Opened by the same people behind Sarnies and located along the busy streets of Neil Road, The Lokal is a fairly new cafe which serves good food at an affordable price. It's focused on using the best raw ingredients to make the kind of food that everyone loves - a wholesome hearty fare that will not break the bank (As adapted from their FB page). Address:

136 Neil Road

Nearest MRT Station:

Outram Park MRT Station

What they are famous for:

Customizable breakfasts, sandwiches

Opening hours:

Monday - Friday: 8am - 6pm

Saturday - Sunday: 9am - 4pm

Atmosphere: 7/10

Price: 7/10

Food: 7/10

Service: 8/10 Interior Open Kitchen Concept Food Menu Drinks Menu

We had: Pimp my breakfast - $15.50

(Scrambled eggs, Smoked salmon, Toasted sourdough)

Here at The Lokal, customers are given the choice to pimp their own breakfast with the different sides available on the menu. I had the scrambled eggs, smoked salmon and toasted sourdough. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the smoked salmon, because unlike other cafes, this did not come in thin slices but in a thick piece, just like a normal salmon fillet. And yes, it was smoked perfectly with the right texture! The eggs were decent too and I must say that they were pretty good. I was also rather pleased w my sourdough as they were still fluffy and crispy by the time we ate it . Pimp my breakfast - $15.50

(Scrambled eggs, Grilled sausage, Toasted sourdough)

Almost the same like my breakfast, just that we subbed the smoked salmon for a grilled sausage.... Which was quite a disappointment for me. The sausage had a foul smell to it so personally, I wouldn't order this again. Not for $6 and definitely not in a million years.Roast chicken panini with crispy panchetta, tomato, avocado, cos and aioi - $15

Ahh I loved this! The chicken spread reminded me like that of chicken mayo and the other ingredients used were delicious! Toasted banana bread, home-made vanilla yogurt, toasted macadamias, caramelized banana - $12

One of their signature dishes! The banana bread was moist, and toasted well. The vanilla yoghurt wasn't too sweet or tart, and was the perfect topping to the bread. The caramelized banana and macadamias sealed the deal. Would definitely order this again!Service:

Double thumbs up for the service! It was prompt, and the staff were really friendly. They even gave us free butter and sugar (it's chargeable, btw) just because they didn't have enough change for us. Hahaha

Atmosphere:

Definitely loved the old-school concept with a spacious interior. It was also well-furbished with comfy sofa chairs, beautifully decorated bookshelves and wooden tables..

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Met up with the Cafe hoppers weeks back after Alex came back from his Summer trip and a rewarding brunch before school started. School has been good to me so far, and I'm starting to pace myself better in terms of school work so that I don't have to squeeze everything right till the very end. I only have two final exams this semester (YESSSSSSS) but that also means that I've more CA projects & papers to submit. But I'd rather have that than go through the dreadful preparations for Finals again. Will update this space soon with a proper post

Toodles!

Haji lane is home to countless of cafes, sprouting up one after another in the recent years. Hyde & Co is a fairly new cafe that opened its doors last year and it's known for its wide range of tea served in delicate tea pots. It stands out with its old British charm and draws inspiration from the past. Interior Cafe counter Cakes of the day Food Menu Drinks Menu

We had: Peach Tea - $6.50 per pot (Refillable)

Hyde & Co offers a huge range of teas, similar to what you get at tea boutiques like TWG. I opted for Peach Tea because I wanted a safer choice and well, I doubt that can ever go wrong. The tea was fragrant and fruity! Truffle Fries - $10

(Generously mixed with premium truffle oil and Parmesan cheese)

For $10, I must say that the portion was pretty small. Still, I love how the truffle scent was thoroughly infused even down to the last french fry. I would have preferred if they were more generous with the Parmesan cheese!

Heavily scented The Full Works - $17.90

(Baked cheese portabello mushroom, streaky bacon, honey baked ham, roasted baby potatoes served with Hyde's creamy scrambled eggs and sourdough rye)

One of the main highlights of this dish was definitely the baked portabello mushroom! The scrambled eggs were buttery, but a tad too runny for my liking. I loved the sausage and the crispy bacon, though I was also a little disappointed with the baked ham because it was too oily! Odeh Odeh Cake - $6.50

At first glance, you would know this is unlike any ordinary dessert. This beauty features a pandan base with gula melaka dressing and coconut flakes which really got me wanting more! The cake was light and moist!Atmosphere:

This English inspired cafe definitely won us over with its interior design. They also serve all their teas in pretty teapots that are the perfect setting for Instagram photography. This cozy hangout is definitely a great place for chilling on a afternoon.

Service:

The food was served rather promptly!

Haji lane is home to countless of cafes, sprouting up one after another in the recent years. Hyde & Co is a fairly new cafe that opened its doors last year and it's known for its wide range of tea served in delicate tea pots. It stands out with its old British charm and draws inspiration from the past.

Atmosphere: 9/10

Price: 7/10

Food: 7/10

Service: 7/10

As the word Rookery suggests, it refers to a communal living area of people or certain type of species (as adapted from Dictionary.com). The owners of Rookery stuck by this and turned the cafe by day, restaurant bar by night into a place where individuals can gather to indulge in simple good food. The cafe is nested in the heart of the CBD area, located just opposite Lau Par Sat and gives working individuals another alternative venue for lunch. Bar area Interior MenuWe had: Benedict's Eggs - $15

(Poached eggs, crispy bacon, grilled sourdough, hollandaise, rocket, sampled salmon or ham of your choice)

The hollandaise sauce was more buttery than tart, so I felt it was a little bland to my liking. Still, the smoked salmon and bacon added a good twist atop two perfectly poached twin eggs. Definitely affordable for a dish priced at $15! Rookery's Big Breakfast - $18

(Eggs of any style, crispy bacon, grilled sausages, herb crusted tomato, sautéed mushrooms, roasted potatoes, grilled sourdough)

For $18, I must say that this dish was a tad pricey. Still, I loved the creamy scrambled eggs, roasted potatoes and the grilled sausage! Spanish Chorizo's Hash - $15

(Chorizo sausages, sautéed potatoes, onions and capsicum, topped with two sunny side eggs and served in an iron cast pan)

Chorizo sausages are common in Spanish and Mexican cuisine, and they're pork sausages usually seasoned with paprika and spices. For this dish, I must say that it's pretty acquired because not many people might like the strong blend of ingredients. Still, I had a taste of it and still enjoyed the dish. I loved the smokiness of the chorizo sausages and the well-seasoned ingredients in the pan. Service:

I enjoyed the service thoroughly. Our food was served promptly and the servers were very friendly and attentive in their services.

Atmosphere:

The cafe extudes an industrial vibe and is a great communal place for people to gather for lunch or after work for drinks. I loved the cozy environment which made me enjoy my food even more.


Atmosphere: 8/10

Price: 8/10

Food: 7/10

Service: 8/10

Desserts and pastries available We had:Turkish Apple Tea - $5

The tea was fragrant and infused with Apple slices which was a refreshing change. Smoked Salmon Croissant - $19

(Freshly baked croissant with smoked salmon, scrambled eggs and capers and fresh greens)

I loved how the croissant came in smaller pieces, and I could savor each piece with the scrambled eggs and smoked salmon that accompanied it. The eggs here at Boufe came in a drier consistency, slightly different from the usual scrambled eggs you get but still tasty. They were really generous with the smoked salmon too! Eggs Benedict - $16

(Homemade brioche with honey baked ham, poached eggs, homemade hollandaise sauce and fresh greens)

I'm a sucker for eggs benny on brioche, because I'm a fan of having my hollandaise drizzled over thick fluffy bread. However, the sauce might have been a little too creamy for my liking. Still, cheers to the perfectly poached eggs! Atmosphere:

I loved the white washed concept of the cafe, which somewhat reminded me of Blisshouse Cafe with all the swing and pretty vines going on. It's a really romantic cafe, so you might wanna consider bringing your other halves there!

You might find that it'll be quite a chore to head in, but we got buggy rides in from the friendly security guards, so maybe you can try requesting for it too! *winks*

Atmosphere: 9/10
Price: 7/10

Food: 7/10

Service: 7/10

Address:

181 Orchard Road

#02-03 Orchard CentralSingapore 238896

Nearest MRT Station:

Somerset MRT Station

What they are famous for:

Aburi Sushi, Sashimi Don, Truffle Yakiniku Don, Alcoholic Beverages

Opening hours:

11:30 AM - 10:30 PM daily11:30 AM - 3 PM Lunch Sets daily5 PM - 8 PM Happy Hour dailyLast order of food at 9:45 PM anddrinks at 10:15 PM

Atmosphere: 8/10
Price: 7/10

Food: 6/10

Service: 6/10 Lunch Specials Interior Menu Lunch Menu Beverage Menu

We had: Salmon Skin - $5

(Fried salmon skin with garlic lime chili sauce)

A pretty unique dish! I loved how they added the Singapore flavor to this by adding the garlic lime chili sauce. It was pretty addictive too! Garlic Fries - $7

(Golden fries tossed with Garlic)

The fries were overcooked and we couldn't taste the Garlic in it. We did though, find a handful of diced garlic at the bottom of the basket. So no, definitely would not order this again. Lunch sets that comes with Salad, Miso Soup and Green tea at an additional $2

I think they used wasabi vinaigrette dressing for the salad! Wasn't really my kinda thing but if you love wasabi, then why not give it a try! $2 is pretty reasonable for these add-ons! Salmon Don - $12 (Lunch promo)

(Fresh sliced salmon, lightly seared aburi, plump ikura served with their housemade spicy mayo and yakiniku sauce)

I didn't know that Tanuki Raw was opened by the same owner behind Standing Sushi Bar till the very day I visited it. Well, I have never liked the salmon at SSB because I have always felt that it lacked freshness. Decided to skip this thought and still give Tanuki Raw Bar a try but..... I was disappointed. I've had my fair share of good salmon sashimi in 22 years of my life and this was nowhere near.

Oh anyway, all their Donburis are served with Onigiri rice!Chirashi Don - $17.80 (Lunch promo)

(A mix of seasonal and staple sashimi including scallop, sea bream, tuna, swordfish, salmon, striped jack and salmon roe, seasoned with our signature sauce served with tamago on sushi rice)

Oh the to-die-for Chirashi Don! To be fair, I didn't try this, but to me, paying $17.80 for this might have been a little pricey, if say the standard of their sashimi was similar to that of the Salmon Don. The ones at Sushi Tei costs only $9.90 with equal portions of Sashimi.

There's also an option for Bara Chirashi Don and the sashimi comes in cubes! Truffle Yakiniku Don - $14.80 (Lunch promo)

(Break the runny yolk of the onsen tomago egg over the black angus short rib that has been pan seared with a dollop of truffle soy sauce)

Probably their only saving grace! I savored this bowl on my own but the truffle got a little too gelat for me towards the end. Still, $14.80 for this is pretty affordable! I would prolly stick to their cooked Donburis next time if I ever do visit them again! This was served with Onigiri rice as well! Would have preferred the fragrant Japanese rice instead!


Atmosphere:

The restaurant had a modern take on the traditional Japanese restaurant with bar counters, dimmed lights and an open kitchen. They even have an outdoor seating!

Service:

Service was pretty slow that day, and the fries were the last to be served (And they were overcooked). It was a unconventional when we got our Donburis first before we got our salad and miso soup when they were supposed to be the appetizers.

Hope this helped!

Toodles!