This establishment is everything you want on a chilled Saturday or Sunday out with the family or friends.

Free parking right in front of the bistro? Check.
The lovely smell of freshly baked bread and pastries when you walk in? Check.
Spacious area with various seating options? Check.
A display of baked goods for you to visually indulge in before ordering? Check.
Friendly and efficient staff to take your orders? Check.
Not too long waiting time for your food? Check.
Delicious tasting food on your table? Check.
And of course nett prices for your bill? Check.

Yes, Nassim Hill Bakery Bistro Bar has pretty much won me and my friends over in just one afternoon.With the bakery section helmed by Head Baker Audrey Tan of Freshly Baked by Le Bijoux, you know that you are definitely in for a treat where the breads and baked goods are concerned. Order an Artisan Bread Basket from the menu for $5 and you can thank me later.

Alternatively, go for any of their breakfast sets and it comes with a basket of breads as well. Our server voluntarily offered to change our Grimbergen Ambrée beer bread to a variety of breads instead so we could have a sample of everything.

The Almond Brioche, White Ciabatta, Cranberry Bread and Raisin Bread were 4 of which we tried and they were good. Simply good. Top marks to the Almond Brioche which was light, fluffy and sweet, almost like eating a sponge cake. Spread a little strawberry or orange peel jam which they provide in round glass jars, it feels almost like home as you dip a serving spoon in and load a wobbleful onto your bread and eat it with your hands. Contentment!And ladies and gentlemen, I will now introduce to you The BEST Eggs Benedict in Singapore $18, agreed among the consensus of 4 Eggs Ben fanatics at the table. And we think that it might even beat those at Choupinette hands down. Beautifully poached eggs on white fluffy ciabatta with thick and creamy hollandaise sauce and thinly cured ham in between. This was truly a perfect Eggs Ben. All you Eggs Ben fans out there, you would not want to miss this.Could not resist taking an egg yolk flow shot. Do not worry about the tiny size of the muffins, this dish fills you up quite easily once you have polished it off. And trust me, you will be very satisfied.The Cajun Grilled Chicken in White Ciabatta $15 on the other hand, was a bit of a letdown. Though the cibatta was crisp on the outside, soft, porous and light in the middle, there was much too little chicken meat in the sandwich for a full enjoyment of the sandwich.But apart from that chicken sandwich, Nassim Hill Bakery Bistro Bar is definitely a place worth checking out this weekend. It is actually not that far off the main road and just next door to the Tanglin Post Office so if you are taking public transport, it is just a little walk for great food.

I will be back in the evenings to check out their dinner menu.

A contemporary mash-up between a casual French bistro and a sophisticated New York eatery, The Dempsey Brasserie (TDB) strikes a wonderful balance between the two with its extensive menu offerings strongly influenced by both countries. With sharing boards of cheeses and cut cured meats, various cuts of steaks, six different combinations of mussel pots and the weekend brunch usuals of Eggs Benedict and pancakes, it is European and American grub all in one setting. And of course paying tribute to the 'Brasserie' part of the name, TDB places a strong emphasis on their drinks as well. Whether it is chilling with the boys over beers or a girls' night out with Martinis or Mojitos, there is something for everyone to enjoy a relaxing evening amidst the tropical greenery of Dempsey.We made our way one Saturday afternoon to try out their weekend brunch which also happened to be a lovely birthday treat from the best friend. It was not too hard to decide on the following obvious choices that 'jumped' out at us and so after staring at the menu for less than 5 seconds, we placed our orders.

The Smokey pulled pork burger served with skinny fries and homemade apple sauce $25 was the first to arrive and we had also requested to have our skinny fries changed to Truffle fries for an additional $5. So when this wooden board was placed on our table, it was a true feast for the senses. It looked great and it smelled great. Overflowing smoked pulled pork sandwiched between slightly toasted buns with the truffle oil tossed fries strewn in the middle and some fresh greens at the side, we could hardly wait to chow down that burger.And my was the pulled pork fantastic. The meat was so tender and the barbeque sauce that it was slow cooked in, was simply packed with flavour. Adding a crunch to the mix were some shredded cabbage that just made it an overall winning combination, although unfortunately the truffle fries were a little too over fried to our liking so that was a bit of a downer.As a 'Chef''s Special' starred item on the menu, the French onion soup with thick crostini and gruyere cheese melt $14 had received many raves and praises from customers and we were about to find out if we too were part of the fan club.

And when this small white pot of warm almost overflowing goodness reached our table, even if we were not bought over by the taste, we were definitely won over by first impressions! The thick layer of melted gruyere at the top acted as the perfect 'cap' to the thick luscious soup, preventing it from spilling out, even though the soup was already filling the bowl to the brim.And of course finding it hard to resist ordering a dish that has shaved truffle in it, the Scrambled egg and shaved truffle served with buttered toast $16 was the next on our list. No complains for a breakfast staple of eggs and toast done so right. Yes of course the shaved black truffle bits made it extra special but overall this was a happy colourful wake-me-up call on a plate that everyone would want at the breakfast table.Overall, I did have a very pleasant experience at TDB. It is yet another great find in Dempsey and worth a mention amongst the other great names and more popular food establishments around the area. I believe that TDB gets less credit for what it deserves and definitely warrants a second visit for their quality food and conscientious service. It would be nice to see the different vibe it exudes at night especially with the live bands playing and different scenery that the outdoor seating would offer.

A collaborative concept between the people behind Kilo at Kampong Bugis, menswear boutique K.I.N. and hair salon PACT + LIM, this unique space is all about style, class and quality with a twist. The 3,700 sq ft area located at the corner of the second level of Orchard Central is spacious and open, with a modern contemporary interior design of straight lines and clean finishes.

Kilo is markedly obvious on the extreme left of the entrance when you first walk in, where the seating area is, while the right side has a long wooden display showcasing pieces from the K.I.N. line and the hair salon is just short flight of stairs away.

The furniture used at Kilo are mostly made of concrete, used in its untreated roughness, maintaining that stony hardness for a rustic touch while a few tall cactus plants take centre stage in a rectangular planter that is sitting right smack in the middle of all the dining tables. Full height clear glass windows form the perimeter, allowing natural light to flow through and the whole vibe exuded is so raw yet polished, it is an enigma that is simply chilled, laidback and almost soothing.We tried 2 items from the Weekend Brunch menu when we dropped by on a Sunday afternoon.

Portobello Benedict $21

Not your regular Eggs Ben, it is instead, a play on the usual brunch classic. The English muffin at the bottom is topped with that huge juicy portobello, followed by sweet sauteed caramelized onions, baby spinach and the overlaying sauce of buttermilk with melted mozzarella and a hint of truffle. Accompanied with a side of golden brown fries seasoned with a dash of black pepper and salt, it is simply everything you want and need on a breakfast plate.Banana Bites $12

The perfect name for this dish because it is just bananas with every bite. Dont order it if you are not a fan of bananas. But then again, who isnt? Yet another twist on your usual french toasts, the people here at Kilo really do not like doing things the conventional way. They have instead incorporated sliced bananas in between every layer of toast before frying. And when biting into it is just pure goodness of gooeyness and sweetness from those softened bananas and that absolute necessary drizzle of maple syrup. Throw in a couple more fresh banana slices on the top and cut strawberries for garnishing, it is a pretty sweet picture.Raw's Lava Cake + Basil Gelato $9

Curious about how Basil Gelato would taste like, we could not resist picking this flavour for our ice-cream of choice to match our chocolate lava cake. The cake hit the right notes of a good lava cake, with good quality rich chocolate used that flowed on command of cutting through it. Our views on the Basil Gelato however, were divided. A few found it refreshing, interesting and commented that it had a hint of mint in it while the others and I thought that it was simply frozen pesto which to be honest, did not taste too enticing. I was not a big fan of the Basil Gelato and will keep safe with my usual flavours in future.In short, Kilo @ PACT is an elegant lovely space to explore. This 3-in-1 collaboration comprising of a cafe, boutique and hair salon will give you plenty to discover and browse. While it does not get too crowded at the moment, I know that once word gets out about the quirky nature of this place, many will be keen to check it out. So avoid the crowds and schedule a visit soon. The food is definitely worth the trip.

While cafes, bars and restaurants in Holland Village are more commonly known for being loud, in-your-face and always crowded, MU Parlour is clearly the opposite. It's white, chic, eclectic and whimsical, almost quite a different world when you climb up the stairs and enter the cafe on the 2nd floor. All the chairs and furniture here are clearly mismatched yet somehow still manages to tie in together almost perfectly with the quirky theme and white-washed brick like furnished walls.We each got a gourmet burger and simply added an additional $8 to it for a cake + tea/coffee.

The first burger was Portobello, Beef Patty, Arugula, Horseradish $17 and their signature garlic fries.I love tall burgers and this was real decent. The portobello was huge and almost the same size as the beef patty. It was so juicy and full of flavour- I am a big fan of portobello and this was cooked right. The patty on the other hand was marinated well but a tad salty when eaten on its own. So in order to enjoy the full burger experience, you have to somehow get a mouthful of everything and the flavours will balance themselves out with the subtle bitterness of the arugula and creamy horseradish sauce.

The garlic fries too were commendable. Real chopped garlic atop the golden brown fries that made it so satisfying to chomp down.The next was Avocado, Streaky bacon, Beef Patty with MU secret sauce $15 and of course the garlic fries.

If you are a fan of avocado, then you will definitely love this. Creamy dollops of mashed avocado generously spread onto the beef patty till it was oozing out of the burger, together with the melted cheese and crispy bacon, this was indulgent and appetizing. And as my dining partner said, 'There is only one way to eat this. With your hands!' So dont bother with the knife and fork, just pick up the burger with your hands and get a good bite. It's fulfilling the true burger experience.Moving onto desserts.

The Passion Fruit and Raspberry Tart was certainly pretty and scored full marks in presentation with the little fresh raspberries lining the borders of the pastry. The passion fruit creme was smooth and easy to cut through. One problem though. This dessert was sour! And I mean really sour. While sourness is mainly subjective, the two of us did have relatively high thresholds yet we still could not finish this tart. The combination of the sour fresh raspberries and sour passion fruit was too much. Perhaps the passion fruit creme could have been a little sweeter to help ease some of the sourness.I am indeed in love with MU Parlour and the vibe it gives. The staff too are not intrusive so really, it is a great place to relax and watch the world go by through the ceiling to floor glass window. I personally thought the burgers were better than the desserts but there are other selections on display which I will definitely try at my next visit. The tea cocktails on the menu also sound exciting and I think I am all ready to plan my second trip down already. How about you?

Opened by environment enthusiast and self taught baker Jody Ang, the novel concept behind Grin Affair is in serving up cakes in glass jars unlike the conventional methods of serving a slice on a plate! Think of a parfait without the ice-cream, and instead, fresh ingredients of fruits, cake, nuts and even ganache used in the layers. Definitely a less messy affair when eating cake since it's all compact and contained in a jar!All 12 flavours offered at Grin Affair are displayed on homemade decorated boards in the shop, giving a very homey and rustic feel to the customer. Most of them are own creations by Jody and many get sold out pretty quickly so you might want to get in early if you have specific preferences of flavours you would like to try!After much difficulty, we finally decided on 5 out of the 12 selections and the gang was getting very impatient holding their spoons in anticipation as I took my shots. Gotta give it to them for their self control and patience with me!The Kiwi Cheesecake is said to be one of the best sellers! $5.50 for layers of cream cheese with fresh kiwi slices and moist vanilla cake, topped with a later of crunchy nut praline, this was a pretty sight! Loved how the bright green colour of the kiwi fruit contrasted against the yellow vanilla cake and dark brown praline. Felt like an excited little kid rubbing my hands in glee as I waited for my turn to put the spoon into the jar to scoop out the layers.The Dark Chocolate was a real steal at $5.50. This is definitely one for all dark chocolate lovers but a little too bitter and rich for my liking. Special mention to the sea salt dulce de leche that was so smooth and the crunchy chocolate ganache dome at the top of the cake. Very delicately done and simply a work of art.Grin Affair is definitely one of a kind and a trip worth making down. These lovely cakes in jars make for pretty and unique gift ideas as Jody covers each glass jar with pretty recyclable paper and string. Each jar also comes with a tag that you can collect and exchange for goodies as Jody encourages you to return the glass jars to the shop in exchange for an extra tag.

Delicious and aesthetically pleasing cakes in glass jars and an owner with a heart for the environment? It's much too easy to fall in love and have an affair with Grin Affair.