It seems like more and more cafes are choosing to set up below void decks to avoid the high cost of rental in premium districts.Ciel Patisserie is a small little cafe that is located at Lorong Ah Soo. A first of its kind in the area, the store is located in between provisions store and a clinic, place which most doesn't even consider ideal for a cafe. Yet it a still sees a steady stream of customer in the area and one visit to the cafe I could see why.

With a limited amount of cakes made per day, you would definitely need to book ya cakes if you would like to make a evening trip as they are usually sold out by 5pm.The cakes here are definitely beautifully crafted and I was so tempted to order every single one of them cause they just look so good! Too bad there was only 2 of us and limited stomach space.A round shape dessert, it isn't particularly beautiful to photograph but the taste is exquisite. If you are one that go for heavy flavors, this will be the ideal choice for you. The velvety thick chocolate mousse together with the crunchy praline base complement each other perfectly well.
SGD 5.50Well baked and not overly sweet, this tart is a refreshing alternative to the DOME. The size is a little small for the price, with a shallow base. But for the taste I am willing to shelve out the moolah.
SGD 4.80Instant coffee from illy, it wasn't too bad a coffee to enjoy.

Service is generally good except for a grumpy staff (who was a little unfriendly) told me that if I was to see the entire selection, then I should be here early in the morning when they open. A sarcastic reply to what I deem as a innocent question of "Do you replenish your cakes when they run out? Cause i would like to check out the entire selection?"

VERDICT
Seating area is a bit limited in this area, so big groups of more than 6 might find it hard to get settings. Otherwise, this cafe is a pretty good place to chill out with friends over chatter and cakes.

If you are looking for a quiet spot for good coffee this weekend, Smitten might be a good spot for you to drop by. With outdoor and indoor seating, I heard that they do fill up pretty fast over the weekends.
Prices are pretty similar to industry players where we (4 of us) paid SGD 5 for a 6oz cup of espresso with milk.I like that it isn't too thin. Definitely a robust cup of coffee, a whiff to the coffee will definitely bring a small to your face. Ordered their affogato and it is pretty much a sweetened up caffeine shot which I enjoyed immersely. The espress shot is super "gao" (thick in hokkien) with the vanilla ice cream offsetting this otherwise bitter shot.
Matcha Cake was a little expensive by still a treat for those who like their green tea to be a little sweet. I personally prefer the savor the natural bitter taste of Green Tea, so this cake didnt do it for me.
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VERDICT
Definitely worth a return visit, the next time round I would like to pop by to try out their Sandwiches and savoury bites which doesn't exceed SGD 10. Definitely attractive in terms of pricing.

Have fun savoring a cup of coffee @ Smitten!

While on the lookout for something sweet, I decided to drop by Blackball's newest outlet which is located in Habourfront. With limited seating area of not more than 20, I decided to pack a bowl back home to be shared with Mr Heng, my forever food partner.Packed with ingredients, it is definitely a bowl which you should be sharing with friends! A mixture of taro balls, red beans, pumpkin and sweet potato balls atop slow grass jelly. You are giving a choice to have it as it is, or to add milk into the dessert to give it a milky creamy taste.

I personally like mine with a bit of milk even though it is a little sinful
The entire dessert is a little too sweet for me, so I guess the next time back I would ask for a "less sweet" option.

The taro balls do come by a little too starchy, to the point where it doesnt really taste of yam. Quite a pity since yam chunks would have been awesome!

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VERDICT
This is a ok place to head down for desserts if you have a sweet tooth! For me, I think I shall just stick to my favorite traditional dessert stalls in hawker centers.

Mala Xiang Guo is one of the lastest food trend in town and it is little wonder to find one popping up near my office. A couple of my colleagues raved about this spicy dish and urge me to try it out, with a little reminder that I should go for the lessy spicy option when asked.Located in Anchorpoint's Koufu, you will be presented by a selection of meat, veggie and mushrooms. Price of the meal is decided by weight of the items that you have selected.SGD 1/ 100g of Vegatables
SGD 2/ 100g of Mushrooms
SGD 2.80/ 100g of Vegatables
SGD 3.80/ 100g of Seafood

I wasnt feeling too hungry so I had a mix of mushroom and vegetables which cost me SGD 4.80. I choose to have it less spicy and I am sure glad I did!It was comfortably spicy where you dont have keep chugging cups of water down to squench the fire on your tongue. It is fragrant and the peanuts and sesame sees added to the make definitely made it smell better.

One of the tricks to having a cheaper bowl of food is to choose items which are much more light weight, e.g. Mushrooms or Kangkong which are pretty light items.

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VERDICT
Definitely worth a trip down to try out this stall, especially if you are a spice lover. I like that idea of being able to choose my ingredients, which allows me to pile my bowl up with a whole lot of dietary fibre.
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Popped over at Bacon & Booze on a Saturday afternoon after finding them on the Entertainer App. Armed With a coupon for a 1 for 1 Main, we decided to grab the Crispy Fish Burger and the Chicken Cutlet.While waiting, we nursed a cup of cappucino which didnt turn out too bad despite its simple appearance.
A quick glance around the place and we saw that it is very simply furnished with a loads of handmade decorations hung up the wall.Burger Combo: Battered fish topped with nacho cheese & bacon bits, stacked up on a healthy salad. Served with fries.

Definitely a well battered fish which was fried till golden brown and served hot and cripsy when we bite into it. The salad gave the savoury dish a slight sweetness, giving it a balance of sweet and salty.
Despite having bacon in their stall name, I certainly wasnt expecting the dried hard and overfried chewy bacon that was served with the dish. Fries were also pale yellow instead of golden brown, which a couple of minutes in the deep fryer could have solved.
SGD 15Fried to perfection, chicken thigh in lovely golden brown breadcrumbs. Choice of teriyaki sauce or sambal chilli. Served with fries & side salad.
A great dish, the chicken culet was served up as promised. The teriyaki sauce that came with the dish was pretty good as well. The only gripe was that is was a little too oily, and the matt plate which the dish was served on didnt do the appearance any favours.
SGD 15


VERDICT
Given the location, Bacon and Booze will probably be a spot which I would head to when I am looking for a place hangout with friends over beer, or if I am looking for a western food option at Pungol end. The food isnt mind blowing good for me to want to head down again, though the beer list does look promising for beer lovers.
Definitely worth a try, but dont expect too much from this place