After hearing that my classmate was working at Strictly Pancakes, I decided to pay her a visit and try the increasingly well-known pancake place at the same time. There was a really long queue when I reached, probably owing to the fact that it was dinnertime, so remember to make reservations, especially on weekends! Walking into the place, it felt like just the place for students like me- it was cozy and there were cushions and couches on the second floor to sit and chill.

The pancakes were smelling really good so my friend and I decided to quickly order and fill the our tummies. We ordered a savory and a sweet pancake to share between the two of us (spoiler alert: it was really really really filling) and decided on the Garlic Buttered Prawns for the savory, and The Druggie for the sweet. The Garlic Buttered Prawns were basically pancakes with prawns covered in butter, and while the prawns were juicy and sweet, I felt that it wasn't anything to rave about, and that the pancakes were a little too dense and heavy. The Druggie, on the other hand, was heaven for a chocoholic sweet-tooth like me. The pancakes themselves are chocolate pancakes, and they come with strawberries, chocolate ice cream and chocolate sauce ^^ While the pancakes are equally dense, it seems to work with the sweetness of the other ingredients and makes a very satisfying, whilst filling, dessert.

Overall, I felt that Strictly Pancakes does better in their sweets section as compared to their savory, and while I wouldn't go down for dinner, it does make a nice dessert place to hang out and talk, be it with friends or a romantic date.

I had been craving cheap dim sum and custard buns for the longest time, so I went down to where I could definitely satisfy those cravings- Victor's Kitchen! While the appearance of this little store might lower expectations, I found that their food is still yummy, especially for the relatively cheap prices. Of their dishes, I think that most of the traditional dim sum did not disappoint; the siew mai and feng jiao (chicken feet) were really good, and the glutinous rice wrapped in a lotus leaf was fragrant and sticky, just the way I like it. However, the main star of the place was the custard buns. Crisp to the touch, yet oozing yellow goodness when broken open, the custard buns are amazing. The custard filling is sweet without sugary clumps in them, and compared to other buns with cold and solid blocks of custard, Victor's Kitchen's custard buns are piping hot and the custard really flows.

All in all, Victor's Kitchen reminds me of an old Hong Kong dim sum place; a small, crowded, slightly dilapidated restaurant that serves good food.

Whenever I'm in need of some good comfort food, The Soup Spoon is never far from my thoughts. I have been a regular customer of theirs ever since I discovered it a few years back, and love going there to chill and enjoy a bowl of soup with my friends. The soups, while chunky and more 'western', give a certain sense of warmth and comfort-especially my favorite, the Simon and Garfunkel Chicken and Mushroom ragout. It's filling with its bounty of chicken, mushroom and carrot, yet not overwhelming. In two words, it's perfection.

Moreover, I wouldn't deduct points for its decor and and ambiance. While not the perfect place for a romantic date, The Soup Spoon is a great place for friends to hang out and talk the evening away. It's not too noisy, and while it can sometimes get crowded, the servers never ask you to leave- a huge thumbs up! So all in all, I would really recommend The Soup Spoon to everyone who's in need of a little comfort, or really, just everyone.