Lynda Ann Cakes for Friends - Honestly Good Cakes

The design of the shop front of this place seems to hint at what this bakery is all about: simplicity, and a marriage of old-school fine bakes and new twists. And the cakes are exactly just these.

Pandan Perfection has me scrapping the cream off the container because its taste is so addictive. Unlike most pandan cakes featuring dry chiffon sponge, the cake sponge of Pandan Perfection is perfection because softness, moist, fine and slightly crumbly texture, and buttery flavour. Few cakes can match up to this one when it comes to the sponge. With the pretty generous amount of delicious cream, which is richer and denser than whipped cream but lighter than butter cream, sandwiched between sponges, this cake doles out the punches through the intense flavour of pandan, intensified by the gula melaka cream. 

Being someone who is very critical of chocolate cakes, the Chocolate Peanut Butter, the cake that I had decided to add to my purchases at the last minute, did well to pleasantly surprise me. The chocolate sponge, just like that of Pandan Perfection, is flawless and has no trace of dryness commonly found in chocolate cakes. The saltiness and nutty aroma of the peanut butter, which adds dimension to the overall taste, simply makes this slice a league above its competition. The good part is that just the right amount of peanut butter is added into the rich cream to impart that distinct flavour of peanut while retaining the consistency of cream and not becoming paste-like like the peanut butter from the jar.

Earl Grey Cake with Honey Lemon Buttercream transport me to a scenario where I am enjoying English Tea break in a fancy garden during a cool afternoon. There is something very classic and English about this cake. Most probably due to the Earl Grey and honey. The texture of the sponge layers is slightly denser than the other two just featured, thus inducing the traditional feel. The hint of lemon adds that zest to elevate this cake to be more than that traditional cake we are fond of. I absolutely love this cake also.

In fact, after finishing these three cakes, on separate occasions, I regret not getting more of them.

Actually, I went down to Lynda Ann's shop for the famed Rainbow Cake. It is definitely Instagram worthy, showcasing the brilliant hues of colours. Taste wise, it is good, given the perfect cake sponge and the thick cream that is more substantial in feel and yet not as heavy as buttercream. However, I find that the pure cream, without the gula melaka in case of Pandan Perfection or honey lemon as in the Earl Grey cake, it is a bit too heavy to my preference. This is pure school old school favourite, which will delight many, though for me, I like that extra element of surprise and kick. I do like this cake, but it is not my favourite.

The service is wonderful and sincere. One will really feel that the cakes there are for friends as stated in the bakery's name.

So will I go back for the cakes? Yes, definitely. I have been thinking about sinking my teeth into those cakes already.

My Thoughts: Sweet Bliss!

Nearest car park: HDB car park at Blk 123 Bedok North St 2
Nearest MRT: Bedok

Blk 122 Bedok North St 2

#01-98

Singapore

Contact No: 9679 2041

Hokkaido Izakaya - Okay

Closed

I was naturally excited when learning about the newly opened Japan Town in Wisma Atria. Since I love the collection of Japanese establishments at a corner on Level 3 in Takashimaya, especially Ginza Kuroson. After avoiding the initial hype and the long queues that came with it, I got down to suss out the place.

Okay, first thing to clarify. This place is very different from the Japanese theme corner in Takashimaya. One is of Japanese lifestyle concept while another is based on Japanese Izakaya. I guess it is obvious which is which. Fourth level of Wisma Atria is like the gathering of different foodstalls where kopitiam occupies one side and another is dominated by Japan Town. Actually, I don't enjoy walking through the crowded kopitiam to get to Japan Town. That is just me as I like to avoid crowds in general. In fact, I feel that another Japanese corner, Emporium Shokuhin, is way better than this one due to the sheer variety and better ambience there.

Queues still formed outside the restaurants in Japan Town, but thankfully, it is just a short wait for us since we arrived earlier than the opening time.

I had ordered the Negitoro Don. The good news is that there is no fishy smell in the minced tuna belly since low quality tuna smells especially fishy and tastes exceptionally bad. So I can say that decently fresh fish is used. But the problem is that I had much better Negitoro in Shinji and Kuroson. Of course, it is not fair to compare with one Michelin Star Shinji. Though I will go to Kuroson for Negitoro instead with the ten dollars difference. The tuna belly meat here is not as smooth, oily and flavourful due to the lack of fats in the tuna. Luckily, there is the runny egg to help enhancing the overall taste.

I had taken bites off my guy's Smoked Salmon Belly. It is surprisingly pretty good. The smokey flavour imbued on the fish helps to balance out that strong typical taste of cooked salmon meat that we hate. The slabs of meat are so well-done that the smokey flavour is very evident and pronounced yet not a slight burnt bit can be found in the meat. My guy said that this is the best cooked salmon he ever had. Well, he had eaten cooked salmon in Michelin Star/s restaurants before. I do agree with him on this. But the lowlight of this dish is that a fish bone is found in one of the slabs. I was expecting that the chefs would clear the bones like they do for salmon sashimi, you know.

Appetizers are just quite okay. I had better ones in other Japanese restaurants.

Service is okay. I think the main issue I have with the place is the overall ambience of Japan Town. The dining space of Hokkaido Izakaya is pretty decent, with sufficent space set up between each table.

While I was not blown away by the food here, the place is certainly decent enough for a casual, affordable meal.

My Thoughts: Okay

This restaurant is no longer in operation.

The Signature Patisserie - Not bad Muffins

Since the muffins were brought by a colleague on my behalf, I cannot comment about the service and ambience. So let's get straight to the food.

The best muffin of the lot got to be the Cream Cheese one. The already moist and fluffy chocolate muffin is imbued with an extra creaminess that makes a muffin a league above the others. The chocolate muffin features the same moist, fluffy texture, I was a tad disappointed to find a nugget of softened chocolate in the centre instead of molten chocolate. Guess I love Lava Cakes too much until I expect this in chocolate desserts at every turn.

Blueberry muffin and Raisins one have coarser and drier texture. So it is a meh for me. Go for the chocolate muffins instead. The redeeming part of the Blueberry muffin is the dollop of blueberry sauce that imparts some moisture to the cake.

For $1.80 each, this is pretty value-for-money. Though out of the four muffins I had tried, I will only go for the Cream Cheese one again.

My Thoughts: Okay

Check Signature Patisserie's website for locations and contact numbers of their branches.

Henri Charpentier Orchard Central - A Great Addition to Orchard's Cafes

I do feel that Orchard Road suffers from a drought of cafes offering premium cakes. Aside from Joe and Dough, Patties and Wiches, and Flor for takeaways, I cannot think of any others that impress me. So Henri Charpentier's foray into Orchard is very welcomed, in the opinion of a dessert lover like me. And given the fact that the pastry chef hard at work at his station hails from Japan, I am hyped about this place.

The Strawberry Roll is one cake that I can order again and again. Why? Because this roll is made with the generous proportion of cream, exactly as I love it. The light strawberry cream, infused with flavour of real strawberries, fills up the entire centre with the roll, with the moist, fluffy sponge lining the perimeter. The best part is that this cake is only $4.60. Given the quality of the roll, it is absolutely value for money.

The chocolate cake is not as wallet friendly, but this is seriously decadent stuff. Chocolate cream in different consistency sandwiched between thin cake sponges, and coupled with pure chocolate coating, this cake has rich chocolatey taste and great varied texture. This is definitely one of the better chocolate cakes I have.

The Pudding Chou is another delight to tuck into. The texture of the puff is firm, and packed inside are wholesome vanilla custard and fresh cream. The combination of custard and cream works wonderfully to impart extra variety to the taste while maintaining the balance of the flavours of each component.

The counter itself does a great job highlighting the glorious array of madeleines and cakes, tempting passers-by to stop and take a look. Though the place has very few tables. And the plastic forks provided are too dainty to cut into the cakes. These are the two areas in need of improvements.

The cake selection is noticeably different from the one in the branch at Dempsey Hill. The cakes here are more wallet friendly. The vibe is more casual. So I am all eager to visit this place again.

My Thoughts: Sweet Bliss!

Nearest car park: Orchard Central car park 

Nearest MRT: Somerset 

181 Orchard Road

#01-18 Orchard Central

Singapore

Contact No: 6479 5518

Bornga - Enjoyable Korean Fare

Closed

It is by pure chance that I stepped into Bornga for my lunch since I happened to hang around Vivocity and was in no mood for either Chinese cuisine or Italian cuisine. I did not expect much, but I was quite pleasantly surprised to find that this place serves pretty good grilled pork.

While the side dishes are very ordinary and do little to refresh the palates and whet the appetite, the spicy grilled pork, Dwaeji Gohchujang Barbecue, get the thumbs-up from me. Each moist, thin, fresh pork slice is saturated with flavours of the spicy specialty sauce. It is hearty dish to tuck into.

But when I saw the plate of sliced, raw pork served to the table beside me, I was glad that I did not order that. Because the slices are so thick, and so far, my experiences with eating such thick slices of meat, especially at Korean restaurants, were all nightmares. Of course that is just me only.

With the scenic view of the harbour beside Vivocity, the ambience is pretty good for a casual meal. And I'm glad that the oil and smoke from another table did not suffuse to my side. Service is not bad, the staff did gain extra points by bidding farewell to patrons.

If I happen to be at Vivocity, I sure do not mind dropping by to have a meal.

My Thoughts: Not Bad

Nearest car park: Vivocity's car park

Nearest MRT: Habourfront

#02-123 Vivocity

1 Habourfront Avenue

Singapore

Contact No: 63768268

SweetSpot - Chic Place to hang out at

SweetSpot is like this cafe that is on my watch list for the longest time, but I never have the time to trudge down to MBS to check it out. I finally did, and I must say that this is a chic place to hang out at, due to modern ambience, completed with bar top style tables and high chairs.

Chocolate Paradigm is all about chocolate. Imagine many types of chocolate incorporated into this mousse cake, this will sure please many chocolate lovers. Though I am someone who likes my cake to have that extra dimension in taste, so I cannot say I got bowled over by this cake.

Mille Feuille is consisted of generous dollops of mildly sweet fresh vanilla cream sandwiched between layers of puff pastries. I like the vanilla cream a lot since it is full of creamy goodness with just the right sweetness. But the cake on the whole is not exactly mind-blowing since the cake is all about the cream only.

I love the service here. The young lady staff immediately came up to me when I went in to browse at the cakes. She is very friendly and engaged in casual chat with me while packing my orders.

The packaging is very impressive due to use of the clear plastic box. This makes the cake a perfect cute little gift for someone.

I will come here if I want to chill out or get a cake as gift.

My Thoughts: Pretty Good

Nearest car park: Marina Bay Sands' car park

Nearest MRT: Bayfront

Marina Bay Sands Tower 3

10 Bayfront Avenue

Singapore

Contact No: 66888588

Waku Ghin Patisserie Platine - Luxurious Treats

That lunch at Waku Ghin has always one of the defining moments of my gastronomic journey. European cuisine prepared with Japanese philosophy: simplicity and use best premium ingredients. While Ghin cheesecake did not blow me away at that time, I was still very excited when Waku Ghin launched Patisserie Platine to cater to dessert lovers' whims. Thus I went to Rise lounge of MBS with high expectations to try out Platine's offerings.

I shall chronicle the experience instead of writing about the cakes in order of preference.

As it had been a long time since I tasted Ghin cheesecake, I did not have a defined idea on how the Black Forest will taste like when first tucking into it. I am pleased by the first mouthful. The taste of cherry is distinct to add subtle kick and dimension to compete with the dark chocolate base for attention but not too strong to overwhelm the delicate flavours of the pistachio mousse. It is quite interesting but not mind-blowing. Things are taken up a notch when I pop in the liquor-infused cherry and eat the main part of the cake with the roll of milk chocolate mousse on top. I love liquor in cakes, for it just makes the experience of savouring the cakes exciting and decadent, so this definitely get thumbs-up from me. If only there are more of these cherries.... The creamy, rich chocolatey flavour and slight bitterness in the mousse roll on top adds extra variation to the overall taste that makes it so much better. This cake definitely hints at a promising start of the journey.

Coconut Mousse with Mango and Passion Fruit looks absolutely pretty, with those lovingly carved dainty round mango slices. The second I set my eyes on it and read the description, I wanted to try it. I want so much to fall in love with it. However, it does not match up to my expectations. While the texture is perfect, the molten mango centre is a tad bit too sour and too sharp in taste, eclipsing the delicate taste of coconut. I was hoping that this creation will be like Mad about Sucre's Coco Citron where lemon and coconut can amazingly be matched together without either taste overwhelming another, or K ki's Antoinette whose mango heart is blissfully sweet, complementing the white chocolate wonderfully. Alas, it is not. Though for those who love some zest in their confectionaries, this is a good choice.

Strawberry Cheesecake is the last cake I chose from the dazzling array of beautiful cakes. I did not expect much from it after Coconut Mousse cake and my initial thought was, it's just another cheesecake. Oh boy, I was so wrong about this cake. The cheese mousse is a league above its competitions due to the slightly salty and distinctive nutty flavour of premium cheese. And when it is eaten with the mildly tart strawberry mousse, I truly understand why strawberry is the best fruit to incorporate into cheesecake. This is a match made in heaven. And given the perfect gossamer texture that is typical of Platine's cakes, I find no fault with this creation. I personally feel this is better than Ghin Cheesecake. But this is entirely my personal opinion. So is this the best Strawberry Cheesecake I ever had? Yes, yes, yes, for now.

The service is great. I am impressed. They are full of smiles, promptly respond to my requests and fill up my warm water. Sometimes they even make the effort to enquire on whether I need anything. Though take note that I go at a time where the crowd is not in yet. I like the casual, semi-alfresco, with the benefit of air-conditioning, environment—perfect for lounging with friends or reading a book while indulging in the wonderful cakes.

So will I go back for another round of indulgence in desserts? Of course, especially for the Strawberry Cheesecake, and I am hyped to try other cakes in the repertoire.

My Thoughts: Amazing!

Nearest car park: Marina Bay Sands' car park

Nearest MRT: Bayfront

RISE Lounge

Marina Bay Sands Tower 1

10 Bayfront Avenue

Singapore

Contact No: 66885568

BAKE Cheese Tart - A Puff of Cheese Goodness

Closed

Usually I don't queue to try out any food. But since I love Hakodate Cheesecake from Hokkaido, and BAKE cheese tarts happen to have Hakodate cream cheese as one of their ingredients, I decided to take the plunge and check out the famed cheese tarts. I had waited for thirty minutes, which is my limit and is not that bad as compared to those two hours queue or even three.

Talking about the cheese filling first, when I bite into the cheese mousse, I feel like I am savouring a light puff of cloud saturated with the goodness of cheese. It is far lighter than the cream based mousse in mousse cakes. The taste of the blend of Japanese and French cheeses is subtle and milky yet distinct and exotic. The addictive taste plus the uniqueness of the texture and flavour make it worthwhile to try at least once.

The bowl of the buttery pastry shell has soft, crumbly texture that goes perfectly well with the incredibly light mousse. But the rim of the shell is harder, which hardly meshes well with the mousse. Though I find that munching on the rim is akin to eating a sweet butter cookie, not a bad start as a prelude to chomping the cheese tart down in a few bites. So my suggestion is to nibble up the entire rim, then move on to eat the mousse with the rest of the pastry shell.

So is it worth the wait? For thirty minutes, quite. For more than an hour, not really. While I like the taste of the mousse, I find the feelings of eating it to be fleeting and transient. It does not induce that solid, filling type of feelings that I want when tucking into any kinds of food. For a quick thrill, it is a great bite to indulge in.

My Thoughts: Sweet Bliss!

This outlet is no longer in operation.

Ay Chiwawa Óle Guacamóle (Avocado Spread)

A look at the list of ingredients: Organic avocado, jalapeños, cilantro, sea salt, lime, tomatoes, and I know this is good stuff. I am proven right, of course.

This mix of ingredients yield subtly flavourful and exotic-tasting spread. The jalapeños pack a punch in fiery power, with the avocado to balance the overall taste.

Good, healthy alternative to butter, and it goes well with meat or ham.

Country of origin: Mexico

Where to buy this: Cold Storage

Loacker Gardena Fingers

It is hard to go wrong with coconut added into food. So Loacker Gardena coconut fingers hit the right notes. The rich nutty flavour of coconut makes this an enjoyable treat.

Country of origin: Italy

Where to buy this: All major supermarkets

Hansik Korean Family Restaurant - Surprisingly Good Heartland Restaurant

I don't write a lot about Korean restaurants because quite a number I had visited did not inspire me enough to do so. So this says a lot about Hansik, in which I share my thoughts on this place.

I like the side dishes here since they taste refreshing—exactly how appetizers should be like, to refresh one's palates for the mains and complement the grilled items. The kimchi is not too spicy, which is how I like it.

The chargrilled chicken is fresh, succulent with hints of the burnt aroma of grilled meat. The mushrooms that come with the chicken pack lots of moisture under the grilled surface. Dip the chucks of meats or mushrooms into the sea salt sauce, the result is grill goodness.

The seafood pancake is quite a disappointment as compared to the side dishes and chargrilled chicken. Too much flour, too little seafood, I feel like I am eating mouthfuls of slightly flavoured cooked dough. This can be given a miss.

Since this restaurant has ala carte menu instead of going buffet style, the air there is fresher, with none of the smell and grease that hang in the air of lots of Korean restaurants. I actually prefer this kind of dining environment. The service is okay lah. No highlight and no lowlight.

I definitely look forward to go back to check out other dishes on the menu.

My Thoughts: Nice!

Nearest car park: Open air URA car park beside Heartland Mall

Nearest MRT: Kovan

205 Hougang St 21

#02-00 Heartland Mall

Singapore

Contact no: 62882448

Tung Lok Heen - Luxurious Chinese Cuisine with a Twist

Ah, Tung Lok Heen. I had always passed by this place when going to Robuchon, Osia or Syun. The last time I wanted to try the food there, the restaurant was full, and after that, I stuck to my old favourites in Sentosa after that since my guy and I love the food there, and it helps that the service staffs there know us. Anyway, try to make reservations beforehand to ensure a seat. This time round, the resourceful manager managed to secure a table for us, so kudos to him.

I find that the dishes here are more of Chinese-Thai fusion rather than traditional Cantonese fare. Anyway, onto the individual dishes.

The trio Amuse Bouche hints at a promising start. Beautifully presented and looking exotic, the taste is just as exotic. The steamed shrimp dumpling in chilli oil is reminiscent of the Szechuan wanton in chilli oil. The crisp-fried beancurd skin stuffed with shrimp and crispy siew mai are prepared in such a way that yields texture unlike the traditional ones. With the zesty sauces drizzled on top, we have some pretty unique dim sum that taste pretty good.

As for the braised fish maw and abalone in noble "tanfu" broth, it is filled to the brim with luxurious ingredients, and the taste is testament to this. However, the abalones are pretty tasteless on their own, and the broth is too thick to the point that it feels like a film is left on the palates.

I love the grilled ocean barramundi in chef's specialty sauce. The fish is exceedingly fresh and being cooked to perfection. The flesh is smooth with slight firmness, a delight to bit into. The sauce is tangy and simulating. The only issue I have with this dish is that the sauce does not soaked into the fish. The two are like two separate entities on the menu.

I give thumbs-up to the braised Boston lobster tail with homemade ramen in xo sauce. The lobster meat is very well-prepared, having a firm but chewable texture and the flavours have thoroughly soaked into the meat. Given that it is not easy to prepare lobster meat, which is tougher and plainer in taste as compared to prawns, I am impressed with skills of the chefs in Tung Lok Heen. The xo sauce gives an extra kick to the ramen that is done al dente, kind of.

Chilled cream of pumpkin and purple rice topped with coconut sherbet is an excellent dessert to round up the meal. Among Chinese restaurants, this place serves one of the best desserts. This is comparable to Royal China's Japanese pumpkin puree. The addition of purple rice in Tung Lok Heen's one adds an extra dimension to the texture and taste. Though the pumpkin here lacks the inherent sweetness and aroma of the Japanese pumpkin used in Royal China. It will be perfect if premium quality pumpkin is used.

The settings of this restaurant tends more towards the posh western style than the family-friendly Chinese one. It is actually pretty great for dates.

Service wise, no hiccups reported. But I'm not impressed either. As expected of a Chinese restaurant, the staff is more interested in getting the job done over providing exceptional dining experiences. And the one serving us looks pretty sulky. The standard of service does not exactly matches the price range of the food here.

Basically, the dishes are well-executed, but the service has room for improvement. And until this area is improved, I will only put this restaurant under Recommend, not The Best. By the way, if there is 1-for-1 promotion for Invites members, don't wait, charge for it.

My Thoughts: Nice!

Nearest car park: Resort World Sentosa's car park

Nearest MRT: Habourfront

Resorts World Sentosa

Hotel Michael

26 Sentosa Gateway

#02-142/143

Singapore

Contact No: 68847888

Kai Garden - On par with Hotel's Chinese Restaurants

Usually, for good food plus great service and wonderful ambience, I will recommend the Chinese restaurants under hotels' management because of their need to providing a flawless experience to the patrons. I notice that most of the other Chinese restaurants are very profit-driven, thus neglecting the standard of service. With that said, Kai Garden surprises me in every way. The service is excellent, in Chinese restaurant context, and the food is very good.

After trying the food in many Chinese restaurants, I have to admit that I get bored with typical Cantonese fare. Thus I will only be impressed if creative twists are incorporated into the food without compromising on the authenticity. And Kai Garden's repertoire of dishes and dim sum manages to do just that.

The mushroom bun is an absolute delight to tuck into due to the slightly crispy sweet pineapple bun top pairing with the creamy, very flavourful mushroom filling.

I am also bowled over by the glutinous rice because it is so moist in texture and packed with wholesome ingredients such as dried scallops to impart the taste of unami into the sticky rice.

Fried prawns with specialty sauce is a treat for those with acquired taste—I happen to be one of them. I can say that the prawns are fresh since no allergic reaction gotten from them. The spices-and-curry sauce drizzled on the soft yet pretty crispy fried batter gives that extra kick to the dish. But rest assured that it is not hot at all.

The unique fried skin, peppered with crispy breadcrumbs, of the scallop mango roll is what makes this dim sum worthy to check it out. However, while I like the creamy texture of filling, complementing the wrapping excellently, I could hardly find any seafood in there. It is more like mango roll than anything else. The lobster dumpling soup is quite a let-down as compared to other dishes. The dumpling arrived broken, with all the contents spilled into soup. And the bland taste did not help either.

The ambience is minimalist chic, with hints of grandeur. I like how the tables were decently spaced frim each other, unlike lots of Chinese restaurants.

Service is attentive, prompt and meticulous. The staffs even provide bag holders for our bags. Lots of restaurants don't provide these, so this extra touch of thoughtfulness is highly appreciated.

While this restaurant does not feature all varieties of tea, I am impressed with their Da Hong Pao—smooth and fragrant.

I can say Kai Garden is one of my favourite Chinese restaurants. So of course I will go back to enjoy authentic yet unique Chinese food, with good service and great ambience.

My Thoughts: Very Nice!

Note: But the experience there on CNY eve is far less than stellar. It is overcrowded, with dirty plates piled up on a platform right behind me. And we only start eating at 9pm for a 8pm slot! Not recommended for CNY reunion dinner.

Nearest car park: Marina Square's car park

Nearest MRT: Raffles City

6 Raffles Boulevard

#03-128A/128B, Marina Square

Singapore

Contact No: 6250 4826

Paradise Dynasty - Interesting Xiao Long Bao

I had tried xiao long bao, those little dumplings packed with pork and broth, in lots of places. So far, Ding Tai Feng's ones are one of the better ones because this place specializes in making xiao long bao. Paradise Group tries to challenge Ding Tai Feng with Paradise Dynasty, whose focus is on xiao long bao, to top it off, features a variety of this well-lived dim sum. Well, I was sceptical but ended up leaving the place feeling somewhat impressed.

Unlike the disappointing xiao long bao—the meat is not fresh—I had in Canton Paradise, the ones in Paradise Dynasty have thin silky dough skin wrapped around the fresh meat. Yes, they are comparable to the ones in Ding Tai Feng. What gives the dumplings here an extra edge is the array of flavours available. My favourite got to be the ginseng one. The slightly bitterness and herbal flavour goes very well with the meat. Kind of reminds me of those nourishing herbal soups. By the way, do not mix in the shredded ginger and vinegar as these will eclipsed the delicate flavour of ginseng. Another one of my favourite is the foie gras one, which surprises me on how this Western and Chinese combination works. The taste is unique yet not over the top, thus able to please my palates. The truffle xiao long bao is not bad, but this is not exactly match made in heaven. I feel the full potential of the oh-so-delightful woody aroma of truffle is not realized in the makeup of xiao long bao.

Cheese xiao bao long hits the wrong notes for me. The minced meat is too strong in flavour and too mashed in texture to complement the cheese well. The crab roe one tastes too fishy to my liking. Garlic xiao long bao is not bad, but does not offer anything unique like the ginseng and foie gras ones. The szechuan dumpling has very strong flavours. This resembles the wanton in chili oil. I like it but I can only stomach one piece because it is fiery hot.

The radish pastry has excellent crispy skin, and the filling is not too salty, which is good. Though it is not exactly noteworthy in terms of overall taste.

The service is a notch better than the other Paradise outlets, not counting in Paradise Pavilion, the crown jewel of Paradise group.

I sure do not mind going back for the ginseng xiao long bao if in the mood for a casual dining experience.

My Thoughts: Pretty Good

Nearest car park: Vivocity's car park

Nearest MRT: Habourfront

1 Harbourfront Walk, #03-08A

Vivocity

Singapore
Contact No: 6376 8103

Buzz Honey

Once I had tried raw honey, I found that all other honey cannot match up to it in terms of taste and the effectiveness of the healing properties. Besides the divine alce nero raw honey, I have just discovered another new brand in stock in NTUC. Presenting ... Buzz Honey!

I was tempted to buy a jar because of my love for raw honey. In addition, I am always up for trying new tastes. The chuck of honeycomb submerged into the golden liquid cemented my decision to buy one. I mean ... how often do one find honey that comes with honeycomb in Singapore supermarkets? Of course, I must try it.

The honey itself is very delicate in flavour. I like the lingering fragrance of blossoms inherent in honey. This is seriously good stuff. Though there is a slight sour aftertaste. It is still way better than lots of other types or brands of honey.

Filter out the bits of honeycomb before enjoying the drink because while the comb is nice to bit into savour the honey, its waxy texture is not what I appreciate when gulping down the smooth, refreshing honey drink.

All in all, I sure do not mind showing people that I have a jar of honey with honeycomb enclosed.

Meadow Honey at Limestone Coast is great stuff also. One thing is for sure, it is like magic potion curing my sore throat and ulcers.

Country of Origin: Australia

Where to get this: NTUC Xtra

Rainbow Cottage - The Selection is exactly as the Namesake suggests

Closed

Actually, I just happened to pass by Blk 452, Ang Mo Kio and immediately took note of this cafe due to the quaint wooden settings, which sets the place apart from the surrounding neighbourhood shops. I guess I can say that the ambience seems tranquil and inviting enough for me to just step in to try out a cake.

The rainbow cake looks very brightly coloured, which will win the hearts of many. However, for me, who is more into natural ingredients, the colours seem too garish to my liking. So I was pleasantly taken aback that the taste of the cake exceeds my expectations, considering that I do not have very high expectations in the first place.

The texture is not as moist as I would rave over, but it is good enough to please most people. The consistency and taste of the cake seems like a cross between butter cake and sponge cake—not bad at all. I like the buttery flavour of the cake and the exceedingly light, airy cream slathered on top and in between the layers of different coloured sponge cakes. In fact, I feel like I am eating sweetened creamy clouds when eating the cream off the top of the cake. And I appreciate that there is no chemical-like taste atypical of colour additives.

The rainbow cake here will delight the kids and make pretty nice centrepiece of parties. Maybe next time, I will try the Thai Milk Tea ice-cream.

My Thoughts: Nice!

Note: This cafe is no longer in operation.