Pacamara Boutique Coffee Roasters is a sleek cafe done in a slate of white - clean cut lines, cheery ambience because of the friendly staff, and provides a great ambience for weekend brunch, afternoon hangouts, chilling out or meals.Their hot white coffee comes in 3 different sizes, SGD$4.50 for 3oz, SGD$5.00 for 5oz and SGD$5.50 for 7oz. Smooth, aromatic coffee beneath pretty latte art, with a long finish filled with nutty hints - one could see why Pacamara Boutique Coffee Roasters stand out from the many cafes along the same Upper Thomson stretch.We started with the Breakfast Platter (SGD$22.00) from the Day Menu - consisting of multi-grained toast, fresh avocado, smoked salmon, back bacon, baked mushrooms, potato hash, and choice of eggs. In this case, we had them done sunny-sideup. This large platter was perfect because it comprised of everything under the "breakfast must-have" list, all done to good texture - crispy bacon and hash browns, soft eggs with yielding yolks, umami mushrooms and smoke salmon, buttery avocado etc all paired beautifully with wheat toast for balance. A happy breakfast makes for a happy day, so I guess this must have been a good start for us.Next, Lemongrass Ricotta Hotcakes (SGD$17.50) - triple-stacked fluffy ricotta pancakes infusesd faintly with lemongrass' exotic flavour, topped with zesty berry compote giving it an extra boost of taste and lots of colours. The pancakes were so velvety soft, they melted upon contact with the tongue, becoming a luscious mush with the delicious berries. This scores high points for aesthetics, taste and texture for sure!

For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to visit:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2015/11/brunch-at-pacamara-boutique-coffee.html

CATO is a modern Asian Fusion restaurant located at the ex-OCBC Bank along South Bridge Road, occupying a second-storey unit in the conservation building, giving it all the element of historic cultural allure along with old world charm. Comfort is the name of the game, from the modernistic, rustic decor of the first storey restaurant to the dimly-lit, industrial chic interior of the second floor bar area. Mains are served on the restaurant level and one may have light bites / tapas to go along with drinks on the upper level.The Prawn Bisque with Home Made Cod Fish Ball and Coriander Leaf (SGD$12.00) - thick, smooth and creamy broth has a delicious flavour, slightly saccharine and distinct with lobster goodness; lingering in the palate long after every drop is savoured. The cod fish ball had a class of its own - firm but soft in texture, the taste is lighter than those of the typical fishball, but very pleasant for sure. Wish I had more of those balls.The Chicken Noodle Salad (SGD$16.00) - Chinese tea-smoked chicken salad with fresh greens and Ghost Chili seasoned noodles. The tea-smoked chicken was tender, juicy and proudly infused with the aroma of Chinese-tea and hunger-inducing smokey hints that made it a joy to chew unto. Do not be deceived by the seemingly innocuous name or appearance of the murky-coloured noodles - one bite was all it took to feel the spiciness reverberating in the ears and inferno in the mouth. I enjoyed it immensely, and had a few more bites since the rest pretty much left it alone after the first try - but bear in mind that I eat chilli padi as well (though this exceeded the prowess of chilli padi greatly). Suggestion is that you can order it for sharing, or ask the restaurant to let you have the milder or non-spicy version.The Açaí Cured Salmon (SGD$18.00), açaí -cured salmon rounds served on starfruit ceviche with a light and refreshing calamansi Crème Fraîche & Açai jelly. Another dish that left a deep impression on me, and I am sure I needn't emphasize that a dish with health benefits definitely scores points in today's context, where people eat healthier. Springy salmon rounds were sweetly-justifiable of the salmon's luscious, mildly-fishy taste, like eating fresh sashimi. Açai jelly were tiny caviar-like rounds by the side; fun to bite on; and calamansi Crème Fraîche with starfruit ceviche added a refreshing touch of zest.Crispy Squid in Thai-style Glaze (SGD$12.00) were baby squids with a light flour and spices batter, crackling scrumptiously with each bite, melting readily away in the charmed jaws. I could eat a few plates of this easily, especially over drinks.The Steam Baked Pork Cheek (SGD$28.00) - tender strips of slow-cooked pork cheek sealed in "Fata" cooking foil and steam-baked in a Port Wine Mustard sauce along with seasonal vegetables. So we eagerly unwrapped the anticipated dish like a precious present, and slowly doused the yellow sauce over it before attacking the dish. Such soft, succulent pork cheeks were a bliss to behold in between the teeth, slowly slicing through its springy texture and letting the strength of the port-wine mustard sauce come through - rather intoxicating and very palatable. I also loved the sweet vine tomatoes served with the pork cheeks.The Papaya Nougat Glacé (SGD$14.00)- homemade nougat speckled with fresh papaya chunks and studded with almonds was soft, chewy, sweet and crunchy. Drizzled with a papaya and sweet wine reduction pooling it slowly, this decadent dessert was further enhanced in taste and flavour. Loved the berries by the side too.

For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to visit:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2015/11/media-invite-dinner-at-cato-singapore.html

Bosses were very amicable and the cafe was still pretty empty (but we there after lunch hour), given that it is a baby cafe, a hidden gem for now. We were informed that they were still fine-tuning the menu / food items. The wall tiles were slanted and decked in black and beige tones, giving it an earthly yet nearly contemporary, chic, modernistic feel all at once. The beautiful lamps cast the cafe in an almost romantic glow, and music was lounge chillout type, making it a lovely place for hanging out at.*Sidney had a Cafe Latte (SGD$5.50), creamy and smooth in texture and he liked the taste, citing it a good cup of coffee.I had a Soy Mocha (SGD$6.60) which was quite lovely - bittersweet and thick in texture and tone, with a little nutty hint. More bitter than sweet - you can stir your own sugar in - but I liked it that way.

For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to visit:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2015/10/afternoon-tea-at-populus-cafe-tanjong.html

After my initial visit to The Square (review here) last December for dinner, I am glad to be back here again for the Indonesian Food Festival starting from 21 October 2015 to 14 November 2015, savouring 30 iconic dishes from Indonesia over this period. Some of the dishes include Soto Betawi (Indonesian creamy beef soup), Ayam Betutu (baked whole chicken with spices wrapped in banana leaf), Kare Kepiting Crab (crab cooked in coconut and lemongrass curry) and Ikan Masak Woku (smoked stingray in tumeric herb sauce) etc.Here's the special Yogyakarta Lamb Salad and Balinese Fish Satay prepared by Chef Vindex on the spot. The Lamb was tender and moist, aromatic with the spice it was prepared with. The Satay was fish paste wrapped around lemongrass stalk, like otah on lemongrass - absolutely palatable with hints of sweetness, spiciness and savoury all in one. I wish I had more of the latter.I also had some seafood, sushi, sashimi, salad, etc. The Ayam Betutu was so tender and bursting with flavours of spices it was baked with - no wonder they always say that banana leaf makes for the best wraps. I also enjoyed the Ikan Masak Woku, basking in its tastiness comprising of heavier flavours in each slice of the succulent flesh.Finally, time for sweets. I quite liked the sticky rice desserts and absolutely loved the Raspberry Earl Grey cake as well as nutty Mont Blanc cakes. The best discovery was the Jackfruit Meringue pudding in a shot glass, looking so normal and bland, but jackfruit lovers would swoon at first mouthful of this luscious and aromatic dessert.

For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to refer:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2015/10/media-invite-indonesian-food-festival.html

Surely the famous Jamie Oliver needs no introduction, and his restaurants are inspired by his passion for the Italian way of life, being "besotted by the love, passion and verve for food, family and life itself that just about all Italian people have...."We started with some antipasti and sides. The Crispy Stuffed Risotto Balls (SGD$11.50) was a perfect crackling sphere on the exterior, filled with crab risotto within as the name implies - flavour was not strong but one could detect the sweetness of the crab-infused risotto bits.Then we had the Chicken Liver Pâté Bruschetta, made with Vin Santo and garnished with pancetta.one of the recommended items. The bruschetta was utterly crispy; topped with good chicken liver pâté that boosted of a rich, creamy flavour in its satiny texture. It was tempting to order a second helping for this.Following that, we had the Penne Carbonara (SGD$23.50), consisting of smoked pancetta, sweet buttery leeks, lemon and traditional Carbonara sauce. The pasta was creamy but not overwhelming, boosting of a delightful flavour to it; the penne was taut but not hard, making it delicious to chew on. It was one of the best Carbonara dishes I have eaten, and usually I don't even like Carbonara.We moved on to desserts next. The Tiramisu (SGD$12.50) was served on a red pan that did not look very appetising, truth be knownst. But oh my, the moment we slipped one bite into the mouth, the intensity filled us like a reverie; the cake was moist, sapid in the coffee and amaretto flavours, and it just blew our minds literally, making this another brilliant choice made by us.
For full review and more detailed information, please feel free to refer to:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2015/10/dinner-at-jamies-italian-restaurant.html