Taking over the former grounds of 7th Manna Cake Boutique, Toothsome Cafe had done some renovations to the space, making it seemingly more chic somehow. Despite how the cafe looks, the food menu is pretty different from expectations; cooked food includes Fried Chicken Wing Rice while there are also small bites such as puffs and pies.To whet our appetites, we went for the Baked Chicken Puff ($1.60). Resembling a Char Siew Pastry, the light, flaky pastry was shaped like a pau while the Chicken chunks inside was well-marinated with sweet, sticky honey which makes every bite so addictive with savoury-sweetness.I decided to go for the Fragrant Fried Chicken Wing Rice ($5.90); pretty unconventional for a cafe. Presentation was simply; not even a single bit gimmicky. Just rice with two fried chicken wings with tomatoes at the side. Chicken Wings were juicy; a single pull and you could literally hear the juicy wings spurting its juices, and that crisp fried skin and light peppery flavour in the meat makes it pretty delightful. Rice seemed to hint of garlic flavour, and seemed like a more premium version that is lighter and less oilier than Tenderfresh’s rendition. A simple dish it might be, but it does not stop being just pleasant; it is also pretty affordable somehow. We only had one gripe; perhaps it could have come with a few lettuce leaves, or even a slaw as it feels a tad meaty and the tomatoes just seemed a tad lonely in a corner by themselves.My dining partner went for the Carbonara ($7.90). Pretty much unlike those thick, creamy and sometimes cheesy Carbonara out there, Toothsome’s rendition is much much lighter, which eradicates that sickening feel one might have after just finishing half the bowl. The cream-based sauce seemed a tad watery, but it had hints of garlic that perfumed the pasta which absorbed the flavours well. Pasta was also cooked al-dente, and the chicken and bacon though cooked rather simply were delectable. My dining partner loved it, and even said this raised his bar for his standards for Carbonara.For a sweet, we had the Original Cheesecake ($5.00). Much like the Carbonara, this was also seemingly lighter-tasting than the ones served elsewhere. Still, it was smooth and rich, but less cheesiness with quite a toned down zesty flavour. It was subtly refreshing, and the cheesecake also felt a tad stiffer to cut than the usual though it does not feel so while you are actually eating it.For more photos and the full review, please visit: https://jiaksimipng.wordpress.com/2015/01/02/toothsome-cafe-tanjong-katong-road/

Situated along Changi Road, Collective Brewers pretty inaccessible if you are one who prefers travelling on MRT, but its actually not too far from the nearest bus stop. A simplistic space, its quite easy to miss as its pretty much camouflaged by the eateries around it. Currently in the soft launch phase, it serves only coffee, and payment is by tip basis.They do have espresso-based coffees, but I was in for their Cold Brew (Tip Basis; I paid $6) instead. On the day of the visit, they were using blends from Common Man Coffee Roasters which are known for its fruity punch due to its heavy body. What I experienced from their Cold Brew was slightly different; while the flavour seems to be fully extracted from the beans, I cannot deny on how smooth and comforting it is. Basically, it still packs that fruity punch, but its not at all overwhelming. That nutty finish also left not much aftertaste behind, which I thought was rather well-executed.For more photos and the full review, please visit: http://jiaksimipng.wordpress.com/2014/10/31/collective-brewers-changi-road/

Ice Queen is Spizza’s new neighbour, and although it looks like yet another ice-cream parlour it actually is more than that. Its actually Singapore’s fourth Nitro ice-cream brand, and their menu not only offers various flavours of nitro cream but also an interesting mix of fusion flavours.It seems that Chendol fusions seem to strike a particular note with me lately; I knew I had to get the Chendol ($6.50) after seeing the menu online. For their variant, they used Salted Gula Melaka ice-cream and combined it with pandan jelly, sweet red beans and Atap Chee. This is an innovative though safe combination; the Salted Gula Melaka ice-cream strong with its coconut flavour matching with sweet red beans and pandan jelly and Atap Chee, which I am glad is not forgotten with their iteration of this local favourite. Probably just a suggestion: have the sweet red beans done softer so there’s less chew to blend in with the smooth texture of the ice-cream. Its also worth the note that the nitro cream was not only rich, but creamy and sticky as well, which is pretty near to gelato.We also tried the Mango Sticky Rice ($6.50), and we were really blown away when we went for the first scoop. Thai mango lovers would love how the nitro cream turned out to be; sticky, creamy, rich and tangy sweet. Sitting atop sticky rice drenched in coconut milk, this comes really close to having the real deal. And the wow-factor; fried Mung Beans sprinkled atop the ice-cream gave it a crunchy texture and a taste similar to rice krispies. Very innovative indeed!For more photos and the full review, please visit: http://jiaksimipng.wordpress.com/2014/09/24/ice-queen-tides/

Victory8 sees yet another cafe opening again. In the same ground as Mootime and Something Sweet Dessert House, RoyceMary Cafe’s opening would make the cafe scene in the north a lot more vibrant and competitive.Wanting to go for something light, I went with a quiche even though the sandwiches seemed a tad tempting. Out of the two quiches available, the Salmon Asparagus Quiche ($5.50) caught my eye. Prior to serving it, the quiche would be heated up. Mine seemed to take quite some time to get served. It came piping hot however, and I was surprised by how it tasted despite coming off from the display shelf. Not only was it fresh, the flaky pastry fell off neatly and was actually sufficiently buttery without feeling any bit greasy. The fillings were indeed savoury; cheesy enough without being too eggy, maintaining a bit of creaminess within. And nothing can ever go wrong with Smoked Salmon. The accompanying garden salad was similarly satisfying; despite its plain looks it had a zingy dressing which makes the fresh leaves even more refreshing to have.I was actually pretty tempted by the Matcha Lava Cake ($8.90) that was served at To-Gather Cafe, so I was actually pretty glad to have found RoyceMary offering the same thing as well. There was an option to add a ice-cream, but I opted out of it as I was pretty much cashless that day. When served, the gooey puddle of Matcha in the centre was just simply eye-candy. Once it was cut, the lava just flowed endlessly. Matcha lava was not only thick, it was also rich. A dollop of cream also came by the side, and it was ingenious. When the cake got too overwhelming, just have a bit of cream and it just neutralises every flavour in the mouth. Simply fantastic.For a drink, I went with my standard Flat White ($5.50). RoyceMary Cafe’s choice of blend is one that uses 100% Arabica Beans from Ethopia. My cuppa came, smooth and creamy, though the body seemed too light as the coffee was rather milky. Maybe a double shot would help.For more photos and the full review, please visit: http://jiaksimipng.wordpress.com/2014/10/07/roycemary-cafe-victory8/

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/