Les Patisseries

Walked past after a hair cut and decided to have a cuppa. This is a newly opened cafe at Toa Payoh Central. They have brunch menu from 10am to 3pm with sandwiches, truffles, salads, waffles etc..there are other food as well.

I always love to sit at the back of the cafe to observe everything. The staff was friendly and I hope he can smile more :)

Cozy corner, but red may not be a good color to relax.

Long Black ($4) was fruity, not bitter and slightly aromatic. I really enjoyed this long black during my first visit.

 Mocha ($5.50) was thick, creamy and sweet enough.

 Cappuccino ($4.50)

 Ice Mocha ($6.50). I could taste more cocoa than coffee and it was sweet.

Classic Fraisier ($5.50) was really creamy and moist, slightly sweet for me. The strawberry was not sour and quite generous too.

Non-alcoholic Tiramisu ($7). This is a non traditional tiramisu with almonds and just a hint of coffee taste.

Opera ($7) was slightly sweet but moist and texture was great. It has nuts in between, not for my buddy and people who are allergic to nuts. The chocolate wasn't bitter at all, great for kids.

Waffle with maple syrup ($7.50) presentation was colorful and healthy with blueberries and raspberries. It was crispy and light, definitely not the bready, chewy kind that will fill your stomach after a quarter of it. This will go very well with ice cream but I only ordered it with maple so that I could eat it at its purest and it didn't disappoint me. It was indeed pure and pleasant.

Overall, I find the service here was quite good with a personal touch which I really appreciate. I was even asked if I need warm water after I've finished my coffee. Which cafe will do that?

However, I think the air ventilation has to improve. I cannot go on a date there because my hair and dress will smell after going in. After my first visit, I stick to al fresco and did my order fast inside the cafe.

 

Wheeler's Yard

Bicycle lovers..this is the place for you...

 Front view

Back view

Located at Lorong Ampas (somewhere at Balestier near Shaw Plaza), you don't need a car to have this interesting meal.

All these are for sale, so do look around...

 The interior is overwhelming...every table has a bicycle on it.

 Wheeler's carries headset too.

 Batman no longer drives his automobile. Notice the bicycle frames at the background on the wall? The yellow ones actually make up a big W. I think the frames are kind of sharp...

 Pastries. Yum....

We had our lunch, coffee and dessert there..as my dear friend is a bicycle fanatic and businessman, he totally entertained me throughout the lunch with his stories enthusiastically..Yes, I can feel it with all the bicycles hanging around. If I don't, I afraid one of them will fall on me and rip me into half as punishment.

I was there on a Friday around 4pm. Waiting time was around 15 minutes for my fish and chip to come.

Fish and Chips ($18.90) Bartered haddock fish fillet served with fries and homemade tartar sauce. Don't be deceived by the look, the fish is actually crispy and there are alot of herbs on the thin crust, totally didn't feel sinful finishing the crust. The chef knows how to get rid of the fishy smell and yet able to retain the freshness and fragrance of the fish. Frankly I'm not a fries fan but the fries were not soggy and definitely not re-fried, I quite like them.

Beef Stew ($24.90). Classic slow cooked beef stew served with creamy mash sauteed greens and merlot sauce. The beef was so soft and juicy. The gravy was so delicious, if only there was some bread to dip in. The mash potato really melted on our tongue..yum..The asparagus were really fresh, crispy and not overcooked.

Cappuccino ($5) was watery but it was so aromatic that the aroma still lingered in my mouth for awhile. Notice the 2 old school biscuits beside the cup? If you are not from my era (born in the 90s and after) , suggest you take them after finishing the coffee because they are extremely sweet.

Marble Cheese cake ($6) was rich and thick but yet still melted in my mouth. It was really great for kids and for cheese cake beginners.

The waiters and waitresses were young, lively and well mannered who always had smiles on their faces. Maybe their boss should wear a smile too.

Be reminded that the kitchen closes at 5pm on breakfast menu and opens at 6pm for dinner menu.

So here are my comments:
Ambience 2.5/5
Food 2.5/5
Service 2.5/5
Price Affordable. The cake is good.
Washroom 2/5 (Unisex cubicles)

Check out their website at http://wheelersyard.com/.

Photos taken using my baby Sony RX 100 MIII.

xoxo

the dream cafe

I used to have a dream to open my own cafe..the idea used to be an internet cafe but as time goes by, we all know internet cafe does not work anymore.

Well.......

At least, there are still people proceeded with courage and opened the dream cafe which provides cozy and humble ambience..Went to Gardens by the Bay this afternoon to relax myself (didn't seem to work because of the crowd) and I yearned to go to the dream cafe after that. This was my second trip to the cafe and I wanted to try out their hot food this time. I've combined my two visits in this post...

 Good "window" seat if you like to see passers-by and the road..

 The cafe does not have alot of tables, but I'm happy with the peace and noise level there..

 Mocha. The presentation was really good, texture was thick but too sweet for me.

 Latte. Again, presentation and texture were great but too sweet for me.

 

Belgian waffle with Hazelnut ice cream and Chocolate Lava. Together with the latte, it costs $10.90. The ice cream wasn't too sweet at all, the waffle is crispy outside and chewy overall..can be quite filling...If you like bitter chocolate lava, this chocolate lava is for you. However it will be even better if the chocolate flows out of the cake when it is cut..

Lasagne with minced chicken. Together with the Mocha, it costs $11. I must say, this was quite good! The Bolognese sauce was appetizing and the layers of pasta and meat in between..heartwarming and yummy..

Another thing I like about this cafe, it has some hints of cats here and there..

Check them out at https://www.facebook.com/thedreamcafe. I will still go back to relax with coffee and waffle..

Address: Blk 163 Toa Payoh Lor 1 #01-1016

Next...the Cat Cafe!

Wish everyone happy long weekend and Selamat Hari Raya!

Shrove Tuesday

A belated congratulations to Shrove Tuesday on its opening during the first quarter of 2014 at Toa Payoh..I'm finally able to blog about your effort after tasting the products for the second time lately..

They had put in so much effort decorating the entrance, and if you visit them once a while, they do update the decorations..

 All the ice cream and cakes were waving at me saying "pick me pick me!"..

 My eyes were so overwhelmed with all the variety of staircases to heaven..

 Evening time will not be as cozy and spacious as you see here..I went during mid weekend afternoon.

Youth energy lingers everywhere..

Really love the tiled table..so special, so Peranakan. I have soft spot for Peranakan culture if you have followed my post on Baba House and Peranakan Museum..

This is like a small reading room..I had my orders here and enjoyed it until the crowds started to arrive..

Brownie ($3.50). Based on my experience, brownies come in many versions: chewy, slightly crispy, spongy, wet, melt in your mouth...this is the spongy version, which is....not really my type..but good effort!

Cafe Latte ($4.50). Freshly brewed latter with coffee beans flew over from Italy..quite aromatic and thick. Mostly importantly, nice coffee art. It's a swan right?

Oh....I couldn't resist to try out their rainbow cake ($6). Look so pretty and dreamy. It has layers of colored sponge cake divided by pieces of white chocolate..not easy to eat it gracefully as it fell apart together with the hard white chocolate..overall..I think it can be improved if the sponge cakes are more moist.

Finally, this was what I came for...waffle with chocolate sauce and maple syrup ($5). Honestly, it has improved alot since the first time i tried before their opening..it is crispy on the outside, thin and soft on the inside..not those bread and chewy texture. Very light and has slight aroma. To me, the texture and after taste are important for a simple pastry like this to outshine other waffle places. It must have its uniqueness and selling point for me to keep going back. Nonetheless, keep improving Shrove Tuesday! With your vibrant  energy, be receptive to customers' feedback and strive for better customer experience will bring you to success. Keep it up!

Check out their website at https://www.facebook.com/ShroveTuesdaySG

xoxo