Food in this post will go according to merits.Baked Bun with BBQ Pork (3pcs) (SGD4.50++) :: No surprise. Part of the quartet, more commonly known as the 4 Heavenly Kings, this dish still wins my heart. Identical to that of Hong Kong’s, the crumbly and fluffy, sweet exterior goes perfectly well with the salty, and substantial BBQ pork. Have it whilst hot.Steamed Egg Cake (SGD3.80++) :: A counterpart of the above item, I thought this has its king’s crown on it deservedly. While I was in Hong Kong, I was too quick to throw it out the window as the name isn’t as appealing, you have to admit. But its holey and fluffy package is indeed heavenly I had quite a handful of this. Packed complete with fragrance and softness.Tonic Medlar & Osmanthus Petal Cake (Cold) (3pcs) (SGD3.50++) :: Entertainingly wobbly and jelly-like, this plate of dessert had me feel refreshed. For one, it’s cold. The other thing is, whenever there are elements of flower / parts of flower in a dish, it always gives this cleansing effect, which is a feel-good mood. It might come across as a ‘tad too sweet for some, but it’s fine for me.Prawn Dumpling (4pcs) (SGD5.50++) :: I thought the wrap was a little too sticky and dry for me. But the prawns inside made it all up. No shortchanging, they stuffed the dumpling full of prawns, fresh sizable prawns. Pretty unanimously favored.Vermicelli Roll with Pig’s Liver (SGD5.50++) :: Its vermicelli roll is renowed, claiming a spot as one of the Heavenly Kings. I thought the sweet soy sauce fell short a little. If it was more powering and sweeter, it would have been perfect. Save for that, the rest of it was indulging. I love innards of animals’, and the pig liver is of standard – not ones you get in Chicken Rice stalls, where it’s hard and dry, and has a grainy texture. Nothing of that sorts here.Pork Dumpling with Shrimp (4pcs) (SGD5++) :: As per its prawn / shrimp counterpart, Prawn Dumpling, anything to do with it, you can be assured that it’s fresh and springy, not overcooked. It’s easy to sink your teeth into. Quite a hot favorite around the table as well.Spring Roll with Egg White (3pcs) (SGD4.20++) :: Being a deep-fried item, you ought to be warned that this is oily. Notwithstanding that, its spring roll is crispy, for sure, with a slight mess wrapped in it. I thought the flavors were not distinctive enough to really know what’s going on. It was just an, ‘okay, it tastes good’ encounter for me.In my opinion, Dim Sum has to be one of the most subjective food types around. If you notice, heading to a Dim Sum Restaurant with some friends of yours can be interesting. If they are your usual Dim Sum kah-kees, you’d realize how they always only order these food items and skip some others. If you don’t like xiao long bao for instance, it’d probably be hard for the taste to be altered anytime soon, without an event.

Don’t take my words for it, try it for yourself. Amidst the crazy heightened hype, expectations are probably overly skyrocketed at the moment. Calm yourself down before heading in. If you’re happy, just applaud for the Michelin-starred Chef Mak Kwai Pui. Got a chance to have little chat with him, and it is evident that he is a down to earth person.

Believe it or not, Cake Spade is actually not a spin-off from the luxury brand, Kate Spade. Cake Spade actually refers to the tool you use to slice and pick the cake up. Located along Tanjong Pagar Road at the back of Orchid Hotel, this relatively new dessert boutique joins the well-patronized precinct. Inside and outside, it can only sit up to approximately 20. So really, don't be getting your hopes high on getting seats + staying for long as the seats aren't really that comfortable either.

All those, however, are compensated with their affordable and well-baked cakes. I especially like its Strawberry Tofu Cheesecake, where all parts of the cake just complemented each other perfectly. It's soft, smooth and easy to slice through with a fork. Even though its Salted Caramel Tart can be slightly too salty, I still like it. I mean, if you want to order something that distinctive, you should be prepared for it!

If you can get a seat indoors, take it. The fragrance fills the entire small shop, and I'm sure it'll enhance your dessert-dining experience.

Crabcakes with Tar Tar Sauce ($9.95++) :: First up, the nondescript looking Crabcakes with Tar Tar Sauce. Well they say looks can be deceiving. Whoever they are, they got that right this time. Packed with generous crabmeat chucks mixed with onions and coated with bread crumbs, it’s crispy on the outside and savoury on the inside.New Orleans Cajun Platter ($59.95++) :: Get excited, people. This big platter includes king prawns, clams, mussels and grilled chicken baked in the goodness of Cajun spices. Paired with paella rice, baked daikon, carrots, soup and the Paris Passion mocktail, just reading the list makes me full already. The platter comes wrapped and is baked with olive oil to retain the Cajun taste. While I find it a tad oily for my personal preference, I enjoyed the king prawns and clams. The king prawns didn’t disappoint. Tasty and succulent, it left me darting my eyes around for any sign of leftovers. This special promotional-priced platter is available from 9 July to 7 August.Bombay Fish & Chips ($16.95++) :: Attention everybody, we have a new line-up to the list of fish & chips from different countries! What makes this dish is the lime and paprika sauce that is served along with the fish. Psst. This paprika sauce which I really enjoyed, is only served with this dish so be sure to try it out!Chili Crab Spaghetti ($17.95++) :: Pasta tossed with sweet and spicy chili crab sauce, topping it up with deep fried soft shell crab. If you’re up for something to wake up that appetite of yours, this is it. For me, cream based pasta always has a danger of me running sick of it after I’m halfway through. You don’t have to worry about that with this one. What you really need now after all the fish and spice is some new concoctions.Candy Crush ($7.95++) :: No prizes this time for guessing where this drink got its name from. This drink is perfect for anyone who prefers your drink on the sweeter side. It is a mixture of soda atop lychee and strawberry. The taste reminded me a bit of bubblegum. Try not to get addicted to this drink like you did with its other namesake counterpart.

Green Apple Margarita ($7.95++) :: A personal favourite out of the 4 new flavours, this drink is super refreshing and thirst-quenching. It is a blend of green apples, cucumbers and lime. You can count on it to refresh your palate after each dish.Frozen Apple Mojito ($7.95++) :: Made of green apples and fresh mint leaves. What I really like about this is it is non carbonated and light. The last thing you need is a gassy drink after a good dinner.

If you haven’t already been to Fish & Co. in some time, now will be a good time to check out their new trendily designed menu. Get adventurous and try their new additions this time while you enjoy the live band at The Glass House during your dinner.P.S.: You did not hear from me that if you are celebrating a birthday at The Glass House, they have an exclusive new way to uh, celebrate your big day.

Nestled in the sequestered neighborhood of Hillcrest, Baker & Cook prides itself Singapore’s only true artisan bakery and foodstore chain. Helmed by Global Baker Dean Brettschneider, the cafe does not only serve up a wide array of artisan breads, pastries, hot items, and cooked items, their own-brand range of items like jams, cookies, and chutneys are also on sale. It proves to be pretty popular amongst dwellers of the area. Baker Dean has had over 25 years of experience, and also the man behind some best-selling baking books. I wouldn’t very much doubt his capability.The inner core of Baker & Cook is a communal table that can sit about 10. And that is essentially it, save for the 2 bar-top window-facing seats. On the other side of the glass panels lies some 7 – 8 tables that can sit about 3 – 4 each. So it really isn’t the most spacious and comfortable cafe to laze. However, the crowd (of expats), and the low-ceiling makes it feel like a home away from home. I wasn’t too much a fan of their indoor seating, however, due to its loud coffee-maker + machines’ noises.Latte ($5+) :: Allpress Espresso coffee is used, for the first time in Singapore, at Baker & Cook. However, it failed to impress and was average-tasting at best.Pastries :: I went momentarily out of hand when I saw the whole stretch of pastries set behind the counter. If it had been the kind like in bakeries where you self-service your breads and pastries, my wallet might not have been able to withstand it. It was much to my surprise that I found the Pecan Tart ($5.70+) the most satisfying. It is not overly sweet and the portion of pecans was generous. I also liked the Caramel Brownie ($5+) quite a bit, though only because I’m a huge sucker for caramel. It comes in an especially big portion, and though it was rather tough a brownie, it was still fine.It was the first time I had a Lamingtons ($5+). It sounds very English to me, but is actually of Australian origin. It’s a pretty cube of sponge cake coated in a layer of chocolate icing, followed by dessicated coconut. I thought it was unmemorable though, in that the flavors were very light. The Chocolate Croissant ($3.30+) was ordinary; nothing to yell about, while the Sweet Scone ($4.20+) was too dry for my liking.Salmon Quiche ($9+) :: Though slightly expensive, I still quite like it. The crust was crumbly yet hard enough to make a mark, and the sufficiently-topped savory salmon completed the experience. Quiches tend to be cloying very quickly, but I did not have a problem this time round; I guess it was good that the cheese wasn’t too overpowering and dominant.Eggs Benedict Bacon ($17+) :: Ready your phone and take an instavideo right from the start, because it is going to be needed, anyway, to neutralize the otherwise slightly tough bread that the poached eggs sit on. The bacon is the crispy and hard ones – not my cuppa’ tea. The eggs were pretty good though, well-flavored and perfectly cooked. I thought it is again, slightly overpriced though.It was a rainy weekend morning while I was there. Consequently, brunch at the cafe felt seemingly better. Service was pretty alright, nothing to complain / rave about. Pastries were largely at least of average standard, though not crazy-wow enough for me to head back to the secluded neighborhood without private transport. If you’re up for an adventure and in search of ‘hidden gems’, Baker & Cook passes as worthy.

I daresay most have already heard about Windowsill Pies; it’s much raved about and it’s located in the up and coming Lavender + Farrer Park precinct. Naturally, everything fell in place neatly and we have here, a dessert place serving only, SWEET, PIES. No savory; no cakes.I admire the intricate interior design, adorned largely with wooden furnishings and platforms, giving a much homely ambience, and a parting from the outside, worn-out streets and buildings. It’s free-seating, and pretty communal (in the sense that you can sit with Mr Picklechips, the big Snorlax-y bear who lazes in the cafe the whole day). Bet you don’t know he has a name!

You can pair your pies with coffee from Liberty, or tea from Gryphon. The pot of tea is refillable.
And oh, also local bands like Jack & Rai and The Sam Willows have performed at right where the bear is sitting. So if you keep a lookout at their Facebook Page, you might get lucky and have a live band over dessert.Camp Symmetry ($8) :: This new pie in the Windowsill camp is only less than 2 months old. The ingredients are really elaborate and exquisite; white chocolate pudding with raisins, cookie streusel, candied thyme and white truffle. It’s slightly overwhelming but indulgent. Slightly sharply sweet but will do when paired with a pot of tea.

S’mores ($8) :: S’mores is a more classic and safe option, comprising gooey milk chocolate pudding, sticky dark chocolate fudge, with toasted marshmallows and graham crackers laid on top. I quite like that even though it’s brim-filled with chocolate, it’s not excessively rich, thick and cloying.

The pies specialist also offers other pies like Coconut Lime Vodka, Banana Almond Brittle and Pecan. The base of pies is good in not being too crumbly and complements the sweetness of it all well. While the pies are pretty well-executed, the prices can be a little steep to head back often.