The Tiong Bahru enclave welcomes a new quirky tenant which effortlessly blends the new and the old by reviving an abandoned Chinese medical hall and turning it into a Western cafe/bakery. All cakes and cupcakes are baked in-house with prices starting at $3 for the latter and $6 for a slice of cake.

The Dispensary, located along Tiong Bahru road catches the eye with its bold Chinese characters, monochrome colors and oriental touches in architecture which the owners have insisted on preserving, to retain its authenticity. Medicine cabinets and a traditional Chinese weighing scale are some of the antique tools still used in the cafe and many, especially the older folk can relate and reminisce about the old times while enjoying a cup of house blend from Spinelli.12 flavors of cupcakes are available every day with the usual favorites of Death by Oreo, Lil' Red (Red Velvet) and Lemon Meringue while new ones such as Kaya Cup, Lychee Indulgence and Violet Dream sure piqued our interests. While $3 may appear affordable for a cupcake, it is also worth noting that cupcakes here at The Dispensary are sized smaller than the regular ones from say Plain Vanilla.Savory offerings are limited with Bagels and Sandwiches. Our Smoked Salmon Bagel was hearty with generous portions of salmon slices while the bagel itself was chewy and yeasty- honestly not too bad. But taste aside, we had to admit that $8.50 for this might be a tad on the high side.For cakes, we tried their Ol' Fashioned Carrot Cake and was pleasantly surprised with how every bite was so moist and packed full with carrot bits. The cream cheese frosting too was not too heavy and evenly distributed. Rich and very satisfying. Other options include The New York Cheese and The Chocolate Banana.

Overall, while novelty is The Dispensary's main attraction, it seems that it is the only attraction. With neighbours such as 40 Hands, Plain Vanilla Bakery and Tiong Bahru Bakery all around the corner, The Dispensary does need to step up and offer something more to cafe hoppers in order to stay in the game.

Our bill for 2 came up to $31.80 with no service charge and GST.


For full review and photos: http://gninethree.com/2013/11/03/the-dispensary

Artisan bakery and vintage furniture shop, the little less than 2 month old Carpenter & Cook has already earned itself quite a fan base in the scene despite its not-so-central location. The shop is relatively big and almost every corner is adorned with vintage paraphernalia, from typewriters to cake stands and even an old grandmother's trunk that is used as a 'bench' at the communal dining tables.

Yes, almost everything you see in the shop can be brought at a price. Definitely a unique concept going for them and with freshly baked pastries and breads everyday by Chef Shenn Sim who graduated from Le Cordon Bleu (London), you can be assured of a fine tea party at this place, with the matching decor and quirky furniture to boot.We arrived at 1pm and were pleased to find many seats available. There is no food menu at this place as the daily offerings are what is on display on the pretty vintage flowery cake stands and matching rustic looking platters. And since they had only opened at 12pm, there was unfortunately not much out of the kitchen yet. The nice server informed us that more would be coming out later in the day.

So we settled on a few delectable looking items available first and waited patiently for more pastries or tarts to come out from the kitchen.

The first we tried was the Fruit Scone $4, served with clotted cream and jam. Very pretty looking and the perfect scone shape. Spreading a large dollop of cream and jam onto a half of the scone, we each took a large bite with much anticipation. To our dismay, the scone was a tad too hard and not as fluffy as we had hoped.The Vegetarian Quiche $7 came highly recommended by the ladies at the counter and it did not disappoint. For one, I had already fallen in love with the beautiful flower-patterned china plate the quiche and side salad was plated on. The open-faced pastry crust of the quiche was nicely crisp and buttery, while the filling of cheese, onions, mushrooms and roasted tomatoes made a very tasty savory baked custard that complimented the crust very well.We chose the Meat Brioche $6.50 because it caught our eye with the strips of bacon intertwined with the sliced mushrooms and melted cheese atop what looked to be a fluffy brioche bed. Alas, this did not taste as good as it looked. It was bland and flat and overall not very impressionable at all.

While our intention was to come in for brunch, my advice would be to come in for afternoon tea instead as the pastries and servings were small and has quite a price tag attached to it. It was definitely a fun afternoon hanging out in the shop, being surrounded by all the old school clocks, antique china and whimsical decor, sipping tea out of floral teacups. It's almost like stepping into a different world here at C&C and first visits are certainly recommended for the experience though I would not be too sure about a second...

Kith Cafe at Park Mall, where Olio Dome Cafe used to reside, opened to much fanfare earlier this year. Preceded by its reputation of the flagship store originally at Robertson Quay that was rather cramped and enclosed, it was refreshing to see a much more spacious and airy area which definitely accommodates a lot more people. And thankfully although our large group was seated at the al-fresco area, the fans were doing an amazing job at making it feel like a very pleasant windy morning!

I came here for brunch just a day after arriving back from London and was not in the mood to eat the breakfast usuals which I had been having the last 10 days so I settled for some pasta instead. This branch at Park Mall has a rather extensive selection of pastas and I had quite high hopes for them, having heard that their chef was formerly from Da Paolo. Unfortunately they turned out to be quite disappointing and honestly, not much to rave about. Their desserts on the other hand, were rather memorable.Flourless Chocolate Cake $6.50

Fudgy, chocolatety and visibly attractive, this flourless chocolate cake had ticked all the boxes in presentation, taste and even smell! I always enjoy the texture of a good flourless cake which is not too heavy and adequately aerated. Dusted with that icing sugar as a final touch and served with a side of whipped cream, this might be one of the better flourless chocolate cakes around.Tiramisu $6.50

Judging from how quickly this plate was cleaned up first among all three desserts, it was clearly evident that this 'pick me up' dessert was a crowd pleaser. I do not usually order Tiramisu because most have a strong coffee flavour and this was no different. I did however appreciate how incredibly light the mascarpone/egg white mixture was and enjoyed those chocolate shavings that topped the final layer of cream!Carrot Cake $6.50

Another classic that was done just right, this carrot cake had a lovely carroty flavour. I know that is rather oxymoronic but I do love carrot cakes with substantial carrot shreds and of course that crunch from the chopped walnuts. With only the top single layer of cream cheese frosting, this cake did not feel so calorie-filled and less sinful to finish!Overall, the location and the space would be my main reasons for returning to Kith. It is extremely convenient and the atmosphere here is chilled without feeling the pressure of having to finish your food quickly because someone else is waiting for your table! I will be back again to try their breakfast mains which have been much raved about and more of their desserts as well!

A household name in New York City and synonymous with high quality gourmet groceries, 35-year-old Dean & DeLuca has opened their flagship store in Singapore. Similar to its New York predecessors, this fine foods purveyor located at level 4 of Orchard Central boasts a retail store carrying artisan foods such as a wide selection of cheeses and cold cuts, teas, spices, various condiments and an in-house cafe serving up all-day breakfast with a 50 seater dining area.Freshly baked breads, various pastries and cakes are also offered on displays and in wooden baskets to tempt you as you are in the queue to make your order. Yes, orders, payments, salads and drinks collection are self-service while the all-day breakfast sets that require a little more cooking time, gets served to your tables. This also means that there is no 10% service charge in the bill.The Grilled Chicken Salad was $18.50 for a full portion. Cut pieces of grilled chicken with chunks of Fuji apples, seedless grapes and walnut bits, this salad was refreshing with the Balsamic glaze dressing but otherwise quite ordinary. A very healthy and not so filling option for those who wish to have a light bite.The Berries & Flap Jacks was simply a pretty sight that we could not bear to topple and destroy. $18 for tower of four Oat & Honey Buttermilk Pancakes with Fresh Mixed Berries and drizzled with Dean & DeLuca “Grade A” Organic Maple Syrup. Fluffy and moist flapjacks, evident of a good batter mix with alternating layers of sliced fresh strawberries and cream, it's safe to say that we polished this one off very easily and quickly.Their Sautéed Brioche French Toast is a MUST-TRY! $22 for three one-inch thick slices of French Toasted Brioche with Salted Caramelized Bananas, Fresh Berries & Vanilla Ice Cream. This was both aesthetically pleasing, mouth-watering and simply tempting just looking at it. While the brioche was dripping with salted caramel, the insides remained fluffy and not soggy at all. The outsides were also coated with cornflakes, adding crunch and texture to this already perfect dish. The Vanilla Ice-cream was very thick and creamy and a great match for the french toasts. Very decadent, very sinful and very delicious.Dean & DeLuca strives to be a feast for the senses and the experience of culinary excellence with only the finest produce and products sold on their counters. While the Singapore branch certainly does not have as wide or extensive a selection as the New York branches, it definitely has its charm and I believe, will continue to draw crowds for a long time.

With a relatively large number of exclusive brands and labels that can only be found here and a delectable all-day breakfast menu with various salads, sandwiches and soups available for takeaway, this is the closest you will ever get to the authentic Dean & Deluca experience without having to fly to The Big Apple.

Taking over the space of Rumah Rasah- the former Halal Indonesian restaurant at level 1 of Bay Hotel (conveniently located opposite Vivocity), STREET 50 Restaurant & Bar is the new kid in the house hoping to impress with its extensive array of global flavours and culinary influences from countries all around the world.

The kitchen no longer has its halal certification and is now helmed by Chef Ricky whose specialty is in French and Asian cuisine. And while the predominantly wooden brown decor of the restaurant has not changed, the menu itself has undergone a complete makeover. Looking promising and affordable, the five columned menu has a decent variety of appetizers, meats and seafood, Asian selections and Western offerings of pastas and pizzas.

SALAD

The Caprese $12 makes a visually appealing starter with its selection of interspersed vineyard tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella wrapped in parma ham, finished off with a drizzle of aged balsamico and a couple of fried basil leaves. But while it appeared delightful and appetizing, the elements remained divided and did not quite come together so harmoniously. The portion of parma ham too was dismal while the buffalo mozzarella did not have that semi-soft and creamy consistency it was supposed to. Overall, it was underwhelming and one dimensional.MEATS & SEAFOOD

Warm up the belly with this Duck Pot Pie $22 which is one of its kind. While most of us are used to a beef, chicken or even rabbit filling, using a duck is decidedly unique and unusual. I warmed up to that delightfully buttery puff pastry which was a comforting pairing with the rich red wine sauce and duck meat which had been slow braised till tender.This popular European dish of Roulade of Porkloin Stuffed with Wild Rice $20 was uncomplicated, straightforward and downright flavorful. The ingenuity of stuffing the roulade with wild rice added a rustic and earthy element to the lean porkloin while the brandied prune sauce was lip-smacking and complimenting to the overall ensemble.PIZZAS

One of my favourite dishes of the night, this Orient Barbecue Pizza $18 had just the right amount of Hoisin sauce in the base and a thin crust to boot. Not forgetting the generous distribution of fleshy duck meat slices, I could not help getting seconds, thirds and even fourths of this!DESSERTS

Fans of the King of fruits, dont leave before having a taste of STREET 50's Durian Pengat $8. Using only real durian pulp and wrapped with a paper-thin crepe, this dessert was an oozing cocoon of creaminess and sweet delight.Overall, while there were a couple of hits and misses, the food here at STREET 50 has potential and with such a varied menu, I am sure everyone will find something for themselves!