Working in the Orchard shopping belt, one can be sometimes hard pressed to tread the fine line between thrift and quality food. Domani at the basement of Ngee Ann City although a shade on the pricey side, might just fit the bill.

The menu offers a substantial selection of Italian staples - appetizers, entrees and desserts. You can take your pick from soups, bruschettas or salads for starters, a choice of pasta or baked rice for your main course then finish with delectable desserts like tiramisu. At $15-20, the more economical can opt for the lunch menu which comes with soup of the day, a choice of main course from 8 options and a drink.

I ordered the Pancetta Carbonara, a slight spin on the standard Carbonara served with Shimeji mushrooms and fried pork belly, which added that salty tang to the usual creamy carbonara, making it additionally savoury. Might just leave you looking hard for more water though.

New gelato in town! And looks like the real deal - Authentic Italian Gelato right down to the pozzetto cabinets they come in.

Located at the entrance of Marina Square leading to Millenia Walk, Alfero Artisan Gelato offers the usual suspects of Italian Gelato plus a few twists off the Singaporean palette with even Durian on the menu.

Ordered a Passionfruit and a Tiramisu, both of which were as different as they come. The former was a burst of fruity zest albeit a little too sour for my liking but I loved the Tiramisu! Classic italian decadence.

Even the godfather likes it. So it definitely warrants a trial. =D

Spanish Doughnut = Churro

Now that's the kind of equation I like and understand. Personally, I had never had a churro until my trip to Australia a couple of years back, and then once more at Grubs at Bishan Park. There hasn't been any looking back since.

After all, who can say no to the delectable fried dough pastry dipped in your choice of chocolate sauces?

Spanish Doughnuts at Orchard Central caters specifically towards that niche craving with a menu featuring all kinds of churros you can think of! The open-concept layout of Spanish Doughnuts is liberating and welcoming. And while there are the standard wooden tables and chairs, plusher sitting is available along the sides of the cafe. First come first serve is law there. I was early  

Menu wise, Spanish Doughnut really kicks up the humble churro a notch. You'll have your standard plain churro fried and sprinkled in sugar icing and served with your choice of chocolate dip (White, Milk and Dark Chocolate).!Tip: Order the Choco Churritos - it's a great platter to share with bite-sized churros and all 3 chocolate dips available instead of just having to choose one!Other than the standard churro, there are those with flavoured custard fillings, and then you have the Premium Churros, each of which are painstakingly handmade. Besides having chocolate or vanilla custard filling piped into the centre, each premium churro is glazed lavishly in different coatings of flavour and texture.  Creme Brulee, Dark Chocolate Bonbon and Hazelnut are but 3 of the many premium flavours available. Unlike their "under-dressed" counterparts, some of the premium churros are served chilled to keep the external glazing in place. So the taste is pretty new.

I think Spanish Doughnuts is one of the place to hang out in the revammped area of Somerset, and heck I ca't wait for my next churro outing!

There has been any number of cafes sprouting up in all corners of Singapore, but The Cereal Pantry at Telok Blangah seemed to have found a well-loved niche for itself - Cereal!

I love cereal in the mornings. But more often than not, there's not much time to mix up a storm and on the flipside, just that single box of Koko Krunch is dry and doesn't quite make the cut for me.

This is the genius about The Cereal Pantry. With over 20 types of cereals and 21 toppings (5 of them fresh fruit), it is really up to you to let yourself go and let the tastebuds do the picking! To top it off, there's a variety of milk and yoghurt for the finishing touch. For the chocolatey and adventurous (like me), I'd suggest my own selection which I really liked: 2 cereal types - Koko Krunch and Waffle Crisp -, fresh blueberries, Malteses (chocolate-coated malt balls), lavishly drizzled with chocolate sauce with a side of milk to go with. It was not the conventional cereal breakfast for champions, but I enjoyed it a heck of a lot.

Down to the number crunching:
I had a Double Crunch (adult portion of 2 scoops) - $3, blueberries - $1.20, 2 toppings at $0.95 each and fresh milk, totalling up to $7.60. That's not including the delivery charge of $20 which applies to the overall order making my breakfast a pretty expensive one at nearly $10 a pop.

Great experience, fun and prompt delivery aside, it is really hard to get around the price point. While there are the expect "oohs and ahs" over a delightful cereal breakfast without even having to break a sweat, $10 for a box of cereal mix that didn't quite fill me up is a bit hard to justify.

Maybe I'll just give the cafe at Telok Blangah a whirl?
 

Porridge Paradise is one of the newest offerings at Bugis, along Tan Quee Lan street. At the time of my visit, the restaurant is barely 2 weeks old. And to debunk any preconceptions derived from the moniker, Porridge Paradise is so very much more than just porridge.
Star of the menu would definitely have to be the original healthy porridge creations by the chef/owner. Using only all natural and fresh ingredients, there are 3 very unique flavours to choose from:
1. Pandan and Basil (Green) with pork
2. Pumpkin (Yellow) with prawn
3. Red Yeast Rice and Ginger (Red) with chicken

Each of the key ingredients were carefully handpicked for their health properties, strengthening our body's immunity system, lowering cholesterol levels and increasing antioxidant levels in our bodies. The restaurant's signature 3C Porridge offers an opportunity to test all 3 flavours at a go, reap all 3 health benefits, at a ridiculously low price of $6.90.
This HAS to be what I call value-for-money.

I'm not really a porridge person myself, preferring to stick with the staple of Century Egg and Minced Pork Porridge usually. But the presentation and smells really won me over. I am stuck choosing between the Pumpkin and the Red Yeast Rice & Ginger for a favourite - the former for the sweet taste of the pumpkin in the broth and the inherent sweetness of the shrimp; the latter for that combination that plays out so well in the mouth, and I love how the juiciness of the shredded chicken shines through in the aftertaste.And as I was saying, it's not just porridge. Porridge Paradise offers a menu of local delights as well. Assam Fish, Curry Chicken and Prawn Paste Chicken seem to be crowd favourites, with the Curry Chicken selling out by mid-day. I was lucky enough to get the last bowl Assam Fish (small): $10
I liked the crispiness of the fried fish, but i felt the assam could have been better to complement the dish further.

 

Curry Chicken: $7
A tad pricey at $7, the curry chicken is still pretty awesome taste wise. I liked the viscosity of the curry, not to watery, and the spiciness as the curry goes down the chute gives quite the kick.Prawn Paste Chicken: $8
Fried Chicken in delectable prawn paste batter. 'Nuff said.
Lunch for our group of 3 only worked out to be $10 each for such a spread. I'd say Porridge Paradise would be worth a visit for a potential lunch option for those working around Bugis.