Following the huge success of its first American casual dining outlet at Marina Bay Sands, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has recently opened another Beanstro amidst the bustling streets of Orchard. I used to drop by Cedele (which was later replaced by Beanstro) quite a bit for its aromatic coffee and lovely red velvet cakes, hence I was torn down in tears (exaggerating a far bit here) when news of Cedele will be replaced by this weird-sounding cafe reached me. But since what done has been done, I decided to visit Beanstro for a light brunch to see whether it lives up to Cedele's standards.
Egg Benedict is no stranger to breakfast/brunch lovers who swore by its runny egg yolks set upon a bed of bacon and English muffins, topped with a good deal of creamy hollandaise sauce. Beanstro's version (S$17.00) was disappointing. The hollandaise is extremely dry to start with - maybe it's their own version, but some things are not meant to be changed especially when it has served its good purpose all this while. Hollandaise sauce equals creamy, rich texture. Anything that falls short of that standart fails.

The salad was overpowering with balsamic vinegar, turning the lovely greens and cherry tomatoes into a pile of sour waste. Well, not every aspect of this Egg Benedict is bad, I liked how the runny egg yolks and melted cheese complement the slightly toasted bread. But again, this proves little to salvage the entire dish.
Carrot cake was quite the slice of goodness I was looking for as a pairing to their awesome Double Chocolate (S$6.50). It is much denser than Cedele's rendition, with the cream layer being sweeter (and frostier harder). As much as a sweet tooth I am, I still prefer Cedele's as it packed more carrot slices and nuts.

But trust me when I say that their Double Chocolate is awesome, it is thick, creamy, icy, chocolatey and what's not. Topped with a wallop of whipped cream, this IS the beverage for warm, sunny days. I guarantee that all of you (chocolate lovers out there) will drink till its last drop, plus chop if you want.

Will I be back? Yeah sure, probably. But I would rather try out their pastas, burgers or sandwiches the next time round. And cakes. Yeah, cakes too, with a good ol hazelnut latte probably.

Boston Seafood Shack is another venture by Creative EATeries, an attempt to replicate the vibrant and lively atmosphere of Boston's harbour, while aiming to serve hearty flavours at affordable prices. With "seafood shack" as a design theme, the natural-lighted Boston Seafood Shack is equipped with a variety of colourful beachside props, such as anchors and nets with fishes hanging everywhere.There is a reason why service charge is waived in Boston Seafood Shack. Since it is a more of a fast-food restaurant, diners have to queue up to make purchases which after you have to collect the food and utensils yourself.

The Big Seafood Platter (S$39 nett), which includes 2 fish and chips, 2 garden salads, a plate of seafood pasta and 4 drinks *SAFRA members get a complimentary bowl of Soup of the Day* was recommended to us (for a group of 4).

Their highlight lies in their Fish and chips - your choice of fish (Cod, Barramundi or Snapper) fried till the batter's golden and crispy with the flesh still soft and juicy. While it is good enough to eat it alone, adding condiments, like tobasco or tartare sauce brings this to a whole new level. Chips are good, but were plain to eat it by itself.Other than that, most of their food was kind of disappointing: The "so-called creamy" mushroom soup was watery and tasteless. Garden salad was nothing to rave, but even the ice lemon tea was bland. The seafood pasta has quite the right flavour infused in the pasta, but the pasta itself was not the least al-dente, paired with just a couple of mussel, squid rings and prawns.Most of their food items are not cheap as well, with their sandwiches and wraps costing around S$13 on average. The only reason I can see myself returning to Boston Seafood Shack is their Fish and Chips, and nothing else.

At the outskirts of Orchard Road lay Five & Dime, where drivers and passer-by find it hard to be missed with its one of a kind vintage-chic facade. Stepping into the restaurant was like entering a space of nostalgia - soft sunlight streaming through their ceiling-high glass panels, rustic wooden furniture arranged neatly on their tessellated mosaic flooring of white and black tiles, and my favourite childhood snacks (chocolate waffles and sweets, ooh~) placed inside several glass containers.Five & Dime serves one of the best brunches in Singapore with dishes, such as their highly acclaimed Eggs Benny (S$17) - an orchestra of hollandaise-drenched poached eggs set upon slices of smoked ham and toasted brioche, alongside with the complementation of breakfast potatoes, vinaigrette-tossed mesclun greens and fruit salad in a cute orange ramekin.Take comfort in their sandwiches as well, like how their classic Egg Mayo & Bacon Panini (S$12) sent oohs-and-ahhs to my buddy who devoured this in minutes. Savoury, flavourful and a burst of textures within slices of perfectly toasted panini. Oh, and it comes complete with a potato salad.One's meal is never complete without desserts. A friendly staff recommended a towering dessert of strawberries and cream set upon some crisps (can't remember name) which is sure to satisfy any sweet tooth. To be honest, not very "wow-inducing" for the hefty price though..In a nutshell, Five & Dime Eatery definitely makes it up to one of my favourite brunch places with its extensive variety of brunch and dinner dishes. Although slightly overpriced, why worry about spending a few extra bucks on an occasional splurge?

Embracing the motto "eat well, be well", Cedele advocates positive eating and attitute with healthy food crafted by artisans who uses only the finest ingredients. They also boast that no trans fats are involved in the making of their food and that all food are made from scratch. For myself, I have frequented Cedele more than a few times for their tantalizing tea time snacks (they have one of the best red velvet cakes) and as a matter of fact, I have only eaten their mains merely once before.

A quick browse through the menu, and I had decided on Beef Balsamic Mushrooms (S$24.50), which was a larger version of their Beef and Mushroom salad. The supposedly "medium" Sirloin beef stripes were slightly overcooked, and were served together with pan-glazed mushroom, potato patty and garden greens. Succulent and juicy? Yes, but it would be so much better if it was doned medium. On a side note, the crusted potato patty was pretty awesome though.Another of their signature mains, Citrus Lemon Salmon (S$22.90) - a combination of grilled salmon garnished with a splash of lemon juice, potato patty and garden greens. The salmon was a tad overcook as well, resulting in the flaky texture on the meat. Well, I still prefer my salmon with a touch of pink in the center. This dish kinda made it, but there was nothing much to rave about.All in all, Cedele is a great restaurant to sit back and watch the world passed by, with a good ol slice of velvet cake and cuppucinno. I wouldn't say that their mains are that awesome, but do give their pastries a try someday. You'll be in for a surprise.

By now, The Star Vista should be no stranger to all, especially for like-minded foodies out there - this notable, award-winning architectural landmark houses more restaurants and cafes than its size could hold. For myself, I have been making frequent trips to this particular mall trying out different eateries (it's nearby my apartment, so why not?), such as Watami, Itacho, Boston Seafood Shack and my favourite so far - District 10. Hence, when my colleagues suggested The Star Vista for boss's farewell lunch, I immediately recommended Morganfield's, and oh well, the reason is none other than I wanted to give them a try.

Situated comfortably at the edge of the mall's second storey, Morganfield's serves a wide array of American -style fare in both indoor and al-fresco dining concepts. Their signature Sticky Bones - authentic old-fashioned barbequed pork ribs have made quite a name for itself, so here we go!Chicken BLT Sandwich (S$19.90) caught my attention the moment I set eyes on the menu. A filling combination of fried chicken thigh topped with melted cheddar, honey mustard, together with BLT (bacon, lettuce and tomato) served between gigantic burger buns, makes it nothing less than a worthy burger.And the most brainless thing to do in Morganfield's is not to order their Sticky Bones. These signature prime spareribs have a sweet and tangy barbeque taste infused in their soft, succulent meat which were slow cooked over hickory wood with a hint of cider. I actually had an impacted wisdom tooth removed a few days before, and the ribs has posed little trouble, that's how tender it was. Highly recommended. It comes complete with coleslaw and french fries.For those who prefer a lighter meal (which was such a waste when their ribs were so good), Pan Fried Sea Bass or Beer-battered Fish Fillets (S$14.90) are good choices to have. Personally, I had the latter - two large slabs of dory fillets, coupled with coleslaw and fries. Soft fish meat that melts in your mouth (literally) was a plus, whereas the limp, overly-greased skin was quite a thumbs down.All in all, Morganfield's has proved itself worthy with their good food and big portions, topped with greater service. Definitely will be visiting them again, I mean, who could ever have enough of such addictive spare ribs at your doorsteps.