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For pictures and full review, pls visit:http://madamechewy.com/2015/06/27/the-dispensary/We visited The Dispensary during lunchtime on a Saturday and were surprised how quiet it was. We welcomed this scene; after a tiring work week, all we want for the weekend is peace and yummy food, without having to hustle for it.Occupying the shop house of an abandoned Chinese Medical Hall, the bakery cafe preserves traditions by using antique-looking items as decorations. It stops there though. Food and bev
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For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2015/06/27/the-dispensary/

We visited The Dispensary during lunchtime on a Saturday and were surprised how quiet it was. We welcomed this scene; after a tiring work week, all we want for the weekend is peace and yummy food, without having to hustle for it.

Occupying the shop house of an abandoned Chinese Medical Hall, the bakery cafe preserves traditions by using antique-looking items as decorations. It stops there though. Food and beverage offerings are Western-styled.

The soup of the day, Clam Chowder ($6.50) did a good job of whetting our appetites. Served in an old-school red rooster bowl, the sweetness of calms will appeal to the most discerning palates. The accompanying toasts were presented in the same fashion, on an old-school metal plate.

The breakfast options were alright, not particularly outstanding but not unpleasant either. The eggs in the Mushroom Scramble ($14.50) were moist, but could be fluffier. I prefer the Sausage and Eggs ($14.50), featuring juicy, bouncy and flavorsome sausages.

Check out their pastas if you want to jump start your day with a carbo boost. Smoked Duck Aglio Olio is available in 3 sizes ($12.50/$16.50/$20.50) and is perfectly al dente and fragrant. It would have been better with more garlic, but nevertheless my taste buds and tummy were gratified. Alfredo Mushroom ($13.50) was creamy but not cloying, and thankfully firm, unlike the usual soggy suspects.

Presented in a dim sum basket and sprinkled with parsley, the Sweet Potato Fries ($7.90) were enticingly crispy on the outside and soft inside. We also like that it was not overly oily.

You cannot miss having desserts (served on nostalgic plastic red rooster plate), especially the Sea Salt Caramel Cheesecake ($6.50). While the portion is a little small for the price, this slice of heaven is divine and is something you’d want to eat over and over because it’s neither too sweet nor salty. The texture is light and melts in the mouth like dream. Its buttery short crust pastry is excellent too. Trust me, you won’t want to share it. And you shouldn’t.
This is the first time I’ve encountered Black Velvet Cake ($7) so had to try it despite my exploding belly. It’s essentially the same as Red Velvet, but black, rather than red. Nothing exceptional, just a decent slice of moist sponge, jazzed up with cream cheese and chocolate crunch.

Other cakes available are Chocolate Banana, Blueberry almond cheesecake, Chocolate marble cheesecake, New York cheesecake, Carrot cake and Chocolate Brownies. Cupcake options include Oreo, Nutella, Lychee, Red Velvet, Valrhona Chocolate and Sea Salt Caramel.

We washed down all the food with Iced Lemon Tea, Iced Honey Lemon ($4.50) and Iced Chocolate ($6.50). The lattermost was too diluted for my liking.

Overall, we felt that The Dispensary’s offerings average, nothing spectacular, save for the Sea Salt Caramel Cheesecake. The benches are metal chairs are not the most comfortable, hence we left immediately after finishing our food. On the plus side, The Dispensary does not have GST nor service charges.
Other Info. : Sea Salt Caramel Cheesecake, Sweet Potato Fries, Clam Chowder
(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)
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DETAILED RATING
Taste
Decor
Service
Hygiene
Value
Date of Visit
2015-05-22
Dining Method
Dine In
Spending Per Head
$26 (Lunch)
Level4
116
0
2014-01-19 77 views
The nostalgia feel of the cafe was evident in the plates used and the old traditional decor and displays. Loved how the old medical hall name on the exterior and medicine cabinets are preserved and blended into the cafe setting. The cafe is big and comfortable, great place to chill and laze at. There is free wifi too. We were there for tea and had a lychee cupcake ($3) and a carrot cake ($6). Didnt order drinks as we were still full from lunch, so just wanted to try the cakes only. Thumbs up to
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The nostalgia feel of the cafe was evident in the plates used and the old traditional decor and displays. Loved how the old medical hall name on the exterior and medicine cabinets are preserved and blended into the cafe setting. The cafe is big and comfortable, great place to chill and laze at. There is free wifi too.

We were there for tea and had a lychee cupcake ($3) and a carrot cake ($6). Didnt order drinks as we were still full from lunch, so just wanted to try the cakes only. Thumbs up to the carrot cake which is moist and rich, but it is quite a small slice. They serve lovely cupcakes... the lychee cupcake is a great choice but very small too. We saw other tables who ordered coffee and we were glad we didnt order. The coffee looked diluted and there was no coffee aroma. If I were to visit the cafe again, I think I would rather take the tea as a safe bet. The cafe uses TWG tea but selection is quite limited, only about six flavours.

Hope to see more additions to the food menu...maybe brunch menu. For the cafe is a really great place to chill at!
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(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)
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Level3
95
35
The Tiong Bahru enclave welcomes a new quirky tenant which effortlessly blends the new and the old by reviving an abandoned Chinese medical hall and turning it into a Western cafe/bakery. All cakes and cupcakes are baked in-house with prices starting at $3 for the latter and $6 for a slice of cake.The Dispensary, located along Tiong Bahru road catches the eye with its bold Chinese characters, monochrome colors and oriental touches in architecture which the owners have insisted on preserving, to
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The Tiong Bahru enclave welcomes a new quirky tenant which effortlessly blends the new and the old by reviving an abandoned Chinese medical hall and turning it into a Western cafe/bakery. All cakes and cupcakes are baked in-house with prices starting at $3 for the latter and $6 for a slice of cake.

The Dispensary, located along Tiong Bahru road catches the eye with its bold Chinese characters, monochrome colors and oriental touches in architecture which the owners have insisted on preserving, to retain its authenticity. Medicine cabinets and a traditional Chinese weighing scale are some of the antique tools still used in the cafe and many, especially the older folk can relate and reminisce about the old times while enjoying a cup of house blend from Spinelli.
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12 flavors of cupcakes are available every day with the usual favorites of Death by Oreo, Lil' Red (Red Velvet) and Lemon Meringue while new ones such as Kaya Cup, Lychee Indulgence and Violet Dream sure piqued our interests. While $3 may appear affordable for a cupcake, it is also worth noting that cupcakes here at The Dispensary are sized smaller than the regular ones from say Plain Vanilla.
Cupcake
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Savory offerings are limited with Bagels and Sandwiches. Our Smoked Salmon Bagel was hearty with generous portions of salmon slices while the bagel itself was chewy and yeasty- honestly not too bad. But taste aside, we had to admit that $8.50 for this might be a tad on the high side.
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For cakes, we tried their Ol' Fashioned Carrot Cake and was pleasantly surprised with how every bite was so moist and packed full with carrot bits. The cream cheese frosting too was not too heavy and evenly distributed. Rich and very satisfying. Other options include The New York Cheese and The Chocolate Banana.

Overall, while novelty is The Dispensary's main attraction, it seems that it is the only attraction. With neighbours such as 40 Hands, Plain Vanilla Bakery and Tiong Bahru Bakery all around the corner, The Dispensary does need to step up and offer something more to cafe hoppers in order to stay in the game.

Our bill for 2 came up to $31.80 with no service charge and GST.


For full review and photos: http://gninethree.com/2013/11/03/the-dispensary
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Death by Oreo, Lil' Red
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Smoked Salmon Bagel
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(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)
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DETAILED RATING
Taste
Decor
Service
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Date of Visit
2013-11-12
Recommended Dishes
Cupcake
Death by Oreo, Lil' Red
Smoked Salmon Bagel
  • Ol' Fashioned Carrot Cake
Level3
87
1
2013-11-04 26 views
The Nuts for Nutella is a chocolate cupcake topped with a layer of Nutella spread and macadamia nuts. Great for Nutella lovers.The Death By Oreo is also a chocolate cupcake whipped with chocolate chip cream with a mini Oreo top. If you have a sweet tooth for chocolate, I recommend ordering this.One place to visit if you feel like having cupcakes (they are open till rather late at night!)For the full review and more photos, please visit http://makanarts.com/2013/10/30/the-dispensary-69-tiong-bahr
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The Nuts for Nutella is a chocolate cupcake topped with a layer of Nutella spread and macadamia nuts. Great for Nutella lovers.
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The Death By Oreo is also a chocolate cupcake whipped with chocolate chip cream with a mini Oreo top. If you have a sweet tooth for chocolate, I recommend ordering this.
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One place to visit if you feel like having cupcakes (they are open till rather late at night!)

For the full review and more photos, please visit http://makanarts.com/2013/10/30/the-dispensary-69-tiong-bahru-road/
(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)
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Date of Visit
2013-10-26
Level4
129
4
2013-10-20 24 views
Part of the Tiong Bahru Series at RoundTumTums.comLocated along the main Tiong Bahru road, The Dispensary is a place which is hard to miss! In one of my cafe hopping expeditions, I visited them after hearing rave reviews about the coffee and cakes at the place.Renovated to retain the old Tiong Bahru charms, the cafe had loads of antique furniture, pottery, shelving and posters.Moist with a strong spice and cinnamon flavor, the cake definitely hits the spot! It is a huge slice, so it is great for
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Part of the Tiong Bahru Series at RoundTumTums.com

Located along the main Tiong Bahru road, The Dispensary is a place which is hard to miss! In one of my cafe hopping expeditions, I visited them after hearing rave reviews about the coffee and cakes at the place.
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Renovated to retain the old Tiong Bahru charms, the cafe had loads of antique furniture, pottery, shelving and posters.
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Moist with a strong spice and cinnamon flavor, the cake definitely hits the spot! It is a huge slice, so it is great for sharing. The cream cheese frosting is a little thick, so it gets a little “jelat” after eating. But no worries, you can always scrap it off!

Mocha is also know as chocolate coffee, but this one was a little overkill with the amount of chocolate that it become hot chocolate. The latte came a little thin as well.The one thing that disappointed us was how the cups were served in paper disposable cups. After paying for good coffee with beautiful cafe art, these one came through to us as bland, uninteresting and lacking in effort.

Head over to RoundTumTums.com for more foodie updates!

(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)
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Level4
103
6
A modern black and white theme cafe with a nostalgic touch.Simply love the ambience here, it made u feel so peaceful,relaxed and happy. On top of that, the staff here are very friendly and nice.Definitely a good place to spend your afternoon away with a premium cup of TWG tea and a slice of sweet treat.I had a cup of TWG tea ($4.80) and a lil' red cupcake ($3). Love the selection of tea here as they are all from the premium selection thus giving you the ultimate enjoyment of having tea.If there
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A modern black and white theme cafe with a nostalgic touch.Simply love the ambience here, it made u feel so peaceful,relaxed and happy. On top of that, the staff here are very friendly and nice.Definitely a good place to spend your afternoon away with a premium cup of TWG tea and a slice of sweet treat.
I had a cup of TWG tea ($4.80) and a lil' red cupcake ($3). Love the selection of tea here as they are all from the premium selection thus giving you the ultimate enjoyment of having tea.If there is a complain,it would be they are using plastic cutlery =(
As for the cupcake,it was moist and dense.I like the fact that it doesn't taste dry as compare to many of the cupcakes outside
For more food reviews,do visit my blog at htpp://hannahchia.tumblr.com
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(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)
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DETAILED RATING
Taste
Decor
Service
Hygiene
Value
Spending Per Head
$8
Recommended Dishes
  • cupcakes
Level2
11
1
2013-10-01 35 views
My late grandfather owned a dispensary and as a little girl the only recollections of it were his specially concocted bottles of calamine lotion and cold tar that would calm any raging bout of rashes. Medicinal smelling premises and toddlers or even kids does not reconcile and I regret never once stepping foot into it. The Dispensary is a refurbished cafe retaining most of its previous charm - a dispensary complete with lovely touches like wooden chests and even the signboard.Riding on the whole
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My late grandfather owned a dispensary and as a little girl the only recollections of it were his specially concocted bottles of calamine lotion and cold tar that would calm any raging bout of rashes. Medicinal smelling premises and toddlers or even kids does not reconcile and I regret never once stepping foot into it.

The Dispensary is a refurbished cafe retaining most of its previous charm - a dispensary complete with lovely touches like wooden chests and even the signboard.

Riding on the whole nostalgic theme that most of these cafes and nook and cranny shops have popped up along Tiong Bahru have adopted, I can only welcome them with open arms.

Red Velvet Cupcake ($3)

I was eyeing the red velvet cake but it was sold out so I made do with the cupcake version. Texture is amazingly moist and a tad sweet but the cream cheese frosting had a queer shortening texture. Not the red velvet to have in my last meal but I do look forward to its other cakes.

Iced Americano

Caffeine addict did not mention much here, mediocre at best.

Out we snuck from the backdoor and down the dark alleys of this beautiful gem of a neighbourhood. How I wish my grandfather had some foresight to save us some history but at least I have step foot on a dispensary before!

Full review and photos up at: http://www.thefoodchapter.blogspot.sg/2013/09/the-dispensary-tiong-bahru.html
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(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)
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Date of Visit
2013-09-20