Reddy Goes To Biku @ Bali

There's something truly magical about this place. Island Of The Gods they call it. To most people, it is simply known as Bali. I've been here a few times, and yet I feel that I've barely scraped the surface of what this place has to offer. Bali is a land of enchantment and mystical magic. I feel myself so drawn into the beauty of the place that I find it challenging to leave every time. This visit, I've vowed to at pay homage to some of THE institutions that I've lusted over on Instagram. And being such a fan of all things pretty and cakes/pastries/food/all things yum, I've found myself lured into the enigmatic draw of Biku.

For those who love being under the warmth of the sun, there are also outdoor seating options. 

So Instaworthy!

A Slice Of History Over Lunch - Chong Wen Ge Cafe

I love everything old. There is just something "more" about old stuff - more character, history, charm. Many a time, I would stand and literally stare, at the intricacies of old buildings. How things were put together, how every piece of tile was painstakingly handpainted, how every piece of carving tells a story, how the walls are adorned with meticulous artwork made possible only by the hands of a skilled artisan. Which brings me to one of my favorite lunch joints in the CBD - Chong Wen Ge Cafe.

Intricately decorated pavilion now play host to an outdoor seating area

Tea Time @ Arteastiq Mandarin Gallery

I believe Arteastiq had it's humble beginnings sometime in 2010-ish, when it once shared the current space in Mandarin Gallery with a furniture store called MARXX. And from what I gathered from reading some past online reviews, the Arteastiq as we now come to know (art jamming with F&B) came out on it's own in 2011-ish, and has now grown to 2 outlets (one in the original Mandarin Gallery location and another in Plaza Singapura). They are known to be the place to go to for a quiet respite in chaotic downtown Orchard, somewhat tai-tai-ish, if I may say so. Arteastiq serves quite a good range of teas, beautiful food in a serene space, and for those with a penchant for art, you can unleash your inner Da Vinci in their art studio section of each outlet. We've done art jamming twice, will do a write-up on that soon enough! But for now, let's talk food. Haha

Afternoon Tea set @ $48++, enough for 2 not-so-hungry people

Sarnie Fix @ Park Bench Deli

There is nothing ordinary about the sarnies you get here. Everything seem to have gone for a "makeover", elevated to another level, gone from hmm-ok, to hmm-this-is-awesome. Opened not too long ago in 2015, this is a collaborative effort of Chef Ming (from the famed Lolla), Chef Andre Soen (The Cajun Kings) and business partner Aamir Ghani. No boring humdrum stuff here, expect amped up versions of humble everyday favourites. The menu might not too expansive, but hey, we believe that if you're gona sell just one thing, then you better be sure to make it so good you wouldn't have to sell anything else.

Grilled Cheese and Kong Bak Banh Mi

The Prettiest One Of Them All - PS Cafe Dempsey

Cafes come and go,but one has remained a crowd favourite for the longest time (well, we're talking about the average lifespan of a cafe which typically does not last beyond a year or two), yes, there is none other than PS Cafe. Opened 17 years ago as part of the Projectshop clothing store, they have withstood the test of time and has over the years, grown to a chain of 8 outlets islandwide. Having visited a few outlets, PS Cafe have never failed to impress me with the upkeep of their unblemished standard of food consistency. The only difference would have to be how each outlet is styled, but of course they stay true to the laidback, dark, sexy and chic vibe. And by far, hands down, PS Cafe Dempsey has won a place in my heart with the lush green surroundings and beautifully romantic interiors.

RaRa and Reddy Goes To Wheeler's Yard

Like finally, RaRa and Reddy visits one of the most Instagrammed place in our Little Red Dot - Wheeler's Yard. We were there just about 5-ish and waited out the few minutes till 6.00pm for dinner menu to kick in (just cause we wanted burger, again...) We wandered around the grounds to kill time, and for cycling enthusiasts, this place is Godsent - many bicycles and cycling related items to suit every budget, there is even a "waiting lounge" of retro proportions that is just next to the entrance to the cafe, probably for patrons to wait should it get too busy at the cafe, or perhaps simply just a chill out corner. We can see why Wheeler's Yard rate high on cafe junkies to-go-list, the place exudes a super chill and eclectic vibe, with great food to rave about. That's a winning combination folks. :)

RaRa and Reddy Visits "Glutton's Paradise" - OTT Cake Shakes @ Cake Spade

Over-The-Top-Milkshakes. An Instagram worthy piece of gluttony that sent the world into a frenzy. News has it that this trend found it's roots in a bakery-cafe (Patissez) in Canberra, Australia. Didn't take too long for the rest of the world to jump of the bandwagon of saccharine bliss. Over at Cake Spade, it seems, have gone one up from the already extravagant OTT Milkshake with their (extremely) Instagrammable Cake Shake. Essentially a hybrid of the OTT Milkshake with an addition of a bust-the-diet slice of homemade cake, each concoction never fail to illicit "Oohhhhs" and "Aaahhhhs" from gawking patrons. Brace yourselves people, we have pictures to drive you into sensory overload!

                 

Green. Go green with envy.  

RaRa and Reddy Goes To The Village - Chock Full of Beans @ Changi Village

Chock Full Of Beans have garnered quite a following from what we managed to read online. They are known for their creative 2D and 3D latte art, but unfortunately, we don't drink coffee. Armed with an expectation and growling tummies, RaRa and Reddy paid them a visit one evening. Kiasu-rism ensured that we made prior reservation (just in case we had to wait! First world problem I know), but truth be told, unless you are planning a trip down here over the weekend, there is no need for kiasu-rism for dinner. They didn't seem too packed when we came by. Chock Full Of Beans is located right at the end of Block 4, one of the few old school blocks fronting the main road, they have both indoor and outdoor seating options, outdoor can be quite pretty during the day, but of course, only if you are heatproof and can live without airconditioning. Nonetheless, back to the food, they serve the usual cafe fare - pasta, cakes, pizza (pizza is handmade though). We had our usual Carbonara and customized our own pizza (yay!)

Spaghetti Carbonara with Poached Egg @ $17.00

Mad About Sucre - Reddy On Sucre High

Pastries have always been Reddy's Achilles Heel. Being in a pastry shop is akin to a child being in a candy store - eyes are all wide with curious bewilderment, the mind soaks in the multi sensory treat, and the taste buds tingles with excitement on the thought of devouring each and every piece of those painstakingly handcrafted works of art. Enter Mad About Sucre, one of the newest pattiserie in town with pastry chef Lena Chan at it's helm, armed with a prestigious Le Cordon Bleu qualification, and her brother fashionable brother Eric who is in charge of marketing and daily operations. Their small cakes menu change seasonally, the menu is not extensive, you get only a few flavours for each season, but there will be a few signature ones which are usually on the menu on a daily basis - the chocolate dome dessert of "Black San Domingue" and their Hummingbird cake. The service is impeccable - not the stuffy fine dining kind of impeccable, but more that with feel-good warmth and genuine enthusiasm.

RaRa and Reddy's Happy Treat @ Bunny and Pony

Changi Village is awakening from it's many years of being a sleepy little fishing village. There is a plethora of culinary delights tucked in almost every corner of this laidback rustic little seaside town. Aside from the gastronomic smorgasbord of local hawker fare at the infamous Changi Village Hawker Center, you can now find the likes of mouthwatering homemade cakes, artisanal ice cream, handmade pizza, good quality coffee that packs a punch, just to name a few. Well, we paid this ice cream joint a visit (after drooling over those Instagrammed shots of cotton candy and ice cream), and that definitely will not be our last visit!

Have we caught your attention yet?

Miam Miam #Rehash

Yes, we have been here before. And we are back again! Good food just a short hop away from our abode, and prices are kind to the pockets too. Miam Miam is a French inspired What was to be a 30 minute wait for RaRa progressed on to an hour worth of wait, on a rumbling tummy. Hurried on to Miam Miam to find that RaRa have ordered himself a Hot Chocolate, a Spaghetti Carbonara and a Valhorna Souffle (signature dish). And poor Mommy? She settled for a Squid Ink Pasta and scraps the souffle.

Valhorna Chocolate Souffle @ $13.80.

Am threading the thin line of being a gluttonous pig by saying that there should be MORE melted Valhorna dark chocolate, when this would actually suffice for any ordinary folk. Haha. Piggy!

Two Blur Guys

Walked past them for a year on the way to lunch 5 days a week . And I keep telling myself, "Gotta try 'em burgers, Gota try 'em burgers". And, like, finally, Reddy has RaRa along on our maiden visit to this 3 year old hole-in-the-wall burger joint. The place is simple, unpretentious. The kind where you almost know that the food speaks for itself. Especially when all they do are burgers. And a small selection of cakes. RaRa was sceptical (can read from his weary hungry face) but Reddy was confident Two Blur Guys can deliver to their reputation of having one of the best burger in town.
The verdict? Not disappointed. At All.

The picture lie do not. They are as good as they look.

RaRa and Reddy's Weekend Treat - Oh My Bacon @ Dunlop Street ***Closed. Updated Aug 2017***

Joining the ranks of the new-kids-on-the-cafe-block scene just early this year, Oh My Bacon (OMB) has managed to pique the interest of bacon lovers on this LittleRedDot. As the name implies, yes, Bacon, those smokey salty strips of heaven sent waistline busters, Bacon is THE star in this new player. Anything and everything the imagination can yield is translated into sweet and savoury sinful comfort food. Being ardent fans of everything bacon, this proved to be an exciting find!

Bacon Jam on Baguette @ $2.00 for 2 slices.
Reminds one of Bak Kwa! Sweet, salty and infused with whisky. There is a slight alcohol"kick" after taste, which makes this so worthy of 'em sinful calories.

RaRa and Reddy's Day out - Riders Cafe @ Fairways Drive

A little piece of heaven tucked away in a I-Don't -Know-Where-Corner of LittleRedDot. Best seats are by the balcony (do try to put a request in when you made your reservation, and yes, please reserve ahead for Brunch, they are usually full), but be prepared to be one with the smell of "nature". If you can look past that, then you are in utopia unbeknownst to city folks.
*Tried and Tested and Adored*

#Rehashed from Facebook post. More pictures can be viewed at our Facebook page :)

A constant staple of mine..
Brioche French Toast with Berries Compote and Hazelnut Chocolate Mascarpone (codename Nutella haha)

Return With A Vengeance - Treats with Pantler @ Telok Ayer

Life is so short. Why hold yourself back from a good dessert? Or two. After stuffing my face with 3 magical concoctions at the first visit, yes, Ms Piggy had to go back to the brilliant Pantler and sample more fantastic works of art. This time it was the Mille-Feuille and their signature Pantler Roll Cake.

Mille-Feuille @ $7.80. Looks like the simplest thing in the world ain't it? But no...... getting the puff pastry perfect - light, flaky and yet crispy is enough to make a few grown man/woman cry. The cream pattiserie is thick and rich (not cloyingly jelak and sugar laden) and you can visibly make out those tiny flecks of REAL vanilla pods. 

Let's Experiment - The Lab SG @ Jalan Pisang **Closed as of 19 January 2018**

T'was to be a girls-catch-up session, but alas, unforseen circumstances decreased the party to just 2 BFFs. Was tasked with "Any place as long as it is halal" request, me trawled my favourite go-to reads from Danielfooddiary and Miss Tam Chiak for some reliable intel. And... I pitched the a few suggestions to the BFF and we concluded that The Lab SG shall be it for the evening. BFF have also heard good stuff about them from word of mouth and that kinda built the standard to expect. Located at the very hip, very IN location of Arab Street enclave (well actually a bit off the epicentre at Jalan Pisang), The Lab SG has joined the ever growing list exciting halal eateries who have made this area home.

Heisenberger, so this is called. So Instagram worthy! Going at only $12.90 a portion, this is value for money indeed. Constructed of a 6oz homemade Beef patty, Bacon strip, Grilled onion, Tomato salsa, Mesclun salad and blanketed with Melted Bleu Cheese (yes, Blue Cheese, and no, it did not stink). Anddd.. there is even the company of Sweet Potato Fries. They are definitely giving 'em big boys a run for their money with this. 

Return With A Vengeance - Chef Yamashita @ Tanjong Pagar Plaza

My Achilles Heel. Pastries. Especially when it's within reach. Sigh. Temptation got the better of me and I found my 2 hurried feet wandering to Chef Yamashita's. Again. Yes. Again. Determined to have just ONE, Yuzu Matcha Mousse became the victim of the day.

Treat Time - Flourish @ Tanjong Pagar Plaza

Love the excitement of discovery. Especially if there are cakes involved! Stumbled upon this nondescript joint whilst strolling after lunch. Flourish they are called. Located at the retro shopping complex of Tanjong Pagar Plaza. Tucked in between kopitiams catering to ravenous lunch crowds, they stand out prettily with inviting scents of freshly baked pastries.

Beautifully piped meringues

Treats With The Crowd - Chef Yamashita @ Tanjong Pagar Plaza

Chef Yamashita Masataka, or better known as just Chef Yamashita, is the name synonymous with cakes and pastries of exquisite taste and beauty. He is trained at Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka and moved to Singapore 7 years ago from the Nara prefecture where he was running a cake shop for 8 years. For those familiar with the Japanese pattiserie scene in Singapore, you will most probably remember Chef Yamashita for Pattiserie Glace . Fast forward some years later, the talented pastry chef moved out on his to set up Flor Pattiserie and now his current baby, Chef Yamashita, located at a very unlikely place - Tanjong Pagar Plaza.

Look, RaRa and Reddy waiting for a bite!

RaRa and Reddy's Weekend Time - Two Bakers @ Horne Road

T'was a drag-our-bums-out-of-the-house day.The mouth craves something sweet, the mind craves an adventure to an unknown territory, and the flesh is unwilling to venture out into the hot sun. Eventually, after a few wasted movements of the hands of the clock, RaRa and Reddy finally decided to head down to, somewhere where we needed to do some navigating from Lavender Mrt. Armed with Google Map, we were greeted with the sight of a few options in Horne Road. After a few read-ups here and there, our choice for treats today will be at Two Bakers.

Perennial favourite with RaRa, Strawberries! Very Instagram worthy.
Seasonal Fruit Tart @ $8.80