Five Oars Siglap – Great Café Experience

Five Oars Coffee Roasters (‘FOCR’) is a homegrown café and roasters that first opened its door in Tanjong Pagar area. Following the success of the first café, FOCR expanded their operation to Siglap. A spacious and quaint space, allowing the customers to enjoy themselves in a relaxing café experience.

FICR Signboard

Our friend A&J recommended this place for our brunch gathering previously. We decided to return with a bigger group this time around.

Part of Indoor Dining Area

Part of Outdoor Dining Area

While waiting for the rest to come, I ordered Flight (1+1) 60oz White + Espresso ($7). This allows the customer to experience the coffee with and without milk. For me, I like that extra shot on the side for a “Wake Me Up” boost. The coffee is bold, yet well-balanced and with a touch of chocolate. Meanwhile, LD ordered her usual English Breakfast tea this morning.

Flight

English Breakfast Tea

There were eight of us and we decided to on communal dining. Breakfast started with Eggs Your Way ($12), LD picked brioche, scrambled eggs, served with butter and housemade jam. She then added a Hashbrown (+$3), Sautéed Mushrooms (+$4) and Thick-cut Bacon (+$5). It looks like a full-blown big breakfast when it was served.

Eggs Your Way - Brioche, Scrambled Eggs, served with Butter and Housemade Jam.
Plus a Hashbrown, Sautéed Mushrooms & Thick-cut Bacon.

The eggs are fluffy and nicely complemented the pillowy brioche. The combination of butter and housemade jam are good, though the portion were a bit small, so we asked for more. The hashbrown is crispy externally, yet moist internally. The sauteed mushrooms were done correctly, while the thick-cut bacon is a must-order here. Pan-fried till it has a crispy exterior, followed by melting fats when you bite it. It is lightly salted; therefore, you can enjoy it whole heartily.

Bacon & Hash ($21). Perfectly poached eggs topped with creamy and tangy hollandaise sauce accompanying the housemade rosti. Made of thinly shredded potatoes, it has a crispy exterior and moist interior. I would prefer the rosti interior to be less moist, so it will have a crunchy texture. The rosti is lightly salted; therefore, the mushroom cream just adds to the flavour to the rosti, together with the balance of the hollandaise sauce. Not forgetting the supper delicious thick-cut bacon to complete the plate. Yummy!!

Bacon & Hash

Five Oars Waffle ($18). Who says you can’t have dessert for breakfast. The housemade sourdough waffle offers a crisp exterior, followed by a slightly chewy interior. The strawberries, pecan, mascarpone, oats, coffee powder, ground almond, topped with solid vanilla ice-cream and thick espresso sauce making it a party on the plate. If you need something to make you smile in the morning, this is a breakfast that you will order.

Five Oars Waffle

Five Oars Waffle

Crab Scramble ($24). It is a fusion between East and West. Housemade sourdough, scrambled eggs, crab meat, avocado, ebiko, feta, togarashi. LD and I did not manage to try it, but our friend who ordered this gave her two thumbs up.

Crab Scramble

Crab Scramble

Mentaiko Fries ($14). Standard cut fries with skin on, topped with mentaiko sauce. The folks at FOCR sure know how to fry their fries. It was crispy externally, while the interior remains soft. The mentaiko sauce is solid and they are generous with the extra roe topping. Although the fries had been sitting there for 20 minutes, the fries did not become stale and soggy.

Mentaiko Fries

For desserts, we went with one sweet selection and one salty selection. Citrus Ricotta Pancakes ($16) is our pick for sweet. Two stacks of ricotta pancakes, topped with berries, nuts, vanilla ice cream, citrus compote, yuzu curd. Since LD and I just recently returned from Melbourne, I was able to compare the ricotta pancakes at FOCR with the famous version served in Top Paddock, one of the best café in Melbourne.

Top Paddock - Ricotta Pancake

Without a doubt the texture of the pancake in Top Paddock is better, the version at FOCR can do more time on the pan, as it was slightly undercooked. When it comes to the toppings, I like the version at FOCR. The berries, citrus compote, yuzu curd and vanilla ice-cream deliver a refreshing combination and made the dish more all-rounded and not too heavy. Hopefully, FOCR can improve on the pancakes.

FOCR Ricotta Pancake

Truffle Fries ($12) were our pick for a salty dessert. While the texture of the fries is the same as the mentaiko fries, I feel it was not as good as the mentaiko fries. The truffle oil is light and the finely shaved cheese did clump together on top and did not reach the fries in the middle and bottom.

Truffle Fries

The place is spacious with indoor and outdoor seating. The décor played with the combination of bricks and wood in the open dining room. The coffee bar and dessert display will be the first thing that catch your attention when you walk into the indoor dining area. The service is friendly, attentive and efficient. The best part is that although you have finished your meal and you still hanging around the service staff did not chase you out. For ordering, you scan the QR code for the menu and place your order with the service staff afterwards.

The Coffee Bar & Dessert Display

Overall, we like this place considerably. The food is good, the coffee is great and the ambience just makes you park your bum there comfortably. A great café experience. The thick-cut bacon is a must-order here. Check them out if you are in the East, we’ll definitely come back to try the rest of their menu. Cheers!!

Food & Drink: 8/10

Value: 7/10

Service: 7/10

Ambiance: 8.5/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50

Five Oars Coffee Roasters

6 Upper East Coast Road

Singapore 455200

T: +65 8784 2686

W: https://www.focr.sg/

F: https://www.facebook.com/focr.sg

IG: @focr.sg

OH: Daily 08.00 – 22.00 (Kitchen LO 21.00)

Menu available online & Other locations details

Burp Kitchen & Bar – Gastropub Meal with the view of Reservoir [MEDIA INVITE]

Burp Kitchen & Bar

Burp Kitchen & Bar ('Burp'), a little cosy gastropub located at corner of Block 740 Bedok Reservoir Road. When you are seated inside Burp, you can enjoy the scenic view of Bedok Reservoir Park. Opened up by three buddies, Sarah and Ronald are the culinary team in charge to serve you the American with Asian fusion inspired meal at Burp.

The Bar

Following the recent salted egg craze in Singapore F&B scene, Burp offer 3 version of its own salted egg dishes. Salted Egg Tofu Fries ($8); Salted Egg Wings ($14) and Crabby Patty Burger ($18).

Rather than using the commonly available French Fries, Burp created their healthy version of fries using tofu. A quick glance it can be mistaken for luncheon meat. After a quick bite tasted like the pipa tofu served in Chinese restaurants. For the chicken wings, it was well fried with crispy skin and succulent meat.

Salted Egg Tofu Fries

[CLOSED] Social Square – Indoor Garden Dining

Social Square ('SS') is a concept restaurant from Ministry of Food located in 3^rd floor of Parkway Parade Shopping Centre. SS offer a combination of European – Japanese gourmet delights and all day breakfasts.

Social Square Indoor Garden

The décor is of this establishment is like a indoor garden with tall 'trees' surrounding the dining area. The open concept kitchen also allow you to see the chefs & bartenders at work preparing your food and drinks.

The Bravery – No Signboard Cafe

The Bravery Cafe

The Bravery is a new cafe that treading a fine line between brave and suicidal. The owners are so confident of their products and service, they did not even put a signboard on the door, and let their presence spread through word of mouth and social media.

Communal Table with piniata

Located near the hardware shops across Jalan Besar Stadium along Horne Road, you can identify this shop by steel red chairs and sturdy tables which looks made the leftover of industrial steel shelf and thick plank of wood. The glass windows are covered with bright and attractive films such as red, blue and yellow. The interior inside are not much different, however the square communal table with  piñata as the centrepiece really represent the character of this place.

[CLOSED] Little Pancakes – The Cute, The Mini and The Chubby

Gimme S'more Oreos!

Little Pancakes is a popular establishment along Upper Thomson Road that specialised in mini pancakes. The name of the shop itself already describe what they are making inside. Minions... ooopss I meant mini pancakes.

[CLOSED] Arbite – Fresh, Simple and Creative

It has been a while since I noticed Arbite, located in Serangoon Garden-a place that I visit at least twice a week either for food or banking matters. To be exact, it is located on the second floor of Guardian pharmacy, beside Sushi Tei. Recently posting of positive food review online, make me decide to visit this bistro. This review is based on our observations (Little Devil and Chubby Botak Koala) from a few visits there.

The Beer Selections

Some simple facts about Arbite, “It all began with a simple belief shared by three secondary school buddies, that good food should be affordable and accessible. And so good food is at the heart of it all because the best reward for an honest day's work is a hearty meal.” (Quoted from Arbite.com.sg)

Our first visit was for a quick brunch during our wedding anniversary. We had Foie Gras ($14.90), Gardener French Toast ($13.90) and Squid Ink Seafood Spaghettini ($24.90). When the Spaghettini arrived, it looks so appetizing. The giant-size seafood cover the top part of the plates. The squid ink pasta was handmade, cooked to al dente, springy and soak up the fresh seafood flavour with tomato base. This dish get our two thumbs up, super Yummyyy!! And we were saying to ourself, we need to come back more often.

Squid Ink Seafood Spaghettini (front view)

Squid Ink Seafood Spaghettini (Back View)

Gardener French Toast & Foie Gras, shared a same basic ingredient, Brioche. The brioche has the perfect texture to pair with both dishes. For the French Toast, it is lightly coated with eggs and you can choose your dips of chocolate pot de crème, vanilla bean cream, berry compote and maple syrup. We like the cream berry compote and maple syrup. However the chocolate has a dense texture similar to nutella, I will like this dip if it is on melted chocolate form but LD being a nutella fan, simply loves the texture. The Foie Gras is pan fried to perfection, slightly crispy but melts in your mouth. It is a wonderful dish, although the generous apple & raisin compote can be a little to sweet for some people.

Gardener French Toast

Foie Gras

Our Second visit was for a quick desserts. Specials for the day. Sago Watermelon Creme Brulee ($8) and Chendol Panacotta ($8). These are the interpretations of modern desserts with Asian flavour. The brulee has a nice layer of crusted sugar on the top, the combination of sago, watermelon and crème, created a nice balance with the right sweetness and texture in this desserts.

Sago Watermelon Creme Brulee

Chendol Panacotta is a creative invention, but a little more difficult to palate. The panacotta is thick and has a good sweetness level in it. Texture is slightly condense but did not manage to hold the red bean and chendol in place. We have slight problem in accepting chendol flavour with cream and orange syrup, however have to give them brownie points for coming out with this desserts.

Chendol Panacotta

Third visit, Truffle Fries (S12.90), Pancakes ($14.90); and soup, salad, Braised Beef and Pork and Veal Sausage ($30 – UOB 1 for 1 promo). Truffle fries is house fries tossed with truffle sea salt, truffle oil and serve with truffle dip. The fries are nicely fried, crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. The truffle oil is fragrant but subtle, while the truffle dip accentuate the flavour in the fries. For the pancakes, the presentation is amazing however the sweetness is a little overwhelming. Although the pancake is fluffy, the caramelised banana actually make the texture quite dense and hard to swallow.

Truffle Fries

Pancakes

Pancakes (in between)

For UOB 1 for 1 promo set meal (Soup + Salad + Main Meal + Drinks), it come with mushroom soup is thick and flavourful. The salad with vinaigrette dressing, is simple yet refreshing. The braised beef is tender and well cook. Paired with their popular brioche to soak up the gravy from the beef is a nice comfort food. Meanwhile, Pork and Veal sausages dish quite disappointing. The pepper in the pork is to overpowering, the veal sausages are dry and the additional ingredients in the mash potatoes made it taste weird.

Mushroom Soup

Set Meal salad

Braised Beef

Pork & Veal Sausages

So far, we find the ice lemon tea ($4) and ice passion fruit tea ($5) are quite refreshing.

 ice lemon tea  and ice passion fruit tea 

Service has always been good. The service staff are friendly and knowledgeable. Decoration is simple. The wall on the staircase are decorated with lego bricks. The dining area is open and filled with natural lights during the day.

Overall, Arbite provide a good quality food using fresh ingredients. They refresh their menu quite regularly. For example, the squid ink pasta was off the menu on our recent visit, and replace with a Tagliatelle with prawns. However, based on the dishes served, we can be sure it will be top notch. Looking forward to our next visit there. Cheers!!

Food & Drink: 8/10

Value: 7/10

Service: 7/10

Ambiance: 7/10.

Arbite

66A Serangoon Garden Way

Singapore 555962

Tel: 6287 0430

Website: http://www.arbite.com.sg/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Arbite/109636322393480?fref=ts

Op Hours:
Tue – Fri: 11.30 – 15.00; 18.00 – 22.30
Sat – Sun: 09.00 – 22.30.
Last Order at 2.30 pm & 9.45 pm
Closed on Mondays 

Baker & Cook – Getting to know Artisan Bread

Baker & Cook is an European style Artisan bakery, brainchild of Kiwi origin Global Baker Dean Brettschneider. Born in New Zealand, Celebrity Global Baker Dean is citizen of the world, with working experience spanning from his native New Zealand, Europe, USA, Britain and Asia. Baker & Cook in Hillcrest Road is his first outpost in Singapore with the vision to expand a couple more bakeries in Singapore heartland should the opportunity arises.

When you step into Baker & Cook, you can see the bright, warm, modern but with slightly rugged finishing. Designed by top architecture firm in Singapore, Ong & Ong, the design drew inspiration from the breads texture, grains and crumbs. The products such as bread, cake, tarts, cookies, quiches, sandwiches or salads are proudly displayed on the counters and shelf in the restaurant. There is a humongous wooden dining table inside the restaurant for indoor dining and lots more table and chair for the alfresco section.

Counter - 01

Counter - 02

Counter - 03

Coffee Counter + Pie & Salads Counter

Eggs Benedict ($19) this is the main reason that I came here for. Two poached eggs, laid on two slices of Pain au Levin (White sourdough) bread, topped with hollandaise sauce with generous glaze of balsamic vinegar and chilli oil. You can choose bacon or salmon as the topping. The eggs are cooked to perfection, with the yolk ooze out when you break the eggs. The sourdough is firm but light with crispy edge, managed to absorb the egg yolks and hollandaise sauce. The balsamic vinegar and chilli oil act as the counter balance against the richness of the sauce. Yummyyy!!

Eggs Benedict

Next come the Pancake Stack ($17) served with compote of caramelized apples, Greek yoghurt and lashing of homemade toffee sauce. The pancake is quite generous in size. Although the pancake is moisty, the natural apple compote with cinnamon powder and greek yoghurt made the dish slightly sour and dry. Personally, it is not to my liking, but the Little Devil's ('LD') liked it.

Pancake Stack

LD also ordered sausage rolls with salad for her main dish. It was reheated, with a nice crispy texture on the outside and moist filling on the inside. Again, I am a meat pie person rather than a sausage roll, so I just endorse her opinion that it is good.

Sausage Roll

As a little greed sips into our marrow, we also ordered Baker & Cook Freshly Baked Bread & Viennoiserie Selection ($10). They are served with butter and three type of homemade jams (marmalade, mixed berries and blackberries). The jams are natural and not too sweet, as I used them to help me finished my share of the slightly dry pancakes. The whole bread basket basically went to a paper bag and brought home for the satisfaction of family members at home.

 Baker & Cook Freshly Baked Bread
& Viennoiserie Selection

The service staff here is friendly, good and efficient. However, just like the common practice in may café or food establishment in Singapore, you actually have to place your order in the counter and make payment first before you can enjoy your food.

Overall, we are glad that Baker & Cook brought European Atrisan Bakery to Singapore to satisfy the well-travelled food lover Singaporeans. They have some many delicious, yummy looking products, we just find one visit to this place is just not enough. We want to try the cake, croissants, bombolini doughnuts, cakes and many more. “We'll BE BACK!!!” Bon appetite !!!

Things on our hit list for the next visit:

Meringue 

Bombolini Doughnuts

Food & Drink: 8/10

Value: 7.5/10

Service: 7.5/10

Ambiance: 8.5/10.

Baker & Cook

77 Hillcrest Road

Singapore 288951

Tel: 6469 8834

Website: http://www.bakerandcook.biz/

Op Hours:

Sun - Thu: 07:00 - 20:00

Fri - Sat: 07:00 - 22:00

Eve of PH: 07:00 - 22:00

Menu available on the website and pdf format.

PS: Oh, how I wish I have a wide angle lens to capture the inside this shop!!

Other Branch:

38A Martin Road

Singapore 239703

Tel: 6636 5865
Op Hours:

Sun to Thurs: 8am - 6pm
Fri to Sat: 8am - 6pm