For full review and more photos, please visit http://thumbsforfood.blogspot.sg/2014/07/the-lokal-thumbsforfood.html
The Lokal is a newly opened cafe in June, located on Neil Road. When you step into the Lokal, the whole vibe, music and feeling of the cafe makes one feel like you're in Australia. Even the staff's greeting was "How's it going?" instead of the usual "Hello".
We were there on a weekend afternoon, after brunch hours when they were on their first few weeks of opening. Hence, it wasn't very packed. The kitchen was kind of open concept, where patrons can see the chefs cooking up dishes in the kitchen. There is also a bar top in front of the kitchen where patrons can sit and chat with the friendly chefs at work.
As we were there that day for only drinks and desserts, we did not try their much raved about brunch menu.
Some of my friends chose their bottled drinks, ginger ale and lemmy lemonade ($4 each). They were quite refreshing and suitable for a hot day.
We actually ordered the Banana Bread and Berries Crumble but, was given the Sticky Date Pudding on the house as they took quite sometime to prepare the desserts. Well, it was worth the wait!
The desserts were served hot and we could smell them from our seats as they came out of the oven. First up was sticky date pudding, served with caramel and some ice-cream. I really like hot desserts actually because they warm the tummy and goes really well with ice-cream. Wonder how they do up the sticky date pudding so well!
The Apple and Berries Crumble really had generous serving of berries. It was really quite sour actually and we felt it will be better with more crumble to balance off the sourness of the berries.
Overall, we really enjoyed the desserts there. We would love to come back here again to try out their brunch menus and burgers!

For full review and more photos, please visit http://thumbsforfood.blogspot.sg/2014/05/ronin-thumbsforfood.html
Stepping into Ronin, I felt that I was entering another world. I described it as entering a black hole in the wall. The cafe has a relatively dark ambience with ceiling lights and filament bulbs to light up the place. The concept of the cafe is like modern industrial themed. At the centre of the cafe, there is a huge round table, inviting patrons to dine in communal style. They do have smaller tables around as well. I really like the whole vibe of the cafe.
Ronin did not have a physical menu when we were there. So, the staff verbally told us what they served. Besides toasts, sandwiches and eggs, they also have a variety of desserts for those who are looking for some sweets. They are displayed on the glass display in front of the counter.
We ordered a Flat White ($4.20) and Wicked Mocha ($6.50). The flat white is quite fragrant and aromatic. Wicked Mocha is actually Mint with coffee and a dash of chocolate. The mint flavour was really very strong! I would say the drink is of an acquired taste - really wicked. Do give it a try if you're up to try something really different.
We ordered Scrambled Eggs with toast ($9) and added Portobello Mushroom (additional $3.50) , Sausage (Additional $4.50) and Avocado (additional $3) as the sides. The scrambled eggs was one of the best we have ever eaten. The eggs were so fluffy, had the right amount of butter and was really good! I especially like the portobello mushroom. Okay, I guess I am biased. Because I am a huge fan of portobello and having a whole slice to myself is just too awesome!
Salted Caramel Brownie ($4) was our chosen dessert. We liked that the brownie was slightly crispy on the outside and moist within. It's a good brownie but we couldn't really taste the Salted Caramel flavor.
We feel the prices of the food are quite affordable. With no GST and Service Charge, I will think Ronin is really value for money. I do hope that their standard of food remains to be good and I look forward to my next visit to try their Matcha Latte!

For full review and photos, please visit http://thumbsforfood.blogspot.sg/2013/03/invited-tasting-lawn-thumbsforfood.html

The idea for The Lawn actually came after a trip to California where they saw that salad-eating can be much more interesting than just having cold, processed meat over the salad. I have always agreed to the old saying that “What’s good for you is almost certainly not going to taste good”. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how savoury the food at The Lawn tasted. I would say The Lawn definitely has provided us with a more delicious alternative to healthy food.

You can fully customise your salad or rice by choosing the grill and dressings. Yes, the price is affordable for the nice ambience and healthy food you get!

It was really interesting dipping my salad into the different dressings. For a healthier option, I would suggest the Citrus flavour which was refreshing and light. However, my friend thought that it was a bit too sour for her. Other dressings which scored points with us were the Red Island and the Honeyball. There are so many options, so try it for yourself!

Well, this was my favourite dish of the day. The olive fried rice with Ben's beef ribs. There were two choices for beef; one was this and the other was the beef cuts. The staff explained to us that the beef cuts were on the sour side while this was more of spicy and savoury.

Overall, I feel that the food plus the ambience are worth returning back for. Even a non-salad lover like me fell for the salad! And for people who don't mind the calories, why not try the rice combination with the yummy grill?

For full review and more photos, please visit http://thumbsforfood.blogspot.sg/2014/02/latelier-tiramisu-thumbsforfood.html

L'atelier is fuss-free, no-frills and simple. Tiramisu and drinks. That's all. With four flavours of Tiramisu, you will wonder naturally - how long can the cafe last? The Tiramisu has to be of a certain caliber for the cafe to specialize solely in it. The price of a slice of cake is about $6.80.

I chose the Matcha flavored tiramisu as I'm a big fan of green tea. I really liked it a lot. It was not too sweet, the green tea flavor was rich and it was light. My friend on the other hand, did not like the Matcha as much as she felt that the powder was a bit bitter. Personally, this is my favorite!The classic Tiramisu was really good as well. I feel that the main reason the Tiramisu as L'atelier is so good is because it can grasp the optimal moisture of a perfectly done Tiramisu. It is slightly sweeter than the Green Tea Tiramisu. Overall, the cake was still perfectly balanced. I can easily say L'atelier serves up one of the best Tiramisu in town.

The two other flavors are lychee and dark cherry! I will definitely try them the next time around. Everyday from 3-5pm, you can enjoy 2 cups of coffee for $7. It is a good deal if you are looking for a place to enjoy a cuppa with some desserts. We tried the Mocha and Flat white. Personally, I feel that the coffee is not strong enough for me. The presentation was a plus point which made the coffee looked appealing.Overall, I would recommend L'atelier for Tiramisu lovers. I would definitely be back for more Tiramisu. L'atelier also offers whole cakes that is available for orders. 7" cakes are priced at $48 which I personally feel is reasonable for the quality of the cake.

I am sure all Thai food lovers would have heard of Nakhon Kitchen. Yes, we couldn’t believe that we haven’t done a review on this place yet especially when we have visited this place more than 5 or more times!

There are two branches of Nakhon currently- one in Kovan (the first branch) and one in Bedok North. We have been visiting Nakhon at its Kovan branch since it first opened. Since we have not tried all the Thai food in Singapore, it is difficult to conclude that it’s the best. But, it is definitely our top favorite from what we’ve tasted.

I've seen a few negative reviews on Nakhon and I think you really have to choose the right dishes!

So here's the ones we love...

A must-order is the Thai Iced Milk Tea ($3). Thai Black tea infused with condensed milk makes the drink really good. It’s different from the Milk Tea you get from bubble tea shops. Do try it if you have never had a cup of Thai Iced Milk Tea; take caution in craving for more!Tom Yum Soup ($6) comes in either clear or thick base (with coconut milk). We have tried both. I guess for those who prefer the pure tom yum flavor with a spicier kick, pick clear base! The coconut milk sort of neutralizes the spiciness of the tom yum soup. Personally, I prefer thick base. Stir-fried Mince Pork with hot basil leaves ($6) is a simple dish that appeals to us because of his tasty flavor. Besides its spiciness, it gives off a nice basil fragrance that’s not too overpowering. So for those who don’t really like basil, no harm trying! Homemade Thai Fish Cake (4 pieces for $6) is my personal favorite! It is especially so when it is served hot and fresh. It is less spicy than Otah and the spices that they add into it makes it really good!The Stir Fried Kang Kong Belachan ($6) is another dish we would always order. We can’t do without vegetables in a meal and what better choice than to order something spicy and tasty? What we love about their Kang Kong is that it is well-cooked and the belachan flavor is consistent throughout the dish.Overall, we love the food at Nakhon for it's flavor, affordability without any frills! I will be back to introduce the desserts recommendations!

For full review and photos, please visit http://thumbsforfood.blogspot.sg/2013/08/nakhon-kitchen-kovan-thumbsforfood.html