Marmalade Pantry has been around for a while but i've never been much of a fan. It usually is the second choice after PS cafe or any other newer brunch/tea places. I don't have much of an impression of their food after my first experience (and we all know what that means) so i usually wouldn't recommend or head to MP for my meals. However, i've heard much about their afternoon tea and i finally made time for it some time back. 

Afternoon High Tea is served from 3 to pm daily. At $20 each, with a minimum of 2 sets per order, you will be served a pot of Gryphon tea, a selection of egg and cress, beef & horseradish and green land shrimp finger sandwiches, buttermilk scones, and a cupcake. It was supposed to be a tai tai moment for me and my colleagues and we fully intended to saunter in and plonk our pretty little asses down to tea without having to queue. To our horror, they don't take reservations for tea! Thankfully D found a way to get around that problem and all was well. Then came problem no. 2, at 3pm, they told us that they are only left with a set of tea for 2. SERIOUSLY? I don't know how they ran out so quickly but thank our lucky stars we got the last tier! 

The highlight of tea is always the scones and Marmalade does these little buttermilk ones. At first glance, i knew it to be dry. The texture is closer to that of a cookie in terms of moisture and firmness (in a bad way). It was bland and untasty. I wouldn't even call this a scone. Needless to say i wasn't very satisfied with them.

That said, the clotted cream was not too shady. At least they didn't use whipped cream as a substitute and could tell the difference between whipped and clotted (read about which cafe tried to hoodwink me here). The scones only became slightly more bearable after being coated with a slab of cream. Still didn't mask my disappointment though. Love the strawberries stewed in sugar syrup (most likely) and the biscotti was a delight- crumbly, nutty with pistachio and sweetened by some dried fruits. Yums.

Sandwiches were decent. Nicely toasted and slightly buttery bread. It's not particularly memorable so i guess it's just mediocre.

I've never had cupcakes at Marmalade prior to this visit and boy i have missed out on so much. This is probably one of the nicest cupcakes in SG though i've had better ones in Saigon (read about it here). The red velvet was very intense and moist. You could tell them by the colour at the centre of the cupcake. It should be a deep and even crimson red. Nice cream cheese frosting that complements the velvet well. The chocolate one wasn't that nice though. The frosting was dry and so was the batter. Doesn't have a rich chocolate taste as well.

Would i go back for tea at Marmalade? Maybe. But only for the cupcake.

Marmalade Pantry

2 Orchard Turn #03-22

ION Orchard

Tel: +65 6734 2700

Mon–Fri: 11.30am – 9.30pm
Sat: 10am – 9.30pm
Sun: 10am – 4pm

Marmalade Pantry at the Stables
55 Fairways Drive

Tel: +65 6467 9328

Tue to Fri: 3pm – 11pm
Sat to Sun: 10am – 11pm

Yesterday my colleague asked me if i do my food hunting everyday because i update with all these yummy food fairly regularly. As much as i would love to do so, i don't have that much time either. Life would be so awesome if i'm employed as a food critic and in between meals, i'll just yoga/exercise the calories away. Job offers anyone? :))

As mentioned previously, the sat that just passed was spent cafe hopping (read about it here). S insisted on having ice cream at a secret unknown location (to me at that point in time) and we ended up at some HDB estate in MacPherson and i was thinking about the possibility that a really swell gelato place (according to him) is located here.

So there, in the sleepy estate of MacPherson, some void deck establishments have been set up and one of which is Alfero Artisan Gelato. It may sound familiar because there is another branch at Marina Square which is pretty popular (though i haven't heard about it before).  

What i couldn't stomach at first was the lack of visuals of my ice cream before i was served. I'm a visual person and i like to see my food. I'm always very disturbed when presented with a menu without pictures. That is also the reason why i have so many food pictures on the blog. You can tell (or i can) the texture of the dish, gain knowledge on the ingredients (i look out for things that i don't want so that i can highlight to the server) and gauge whether you are in the mood for a particular dish. I don't think i'm weird.

So Alfero's gelato are stored in the Pozzetto cabinet to prevent contamination by the air and light. Very high QC i must say. The owner/chef happily offered us tastings and even encouraged us to try more flavors. And it was really milky creamy and smooth. I like to think that gelato is less fattening than normal ice cream because it has a lower butterfat content that traditional ones. But honestly, ice cream is fattening regardless of its type.

We chose the Hazelnut and Pistachio ($7.50, even though i only remember paying $6.50?). The flavors are quite intense, especially for Pistachio. I usually don't order this flavor because most of the time it tastes anything but pistachio, just plain artificial. But this is different. I felt like i was eating the nut itself and for the first time i tasted the saltiness in the flavor which absolutely fits into my sweet+savory list of food to eat (read about my quirk here). I would love for some contrasting texture in the gelato though. It's always nice to have something to chew on. Explains why i love eating Ben & Jerry's from the tub. That said, this is one smooth fellow.

Nothing beats having good ice cream after dinner, especially if it's just within walking distance (though we don't live in MacPherson). That's the charm of the heartlands, unpretentious and homey. Just another neighborhood joint, but not so neighborhood. I like.

Alfero Artisan Gelato

81 Macpherson Lane, #01-37

Tel: +65 6848 4269
Tues-Sat: 12 - 9pm
Sun: 12 -6pm
Closed Mondays

#02-226A/B, Marina Square Shopping Centre
Open daily (i suppose)

I love weekend getaways! Nothing beats leaving everything behind, work, worries and all and just having fun. Made great use of Z's birthday as an excuse to head up to KL town for a weekend of non-stop eating and partying (actually who needs an excuse for a getaway right?). I'll update with our other yummy meals but first, the highlight of our trip- Elcerdo.

Just looking at the pictures, i think you would have guessed. YES! They serve little pigglets! OINK! All the dishes are porky ones. Nose to Tail eating- that's what El Cerdo offers and i think it's a brilliant idea (though i don't eat all the parts). I suppose we ought to feel guilty for eating the piglets, especially with all these cute piglety pictures hanging around the restaurant, but nope! Our tummies were too satisfied to feel any pangs of guilt. Our stomachs have no conscience. Even Z who is not a pork fan was raving about the food. YUMS.

First came the bread basket with some pate. We were both really excited because we had some really yummy ones with croissants during our stay in Saigon. But this.is.really.bad! I almost vomited. The taste is really gamey and "fishy" and it felt like it has been left out in the heat for days. EEWS. Thankfully i only took a little. Should have just stuck to our regular olive oil and vinaigrette. The bread on the other hand was spongy and tasty. Some onion bits in it which reminded me of that lovely onion bacon roll at the Ledbury. Sigh.

For appetizers, we had the pork croquettes which had more pork than potatoes. I still had the phobia of the rancid tasting pork from the pate and was really afraid to taste this. Thankfully it turned out ok. Nicely battered and tender shredded pork- perfect combination with mayonnaise. 

The prawns wrapped in bacon was spot on. We were surprised at how good the seafood is (you'll see in a bit). Crunchy, crystal clear meat, succulent, sweet seafood freshness. I could almost feel the prawn swimming in my mouth. The bacon added a nice smokiness and flavor to dish. LOVE THIS!

This has to be DA BOMB. The birthday girl decided that she wanted the Cataplana- a Portuguese seafood dish cooked in a copper cookware shaped like a clam. This is a popular dish on the country's Algarve coast. The pot is sealed by the 2 clamps and the seafood is left to stew in its own juice. The result, a rich seafood base that tastes oh so sweet and heavenly.

There are tiger prawns, shrimps, mussels, squid, fish wrapped in bacon and sliced mushroom in a tomato-ish gravy which contains the essence of all the seafood. Some potatoes and zucchinis were thrown in to add some natural carbs and sugar to the broth. We were both amazed at how fresh all the seafood were and how nicely done since they are require different cooking time. Somehow everything was perfectly cooked. This must be a magic pot or something!

We couldn't stop raving about the seafood. Birthday girl was really happy with the food of course. Gotta thank Debs for introducing this restaurant to us when we mentioned our Spanish tapas craving. The stew is essentially a lobster bisque and I've never tasted one so full-bodied before. You know how food can make one feel so contented and satisfied with life? This is the dish. My last meal has to be this for sure (ok maybe one of the dishes of my last meal. I'm greedy that way!).

While we were having dinner, we noticed that many people were celebrating their birthdays at the restaurant. They have a special birthday song which the servers would sing as they bring out the desserts. Of course i had to make an arrangement with them. While everyone went for some ice cream thingy (boring), i chose the tiramisu (as Z was kinda craving for them) and I brought the "cake" out while singing the song so loudly that the entire restaurant could hear me. Anything for my BFF! She was so excited that she didn't managed to video record the stellar performance by me but i'm sure no other birthday song would beat mine. :))

The tiramisu was as lovely as the other dishes. Creamy yet light mascarpone with rum soaked ladies' fingers, dusted with cocoa and served with a mango drizzle at the side (which i mistook for nacho cheese. HA.). That was 2 huge scoops of desserts after all those food. We managed to finish everything though because it was so yummy.

Elcerdo has to be the best porky restaurant i've been to so far and the spanish food was really well executed. There is a variety of European, English and Western pork dishes such as sausages, pork knuckles, pork chops etc etc etc. Really attentive service and friendly staff. Perfect place for birthday celebrations too! I'll definitely be back, birthday or not.

Changkat Bukit Bintang has a lot of other good restaurants so you could also check them out if you don't like pork. :)

El Cerdo
45 Changkat Bukit Bintang,
50200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: + 603 2145 0511

Malaysia on Dwellable

To all the sweethearts, longing hearts, lonely hearts, lovely hearts, broken hearts, single heart, young at heart, beating hearts, skipping hearts, heart throbs, fluttery hearts and many more... HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! Here are some sweet hearts for you by Krispy Kreme! Sorry, there are no real ones left because i've eaten all of them! Super yums. 

Of course, we don't get any KK here on this pathetic little island. I absolutely love this. Crispy exterior, glazed with icing, made of fluffy dough and a smooth creamy soft centre. Makes me wanna bite into it and devour it whole. Just like every heart out there. (Now that sounds creepy.) I meant heart shaped doughnuts of course.

I recently got a chance to sink my teeth into these little babies. KL was the origin of these deep fried, artery clogging, sinful as hell ding dongs and that's the closest to which we could get some KK. I was the oversized little girl (ok.. i know people who would beg to differ) in the candy store, with eyes gleaming and mind churning with choices of my impending buy.

The love affair started when S bought me some KK (got his friend to get from Down Under). The then-romantic him didn't just deliver the doughnuts, he bought me a microwave oven, claiming that KK tastes the best after microwaving for 8 seconds. So that's how i eat my KK these days. Disclaimer: 12-15s will be ideal if you take it out from the fridge. How sweet and cute was he? Times have changed.. Problem of being in a long term relationship. Le sigh.

Whatever it is, it's Valentine's! Even though i'm gonna be spending it at Yoga class(es) punching, kicking and screaming (and pretending that my unromantic boyfriend is the target), i wish that all you hearts out there have fun. Remember, love comes in many forms, shapes and sizes. So have your heart(s) and eat it! 

Author's note: S walked in on me writing this post and asked me what silly thing i was doing. I told him that even though i have a super unromantic boyfriend, it doesn't stop me from being a romantic at heart. :P I really wanna punch this idiot. BOO.

Most of the reviews i do are for leisurely people like me- brunch and tea at places that are not too convenient for most people who are in a 9 to 5 office job. So for all you CBD folks out there, here is one for you (don't say i never share). Let me introduce you to the Muffinry, a few months old bakery that focuses on serving freshly baked, quality muffins along with a nice cup of joe.

I was cafe-hopping just this weekend. 1st stop was the Coffee Daily, followed by the Muffinry. The party then moved to L'etoile, dinner at La Chasseur followed by a secret ice cream location. Anyway, i was glad that this was one of the earlier slots, if not i would have missed out on these yummy babies.

Banana Walnut and Chocolate Chip Muffins

Since i don't work in the CBD, this is not a place i would visit unless it's opened on Saturday. Then again, it's not really a weekend hangout location as well. The space is small an not particularly comfortable for dining in. That said, the space is efficiently utilized for the crowd since most of the customers would takeaway muffins for an after-lunch snack or tea. You can almost see a invisible queue just by the layout of the store.

I was pleasantly surprised by the selection of muffins even on Saturday. I was set on the Green Eggs and Ham Muffin, as inspired by Dr Seuss, as i had a pretty good savory muffin in KL recently (more on that later). The greedy me wanted to have a few of the sweet ones till S reminded me that we were going to check out other cafes. Dilemma dilemma dilemma.

Thankfully, i had the help of Chris, the boyish looking owner/barista of the Muffinry, to provide some suggestions. His recommendation is the Banana Walnut and Chocolate Chip muffin ($2.40). To quote Chris, this is the muffin that he can eat everyday. With all my favorite dessert ingredients in a muffin, how could i say no? The batter is quite dense and has retained the right amount of moisture to it. I like that it's not very oily, since most banana cakes/muffins are. Perfect balance of chocolate and banana with the right level of sweetness. 

I have to say that i love the Green Eggs and Ham Muffin ($2.40)! Savory food are my favorites and this makes a good light lunch or breakfast, or dinner. Hell! I could have this anytime of the day. Who can resist ham, cheese and eggs right? (This is a rhetoric question, i do not expect anyone to disagree with me.) For those of you who don't know, green eggs actually refer to avocado (they do look like green eggs).The cake has a clean savory taste due to the cheese. The cheese is not too overpowering as it is mixed into the batter and creates a slight chewy texture in the muffin. Throw in some chunky, juicy, generous pieces of ham and bacon and i'm sold. The fragrant spring onions also provides a refreshing dimension that cleanses the palate, and fools the tummy into creating more space for the dessert muffins. :))

W doesn't like the brownie ($4.50) because he thinks that it could be made from instant mix. I beg to differ. This brownie is really moist and fudgey. I suspect it's actually in fact a semi-solidfied chunk of rich hot chocolate. How else could one explain the disintegration of the brownie into a chocolate sauce texture upon sending it into your mouth? I really like this too. Would be nice if it's a little harder so that there is something to chew on.

If you are thinking "why pay so much more for muffins when you can get cheaper ones at Amoy street food centre?" (if i don't remember wrongly they sell them for about $1.50 each), the answer is fresh quality ingredients. Trust me, if you are putting so much calories in your tummy, they better be the finest foods. So there you go.

I didn't have the coffee but W thinks it's pretty decent. The Muffinry uses their own blend of beans 'Malabar', which consists of beans from Brazil, Sumatra and Guatemala. So go on down, grab a little bite. If i were working in the area, i swear this would be my daily snack.

The Muffinry

112 Telok Ayer Street

Tel: +65 6509 6462
Mon–Fri: 8am – 5pm
Sat: 10am – 4pm
(Closed on Sun)

With so many other local food happenings, i have neglected my Vietnam posts so here is another. There are still other awesome food places that i've tried but have yet to share. Will try to update on them. La Fourchette (French), The Sushi Bar (Japanese), Temple Club (Gourmet Vietnamese).. And some really bad ones like Augustin (French). Check out my other favorite Viet cafes under Eat Saigon.

Enough about food, this post is about finding/restoring my inner peace. I mentioned in a previous post about this mysterious yoga school which was the highlight of my trip. This place is none other than Soham Yoga. I guess Destiny bought us together. I was toying with the idea of continuing with my practice on the trip (hence i brought my gym attire) but wasn't set on any particular yoga school. It was that particular day when I was feeling quite tired and upset (due to a particular event that occurred) that i randomly did a search on the Internet for a school. And everything was history.   

Soham is located at Tran Dinh Xu in District 1 which was only 1.6km away from my first hotel, Beautiful Saigon 3 Hotel. I could have walked there, it wouldn't take too long but my first class was at night and i didn't think it'd be that safe considering i've never been there before. It's located in a 2 storey shophouse, and it was love at first sight for me. Nhu Y (the owner who is also an instructor) took my first class and i went away filled to the brim with positive energy. I thought that was the last of our meeting as Z and i were headed to Phu Quoc but there was a turn of events and we headed back to the city shortly after! And Yoga was the only thing on my mind. 

As you can see from the pictures, it's a very small and cosy place. Even though there aren't the fancy air-conditioning or fully mirrored walls like my studio in Singapore (read about it here), or the lack of a hot yoga studio, it really didn't matter. This is exactly the kind of place i would like to practise at. The instructors were all very positive. Nhu Y is an extremely confident, patient and friendly instructor (much unlike my boot camp-ish instructors at Real). She taught me how to do my first headstand in Sivananda class and even though i didn't managed to do a full headstand the first time, she was extremely encouraging. The class was very intimate and we laughed at ourselves and at each other when we do something silly. I went away with a smile on my face and in my heart after each session.

The locker and changing area

The classes that i went for had a maximum of 7 students so there were plenty of space. I like that there is a lot more interaction between the instructor and the students (not so commercialized). Paul (another instructor) shared his story about how he was so stressed out and unhealthy before he started on Yoga and how it changed his life. It was the interaction that helped me look beyond the nitty gritty affairs that i was fixated on previously and to adopt an open mind towards exploration of alternatives that would make me happier as a person. There is also a lot more meditation which really helped to calm my nerves.

The studio at Soham

I also like the little touches such as applying a soothing aromatherapy essence on the student's shoulders while we are resting in the Savasana position. It's very uplifting at the end of each session. Hot tea, water and cookies are also offered at the lounge and students are always welcomed to sit around after class to chat with the instructors. We had some really good times discussing yoga and life, exchanging experiences.

It was also at Soham where i met Daphne who is a fellow Singaporean! She has been teaching Yoga in Saigon for 2 years. She's one gungho lady who is very adventurous (from what i heard about her travels). According to her, you can spot a Singaporean from afar in Saigon because we wear more expensive stuff. :P I don't think it's the Singlish because i didn't speak it at all (i take pride in that!)

Happy me in my yoga outfit

I walked to yoga on most days after we got back from Phu Quoc. We stayed at Oscar Saigon which was right smack in the downtown area. The traffic was crazy and the walk was further (2.4km). I had to navigate across the Ben Thanh market traffic which was impossible but my road crossing skills were superb and i survived the 30mins walk to school. It was pretty nerve wrecking though. Made a video about crossing the road but i can't stand the sound of my voice on it so it's not gonna be posted.

So yea, this is my happy place in Saigon. I really miss the practice and the people. Somehow after the experience here, everything else in Singapore seems to fall short. It just feels more like a workout now. Sigh. So yea, if there's anything i'll go back to Saigon for, it'd be for Yoga and Cupcakes. :) If you ever drop Saigon, this is a must do activity. Trust me. It has changed my outlook on life. 

The first trial class is 5usd and it's free if you buy a class pass or sign up for membership. I got the 5 classes pass for 45usd. There is a mix of beginner to multi level classes so not to worry. They offer Vinyasa, Power/Power Flor, Sivananda, Yin Yoga and also African Dance.

Soham Yoga
84T/4 Tran Dinh Xu, Dist 1 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Tel: +08 39 205 813

Vietnam on Dwellable

Did you know that there was previously an Awfully Chocolate branch in the Serangoon Gardens area? (Read about why i love Gardens here) I would support North-Easties would have known about it. Sadly, the famous Hei ice cream was no longer to be enjoyed when AC closed down. In its place, a little nondescript cafe has set up shop to serve the residents coffee (YAY! Coffee Bean just doesn't do it for me these days!) and simple sandwiches.This little cafe is called The Coffee Daily. 

It was on one of my morning rounds when i caught a glimpse of the place (happened to be looking to get some stuff from AC). From the looks of the shopfront (i was a distance away), i thought it was those old school coffee bean roasting shop. I'm sure you would agree with me just by looking at the picture below. Anyway that was until S informed me about a new cafe in the area and that's when i took a closer look at it.

Keeping to the theme of an 80s shophouse/flat, the owners stuck to simple yet iconic features that reminded me of the good old days when i was a child and had nary a care about the world. Life was simple but good (what would i know right? i was a kid. of course it was fun for me.). The nostalgia of the days of dropping by the neighborhood grocery shop to get candies and traditionally baked biscuits or buying stationary and stickers from the bookshop uncle..   

Fragmented marble tiled and concrete flooring, naked light bulbs and iron grills, tilled walls and exposed piping running along the walls. A rocking chair. Mismatched chairs. Even though the feel is supposed to be old but it sends off a modern vibe.

The selection of food is not very varied. I was craving for some foccacia and cheese and had every intention to head to the supermarket to get the ingredients and make it myself, but of course laziness got the better of me. I went with the Turkey Ham Foccacia ($9.50) because it is exactly the thing i was craving for. Ordered a hazelnut latte ($5.80) to go along with it too.

The coffee wasn't too bad, quite milky and smooth. I suppose the hazelnut syrup neutralized any acidity in the beans. I suppose i'd make better judgment if i ordered the plain latte but heck it, i love my coffee sweet and flavored. I'm not a connoisseur and i don't intend to become one anyway. I'm really not that picky when it comes to coffee but of course i can differentiate the good from the bad and this is hmm... average?

The sandwich did kind of satisfied my craving (at least the foccacia part). It isn't spectacular and i actually expected better. Honestly, even i could make a better sandwich. Swiss bake's foccacia, freshly sliced gourmet ham (instead of this packaged one) and Reblochon cheese or some fresh Brie, butterhead lettuce and sliced tomatoes on the vine (there isn't any in this sandwich). Quality ingredients and food are essential to the survival of a coffee place. You can't survive on coffee alone really. That said, the sandwich isn't thhhhaaaaatttt bad. It's hm barely passable but i just feel that they could do a lot better than this? The sandwich is interestingly served with tapioca chips which were strangely addictive after a while (i'm not a tc fan).

There is more than enough space to accommodate about 20 odd customers but i was the only one there at lunch time on a Saturday. I suppose that's because people haven't heard about it yet. So here you go! There's no service charge or gst as well. No studying or working allowed here but i suppose reading and chilling out is fine.

I wouldn't mind coming back if i'm in the area and have a caffeine urge. Sure beats drinking the crap at coffee bean. Should have tried the Shepherd's pie and carrot cake that some other reviewers were raving about. Perhaps the next time.

(Author's note: This is a crazy cafe hopping Saturday for me. First the Coffee Daily, then the Muffinry, followed by Le Chasseur Claypot rice [truly bad service] and Alfero's gelato. I'll try to update with the other posts soon, hopefully before the week ends. Too many posts, too little time. I think i need to stop eating for a while..)

The Coffee Daily
75 Brighton Crescent

Tel: +65 6284 8894

Tue - Sun: 9am - 6pm
Fri: 9am - 4pm
Closed on Mondays

Finally found an opportunity to check out Jimmy Monkey Cafe. It has been on my radar for a while but with my ever expanding cafe list plus the fact that JMC is located at One North (which is essentially the Far West), i have not been able to visit till recently. One of the pull factor was of course the coffee. The rise of these third wave coffee makers in Singapore has indeed pleased the coffee drinking community. Never will we have to settle for Starbucks again! (even though i occasionally do but that's because their locations are more convenient!) 

Anyway, because i was due to go for a meeting in the west, i decided to just pop by JMC. Located at the isolated One North Residences, Jimmy Monkey makes an ideal spot to chill out with a book and a cuppa. It is set up by a Melbournian who was keen to recreate a true blue Aussie cafe experience and you can tell they are serious about the coffee with their Slayer espresso machine (one of it's kind in SG) and Giesen roaster. Nothing beats the aroma of freshly roasted beans to wake one's senses.

A fair selection of pastries and hot food. The croissants look big and poofy and the muffins don't look too bad either. I think the molten lava cake was recommended by reviewers on HGW.

Sadly, i developed a headache and decided to have a small scone with a side of sausages instead of the smoked duck with cheese toastie ($15). Shall give that a try another time. The scone came warmed and smells like hot cakes! This is a raisin scone and i would consider it to be more dessert than savory. I usually like to butter mine with salted butter but that combination didn't go well with the sweetness of this one. I tasted a hint of cinnamon and maple (hence the hotcake smell) and it was like eating a very dense fruit cake/bread. Not my usual type of scone (read about what i like here) but it's not that bad. Slightly above average when warmed and you should not continue eating when it's cold.

Was really disappointed when they served me the set reason being that they told me it's clotted cream and trust me when i say it isn't. Whipped is not clotted. They are oceans and stomachs apart. So don't lie to me. If you wanna know what clotted is, try the scones at Regent. I swear that's awesome. The jam was overly sweet and tasted quite artificial. Definitely didn't touch mine.

Of course i had to have something savory to go with the food so i added on the sausages. They are not spectacular but they were savory and moist enough. I would consider this to be more of a white sausage but with more chew to it. You can pass on the bread because it tasted really stale and tough. I think it'd be nicer if it's fresh because there's a nice saltiness to the brown bread which would go well with a big breakfast set. 

The cappuccino was nothing but spectacular and mind blowing. I usually take my coffee with sugar and my judgment on a good coffee is largely dependent my tolerance of its taste when i do it without sugar. Third wave cafes are awesome because they are acutely aware of the taste of the beans and they prepare it in a way that brings out the natural sweetness of the beans. I love that it's not very acidic and the milk acted as a natural sweetener to the drink. It was very smooth and the froth was lovely. It didn't even break when i added sugar (yes i cheated but sugar makes a lot of difference to coffee!). I am dying to try the affogato with crushed violet crumble. Sounds absolutely enchanting.

Definitely a cool joint to hang out at on lazy weekends. Especially with the Lazy weekend menu that serves breakfast till 4pm. Nothing beats getting great coffee (note that i didn't say food) on a lazy afternoon.

May or may not give the food another chance. Could someone try the other dishes and let me know if i should head back there another time? I still have more than a dozen different places i wanna try and i don't know if i can spare this a second visit.

Jimmy Monkey Cafe & Bar

9 one-north gateway
#01-51 one-north residences
Tel: 6777-8470
Sun to Thurs: 8.30am - 8.30pm
Fri & Sat: 8.30am - 10.30pm
Closed Mondays