Finally found some motivation to travel out of the cosy home on a Sunday morning, to Department of Caffeine (D.O.C)! I’ve been hearing a lot about D.O.C’s buttermilk waffles and its been some time since I found my last favourite at Wimbly Lu, thus a trip down to Duxton was warranted. A large wooden plank hung on the pillar marks the territory of D.O.C clearly, or its frosted glass windows with black frames, right beside a night pub would have been rather misleading. If you know where Littered with Books is at, D.O.C is just a few doors down!

63 degrees Egg [2 soft eggs w dressed salmon, asparagus, lemon & dill cream on brioche crouton] ($$18.50) – These eggs remind me of those at Skyve; ultra runny and smooth, almost like the soft-boiled eggs from Ya Kun. Almost. That said, I really like this dish as it has all my favourite brunch items, including the green asparagus and salmon! Thankfully the brioche wasn’t too hard from toasting. I sort of lost the taste of the lemon and dill cream though which was overpowered by the eggs.

Buttermilk Waffles w Blueberry Compote & Premium Vanilla Ice Cream ($13.50) – Indeed, this is a must try!! The waffle was extremely light and fluffy, with a nice buttermilk taste. It’s so light that you could have 5 of them and not feel full. The blueberry compote was fresh but may be a little too sweet for those who have lower tolerance for sugar. However, I felt that the combination of hot waffles, plump and moist blueberries and straight-out-of-freezer ice cream is the perfect recipe for a wonderful Sunday morning. Okay, and any other time too!For a full run-down of my review, please visit: http://foodiepink.wordpress.com/2013/08/30/department-of-caffeine-duxton/

A sister restaurant of Otto Ristorante, Otto Locanda serves up some hearty, trattoria-style dishes. It is located adjacent to the Red Dot building, at the pristine white Maxwell Chamber, directly opposite Tanjong Pagar MRT.

This circular dining area at Otto Locanda made me feel as though I was dining in a lighthouse! I really love the decor of the restaurant with its rich brown hues, contrasted against the mint green walls, with mismatched picture frames plastered all over. This setting exudes a very warm ambience, very much like you’re having a meal over at a friend’s house.

Vitello Tonnato [Sliced chilled roast sirloin w tuna sauce & caper berries] ($22) – My first thought when I saw this plate: it is too heavy for a starter. To my surprise, it turned out to be rather light on the palette and even helped to whet my appetite further! The roast beef was sliced as thinly as a piece of paper, adding to tenderness of the meat. As you can see, the meat was done medium well, with some pink, producing a fork-tender texture despite being chilled. The tuna sauce reminded me of Subway’s tuna but much smoother. This is certainly no complaint as tuna sandwich is the only thing I would order from Subway. The fact that the dish was served on a charming plate definitely added brownie points! A must-order for meat lovers I say.

Astice all Griglia [Grilled lobster w mix "pinzimonio" vegetables & fresh seasonal fruits] ($30) – One of the most reasonably-priced Boston lobsters in my opinion; so much so that my partner and I decided to opt out from their freshly-made pastas. Granted, the lobster was rather small but adequate if you plan to have desserts after. I felt that the lobster was a little overdone on the grill as the meat was too tough for my liking. As the meat of Boston lobsters are rather firm, it is not easy to perfect the timing when cooking it on the grill, with inconsistent heat. However, by grilling the lobsters, it lent the meat an aromatic smokey flavour that is usually absent when you boil them. I also love the combination of fruits and vegetables, which helps fill you up with fibre and can be very refreshing at the same time. Oh, and major love for the mayo on the lobster head!

For full review and more photos, please visit http://foodiepink.wordpress.com/2013/08/26/otto-locanda-maxwell-road/