Curious Palette Cafe

Curious Palette initially caught my attention not just by the name of the cafe, but the fact that it had an Australian laid back vibe that I enjoy very much. Not overly industrial in design, more clean cut, natural design concept is certainly more enjoyable for a cup of coffee and a meal.

I liked Curious Palette so much that I have been to this place 3 times during brunch and dinner and brought different groups of friends, all enjoying the location, the ambiance, and the food. I enjoyed the meals as it was crafted differently from most cafes. The beef cheek stew was a favorite without being overpoweringly strong. The sweet potato fries and spam fries was also delicious, and one is just not enough. The Ricotta pancake was on the dry side, even though the presentation was Instagram friendly.

Certainly a cafe to return time again, especially during lazy afternoons, where you can sip a coffee and read a book.

Curious Palette
64 Prinsep Street
Singapore 188667
Tel: 6238 1068
Nearest MRT: Dhoby Ghaut

Hyde and Co Cafe

Visiting Hyde and Co. on a Sunday was a little out of norm for me, as my cafe prowling is usually done on Saturdays. Factored in with waiting for a seat in the blistering outdoors, it will make me think twice about coming back here again, especially if I do not have a prior reservation.

What I particularly like regarding this cafe is that it differentiates itself from bustling cafe scene of mostly industrial interior to a more British Colonial feel, even decorating the outside of the cafe with pretty potted plants. This is a brilliant move, given that is located in a shop house, disregarding the weather, I could almost imagine strolling by a shop just like this in UK.

A hot day called for ice cold latte instead of my usual hot flat white. However, by icing the potion, I was unable to tell the balance of the acidity in the coffee. We came here for the waffles, which I thought was pretty normal fare, though what sweetened the deal was a lovely dollop of vanilla bean ice cream. The popular pulled pork sliders was a hit, being a fusion of Chinese fried bun and sweet pulled pork. It is great that cafes like these invents its own menu of unique food fare, which could be a great return factor apart from the usual all day breakfast and coffee.

Hyde and Co.
785 North Bridge Rd
Singapore 198753
Tel: 6635 5785
Nearest MRT: Lavender/Bugis

Symmetry cafe with a retro vibe

When I was given a list of cafes to try, I chose Symmetry because of the close proximity to Bugis Junction. Located about a 10 minute walk away from Bugis MRT, journeying to Symmetry is like taking a step back into historic Singapore lined with shop houses and quaint eateries. And it has almost become a norm in Singapore to go for brunch on a Saturday, so be sure to book if you are.

Because Symmetry cafe is so tiny, they allow only a 2 hour slot before you are asked to leave (which we were not informed right at the start). Given there were 9 of us, and the $300+ bill we rang up, I thought they would have at least given us the free flow of time. The other peeve I had was their automated reminder call that kept buzzing me, which initially was a delight, after that became a tad annoying. I asked a friend what did she most remember from Symmetry, and all she said was Truffle Fries and the bill, which on receiving the bill, it was indeed right. The cost of a breakfast meal is around $20+ onwards, same as what you would have paid for a proper lunch/dinner elsewhere with no time restriction.

However, I must say that some of the food items on the menu was pretty interesting. I have made it a point to always try something I cannot or will not cook at home, and this time, it was Seafood Frittata, which is a lovely pan fried egg omelette with salmon and prawns, topped with a generous serving of smoked salmon and avocado. I also tried their waffles and coffee which to me was fairly decent. I must say I like the food here very much, they are generous with their ingredients, which is why the hefty price tag. Symmetry cafe though tiny, gives a retro upbeat vibe, so don't expect to have a cozy conversation here, and especially over the weekends.

Would I come back, likely not, given the influx of cafes, I am more inclined to make my rounds before coming back to Symmetry. But of course, every cafe, including this is definitely worth a visit that you won't regret, as food is reasonably good, and worth the calories.

Symmetry
9 Jalan Kubor #01-01 Singapore 199206
Tel: +65 6291 9901
Email: info@symmetry.com.sg
MRT: Bugis MRT

Opening Hours:
Mon 10.30am - 9pm
Tues-Thurs 10.30am - 11pm
Fri 10.30am - 12am
Sat 9am - 12am
Sun 9am - 7pm

Sixty40 Bar Cafe Design Your Brunch

It was a Sunday afternoon and finding a quiet place to lunch at the Star Vista is quite a challenge especially after church. A friend suggested Sixty40 Bar Cafe and we decided to give it a shot. 

The uniqueness of this place is that you get to design your own brunch menu. Choose from egg, sausage, ham, mushrooms, chicken wings, spinach, etc and have it served on a wooden board (if the boards are not all out).  I had the truffle eggs, sausage, and mushrooms, and I was pretty impressed with the simplicity and the freshness of the meal.

What I particularly liked about Sixty40 Bar Cafe is that it is a lovely hideaway from the otherwise crowded Star Vista on a Sunday. It is so comfortable and cozy, serving up a very reasonable priced brunch on a Sunday. Would I come back? A definite yes! 

Sixy40 Bar Cafe

Rochester Mall

35 Rochester Drive #01-05

Tel: +65 6684 9028

MRT: Bouna Vista

Opening Hours

Sun-Thur 11.30am - 12am

Fri-Sat 11.30am - 1am

(closed) The Cathay Restaurant comforting dim sum nibbles

Before Tim Ho Wan made an appearance in Singapore, The Cathay Restaurant would be my to go place for reasonably good and decently priced dim sum. My favorite Tim Sum items at The Cathay Restaurant are - siew mai, XO carrot cake, salted egg yolk bun, and egg tart.

I like the way the restaurant is designed with its comfort and space that despite it being full house, it is not noisy. It allows you to have dim sum in relative comfort, a perfect way to spend brunch on a Saturday or Sunday. The spaciousness is great for the kids as well, so they don't get all squirmy being cooped up in a tiny space. 

The Cathay Restaurant is a great place for business lunches and dinners with the tables being spaced relatively far apart. I have also tried dinner here at The Cathay Restaurant and thought it to be quite good as well. 

I think I would still come back here time and again, just because it is not crazy noisy or crowded like what you would experience at Tim Ho Wan or Din Tai Fung, especially on days you just want to kick back and have a leisurely and peaceful meal.

The restaurant has since closed.

The Cathay Restaurant
The Cathay
2 Handy Road #02-01
Singapore 229233
Tel: 6732 7888
Email: reservations@thecathayrestaurant.com.sg
MRT: Dhoby Ghaut

Weekdays and Saturdays
11.30am - 3.00pm, 6.00pm - 11.00pm
Sundays
10.00am - 5.00pm, 6.00pm - 11.00pm

Common Man Coffee Roasters - most delicious coffee and breakfast

Common Man Coffee Roasters probably has the best packaged breakfast and coffee in Singapore. Usually cafes in Singapore would be good in either coffee or breakfast. The breakfast selection is hearty and delicious, and coffee strong enough to give a bite, without it being completely acidic and a put off. Of all the cafes I have tried, Common Man Coffee Roasters probably has the most unique tasting coffee not found in other cafes.  However, in terms of location, it possibly is one of the most challenging cafes to go to, being a good 20 minute walk away from the nearest MRT at Fort Canning or Somerset. Plus not being able to make a reservation on a Saturday makes the trip to Martin Road highly unpredictable. Their key clientele is probably the fabulously rich staying around River Valley Road, making it one of the cafes that it is quite okay to gawk at another, a.k.a people watch. I would suggest if you are taking public transport to come on a cool day, so that the walk is much more enjoyable, alternatively, take a cab from Somerset.

As I had done a round of breakfast, by the time I met my friend at Common Man Coffee Roasters, I was incredibly full. So, while she had the Common Man Full Breakfast, I settled for the sides - which was the grilled Portobello mushrooms with Parmesan and pine nuts. I was surprised and delighted as the salad was indeed fine tasting! A perfect blend of juiciness from the mushrooms, and fine cheese shavings drizzled with olive oil.

This is the place to come back time and again for their fine tasting food and coffee, and if you are willing to wait in line with the many others.

Common Man Coffee Roasters
22 Martin Road
#01-00
Singapore 239058
Tel: 6836 4695
MRT: Fort Canning

Opening Hours:
Mon to Sun: 8:00am - 7:00pm

Food For Thought - Simply Divine Pancakes

Once in a while you encounter food that's simply fabulous because prices meets taste perfectly. Located at Queen Street, Food For Thought is hidden away from the main city area, tucked behind The Singapore Art Museum. It's a pretty little small place and they only accept reservations during off peak hours. You simply have to pray to get a seat!

I was at Food For Thought with a couple of my girlfriends for brunch and I must say prices are fairly decent and they have the most decadent pancakes with banana and walnuts. Simply divine and the best pancakes I have ever tasted in Singapore.

You know how Singapore is growing in the food scene with more people stepping out and having little bistros with fine food in a simple setting and more people are daring to try new food places each time. Food For Thought - A place not to be given though and revisited ever so often.

Food For Thought
8 Queen Street
Tel: 63389887
MRT: Bras Basah

Opening Hours: 
Mon - Sat 9am  to 10pm
Sun 9am to 9pm

Food For Thought Banana Walnut Pancake