Just Like It | ThumbsForFood

Founded in Australia, Just Like it! has spread its roots to various countries in Asia, including Singapore. I was excited to try it as I have tried N2 gelato in Sydney previously and it was pretty yummy!

 

We ordered the highly recommended Durian Durian and the Hazelnut Kit Kat flavours. The ice cream tasted pretty ordinary and the toppings were just so disappointing. Well, one thing for sure, the pricing of the ice cream was way too high. The total bill came up to $30. Luckily for us, we bought a groupon voucher so we only paid $20 for these 2 plates of ice cream.

I will not recommend this as it is really too overpriced. I had my N2 gelato in Sydney for only 8 AUD!

They should definitely work on their menu to attract more customers.

Just Like it!
Resort World Sentosa
26 Sentosa Gateway
01-201
Singapore 098269

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

Nuvo | ThumbsForFood

In the bid to search for the most value-for-money set lunch in town, we found our way to Nuvo. Nuvo is situated in Marina Square's Dining Edition. Nuvo is a contemporary Italian Restaurant that has Japanese influences. Nuvo has a slightly more open dining area, that are more large group and family friendly. They also have more private areas in the restaurant. 

Interior

Interior of restaurant

Nuvo's usual ala carte menu can be found here. The process of their usual mains range from $32 onwards, Starters at $15 onwards and sweets at $12 onwards. For the month of August, Nuvo's set lunch is priced at $15++. It seems that their prices for set lunch sometimes vary according to every month. At $15++ for set lunch, we found the deal irresistible and thus, visited the place to try out the menu.

We were served with complimentary bread and garlic butter. The bread was served warm and was absolutely comforting for the start of the meal. It had hints of rosemary and other herbs which enhanced the flavour of the bread. Additional servings are chargeable.

Complimentary Bread & Garlic Butter

The default starter is actually the Pumpkin soup seen below with a slice of candied bacon. I took a look at the August Menu and realised that the soup was changed to Baby Green Pea Soup. The Pumpkin soup was really quite good and smooth. It lifted our palate for the meal.

Pumpkin Soup

We decided to try their other starters on the menu as well. The one below is Mugi Cha Smoked Salmon, which we had to add $3 on top of the standard set lunch price. The dish is served with Wasabi Cream, Furikake (a type of Japanese rice seasoning) and Baby Spinach. It was quite delicious and refreshing. The portion was a little on the small side.

Mugi Cha Smoked Salmon

For mains, the default main is the Linguini with char-grilled pork. I see that this item might also change depending on the months. For August, it was Corn and Crab Linguini. Based on first sight, the linguini looked lifeless and bland. But, surprisingly, it tasted really flavourful and uplifting. We felt that the sauce of the linguini was done really well. The pork slices were also tender, juicy and well-marinated.

Linguini with Char-grilled pork

With an additional $4, you get to upgrade the default main course to a Cotoletta "My Way" - which is Crispy Chicken Breast, rice, Mozzarella and Japanese Curry. We thought that the chicken was done neatly. I however, did not really know how to appreciate Japanese Curry. It tasted quite good to me as it wasn't as sweet as other curry versions.

Cotoletta "My Way"

For additional of $5, you can choose their Pork Collar. We read prior to our visit that their Pork Collar was delicious. Our pork collar was grilled and topped with cheese and a handful of greens. The sauce plated alongside the pork went really well with the meat. The pork was tender and tasty. Do give it a try if you're a pork lover.

Pork Collar

For desserts, the default is their Lychee Panna Cotta. We all agreed that the Panna Cotta was one of the best we have ever eaten thus far. The texture was light, the flavour refreshing without being too thick. We could easily finish the whole bowl without any effort. The slices of fruit and mikan added tinges of sweetness to the Panna Cotta, providing it with a good balance. Definitely a recommended dessert!

Panna Cotta

For an additional $4, you can get their Black & White, which is a chocolate pie served with crumble and a dash of honey & fig ice-cream. The chocolate was really rich. For hardcore chocolate lovers, this might be the dessert for you. Personally, I felt that it was too heavy and I would prefer the Panna Cotta. 

Black & White

Overall, we felt that Nuvo's set lunch was really value-for-money because of the good quality. We would stick to the default menu the next time we are here but, feel that new patrons should definitely try their various dishes in the menu to get a good feel of the cuisine they offer. 

Nuvo

#02-100 Marina Square Shopping Mall

6 Raffles Boulevard

Sun & PH- Thu: 11am-11pm

Eve of PH: 11am-1am

Fri to Sat: 11am-1am

http://nuvo.sg/

www.facebook.com/nuvosingapore 

Cheers,
Y

Bread & Hearth | ThumsbForFood

We realise that Keong Saik Road is the up and coming area to hang out at with many new openings in the area. Quite naturally, we decided to join in the bustle and explore the area. 

Bread and Hearth is one of the new opening in the area. We have heard much about its artisan bread and bakes such as their tarts and pies. We swing by Bread & Hearth on a weekday afternoon and there wasn't many patrons in the bakery cafe. 

The sitting capacity is actually quite limited. We saw that most people takeaway their bread and actually not many dined in.  The interior is simple and fuss-free. 

The bread and bakes are displayed in the glass counters neatly. They seem to have quite a wide variety of bread. You can also taste-test their bread before deciding which you would like to buy. We weren't very impressed when tasting the bread because it was a little bit cold and lack lustre. Probably, they could warm up the samples to whet appetites. 

Variety of croissants and Bread

Tarts and bread on display

We felt the drinks menu was kind of limited. It was quite simple like either coffee or tea. Price wise, it's the usual cafe prices. I thought it would be nice to include some juices as well.

Drinks Menu

We tried their Salted Caramel Tarte. The tart wasn't too sweet but the texture was quite rich and sticky. We felt that the crust was a bit too hard. It was really quite a chore to cut through the crust and we were afraid it will fly off the plate. I would appreciate the salted caramel taste to be more prominent.

Salted Caramel Tarte

We ordered their Flat white as well. The coffee was very mediocre. We felt it was a little too watery and lack depth in flavour. Probably wouldn't recommend the coffee if you're really picky over the quality of it.

Flat White

We did not have the chance to try their bread as we were quite full that day. Will hope to pop by another time to takeaway some bread!


Bread & Hearth
18 Keong Saik Road
Singapore 089125 

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

The Lokal | Thumbsforfood

The Lokal is a newly opened cafe in June, located on Neil Road. When you step into the Lokal, the whole vibe, music and feeling of the cafe makes one feel like you're in Australia. Even the staff's greeting was "How's it going?" instead of the usual "Hello". 

Interior of cafe

To order your food, you can just proceed to the counter. The staff were very friendly and patient in recommending us their signature desserts and drinks. Food and drinks will be served to your table after ordering.

Drink and Service Counter

We were there on a weekend afternoon, after brunch hours when they were on their first few weeks of opening. Hence, it wasn't very packed. The kitchen was kind of open concept, where patrons can see the chefs cooking up dishes in the kitchen. There is also a bar top in front of the kitchen where patrons can sit and chat with the friendly chefs at work. 

Kitchen

As we were there that day for only drinks and desserts, we did not try their much raved about brunch menu. 

Some of my friends chose their bottled drinks, ginger ale and lemmy lemonade ($4 each). They were quite refreshing and suitable for a hot day.

Refreshing drinks

For those who prefer some beer to cool down, Lokal serves up draft beer. If I'm not mistaken, a pint goes for about $10-12.

Draft beer

Granny Smith Apple Juice ($6), is good for those who prefer something healthier. They have other freshly squeezed juices like orange juices, watermelon and grapefruit as well. It was really quite sour and I could tell that there wasn't any sugar syrup added in it. 

We did not try their coffee but, their coffee are from Sarnies and seems to be of quite good standard. Would love to try it next time!

Granny Smith Apple Juice

We actually ordered the Banana Bread and Berries Crumble but, was given the Sticky Date Pudding on the house as they took quite sometime to prepare the desserts. Well, it was worth the wait!

The desserts were served hot and we could smell them from our seats as they came out of the oven. First up was sticky date pudding, served with caramel and some ice-cream. I really like hot desserts actually because they warm the tummy and goes really well with ice-cream.  Wonder how they do up the sticky date pudding so well!

Sticky date pudding

The banana cake was topped with fresh caramelised banana and served with some vanilla ice-cream It was really good as well. It wasn't too sweet and complemented very well with the banana toppings on it. Will definitely order this again!

Banana Cake 

The Apple and Berries Crumble really had generous serving of berries. It was really quite sour actually and we felt it will be better with more crumble to balance off the sourness of the berries. We celebrated our friend's birthday there and they kindly wrote Happy Bday in chocolate. Such thoughtfulness!

Apple and Berries Crumble

Overall, we really enjoyed the desserts there. We would love to come back here again to try out their brunch menus and burgers! 

The Lokal
136 Neil Road Singapore 088865
Tel: +65 6423 9918
Opening Hours:
Monday to Fridays: 8am-6pm
Weekends: 10am-4pm

Cheers,
Y