Artichoke Cafe & Bar

It's not a new brunch spot, it's not the usual brunch crowd you see at a typical cafe, and it's not serving the common brunch fare you see at every other brunch place. So where's this place again?

Artichoke Cafe & Bar

Paddy Hills

If The Lokal was my 2014 favourite cafe, Paddy Hills certainly is my 2015 favourite cafe. In the span of less than six months, I popped by Paddy Hills at least eight times. If you do the maths, it's a visit or two per month. It didn't help that it was within walking distance of my office, so it was extremely accessible to have lunch there, either with my colleagues or lunch dates with friends. Or rather, should I say, my old office, now that I'm in a new environment.

I've amassed a collection of food shots from my multiple visits. The cafe opened in March this year, and my first visit was in May and my most recent visit was in October. They had a menu update before my last visit, so I managed to try several stuff from their original and new menus. In fact, this might just be my longest picture post for a cafe haha.

Paddy Hills

Pacamara Boutique Coffee Roasters

Hi I'm still alive.

I tend to disappear for weeks on the blogosphere, then reappear for a bit, before the cycle repeats. Ha. I blame it on my short attention span.

Anyway, here's one of my favourite cafes (which I haven't visited for a while, but still...) which has amazing natural sunlight, white walls, and wooden tables. Been here a few times and every single time I step into the cafe, cue *dreamy sigh*.

Pacamara Boutique Coffee Roasters

The Bravery

Feeling pretty pensive tonight. I wonder if I'm the only person around who likes to think too much into things, or to talk to argue with oneself. Perhaps I just shouldn't think. Right. Off to bake a cake for a friend now to stop myself from over-analysing things.

In the meantime, sharing a brunch place that I visited a few months back, which I loved for its peaceful vibe. Well, considering that we were one of the first customers of the day at 8ish on a weekend morning, quiet was the word.

 The Bravery

Jpot

Hotpots (otherwise known as steamboat) = comfort food. At least to me. Basically anything soupy is comfort food, and so, hotpots are no different. One thing about having hotpots is that it's a communal affair, so the table tends to be rather full, with all the various dishes, and the huge hotpot in the middle. What I loved about Jpot is that instead of one huge hotpot for everyone at the table, everybody gets their own individual mini hotpot. There are several types of soup bases for hotpots, so at Jpot, everyone gets to have their favourite soup base, no squabbles at all.

 Jpot Vivocity

Aoki

Yet another birthday meal last year. A friend and I had for the past year, treated each other for our birthday meals. I'd previously treated her to Fat Cow, and in return, she treated me to a meal at Aoki.

Aoki Maze Chirashi

Anti:dote

Another high tea place I visited late last year - Anti:dote. Well, on my birthday to be exact. Since our office has a birthday-off policy (you can take the day off aside from work exigency), I made plans in advance to meet a girlfriend for high tea that day.

I had quite an enjoyable birthday last year in fact. I slept late, woke up and baked some scones for a late breakfast/lunch snack, had high tea, followed by a sumptuous Japanese dinner at Tatsuya. Yes, as you can see, an enjoyable day for me = feasting.

Anti:dote high tea, 2014

On The Table

I've been to OTT for countless of times already, say, perhaps slightly more than five visits? It's probably one of my to-go cafes (hey it's a west side cafe!), alongside The Lokal, Assembly Coffee and Pacamara, whenever I'm lazy to think of new cafes to try out.

Mushroom Monsieur; Salmon & Mushroom Truffle Cream  Linguine; Tomato Swimmer Crab Linguine

Portico

I wouldn't have known about this place if my friend had not said she wanted to meet there for dinner. It was actually right next door to one of my favourite Japanese restaurant, Himawari, but I had never seen the place before prior to the dinner.

 Portico truffle fries

The Landing Point

I had actually composed a few posts and was going to publish them, but postponed them as the past week has been quite somber due to the passing of Singapore's first Prime Minister, Mr LKY. Most social media platforms were quite subdued and were swamped with articles about the man, and his contributions to building Singapore into what it is today. The national mourning week brought Singaporeans from all ages, races and religions together, to grieve for the man who had transformed our little red dot into the thriving metropolis it is today. Articles were strewn over the newspapers and online media replaying the man, his policies, his vision. There were also touching articles depicting the softer side of Mr LKY, such as those on his love story with his wife. It was also heartwarming to see the people stand together united in this moment, to read in the news media about little acts of kindness that was shown among strangers. Brave on Singapore, for we shall "look at that horizon, follow the rainbow, ride with it."

On a less serious note, I shall be posting quite frequently in April, cramming as many posts as I can, before my next vacation in May.

 Weekend high tea at The Landing Point

Sin Lee Foods

Had dinner with some friends at this cafe some months back.

 Sin Lee Foods

Dancing Crab

I was on course for the past week, and it's been really nice, being away from the office (the shorter hours are a bonus too!). When I'm away from the office, it just makes me use social platforms lesser, cos I don't access it mindlessly when I'm at work, and even when I get home, I don't really really switch on the laptop too. It's nice to take a short break from social media once in a while.  And from that, I mean my most frequently used media platforms - Instagram, Facebook, Blogger and Twitter (in that order of usage).

But, yeah, I was reminded of my promise (to self) to blog more to finish my backlogs. So, here's a really great seafood place I've been to last year, twice.

 Dancing Crab (Combo bag #1)

The Lokal

If I must choose, The Lokal must be one of my current favourite cafe of the moment. I mean, I had visited it like five times in the past two months or so. And that must mean something right, given the high density of cafes in our tiny island these days. My friend joked that I should be a VIP member given the number of times I've gone to the Lokal. Ha, I can only wish.

The Lokal

Wheelers Yard

A pretty photogenic cafe. One where everybody goes just for a shot with the iconic blue doors (which I have yet to snap a shot at though I've been there a coupla times already!).

Wheelers Yard

The Tiny Roasters

There's this really tiny coffee spot that opened in the West recently and the coffee is pretty good over there.

The Tiny Roasters

Rouse

Hi, I'm back from my Seoul 2014 trip for about two weeks already. Am currently experiencing post-vacation withdrawal symptoms. (But then again, I'm perpetually in this state like eighty per cent of the time - the other twenty per cent being when I'm actually on vacation ha!).

Decided to keep up with my sporadic monthly blog posts. So here's a great lil cafe I went a while ago. It's not too hyped up in the cafe scene, but I actually really liked this space.

Rouse

Fat Cow

There's plenty of pretty good Japanese places in Singapore. One constant thing that popped up on my Instagram feed was THAT particular beef bowl. You know, the one like here:

Fat Cow Donburi

One Man Coffee

First spotted this lovely space through, where else but, Instagram. It looked so gorgeous with all those woodsy brown tables, and the food appeared so drool-worthy that I knew I had to make my way down there pronto.

 One Man Coffee

Oz Specialty Coffee

Quiet find at Upper Thomson area.

Oz Specialty Coffee

Chikuwa Tei

I can never get sick of Japanese food. Especially when fresh sashimi is in the picture. Remember previously, when I mentioned I found a really yums Japanese restaurant near Spathe Public House? This is it. Chikuwa Tei. Just a few steps away from Spathe.

Chirashi don ちらし丼