Togi Korean Restaurant is located at Tripleone@Somerset and this is its second branch in Singapore, with the first one located at 11 Mosque Street, around Chinatown. I was in town and googled for affordable korean food, and this showed up on my list, so my mum and I decided to give it a try.

The restaurant has a comfortable dining atmosphere, and coupled with the decor, it really feels like dining in korea. I loved the somewhat casual and warm atmosphere of small-medium eateries that I visited while I was in Korea, and Togi offered that vibe here.

The restaurant was filled on the Saturday evening we visited, and there were a few big groups enjoying the korean bbq. The menu was sufficient in variety, comprising of the usual korean fare- Korean Bbq meats ala carte, pancakes, soups and rice (think bibimbap and bulgogi with rice). 반찬: Bean sprouts Kimchi, Fishcake slices, potato salad, tuna with peas with mixed vegetables, marinated anchovies and kimchi.

The 반찬 (banchan - small portions of side dishes commonly served with korean food) was served to us after we placed our order. Especially memorable was the flavourful porridge(seafood with carrot bits), potato salad and bean sprouts kimchi. The porridge, with the seafood flavor, was sweet and refreshing to the palate, and tasted really wholesome with nutritious goodness. The kimchi wasn't that much to my liking though. It tasted a little too mild. I like my kimchi with the sour tang and crunchy bite. The refill of the banchan was gladly given- all you have to do is ask. Just the banchan alone, especially the porridge, is enough reason for another visit. Banchan - Seafood porridge. As you can see, I already took a mouthful of it because it looked enticing and tasted superb.

Service-wise, it was hard at times to get the attention of the servers, perhaps because we were sitting right at the corner of the restaurant.

The Kimchi pancake with seafood ($12) was crispy on the outside, and fluffy on the inside with a generous serving of squid. My only gripe is that it seemed a little too oily, and the taste of kimchi was not that obvious. The waitress did apologise for serving it slightly imperfect in presentation, as pictured below. As for the kimchi soup with pork ($13), it came bubbling hot and hearty with ingredients such as mushrooms, a few flat rice cake pieces (tteobbokki), beancurd and of course kimchi. It was slightly more on the spicier side. A pretty good version of the kimchi jjigae among all those I have tasted thus far.The cappuccino is also affordably priced at $3 and came with a green tea biscuit. Decent coffee they have here, if the cappuccino is anything to go by.

I will likely return to try the dolsot bibimbap(korean mixed rice in a hot stone pot), and also the ala carte bbq meat which we saw so many other tables ordering. It is definitely reasonably priced and very much authentic. A good choice to go for when you are craving for korean food in town without a wish to jostle at foodcourts nor pay exorbitant prices.

For the full review, go to herpenandfork.blogspot.sg

For the full review, go to herpenandfork.blogspot.sg

We ordered 2 sets - the French Toast and Kaya Toast. The 2 sets (1 coffee, 1 tea, 2 sets of boiled eggs, 4 portions of French Toast and 4 portions (squares) of Kaya Butter Toast in total) were just right for us. The boiled eggs came looking perfect in my opinion - 2 pretty yolks wobbling and encased within a translucent layer of egg white, just like the way boiled eggs should be. I am not a fan of boiled eggs, but I tried a little of mum's and I must say the texture was great. Half-boiled eggs lovers will definitely not be disappointed with Ya Kun's version. They got the technique down pat, a quick peek at the consistency of the eggs at other tables proved it.

The teh siew dai (tea with less sugar) hit the spot for me. Just the right level of sweetness. I didn't try the kopi (coffee), but my parents both said it was good.

Now for the Kaya Toast. It came warm and toasted crispy. The kaya and generous portion of butter complemented well and were evenly spread for all four pieces. Definitely lived up to its name, though I must say there are times when they do fail to deliver if you are unlucky. Ya Kun French Toast 

As for the French Toast, it came lukewarm. The toast was portioned into 8 cubes so it was easy to handle, along with a side of kaya served separately. Sadly, the French Toast was underwhelming. There was no eggy flavor or any fragrance to it, and only the 'prints' on the bread and slight sogginess gave a hint that it should be French Toast.

Service-wise, this branch tends to be slow at clearing the tables. On the few occasions I have came, there are always cups and plates stacked on the tables waiting to be cleared. The cleanliness also needs to be improved. 

Visit for the signature kaya toast. If you want a better environment though, it would be good to go for the other branches.

Read herpenandfork.blogspot.sg for the full review

Pita Pan is positioned as a fast service Mediterranean meatless eatery, letting you get your fix of pitas and falafels in a fuss-free manner. The eatery's main sell is their pita pockets, which you can customise according to your preferences. The pitas are filled in front of you as you choose from the selections at the bar, which ranges from chickpea hummus to vegetables such as beetroot, along with any sauce(s) you like. I was excited about visiting this, as this marked the first time I would be trying Mediterranean food. We ordered the Red Shakshuka, which is the next must-try item aside from the pita, and topped it up with Feta Cheese at an extra $1. Shakshuka is a common Mediterranean breakfast dish that has eggs poached in a sauce made of tomato, peppers and other spices. It came along with a pita pocket on the side to dip into the dish. The taste of the sauce is similar to the traditional pasta bolognese sauce, with a hint of other flavours that comes with the other spices incorporated, but mostly tomato. It is appetising,as any tomato-based sauce would be. The Feta cheese was a nice contrast to the slightly-sour sauce and I would recommend you to add it in. There are other types of Shakshuka (White- feta cheese in place of eggs, Green - spinach as replacement) which you may be interested in ordering.Red Shakshuka - $11.90

We also ordered the Sabich, which is one of their pita pocket offerings. The Sabich came with your choice of salad, hummus, eggplant and tahini (ground sesame paste) with tangy Amba (spiced mango sauce). The pocket was filled to the brim and what I liked was how the sauce gave it a zesty flavour. Sabich- $11.90

In our excitement to order, we forgot that the Sabich did not include Falafel (deep fried ground chickpea patties) balls. Going to Pita Pan without trying the Falafel, especially since it was our first time eating Mediterranean, was unacceptable. So, we ordered the Full Pocket Meal to share and takeaway for dinner. I really liked the falafel. Though it was cold by dinner time, the entire thing still tasted absolutely delicious with the mix of flavours. The usage of spices to create the mix of flavour is similar to that of Indian cuisine, albeit using different spices.

Definitely a choice that is healthy, since it is fully vegetarian (but whether it is low in calorie count may be another separate matter given how spiced sauces are known to pack calories). The convenience of it all is a bonus as well. Service-wise, the staff could be a little more helpful with pointing us to the self-service counter and getting us glasses of water. It is worth a try, but otherwise, for the price and open setting, it might not be something you would want to go for often unless you are an avid Mediterranean food lover. Even then, there are plenty of restaurants around town where the fare can be had for the same price point in a better setting.

Located at a central location yet still remaining pretty much hidden, this bakery bistro bar serves quite a variety of items on its menu. It has brunch items such as Eggs Benedict and mains that include sandwiches and pizzas. I came to this place as part of a restaurant-hunting activity that my school organised. First up was the bread-tasting platter. Artisan Bread Basket with marmalade, jam and butter.

The breads here are provided by head baker Audrey Tan from Freshly Baked at Killiney Road (which I have yet to but will visit one day). You can never go wrong with the simple bread and butter, but the marmalade and jam here provides an alternative if you want a different taste. Me being the carbs-lover me, I tried the bread with a bit of each. The rustic quality of the breads also appealed to me. For those with a smaller appetite though, it is best to share with a friend so that you have space for the entrees and dessert.

The restaurant's Hot Reuben is one of the highly-recommended items on the menu from my research. For the uninitiated, Hot Reuben is apparently a sandwich consisting of the 'standard' make-up of corned beef, swiss cheese, Russian dressing and sauerkraut (fermented cabbage). The saltiness of the corned beef coupled with the melted cheese makes it a very savory dish and very filling as the portion size was big. The bread used here is the Asahi Kuronama beer bread.Hot Reuben - $18

My friend ordered their Spicy Huevos Benedict. What differentiated this from your usual Eggs Benedict is the inclusion of spanish jalapenos peppers and Spanish chorizo (pork sausage smoked with red peppers), which added a zing of spicy to the dish. The eggs were poached rightly, with the yolks flowing out smoothly when cut. The flavor of the chorizo added a different dimension to the dish, though I must say the taste of the chorizo may need to be acquired for some people who haven't tried it before. The texture of the chorizo came across as rubbery and took us a little more effort chewing.Spicy Huevos Benedict - $20

Our choices for dessert were the Pear Cheddar Crumble and Brownie Parfait. The Pear Cheddar crumble is a good blend of sweet (pear) and salty (cheddar crumble) that was made all the better by the warmth of the crumble contrasted with the cold of the ice-cream.The dessert could do with a little less pear though. This is my preferred out of the 2 desserts.Pear Cheddar Crumble - $9

The Brownie Parfait came with a salted caramel sauce, caramelised cornflakes and peanuts. A choice that would go with chocolate and salted caramel lovers.Brownie Parfait - $10

Nestled along Prinsep Street, a little walk further down from Selegie Center is artsy cafe Cups n Canvas. The place is located within walking distance of SMU/SOTA/NAFA, which makes it a good place for students to relax for the afternoon. The cafe also has wifi and there are power points available, though limited. Prices here for the food are in the 10s range, while drinks are in the standard cafe range ($4-$7+).The menu also offers a good variety of coffees and there are the western mains alongside an all-day breakfast menu (not available 12-2pm on weekdays).Sweet Potato Latte ($4.80)

The purple sweet potato latte is one of the cafe's signatures. Milky, with sweet potato bits and a pretty purple colour, the drink is just the right sweetness. The sweet potato flavour is evident in a subtle manner, but personally, I found it a bit too milky. Full of sweet potato flavour, but also subdued because of the mild nature of the flavour. It is definitely worth a try though, especially for goguma lovers.Latte and Mocha

The coffees here are on par with most other cafes' standards too.Eggs Ben-Addict

We went with the Eggs Ben-Addict on Bagel for all-day breakfast. 1 yolk was done right, while the other was slightly overcooked. Nevertheless, this was up to par in flavour and the bagel had a sufficiently soft interior to mop up the yolk.Grilled Fish with wedges and sauteed mushrooms

From the mains, the grilled fish served with crisp wedges and sauteed mushrooms was not bad. The accompanying sauce made it slightly more interesting. Though why there is that straight orange thing sticking out, I am not sure nor know what it is.

The staff are also friendly too. They greeted warmly on both occasions that I visited. This is one more of those cafes that is more than its hipster facade, with food that can match up to its hip factor. The same can hardly be said for a good lot of the newer joints that have sprouted up recently. Despite the competitive cafe scene, Cups n Canvas has withstood the test so far and rightly so.

For the full review, read http://herpenandfork.blogspot.sg/2014/11/cups-n-canvas-brunch-and-coffee-in.html