Previously known as Skvye Elementary Bistro & Bar, they have since re-branded themselves, did a deed poll, and now known as Skyve Wine Bistro. They thought it apt, since they hold over 70 wine labels in their cellar. I couldn’t agree more. From red wine to white wine, to champagne, you can get what floats your boat from just $49. Available in both by the glass and bottle.Owned by Celine Tan, the restaurant kitchen is now helmed by previously Sous Chef of Hummerstons Restaurant, Jachin Tan. A Graduate from the esteemed and prestigious Le Cordon Bleu in California, the Executive Chef’s works have influences from America and Australia, while still retaining nuances of Asian flavors.
This power-packed family-pair has further kicked its standard a notch higher.Management-wise, I have to salute Celine Tan for her well-thought out arrangement. The alfresco area proves best to be for early morning breakfast and brunch. Brunch is served on weekends and Public Holidays, 10am – 4pm. I can see myself dropping by very soon for my favorite meal of the day.

Further, it is also best to sit back, relax and be surrounded by the brief foliage when the sun sets. Skiving Skyving hours are from 4pm – 11pm from Sunday – Tuesday, and 4pm – 8pm from Wednesday – Saturday.If drinking outdoors aren’t your mug of beer, its chic interior with primarily black and red furnishings might interest you instead. It is also the spot to just wind down and listen to live music performances every Wednesday from 7.30pm – 10.30pm and every Friday 9pm – 12am.For me, I had my dinner here. A more proper table + chair for dining, if you don’t like to be in a constantly forward-leaning position, what you get when in a sunk-in cushioned seat.The Sleeping Oysters: I usually wouldn’t describe oysters like this, but I have to say the ones here are well-fed; they are fat and juicy. Save for the plain and original ones which is priced at $28 before taxes, the rest of the creations are at $34 before taxes for half a dozen. The variety changes with season, and are available daily from 6pm – 10.30pm. From the ascending order of intensity:

Chilean ($34++) is one of my favorites – with serrano, lime juice, red wine vinegar and cilantro, it went exceptionally well with the smell of ocean and taste of salt.

Kilpatrick ($34++), on the other hand, with lardon of bacon, worcestershire (vinegar, soy sauce and spices) and chives wasn’t to my liking. Though its sauce was easygoing, I did not like that the rough texture of bacon interfered with the otherwise baby-skin smooth oysters.

I also liked the Japanese-inspired Mentaiyaki ($34++): mentaiko, ebiko, lemon juice and aioli. I already foresee more ‘oooohh yes’es for this.Petuna & Ume Somen ($20++): Prepared most ideally as ‘medium-rare’, the Petuna was the star of the dish. It was moist and non-flaky, not did not crumble with the softest touch. You can undoubtedly taste its freshness with its light dressing of chili sesame yuzu dressing. However, the pairing with Ume Somen wasn’t my favorite. The thin Japanese noodles came a little too sticky-to-the-teeth for me.Skyve Beef Tartare ($22++): Made of mostly raw beef, truffle egg yolk, and cilantro (also known as coriander), with sprinkles of thyme sea salt and ancho chili aioli, I would strongly recommend this orgasmic appetizer to start your night. Just imagine, beef without the strong gamey flavor, egg yolk, and truffle (TRUFFLE!), subtle but sufficient to taste its presence with each mouthful. I was savoring every last bit of it. I also like that the thyme sea salt was at our mercy – however much we like it, we add it. It being sea salt makes it fresher-tasting.

When mashed all together, you can serve it up with the given flat bread.Sous Vide Poulet ($34++): Thanks to it being prepared by way of Sous Vide, the moisture retains very successfully. It was also a more intriguing poulet dish than usual because of its apricot-base sauce glaze, accompanied with candied pecans (good pairing), and pommes (potato) puree. A more than decent option – one I would ask for you to go for if you are lost on which to choose.Spicy Kalbi Beef Short Ribs ($36++): Showing its Korean influences, the Chef had the Ribs glazed with Spicy Kalbi. While the meat was soft yet with a bite (similarly, Sous Vide style), I wasn’t quite a fan of the glaze – yes to the spicy part, but no to the slightly overly sweet part. The meaty taste was overshadowed by it.Mango & Cheese Semifreddo ($12++): We were advised to eat top down for the right flavors to sink in. Semifreddo means that it is a class of semi-frozen dessert. From the frozen lime foam, to the mango, rippled frozen mousse and sablee cookies, each part does its part brilliantly and they leave you wanting for more. It is one well-balanced sweet + tinge of sourness after meal. Plus, it being cold is refreshing. Hands down, the better of the two desserts we had.Snickers Bar ($12++): Not your expected Snickers Bar, eh? Skyve has a take of their own, composed with distinct layers of salted caramel pudding, peanut butter, and chocolate ganache feuilletine, While there wasn’t anything done wrong here, it didn’t portray a big picture all in all. The flavors worked well independently but not interdependently. It is accompanied with flambed bananas and vanilla gelato.

Skyve Wine Bistro is definitely a spot you need to check out if you haven’t already. It was on my ‘Temptations‘ for the longest time before, and I’m glad I’ve had it checked now. A very apt place for all occasions – chilling, birthday parties, brunch, dinner, wine. If you are intending to head down to Skyve for brunch some day, give me a holla’ and I’ll definitely join you.

And psst. Which restaurant has their own phone app? Search ‘Skyve’ for their very own Skyve App on your Play Store / App Store. In case you have trouble locating Skyve, this app helps palliate your pain of searching for the restaurant.

When they say this Paradise Group restaurant has a grand alluring ambience, they mean it. Just before dusk, photo-taking was still manageable, thankfully. Decked with both warm and luxurious colors of brown and majestic golden, the restaurant emphasizes its cuisine as Northern and Southern Chinese food. It is also most known for its famed 8 pieces of Xiao Long Bao, advised to be eaten in sequence.Paradise Dynasty, unlike many other Chinese Restaurants, only offers (refillable) Pu Er Tea ($1.20++). What is a Chinese meal without a pot (or two) of brewed tea right. We went for it without hesitation. Don’t expect much though, the tea was a let down as the flavors did not quite escape the tea leaves used. It was relatively bland.Mixed Dumpling (8 pieces) ($14.60++): Considering the hype (with hype comes inflation of prices) and the ingredients present in some of the Xiao Long Bao, I thought it was fairly priced. It is recommended to eat in sequence so as to tickle your taste bud from the lightest to heaviest flavored ones: Original, Ginseng, Foie Gras, Black Truffle, Cheesy, Crab Roe, Garlic, Sze Chuan. If you are the more choosy eater and would rather zoom into a specific one, I highly recommend you go for its Black Truffle and the Sze Chuan Xiao Long Bao. They are both piquant and mouth-watering, leaving you wanting more.Cold Salted Duck Slice ($8.80++): Duck breast, duck slices, especially when they are made as an appetizer, I wouldn’t let it slip my grasp. This would do better with just a slightly stronger flavor. Otherwise, it’s ordinary.Shanghai Pork Bun (3 pieces) ($4.50++): I don’t usually eat Pork Buns like this, but I was pleasantly surprised with their rendition. The bun is comparatively thin, fluffy and soft, thus not stealing the limelight of the pork. Further, its lightly charred bottom gives more dimension to the dish.Drunken Chicken ($8.80++): With it coming with a strong liquor-flavored meat, you wouldn’t feel like you are being shortchanged. Good quality and adequate deep flavor.Braised Pork Belly ($14.80++): I’m glad the sauce took a step back and did not add the saltiness to the already salted Pork Belly. The chunks of meat were pretty easy to bite off. Fatty portion doesn’t feel all too sinful for me. But of course I’m not one who cares. I can drink some oil as well.Shanghai Fried Rice ($10.80++): About 5 – 6 small bowls makes up the mother plate. It’s a staple worth ordering. Fragrant and considerably intense in flavors. I’d pay a little more for this than to choke on plain rice.Poached Slice Fish (Szechuan Style) ($20.80++): In simple, it’s dunked in mala sauce. If you aren’t familiar with this well-known local sauce, it’s one that is oily, spicy and numbing – all at the same time. And you ought to be aware that they aren’t reserved at all. It really is, oily, spicy and numbing. But I loved it. The fishes were poached to perfection – soft but still with volume and bite. Generous portion, enough to feed 4.Sautéed French Beans with Minced Pork ($11.80++): It isn’t all too bad, but I felt it was rather salty; nothing to scream about.Stir-fried Slice Beef ($18++): No, after stir-frying with the chinese ingredients, it doesn’t have any remaining gamey taste. The slices were thick enough to feel a bite, and that didn’t hinder the tenderness of it. Very enjoyable to semi-chew on them, but not of must-order standard.

As with restaurants of similar cuisines, when dishes start coming, they come like non-stop hits. Service was prompt, though nothing on a personal level. A more than decent Chinese Restaurant I would recommend. I had thought it’d be pricier than this. Guess it’s our gain. Be sure to head there earlier if you do not wish to queue. Plus, everyone has to be present before you’re allowed in.v

Note #1: Bills are to be paid at the Counter near the entrance.

I haven’t had Spizza’s Pizza until early this year. That was my first go at it, and it was love at first taste. By far, it’s my Favorite Pizza in Singapore. I think the specifics of the toppings aren’t that much of an importance for a Pizza review, since there is such a wide range of toppings available, and individual preference counts for a lot in choosing one. Notwithstanding that, I will still be going through in brief details what I had.

I have been frequenting the Club Street outlet (since it’s so near to my workplace). And lately, they have an ongoing promotion of $10 for a treat of 10-inch pizza (8 slices). It is going on indefinitely. Only valid from Mondays – Thursdays, 12pm – 2.30pm though. If you are working in that area, please do drop by. You can have a filling meal for less than $10, at a restaurant, air-conditioned, and satisfied.In general, I guess the reasons why I love Spizza’s Pizzas are (1) its crust being just the right thickness – one that is not too crispy and thin that you can’t taste a thing, and not too thick to battle its taste with the toppings, and that (2) the toppings are very much flavorful, not too overpowering, but adequate for a party in your mouth. Further, they have a nicely decorated and furnished restaurant to dine-in. Psh, that spells W-I-N in capital letters.Quinta: Tomato, Mozzarella, Egg with Black Truffle Paste. While it looks and sounds promising, it fell short a little. I thought the combination of toppings is quite a given awesomeness, but the Black Truffle kind of spoiled it a bit. Maybe because it was black truffle, and not a top quality one, it was towards the smelly side more than the indulgently pungent smell, if you know what I mean, you know, with truffles.Ursula: This beauty, topped with Spinach, Smoked Salmon and Capers, one the other hand, is the hot favorite. This is a close-my-eyes-and-order piece of pizza. The chunks of mascarpone complements the smoked salmon so well it is like they were made for each other.Olivia: For a simple pizza with Salami and Fresh Chili, it was quite a surprise I love it quite a lot. Simply because it’s generally different in taste in comparison with most of its other counterparts. It’s salty, yet quite the spicy. Two of my favorite tastes. It not being complicated also means that you can distinctively taste the toppings.Franca: With Porcini Mushrooms and Pancetta Bacon, it can’t go too wrong, can it? It is probably the best bet for a conservative eater.Calamari ($13++): Though it can’t beat Marche’s Calamari, it is not too bad either. My colleagues absolutely loved it (almost to the level of the Ursula Pizza), but I thought it was only alright. My take is that it can be too reliant on the sauce provided.

Without the promotion, a Medium-sized Pizza (featured in the blog) costs from $16 – $20 and a Large-sized one costs from $20 – $24. They also offer Dessert Pizzas, though limited (Nutella based, and Peach Jam based). I’ve personally had my hands on the former, and I loved it. Though not comparable to the one at Max Brenner Chocolate Bar, it is still enough for the chocolate cravings.

Well of course, they do delivery as well.
Spizza is not halal.

I do not have memory of how I chanced upon this French cafe-restaurant, but I’m glad I did. Hediard Cafe-Restaurant @ Tudor Court was completely off my radar and I had never heard of it before stumbling across it. It offers Breakfast items until 11.30am on weekdays and 2.30pm on weekends and public holidays. It’s in a perfect location, in my opinion. Tudor Court, away from the main crowd, walkable distance from Orchard MRT (near Tanglin Mall) and no stress on where to go after the brunch – Orchard Road, duh!Hediard Breakfast Set ($19++): Granted, it is not the most filling breakfast set ever, it was a pleasure savoring each item off the set. Given a choice between (a) Madeleine Blend Coffee, Hediard Blend Tea, and Hot Chocolate, I had to go with the latter. And that was possibly the best beverage decision I’ve made in forever. I’ve never looked back since (/drama) – it’s by far, the Best Hot Chocolate I’ve had in my life. And that counts for a lot. It’s ridiculously thick and flavorful, but not the overly-cloying kind. You can almost taste the solid chocolate in the hot beverage – it is that good. If you’re here, forgo whatever other drinks that entice you, dive straight for this without fail. The Set also includes (b) Orange Juice, (c) a choice of Croissant / Chocolate Croissant / Brioche, (d) toasted bread and butter with a jar of honey and homemade jam each, and (e) a choice of fried egg / soft-boiled egg / hard-boiled egg. I opted for Chocolate Croissant and it was the ordinary-good standard. The toast, on the other hand, was nothing impressive and much forgettable.Caesar Salad with Smoked Salmon, Hard-boiled Egg and Bacon ($29++): Don’t be alarmed. The salad itself only costs $14++, while additional top ups of 3 slice of Bacon is $4++, 30g of Norwegian Smoked Salmon $9++ and the Hard-boiled Egg $2++. I’d recommend getting the Salad + Smoked Salmon. That would suffice. I don’t usually comment much on salads (because how yummy can they be right), but I thought their salad dressing was exceptionally complementary to the salad, and later with the Smoked Salmon. A possible option for a light meal.Eggs Norwegian ($19++): Its rendition of poached eggs met the market standard. The yolks were flowy, hollandaise sauce average. The toasts might seem a little too tough at first, but with the help of the runny eggs, it’ll soften up and you’re ready to finish the course.Macarons (6) ($15++): Hediard Cafe-Restaurant only sells macarons by plates of 6. That makes it $2.50++ a pop. What is exceptional here is that, there are 30 flavors available for selection. From the usual suspects to the rare sights like Gingerbread, Walnut, Ginger, Lavender & Apricot, Lemongrass and Calamansi just to name a few. You will literally be spoiled for choices and might take a while to come to a decision. However, be warned that by right, you will not be given a choice for the selection of flavors. Randomly, 3 ‘fruit’ and 3 ‘normal flavored’ macarons will be put on plate for you. You can try asking though. Anyway, the macarons are above average. The macaron shells are semi-hard (which I like), and the flavors are more or less distinctive.

The Cafe-Restaurant was full, filled by expats. We noticed that we were the only locals dining there. Though it’s not a very well-known place to locals, it sure is to the expats. So do make a reservation before heading down. It’s not too hard, you get an immediate booking here.

I’d be sure to head back. Not so much for a hearty brunch, but for its ambience, for a get-away, and for a ohmygod good Classic Hot Chocolate (can otherwise be ordered at $7++).

Thoughtfully adorned and decked with memories-evoking memorabilia and vintage posters, complete with those aged Chinese songs you would know even without much introduction, if you still aren’t feeling nostalgic, you should start doubting your humanity.Newly minted 3 months ago, Dong Po Colonial Cafe boasts its authenticity and uniqueness most. Kelvin and Albert, the owners and bakers of this family-run business are here to save what remains of the Hainanese-Western confectionary. I’m glad. I’m a Hainanese myself. Three generations ago, Kelvin’s great granduncle had learned the baking from a French Pastry Chef. And then, it was out of the norm, what with Singapore being under the British Colony for quite some while – most were students of the British chefs. The recipes, kept till the 21st century from the 1950s – 1960s, are today, followed quite faithfully, save for a couple of tweaking all for the best.

It is a very simple and casual cafe. It’s self-service order, but if items require you to wait out, you will be served once they are prepared.Bostock ($2.40) / Peanut Butter Toast (2 Slices) ($2): My dining partner and I went order-crazy and had our bill totaled to about $25 at the end of the day. I admit, I was the culprit placing most of the orders. I mean, they are all so cheap and enticing. The Bostock was the star of the night. Bostock is an Almond Cream French Toast. Their rendition was perfected with the right intensity of caramelized syrup and sweetness. It is not the richest pastry used, but good enough for me. With Bostock right beside it, the Peanut Butter Toast paled in comparison as it’s relatively more ordinary.Scone with Apple Aloe Vera Jam (served with Kopi / Teh) ($3.30): Scones here didn’t quite make the mark. Not only was it slightly on the ‘dry’ side, a bite into it would cause the crumbs of the scone to spread and stick to your inside, making it quite hard to complete the course. The jam and cream would help a little though. I’d say skip this and go for their other (abundance of) options.2 Pastries (Almond Macaron & 3-Hole Cookie) (served with Kopi / Teh) ($4.20): No I’m not a fan of the fanciful looking hol(e)y cookie, it came off one too dry for me. But well, I’d think it’d go really well with a cup of thick coffee though – the way you are supposed to dine here, so do ready one when you are here. On the other hand, the unassuming Almond Macaron impresses in its taste more than its looks (that’s why they say your heart > appearance, so it applies to food as well). Biting through it, you can taste the sweetness, the stickiness, its crustiness, and its airiness all in one. Put them together, you can an addictive piece of dessert art. A must try.Quiche ($3.50): The Quiche isn’t as flamboyant as its other confections. That statement applies to both how it looks and how it tastes, unfortunately. Every part of it tasted ‘customary’ and nothing out of the norm.Bread & Butter Pudding ($2.80): A chunk like this off its freshly baked tray only costs that much. It is more than reasonable. Moreover, I was in luck as it was hot off the oven and the warmness, the buttery bread, the raisins, the milk and the egg in it just tasted more prominent and distinctive it was a joy with every bite. I also like that the bread is soft, moist, fluffy and not overly sweet.Dong Po has so much more to offer I couldn’t finish it. With that, I’d be sure to be back to taste its other 1950s. They have 6 different sets available, each not above $4.50 and includes a cuppa hot beverage. Hell yeah.

Whilst I haven’t teleported myself back to the past and taste how confections then are like, I can safely say I quite enjoyed my meal here (I had these for dinner). Not only is Kelvin a cheerful soul in the otherwise melancholic ambience (that always dawn upon me in a reminiscing mood), the pastries served are more ‘hits’ than ‘misses’. Further, they are indeed unique and not one you can find at Breadtalk or off the streets.

I say, bring your parents there maybe. It’d be quite an experience for them and for you.

Note #1: All prices shown are nett. No GST and Service Charge.

Note #2: Only cash payment accepted.

Note #3: Takeaways are welcomed.