Lower East Side Tacqueria is brought by the same guys from Spathe. Specialising in Mexican fare, expect Tacos and Quesadilla offered here, with some plated dishes for mains. There are also a variety of alcoholic drinks available, which makes this spot a great place to head to for some drinks and snacks at night.We were in for lunch, but both of us came with our stomachs still relatively full from breakfast. Upon looking at the menu, we thought it would be wise for us to share a Quesadilla, which we chose The Campesinos ($10.00+). Described in the menu to contain Campesino Chorizo Sausages, Monterey Cheese and Tomato Salsa, we could not really detect the sausages as the filling seemed to be rather mashed up. There was also a interesting hint of curry spices within the filling, which went well with the cheesiness within. The dressing also complimented the Quesadilla well as it invoked a rather subtle touch of spiciness. It was not particularly up the mark, but its taste was very much decent for a light snack.I can’t get enough of Churros ($8.00+), so I knew I had to get those when I first saw the menu. The sticks may be short, and though it was on the dry side being crunchy and on the edge of being too hard, it was also satisfying at the same time as there was enough cinnamon sugar coated on each stick. Chocolate dip was watery, but had just the right amount of flavour. Dipping these sticks into the dip, the chocolate flavour goes nicely on top of the cinnamon sugar, rather than overwhelming it totally.Coffee ain’t exactly their forte actually. The Latte ($5.50+) was rather milky, though there are traces of its nutty-flavoured body around. Could have been better though.For more photos and the full review, please visit: http://jiaksimipng.wordpress.com/2014/10/11/lower-east-side-tacqueria-east-coast-road/

Refuel Cafe is the first cafe in Bedok to have opened in the Bedok Reservoir neighbourhood. Themed to model a petrol station, the interior was decked out with bare bulbs, petrol station signages and barrels. There are also traces of its theme in its menu, which are interestingly named with references to petrol station terminologies such as “Full Tank” and “V-Power”. Expect the usual brunch suspects to be served here, though they do also have sandwiches, mains and pastas as well.Having studied the menu before making the visit, I ordered the Banana Pancakes ($8.90); an item that captured my attention even before my visit. Loved how the mushy bananas were beaten into the batter of the pancake, which made it sweetly fragrant and fluffy. Coming with a side of salad and scrambled eggs, I could not get over how runny they were, though they could probably do with a bit more seasoning as well. The greens for the salad was a bit too bitter though, and I had some trouble trying to finish it.My dining partner ordered the Full Tank ($13.90), which is the full works here. This hearty breakfast came with the usuals; bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, toast, sautéed mushrooms, roasted potatoes and a salad by the side. Of particular mention would be the runny scrambled eggs, the soft roasted potatoes and the crisp bacon that fortunately did not taste like bak-kwa (which many places do). Again, most items felt a wee bit light on flavour, and could do with more seasoning.Our choice of dessert to finish off the meal was the White & Black Chocolate Tart ($7.90), which came with a choice of Vanilla or Chocolate Ice-Cream. With sinfully thick layers of both dark and white chocolate ganache, it was surprisingly moderate on sweetness as it did not heat up our throats. This is definitely a must-order for chocolate lovers, though it can get a tad heavy for one to finish.For a drink, I went for the usual; Flat White ($5.20). They use Brazilian beans for their cuppa which is supplied from a local roaster, and I like the medium body with its strong, earthy finish.For more photos and the full review, please visit: http://jiaksimipng.wordpress.com/2014/10/13/refuel-cafe-blk-744-bedok-reservoir-road/

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he opening of East Village saw many interesting eateries pop up in the Simpang Bedok area. Sarah’s The Pancake Cafe is yet another one interesting eatery that has just recently opened its doors. Pancake specialty stores are not unheard of; there are already a couple of notable eateries that serve only pancakes in Singapore. To distinguish themselves from the rest, Sarah’s The Pancake Cafe is also fully Muslim-owned, which provides a complete Halal dining experience. Apart from both sweet and savoury pancakes, there are also items such as spaghetti to choose from if you are not into pancakes.I visited on their very first day of operations, and as much as I wanted to try both variants of savoury and sweet pancakes, being alone meant that I could only choose one. Ala Dol ($12.00) caught my eye pretty naturally; a local-infused pancake that puts together pancakes and Chendol into one dish. Unlike usual pancakes, these were presented in a crepe-like form; each crepe containing multiple layers all smothered with thick red bean paste that was sweet but barley cloying. It also comes drizzled in Gula Melaka, but that sweet coconut flavour seemed to get covered off by the red bean paste easily; would have preferred the Gula Melaka to be thicker so its flavours could be better brought out. Savoury corn bits were all over, and it gave the dessert a small tinge of saltiness. Coconut ice-cream sits on the top; a flavour that cannot be missing in Chendol. Loved the Atap Chee added around the sides too; I have had countless Chendol local-infusion dishes but its the first to have included the usually-forgotten ingredient.Homemade Iced Tea ($3.00) was light, cooling and refreshing for the hot weather, but I would have enjoyed a heavier tea aroma for their brewed tea.For more photos and the full review, please visit: http://jiaksimipng.wordpress.com/2014/09/03/sarahs-the-pancake-cafe-east-village/

It seems that ice-cream parlours are the next in-thing these days; after all that hype of third-wave coffee movement joints opening across the island, this month sees a number of creameries sprouting across the island. Situated in the Tanglin Halt neighborhood, The Milky Way definitely makes for a great addition to the neighborhood. It is opened by former Campus Superstar participant Renfred Ng, who is mostly seen behind the espresso machine during my visit here.Having tried a few flavours, I found that I preferred the Sicilian Pistachio flavour. Made from Pistachios from Sicily, the ice-cream was smooth, creamy yet nutty without having a consistency too sweet nor milky; perfect for a cold treat. Waffles ($8.00 with a scoop of ice-cream) are served at half-portions here, and they serve waffles of the classic batter here. It’s strong on its buttery fragrance, and it’s fluffy interior makes it a delight to have. If ice-cream waffles are not your thing, there is also an option of Berry Compote to go along with them.Renfred Ng may be talented in singing, but he really pulls a great shot too. Flat White ($4.50) is not in the menu, but he would gladly serve one up if you ask. It’s light bodied nuttiness was well-balanced with creaminess; soothing.For more photos and the full review, please visit: http://jiaksimipng.wordpress.com/2014/09/01/the-milky-way-homemade-ice-cream-and-coffee-blk-48-commonwealth-drive/

Having taken a hiatus of eight months after the closure of its Ann Siang Hill shophouse space, Kki Sweets is back, and at a more convenient location situated in Dhoby Ghaut. Located in SOTA, the new store is bright, simple and contemporary. The white walls and the wooden tables just feels modern yet Japanese. We visited on the very first day that they had reopened, and they were serving a small selection of cakes that were previously being sold in Ann Siang Hill.Kki Sweets is known for their soft-core mousse cakes. Antoinette ($8.80) is a white chocolate mousse cake encasing a Mango puree centre. The mousse was light, smooth and fluffy, and it had a subtle hint of white chocolate that could be tasted but does not flood the tastebuds with sweetness. The mango puree centre was more sweet than sour, but added a nice fruity tang to the mousse that sits atop a vanilla sponge cake.Its not difficult to see the reason why this cake is named Onigri ($9.00); it is just shaped like one. Similar to the Antoinette, it is Basil Dark Chocolate mousse encasing a Bitter Orange puree. Again, that subtle flavour of dark chocolate went well with the slightly intense citrus flavour of the puree, but I had never expected that Basil could even compliment dark chocolate. A bold flavour that had been tested and proven (think orange-infused chocolate), this cake was pretty much an eye opener for me.Probably it was the cakes that override the flavour, but I could not really find the sweetness of the Lightly-Sweetened Japanese Coffee ($4.80). Despite that, it was a nice balance of acidity and earthiness that makes it enjoyable after indulging the sweet stuff earlier.For more photos and the full review, please visit: http://jiaksimipng.wordpress.com/2014/08/22/kki-sweets-school-of-the-arts-sota/