Refuel cafe is one the latest addition to the every growing list of cafes in Singapore. Located at Bedok Reservoir, the cafe's theme revolves around petrol, car and the likes. Decor is kept minimal with earthy tones like grey and brown, and the long glass window panes allow natural sunlight to stream in.The Latte Mocha and Hazelnut Latte ($5.80 each) was quite mild. Probably cos we ordered the flavoured coffee, I felt that they were kinda sweet and have masked the taste of the coffee itself. I expected better coffee as they are priced relatively higher here.The food on the other hand was surprisingly good. We ordered the Banana Pancakes ($8.90) and Pulled Pork Burger ($12.90) for sharing. The Banana Pancakes came in 3 thin slices and scrambled eggs (supposedly with salad too but we changed it for more eggs). I liked the pancakes as they were light and fluffy, with the fragrance and sweetness from the banana mash inside. The scrambled eggs were not bad too, quite soft and creamy though it could do with more seasoning. Though the portion looks small, it's surprisingly quite filling (you'll wanna leave space for coffee and desserts too right? ;) )The Pulled Pork Burger was excellent! The lighted toasted bun with a generous filling of shredded pulled pork mixed with bbq sauce and lemonly slaw. The ingredients were fresh and veg were very crunchy. The portion is really filling too.

Prices here are nett with no GST and service charge. Very value for money! This is definitely one cafe of late to look out for. I already can't wait to go back and try their other items especially their pasta!

Rate: 4.5/5

Refuel Cafe

Block 744 Bedok Reservoir Road #01-3029

Singapore 470744

Operating hours

Mon - Sun: 11am to 10pm

(closed on Tues)

I have been meaning to try out this cafe at Novena, hidden amongst the medical offices at Novena Medical Center. This is definitely the last place you'll expect a cafe to be opened here, a good one no less. La Ristrettos is a hole-in-a-wall cafe, with an indoor seating capacity of approx 15-20 pax. There is plenty of outdoor seats at their patio though.My sis and I ordered a Tostino E Arrosto ($10) and a Croissant Al Cotto ($9) to share. The former is a toasted sour dough with garlic olive oil, spinach, roast chicken breast, tomato, ricotta cheese and poached egg, while the latter is toasted croissant with leg ham and swiss cheese. We also added scrambled eggs for an extra cost of $2.

Both dishes were executed really well. The chicken breast wasn't dry and tough, instead it was marinated really well and tasted good on its own. The poached egg was also done perfectly; the egg yolk oozes out the moment the knife slits across it.

It was an absolutely right choice to add the scrambled eggs to the croissant we ordered. Though I would prefer the eggs to be slightly more milky and runny, it was the perfect combination with the ham and cheese.

I also liked the Iced Mocha ($6.50) which I ordered as it was pretty strong and definitely helps in keeping me alert for the day. The Mango Fragole ($6.50) on the other hand was too rich for my liking.Tostino E Arrosto ($10) - Toasted Sour Dough with Garlic Olive Oil, Spinach, Roast Chicken Breast, Tomato, Ricotta Cheese and Poached EggCroissant Al Cotto ($9) - Toasted Croissant with Leg Ham and Cheese, served with salad. Top up $2 for scrambled eggs

The food here totally surpassed my expectation and I will definitely be back again to try their other items, especially the lunch menu (was drooling when I saw the pastas being served to the other customers)!

Rate: 4/5

For full review and photos, please visit shirlynnyang.blogspot.com

As part of my 3-days long birthday celebration (actually it's just an excuse for me to eat ), I finally paid Pince & Pints a visit! This joint that specializes in lobster is all over my instagram and facebook accounts! Serving only lobster and nothing else, they must have done something good to attract people from all over Singapore flocking over to Duxton Hill for some lobster fix.

Lobsters here are served in 4 ways - steamed, grilled, as a lobster roll, and as chili lobster. They all weigh 600g approximately and are priced at $48++. My sis and I ordered the lobster roll and chili lobster to share, and also an omakase styled drink ($8-$12).Lobster roll with Mesclun Salad, Sour Cherry & Balsamic Dressing, Shoestring Fries

My lobster roll consists of whole chunks of lobster meat served in a crispy buttered bun. The lobster meat is lightly tossed in mayonnaise, and sits comfortably on the crispy yet fluffy bun. The lobster meat was undoubtedly fresh, but could do with more flavour. The fries on the side were soggy and disappointing. I had expected more from a $48++ dish.The chili lobster, on the other hand, was a tad too salty. I would have preferred it to be spicier but I guess they have deliberately made it milder so that the freshness of the lobster could stand out. The lobster meat again was fresh and succulent. The man tous were fried to perfection and were the perfect match with the chilli gravy.

As a whole, I think the lobsters were executed pretty well, and some fine tuning would make it perfect. The decor of the place is kept simple, with black, white and red tones. The space however was extremely small and cramp. The table was small, and if you were to order the chili lobster like me, the huge claypot would have taken up half the table. The cramped place was quite stuffy, making the dining experience a bit unpleasant.

If you wish to indulge in a good meal, this place is still worth a try. Go before 6pm or be prepared to queue.

For full review and photos, please visit shirlynnyang.blogspot.com

For full review and photos, please visit shirlynnyang.blogspot.com

A cafe that has sprung up in the Thomson area a few months back. It's a cafe by day and a pizzeria by night which I think makes so much economic sense. I've walked past this place many times before in the day and it's often dead. Zero business at all. And now that One Man Coffee started operating here in the day, it's so lively with all the chattering of the cafe goers.

The Brioche French Toast was soft and fluffy; you almost didn't have to chew it. The berry compote was really fresh and goes so well with the toast. I don't usually eat nuts but I tried the candied walnuts and couldn't stop reaching out for more. It's pretty addictive! So crunchy and slightly sweet which helps to remove the raw nutty taste.

My favourite is the Gashouse Egg a.k.a Toad In The Hole a.k.a Egg-in-the-bread-with-the-hole-in-the-middle with bacon jam ($10) (yes, the name is that longggg). I loveeee the bacon jam, it tastes like bak kwa! I wished they gave more of that. The second time I went, I requested for the egg to be runny 'cos I hate sunny side up with cooked yolk. The bread ended up less toasted and hence less crispy. I guess we can't always have the best of both worlds?

I would definitely order The Toasted Butter Croisant with Honey Ham and Melted Cheese again. It's such a great comfort food 'cos it's so satisfying and is just a perfect breakfast item. The croissant is light and flaky and it's my second favourite after the one I had at CMCR.

A little research about Argentinian cuisine and you will know that the main bulk of their diet is made up of beef. But at BoCHINche, they make sure there's something for everyone! (You got to trust me on this 'cos I don't eat beef but I was filled to the brim at the end)
I particularly like the ambience there - it's dimly lit and cozy, definitely makes for a great place to have some drinks with your friends and to unwind after a long day at work. You can choose between indoor seats for an intimate experience, al-fresco seats if you wish to have some quiet time with your friends, or even the bar seats to see the chefs and bartenders in action.

BoCHINche boasts a large selection of drinks - wine, cocktails, coffee, tea etc. One should not miss having a drink or two here as they serve pretty good cocktails that not only taste nice, but are visually pleasing too. I had the Mr Hendricks which consists of Hendrick’s gin, egg white, Japanese cucumber, lemon & mint. It was refreshing and the cucumber flavour was distinct.

Doesn't pig's head croquettes sound quite disgusting? But to my surprise, it tastes really good! In fact, it was one of my favourite dish that night! The croquettes were fried to a golden perfection and the filling of shredded pork was very flavourful. I thought that the quince sauce on the side didn't help too much in terms of taste, but a good drizzle of it helps make the croquettes less dry!

The Provoleta is one of the must-have here! Served in a hot pan, the provolone cheese is rich and chewy but not overpowering. The honey complements it very well, making it subtly sweet. It goes well with the house-baked bread or on its own. Best to eat it fast or it would start to harden.

For full review and photos, please visit shirlynnyang.blogspot.com