Prior to my friends' vehement recommendation of Folks Collective, I had not heard of it before. But once we reached the restaurant, I knew I had to be an isolated case because it was packed with the CBD lunch crowd!

Upon entering the somewhat dark and and dimmed space, located along the row of shophouses of China Square Central, the communal bar counter of alcoholic drinks first greets you before the vintage mismatched furniture and quirky art paintings hanging on the wall do. The next thing that strikes you is that the staff all speak Thai, not only do they greet you in Thai (as do every other Thai establishment), they communicate with each other in Thai as well! I was impressed. One up for the authenticity factor!We ordered the Signature FOLKS Wings $6.90 which is supposedly one of their best sellers. Problem was, these were not wings but drumlets! My friend who is fan of wings, was very disappointed. Nonetheless, we moved on from that and ate it anyway. Taste wise, although the marinate was sticky sweet with a hint of spice and the chicken itself was fried to a crispy skin that was addictive to munch on, sadly between us, we all agreed it that this appetizer was marginally underwhelming.The Pad Thai Goong $8.90 seemed promising with its fragrant notes and motley of colors that was extremely appetizing. At first bite, the rice noodles were chewy with the right texture and the overall consistency was not oily. The pad thai sauce however was much too sweet with the absence of a balanced tangy sourness from the tamarind.Folks Collective also offers affordable set lunches at $9.90 each. And seeing how every table had tiffin carriers, we ordered ourselves a set to try as well.

Set B: Green Curry with Chicken, Minced Shrimp Omelette with Steamed Jasmine Rice

But while the gimmicky concept of using the tiffin carriers to serve the food was cute and novel, sadly that was really all to it. The food was lackluster- green curry was watery with few ingredients and the omelette was just normal. I think the ala-cartes fared a lot better.We ended with a traditional Thai dessert- Mango Sticky Rice $6.90 which I could not fault. The slices of mangoes were fresh and sweet and the sticky rice had a nice creaminess contributed by the coconut milk. This pretty much saved the day in my opinion.Overall, it is not hard to understand why crowds flock to Folks Collective. The place has been designed especially to model after the hipster cafes that have been taking Bangkok by storm in the recent years with a charming and vibrant atmosphere that is inviting. Folks Collective is unlike any concept you can find in Singapore at the moment and its uniqueness is likely to keep the people coming...

Make a reservation beforehand if you are dropping by!

SPRMRKT which is actually SUPERMARKET spelt without the vowels, is a space that combines shopping, eating and even art appreciation all in one single visit. The brainchild of owners Joseph Yeo and Sue-Shan, SPRMRKT strives to provide you with a unique casual gourmet dining experience when you come here. The ingredients are fresh and dishes are made from scratch. And with a daily changing menu, you will definitely not get bored each time you visit.We checked out their website for the menu before deciding which day we wanted to come down. After much deliberation (because there was something interesting served everyday), we decided on a Tuesday visit.

To start off, we had the Quinoa $11. The high protein grain which I grew to love back in Australia was tossed with a mix of french beans, carrots, garlic bits, mixed greens and extra virgin olive oil dressing. The crunchiness of the quinoa blended well with the garlic bits and dressing so well that a seemingly simple dish turned out so fresh, delicious and healthy tasting.We were very fascinated by the Blackened Fish & Chips $17. Covered with squid ink batter instead of the usual white flour mixture, this was definitely eye catching with its jet black appearance. The batter was crisp and not oily at all while the white fish was so fresh. Accompanying the fish were some paprika seasoned shoestring fries as well that deserves a mention.Of course, we could not resist this large slice of Double Fudge Chocolate Chip Walnut Brownie $7 on display and we also could not help but compare it with the last fudgy and decadent brownie we had at Sarnies. Well firstly, both were special in their own way. This one was a lot more moist and soft with more milk chocolate used in the mix and you taste the brownie the moment you put it into your mouth as compared to the other thicker dark chocolate brownie which hits you much later with a 'WOAH'! I preferred this one though as I am more of a milk chocolate fan while the best friend voted for the Sarnies one with its much richer chocolate taste. But they are still both one of the best brownies I have had so far.So if you work around the CBD area and is looking for a cafe to mix things up a bit, a place where you can shop for some office and home products or even some fresh produce during lunch time while you enjoy great tasting healthy and fresh foods, then SPRKMRKT is certainly the place for you to visit.

Choupinette is this little French Bakery/Cafe/Restaurant located along Bukit Timah Road, right next to Coronation Plaza. This place has been here for like almost a decade now and we were all reminiscing about how our bus used to drive past the iconic multi-coloured striped banner on the way to school but we had all somehow never stepped in before.

Known for their Eggs Ben and authentic French pastries, Choupinette has been in the spotlight lately as the it-place for brunch. And this place has been on our list for like 2 months now but with all our different schedules, the five of us only managed to finally pick a common date recently to try this place out!Each set comes with a juice and hot drink. The juice choices were grapefruit, apple, orange, cranberry, lime and pineapple. Three of us chose grapefruit the first round but the lady soon came back to tell us that they were out. She then took my second choice order of pineapple before returning another time to say that it was also out. I would have gotten a little annoyed but our server was really nice and apologetic, it seemed almost impossible to get upset with her. So apple juice it was because that was all that was left.

The reputable Eggs Benedict soon arrived at our tables. $20++ is a steep price to pay for an Eggs Ben and we were about to find out if the price tag was justified. Unfortunately, the eggs were a little overcooked and did not flow quite as easily as beautifully poached eggs would have, but the Hollandaise sauce was excellent. Perfectly rich and buttery, it was so smooth and creamy, I almost forgot I was not having beautifully poached eggs. The ham slices too were shaved right and not too salty. And the baguette that the eggs were sitting on? Oh so good. Well buttered, crisp and deliciousThe Eggs Royal was slightly more expensive at $21++ but with the generous serve of smoked salmon slices, one could hardly complain!The English Coq was your usual Big Breakfast with the sausage, eggs, tomato, mushrooms, bread and butter. We felt that this was a little plain for $19++ but nonetheless, the individual components were well executed and cooked so it was all good.Lastly, we had the Ken's Set $10++ which came with a Viennoiserie of choice! Under our server's advice, we picked the Pineapple Danish because pain au chocolat and chocolate danish sounded 'too plain and ordinary'. The Danish pastry was sweet, flaky, buttery and crisp along the edges. We all thought that the pastry was delicious on its own without the pineapple slice.Overall, brunch at Choupinette was a nice experience. Though our reservations did not get through and I had to keep changing my juice choice because so many were unavailable, the Eggs Ben/Florentine/Royal and pastry did make up for it. Not forgetting the excellent service we experienced even though the place was so crowded and they were clearly understaffed. Kudos to the servers and their unwavering cheerful smiles. While Im not sure if this is the best Eggs Ben I have had in Singapore and it is a little pricey, it is definitely worthwhile to make a trip down here, at least once.

Opened by New Zealand celebrity baker and cookbook author- Dean Brettschneider, Baker N Cook joins the ranks of international bakeries such as Maison Kayser and Paul Bakery that have recently opened their flagship store in our sunny Singapore in the past few months.

Nestled among the restaurants and shops of Greenwood Ave, Baker N Cook blends in so beautifully with its surroundings at the junction of Hillcrest Road and Greendale Ave that you would almost miss it if you were not looking for it.This artisan bakery/foodstore/cafe displays its wide variety of pastries, breads, pies and cakes on the counters, tempting you even before you walk through the glass doors. Freshly baked croissants, meringues and muffins are just some of many goods offered as part of their handcrafted signature range amongst others which include jams, chutney and granola which are packaged for easy takeaways. Get ready for a carb-laden morning/afternoon when you get here because you will definitely be spoilt for choice!Between the four of us, we first ordered the Pain Au Chocolat $3.10 which was crisp, buttery and well-flaked. Unfortunately, being a chocolate croissant, I would have appreciated a little bit more chocolate inside and it would have been perfect if this was served still warm from the oven.The Lemon Tart $4.95 came highly recommended by many and it delivered. The crust was not too dry and had just the right amount of butter to pastry ratio. The lemon curd filling was the right balance of sweet, tangy and sour with great texture. It was truly delightful watching the filling spill out so smoothly when cutting through the crust.The Baker & Cook Freshly Baked Bread & Croissant Selection $9.95 was served in a country style bread basket. There were 4 different types of breads pre-selected for you, together with butter and jams as accompaniment. Honourable mentions go to the mini croissants and walnut bread!Overall, there have been a couple of hits and misses here at Baker N Cook. But in all honesty, I am envious of the residents around the Greenwood Ave and wished that this bakery was around back in the day when I was in NJ because I would be here every other day buying a loaf of bread or a pastry for a treat.

It's safe to say that Baker N Cook does great bread, croissants and pastries and I will be back for a takeaway soon!

Award winning record company label and now restaurant cum patisserie. High Society has certainly come a long way since it was founded by That CD Shop back in 2006. You have probably seen their gorgeous display of artisan cupcakes and beautifully crafted cakes and tarts at the counters of High Society Mansion in Pacific Plaza or while you were walking past the High Society Cafe in Marina Bay Sands. Either way, these delectable treats are definitely showstoppers for adults and kids alike.

It is said that the cupcakes are such crowd-pleasers and have an incredibly high turnover rate that they do not stay on display for more than 24 hours because they are simply sold out before that. With names such as Flirt (coffee cake with coffee custard and coffee butter cream), Fantasy (green tea and passion fruit), Passion (pistachio raspberry cake with pistachio and raspberry butter cream) and the ever classic Red Velvet, these cupcakes are simply irresistible.But what you probably did not know is that High Society also has a team of culinary experts in their kitchen churning out some fine dishes as well. With a seasonal menu that changes every 3 months and a standard one that boasts a rather extensive selection of pastas, gourmet sandwiches and mains such as Oxtail Stew, Duck Confit and Angus Ribeye, High Society is certainly not pulling any stops here as they strive to offer great food, sweet treats and lovely tunes for their customers.

With theme colours of gold and royal red, velvet upholstered dining chairs and couches and marbled floors, dining here at High Society is almost intense and elaborate. But it's not all chi-chi and uppity, and is instead all about bringing that visual, tasty and auditory experience to the diner and enjoying the good life.I had my eyes on the Duck Confit which was served with carrot puree instead of the regular mashed potatoes. Loved the colours of this dish and how appetising it looked. And true to its appearances, the skin of the duck was rightfully crisp without being too oily while the meat was well poached until it was oh so tender. The only gripe I had was that the chef may have rubbed a tad too much salt while curing it but nonetheless one of better Duck Confits I have had.The Summer Seafood Laksa Spaghetti was an example of their fusion dishes. Served with pan seared scallops and very fresh firm tiger prawns, this was a surprisingly good twist on our local delight. I enjoyed the distinct laksa taste which was rich, slightly sweet and spicy at the same time. While it was a little on the oily side, this was certainly one unique dish.And moving to the part that High Society is best known for- their cupcakes.

We tried their popular ones namely the Casanova (chocolate hazelnut feuilletine and chocolate ganache), Haute (vanilla cake with lemon curd topped with chantilly cream), Red Velvet (chocolate vanilla cake with rum raisin and cream cheese topping) and the Classic (vanilla cake with tahitian vanilla butter cream).And introducing possibly the most visually appealing and aesthetically pleasing desserts of all time- the remake of Pierre Hermé's signature creation, the Ispahan. A lovely mix of rose water, raspberries, extremely smooth butter cream sandwiched in between soft pink macaron shells, it is so easy to fall in love with this delicate eye candy especially with that rose petal atop and the glistening dewdrop for an added sparkle.

The Strawberry Short Cake too was another pretty picture. The softness and creaminess of the creme mousseline against the crispness of the sable breton cookie base and lined with a border of fresh sliced strawberries, a lovely combination and an extremely light one at that.Of course, not forgetting the regular macarons of Earl Grey, Raspberry Rose, Praline Hazelnut, Maple Walnut and more than 8 other flavours for you to choose from!

We also tried their Apple Crumble which was not your usual gooey pie messiness but chunks of apple, almond cream, honey and rosemary neatly packed into a pastry square tart. So very quaint and delightful.I most certainly did enjoy my time here at the High Society and was pleasantly surprised at the culinary standards of the food offered here. It is now not only an ideal place for afternoon tea and cakes, but also one for lunch and dinner. So dont forget to add High Society to your list of food places to try the next time you are at Marina Bay Sands or Pacific Plaza. It's the perfect example how great food goes with good music.