you’re familiar with it. Nearest MRT is Farrer Park station and it’d will be a 10-minute walk from there.
• Buses: 131, 141

Hopping out…
ANDREA THE #FOREVERHUNGRY BUNNY

Don’t be a stranger!
Stay connected with my munching journey on Instagram ❤

 

 

Brawn & Brains @ 100 Guillemard Road: Hearty & Affordable Brunch At Geylang

Amongst the cluster of our beloved durian, dimsum and frog leg porridge stalls at Geylang that Singaporeans frequent, a hipster cafe has chosen to open here – out of all places.

Introducing… Brawns & Brains, a cafe you wouldn’t even know it existed without taking second look while the rather worn-out Insight Gym, also known as the former Singapore Badminton Hall .

I can’t believe I missed it and circled around the compound for 15 minutes!

Other patrons didn’t think it was inaccessible though; the space was packed to the brim on a Saturday afternoon that I had to wait for another 20 minutes.

They were slowly enjoying their brunch and having small talk with their company. My friend and I are famished by the time we had seats!

On a side note, everything is self-service here.

You have to eye and wait for the specific seat (like at the food court) and order from the counter.

All offerings are listed on a large chalkboard at the entrance and there’s a selection of pastries at the counter.

Within 15 minutes, brunch is served.

We shared both of these dishes.

I savoured the Oven Baked Molten Eggs with Avocado and Melted Cheese [$12.90] first, and it was one Insta-worthy dish cos of all dat melted cheese!

Taste: 4.5/5

Almost perfection.

I was worried how baked eggs would taste without a piece of toast underneath to soak up the yolky goodness. Thankfully, I’m glad that there was a crispy tortilla hidden underneath, which kinda  BLEW MY MIND.

Paired with the runny egg and fresh baby spinach, each bite with the semi soggy-crispy tortilla was delightful!

One little thing I’d be dissatisfied would be the lack of black pepper and a lemon wedge that would help offset the saltiness from the cheese.

The lemon would also be awesome with the avocado (how Aussie am I?). Essentially, this dish is something that I could have for breakfast everyday!

The next dish that seemed interesting was the Open Face Toast with Slow cooked egg and Smoked Salmon [$14.90].

Taste: 3.75/5

Unlike the previous dish, it had only one egg.

Luckily it was compensated by the refreshing salad that contained thin slices of apple, which I quite liked! My friend, on the other hand, didn’t like the idea of being overloaded by veggies.

For the toast, we agreed that it was mediocre as the bread wasn’t very fresh and smoked salmon tasted fishy. Lola’s Cafe’s  Eggs Benny and Mushroom Toast is TONNES better than this for the same price.

Thank goodness we didn’t add on more smoked salmon for our Oven Baked Molten Eggs!

Furthermore, since Earl Grey Croissant that my friend and I wanted was sold out, we settled for a Cinnamon Bun because Cinnamon makes the world go round, right?

Also read that the coffee here is good so I took a shot at it.

Iced Latte (Single Origin)

Taste: 3/5

I didn’t have a good impression of Single Origin when I had it for the first time in Australia. This is my second time, and I can say that it is STILL not my favourite coffee.

While it was smooth, espresso and acidity were very mild. Disappointing. Maybe I should have ordered their house blend.

Similarly, their Cinnamon Bun was underwhelming.

Taste: 2/5

Like how it looks, the bun is dry inside out. It was not fluffy or moist.

The only saving grace was the cinnamon that was stark in our palate. Wish the cafe could serve fresh bake goods throughout the day so the taste will not be compromised.

Although accessing here without a car is difficult, I can tell why it’s so popular amongst Singaporeans.

No one can give up on the idea of having brunch in such a chill hipster cafe with pops of bright yellow, and sunlight peering from the floor-to-ceiling window.

It is a motivating reward to have brunch here after a vigorous workout at the gym.

For me, their Oven Baked Molten Eggs is one reason to get up in the morning and head straight to Geylang.

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BUNNY’S VERDICT: 

NOT SURE IF I’LL RETURN.

BUNNY RECOMMENDS: Oven Baked Molten Eggs

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RATING

Overall Taste: 3.4/5 Only one dish was up to our expectations. Felt like the chefs should work on improving the rest to ensure that all are equal standards in terms of taste and presentation. I do like the fact that most dishes are less than $15.

Ambience: 3.5/5  Although the decor is pretty like most of the cafes in Singapore, the seats had no backing and we did not really had much privacy since the tables are communal. We need a more compelling reason to lure us back.

Service: 1/5 Very difficult to get a seat because it’s “free seating” – pretty much like a hawker centre or food court, where you have to wait for one. There is also no tap water – first time encountering a cafe that doesn’t have free flow of H20. Quite ridiculous!

Brawn & Brains
Address: 100 Guillemard Road, #01-02 Singapore 399718
Tel: 6348 0501
Opening Hours:
9am – 7pm (Tues to Fri)
9.30am – 7pm (Sat, Sun, Public Holidays)
Closed on Mondays.
www.brawnandbrains.sg
Facebook

Directions: 

• Nearest MRT: 10 minute walk from Mountbatten MRT station
• Best to drive here. Carpark is available at the gym that the cafe is located at

Hopping out…
ANDREA THE #FOREVERHUNGRY BUNNY

DON’T BE A STRANGER!
FOR MORE HONEST REVIEWS, FOLLOW MY MUNCHING JOURNEY ON INSTAGRAM ❤

The Benjamins @ Forum Orchard: Fun & Instagrammable Milkshakes That Would Fly You To Cloud 9!

Cereal, wafer or iced gems for breakfast, anyone?

Yes please, because The Benjamins at Forum Shopping Mall at Orchard has got them all!

Along with Cake Spade, this cafe is well-known for producing Over-The-Top, or OTT Shakes since last year. To further keep their head in the game, they released a whole new series of Shakes last month that feature Cerealsly Crunchy Shakes that are cerealsly good-looking.

I made my way there for brunch on a Sunday… You must be thinking what a way to indulge for breakfast hehe… Well, the #CerealCafehopper just can’t stop herself!

By the way, I have made a vlog-style review on my on my visit on Instagram @bunnymunchies. Head there if you want to have a good look at the ambience and food!

Outside the cafe were these attractive photos of their shakes that was already enough to make any child or girl squeal! I was also wondering if the “available after 12pm” applies to the Cerealsy Crunchy Shakes.

Boasting industrial vibes with its hanging lightbulbs and metal chairs, the cafe was half empty at 1.30pm. However, its serene ambience changed to bustling from 2pm onwards, as a throng of diners came in.

I suspect they are the late risers on Sunday, or just here for after-lunch desserts.

I took photos of the full menu, which is not available online because I’ve tried searching for it (you’re welcome).

What I realised, while browsing, was their mains are not very wallet-friendly for such a casual cafe. I was also puzzled why they had an Omakase breakfast…

The cafe also has alluring cakes like Salted Caramel Chocolate, Rainbow, Nutella and Thai Milk Tea on display!

In the end, I had to control myself and focus on my main goal with my company – their Fairy Pebble Shake and Mango Rainbow Smoothie Bowl; I chose the latter to make up for the cerealsy sinful Fairy Pebble hehehe… As if it is that healthy.

Mango Rainbow Smoothie Bowl [$14++] with fresh mango, strawberries, pomelo, avocado, chia seeds, low fat yogurt and cereal  granola.

Taste: 4.5/5

I’ve had green vegetable, acai and pitaya smoothie bowls, but this mango version is a first! It originally comes with cereal, but I requested for granola for a healthier option.

I am very delighted with the presentation and taste of it because I had not much to complain about this pretty bowl of colours!

The strawberries and mango were very fresh – despite being on the sour side. They also had sharp edges; I have a weird penchant for fruits with clean cuts by a well-maintained knife.

The texture of the mango smoothie base was creamy, smooth and not overly sweet. Those who do not like avocado would be relieved that the traces of the green fruit could not be found!

I deducted 0.5 marks just because I was hoping for a bit more granola for a more filling meal – especially if someone is having this all by him or herself.

Now, behold for our next dish…

Because the size of the Fairy Pebbles [$16++] cerealsy blew my mind!

It doesn’t look big on photos, but when presented on the table… It was definitely larger and wider than my face.

That says a lot.

Taste: 3.5/5

Overall, this messy, yet adorable dessert tasted better than expected! I thought  it was “too pretty” to taste like rainbows; but then again, it’s full of childhood treats and cereal that we love, so what’s there to not like about it?!

For those who wonder – how are you going to eat this?

Well, let me demonstrate!

First, pour the fruity pebbles onto the poofy pink and green cotton candy for a photo… (haha) And then place them into the small cup.

Be cautious for this step though! Once done, start digging into the wonderful end of the rainbow.

There was a slice of chocolate cake, hundreds and thousands biscuit and iced gems; I immediately grabbed the hot pink one because that’s the flavour I like most as a kid!

I believe the hundreds and thousands biscuit to be Arnott’s.

But honestly, it was too hard for me and my company. Can kids even eat them? I sure hope their teeth are stronger than ours. We also shared the yellow disc, and found out that it was durian-flavoured!

Yay!

Everything was great so far… Until  we reached the milkshake itself.

The shake, unfortunately, had a foamy consistency akin to soap; I saw that there was some whipped cream inserted to keep the iced gems afloat, and the combination did not had much taste.

So my company invented a method by scraping the Nutella-painted sides using the spoon and have it together with the foam!

Ingenious.

Added some fruity pebbles into the mixture too for good measure!

When the iced gems disappeared into our mouths, the slice of cake started to sink into the shake, so I hurriedly scooped it out and thought it was a bit too sweet for my liking due to the thick icing, but the saving grace was the prominent chocolate flavour.

Believe it or not, we managed to finish BOTH desserts and couldn’t feel our waists after.

Me up on Cloud 9!

While the milkshake was disappointing, I was transported to Cloud 9.

Savouring my favourite childhood snacks induced nostalgia about the past, but in a good way… *writing brimming tears in the eyes*.

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BUNNY’S VERDICT: 

YES, I’ll be back for insane-looking desserts, BUT remember I’d bring friends to share the calories and LOVE gone into making them!

BUNNY RECOMMENDS: Mango Pomelo Bowl, Fairy Pebbles

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RATING

Overall Taste:  4/5  Despite worrying that the desserts would only look good in photos, their taste reached my expectations, particularly for the Mango Smoothie Bowl.

The Milkshake for the Cerealsy OTT Series, on the other hand, can be improved. I discovered that other Fruity Pebbles served on Instagram seem to have two discs, but ours only had one, and the milkshake can have a thicker consistency – like the Mango Smoothie Bowl, rather than being all foamy!

Ambience: 4/5 Very children-friendly, where kids would go crazy with their desserts; cafe is furnished with colourful cereal boxes and posters, which adds a “kiddy” element, but they match their OTT shakes!

Service: 3/5 Menus and water came promptly when we were seated, but it took a few tries to call for warm water. Our cups were not refilled throughout our dining experience and waitresses seemed quite hostile.

The Benjamins
Address: 583 Orchard Road,
Forum the Shopping Mall, #01-20/21
Singapore 23888
Phone:6887 4117
Opening Hours: 
10.30am – 9pm (Mon – Thurs, Sun)
10.30am – 9pm (Fri, Sat)
Facebook

Directions: 

• Nearest MRT: Orchard. It’ll be a 10 minute walk from the MRT by the Wheelock Place route.
• Parking is available at Forum Shopping Mall or other malls nearby.

Hopping out…
ANDREA THE #FOREVERHUNGRY BUNNY

DON’T BE A STRANGER!
FOR MORE HONEST REVIEWS, FOLLOW MY MUNCHING JOURNEY ON INSTAGRAM ❤

Asanoya Bakery @ 15 Queen Street Review: Best Matcha Breads & Most Innovative Salted Egg Croissant to Date!

THE #CROISSANT WAR CONTINUES.

With more bakeries like BreadTalk, Antoinette and Da Paolo pulling up their socks to stay relevant in the Salted Egg Croissant food fad by launching their own variations and other interesting ones like Matcha, Chili Crab, Charcoal Kaya  Croissants and counting, we foodies are in for a treat!

The question now is… Are you on TEAM MATCHA OR TEAM SALTED EGG?

If you asked me, I would reply:

I’M ON THE FENCE BECAUSE I LOVE BOTH

Amongst all the flavours, I’m most inclined towards Asanoya’s MATCHA SALTED EGG CROISSANT, which had raided Instagram for a few months now. I was a bit unsure at first – especially when they don’t seem to be the best flavour combination. However, I am pretty surprised by the rather favourable reviews so I have been DYING to try it. I’ve already had THE ORIGINAL  Salted Egg Croissant from Urban Bakery, Hong Kong last year  – so  breads filled with Salted Egg are a passé for me now. I guess they are not so hipster anymore, sorry!

For those who are not familiar of Asanoya, let me give you some background. It is an 83-year-old bakery that originally catered to foreign embassies and diplomats of various countries. It then became so popular that the aristocrats would frequent the store.

Asanoya is  also the first bakery in Japan to install a Spanish-made stone oven, and to cope with the rising demand for European hard breads, the chefs have successfully mastered the skills and meshed Japanese and Western breads to create novel flavours that no one would dare to dream of and Matcha Salted Egg Croissant would be an exemplification of that.

For Singapore’s clientele, Asanoya has been consistently wonderful on review websites, and  all my attempts to visit have failed on the weekends because few of my friends either dislikes matcha or croissant (how can such people exist?!) and Asanoya is so out of the way.

Thankfully, I have a friend who likes Matcha (but not Salted Egg), but she is adventurous enough to tag along on a weekday afternoon, which I reckon would not be so crowded.

The exterior of Asanoya is quite plain and any passers-by would assume that it is just an office space!

Unlike the usual purchasing procedure of bakeries in Singapore, you have to order the breads and beverages from the staff over the counter at Asanoya, and they will pass them to you on a tray. Water and serviettes are self-service, where they are located on two counters at the middle of the bakery.

Not only does Asanoya offer pastries and bread, but also takeaway lunch pack, Swiss rolls and cakes – but you’d be dumb to fill yourself up on those though!

We transformed into kids when we were peering at the bread display… All of them looked so enticing! They were oven-baked till golden brown, and the smell of bread = HEAVEN.

I called up an hour before arriving to check if there were any Matcha Salted Egg Croissants left (because they had limited stocks daily), and they said they had four. We were quite surprised because it was only 2.30pm and most of them were sold out!

However, when I was there, it seemed like they have restocked them.

Yay to freshly baked bread!

I was quite tempted to get their Matcha Cube after spotting it on Instagram. I showed it to my friend before we arrived, but she didn’t seem interested.

However, when we realised that it was the last piece left in the bakery, my friend said, “let’s get it” without revealing any signs of hesitation. We also grabbed two more breads each for our family members, since they looked so good, and we weren’t sure when we would ever return!

A wide selection of drinks and sandwiches can also be found at Asanoya. I’m quite surprised with the beer section. Beer and bread do not seem like a good pair at all!

Time for the long-waited Taste Test!

First, we had the Matcha Salted Egg Croissant [$4.80].

Taste: 4/5

When the croissant was sliced open, the Matcha Salted Egg filling did not flow out really fast like what we expected it to. Not sure if the bread was not warm enough to melt the fillings – even though the lady had already heated it up for us.

Besides that, the filling had a thick and grainy consistency, which indicated how it is truly made from  LEGIT Salted Egg. On first bite, all we could taste was the Salted Egg, and we were wondering where the Matcha went to! Thankfully, it became more obvious as we continued eating, and Matcha and Salted Egg Yolk strangely complement each other really well! Asanoya has definitely managed to achieve a perfect balance between the saltiness from the Salted egg, and mild bitterness from the Matcha.

I was also pleased about the generous amount of fillings that we were able to dip the ends of the croissant with. I’ve read that Antoinette is stingy with theirs.

Just one downside would the croissant.

As you can see from the picture above, the quality of the croissant is not very good. It is more towards the doughy side – neither crispy nor flaky. A tad disappointing for me, as I have had better croissants elsewhere at Lola’s Cafe and Rise & Grind Co. (upcoming).

The pastry that we had high hopes on – Matcha Cube [$4.50] was filled with rich white chocolate & green tea cream. They currently sell this in Salted Egg, which is also really popular as well.

Taste: 3/5

While it is extremely “hot” under the #sgfoodporn department, looks can be deceptive.

Pictures on Instagram made it look as if the white chocolate filling was oozing out by itself, but it did not happen in real life! We were actually struggling to let it flow out while prying the cube open. #KenaCheated

And when I asked my friend who tried it first whether she could taste the White Chocolate, she replied, “no, it tastes more like custard”.

True to her words, I could barely taste any chocolate in there! The edges of the cube were not crispy as well; we expected it to possess a crust akin to a Shibuya toast.

Overall, everything about the cube was bad, except for the rather obvious hint of matcha flavour.

Since I hardly come to Asanoya, I decided to takeaway two more breads for my mother and grandma, and one of them is their Danish Coffee [$3.20] – just because my mother is a die-hard coffeeholic.

Taste: 4/5 

I was happy to say that it is very flaky, crispy and the coffee taste is strong! I also daresay that the pastry is even better than their Matcha Salted Egg Croissant *gasps*.

Pardon my shaky  photography, but this was eaten in the car while my mum was hungry on the expressway. I just wanted to illustrate how the interior layers had a thick notable spread of coffee fillings, which contributed to its pronounced flavour.

My mum was a bit taken aback by the icing on top though, which can be daunting for those who do not have a  sweet-tooth.

One more word of caution: do order a drink to accompany this, as I got choked by the dry and flaky bits of the danish that peeled off.

Not a good feeling against the throat.

For girly girls like me, I’m sure you won’t be able to look past their Bonjour Sakura [$2.80] – simply because IT’S PINK!!! I’ve never had pink bread in my life!

Taste: 2/5 

It was described as a fluffy sour cream-sakura dough filled with Hokkaido red bean paste and bits of Sakura leaves. It sounds like the chefs have generated a more atas or higher-class version of an Anpan.

When  I tore it into half, there was large piece of Sakura leaf embedded within, which I’m not sure that it was meant to be eaten – but I did. It reminded me of the Pandan leaf from Ang Ku Kueh, which has a bitter aftertaste; it was bearable when ingested together with the sweet red bean paste.

While the amount of fillings were just nice, the sweetness of the smooth red bean paste further became extremely prominent once the Sakura leaf was gone; I’ve never tasted such red bean fillings before and suspect that they have added too much sugar. I felt like I would get diabetes from the paste alone – that’s how sweet it was!

I also wished that the red bean paste contained whole red Azuki beans, which would add more texture to the bread. I was extremely disappointed with this one.

Another bread that looked super delicious is their Karuizawa Green Tea Loaf. We sampled it (last piece left) and it had a heavy taste of Matcha.

My friend was amazed and even goes on to say how other bakeries would sell green-coloured bread, but taste nothing like Matcha. For me, I don’t usually buy Matcha-flavoured bread, but this was not only good, but AWESOME. I can imagine smearing some Black sesame spread, or pair it with Chrysanthemum or Yuzu tea. Yummy!

I can foresee coming to Asanoya for more Matcha-flavoured breads and Matcha Salted Egg Croissants!

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BUNNY’S VERDICT:

YES I’LL COME BACK BECAUSE I AM #TEAM MATCHA & #TEAMASANOYA!

HOW ABOUT YOU? WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?

#TEAMMATCHA OR #TEAMSALTED EGG? 

Which bakery do you think has the best version of the Salted Egg Croissant?

BUNNY RECOMMENDS: Anything with Matcha, Coffee Danish

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RATING

Overall Taste:  3.2/5  A couple of hit and misses, but we were definitely impressed by the matcha-flavoured bread and Asanoya’s attempt to fuse Japanese Matcha with the local food fad.

If you are on #TEAMMATCHA, you would definitely appreciate this place a lot! However, for French pastries like the croissant, it was too chewy and was not the best I’ve had. The bakery can make more improvements in perfecting their croissants and fillings for their Matcha Cube and Bonjour Sakura.

#TEAMSALTEDEGG, don’t worry as will not be left out with their Salted Egg Cube and Salted Egg Croissant! The latter is also the cheapest amongst the other competing bakeries; it is going for $6.50++ (dine in)/$6.50+ (takeaway) at Antoinette and $7.50 at Flavour Flings.

There is no GST or Service Charge for this cafe, which is a plus against other bakeries and cafes.

Ambience: 3.5/5 Very minimalistic and sanitised; not the best for food photography. I felt like I was in the bread factory, and everyone had to be screened before entering. Space was huge and plenty of tables for large groups of people. It is best to visit during weekdays during their non-peak hours to grab those popular breads.

Service: 3/5 I was glad that they were lenient enough to reserve the Matcha Salted Egg Croissant prior to my visit even though one of the staff said they were not allowed to.  You can try your luck!

I didn’t really like the system of not being able to take the bread ourselves like a normal bakery would do as the staff was not very attentive at times; some were chatting amongst themselves even though we were ready to order. Although the level of cleanliness is quite high, some tables had cup and water traces left by previous customers that we had to wipe ourselves.

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Asanoya Bakery
Address: 15 Queen Street #01-03
Singapore 188537
Phone:6703 8703
Opening Hours:
9am – 8pm Daily
www.asanoya.asia/

Directions: 

• Alight at Bras Basah (Circle Line) or Bugis (DT, EW Line) station. It will be a 5-minute walk from the former (250 steps), and 10-minute for the latter.

Hopping out…
ANDREA THE #FOREVERHUNGRY BUNNY

DON’T BE A STRANGER!
STAY CONNECTED WITH MY MUNCHING JOURNEY ON INSTAGRAM ❤

 

Healthy No-Butter Buckwheat Cinnamon Pancakes | RECIPE

Looking for something quick, delicious and healthy to whip up for breakfast? These Buckwheat Cinnamon Pancakes that contains NO BUTTER might keep you satiated till lunchtime – while satisfying your sweet tooth! Personally, I start my day off with something sweet ALL THE TIME, and fruits or preserves have to be involved in my breakfast. Think French toasts, muesli with dried fruits, PB&J sandwiches, oatmeal, Shibuya thick toast with ice cream… I’ll stop right there.

While I was looking through for some healthy pancake recipe and coincidentally bought some buckwheat flour from the supermarket, why not make Buckwheat Pancakes? I feel that it lends a nutty texture in comparison to white baking flour that makes it tastier!

Research has shown that buckwheat can aid in improving heart health by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure levels and contains disease-fighting antioxidants. It also provides highly digestible protein that helps to improve digestion.

The buckwheat pancakes I had a few months ago at Populus Coffee & Food Co. wasn’t too impressive, as the thick 1-inch pancake left my last few bites dry due to the lack of maple syrup and jam. This is exactly why homemade food is always the best because you can adjust all your seasonings or ingredients towards your taste without any additional cost!

Moreover, you know best what’s in your food. I make sure that no nasties included in my breakfast food and try to keep them butter-free – unless it’s desserts like cakes and puddings. Sadly, the latter requires butter to maintain its quality and taste! *insert crying emoji*

Now, back to the main focus, there are numerous Buckwheat Pancake recipes online and I’ve managed to sift out those that require no cornstarch, buttermilk, or butter – I switched them for low fat milk with lemon, and grape seed oil. Since I usually add cinnamon into my breakfast foods, these pancakes can’t escape from it!  I feel that that he spice complements carbohydrates and milk so well, and it is packed with so many health benefits like boosting brain function and reducing the rise in blood sugar levels.

And great new: these pancakes keep well in the freezer! Perfect for people who are always in a rush in the morning; you can make them ahead and reheat them in the oven for your breakfast every few days.

This is a solution for leftovers too, but why would anyone not finish ’em them?

BUCKWHEAT CINNAMON PANCAKES

Feeds: 2 hungry piggies
Just nice for 3
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Photo-taking time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

DRY:

• ½ buckwheat & ½ flour of choice (You can use 1 cup of buckwheat if you want them to be super healthy, but fluffiness of pancakes may be compromised)
• 1 tablespoon brown or natural cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (my touch of magic)
• ¼ teaspoon salt

WET:

• 1¼ cups milk*
• 1¾ tablespoons of lemon juice*
• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• grapeseed oil (or any vegetable oil of your choice) for the pan

TOPPINGS (optional)

• seasonal fruits (I had grapes, bananas & blueberries on hand)
• honey or maple syrup
• chia seeds

* MAKE YOUR OWN BUTTERMILK WITH DAIRY-FREE OPTION:

Combine 1¼ cups low fat milk (any variety of low fat milk should do—almond, soy, rice, low fat coconut) with 1 tablespoon + ¾ teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes before using.

The nutty texture of buckwheat flour! I got mine from Origins in Singapore, but it is usually available at the organic store or dedicated health food corner at your local supermarket.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To make the buttermilk substitute, combine the milk (I used low fat) and add the lemon juice in a measuring cup and leave it on the counter for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, mix together the sifted flour(s), sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Check back on the buttermilk: to judge if it is ready, the milk will be slightly thickened and you’d notice small curdled bits surfacing – refer to the pictures below. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.

4. All at once, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. The batter should have some small to medium lumps.

5. Preheat your non-stick pan over medium-low heat and brush with 1½ teaspoons of your choice of oil. Give the batter a light swirl with a spoon in case the buckwheat is starting to separate from the liquid.

6. Scoop the batter onto the warm pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until small bubbles form on the surface of the pancakes. You’ll know it’s ready to flip when about 1 inch of the perimeter is matte instead of glossy and the bubbles have popped.

Flip and cook on the opposite sides for 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown.

7. Transfer the cooked pancakes to a baking sheet and place in a preheated 200 degree Fahrenheit or 90 degree Celsius oven to keep warm.

Repeat the cooking process with the remaining batter, adding more oil when needed. Then stack them up however you like and serve immediately with your favourite fruits, and a drizzle of maple syrup or honey.

Because everyone needs some sweetness in their pancakes, right?

Bon appétit! I like how these pancakes are not taxing on your digestive system or lead anyone to a food coma.

Say goodbye to the sinful pancakes from Clinton Street Baking Company and Populus Coffee & Co. and impress your girlfriends, or the hungry hubby today!

Do let me know how it goes and post it on Instagram using hashtag #HeyICanHopNCook! I would love to see your own creations.

GET HOPPIN’ AND COOKIN’!

Clinton St. Baking Company Review @ 31 Purvis Street: American-Style Diner with Big Portions

Originated from New York’s Lower East Side, Clinton Street Bakery Company opened its doors in Singapore last year – joining other well-known food establishments like Saveur, Yet Con and Jai Thai located along Purvis Street. The fact that it is the latest venture across the Atlantic has created a lot of buzz from the media and throng of pancake fanatics who have tried the real deal in NYC.

Although I have visited NYC last year, it did not make it to my well-researched itinerary as I was preoccupied on visiting other more famous foodie places that made it to the top 30 of Trip Advisor, such as Magnolia Bakery, Katz Deli, and Chelsea Market. I did not know what Clinton St. was about until I saw articles on it and reviews on Instagram.

It is currently ranked #88 on Trip Advisor’s Restaurants in NYC. While their pancakes looked plain without much garnishes, but they seem really thick and fluffy, which is their main selling point. The main outlet was voted as “New York’s # 1 breakfast spot” by Lonely Planet and “Best Pancakes” by New York Magazine twice!

Moreover, an Australian foodie-friend whom I met up with during her vacation in Singapore during the Christmas period last year raved about their French Toast – instead of their famous pancakes – so I made a point of trying it out. I told her the best I’ve had is Artistry’s PB&J which I brought her to try, but she guaranteed that it’s the best French Toast that she has had and I’d love it.

I am usually quite picky with my French toasts so I came to see what Clinton Street Baking Company’s version is all about. I came here another time for their Pancakes after that so read on to find out more!

Saw this sign outside and I was so happy! I knew that they usually open till 6pm.

BREAKFAST FOOD FOR DINNER?

HELL YEAH!

We arrived here at 2pm on a Sunday, hoping that there would be no queue. The longest queue I’ve waited for was Lola’s Cafe so I heaved a sigh of relief. The host took my number down and told me it would take around 20 minutes for our table to be available.

I then suggested to walked around Purvis Street to kill time and browse the shops within the vicinity. Almost wanted to have a plate of Chicken rice at Yet Con, since it seemed quite popular amongst the locals, but we resisted our hunger pangs and continued waiting for our seat. Thankfully, the host kept his word and we were ready to go in!

The cafe had a good mix of two and four-seaters. We were directed to the table nearby the barista counter against the wall on the right.

While we were distracted at their all-day breakfast and lunch offerings, I was adamant on getting my Brioche French Toast [$18]. Their Chicken & Waffles [$21] looked really good while I was peeking at our neighbouring tables, but its reviews indicated that they were mediocre.

Focus, Andrea, focus…

And then it came to the dessert menu.

We gotta rewind to the desserts bit now; they looked REALLY APPETISING and would steal your attention as soon as you walk into the restaurant.

Reading them off the menu does not do them any justice!

Almost ordered their Apple Pie, but I found out that my  company does not like them… Awh.

Our food took about 20 minutes to arrive, which was reasonable, since it was full house.

Brioche French Toast with caramelised bananas, roasted pecans, warm maple butter [$18].

Taste: 3.75/5

This is not the fanciful type of Brioche French Toast that you may find in your typical local hipster cafes today.

It is a different rendition that goes back to the basics; humble and simple, yet tasty due to the fresh thick-cut brioche, paired with the sweet caramelised banana compote. Warm maple butter can be drizzled on top for some depth of flavour, but I would caution not to add to much; it may become repulsive towards the end of the meal.

I still see myself reaching out for my all-time favourite PB&J French Toast at Artistry in the future – instead of this. Sure, it is tasty, but I like more unique takes on the traditional French Toast. Nevertheless, I like how it is filling and just nice for two to share!

Oh sure, LOTS of butter at that too.

We came back and gave their pancakes a try for dinner this time

Having pancakes for dinner is a dream come true! Just look at how tall they are…

I chose to have their classic Wild Blueberry Pancakes with Warm Maple Butter Maple Syrup [$18], which most diners ordered; their Chocolate Chunk one looked quite pathetic on photos with merely bits of chocolate, and I’ve already tried their banana toppings on the Brioche French Toast.

Since their maple butter was a bit too heavy for our liking after our first try, I asked for maple syrup instead and I was so glad that they were able to do this substitution!

Taste: 3/5

What distinguishes Clinton St.’s pancakes over others is not only the thickness of each pancakes, but also the techniques on making the pancakes. I could taste the crispy caramelised edges of the pancakes – which was interesting! I have never came across such a texture before. Moreover, the pancakes seemed to be able to absorb all the maple syrup goodness quite well.

Found out that the bottom of each pancake had blueberries underneath too.

My company, however, wasn’t impressed since he usually has the ones from McDonald’s. He actually prefers the latter! I am not too fussy about pancakes – but they gotta be fluffy and I usually require an abundance of sauces to dress over them, or else they would be dry.

No one likes dry, flavourless pancakes. The ones I had at Populus Coffee & Co. is a perfect exemplification.

Spamming them with maple syrup, which is a great alternative for those who do not want their food to be drowned in their sinful signature maple butter!

Although the amount of Blueberry Sauce is just nice, one thing that turned me off  was the thick solid ball buried within, which I chewed on. I think it’s corn starch that was not stirred through properly. Eek. What an oversight by the chef!

Other downsides include lacking maple sauce to coat all of our three extremely thick pancakes comfortably, they were not not as soft and fluffy as I expected them to be.

I usually consider my pancakes”fluffy” when I am able to  break it loose with a lone cut from my fork with one hand and I could taste many air pockets in the batter that is akin to a chiffon cake.

This did not happen, unfortunately.

Posing with the pancakes to prove that they are as big as my face!

The crowd on a weekday was drastically different from the weekend – only one table was occupied when I entered. I would encourage anyone to visit then; I arrive at about 6.30pm.

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BUNNY’S VERDICT: 

MAYBE?  

BUNNY RECOMMENDS: Brioche French Toast, if you die die must try!

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RATING

Overall Taste:  3.4/5  Food is not very memorable besides the massive portions. All I hope is that the same dishes taste even better at the main branch in New York! Having been to the US, I fully know that Americans love their sugar and butter. However, maple syrup is probably the limit that I can take on my breakfast food, so for the more health conscious and people who dislike oily foods, I suggest you to switch your maple butter to syrup! It could be comfort food for those who used to reside at America, and are craving for legit American grub.

Considering that our bill for each visit totalled up to about $21 per dish inclusive of GST and Service Charge, it is quite expensive for dishes that can be found commonly in cafes that would charge $15-20. That being said, the dishes I had were shared by two, so it can be value-for-money for smaller eaters like us.

Clinton St. would definitely not be a frequent hangout for our Pancake or French Toast fix. Desserts next time, perhaps?

Ambience: 3.5/5 The interior of the cafe is pretty traditional and conservative – simple with walnut wood finishings, old-school lights and waxy floors. The lighting has largely yellow hues though, which may affect your photography. The washroom deserves a special mention, as it is quite well-sanitised during both visits, which not many cafes would bother about!

I believe that an important aspect for a cafe to commands respect from customers is to maintain a decent quality for the hygiene of their washrooms! Does anyone agree with me on this? Or am I just plain weird?

Service: 3.5/5 I was generally pleased by the accuracy of the estimation of our waiting time during our first visit on a busy Sunday. We were seated within 20 minutes of waiting  on the dot and service was friendly and attentive even though it was packed to the brim.

The quality of service backslid on our repeated visit though. One of the waiters seemed quite aloof, as she pretended not to see us when we raised our hand for more tap water. This happened when the restaurant was less than half-filled. We also felt being judged when requested to takeaway some leftover pancakes (we had chicken rice before this). Well, their inconsistency in service may be an additional reason for us not to visit again.

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Clinton St. Baking Company
Address: 31 Purvis St, 188608
Phone: 6684 4845
Opening Hours:
8am – 10pm Daily
clintonstreetbaking.sg

Directions: 

• Alight at Esplanade (Circle Line) or Bugis (DT Line, EW Line) station. It will be a 10- minute walk from both stations.

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