I just wonder sometimes why I would go crazy with buffets especially when I love variety but I’m never able to eat so much at one setting compared to the husband. And my appetite seems to shrink as I grow older (another sign of aging?) but my weight remains the same (unfair!). Buffets are just not worth it for me anymore but after going to Straits Cafe @ Rendezvous with the husband one Saturday, I decided to bring the parents there the following Saturday too. Just because of one thing that got me really hooked on. And I was sure it would be something that could impress the fussy folks too.

The Straits Cafe is located on ground level of the Rendezvous Grand Hotel and it serves up a decent spread of Asian delights and Singaporean favourites.

A quick glimpse of the buffet spread:At S$40++ per pax for the weekend high tea buffet, the available variety of food is rather impressive. Besides cold appetisers, salads (and DIY ones too), sashimi, sushi, chilled seafood (prawns, flower crabs & conch aka ‘gong gong’), cheeses, dim sum, popiah & kueh pai tee stations, kebab corner and desserts, there are also live stations for kopi & teh tarik (coffee & tea), roti prata and their award-winning laksa.The prawns and flower crabs are fresh but they are just not sweet which is a common trait of chilled seafood at buffets anyway. Neither am I a big fan of the gong gong which tastes like overcooked, chewy escargot with no flavour. The salmon sashimi is not of the best cut as I could taste the sinews in some of the pieces. The octopus is pretty good though. Nicely poached, tender and sweet. And of course, the husband never forgets his sushi which is of pretty normal standard.I didn’t manage to try every single thing of course so these are just pictures of what all of us had on our plates. I particularly like the bak kut teh (with a nice peppery flavour), made-it-myself kueh pai tees (still not as good as Carousel’s but not too bad) and grilled meat from the kebab station. The rest of the items are pretty much mediocre, nothing exceptional.

I was a bit disappointed with the so-called ‘award-winning’ laksa as I felt it lacked punch and spices. Even after I’ve mixed in a tablespoonful of sambal chilli, the gravy just fails to excite my taste buds. The fragrance from the coconut milk is there but it just doesn’t taste complete. I wonder if the chef is now different, that’s probably why the standard has dipped.What I like here which I haven’t seen in other high tea buffets is the live drinks stall (that looks like an olden days street food stall) that serves up freshly pulled milk tea aka teh tarik which is one of the best I’ve had. It is not overly sweet and has the right balance of tea flavour versus milk.

The roti prata which is prepared upon order is sadly chewy and lacks the fluffiness and crisp of a good prata. The curry gravy is decent though, rich in flavour and not too oily.

For full review and pictures, please go to http://www.springtomorrow.com/2013/12/31/high-tea-buffet-straits-cafe-rendezvous-grand-hotel/

My colleague recommended me Chef Icon after she had her most amazing chocolate cake from there for her birthday. When I first visited the website, it wasn't really that eye-catchy and I was doubting if it was worth an order. After reading everything on its Avina.Neutro Baking style (no animal rennet, no animal gelatin, no animal meat, no liquor, no margarine, no MSG, no onions & garlic, no preservatives and no chemical bread improvers) and understanding the goodness of its products, I just felt compelled to order something to try as I was really curious if a chocolate cake would taste good if made in a healthier way.I was deciding between their cheesecake and chocolate cake and finally settled for a Chocolate Trovana. I was surprised at how plain the cake looked when it arrived. But looks were indeed deceiving because I could smell the cocoa fragrance the moment I lifted up the lid of the box. And immediately, I knew this was good stuff - even without tasting it.Look at how moist, smooth and luscious the texture is. It was love at first bite for me. The chocolate wasn't overly sweet, in fact it was exactly how I love it to be. The rich and intense taste of chocolate oozing all inside your mouth followed by a fragrant and bitter aftertaste of what good quality dark chocolate should leave behind - it was beyond words. The cake was very moist, so moist that I imagined myself eating a pudding rather than a cake. It was also the first time my family and I went hmm-hmm together after the very first bite. Everyone gave the thumbs up.

Choc cake lovers, this is a cake to die for. If you haven't tried this, you are really missing out on good things in life! Worth every penny, worth every calorie. Bring on more!

My husband and I headed to Sembawang Shopping Centre for some late night shopping and was scouting the area for a supper fix when we came across this corner coffeeshop along a row of shophouses along Sembawang Road. It looked pretty busy and the fragrance of prata and briyani in the air was super enticing.I highly recommend the papadum crisp that was fried to perfection. Light and not greasy. The way to eat papadum with a briyani is to crack it into small bits and mix with the rice. The mutton was tender (no gamey smell at all - perfect!) and the gravy was so yummy - the spice, the curry and chilli powder/paste were all done nicely. The basmati rice grains remained separate, definitely not soggy and was full of spices fragrance. And of course the tangy achar was very appetizing as well.

If you happen to be in the North or living in the North, you know where to go when you're hungry in the middle of the night. Good news is, this place opens 24-hour, 24/7.

Who would ever expected popcorn to be that exquisite that this gourmet outlet would just spruce all over town in a flash? Every time I walk by a Garrett popcorn shop, I'd marvel at the long queue of people who are willing to pay a substantial amount of money for some corn kernels. Until one day, I couldn't resist the smell of popped corn, caramel and butter in the air that I told my husband, "We just have to grab one bag to try". We picked the macadamia one.

And the verdict? It is worth every penny we spent. Every freshly popped corn was well coated with the sweet caramel and coupled with a generous serving of macadamia nuts. The nuts came in halves and wholes, not just bits and pieces. This popcorn wasn't anything like what we could get at movie theatres. They came in chunks (stuck together due to the thick sticky caramel) and tasted really crispy and fresh. It's a addictive snack! Do note the caramel is very sweet and you can get a little sickly from eating too much but still, it's a must-try. Best snack for movie goers!

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!