In the beginning when M&S had revamped its flagship store and started their first bakery here at Wheelock, I was initially a little skeptical as I thought the bakery would probably serve up expensive yet mediocre pastries. But I was wrong. The prices of the breads and pastries were comparable with other bakeries or probably lower for certain items.

After trying most of the items in the bakery, these are my two short-listed must-tries:It might not be the prettiest cheese twist and it looked as though there was barely any cheese but you just need to take one bite to enjoy that rich, cheesy flavour beneath those layers of pastry. As these twists had been left out for some time, the pastry was no longer warm or crispy but it didn’t affect the overall taste and texture because it had a lovely moist and chewy interior that I really liked.The palmier here was probably the best I ever had. The pastry was extremely crispy (yet not too brown or burnt) and flaky with the right amount of butter flavour and sweetness. Some of you might remember the big flat sugar pastry that was really popular in the 80s as almost all bakeries then would sell it. It tasted exactly like the palmier except that the shape and size were different. I grew up snacking on that flat pastry so that’s why I have a soft spot for palmiers now because they really bring back some fond childhood ‘snacking’ memories. And at $1.50 for a big hand size piece, it’s probably one of the cheapest pastries you can get in town these days.

Sunday is best spent with a good brunch coupled with a laid-back and tranquil setting. Given Singapore is such a concrete jungle, it is rather rare to find a place that fits the bill. I first heard of Spruce from a colleague and decided to head over for a lazy weekend brunch with my good friend.Spruce is located at Phoenix Park, Tanglin Road where Ministry of Home Affairs and the Police Headquarters used to be. It makes me feel like I was somewhere else (out of Singapore) when I was in the restaurant. The area is serene and you can even hear the sounds of crickets in the quiet peace. Very relaxing and makes you feel close to nature. That's what makes dining here so special.Corn Waffle, Back Bacon and Hollandaise Sauce. A perfect match in heaven. This would have to be my favourite dish for all that I have tried. The eggs are perfectly poached with the yolk still runny. The bacon is nicely pan fried and you can still chew the meat texture (unlike some places that serve overly fried and crispy bacon) - exactly how I like my bacon to be. The waffle is very fluffy and light and is even tasty on its own. Of course, the Hollandaise Sauce is also creamy and rich and goes perfectly well with the egg. Best way to eat this dish would be to combine all ingredients in one spoonful and chow that down. Yummy.A huge portion of scrambled eggs, bacon, German sausage, roasted tomato, roasted potato, mushrooms and Foccacia Toast. I'm a die hard fan of Foccacia bread so I'm extremely happy to see this being served on this big plate. The scrambled egg is a little too dry unfortunately but the sausage, bacon and mushrooms are delicious. For the eggs, you can choose scrambled, poached or sunny side up - I do appreciate these options given so you can mix and match your breakfast.Again, another huge portion of 2 sunny side ups, bacon, Cumberland Sausage, baked beans, roasted tomato, mushrooms and Foccacia Toast. It is pretty similar to the Big Brekkie except that the sausage is different. I like the German one better than this though because it is crunchier and juicier.Probably the best Mac and Cheese I've ever had. The cheese sauce is extremely wet and creamy (more like beige colour than yellow) and is very different from the usual mac and cheese that is served in sticky golden yellow cheese sauce. This is like a casserole dish where breadcrumbs are sprinkled on top and then baked in oven. I like the crispy bits on top. Thumbs up!Another winning dish served with mascarpone cheese and peach jam. The toast is thick, fluffy and moist on the inside. The combination of the mascarpone and jam is delicious. Perfect ending to the entire meal.

Spent just under $120 for 3 persons including beverages - we had tea, latte and fresh grapefruit juice. I love how big the portions are so when these dishes are served, our whole table is filled with a variety of lip smacking breakfast foods. Very happy brunch indeed.

Note: Advanced reservations are recommended. This place can be packed!

It was a lazy Sunday morning but I woke up early feeling bright and cheery. The husband and I had been ill and got no choice but to stay home over Christmas and do nothing. BORING was the word. When I felt myself in top form on the weekend, I was excited to make the most of the day and so I dragged the sleepy husband out of bed and headed to Orchard for some shopping to grab some belated festive gifts.

An impromptu decision brought us to Paris Baguette Cafe which was the perfect move as there wasn’t any queue at all (and with plenty of empty tables) when we were there. So folks, Sunday morning is the key. Lol.What a joy to see chefs scurrying out of the kitchen with fresh-from-the-oven pastries and I just love the smell of these pastries in the air!Ordering is pretty simple. Just have a look at the array of available pastries and let the counter staff know what you want. He/she will grab your orders and place on a tray on top of the display shelves. Then you just take the tray to the cashier at the end, order your drinks, make payment, get a number plate and find a place to sit.

As my husband and I were marvelling at the pastries, I was quite amused by the young boy who was serving us because he literally followed us when we paced up and down in front of the display shelves, trying to make up our minds on what to order.

I have heard stories about their bad service which I feel is more of a lack of experience. The counter staff looked like students on vacation jobs and were quite shy in behaviour when communicating with us. Service wasn’t impeccable but it didn’t put me off either.The Hannam-Dong Hotdog is a rolled-up cheese sausage hotdog with marbled beef whereas the Sweet Bacon Roll is a crispy bacon and egg roll, probably basked in glistening sugar syrup or honey.

The cheese-oozing sausage was moist and juicy. Every bite of it was like a snap, really crunchy. The marbled beef was very well marinated and was full of flavours. The crust was like a thin pita bread. Everything just married within that roll. This would be one thing I’d come back for.

The bacon roll on the other hand tasted too sweet for my liking. I love eggs and bacon very much but just not when they are sweetened. Something just didn’t taste right for me. The husband loved it though. The egg mixture was stuffed compactly in the roll so every mouthful was brimming with eggy aroma. If this was more savoury, I’d probably enjoy it more.What really enticed me on this pastry were the big cubes of apples that looked so beautifully caramelized. Normally, we’d only see apple slices on similar pastries so this was really a generous helping. The apples were nicely baked and retained a lovely crunch. The sugar, raisins and a touch of cinnamon gave the apple cubes a rich, divine flavour without being too sweet. The best part? The crust or puff pastry gave a sound of crunch when you cut it through with the fork and knife. And gave another crunch when you chew on it. How did they manage to make the pastry so crispy despite the top being laden with heavy syrup spiced apples? A dust of icing sugar made the whole pastry even more intoxicating. It’s probably my first time enjoying and actually liking an apple pastry!Well, the coffee wasn’t spectacular but good enough to give me my caffeine kick.The husband ordered the mango latte at an unbelievable price of $9.00. It was like a mango milkshake made of fresh mango puree and milk. Not sure why this would cost so expensive. It tasted pretty good though. The mango was rich, not diluted. If you’re a mango lover, this would be perfect for you.

For full review and pictures, please go to http://www.springtomorrow.com/2014/01/01/paris-baguette-cafe/

The husband brought home these two delightful treats to cheer me up as I was feeling a little stressed up recently. And they did brighten me up!Sooooooooo cute! That was what I exclaimed when the husband took this out from the box. Though the name was Brownie Bear, it really was just a chocolatey cupcake with chocolate frosting, bear cookie and a sugared bow. The size was quite small so when the husband said this cost $6.50, I was flabbergasted. How expensive for something that you can devour in two bites! The chocolate cake was really rich and chocolatey, moist and bouncy. And the frosting wasn’t overly sweet too. The cookie had a lovely, buttery flavour but wasn’t greasy on the outside. Apparently, the Brownie Bear wasn’t on their regular menu so it was a promotional item for a limited time only. Though overall it tasted good, it wasn’t exceptional and definitely didn’t worth its price tag.Vanilla sponge layered with chestnut filling, whipped cream and topped with a Japanese chestnut. Absolutely delicious! This was one of the best Mont Blancs I ever had. The chestnut puree was smooth and creamy (like eating the Teochew Yam Paste aka Orh Nee) and the chestnut flavour was just so rich and intense with the right amount of sweetness. The sponge was of course soft and moist and the whipped cream wasn’t cloying either. You just have to combine every layer in every bite to enjoy that textural wholesomeness of the cake. Thumbs up! I highly recommend this!

For full review and pictures, please go to http://www.springtomorrow.com/2014/01/23/rive-gauche-patisserie-revisited/

While the pho was good and worth returning for, what got me hooked are their Banh Mi or toasted baguettes stuffed with savoury meats, pate, mayo, chilli peppers, pickled carrots, daikon, cucumber and coriander. It is incredible that all these flavours could marry in a roll of bread. The saltiness of the meat, the sweetness of the vegetables, the sourness of the pickled carrots, the heat of the peppers, etc. You could taste a little of everything in every banh mi.Every banh mi is made to order whether for in-dining or take-away at this counter. The baguettes are kept in the toaster oven below so every piece is warm and crispy.For take-aways, do note there is additional surcharge of $0.50 per banh mi.Don’t be deceived by the seemingly dry look of the baguette as the inside is actually quite light and fluffy. This is probably one of the best bahn mis I’ve ever had. The pork belly is nicely braised, flavoursome and very tender. The pork pate spread has only a very insignificant tinge of pork liver smell, perfect for people who don’t really appreciate pork liver but it is this pate that makes the bahn mi different from other sandwiches. The vegetables give a good crunch and the mayo with other seasonings simply just make this even more finger-licking good.Every bite is a mouthful of generous ingredients of different textures and flavours.When the lady was making the banh mi and she lifted the lid of the tray of meatballs, I was captivated by the aroma of the braising sauce. And indeed, the meatballs were so full of flavour, soft and tender that they kind of melted in the mouth. It was the sauce that really brought this banh mi to another level as compared to the pork belly one.

And my verdict? These banh mis are absolute must-tries! Portion is adequate. Price is affordable ($5.90 per banh mi). Flavours are jam-packed in each sandwich. What’s not to like? Highly recommended! Two thumbs up!

For full review and pictures, please go to http://www.springtomorrow.com/2014/01/26/vietnamese-fare-namnam-noodle-bar-raffles-city-part-2-of-2/