I really admire young entrepreneurs who boldly decide to open cafes nowadays.
I feel that the market is as saturated as that of online stores,
if not more.
The start up capital is also not a small sum and you really have to know your stuff,
know what your customers like and know how to make your cafe appealing on Instagram as well as people's taste buds.
At the same time,
you have to apply for thousands of permits and do SO MUCH planning before your cafe even opens to the public.
I imagine that managing young part timers should be no easy feat too.
Such a tough industry but yet so many people are going into it to hop onto the bandwagon.
Jo and I used to be pretty enthusiastic about hunting for new cafes but after a while,
the food choices at most places didn't impress us and were a total waste of our calories which could be better spent elsewhere.
So now we try to be more discerning and selective about which cafes to visit.
Even then,
some places didn't make us feel like returning for a second visit.
Hahaha.
I've filtered out a few cafes which I really like recently.
These are also places which I've visited more than once or are planning to visit again.
Sharing them on my blog with you so that you can bookmark them and give them a visit some day!
French Toast
Truffle Fries
Dashi Mushroom Risotto
Popped by The Laneway Market after photoshoot the other day with the girls at the office and was pleasantly surprised by the standard of the food there.
Nowadays we try to go to cafes without much expectations.
Hahaha.
I had the French Toast and still crave for it every now and then.
Will definitely order it again the next time I visit because it is THAT good.
I don't even like main courses which are not savoury usually.
The Dashi Mushroom Risotto was highly raved when we read reviews and it didn't disappoint too.
Truffle fries are better than average although I didn't agree with the sprouts - they tasted too green for our liking.
Hahah.
I also really like that this cafe is near to my office.
Just a 10 minutes drive away, so convenient!
Popped by The Laneway Market after photoshoot the other day with the girls at the office and was pleasantly surprised by the standard of the food there.
Nowadays we try to go to cafes without much expectations.
Hahaha.
I had the French Toast and still crave for it every now and then.
Will definitely order it again the next time I visit because it is THAT good.
I don't even like main courses which are not savoury usually.
The Dashi Mushroom Risotto was highly raved when we read reviews and it didn't disappoint too.
Truffle fries are better than average although I didn't agree with the sprouts - they tasted too green for our liking.
Hahah.
I also really like that this cafe is near to my office.
Just a 10 minutes drive away, so convenient!
The Laneway Market
266 Tanjong Katong Road
S437053
Truffle Fries
Cauliflower Fritters
Random chio plate
Some yuzu drink
Side note - why do so many cafes nowadays not have their menus readily available online?
:(
Online store owner hard at work
What over ordering looks like
Berry Ricotta Hotcake
Another shot because it lived up well to the hype and how it looks
Squid Ink Tagliatelle
Mantou Sliders
The dishes we ordered at Paddy Hills that day were generally on the saltier side...
Other than the Berry Ricotta Hotcake which was so soooooo good.
Totally not exaggerating because usually my tolerance for salty stuff is quite high.
I would have loved the Squid Ink Tagliatelle if it were slightly less salty, hahah.
The Mantou Sliders were so unbearably salty that we had to send it back to the kitchen.
The bright side was that the wait staff was kind enough to let us void that item.
I think we were just unlucky that day maybe!
At least the wait for the food was not as long as expected.
Would go back again for the super gorgeous Berry Ricotta Hotcake, super chio plates and other exciting sounding items on their menu.
Location is a little bit out of the way though!
Other than the Berry Ricotta Hotcake which was so soooooo good.
Totally not exaggerating because usually my tolerance for salty stuff is quite high.
I would have loved the Squid Ink Tagliatelle if it were slightly less salty, hahah.
The Mantou Sliders were so unbearably salty that we had to send it back to the kitchen.
The bright side was that the wait staff was kind enough to let us void that item.
I think we were just unlucky that day maybe!
At least the wait for the food was not as long as expected.
Would go back again for the super gorgeous Berry Ricotta Hotcake, super chio plates and other exciting sounding items on their menu.
Location is a little bit out of the way though!
Paddy Hills
38 South Buona Vista Road
S118164
This place was an unexpected hit because Old Hen Coffee Bar looked so simple and unassuming.
The menu did not sound tempting to us either and was pretty limited.
But somehow,
we managed to walk away with happy bellies!
Really love love love their cold brew.
The wrap and the burger was not too over the top filling and tasted healthy but with decent flavours.
Old Hen Coffee Bar
88 Rangoon Road
S218374
Please try the Speculoos Tart and Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake if you give My Sister Bakes a visit!
They tasted so good that I cannot stop thinking about it.
This cafe is opened by Esther,
the baker who baked my birthday cakes for the past 2 years.
She definitely puts in a lot of effort in the creation of flavours and making sure that customers' feedback are taken in seriously.
Do support her cafe if you're in the area,
or craving for good cakes/desserts!
It is one of our favourite haunts for #TTRhappyhour because there is also Kin Kin Pan Mee and my favourite Alfero gelato in the area.
*Disclaimer - I'm not paid to include this in my post and also not saying nice things just because I know Esther. Just genuinely really like the cakes they offer!*
My Sister Bakes
81 Macpherson Lane
S360081
Coast Breakfast
Chicken Deck
Another surprise favourite of ours is Coast and Company.
Other than the simple but satisfying fare which they offer,
I really like the ambience and the interior of the cafe.
The exterior of the cafe is also super gorgeous,
which makes us very happy because we can do our OOTDs before hitting the cafe for food!
The Chicken Deck looked a little unappealing because of the green sauce and the chicken which looked a little dry and hard,
but surprisingly the chicken was succulent and well seasoned.
I also like the mint colour coffee cups.
This cafe is also near to our office - another yay!
Coast and Company
54 Siglap Drive
S456176
So far I have yet to try a dish from Sin Lee Foods which left me disappointed!
And I love how their menu offerings stand out very distinctively compared to run of the mill cafes around.
Would definitely recommend the Aburi Broccoli Salad (which makes broccoli eating an enjoyment instead of a dreaded chore), Salted Egg Sweet Potato Fries, Beef and Grains and the Mentaiko Crab Mantou which is a new addition to their menu.
Also,
their swan latte art is damn pretty.
Hehe.
Sin Lee Foods
4 Jalan Bukit Ho Swee
#01-164
