PS Cafe @ Orchard Palais

I always like a good brunch, and I always like a good burger. It's not often that you can get the both of them so nicely together, and the experiences at Spruce and Riders Cafe too didn't seem to make the mark, or my expectations for that matter. In steps PS Cafe, admittedly a slightly more upmarket eatery as compared to the two, but nevertheless, this is one place that could put it through confidently - it can be done.




The interior of the Palais branch of PS Cafe is chic, warm and pleasant. It's the sort that entices you to order almost everything on the menu and to get you to want to laze and wile the whole weekend morning and afternoon away. Choose from a selection of "brunch specials" on the big board in front, or take your pick from their main ala carte menu. Portions here are relatively big, so be prepared to loosen that belt if you're aiming for PS Cafe's popular desserts as well. Else, don't be greedy and share!

PS Cafe Home Brew Tea


The PS Cafe Home Brew Tea was really strong and bitter, but it warms your heart and soul and is a great refresher for the morning. There's always Caffe Latte if you want something sweeter.

Brunch Burger
Chargrilled wagyu & U.S chuck pattie topped with fried egg, crisped bacon, onion ring and melted cheesy provolone on a toasted sesame bap served with pickle & tomato on the side and ps steak fries




Now now, this is a reallyyy good burger. It is quite pricey at close to $30, but for that price you're paying you'd be getting a thick, beefy and tender beef patty that screams quality at one of its finest - worth your buck for sure. Perfectly grilled with that hint of sauce and perhaps, even wine, and well complemented with that large onion ring and fried egg. It would be even richer with the bacon (no pork for me) but already this is quality (and most filling) stuff. I know some kids out there, often only on the hunt for free food sessions, eat few burgers and then wax lyrical of the small burgers at Smok'inn Frogz - but real men, real men eat good, thick and juicy burgers like this wagyu burger from PS Cafe. And that's it.

Chargrilled Duck Sausages
With bacon and butterbean casoulet, served in toasted soy and linseed bread, wilted spanich and poached eggs


The dining buddy Glenn had this for his brunch, and I think it turned out quite alright. It was a brunch special for the weekend, but dear me, don't think it's just sausages. It's a really filling dish as a whole. Which means, quite obviously, that neither of us had space for desserts. Till next time then :)

Service
Very good. I was surprised the waitress knelt on the floor beside me just to take our orders, and though a seemingly sincere gesture it is quite unnecessary. The king bids you to rise.

Price
About $30 for each main course.

Place
Orchard Palais Shopping Centre, Level 2.
Opposite Forum The Shopping Mall / Beside Orchard Towers.

Pictures taken with the Canon EOS 500D.

Food For Thought @ Queen Street

Food For Thought has found a new home at 8 Queen Street, which is just beside the Singapore Arts Museum. For those of you who may be familiar, this is the second branch of the original Food For Thought cafe at North Bridge Centre, which has especially been known for its delicious desserts, good service and cosy atmosphere.


It's not difficult to spot the new Food For Thought, though it may be hidden from the main Bras Basah Road. Just walk a couple of minutes behind the NTUC Trade Union House and you'll see this unique stand-alone building soon enough.


And if you need confirmation, this is it: 8 Queen Street.


The interior of the new Food For Thought is certainly brighter with a more refreshing look, and even with the dreary weather outside (pouring rain!) it did feel very cosy and comfortable inside. My little sanctuary for a Friday afternoon lunch alone.


If you can spot in the background, there's also a rack of interesting knick-knacks by independent artistes that you may find interesting or if you're on the lookout for a meaningful gift. Reminds me of The Little Dröm Store at K Ki. Profits from these items, by the way, go to the School of Thought & Love East Timor Orphan's Scholarship Fund. Wow.


Food For Thought isn't just a clever name for a cafe, but it is also reflective of the theme and cause behind this place. Spend some time to read the placemats and you would realise that they're collecting donations for Living Water International and the United Nations World Food Programme. I readily donated $2 to the latter in exchange for my free flow of iced water; it's all for a cause. My favourite phrase has to be this surely: 'Cause apathy is so last millenium.

Breakfast for Lunch


Since I was really here for the dessert, I decided to have something lighter for lunch. I mixed-and-matched a few sides on their brunch menu and voila, this is what I got. The Scrambled Eggs with Cream were so so good, and is one of the few that comes really rich with milk and cream. The portion is unexpectedly large too, and I'm guessing it's from two pretty large eggs haha! This dethroned my favourite scrambled eggs from Spruce.


The Chunky Chicken Sausages are especially good for those who like things fried (me! me!) and crispy. It's still juicy on the inside, though of course not as juicy if you were to have a single sausage. Hints of spices too, which is nice.


The Hashbrowns meanwhile came in cute little balls that were crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Nothing extraordinary, but just fun to chew on. And oh, if you're curious, all breakfast items are available till 5.30pm.

Butterscotch Apple and Berries Crumble


The much anticipated star of the afternoon impressed, wowed, dazzled... you get the picture. If the Butterscotch Peach Crumble at its older branch was good, this is even better. Sweet apple slices and berries all over with a simple scoop of vanilla ice-cream to send you to sugar-overdose-heaven, not to mention that ooh-aah-mmm moments when you meet hot and cold. This all seems like very juvenile writing but it's only because I'm finding it very hard to describe my experience. My aphrodisiac for the weekend indeed. Yums.

.
.
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.
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And now, I'm hungry for more.

Service
Excellent, warm and friendly wait staff. All for no service charge.

Price
$4.00 for the scrambled eggs
$4.00 for the crispy chicken sausage
$3.00 for the hashbrowns
$9.00 for the butterscotch apple and berries crumble

* Prices subject to 7% GST.

Place
Food for Thought @ 8 Queen Street.
Next to the Singapore Arts Museum, behind the NTUC Trade Union House.

Pictures taken with the Canon EOS 500D.

Spruce

As I've mentioned before, brunch is starting to be a little habit of indulgence for me, a weekend routine even, but it also explains why I would now look forward to each weekend with such great eagerness. Spruce is definitely one of the "must-go" places for brunch, amongst the other much raved-about places like PS Cafe at Harding, Wild Honey, Epicurious and Riders Cafe. Some food bloggers have conquered them all of course, but I'm still slowly finding my way through this simple, lovely word called brunch.


Something worth waking up to with a big smile on your face yes? I'm feeling hungry all over again just looking at this picture. This brunch at Spruce was with fellow blogger Glenn, whose invite for such a morning delight was something I couldn't possibly miss. Read on to know why.

Beef Sausages and Scrambled Eggs: 4.5/5


Such a pretty sight. This is the Harris' "Spruced-Up Breakfast", my own creation from a mixture of their side orders. I didn't get Spruce's "Big Brekkie" because it has bacon in it, and moreover I was very keen to try out the French Toasts. All I can say is: fantastic decision. Two juicy, tasty sausages to behold, with delicious scrambled eggs as company. Yum, yum, and more yum.

French Toasts: 4/5


When the French Toasts arrived, me and Glenn stared at it in disbelief. I was expecting just two halves of a thick toast, but I got two whole thick toasts instead. For comparison, the toasts pretty much filled up two-thirds of the plate that was the same size as Glenn's "Big Brekkie"!


And with every French Toast, don't forget that divinely sweet maple syrup. I thought this was much better than the ones from Casa Verde, which were smaller, more pricey ($8.50 to Spruce's $5) and not as satisfying somehow.


I'm in love with brunch.

The Spruce Big Brekkie


Of course, if you would prefer something of more variety, The Spruce Big Brekkie would suit you well with the addition of bacon, roasted mushrooms and grilled vegetables. My only problem with this is that you only get one of that awesome beef sausage, and trust me when I say one is definitely not enough to get your morning going. It's not because it's small, but it's because I just like it very much, even if it isn't as heavily-flavoured with black peppers or cheese as some other sausages are. Glenn felt his eggs were a tad overdone though, but I thought mine were done well.

I'm good to go for brunch again at Spruce. I know Angeline is craving for her Eggs Benny, I hear Spruce does an awesome job of it, and I'm looking forward to try their famous burgers too!

Service
Good, but it can be a little difficult to get their attention sometimes on a crowded weekend morning. Reservations are a must!

Price
$16 for the big brekkie
$5 for the french toasts
$4 for each sausage
$4 for two eggs (with a choice of scrambled, poached or sunny side up)

* Prices subject to the usual 7% GST and 10% service charge.

Place
320 Tanglin Road, Phoenix Park.
Two bus-stops away from Redhill MRT Station with SBS Bus 132.

Pictures taken with the Canon EOS 500D.

Oriole Cafe & Bar

Oriole Cafe & Bar is a serene little place near the Orchard Road belt of glassy shopping centres and just a five minutes walk away from Orchard Cineleisure. If you're getting tired of the crowds at Ion, perhaps Oriole would be a good place to calm your senses down for a peaceful dinner.

Oriole Burger: 3/5


Everyone who reads this blog regularly know that I'm a huge fan of burgers, but that also means that expectations have definitely gone up. The burger here was ordinary, nothing to shout about and quite uninspiring. The patty was a tad burnt and the one good addition - the fried egg - was also a bit overdone. The wedges were a bit too salty as well.

Bangers and Mash: 4.25/5


Daphne loved the pork sausages, and commented that the gravy and mashed potatoes were equally tasty and good.

Service
Very good.

Price
Around $18 for the Oriole burger
Around $14 for the bangers and mash

* Prices subject to the usual 7% GST and 10% service charge.

Place
96 Somerset Road
#01-01 Pan Pacific Serviced Suites.

New York New York II

The New York New York branch at Lot 1 (Choa Chu Kang) is the only New York New York branch that has a "no pork, no lard" menu but I doubt this is anything of a move towards eventual full Halal-certification across its outlets. Non-Muslim folks who aren't too aware of the difference(s) between Halal and "no pork no lard" should always consult their Muslim friends first before making any prior meal arrangements, because few actually would accept the latter.

Rotisserie Spring Chicken: 3.75/5


This turned out better, and certainly larger, than I had expected it to be. I thought it would be pretty small like those at the food-court "Tenderfresh" stalls and was not prepared for a big, well-fed bird to be on the plate in front of me. There were two orders for this, and the both of us took quite some time (and quite a bit of arm/wrist strength) to get through the chicken with our forks and knives. On taste, it was quite good actually, not too dry and almost evenly marinated.

Giant Meatball Spaghetti


I can't remember the exact name to this dish, but it came with two to three large-sized meatballs that were quite dry and tasteless. My friend also commented that the spaghetti was a bit too hard for his liking.

Baked Sausages with Cheese


Whoops, didn't get the name of this dish too! My friend quite liked it but I think he thought I had the better deal with the chicken. The sausages were medium-sized and I would think it's a wee bit over-priced.

Hawaiian Teriyaki Chicken


Almost standard type of chicken chop.

Service
Very good.

Price
$15.90++ for the rotisserie spring chicken

Place
Choa Chu Kang Lot 1 Shoppers' Mall, #01-05/06/07.

Saizeriya

While Saizeriya claims to be one of the most popular Italian chains in Japan, I'm not sure if it really has what it takes to achieve that same status here in Singapore. Prices at Saizeriya are definitely more affordable if compared to places like Pasta de Waraku, but there's certainly a huge room for improvement insofar as things like consistency and taste are concerned.

Smoke Duck Breast in Pepper Flavour: 2/5


"Unique fruit tree incense with special black pepper". This appetiser arrived within a couple of minutes on an ice-cold plate and didn't smell too appealing as well - so much for "fruit tree incense". It tasted terrible and I was forcing myself to swallow it down because I didn't want to waste it. I was actually expecting something hot (smoked) and spicy (pepper flavor) but this was not to be.

Garlic Foccacia


Yiwang who had this thought it was alright, albeit reminding him a bit of roti pratas. Is that how the moon's surface looks like?

Grilled Spicy Sausage


"Spicy taste stimulating your appetite". Interesting menu description, but oh so wrong. The sausages did look large and succulent from the menu, but all hopes fell flat when these arrived barely longer than a finger and practically soaked in oil. Those who tried this said that it was too salty for their liking.

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce: 2/5


"Combination of pure beef and vegetables, an appetising delicacy". APPETISING DELICACY?! Oh boy, I honestly felt as though I was eating straight off a cow rather than cooked beef because much of the "meat sauce" had a very raw taste and feel to it.

Seafood Spaghetti with Tomato


"A classical combination of seafood and tomato". Xue Ting and Chen Yeh shared this along with another main course, and the both of them agreed that there was a "funny" (I would say, odd or maybe even unfamiliar) taste to the spaghetti and didn't like it much.

Bacon Risotto


No description of this dish on the special promotion menu. Joanna seemed satisfied enough with her risotto and mentioned that she liked the way the cheese mixed with the rice.

Seafood and Pork Salami Pizza


"Your prime choice of pizza, with various kinds of seafood stewed together". Qian Hui thought this was quite good and it certainly looked the most appetising out of all the dishes that we had.

Grilled Chicken with Cheese and Tomato Sauce


"Delicate combination of tomato and cheese". This turned out alright for Qi Feng and the girls who ordered this, but they did mention that the chicken tasted a tad salty.

Grilled Chicken with Vegetable Salsa


"Perfect combination of chicken and pickles in Italian local flavour". I honestly think Saizeriya should hire someone to redo their menu and put it in simple and less exaggerating English. Yiwang thought that this was "okay" but it didn't seem to meet his expectations as well. He added that it's still way better than the pastas, having been here before and having a memorably bad experience with his mushroom spaghetti.

Service
Good.

Price


$4.48 for the smoked duck breast in pepper flavour
$5.68 for the grilled spicy sausage
$2.10 for the garlic foccacia
$5.68 for the spaghetti with meat sauce
$7.18 for the seafood spaghetti with tomato
$8.98 for the seafood and pork salami pizza
$7.18 for the grilled chicken with cheese and tomato sauce
$7.18 for the grilled chicken with vegetable salsa
$2.58 for the additional "drink bar" set (featuring soft drinks, iced milo and hot beverages)

* Prices subject to the usual 7% GST and 10% service charge.

Place
Liang Court Shopping Centre, #02-22.

Swiss Baeckerei

Recently me and Daphne took a trip down to Vilage at Heeren Orchard for her sudden craving for rosti, only to find the place closed. Our follow-up trip to Suntec revealed that Marche was closed too, now replaced by works for TCC. In an attempt to be the all so sweet friend I took her to the Swiss Baeckerei at Frankel Avenue today to satisfy that very craving.

Rosti with Bratwurst: 7/10. Rosti: 6.5, Bratwurst: 8


When the rosti came, I think me and Daphne had different looks at it. I was thrilled because it looked burnt and crisp, while the girl preferred her rosti less brown and more... potato-ey, just like the one Marche has.

Indeed, the rosti was warm and crispy, but it had a little too much spice for either of our liking. The sausage (choice between pork, veal and chicken; naturally we had the veal) helped a lot though, not only was it meaty, it tasted good too. I don't know how to describe it exactly, but you have this feeling it's some well-processed sausage. The skin wasn't too dry and inside had just the right bit of moisture for a sausage.

Croque Champignon (Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Mushrooms): 7.5/10


Melted cheese on great bread, with lots of black pepper pan friend mushrooms, yummy! The toasted bread gave it a crisp feel which went well with the smooth cheese and mushrooms.

Service
Very good. Very polite and patient waitresses in this neat little cafe.

Price
More than average. $14.90 for the Rosti and Bratwurst, $11.90 for the Croque Champignon, both inclusive with choice of hot or cold drinks.

Place
97 Frankel Avenue

Additional Comments
None, except that parking is a chore. I had to park around the bungalows.