We were attracted to La Marelle cafe for its pink exterior, and off we went, up the stairs to its cozy 2nd and 3rd floor interior space. There was shelves of vintage and quirky doll figurines, card games (Sushi Go, Cards Against Humanity, etc) to play with, which was wonderful to kill time with a group of friends.

I wasn't too hungry so my friend and I shared a bolognese pasta which was served oddly on a brown paper in a basket - smart way to save manpower and water. The bolognese sauce feels rather diluted, sour and without much herbs or salt to taste. For a cafe, it was lacklustre. We didn't try the other mains so perhaps this is a bad choice to order. The salvaging point is that it was a huge portion, and the cafe staff were really nice and patient people.

I remembered Atmosphere Cafe & Bistro as the. The entire cafe is going for the atas ‘atmosphere’ with tall plush sofas and heavy luxe curtains, as opposed to their other outlet at East Coast which was more of a open-concept bar.
The baristas would vie for starry eyes with unique 3d latte art for everyone on our dining table. Each cup took 10 minutes to arrive, but that’s only sufficient time for us to ogle at it, and take a round of photos.Their extensive menu is made simpler with an iPad ordering system.For appetizers, I would say the Battered Mushrooms (SGD6.80) and Signature Atmosphere Fries (SGD7.80) are good for sharing, while you can safely skip the pastas without missing out much.
Overall, the appetizers and mains that we tried were neither impressive nor memorable, which fell short of expectations because their interior design was done very beautifully.Their desserts were significantly better, and something that I would recommend to enjoy at Atmosphere for sure. Molten lava cakes (SGD12.80) are available in classic chocolate or white chocolate with molten cheese core. The Fluffy Snowfall has got to be the most photogenic of all, with soft pancakes stuffed with banana, chocolate or strawberry, though the topping it off with macarons may not be the most pleasing taste-wise.
Atmosphere is best for having a cuppa (3d latte art!) and a molten lava cake, soaking in the elegant interior. And a good hideout place just right next to IKEA.

Thai Boat Noodles (kuai-tiao-ruea) became really popular in Singapore during the third quarter of 2015. I haven’t tried any around the island yet despite at least ten different locations sprouting up. During our noodle trail around Little India and Lavender, Roy introduced Loylum Thai Boat Noodles to me.It is an interesting concept in which you can order many small bowls of noodles with a choice of beef, pork, chicken or vegetarian. I appreciated a lot because it means lesser food wastage and there are a variety of flavours to enjoy in one seating. What’s more, is it just me or food simply taste better in small portions?
Their noodle broth is very rich with the meaty and herbal taste, which makes the bowl very appetizing even though I was already pretty full from our previous noodle stops ;)You can add on a Thai Egg for a dollar.I cannot deny it – I love Thai Milk Teas (yes, even though it nearly killed me in Bangkok – more on that /soon/). It is not the best here (I love the ones at Aroy Dee and Ah Loy Thai), but I would say it’s quite good.They have Durian Chendol here as well. Are you grimacing at the thought of it or are your eyes lit up with excitement? Advice: Chomp through it fast while the concoction is still icy cold.. otherwise it won’t be enjoyable anymore.
There is a TV playing some pretty rad Thai songs, one of which was Timethai. I couldn’t get rid of the tune from my head for days.

Bejewelled Christmas by the bayAre you ready for a merry feasting time? Yes, the countdown is on for Christmas and if you haven't made plans yet to stuff yourselves silly, you can check out the line-up of seafood and festive staples made by Street 50 Restaurant & Bar for this Christmas season from 24 December 2015 to 2 January 2016.

Entering Street 50 Restaurant & Bar, the first impression was its quiet elegance decked in dark tones and wood accents, with corners and booths for intimate gatherings for friends and family. A long table is available for larger groups. The buffet spread locates itself prominently in the centre, making it easy to reach and refill your plates to your hearts' content.We kicked off the feast with the Salmon Carpacio with Coriander and Pinenut Vinaigrette, delightful pops that packs a flavourful punch, a refreshing and tasty appetizer that preps you for more.The showstopper of the night were these Smoked Oyster and Crab Cake, tantalizingly golden pieces that were generous with oyster and crab meat, topped with tangy papaya salsa! Advice: Grab as many of these, because it is SO popular.Will you dig into this Black Pepper Alaskan Crab Claw with Gingko Nut for some succulent crab meat? It is bursting with crab meat, so it is easy to enjoy crab here without an arms workout! The black pepper sauce really got me reaching for it again and again. Its peppery spiciness lingers as an aftertaste, which I paired up with the Seafood Paella which erred on the side of being dry and tasteless.These Canadian Bay Scallops with Tomato Essence were the most photogenic of the lot, a juicy pop of scallop accompanied with carrots, radish and pickles. These are fuss-free to eat, so I'd imagine reaching for it endlessly on buffets ;) Stack those shells up!The Turkey Breast is a must-have for Christmas parties, so Street 50 Bar & Restaurant has ensured that you won't miss this integral part of the festive season of course! The Turkey Breast was on the drier side, but it is harder to maintain moisture on turkey as opposed to other types of meats, so I guess it can be pardoned with its two innovative sauces - the coriander cucumber and the pineapple salsa! Both are extremely interesting on the senses, with the coriander cucumber being surprisingly delicious and good with the turkey breast. I would think something so green wouldn't be that appealing, but it is the complete opposite of what I thought it would be. The pineapple salsa is slightly spicy and tingly, fruity with sweet and sour notes.If you're looking for your sweet ending to a buffet, grab an Iced Chocolate and the Crepe Suzette. The Crepe Suzette had its crepe soaked in a sauce full with tangs of mandarin orange zest, which proved to be a love-it-or-hate-it sort of dessert. The Iced Chocolate, on the other hand, would probably hit the right notes with most people around, resembling the local favourite drink Milo but with a stronger chocolate taste.

Don't blink - this is not your average cafe.Le Halo is determined to make your tastebuds and nostalgia-seeking soul very happy, just like its name promises... 'Le' refers to the Chinese character, Joy; while 'halo' is a pun on the word 'hello' (Cue: Adele). It is definitely not your average cafe, and I am thoroughly in love with their creations, one after another after another. Is it far-fetched to say it's worth travelling down to try it? Not at all.The moment I entered, I realized that Le Halo is half a boutique store that sells paraphernalia from yesteryear Singapore. curiously well-stocked with all kinds of childhood playthings, furniture and display decor that you might want to furnish your space with. If you're looking to get one of these things... yes, Le Halo is likely to have it.Battered soldiers to play morbid games with - pre-meal.No doubt there's a crazy amount of things in there, but somehow it's not too messy and visually assaulting. It serves as a good entertainment and distraction while waiting for your food to be served. Working around a tiny open-concept kitchen, it's surprising how the interior space doesn't smell of oil and food at all, which I deeply appreciate.Mouthwatering and delicious, I dare say this Otak Egg (SGD9.50) tastes even better than otak itself. Inventive and fun dish that has succeeded in understanding what delicious should be, I found myself reaching for it repeatedly because I can't get enough of the taste. A slab of juicy Muah otak on toast. Never knew this combination could be this good.The show-stopper must be this all-time customers favourite, Piggy Stew (SGD11.50), and it's not difficult to see why at all. I'm impressed by how truly flavourful the pork stew is from slow-cooked process, it was just so satisfying to dip in the crispy, freshly toasted bread into this. It looks oily but it doesn't bother the taste when I tried it.Award-winning Eggs Benedict (SGD14.50) from Le Halo deserves all the praise it has gotten thus far, precisely because it does justice to the glorious eggs it incorporated into this dish. Two-way eggs - first is good ol' poached egg doused with in-house hollandaise sauce done to perfection, and second, a cheesy salted muffin cup with ham, egg and cheese stuffed. If all these seemed too overwhelming, take a step back with the brush of pea-paste, horse radish, cherry tomatoes and salad. It is definitely one of the best eggs benedicts around, and worth trying if you're bored of the usual version you get.When the Mushroom Carbonara (SGD14.50) was first set on the table, I eyed it with queer suspicion beacause I almost always found carbonara too greasy and heavy for my liking... but guess what, this one passed my test. It was still slightly greasy but it didn't grate on my appetite, and its bacon bits were gratifying to have... as usual. Beautifully done.For desserts, Le Halo's eye-catching rainbow Kueh Lapis and rainbow Cakes are their best sellers. Common reservations about rainbow desserts are about how artificial the colours are, but here, they insist that colours are carefully created by natural ingredients. While it must be painstaking to do so, it isn't easy to detect the flavours. For the Kueh Lapis, it tastes like a regular kueh lapis; for the rainbow cake, I must give it credit it does fare better than normal rainbow cakes, I would prefer to have another flavour. Stick to the mains, but at least the desserts are fun to photograph and finally, something rainbow that's safe to eat.