Carol Mel Cafe

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Located within a few metres of Tai Seng MRT is Carol Mel Cafe. This is my third visit to the cafe and the new creations from the cafe owners is what keeps bringing me back. Starting off with this fusion appetizer.Luncheon Fries with Salted Egg $12 *Highly Recommended*The luncheon meat itself is sliced in equal thickness and then battered with flour and authentic salted egg giving each bite a satisfying crisp and crunch. Not to mention, the soft and tender luncheon meat sandwiched inbetween this irresistible batter. I just couldn't stop laying my hands on them. The slightly grainy and lumpy salted egg bits had a vivid aroma and flavour that left a tinge of spice with each mouthful. 2. Yuzu Wasabi Soy Sesame Dressing Angel Hair Pasta $18This dish was very instagram worthy with lots of pretty ingredients with naturally bright colours! This cold angel hair pasta was served with fresh tiger prawns, smoked salmon, blue shell mussel, kani leg and tobiko but usually you would get Ikura. For $18, that's alot of yummy seafood in one plate! The cold angel hair itself had the texture closer to that of wanton mee. The prawns were fresh and so was the tobiko. I really liked the crunchiness that the tobiko added to the dish, which I know would be amplified with Ikura.The dressing was unique and at the same time brought the dish to whole new level. You can definitely taste the kick from the wasabi sauce. I'm a I weakling when it comes to spicy foods and I usually shun food with wasabi in it, in fear that I might not be able to take the spiciness. However the soy sesame dressing did a great job stabilizing the taste and enhancing the flavour of the cold angel hair pasta. This was another ingenious creation of Chef Andy!3. Duck Confit $18Crispy duck leg confit served with butter mash potatoes and a side salad served with Japanese sesame dressing. The sauce for the duck was made with orange and red wine reduction. For the first time ever, I learnt how real duck confit was made. It takes about 3 hours for the duck leg to be slowly heated up in an oven, surrounded in fat. That's a lot of time, not to mention, limited oven space and also gas or electricity depending on what kind of oven you're using!The result? Really really really tender duck meat that falls right off the bone and with a bit of pan frying, the crispy duck skin is extremely satisfying in taste and texture. Definitely a a meaty and flavourful dish that would satisfy any duck cravings you might have!4. Rainbow Cheesecake $8This rainbow cheescake definitely caught my eye as I peered into the cake display at Carol Mel. This is no ordinary rainbow cheesecake. The vibrant colours each represent a distinct flavour. Red StrawberryOrange OrangeYellow LemonGreen PandanBlue BlueberriesPurple YamAll in all, this rainbow cheesecake is set to brighten up your mood and palate. Moist cheesecake texture that melts with a crumbly graham cracker base.Overall : Carol Mel Cafe offers a variety of food options all with an interesting twist. Don't be afraid to try something that you wouldn't normally order as Chef Andy would be certain to impress you with every dish that comes out of the kitchen. The cakes are just as delightful as the mains, so do remember to leave room for dessert! continue reading

Carol Mel Cafe, started 1.5 years ago in year 2014, was situated along a high competitive stretch of f & b shops at Tai Seng. Initially started off with 2 sisters, Caroline and Mel, but now Mel had left to pursue her own dreams elsewhere. Each day Carol Mel Cafe facing great competition because of their neighbours, so what made them special and how do they distinctive themselves with others? After my visit at the cafe, I concluded its their good service, positive attitude to accept negative comments and good food at reasonable prices. Carol Mel had also introduced new dishes to their dinner menu and Im in love with their desserts most. Food were mainly prepared by Chef Andy and pastries by owner, Carol, herself. For starters, we had:1• Smoked Duck Carpaccio (S$13.00)- Smoked duck, athough it's commonly seen or conveniently sold at supermarts, I still love them as a starter or meat protein in my salad. Carol Mel handled theirs by doing honey-glazed version, topped with mixed herbs and fresh greens. The marriage between sweet and savory was so yum, especially the slight charred edges around the layers of duck fats. Rating 5/52• Fusion French Mushroom Soup (S$12.00)- If you think this was just your ordinary bowl of mushroom soup, you're wrong! Power packed with 5 types of mushroom bits: Portobello, Button, Shimeji, Bunapi and Oyster mushrooms, it had all the vitamins and iron your body needs. Scoop deeper and you will find an onsen egg hidden in this pond of fungus *Wow*. Initially I thought the egg will thicken this watery soup when break but it did not. French cream, bonito flakes and herbs scattered on top did improve the savory taste when mixed. Rating 3/53• United French Onion Soup (S$12.00)- As I don't consume beef, that's why I skipped this dish. Chef told us that the soup comprises of beef extracts. Nevertheless, look at the ooOozy goozi cheese! 4• Classic Carbonara (S$15.00)- Carbonara, a common pasta dish in cheese cream base, was one of the top selling item in Carol Mel. Although Edamame was added in their version for an additional crunch, but still the spaghetti was abit soft for my liking. I preferred al dente ones. The overall dish would also taste better if the streaky bacon were pan-fried or caramelized before mixing in, to give that extra crisp texture. Rating 3/55• French Confit Du Canard (S$18.00)- Crispy duck skin was my favorite part. Meat was firm but not tough, goes really well with the "black sauce" provided. The chef named the black sauce "Prince sauce" and it tasted really appetizing with hints of red wine and orange citrus finish. The sauce definitely up the taste of the ducky! Rating 4/56• Signature Italian Braised Lamb Shank (S$26.00)- 12 hours of preparation and slow braised to obtain this yummy, flavorful piece of lamb shank. Every bite you could taste the marinates fully absorbed in the flesh. The meat was really tender, falls-off-bone easily and the best part was; it didn't had that gamey 羊骚味. The aglio olio lying behind was delicious too. I love the al dente texture of the pasta and the garlicky after taste. Rating 5/57• Signature Whimsical Waffle (S$16.00)- All of us at the table WOW when whimsical was served to us. All the elements on top made this dessert so pretty, we really can't bear to cut it at first. Waffle was topped with a scoop of salted caramel gelato, fresh fruits, torched marshmallows, cookie soil crumbles and drizzled with maple sauce. For the first time I saw kiwiberries, fresh figs on waffles! Yum yum! As for the waffle, texture was crispy on the outside but slight doughy on the inside. If you love buttermilk waffle, you definitely gotta try this.- There's something else I want to highlight. There's melted sharp cheddar cheese on top of the banana slices. Chef Andy said he love cheese a lot therefore tried out something bold in his food. These cheesy banana slices tasted unique to me yet weird at the same time. But overall, I still love this waffle creation. Rating 4/58• Carol Mel's Deconstructed Banana Split (S$15.00)- I love this interesting way of enjoying my banana split dessert! The banana fritters were so good!! Crispy, cheesy on the outside and warm inside, together with the cold gelato, it's da bomb! Keep the fried bananas coming please! 😋 Rating 5/59• Creme Brûlée (S$5.00)- Last item to end our dinner. Creme brûlée was thick and creamy yet texture wasn't smooth enough. But I still love how the brittle caramelized top interact with this eggy chilled dessert. Rating 3/5*******Nicely executed new dishes with passion and creativity. Although I felt desserts flare better than cooked food itemsbut I will come back for that yummy lamb shank. Pastries were definitely up to standard as Carol came from hotel patissier background. Cosy and non-noisy environment could let customers enjoy food in peace too! Do pay them a visit if you're near Tai Seng area, your visit won't be disappointed ********🚩Carol Mel Cafe1 Irving PlaceUnit 01-30 The Commerze @ IrvingSingapore+65 6635 5755carolmel.comMon to Thurs 11am - 8pmFri to Sat 11am - 9pmSun 9am - 4pm continue reading

Carol Mel Cafe has a distinctive black door that did not announce its name openly. By verbal pronunciation, one keeps thinking it was "Caramel Cafe", so when one locates the right spelling, it probably is a great ice-breaker, under any circumstances. It is started by two sisters, namely Caroline and Melissa, who are both chefs, therefore it gives you an idea of where the cafe derived its name from.A small but immensely cosy and intimate cafe with pretty decor, a delectable-looking array of desserts as well as interesting posters gracing the walls. We were welcomed warmly and got ourselves seated quickly because something special was about to happen.We had the best of this Whimsical Waffle, one that truly lives up to its name, teasing, taunting, caressing and soothing with all the flavours and textures incporated into one huge dessert. The base started out savoury, because it is a sea-salt waffle! Then we branch into the fruits (banana and berries) adding a touch of sweetness and tartiness to the scoops of salted caramel ice-cream, again bringing us on a taste-kaleidescope of flavours. Marshmallows on top sweetened the deal, balanced further by a thick layer of melted cheese that was a WOW factor.For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to visit:http://www.thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2015/08/afternoon-tea-at-carol-mel-cafe-tai-seng.html continue reading