Only recently uncovered, Cakes Literally is yet another addition to the already booming site in Farrer Park, no less an of-standard one. I’m not complaining, because food enthusiasts like myself just can’t get enough of cafes, can we.The high contrast of colors exudes a simple yet sophisticated ambience. The pristine white urges you to sit down, unwind and have a cup of coffee and cake. Though they don’t house the most comfortable pieces of furniture, their warm hospitality and slow-dancing tunes make it all up. Run by a close-knit family, you can expect a fuss-free, rules-free kind of cafe-experience, while letting your hair down to sounds from artists like James Morrison and Colbie Caillat from their iPod (that was before a huge crowd of family, including children, came in and stole the mood away).A few words can sum up what Cakes Literally offers – Coffee, Tea, Cakes. Not the most extensive, but hey, simplicity is the way to go now in this fast-paced society, isn’t it.Latte ($4.50) :: When it’s coffee from Papa Palheta, you know it wouldn’t go wrong. Arguably the best coffee I’ve ever had, we further had another cup of Mocha ($4.80) just to fully satisfy our caffeine cravings since the brunch place we were at failed miserably. The Mocha was especially intriguing, as shaved Belgian Belcolade Dark Chocolate makes up the chocolate in the mocha. It was like in coffee heaven; high in acidity, aroma so sublime, and an overall impression that lasts.Valrhona Flourless Cake ($7.50) :: Not only is it flourless, it is also gluten-free, and 100% self-baked. + Mousse + chocolate shards + cocoa + venchi chocolate caviar in belcolade shell. I love the semi-cake semi-mousse overall texture of it, where you can still get a good bite but a soft and smooth one. For the more intense chocolate lovers, go ahead and sprinkle the cup of venchi chocolate caviar over your slice of cake. But to be honest, maybe I have a high tolerance but it wasn’t unbearable at all.Orange Almond Cake ($5.50) :: This, on the other hand, has a different texture all together. Surprisingly, I love the combination. It wasn’t as tangy as I had expected, which is good. Crushed almond is mixed in the cake itself, which I suspect gives the rough and grainy surface of the cake. While the flavor was satisfying, the texture did not quite float my boat.

I have no qualms that they will, like most small family-business, have consistent impeccable service. They’re constantly cheerful and approachable. If I am in the area, I wouldn’t think twice going through the glass door again.

Note #1: Only cash accepted.

Note #2: Prices stated are nett. No GST and service charge.

Note #3: They also sell whole-cakes.

If your impression of mouth-watering Mexican food is that of Burritos and Tacos topped with over-flowing goodness, you probably need to check MEXOUT, out. MEXOUT prides itself as one of the very, very few Mexican food bistros in Singapore. And to add to that, it is one which serves good Mexican food at very reasonable prices.Hidden in Far East Square amidst rows of cafes and bistros, its exterior does not actually scream Mexico as much as its food does. Its interior, modeled after a basement, is cozily decorated and furnished with well-adorned shelves, sofas and candle-lit tables. And this is where the fun begins.FLEXI: Having no fixed menu, MEXOUT forces the cravings out of you by allowing you to design your own Burrito, or Taco, according to how you would best like it made. Although I was a little overwhelmed initially at its variety of ingredients (which is arguably a good thing), I was able to successfully customize my own personal Burrito and Taco in just 6 short steps. You can make it a meal deal, which comes with chips and a drink, at simply $6 more.EASY: MEXOUT mainly serves the lunchtime crowd, and its Burritos, conveniently wrapped in foil, provides a quick and easy fix for people who wants to avoid the “tissue-packet” apocalypse of hawker centers. Its owner, Australia-born Marcus Jilla stresses that the bistro boosts a completely different feel during lunch and dinner. With the lights dimmed, and happy hour ongoing from 6-8pm (alcoholic drinks start from a mere $7), it will be the place to hang out with your friends.

MESSY: In my opinion, no Burrito or Taco can be considered good if the ingredients are not packed till they spill out of the wrap. And it is awesome that the people at Mexout are so generous with their portions.Chips ($5 with salsa / $6 with guacamole) & Nachos ($15): You may complement your main course with sides such as Chips & Guacamole or Nachos. The Nachos is large enough to be shared among a group of 4, and it comes topped with cheese, beans, rice, and your preferred choice of meat(s). If you would like some Mexican-styled spiciness for your Burritos, Tacos or Chips, do ask for a small plate of Salsa Picante sauce to excite your taste buds.Tacos (3 for $13): The choice of the day for me is undoubtedly the Cochinita Pibil Taco topped with Mango Pineapple Salsa dressing and Tasty Cheese. The main ingredient for this taco is Diced Pork Shoulder braised in orange juice, spices and banana leaves. And the chef has somehow managed to infuse and lock all the aromas of the spices into the pork, while still maintaining the meat’s tender chewiness. Every bite is thus a flavorful, juicy interplay with the sweet salsa sauce and cheese topping. The little amount of fats on the pork also came to accentuate the fragrance of the slow-cooked pork, making every mouthful of the taco a savory delight.Burrito (Regular, 12-inch) ($12): A Beef Barbacoa Burrito topped with Salsa Fresca dressing. The shredded beef brisket dry roasted with cumin, chili and beer went well with the slight spiciness, as well as sourness of this particular salsa sauce. We also had Char-Grilled Chicken Burrito topped with Salsa Verde dressing. The chicken was very fragrantly marinated with spices such as paprika and black pepper, but was a little dry for me however.Burrito (Mini, 8-inch) ($9): Coming in close with the above said dish of the day is the Char-Grilled Carne Asada Burrito topped with Mango Pineapple Salsa dressing and Sour Cream. We had this in mini sized (yes, Mexout provides this option for those of you just itching for a bite) and it did not disappoint. In fact, it is The Chosen Glutton’s favourite dish. Likewise, the air-flown New Zealand Flank Steak was extremely tender and well marinated in cilantro and paprika. There is also a very slight but satisfying beefy smell to the steak, and it contrasted well with the light sour cream topping.I say: Bring along a few friends if you do decide to visit Mexout. They have a nice ambience for chilling and talking, and you can make use of that opportunity to create a variety of Burritos and Tacos amongst your friends, so as to share and have a taste of all that Mexout has to offer. Be prepared also, to eat like Mexicans do, and get Mex-xy with salsa sauces dripping all over your bare hands.

Yes, they provide serviettes.

Note #1: Reservations are commonly only taken for groups of 6 or more.
Note #2: They do delivery for the nearby offices as well.

I swear, it’s a Hidden Gem.
One would never have stumbled upon this Okinawan Restaurant if not for by word of mouth. Not only is it thanks to them being located in Liang Court (a distance away from Clarke Quay MRT), they are also hidden right at a corner of the basement level. Really. But well, keeping it that way has its good – otherwise a queue might start to form and dining there would begin to be impossible. So well, just read, nod, and move on. No sharing.

Whether it’s the interior or the exterior of the restaurant, you would feel as if you were transported to just another setting all together. I love its wooden-themed concept. Not forgetting cozy, and experiencing a crash course of Okinawa, Japan (in this case, more so because I was dining with a friend who visits Japan regularly).

(A) Okinawa, located in the southern end of Japan, has its own Japanese dialect that even people from the mainland Japan might have difficulty understanding. Further, it doesn’t only have one dialect; It’s like a small China, with diverse language.
(B) They live so very healthily that the population is known as the world’s longest-lived people – having 34 centenarians per 100,000 people. Amazing. I am thus guessing that they are living quite a pure, pollution-free life, nothing like the built-up urban lives we’re living today.Okinawan Seasoned Rice Dish ($6++): Prior to the visit in this far far away restaurant, I’d read everywhere that this is the to-order dish. But really, maybe it was because of the hype, I don’t know, I don’t find this anything too special, or to die for. Granted it’s good, but not a must-try. It’s served warm, and it’s well-flavored.Pig’s Ear ($8++): This is one of my favorite dishes of the afternoon. I don’t recall seeing this listed on the menu, despite duly going through the menu in an orderly manner. I might have just left my pair of eyes at home. Nevertheless, order this, please. I love that it’s all thrown up together with cold cucumber and beansprout. The slight tinge of sourness that comes with it really cooks up a perfect appetizer to kick start the entire meal.Deep-Fried Aosa Seaweed ($12++): Not your everyday kind of seaweed (let alone fried ones), this another species of seaweed from the water bodies goes well with sea salt. If taken alone, it can be a little bland and boring. Not exactly a must-have, again, but good to have said you’ve eaten AOSA Seaweed. If people know what you’re talking about.Stir-Fried Vegetable Set ($15.30++): Complete with a bowl of Japanese rice (I love the sticky rice), this bunch of bitter gourd has proved to have taken a lot of diners’ hearts. It is relatively less bitter, though still, but has a very smooth texture and easy to eat. It tends to be easier to finish even for a non-bitter-food-taker. It’s much raved about, but let me bring down a notch for you so that you can better enjoy this course.Simmered Pork Belly ($13.80++): For only 4 pieces, it might come off as a little pricey. But if I were to go back, I would still place an order on this. You can be assured that its meat isn’t tough, isn’t too salty, and is chunky yet easy to strip off its meat horizontally. Coming from a person who loves his Pork Belly.Pork Rib Soup Noodles ($8.80++): As reflective in its price, this fell a little short. Yes, yes, the pork ribs are just fine and meaty enough, but its noodles aren’t something to yell about. Neither is its soup base. So if you’re intending for a satisfied meal with just this bowl of noodles alone, please stop thinking that.Stir-Fried Wheat Gluten ($12++): If you are new to this product, it is basically, wheat – washing the wheat flour dough with water until all its starch dissolves. I don’t even know how to put it into words, but it tastes kind of good in your mouth, a little elastic, soft, for sure, but a little dry (like the feeling you get from consuming MSG) after eating a bit too much. I wouldn’t say it’s worth the $12, but not too bad a dish to share amongst the table.

So yes. Since it’s so much of a gem, and has all the unique dishes you don’t see in other usual Japanese Restaurants, you might want to do it the way we did – order like a zi char style and share. Sharing is caring after all right. Go for it – it’s a different type of cuisine for a change, not your commonly seen Japanese sushi, hand rolls, udons, etc.

If you’ve read my review on The Rotisserie, you’d understand how much I adore Rochester Mall. This is but one of the many reviews of restaurants housed in Rochester Mall to come. After quite a long while, I’ve finally got the chance to spend my desserts-cum-chilling hours at Obolo Galéria.The dessert boutique has only 2 tables (10 seats in all) indoors, and another over 10 seats alfresco. It’s free-seating, but you will be presented with a menu. Do look at the display counter at the Cashier as well, as cross-reference. Because what you want (cakes / cupcakes / macarons) on the menu but not be available that day.Dessert Platter ($14.90++): Since each macaron costs around $2.35++, we thought it more value for money to order the Dessert Platter instead of them individually. The Macarons (Champagne & Chocolate) were not too far off from my liking. As I like my macaron shells relatively tough, Obolo would fit the bill. Except that I thought it was slightly harder than expected. In fact, their macaron shells are one of the hardest ones I’ve had. Save for that, the ganache fillings were pretty perfect. They were not overly sweet (as many would be afraid of), and the flavors were certainly sufficient. The slice of cake, we had Noisette. A very thick-chocolate-tasting cake with huge chunks of hazelnuts. Though not the best, I was contented enough. The Mövenpick Dark Chocolate Ice Cream did not disappoint. As always, Mövenpick’s Chocolate Ice Cream is amongst the best I’ve had.Lemon Meringue Tart ($6.50++): There was quite a variety for a small establishment. I’ve never been a fan of Lemon Meringue Tart. Let’s just say, this did not change my opinion of that. It was ordinary and safe-tasting for me.Limone Cupcake ($3.50++): We decided to skip the Nutella Cupcake (that is very unusual) because we already had an overdose of chocolate. To cleanse our palate, we went with the Limone Cupcake. To my surprise, I actually quite liked it. It was slightly heated up, and the smooth and easygoing texture of the cupcake base matched with the perfected degree of lemon sourness makes it so, so easy to eat. Not too bad a comfort dessert to opt for whilst there.

Location. Hit. Ambience, well, not so much, but it can be quiet and good for a chill out night. Food, pretty much a hit. And service, I was satisfied with it as well. I have no qualms on revisiting the boutique whenever I’m in the area and need a dosage or two of sweetness. I was deliberating between three or four stars (here‘s how the rating system works), and decided to go with the latter because I concluded that I will be hanging the word ‘Obolo’ around my mouth when people ask for recommendations of dessert places.

Obolo Galéria is also available at I12 Katong.

This deserted place had me travel an hour, and wait another 45 minutes (as they have a no-reservation policy) before settling down for my brunch. In general, though everything wasn’t straight up perfect, I was quite contented with the meal. Not to forget, while I was there, the haze wasn’t a companion yet, thankfully.A newborn only given birth on 1 May 2013, GRUB Singapore @ Bishan Park is, if you are familiar, opened by Mervyn Phan of Cookyn Inc, a team-building, bonding kind of programme, made available to groups of people looking for fun by way of whipping up dishes, the impromptu style. I love that it is opened in a Park, because I, for one, felt refreshed and real good being in a Park for Brunch. It felt like a vacation.Mocha ($5++): The Mocha was a top-up (additional $2.50++ only) of my below Breakfast Set. I concluded, no this is not a place for a good cup of coffee, and that’s coming from someone who isn’t all that picky with coffee. I think you’re better off with the Liberty Hot Coffee that comes with the Breakfast Set, they’re comparable.

If you so fancy, they also have quite a couple of a hand-crafted beer, and ciders, available all day. Psh, who says you can’t drink in the morning.GRUB Breakfast Set ($15++): Scrambled Eggs first. Though it’s not the uniquely creamy and smooth-textured scrambled eggs, it was good enough. It was more of the well-executed home-cooked eggs. I love the big-ass mushrooms that comes with the set. Many would disagree, but it’d have been better if there was a stronger mushroom smell. Well, it was still good. Oh, you can choose between a Beef or a Garlic Pork Sausage (nothing to yell about).French Toast ($12++): I think it was the entire presentation and combination that drew me to it. The French Toast itself was sufficiently flavored, complemented with maple syrup, sour cream and strawberries, it was pretty much perfect. A sweet sweet breakfast to kick start your day, I wouldn’t complain. Comes with Garlic Pork Sausage.Beef & Guinness Pie ($12++): Quite an interesting name, don’t you think? I thought the pie was excellent – it still remained crisp and warm despite swimming in the sauce. Again, it was the complete package that made the course enjoyable. The beef, the mashed potato, and the pie made a good team in my mouth. It isn’t entirely brunch-y, what with the overdose of carbohydrates, but it works too.Belgian Waffle with Grilled Banana, Salty Caramel & Dark Chocolate Sauce ($9++): I’m pleased that it was priced at such an affordable rate. The waffle was spot on – it was light, airy and soft, while retaining the fragrance and taste of a Belgian Waffle. As I’m a digger for both the salted caramel and chocolate sauce, I’d be happier if there was more of them. Otherwise, a must-have, and value for money dessert plate.

In all, as mentioned, I thought most of the courses were above average, but not a crazy-oh-my-god-I-must-have-it level. Prices are more than reasonable in the cafe world. Service was good too. Approachable waitpersons, and are toward the cheerful side. Thumbs up. Nevertheless, definitely worth a visit, especially if you live in the area. Please, for god’s sake, drag your ass out on a weekend morning. I promise you, you will feel good. I mean, of course, it only applies to non-hazy days.