Everton Park is no longer a boring housing estate. With quite a number of small boutique cafes settling there, its awakening from its drowsy slumber. My FIL has been bringing home bite-sized melt-in-the mouth Roasted Pork encased in buttery, flaky pastries. They were so good we decided to check the cafe out.
This cosy, quaint bakeshop/cafe is a temporary respite from Singapore’s urban rat race. Take your pick from the savoury menu, sweet endings displayed and hot or ice teas from the 1872 Clipper Tea Co. ($3.50-$3.80).
On weekends, laze the afternoon away with a hi-tea set ($19.50 for 2) comprising of sandwich quarters, cranberry scones, cheese tartlets, chocolate mini tartlets, apple crumble tartlets, mini fruit bowl, a cupcake and a pot of tea.
Batterworks’s Mushroom Soup ($3.50) sets itself apart from other mushroom soups I have tried so far. Instead of being velvety smooth, it has a creamy gritty consistency. Substantial and gratifying!
Tomato and Red Pepper Soup ($3.50) was equally excellent. It may be a bit too spicy for some though.
Melted creamy cheese with a nice pull, flavoursome ground pork is what you’ll get in their Shepherd’s Pie ($5.90). Another lunch favourite is the Stout Pie ($6.50), a seriously tasty meat classic made with tender chunks of chicken and stout, and creamy mashed potatoes.
Paparika fries ($3) was not bad.
I’m always in the mood for something sweet and fortunately the standard of desserts were consistent with the earlier dishes. MIL thoroughly enjoyed her Maple Carrot Cake while I ordered a plate of dainty trios. Salted Caramel Cupcake ($2.50) could have been better if it was more moist. Chocolate mini tarts had a buttery crust whileOreo Cheese Tartlet was dense and satisfying (petite pastries 2 for $2.50).
Overall, I like Batterworks honest approach to the food, as well as their authenticity. Uncomplicated yet delicious food great for light (portions are small) but hearty meals.

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2014/04/29/batterworks/

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2014/04/28/gunthers/
I have a soft spot for French Cuisine, so I was absolutely delighted when M mentioned she wanted to check out Gunther’s. After more than 5 years at helm at Les Amis, award winning chef Gunther Hubrechsen is now the chef-owner of Gunther’s, located at the swanky Purvis Street.
Service is professional but warm in this classy, unpretentious fine dining establishment. Nice place to have a business lunches, catch-ups and romantic dates. After serving freshly baked baguettes, the staff gave a presentation on the food available. I wasn’t paying much attention because I was distracted by the baguette. It was very well done, crisps with just the right amount of hardness.
The 3-course Set Lunch is great value. At $38++, you’ll get 3 selections for both appetizers and desserts, and 4 main course options. Because we both wanted to try Gunther’s signature Cold Angel Hair pasta with Oscietra Caviar, we topped up $25 each.
M was pleased with her Mushroom cappuccino with Grilled Scallops. It’s hard to go wrong with comforting mushroom soup and smoky, tender scallops.
Roasted Tiger Prawn cocktail salad. I can never get enough of salads and this was refreshing with a touch of sweetness and tanginess. The succulent prawns were fresh and the portion generous.
The highlight of our leisurely lunch- Cold Angel Hair Pasta withOscietra Caviar. My oh my, what a gem! It’s no wonder why this is Gunther’s signature dish. Tossed in black truffle oil, every strand of pasta tantalized my taste buds. The rich, nutty, creamy flavor of the prized Oscietra Caviar was to die for. RAVE ALERT!
Excellent Crème Brulee with a nice crunch of burnt sugar and smooth custard. My only grouse was that the portion was too small, which made it look unattractive.
Coffee and home-made petite fours rounded up our meal. While most restaurants offer plain black coffee as part of their set lunch (these days some don’t include hot beverage at all), you can enjoy a cup of cappuccino or latte at Gunther’s.

M was in town so I had an accomplice to satisfy my curiosity on much-raved-about Iggy’s. Named after its founder, award-winning Sommelier and restaurateur Ignatius Chan, Iggy’s is ranked 14 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2014. We arrived with high expectations.
The entrance is somewhat like “Aladdin’s cave”. Upon entering, the staff welcomed us warmly. Service was attentive, without being over-zealous. I must commend that the staff were genuinely helpful. After ordering our set lunches ($65++ for 2 courses, $85++ for 3 courses and $105++ for 4 courses), my camera battery went flat *horrors*. Thankfully, the waitress found a charger and lead us to another table near a power point. 2 thumbs up!
The cooking-style is modern fusion. Flavours were subtle and never over-powering. Creative presentation, top-notch ingredients, but dishes lack an element of surprise. We came anticipating to be charmed but went home feeling “meh”. I mean… it wasn’t bad but it wasn’t mind blowing as I expected it to be.
Sundried Tomato Foccacia and Wholemeal Sourdough
Chilled Gazpacho sorbet with Tomato Salad Amuse Bouche provided a much needed relief from the sweltering heat outdoors.
Wagyu beef appetizer with red bell pepper “pappardelle” and pomegranate.
M’s luxurious appetiser-generous portion of Foie gras with artichoke, white asparagus and Alba Black truffle
For the second course, we both selected Iggy’s signature Cappellini with crunchy Sakura Ebi and Konbu. Tossed in Shellfish oil, each strand of pasta had an intense crustacean flavour.
For the mains, 70 °C Wagyu cheek with Pinot Noir and Hearts of palm fared much better compared to Pork Belly with Gobo, yam and kinkan. While the Waguy cheek main was flavoursome and melts in the mouth, the Pork Belly dish tasted flat and dull.
Inspired by Singapore’s popular breakfast , Iggy’s Kaya and Teh Tarik dessert is a creative spin on the well-loved staple. The soft brioche French toast had a beautifully caramelised exterior. Served with a thickened custard-textured kaya and bittersweet teh tarick ice cream. Lip smackingly yummy!
Vanilla ice cream on a bed of banana, served with Araguani chocolate, espresso, hazelnut. Not the most innovative dessert, but nevertheless satisfied my sweet-tooth
The waitress asked what coffee/tea would like to have, so we mistakenly assumed that hot beverage was part of the set lunch. The $10 tip I intended to give the waitress for her fantastic service went into paying for this exorbitantly priced small cup of Cappuccino ($11.70 after GST and service charge).
We were lukewarm towards the set lunch. Perhaps dinner will enchant? We’ll try, maybe, someday.

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2014/04/24/iggys/
 

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2014/04/20/omakase-burger/
Don’t be misled by the word “Omakase”. No, you don’t leave your meal in the chef’s hands and no, there is zero Japanese influence in the food. This New York inspired burger joint serves American-styled burgers with beef patties that scream “sheer bliss”. Oh, the “Omakase” refers to the trust patrons can place in them to serve burgers made from high quality ingredients, prepared in the best way they know.
Mr Cheng Hsin Yao left his banking job to start Omakase burger. Using an excel spreadsheet, he documented his experiments with countless blends and recipes for each element of his burger. It took him one and a half years to perfect his beef patties.
Place your order at the counter and grab a seat in the park-inspired interior. I wasn’t too pleased with the self-service model though, we ordered quite number of items hence made many trips to and fro the counter. It was tiring and for that amount of money spent ($65 for 2 pax), I’d rather visit a restaurant or cafe, where I can sit down and enjoy a restful meal.
Refreshing home-made Lemonade ($4.60)
Omakase Cheeseburger ($14.90). Fresh, never frozen USDA Choice beef meat flown in from the US arrives at the store daily. They are rolled into a ball and smashed on a hot grill only when an order is made, resulting in a juicy centre with a slightly charred exterior. Every bite oozes flavour, nuff said. Another component of this burger I must gush about is the pillowy, toasted artisanal buns. Buttery and feather-like, they are the best I have ever tried. While the imported American cheese and secret Omasake sauce were nice, I wasn’t floored.
Bacon Cheeseburger ($16.90). Same as the above, plus American bacon smoked in natural hardwood. Uber yumms!
What are stars without sidekicks? Tossed in white and black truffle blend, and topped with grated Italian Black Summer truffles, these Truffle fries (reg. $7.30, large $8.30) were lovely, but I had tried better ones elsewhere (Au Chocolat).
Sweet Potato Fries (reg $5.20, large $6.20) were uncomplicated yet delish, but the fries at the bottom turned soggy rather quickly. I believe its because of the way its stuffed into the cup.
Burgers are petite, so I recommend topping up $5.95 to make it a double. Because the burgers were so dainty, we were still hungry and hence ordered Oven-baked Parmesan Chicken ($15.90) accompanied with a raisin roll. We waited 20 mins in anticipation, but were sorely disappointed. Although the breaded chicken was crunchy, the meat was way too greasy.
Due to the inconvenient location and steep prices, I doubt I will be revisiting. There are shuttle buses from selected MRT stations to The Grandstand, find out more from thier website below. If you can wait a little longer to satisfy your burger cravings, a new outlet will be opening in Wisma April at the end of this month

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2014/04/02/district-10-star-vista/
Met my Uni friends some time back at Star Vista for dinner, and our choice was District 10, a bar tapas restaurant serving more than 35 tapas and pinchos (spike in Spanish). Pinchos are small bites skewed on long toothpicks, typically found in Northern Spain bars and taverns. Although tapas are meant to be the star, the main course, pasta and pizza we ordered outshone the former.
Alfresco and indoor seats are available. I would use the word Chillax to describe the ambience- a place whereby many office workers would like to unwind after long day’s work. Service was attentive and patient; and staff are eager to help.
The menu is extensive, with a variety of tapas, pinchos, soups, salads, pasta, pizza, main courses and desserts to choose from. We were spoilt for choice and landed up squabbling on what to order, haha! I strongly suggest to come in a group, so you can order a wider array of tapas.

We kicked start our hearty dinner with some tapas. Please pardon my photo quality; the lightening was difficult for photography
Fried Calamari with Wasabi Mayonnaise ($12). Deep fried with crunchy batter and springy calamari, accompanied with spicy tangy dip. Forget about counting calories and just indulge!
Sautéed Mushrooms with garlic and parsley ($8)- simple, yet so addictive!
Natural Cut French Fries ($9) were crisp and crunchy, yet not at all oily, with enough fluffy potato inside to make them satisfying. Flavour-wise, it was lacklustre, hence ordering the truffle dip ($3) is a good idea.
Pizza with Iberico Ham, Rocket and Parmesan Cheese ($29). We loved the slight charred, thin crispy crust and tasty melt-in-the-mouth Iberico ham.
Linguini in Aglio Oilo and Jumbo Crab Meat ($26). Al dente aglio oilo pasta, huge chucks of succulent crab meat and cherry tomatoes-a winning combination fully deserving of our 6 thumbs up.
Spanish Oven Roasted Pork Belly with Mashed potato and Onion Gravy ($24). This main course is part of the promotion menu so I am not sure whether it’s still available now, but if you see this, order it! Delicious, tender porky goodness that none of us could resist.
Desserts were too pricy ( about $10) and didnt sound very interesting, so we went elsewhere for sweet endings.

Brunch and set lunches are also available during the day, you can find the menu on their website