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

Createaf Waffles

Had a great visit to the National Museum one Saturday morning with my buddy and then he was kind enough to allow me to try out Createaf Waffles at the Cathay. Sorry buddy this has been awhile ago but I really couldn't find time to post this until now (while waiting for the World Cup Final...hehe..).

Anyway it was a pleasant visit and simple brunch with my buddy at Createaf Waffles. The place is humbly small but there were alot of young young couples..kind of make this place sweet and relax..

This place not only have waffles and ice cream, they have their own tea which you can buy and enjoy back home..

Green Tea Honey and Rose Oolong ($4.90 each). Light teas...made us calm and take life easy for awhile..so calm, I forgot to stir my tea with honey at the bottom..

My Lovely Peach ($6.90 for half size, $9.90 for full size). I ordered full size as I was starving...the waffles were crispy and filling with bread texture...as you can see, they are very generous with the peach..love them..I ordered Vanilla ice cream and it wasn't too sweet at all, enjoyed it especially the vanilla seeds..yet I couldn't finish everything..

Banana Chocolate ($6.90 for half size, $9.90 for full size). Buddy also ordered full size and he finished everything! He ordered Rum and Raisin ice cream and it was not bad! Not too alcoholic and there were alot of banana slices...

Overall, the service at the counter was good and I did not need to self service at all...a really simple place to have a short rest and enjoy your company with good tea...

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

xoxo

Salted Caramel Artisan Ice Cream

Phew...I just came back from an almost 12-hour problematic night job feeling physically exhausted, but since it has way past my sleeping time, my brain cannot shut down. So I fell back into doing something I enjoy and relax doing: to blog about food!

Blogging about food is definitely a no brainer to me because I don't earn from food blogging (yet). So the main reason I took so long to update is because I need to work during weekends. So I apologize if you were waiting for this!

Salted Caramel Artisan Ice Cream.


It is located just next to Udders, selling various flavors of ice cream.

Children were confused and were not sure which flavor to choose...haha...I guess the mother allowed them to pick only one.

As you can see, it was fully packed. The "noise ventilation" was bad, super noisy mainly because there were many youngsters and children.

 Toppings!!!

I was seated near the toilet, a loner seat. Even though it was a one corner, the volume of the noise was still loud.

Here it goes...I've ordered waffles with 2 scopes of ice cream, recommended by other bloggers: Salted Caramel (left) and Horlick Tim Tam ($9.10).

If you like your waffle to be super crispy, like eating biscuits, this will be the one for you (you will really hit the plate when you tried to cut it). No bready texture, just pure crusts. Very challenging to eat when I really hate to hurt my gums with hard/crispy food...The waffle itself actually did not have much taste, in fact I think it has to be eaten with ice cream because their ice cream was very sweet...or it could be the flavor that I've chosen? The Horlick Tim Tam was definitely made from Horlick because of its unique taste. I couldn't really figure out the Salted Caramel though...not sure it was salted or caramel....

Overall, I think this place is overrated but it could be a good place to gather and share the waffle at the late hours.

Oh I almost forgot, at least this place served the cutlery to my table...hehe...maybe for that, I will go back.

Address:
246F Upper Thomson Road S574370

Opening hours:
Sun - Thurs : 12noon-11pm
Eve of Public Holidays, Fri & Sat : 12noon - 2am

Next....Three Wombats!

xoxo

Udders

Since my good good friend requested for pancakes review, here's another one!

Udders is at Upper Thomson and I've been persuading myself to try out the pancakes there every time I go for gym at that area.

You know what Udders mean? *cough* It means the breasts of cow in this case...hehe..cute right?

This time after making sure I had burnt enough calories, I went there for pancakes. 

It is just next to the famous waffles place (which I will blog soon), Salted Caramel. The row of shops are very near Thomson Plaza.

I went al fresco again because I do not like the ambience inside..quite noisy and cramp.

Pretty girl at the counter but there's an ugly cable hanging in the middle. There are sooooo many choices of ice cream, I almost couldn't decide which one. And then I saw Butterscotch Whiskey...I want!

So I ordered The Udder Nana with Butterscotch Whiskey ice cream ($8.30).

It had 4 pancakes and fresh banana drizzled with caramel sauce and cinnamon powder. The cinnamon powder wasn't too heavy and the pancakes were very soft....the banana slices were too sweet. Butterscotch Whiskey ice cream was quite disappointing also, I could only taste alcohol and no butterscotch. Could be because the banana slices were too sweet and numbed my tongue.

4 pancakes were too much for me, I could only finish 2 pieces and half the ice cream.

There was not much service, except when the pancakes being served to me. I had to go back into the shop to take utensils. I think this place can satisfy you if you have pancake cravings.

In conclusion, you can consider eating there out of convenience.

Check out their website at http://www.udders.com.sg/home.

Address:
246D Upper Thomson Road Singapore 574370

Next, waffles!

xoxo

Creamier

If you like firm crispy waffle that is slightly chewy, matched with rich creamy ice cream, this is the heaven for you.

Located in the neighbourhood at the heart of Singapore (Toa Payoh, although some said it's not), this cozy place provides a humble yet surprisingly delicious waffles and ice cream that warmed my soul.

Why do I say so? Well, I promise myself that I will try a new thing at least every week at my best effort. I went there all grumpy and frustrated over work and myself but I still dragged myself there. I was skeptical about this place, thinking that it must have been overrated when people said don't be surprised to see a long queue. Could it be another Tim Ho Wan, long queue but so-so food?

It was weekday afternoon, no queue but also no seat inside for me. The chatting of the people inside gave me headache and so I went al fresco. I ordered the recommended pistachio flavoured ice cream with the waffle at $9.30. 

I was given with this paper cup as my order number and the view of the elderly. How nice will it be if I can retire early and start to strike out all the items in my bucket list? Sigh...still have long long way to go...

After 5-7 mins of waiting, my waffles arrived. Tall and strong. The ice cream was super rich and you will be assured that it was handmade with real pistachios. The waffles were crunchy and has a unique pleasant taste (definitely not the yeast). My mood was instantly healed. The waffles were quite filling so if you didn't go with an empty stomach, do make sure to drag another person along to finish it. 

Check out their interested homepage at http://creamier.com.sg/. If you see the cat in the picture, it means it is low-peak period..haha..

Address: Blk 128 Toa Payoh Lor 1, #01-83B Singapore 310128

Next...pancakes or waffles?

xoxo

Just like it

OMG! I'm going to eat instant ice-cream! This instant ice-cream is not budget kind like instant coffee or instant noodles..it uses liquid nitrogen to freeze the cream. So scientific right?!

I went to the Ang Mo Kio hub branch because I came back from the zoo, which will drop by this interchange.

 See all the flasks and the "lab scientist"..the flasks contained different flavors of cream.

One reason I don't mind trying this scientific ice-cream is 0% sugar added! But I don't understand the words original and artificial when the ice-cream is made with liquid nitrogen.

They have Tiger and Guinness flavor! That means the Guiness ice cream is black color?! I chose my favorite vanilla flavor..Next time I shall try the cocktail series..

 You can choose toppings..

 And then the scientist started making my ice-cream! First pour the flask of vanilla cream into a jug with measurement..

 Then pour the cream into the mixer..

 Prepare the liquid nitrogen..

 And make the magic potion by pouring the liquid nitrogen into the mixer..

Voila...my vanilla ice-cream..I could see the vanilla seeds in it! It is creamy, pure and not sweet and not too rich at all.. Girls, you have to try it once because all the 0% gives us the excuse to eat this during our diet without guilt.

Check out their facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/justlikeit.sg for other branches and promotions.