Full Dr. Cafe Coffee review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2013/06/dr-cafe-coffee.html

Founded by Yousef S. Al-Rajhi in 1997 in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Dr. Cafe Coffee expanded its franchise to Singapore in 2009. With an emphasis on using only 100% pure Arabica coffee beans, and a central roasting facility, each cup of coffee from Dr. Cafe Coffee does have a certain amount of quality to it.

Ambience is probably the best thing about Dr. Cafe Coffee. Each outlet is designed to be chic and comfortable, with faux bookshelves, fireplace and chandeliers, while the little details such as swirls on the stirrers and motivational verses on tables enhance the experience.

The range of food at Dr. Cafe Coffee is rather limited to mostly handheld items, such as sandwiches, wraps or muffins. The speciality is of course the coffee / drinks, which are quite good, and I feel that it's slightly better than other major coffee franchises. Prices are in-line with other such coffee franchises as well, meaning, expensive.

Full Skinny Pizza review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2013/05/skinny-pizza.html

Skinny Pizza prides itself on offering the thinest pizza crust, comparable to crackers or Papadum that shatters when bit, topped with fresh, wholesome and healthy ingredients, which results in great flavour.

Service staff during peak periods at Skinny Pizza tends to be somewhat rushed and brusque. This isn't a place where you'll be able to converse with the staff serving you, but they're friendly enough, and also able to make recommendations. Beyond that, the service here is pretty average, and while I've yet to have a bad experience, I haven't had any memorable or outstanding ones either.

The Wild Truffled Mushroom Pizza is a house signature dish, and also the most popular pizza on the menu. Garnishings of roasted shitake mushrooms, roasted button mushrooms, garlic, wild rocket leaves, onions, truffle mash, truffle oil and fresh parmesan cheese piled on a thin, crispy, cracker-like / biscuit-like pizza base. The earthy aroma of truffles hits you the minute this is placed on the table, and each bite is blissful, packing full-bodied flavour. It can get a little overwhelming nearing the end of the dish though, due to the incredible richness.

Full Golden Cafe Eating House review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2013/04/zi-char-golden-cafe-eating-house.html

Pretty tasty food and fresh ingredients make Golden Cafe Eating House a hit with office workers around the area... But the food at best is only above average in terms of standard. Specialties include their Tom Yum Seafood Soup, and Fish Head Curry.

Ambience can get rather noisy, with the street just next to the outlet.

Golden Cafe Eating House is worth a visit if you're in the area, but don't go out of your way to dine here.

Founded in April 2012, SPRMRKT (pronounced 'Supermarket') was born from the idea that food, retail, and art could be melded into a single, enjoyable experience. The brainchild of Designer / Director Sue-Shan Quek, and Chef Joseph Yeo, with pastry chef Furrene Hoh, SPRMRKT was set up as a concept store, offering casual gourmet dining with the twist of an art gallery amid a curated shop.Ambience at SPRMRKT is rustic casual, resembling European style countryside cottage homes. Clean, brightly lit, with simple lines and functional wooden furnishings. A section of the wall is given over to shelves, which forms the retail section, displaying all manner of utensils, beverages, and some artwork. I love the decorative reading light lamps, and the clear glass display with appetizing and attractive cakes!Service at SPRMRKT is partial self-service. Ordering and payment is done over the counter, though staff do serve orders to your table. The menu, which changes daily, is clear and comprehensive, with descriptions of dish ingredients. There isn't much opportunity to interact with staff or ask them questions, except when at the counter. I also note they're very efficient at clearing empty / dirty tables after people leave.

Food at SPRMRKT is fusion casual gourmet, inspired by Western flavours, primarily Australian, American, and British cuisine, with a focus on all-day breakfast. Generally, I find dishes here to be tasty, well executed, and huge in portion size. Ingredients are fresh, and kept simple with rustic plating. Prices are reasonable for the large portions, and comparable to other bistros, budget about SGD $27 per person for a meal here.

The interesting Coffee Tonic (SGD $7) features a blend of tonic water with 2 shots of espresso. This refreshing, chilled beverage has a silky smooth texture with a light fizzy carbonation, mostly mellow in taste with the flavour of the roasted coffee beans, finishing with a slight lingering bitterness. Not too bad, rather drinkable, though not particularly memorable.The Minestrone Soup (SGD $10) here is very good! Not often you see home made versions, so I appreciate the effort. Rich and tasty, the soup / broth of sweet tomato and chicken stock features tender vegetables, including carrots, zucchini, cabbage, and celery, with savoury smoky bacon as a garnish. Huge bowl, served with a slice of crisp, buttered sourdough bread on the side. Very good appetizer, best shared! Only available on every Wednesday!Instead of the regular round burger buns, the Grilled Wagyu Burger With Fries (SGD $25) here is served with sweet, fluffy brioche bread instead! This lends the overall dish a wonderful fragrant flavour. The savoury, juicy, meaty 180g wagyu beef patty is done to your liking (I got it medium rare), topped with fresh crunchy lettuce, earthy sauteed wild button mushrooms, gooey emmental cheese, and a sunny side up egg. The dish is completed with piping hot, paprika spiced shoestring fries. Quite filling!Full SPRMRKT review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2016/06/sprmrkt.html

As the in-house dining restaurant of the 5-star One Farrer Hotel, Escape Restaurant & Lounge offers a 24 hours a day, 7 days a week ala-carte dining. But perhaps they're best known for their extensive international buffet spread, a formidable feast spanning 9 live stations and 8 static stations, with dozens of dishes prepared by chefs in open theatre kitchens. Since opening their doors in September 2014, Escape Restaurant & Lounge has quickly become one of the most popular hotel buffets around, creating gastronomic experiences with their daily rotating buffet themes.

Ambience at Escape Restaurant & Lounge is lovely. The wide open, spacious dining hall with high ceilings and warm lighting is so inviting, and the comfortable cushioned wooden furniture is nicely laid out, so it's not cramped. A large, circular bar sits at one end of the dining hall, with beautiful bottles of wine displayed. At the other end, the 17 live and static stations are bustling, piled high with all manner of attractive food. Each dish is clearly labelled, and I'm amazed at the extensive variety of dishes they've managed to display in this area. A cursory pass isn't justified, you'll have to walk slowly to observe all the different items on display!

Service at Escape Restaurant & Lounge is above average, befitting of a 5-star hotel. Staff behave professionally and politely, observant and attentive to diners, creating a personalised feel. They come around regularly to check if they can clear away empty / dirty plates, always an important thing in a buffet. I also note that staff have some basic product knowledge on the various dishes on the menu, though you can also interact with the chefs at the various live stations if you have specific questions on the food. But though the service is good, I feel it's not particularly memorable.

Food at Escape Restaurant & Lounge is good, featuring an International selection of cuisines. What stood out for me here, was their Chinese cuisine, Indian cuisine, and seafood. Perhaps because they're said to specialise in homey, comfort food, these associated dishes were well executed and delicious! Their team of in-house pastry chefs and bakers also produce some excellent butter cakes and breads. Prices are reasonable and comparable for their buffet, per person costs SGD $30 ++ for breakfast, SGD $45 ++ for lunch, and SGD $60 ++ for dinner. If going for their ala-carte, budget about SGD $35 per person.Highly recommend the Roti Prata Plain, which is also a favourite of the chef, for its super crisp, buttery texture! Pairs well with the mild savoury Dhal Tadka lentil curry! The Chicken Tikka was outstanding as well, tender and moist, with good savoury flavour, pairing well with the fluffy, fragrant Naan Plain. The Mutton Korma was tender and decent in taste, though I would have liked it to be more spicy instead. Vegetarians can also go for the Mattar Paneer, which has paneer cheese cubes and peas in a mild savoury curry, or the Aloo Baingan, which has tender eggplant and potatoes in a savoury dry style curry. Overall, very good Indian cuisine here!Highly recommend the Braised Beef Brisket With Tendon, for its smooth, fork-tender texture, and savoury flavour with full taste of the spices! I would visit again just for this, it's a must try! The Braised Broccoli With Mushroom is executed to a decent Zi Char standard, with crunchy florets of broccoli, soft carrots, and tender earthy shiitake mushrooms in a tasty oyster sauce gravy. The Fish Curry is decent, with fresh firm white dory fish which flakes apart nicely, and tender okra / lady's fingers slices. The Chicken Rice isn't too oily, but nicely fragrant with a slight buttery texture, while the Prawn Crackers have a crisp outside that cracks to reveal the meaty sweet fresh shrimp inside. Overall, very good Chinese cuisine here!Full Escape Restaurant & Lounge review here: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2016/05/escape-restaurant-lounge-tasting-session.html