Madame Ooze - Cosy, Homely with a Flair

When I find myself at Chinatown, wondering where to have my lunch, I see a eye-catching shade with the words "Madame Ooze" printed on it, I decide to take a plunge and just pop into the place to have my lunch here.

Upon entering this quaint space, which is actually reception area for Alder Hostel, I am welcomed by the sight of a cosy place decked with florid drapes, hanged drawings of lush greenery, Peranakan antique furniture, ornate lamps, stacks of books and plush comfy sofa and chairs. There are hostel guests lounging around and patrons who are there for the food and drinks. The mood here is casual, relaxed and homely, Singapore style.

And the staff at the counter immediately greeted me with zest and offers me the menu for me to slowly decide on what I want. And he suggests some awesome recommendations, such as coconut ice-cream on panna cotta, which works like wonder.

Madame Ooze provides interesting dessert options, where I can choose the type of vessel, such as croissant, cake, cone, panna cotta, to put my choice of ice-cream on. For a filling meal, there are savoury items to fulfill that, thank goodness, since I come in here for lunch instead of tea break. And my choice of Mushroom Cheese Melt Croissant is really good.

A really lovely, unique place to chill and enjoy good food while soaking in the Peranakan vibe.

Lychee Oolong is so refreshing and light, made even better with the pronounced sweet floral aroma of lychee pefectly complementing the the mild astringent flavour of oolong. Perfect for summer weather of Singapore.

Mushroom Cheese Melt tastes so good and satisfying. The earthy flavour of the mushrooms is perfect match with the creamy savoury goodness of mozzarella cheese, with the pan-fried onion adding a subtle pungent kick to the taste. The croissant is so flaky and crispy, yielding that satisfying bite.

Coconut works wonderfully with panna cotta. The milky nutty flavour of coconut layers so well with the handmade sweet creamy vanilla ice-cream. The ice-cream adds a lightness to the heavy panna cotta thus balancing the taste and texture. Surprise of the day and a must-try.

Thoughts: Awesome choice to chill and enjoy good food and drinks

259 South Bridge Road

The Coffee Code - Lovely cafe with Unique, Awesome Food and Drink Choices

It is so fun to just walk around the heritage area of Outram Park and see which hidden gems I can uncover along the way by just popping into the cafe or restaurant based on gut instincts. This time, I found The Coffee Code, a quaint little cafe that offers a lot more than what I expected from a cafe!

The vibe of the the place is cosy and comfy, with a scattering of plush chairs and a touch of idyllic feel due to the plants that look like mini coconut trees, which is pretty standard cafe style: nice for gathering and relaxing.

It is the food and drinks that truly impresses me. The menu features a variety of unique artisan cheesecakes that cannot be found anywhere else, and they are delicious. The same goes for the drinks. And there are good and unique savoury food options to satisfy the my palates.

The service is very good, for a cafe. The staff always serves up a glass of plain water to each patron when we settle into our seats. They are friendly and polite. The best part is they actually allow us to stay slightly longer than the opening hours, which is sweet of them.

All in all, one of my top choices for lounging and enjoying good food and drinks when in Outram Area.

Pistachio Burnt Cheesecake is like THE CHEESECAKE. One of the best and most unique. The texture is so smooth and creamy. The best part is that it has a slightly molten core making for awesome, moist texture. The nutty, earthy, herbaceous aroma of pistachio is very pronounced, coupled with sweet taste of burnt baked goods, for that complexity in taste of the cheesecake.

Non-coffee drink of refreshing coconut water perked up with sweet aroma of osmanthus and made exciting by the savoury cheese foam is oh-so-good. It is so unique and so refreshingly awesome. This is worth a special trip here.

La La Udon is bursting with the sweetness of the sea due to the generous amount of la la added. And the texture of the udon is so good: smooth, thick, has good bite at its core. Paprika is added for a hint of spiciness to make teh taste even more bombastic.

Saltiness of caramel is perfect match with the aromatic slightly bitter Earl Grey in Salted Caramel Earl Grey cheesecake. The taste is also vey unique and delicious, inciting this "eye opening wide"  reaction at first bite. And it also features this molten core that makes the texture so perfect.

Another unique drink is Tea with Cheese Foam. The bitterness of tea contrasts so well with the savoury cheese.

Thoughts: Worth a special trip to here just for the unique drinks and food

37 Neil Road

Aniplus Cafe - Anime and Fun

Because of a special event, I find myself i  Aniplus Cafe, a cafe with a focus on anime. It is cool concept and the cafe is full of anime goodies, bright colours and Instagram-worthy spots. It is unique and I enjoy immersing in the vibrant, youthful vibe here. The service crew, being helpful and efficient, makes it even better.

Event Special’s MORE MORE JUMO!'s Pesto Pasta is Shrimps and asparagus tossed into Pesto Pasta. It is very flavourful and pretty good. 

Wonderlands x Showtime's Wonderhoy! Meal is Omurice with smiley hashbrowns, chicken sausage, ketchup, carrot, corn and peas. The rice is slightly spicy for the kick. A very filling meal option.

I actually like Nightcord at 25:00's Grape Soda with Grass Jelly a lot. It is so refreshing!

Leo/need's Blue Macaron Parfait is stcked with lots of goodies like blue themed macaron, oreo biscuit, cream, yoghurt, jelly and granola. It has good texture due to the bouncy jelly and good taste due to the juxtapose of creamy sweetness and refreshing zest.

Thoughts: Fun, Unique Cafe

8 Raffles Avenue Esplanade Mall 01

Annexe #013C

Praire by Craftsmen - Beautiful, Quaint Secret Cafe

Bukit Timah is keeping a lovely, quaint secret in the form of Cluny Court. And within Cluny Court is a secret garden cafe called Prairie by Craftsmen. Hidden at the side of both Cluny Court and French Embassy, the walk along the wooden pathway framed by the willow trees to the cafe is such an experience in itself. And the pathway leads to a courtyard filled with lots of potted plants, stylish courtyard tables and black n white rattan chairs. This is like the perfect getaway from the bustle and hustle of city life.

The menu features a great variety of proteins, ensuring that one can definitely find something that catches your fancy. To make it even better, the chef adds a good dose of novelty into the food and drinks, for that uniqueness I embrace, thus making the trip here worthwhile for both the ambience and the food. The service here is friendly and helpful. One of the best places for gathering.

WOK-HEY SEAFOOD CONCHIGLIE of pan-seared scallops, prawns, live venus clams, capers and prawn bisque broth is so rich in flavours and light on palates that I finish this whole big bowl of goodies in a flash. And I still crave for more despite the generous portions of seafood and seashell pasta added. The seafood is so fresh and briny sweet. The prawns have this wok hey char aroma that makes it even better. 

White Chocolate Mousse Passionfruit Cake comes in a super cute sleeping panda bear. The white chocolate mousse is light while showcasing a very distinctive cocoa aroma and hint of bitterness, which is somewhat unique, and I like it. The passionfruit jelly ganache hidden within has the right amount of tangy taste to add hints of excitement to the smooth creamy mousse.

Light, creamy, earthy, I absolutely love the unique Taro Latte here. This is worth a special visit here.

CRAB BISQUE, despite its looks, hits all the sweet spots for me. It is so full of the creamy briny sweetness due to the generous portion of blue swimmer crab, cream and prawn bisque broth. I also love the starchy, slightly bouncy gnocchi, which I do have craving for.

Christmas Special Drink of Real Orange Juice, Mint and Soda is so refreshing and good.

Crispy Cauliflower is really crispy and tasty, making for a great snack.

Thoughts: Beautiful Secret Hideout

501 Bukit Timah Road Cluny Court #01-05C

Hoshino - Lovely Fluffy Omelette

When I first passed by Hoshino, I was attracted by the vibes of old world tempered with modern Japanese sensibilities here. Dark wooden furniture, intricate trimmings, dainty ornate lamps and plush chairs, create the cosy yet modern feel. I wanted to dine here but I thought that this was a coffee house, so I didn’t go for it at that time.

After that, I got to find out that there are mains available at this cafe. So when I pass this quaint cafe again, I jump right in. And I’m so glad that I make this choice because the specialty Omu Soufflé is a must-try.

Omu Soufflé Lobster Bisque Risotto is packed with the briny goodness of the lobster. The risotto grains are of good bite while soaked with the bisque, giving that satisfying feel when savouring it. Cubes of mozzarella cheese added for that extra melty, stretchy texture to make it even better.

Omu Soufflé is oh-so-good, being full of savoury, eggy goodness, and have this cloud-like fluffy texture that makes such a delight to enjoy.

Thoughts: Fantastic, Unique Omu Soufflé