Fans of desserts and cakes should be familiar with the name Patisserie G, which opened in November last year at Millenia Walk. Helmed by chef Gwen Lim, whose passion and appetite for quality desserts are inspired around the world from various chefs, she aspires to share what she loves to eat with her customers.

We ordered several cakes and had them on the go since we did not want to wait for a table and all the cakes arrived safely intact as the staffs took the extra effort to tape the serving cardboard for the cakes firmly to the box.

The G Spot (S$9/-)Known for its signature controversially named dessert, "The G Spot", it seemed too good to pass. With an impeccably smooth and glossed surface, the dark chocolate mousse with chocolate meringue sits on a chocolate hazelnut praline crunch. Slicing through the cake reveals a rather messy picture but it definitely overwhelmed us in terms of taste, flavours and texture. The melt-in-your-mouth mousse was perfectly complemented by the crunch of the hazelnut pieces. The richness of the quality dark chocolate used also meant that it could be a little satiating on one's appetite so we would surely recommend pairing with some tea or coffee or have this to share.

Blancheur (S$9/-)This was my personal favourite as I felt that the flavours were bold and checked all the respective boxes in terms of visual appeal and texture. The white chocolate mousse with raspberry coulis was the core of the dessert and was nicely tucked on a crumble base with a white chocolate almond coat.

We loved the tang especially from the raspberry sauce which impressed us with its natural taste, made from fresh raspberries. This was beautifully complemented and enhanced by the creamy and mildly sweet white chocolate. You could also taste the richness in the butter which went into making the crumble base.

Miromel (S$8.50/-)This milk chocolate mousse with creamy caramel and chocolate sponge on an Oreo cookie base, with a touch of peanut butter was insanely sinful and calories-laden BUT if you looked beyond that, you would be in for a sweet treat! Slicing through the cake reveals a nicely partitioned and layered interior and much praise could be given to the delicacy in crafting this dessert.

The flavours were again bold and intense like the other desserts tried. We struggled to taste the peanut butter but moving forward, we liked the quality ingredients that went into making the cake. Like the G Spot, it might be too much to finish the cake on its own due to the richness of the cake. Anyway, sharing is loving!

The G-Crunch (S$3.50/-)Labelled "Special of the Day", the G-Crunch brought back fond memories of those sweetened toasts that one can expect to find in bakeries. The thick toasts were baked to golden brown perfection with a nice crust and icing. There was a subtle hint of honey and a strong fragrance of butter with each tasteful bite.

While we were highly intrigued by the cakes tried, what impressed us was the dedication and commitment by the serving staffs in taking the time and effort to understand what we wanted before making the relevant recommendations. Despite other customers behind us trying to push forth and ask for recommendations, they were told, politely, to wait for their turn. Exclusivity and attentiveness coupled with the premium quality desserts won us over.

For review in full, please refer to http://www.makeyourcaloriescount.com/2013/11/sg-patisserie-g-quality-desserts-at.html

Characterised by the marshmallow-on-sticks they give with every drink ordered, it’s becoming a gimmick that drew people in, including myself, just to satisfy that craving of a roasted marshmallow at typical BBQ sessions.

Conveniently located across the street from Telok Blangah MRT station, it’s an overhead bridge away, and you’d just have to walk to the end of the stretch passing by those old school shops. Be prepared to wait around for sets though or to share the communal table as it’s a really small space with only about 20 seats or so.

Lemon Meringue Pie - S$4.80/-I’m still on the hunt for good lemon meringue tarts, and this never fails to attract me with its pretty appearance. A tad disappointing though, with the meringue being too heavy and the lemon curd tasted a tad too sharp, greeted with a sharp tang then overwhelmed with sweetness after that. The only consolation was the crispy base to go with the soft insides.Giving in to the gimmick, I’d ordered a rose latte just to get the roasted marshmallow. Perfectly roasted to give a warm and gooey inside, while remaining crisp on the outside, this doesn’t get to enjoy much camera-time. Have it while it’s still hot!

Rose Latte ($4.50)

The rose latte that came was far from what I’d expected. Having tried rose lattes elsewhere, I was expected a usual latte infused with rose flavour. Astonished to see a pink drink approaching us, it was worse to find that it tasted just like Bandung (Rose syrup). The only difference was this was served warm and on the milkier side. Not a very pleasant surprise for me while expecting coffee for a little perk-me-up, though some may like it for a caffeine-free and slightly sweet drink.

Waffle Condenseé ($5)This is not for the faint-hearted! Waffles drizzled with condensed milk sounds sinful enough, then topped with milo powder? For those who’re fans of milo dinosaur, this would probably sit well with you as some might not enjoy the overwhelming sweetness of it. I would have preferred the waffles to be slightly crispier so that the condensed milk can melt into it. This was just a pretty soggy piece that wasn’t all that impressive, except with the heavily fattening combination! This place didn’t quite manage to impress, with its rather cramped and uncomfortable seating. We managed to get one of the private tables instead of the long communal table in the middle and found it uneasy to keep bending down to eat, that it would probably have been better if we’d sat on the floor. The desserts weren’t exactly the kind to bring me back either, unless I have the craving for marshmallows.

With my occasional cravings for crabs, my friends brought me over to another ulu corner of Singapore, known for their Black Pepper Crab. After a ten minute walk from Eunos MRT station (sometimes I really wonder why crab places couldn’t be more accessible!), we were quite surprised to find this rather rundown coffee shop by the corner, dimly lit yet bustling with people.

And indeed, on every single table, we spotted black pepper crabs! Having a chilli crab fan with us, we decided to order 4 crabs, splitted into 2 black pepper and 2 chilli. Pity they don’t serve mantous to go along for that complete crabbing experience!

Black Pepper Crab ($67.50 for 2, approx $$38/kg)Spotting the roe once it came!Highly anticipated, the smell of it captivated us already! I was expecting a sharp peppery taste to it, but was surprisingly greeted by its subtle fragrance and a growing spiciness. The crabs weren’t really much of a focal point for us that night as it was pretty small and wasn’t fleshy enough. It’s really a love-hate relationship with such ‘scrawny crabs’ since it’s so hard to get them out and sometimes the little bit of flesh inside probably just isn’t worth the effort. I’m really a great fan of Ga-Hock’s big fleshy crabs so this definitely paled in comparison. The sauce, however, was finger-lickin’ good! Smooth and not overpowering, I loved the fragrance of it, and the subtle spice that grows onto you.

Chilli Crab ($67.50 for 2, approx $38/kg)In all fairness, this hasn’t been their specialty and it’s more of to cater to so many chilli crab fans out there. For those who’re looking for a spicy one, this would suit you well, though it didn’t quite have the distinct layers of taste of chilli crab. It was quite a flat taste, just a monotonous spiciness that didn’t gel in quite well with the sweetness of the sauce. Not an impressive one, so don’t expect too much if you’re planning on ordering this! We ended up being too addicted to the black pepper sauce that we took the crabs from here to dip in the black pepper.

Pork Ribs ($10)I’m usually a fan of pork ribs in tze char stalls cos it’s so fuss-free to eat it! No bones, tender and usually a sweet sauce to go with it, it’s just simple yet satisfying food that’s hard to go wrong. This hit everything but it was just overly sweet that I almost cringed at my first bite. Would have been good to fry the skin for a crispy finish before topping with the sauce. Good to have your rice or drinks in hand while having this!

Bak Choy ($10)
Fresh crunchy bak choy that was cooked just nice that didn't leave the raw vegetable taste in it, it managed to sit pretty well with me. Topped with fried spring onions to lift its taste, I liked the generous serving of it. One thing that struck me though, was that it was just too oily!

With only the Black Pepper Crab that managed to impress with the sauce, we were quite disappointed with the rest. For crab lovers, this might not be the place to visit if having fleshy juicy flesh is of your priority (I'm still a fan of Ga-Hock for those fatilicious crabs!). At least it is for me, so while the black pepper sauce was satisfying, the crabs itself weren't impressive for me. We probably wouldn't return unless we're having a severe black pepper craving!

For full review, please visit http://www.makeyourcaloriescount.com/2013/11/sg-eng-seng-restaurant-satisfying-black.html

As we walked past the shop, we could not help but be smitten by this French-inspired concept store which offers both a retail and dining experience. Like how it was intended to be, one could not help it but felt like he or she had returned to one of those imaginary magical worlds of childhood days. We last visited Au Chocolate quite a while ago and decided to have it another go!

There are three sections to Au Chocolate which is tucked quietly away at a corner of Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. The first shop front to greet would be the confiserie, which is a confectionery and chocolate atelier filled with candies, chocolates and all sorts of imaginable goodies! Then we also have a small takeaway counter which is located between the confiserie and the bistro. You would expect to find a wider range of cakes, macarons and pastries at the takeaway counter but if you fancy a dine-in at the bistro, do not be shy to request for your orders to be sent to your table!

Truffle Fries (S$15/++)What I particularly enjoyed about the truffle fries were that they were carved out of fresh potatoes where you could still see the potato skin attached to some of the crispy strips. It was drizzled with fragrant white truffle oil and seasoned with truffle sea salt. On the sides were mayonnaise and BBQ sauce to go along. Quite frankly, while we enjoyed the crisp texture of the freshly fried fries, I felt that the truffle fragrance lacked depth and intensity. The mayonnaise and BBQ sauce were nothing too great to rave about. Overall, it was good but not impressive.As we closely examined the 'newspaper' wrapping the truffle fries, you would notice that it is actually Au Chocolate Times! Mushroom Bites (S$15/++)The mushrooms came simmered in red wine sauce, paired with freshly baked bread and served with tasty tomato and olive jam. While we liked that the mushrooms retained the firm texture, giving it a slight chewiness and bounce, the flavours of the expected red wine sauce was slightly disappointing. Probably owed to the strong natural fragrance inherited from most mushrooms, the sauce failed to shine and tasted more like a good gravy. Coupled with the freshly baked bread which had a beautiful crisp crust to it, we enjoyed the complement in textures. The tasty tomato and olive jam tasted more like a variance to a tomato-based mayonnaise and while it did come appeal on my palate, it was well received by the ladies.

Au Chocolate frozen hot chocolate (S$12/++)This was a rather confusing and misleading drink to begin with. I struggled to find any element of 'hot chocolate' within the drink to give it any qualitative value. It was described as 'an all-time favourite' on the menu and since it resonated with the bistro's signature, we felt that it should be a 'MUST-TRY'. We were left hugely disappointed as it tasted plain pedestrian. With a generous amount of whipped cream crowning the frozen cold chocolate icy bits, the amount of calories in this drink would blow your mind off. The taste of the chocolate tasted mild and lacked intensity. We felt that the quality could have been better to warrant a simple iced cold chocolate drink at S$12++.

This drink took an awful long time before it finally reached our table. I submitted my request on two separate occasions after the order and on each occasion, I was assured that it was on the way. When I finally decided that I had enough and wanted to cancel the order, they seemed to expedite my request and had it before me within two minutes.

Au Chocolate Benedict (S$18/++)You could see that while it passed the classic eggs benedict test, it was not perfect. The poached egg did not look neat and I somewhat felt that the egg looked slightly clumsy and out of place compared to the one we had previously. I did not like the fact that there were 'lumps' of egg white and egg yolk.While the overall presentation with the muffin and bacon looked good, I was expecting a stronger punch in flavours and tastes from the homemade hollandaise sauce infused with red wine and dark chocolate. Again, the red wine element was sorely lacking and when enjoyed as a whole with the other elements on the plate, the dark chocolate failed to shine through. To give it credit, when we tasted the hollandaise sauce on its own, you could taste the chocolate taste cutting through, albeit mildly.

I might have set my expectations too high with the homemade hollandaise sauce but everything else on the plate was spot on. Crisp bacon and well toasted muffin with a nice portion of salad on the side.

Smoked salmon savoury crepe (S$20/++)While browsing through the beautifully illustrated menu, I was drawn to the savoury crepes which seemed unique as compared to its sweet counterpart. One would normally crepe to come with a sweet offering so this took me by surprise and the adventurous side of me decided to go for the smoked salmon.

The smoked Norwegian salmon came with finely-sliced crunchy Granny Smith apples covered in a rich cream sauce. When given the choice of a plain crepe or a chocolate rendition, we went for the latter. The crepe was freshly baked and there was a nice fragrance to it. It felt elastic and I found the thickness of the crepe to be ideal without too much flour to make it look like a pancake.

I thought that the combination was well thought out and sublime. The sweet and mildly sour tang from the green apples also gave a refreshing twist to the savoury smoked salmon while the textures were also well complemented with the crunchiness of the green apples.

The salad on the side was surprisingly addictive as it was topped with Au Chocolate's unique chocolate balsamic vinaigrette. While the salad was fresh, the dressing made all the difference with a perfect balance in acidity. Overall, this dish made my day and sealed it for me.I think that Au Chocolate has a beautiful setting and the intended 'magical world' decor that it was trying to achieve was certainly spot on. It seemed to transcend away from the affluence of the Marina Bay Sands into a corner reserved for the young and innocent. While the prices of the dishes certainly did not come cheap, it was affordable and well worth the experience.On the customer service aspect, I felt that some of the staffs were trying a little too hard to be nice when they failed to address the basics, such as making sure that orders were taken and making sure that they get served to the customers in a timely fashion. They were polite and humble in their conversations and was well appreciated. Overall, I felt that Au Chocolate is a decent bistro which has that relaxed ambiance for the diners but I would be more selective on my next visit.

Due to limitations in photo uploads, please refer to http://www.makeyourcaloriescount.com/2013/10/sg-memorable-revisit-to-au-chocolate.html for more pictures.

Craving for some high tea treats before heading to town, we decided to explore the Tanjong Pagar cafes that have been long overdue on our list.

Off we went to this rather odd sounding café near Amoy Street Food Centre, for those who’re wondering, it’s simply Supermarket, less the vowels and jazzed up with a lil’ of that cool factor. It’s pretty easy to have missed it without a very visible signboard at its entrance. In fact, I’d continued walking upon seeing it from opposite, thinking it was some travel-related business in it, until tmcy stopped us to take a closer look.

A chic and arty layout with some daily utensils, cooking crockeries for sale and art installation pieces, it was very much a lifestyle café, perfect for the slow afternoon or lazy weekends.

Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce ($6)This looked too tempting on the display that we had to give it a shot. Served slightly warm with the vanilla sauce on the side, it helped to keep it crisp on the top as you drizzle the sauce yourself. We loved the surprise mini chocolate crossiants on top, leaving us with flaky crispy pastry flakes for the contrast with soft pudding on the inside. We like how it wasn’t too sweet, and bonus was when you ate it with the chocolate crossiants in one mouthful! We would have preferred it warmer though everything else managed to satisfy our palate pretty well!

Truffle Fries with Kelp & Parmesan ($12)Just as I’ve been searching for good truffle fries, I’ve just been introduced to one of the best in town (though pretty pricey!) It looked promising when we were greeted with a strong fragrance of truffle, and served with shoestring fries, instead of fat fries where it tends to be harder to absorb the flavour.

You know how some truffle fries are simply lightly sprinkled with truffle oil on top that it just tastes like normal fries beyond the first layer? And some that are just too overwhelming that it gets jelat after a while? (which my friend calls it the ‘petroleum taste’) Well, this had neither of those. Every single fry was doused with truffle that was subtle yet addictive, and we loved how there were real truffle bits served in it. It wasn’t overpowering, and it remained crisp right down to the last fry standing! Forget the super big pile at P.S Café, forget the popular one at Au Chocolat, this is the one to come to when you’re unwilling to settle for just any truffle fries. A satisfying one, at least for me, this is my top choice so far! (but if you’ve come across any other good ones, please share with us!)Exterior of SPR.MKT, with several seats outside for alfresco diningDaily menuOn the inside!We loved the blackboard school-ish feeling to this!We haven’t tried the mains to determine the overall standards, though the sides selection were good enough to bring us back for a second time. Be sure to try the truffle fries on your visit!