The Lokal Part 2 | ThumbsForFood



Hello everyone! We wrote a brief post on The Lokal previously. We did not have the chance to try out the brunch items, so we just had to head back again to have brunch.

 



We headed there on a Saturday afternoon and we had to wait a while for a table for 6. The place was, as usual, bustling with the strong aroma of coffee in the background.

 

Grilled Sausages with homemade sauerkraut, sautéed potatos, fried egg and onion jam $23. I love the onion jam as it goes well with the savoury sausages. This is definitely a dish to order if you love good sausages. What makes the dish stand out is the wonderful sides that compliments the main character.

Plate of smoked mackerel & salmon, pickles and pita bread $22. If you are looking for something unique, this is the dish for you. I have never had smoked mackerel before and even the smoked salmon tasted different because they actually smoke it (Is that the right term?) themselves. I like it that both the mackerel and salmon are not too salty as well!

Salad of roasted pumpkin, French beans, quinoa, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, beetroot, house vinagarette $16. This has got to be my favourite dish at The Lokal. To be honest, I am not a salad fan but I love pumpkins and anything related to pumpkins. There are so many ingredients in the salad that every mouth was full of surprise. A dish for the health-conscious!

Breakfast burger with pork belly, broken omelette, spinach and chilli jam $23. I was quite disappointed when the pork belly came in a fried form. I find this dish pretty ordinary and probably wouldn't order this dish on my next visit.

Roast beef on rye, caramelised onions, watercress and grain mustard crème fraiche $19. The beef was soft but I do not like rye bread in general, so this is definitely not my top choice!

Overall, I had a pleasant experience at The Lokal. I really like the décor and ambience of the café; reminded me of my Melbourne days! The prices are on the steep side though but I would definitely revisit if there's no queue!

Have a good week ahead!

The Lokal
136 Neil Road Singapore 088865
Tel: +65 6423 9918

Cheers,
Z

Fix Cafe | ThumbsForFood

The main factor that motivated me to travel all the way down to Toa Payoh (and walked 15-20 mins from the mrt station) was really because of the Liu Sha Donuts ($7.0). I love all kinds of food with liu sha (golden custard)! The liu sha dipping is served hot and the best thing about the dip is that it is not too sweet. As compared to liu sha bao, this is good for people who are more 'health-conscious' because it is not oily at all! But to be honest, this is actually a very simple dessert: donuts with a side dipping. I feel that the donuts were a little overpriced.

Since I'm started on desserts, I shall continue with another sweet item that I tried on my visit there. We had the Strawberry Pistachio Rose Tart ($7.0). I like that it is not too sweet and heavy; a good choice for dessert after a full meal.

My friend had the breakfast set ($12.0) which came with a drink. The breakfast set is pretty simple but I guess the price makes it value for money!

I decided to try their Chicken Tikka Naanwich ($10.0) since it is one of their specialties. This naanwich concept is something unique to Fix Cafe so I guess it is worth a try! I was pretty stuck between the Beef and Kimchi Naanwich and the Chicken Tikka Naanwich so I decided to ask the staff and he said go for the latter and so I did.

The marinated chicken went well with the achar (pickled vegetables). Pretty interesting dish at a cafe! Would definitely try their Beef and Kimchi Naanwich the next time.

nachos that came with the naanwich

latte

Overall, I had a satisfying brunch at Fix Cafe. The prices of the main course were very reasonable. For all the food we had, each of us only paid around $20. Located in Home Team NS at Balestier, it is not exactly the most accessible cafe but if you feel like heading to somewhere with a different (outdoor and overlooking the pool) ambience, Fix Cafe is definitely the place for you!

Fix Cafe
31 Ah Hood Rd
#01-06,HomeTeam NS-JOM Clubhouse


Cheers,
Z

The Little Prince Creamery | ThumbsForFood

The Little Prince Creamery is opened by the same people behind the Little Prince Cafe at Somme Road. The Little Prince Cafe at Somme Road is no longer around so for people who wants to visit the cafe, please head over to the newly opened cafe at Toa Payoh.

The cafe is about 10-15 minutes walk from Toa Payoh mrt station. You can also take a bus over from Toa Payoh.

I love the drawings in the cafe. By the name of the cafe, you will know that the theme revolves around The Little Prince. The owner of the cafe actually collects The Little Prince books from all around the world, so if you are a fan of the classic novel, you should definitely pay a visit to this cosy little cafe. Did I mention, the drawings are all done by the owner herself?

The cafe sells both sweet and savory items. I had the Waffles with 2 scoops of ice-cream ($9.30). My 2 flavours were the Earl Grey Latte and the Dark Chocolate Flavour (I cannot remember the exact name of the ice-cream). Their matcha ice-cream is another of my favourite as the green tea taste was so strong!

If you are in the area and looking for a cosy cafe to chill and have some desserts, The Little Prince Creamery is a good choice!

Looking for other cafes to go to? Read our review on Les Patisseries at Toa Payoh here!

The Little Prince Creamery
Blk 47 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh
#01-134
S310047

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thurs, Sun - 1200-2200
Fri-Sat - 1200-2300

Cheers,
Z

Les Patisseries | ThumbsForFood

With the influx of new cafes in Singapore, it can get a bit tough to decide where to go head to next this weekend. I decided on Les Patisseries today as I have heard many positive reviews about this newly opened bakery cafe.

The cafe is quite accessible, only a 5 minutes walk away from Toa Payoh mrt station. We almost missed the cafe as the name of the cafe was not on the sign. So, be alert!

Les Patisseries means "pastries" in French, so I was pretty excited to try the pastries and bakes that they offer. However, I was rather disappointed to see that they did not have much choices available. I went at around 1230 in the afternoon so I guess that the bakes could not have been sold out right?

I decided to try the Dulcey Hazelnut Tart ($7.0) and the French Apple Tart ($5.0). My favourite would definitely be the Dulcey Hazelnut Tart. I have tried many tarts at other cafes and this may be one of the best tarts I have ever had in town. The tart is not too hard and the dulcey ganache was soft, sticky and not overly sweet.

The French Apple Tart is a safe choice for people who wants to go for something simple. One good point about both tarts is that they are not too sweet. I could finish one whole tart by myself easily.

I also had a Flat White ($4.5) while my friend had a Iced Mocha ($6.5). Heard that they use the Pacamara blends for their coffee. I did not like my cup of coffee as I felt that it was a little too foamy and light.

My friend had the Salmon Brunch Set. There are limited choices for the savory food items so if you are a picky eater, don't expect much from their brunch menu. But I wouldn't mind having this simple brunch set occasionally. What could possibly go wrong with smoked salmon, avocado and scrambled eggs?

This bakery cafe reminds me of The Bakery Chef at Bukit Merah. For now, I would definitely prefer The Bakery Chef to Les Patisseries but I wouldn't mind going back to the latter to try more of their bakes!

Les Patisseries
Blk 186 Toa Payoh Central
#01-428
S310186

Opening Hours:
Daily 1000 to 2200

Till then,
Z

Little Bird Unbakery | ThumbsForFood

Hello from New Zealand! I’m on a Working Holiday here and thus, will be sharing with you guys the eats and attractions here in Kiwi land, approximately 5000 miles away! My co-writer, Z, will still be continuing food reviews in Singapore. :)

Today, I will be sharing with you guys this very unique café in Auckland. Little Bird Unbakery is nestled in the café-laden area of Ponsonby. We happened to chance upon it while searching for a place to have some food and seek shelter from the rain. 

Little Bird Unbakery is a café that branched out from the Little Bird Organics. You can find out more about the founders and more about their concept here.

The food at Little Bird Unbakery is made from raw organic ingredients and they do not use any filler ingredients. You would be surprised that their delicious tasting cakes do not have any gluten, dairy, sugar or soy in it! You’ll see below our review on one of their delicious cakes.

When we stepped into Little Bird Unbakery, it was crowded on a Weekday afternoon during lunch hour. The décor of Little Bird is simple, cozy and welcoming. With the brick walls, potted plants and simple pictures on the wall, the whole place gave of a fresh and comfortable vibe.

Interior

Interior and Displays

In the café, you will also notice displays of Little Bird Organic own range of food that you can buy home to prepare your own healthy yet wholesome meals. 

Little Bird's range of food for takeaway

The menu was really extensive and there were so many choices available. It was our first time in an Organic café and thus, we were not very familiar with gluten free and organic food. Little Bird serves breakfast from 7am and lunch menu from 11am. We decided to choose something from their lunch menu.

We chose Kumara Gnocchi with Oyster Mushrooms, Tarragon Cream & Pine Nut Parmesan ($19). We love gnocchi and thus, were attracted by it. For those who are not familiar, Kumara is like a sweet potato. Our appetites were whet by the appearance of the dish that was donned in various bright colors. The dish was actually really appetizing and delicious. The pickled onions added a balance of sourness. We thought that the portion was reasonable and felt it was a wholesome meal! Even though the ingredients were simple, the dish tasted fantastic. We heard that their Portabello Eggs Benedict is highly raved about. Do try it and let us know!

Kumara Gnocchi with Oyster Mushrooms, Tarragon Cream and Pine Nut Parmesan

For beverages, they have a wide range to choose from. From smoothies to nutmilks, from coffee to teas, it’s hard not to find something suitable. We decided to choose the Rest and Relax Tea ($3.50) from the Herbal Tea range. It consists of Passionflower, St. John’s Wort, Lemon Balm, Licorice Root, Chamomile and Lavendar. It was calming, relaxing and soothing. We felt the chamomile was the most distinct in flavour.

Tea in the Foreground

Their desserts and pastry range was wide as well. We finally settled on their Raspberry Cheesecake. It’s appearance is a bright pinkish color topped with some dried raspberry bits. It was soooo good! We were quite surprised that they did not use any dairy or sugar in it. Both my friend and I were thoroughly floored by how yummy it was. It wasn’t too sour not too sweet. I think I can easily eat a few slices on my own without feeling any guilt. We strongly recommend to try out their cakes.

Raspberry Cheesecake

Overall, it was a wholesome experience at Little Bird Unbakery. For a guilt-free, delicious yet healthy dining experience, Little Bird has the whole package.

Cashier & Drink Counter of Little Bird 

Do continue to follow our blog for more recommendations of food and travel in New Zealand! Follow us on Instagram @thumbsforfood for latest updates!


Little Bird Unbakery

Contact number: 09 5553278

Address: 1A Summer Street, Ponsonby, Auckland

Open: Monday to Sunday; 7am-4pm

Cheers, 

Y

The Tastemaker Store | ThumbsForFood

The Tastemaker Store is quite a recent addition to Singapore's cafe scene. It is actually walking distance to Sin Lee Foods, that we introduced in our previous post. 

Business was quite brisk on a weekday afternoon. The interior of Tastemaker is kept simple with soft furnishings of potted plants placed around the shop as well as hanging from the ceiling. It felt comfortable and seems like a good place for doing work as it was well lit.

Interior of Tastemaker

Interior of cafe

They have various bakes from Maple & Market that is displayed in the glass display near the counter. We did not try the bakes that day as we wanted to try their more unique dishes. We think that perhaps they should add a corner for a free iced water dispenser. We always appreciate cafe s that serve free water.

Bakes from Maple & Market

We ordered their Lemon Curd with Clotted Cream on Muffin Buns ($3). It was really unique as we have not seen this in other cafes. The lemon wasn't too sweet nor sour, in fact it was in perfect balance. It was served with half boiled eggs. We dipped the muffin buns into the half boiled egg and it was quite a refreshing combination. 

Lemon Curd with clotted cream toast

The eggs were not exactly half-boiled that day. But, we kind of like it because the yolk was in a nicely curded form. 

Eggs

 For drinks, we chose the Matcha Latte. It wasn't out of the world but, quite a comfortable companion for food.

Matcha Latte

The must-try dish is perhaps the Yam Cake ($3.80). Again, this is not commonly found in other cafes. Yam cake is a local dish. It is served with chilli that was adequately spicy and had the kick! The yam cake was really chunky with filling of salted egg, yam and seems like some pieces of luncheon. It is quite filling of you eat the whole slice on your own.

Yam Cake

Overall, we find the Tastemaker Store sells quite unique food that is affordable and suitable for the general public. It's unpretentious, simple and hassle-free. 

The Tastemaker Store

Blk 22 Havelock Road#01-705 Singapore 160022 

Opening Hours: 9am – 9pm Daily

Exterior

Cheers, Y

Sin Lee Foods | ThumbsForFood

Sin Lee Foods opened its door in the Bukit Ho Swee neighbourhood. The cafe's exterior was eye-catching with it's traditional old-school signboard coupled with modern black framed entrance. It really stood out in contrast with its surroundings. 

Entrance of cafe

The indoor seating capacity of Sin Lee is quite limited. We really like the raw, industrial feeling of the bricked walls and concrete floors. The wooden furniture, black furnishing and warm filament bulbs complement by creating a warm and cozy touch to the whole cafe.

Interior of the cafe

Interior of the cafe

We tried the Flat white which was very aromatic and smooth. The cafe art looked kind of abstract though. The prices of the drinks were quite standard cafe prices ranging from about $5.50 onwards. They have iced versions for those who prefer something cold.

Flat White

We tried the Raspberry Lemonade as well. It was a fizzy version and the raspberry flavour was syrup. I would love it better if they had used fresh raspberries instead. Nevertheless, it was a refreshing drink. Well, I guess, I will probably stick to iced coffee in future.

Raspberry Lemonade

Boneless Fried Chicken with Cheddar Waffle was our choice for the afternoon. As it was for our tea break, we decided to share the main. The chicken was really juicy and tender. The batter was not too thick and complemented with the chicken well. We loved the texture of the waffle, which we hypothesised was due to the addition of cheddar. 

We felt the price was a little steep though, priced at $21.90. I personally preferred the waffles on its own rather than eating it with the melted butter maple syrup.

Fried Chicken and Waffle

 As we were there on a weekday afternoon, there weren't many patrons. However, we would expect there to be a crowd on weekends. They have alfresco outdoor seating area that could accommodate more people. I guess on these days when the weather is so sweltering hot, I would prefer to sit indoors.

Overall, we feel that the price of food in Sin Lee is quite steep. The food quality is good but, we are still undecided whether it is worth the price.

Outdoors Dining Area

Do look out for more of our posts on other new cafes! 

Sin Lee Foods

Blk 4 Jalan Bukit Ho Swee

#01-164

Singapore 162004

6377 3170

Opening hours: 

Tues-Sun 10am-9pm

Cheers, 

Y