Show Time - Showstopper! The Improvised Musical

The other playmates were feeling broke due to the overwhelming amount of shows we were catching, so only J & I went for this one since we both love musicals.

To be honest, we did not know what to expect from Showstopper! The Improvised Musical since it advertised itself as a show that produces a brand new musical every night based on audience suggestions. As there were no fixed performances, it could have gone both ways, but luckily for us, we had a blast since the audience collectively came up with the zaniest plot (zany enough to rival Book of Mormons even).

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical

Our musical was titled Ang Moh in Ang Moh [sic] Kio about a hawker lady with flaming red hair who drew unwanted attention from overly amorous males in her life because of her beautiful hair. To escape an unhappy marriage, Katie murdered her husband at the suggestion of her boss only to find out that her boss wanted her for his own. When she rejected him, he threatened murder, so with the help of the man she loves, she escaped to the Singapore Zoo and hid out in the Orangutan enclosure. But alas, her beauty attracted the male leader of the orangutans.

Katie decided to kill him (just another murder anyway) and assumed leader position of the primates, becoming 'Queen of the Red'. In the meanwhile, her boss had used the corpse of her ex-husband to produce delicious dim sum that were selling like hot cakes. He decided to commit murder to obtain fresh corpses to keep his business going, but his lackey convinced him that murdering humans is akin to killing their customer base and not sustainable in the long run. So they hatched a plot to sneak into the Singapore Zoo to murder some orangutans instead.

The man Katie loved visited her at the zoo to warn her of the murderous intruders and she rallied her brood of orangutans to rise up and arm themselves to kill the intruders instead. The climax of the plot was the showdown in the orangutan enclosure between both parties, but instead of more bloodshed, the audience got a happy ending. It turned out that the boss had fell in love with his lackey during the murder mission and asked for mercy so he could be with his true love. 

The actors delivered their humourous lines in the different musical styles requested by the audience, even managing to choreograph appropriate dance moves to match the songs they were singing. They definitely rose to the challenge of delivering a cohesive and entertaining musical, leaving us audience tickled. 

I cannot vouch for the type of experience one would have on other nights of the performance, but I can honestly say that J & I had a genuinely great time watching Ang Moh in Ang Moh Kio.

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical

Event Date: Tue, 28 Apr - Sat, 2 May 2015, 7.45PM

Venue: SOTA Drama Theatre

Dining Out - Concetto by Saveur

I had been meaning to try out this place for the longest time and since J & I were going to watch a show at SOTA, it was the perfect opportunity to grab dinner here.

J chose the Pollo Allo, which was half boneless spring chicken stuffed with mushroom duxelle, served with fork mashed potato, shimeiji and cognac cream sauce.

Pollo Allo

J gave me a bite of her chicken and it was delicious. The meat was tender and flavour, with the highlight being the accompanying cognac cream sauce.

I picked the Fruitti De Mare, which was fettuccine with pink arrabiata sauce served with mussel, prawn, squid and crab meat.

Fruitti De Mare

As the restaurant had an open kitchen concept, I saw that the pasta was freshly handmade. Upon tasting my first forkful of fettuccine, I fell in love with the sauce which was rich and full of umami. I soon realised that the key to maximising my enjoyment of each forkful of fettuccine I stuff into my greedy pie hole is to pair it with a generous spoonful of the tasty sauce.

J had ordered the Dark Chocolate Tart to share for dessert. It was a deconstructed valrhona dark chocolate tart served with vanilla ice cream, candied hazelnuts and a tart citrus sauce.

Dark Chocolate Tart

The presentation was beautiful and the flavours complemented each other well. We polished off the dessert in record time.

The food tasted divine and the prices are really reasonable for the quality of food served. This is a restaurant I would gladly return to over and over again just to try out other dishes.


Concetto by Saveur
Address: 2 Handy Road #01-11 The Cathay Singapore 229233
Phone: 6735 1141

Dining Out - Lean Bento

Lunch today was very healthy, so this post does not even have the hippo tag. Met J for lunch since I was in the CBD area and we lunched at this tiny shop hidden in The Arcade that claims to sell guilt-free bentos that are high-protein, low-carb and low-fat.

There is a paper ribbon on the bento box that provides basic nutritional information such as Calories, Protein, Nett Carbs and Fat. Based on what I saw on the menu, most bentos here are kept below 500 calories.

Laksa Noodles Lean Bento

I picked the Laksa Noodles set, which featured 3 baked minced chicken patties atop chopped cabbage, cubed carrots and cubed Japanese tamago, no-carb shirataki laksa-flavoured noodles, a hard-boiled egg, a few oyster mushrooms, a side of seaweed salad and a cherry tomato.

It certainly tasted very healthy and left me guilt-free like the brand promised. I was comfortably full by the time I polished off everything, so the portions were just right (for me). J however,did not feel sated after she finished her bento. She had gotten the Parmesan Chicken set.

Parmesan Chicken Lean Bento

The sides were same as mine, except her chicken patties had shaved Parmesan cheese on top and instead of shirataki noodles, her bento comprised of 3 mini purple rice balls and some steamed cauliflower and broccoli. After her meal, J mentioned that the high-protein, low-carb options at The Daily Cut are tastier and offered more choice since one could mix-and-match to one's preference.

Eating clean is never fun, but the options here are pretty decent for the calorie-count. Another thing to note is that eating clean can be taxing on the wallet since all sets cost upwards of $10, but the CBD crowd can well afford the prices. 

Lean Bento

Address: 11 Collyer Quay #02-02 The Arcade Singapore 049317

Cafe Hopping - The Cold Pantry

The first argument the squabbling sisters had when they got in the car was where to go for lunch. One wanted to go to a kopitiam and the other wanted to go to a cafe. So I suggested a compromise - lunch at a kopitiam and dessert at a cafe - thus resolving the first of many squabbles for the rest of the afternoon.

After lunch, we popped over to The Cold Pantry for soft serve ice cream and waffles.

The Cold Pantry

The place had an astro turf feature wall with a basket of photo props set on the bench below the yellow shop name. The kids had a field day with the props. It also triggered off a series of arguments. Sigh.

The best form of birth control is to spend an afternoon with those two. Seriously.

We ordered the Chocolate Root Beer Waffle with Charcoal Vanilla Soft Serve and the cashier recommended that I get the Chayen, which is Thai Milk Tea Soft Serve topped with Crispy Puffed Rice, Crumbled Honeycomb and Nata de Coco.

Chayen

The Chayen was tasty, though I could have done without the nata de coco topping. The crispy puffed rice and crumbled honeycomb added crunch to the fragrant thai iced tea soft serve.

Chocolate Root Beer Waffle

The chocolate root beer waffle was dense, with a cake-like texture and very very chocolatey. It was delicious but I could not pick up the root beer flavoring so I will say the inclusion of root beer in the batter is more of a marketing gimmick (smart one) than a real taste difference. The charcoal vanilla soft serve balanced out the rich chocolate taste of the waffle, but it is slightly milky tasting (for my personal preference) so I could not eat it on its own without the waffle and left a good portion melting. My sister would have loved it though, milk-lover that she is.

The place offers other interesting dessert options including thin crispy waffles and frozen yogurt. It is a pity they do not serve coffee, but they do have artisanal iced teas shaken with fruit juice.


The Cold Pantry
Address: 131 Rangoon Road Singapore 218409
Phone: 9179 7266

Sweet Endings - YiLi PaoPao Ice

HC & I got to meet XT's beau today over dinner at Supply & Demand. Always a little weird these sort of meet ups, when you have already heard so much about the other person that small talk gets a little awkward. And so I handled it in my usual manner, I prattled away and hogged the conversation (sorry friends, I cannot take awkward silence).

Since I want need dessert after our meal, I suggested we go to YiLi PaoPao located at the basement of Orchard Central. It is a chain originating from Shihlin night market in Taiwan that sells finely shaved ice using real fruit puree resulting in an icy treat that is supposedly less sinful than ice cream. 8 Days had just reviewed the place in the latest issue and gave it quite a good review.

You get to pick 2 flavours in every $4.95 cup. I chose Passion Fruit for my first flavour and the server recommended that I pair it with Pineapple, so I did.

YiLi PaoPao Ice

While the consistency of the finely shaved ice was smooth, I thought it was way too sweet. A lighter hand with the sugar would have been better. By the time I finished it, I had that slightly sickly feeling one would get from consuming copious amounts of sugar. Not a good feeling. Give me proper ice cream any day over this.

YiLi PaoPao Ice

Address: 181 Orchard Road #B2-05 Orchard Central Singapore 238896

Show Time - Off Centre

Watched my third The Studios: fifty play with Playmates today.

Haresh Sharma's Off Centre focuses on two mentally ill patients, Vinod and Saloma, who are struggling with recovery and reintegrating into society. The play highlights the stigma that mental patients face from strangers and even from their family and friends.

Both lead actors demonstrated the fear, sadness, anger and isolation their characters experienced in between acting out their lines and narrating the story and the characters' inner thoughts to the audience. To make a seamless switch between narrator and character must be a challenge and both actors rose to the occasion for the most part.

Off Centre

The supporting actors periodically appeared on stage with head masks that conveyed the inner demons that the leads faced. For Saloma, the voices in her head took the form of animal-shaped heads. For Vinod, his monsters all had cruel looking faces. Vinod's inner demons actually reminded me of the iconic laughing man sculptures by China artist, Yue Minjun.

Yue Minjun's Laughing Man Sculptures

I appreciate the fact that the producer and director updated this staging with modern pop music. I thought that Coldplay's The Scientist and Fix You were apt melancholic songs with lyrics that relate to the situations when blasted.

For me, Siti Khalijah's (Saloma) finest moment during the play was her breakdown at the restaurant. When she started smacking herself and shouting randomly with tears in her eyes, my heart broke a little.

Ebi Shankara (Vinod) delivered some of the funniest lines in the play, proving much needed comedic reprieve from the play's dark subject matter. He also gamely bared his cellulite ridden ass during his final scene as he completely unraveled.

To be honest, it was not an easy play to watch, especially since it was 2 hours and 15 minutes long with no intermission. The audience gets no break from the characters' emotional turmoil and the experience can be draining. But then again, mentally ill patients get no release from the problems and emotional trauma that haunt them 24/7. Something to ponder over.


Off Centre
Event Date: Thu, 23 - Sun, 26 Apr 2015; Thu & Fri: 8pm; Sat: 3pm & 8pm; Sun: 3pm
Venue: Esplanade Theatre Studio

Dining Out - The Clan

Since we did not have to pick the kids up from school today, Mum suggested we go for a nice long leisurely lunch at a good restaurant. We decided to go to The Clan since it had great reviews on HungryGoWhere.

The 5-course set lunch was priced at $49.80++ and it was definitely value-for-money. There were a good variety of interesting options to pick from each section.

My selection was:

• Chef's Starter
• Side Dish - Pan Seared Foie Gras with Mustard Seed Bread & Balsamico Reduction
• Soup - Roasted Pumpkin with Bacon Bits
• Main Course - Prime Beef Short Ribs on Hoba Leaf with Peppercorn Sauce on Lava Stone
• Dessert - Chocolate Lava Cake with Homemade Gelato

Chef's Starter

The Chef's Starter includes 3 dishes based on the chef's choice ingredients of the day. We got chopped smoked salmon, pan-seared scallop with foam and foie gras chawanmushi served to us. My favourite of the 3 was the scallop (always a sucker for seafood I am, typing like Yoda too I am), followed by the smoked salmon. I did not like the chawanmushi that much as I thought it would have tasted better if served hot and freshly steamed as opposed to the bowl that was served to me lukewarm,

Pan Seared Foie Gras with Mustard Seed Bread & Balsamico Reduction

I actually regretted picking this after I tasted it. I forgot how fatty and rich foie gras can be. Plus this was a little overdone and I do not think the slab was exceptionally fresh either. It was not bad, but I would not say this was worth the calories. That being said, it paired well with the accompanying dried cranberries.

Mum picked the Kurobuta Pork Belly Confit with Pork Cracker & Passionfruit Sauce, which she enjoyed (I did not get to try). The restaurant staff surprised us with a complimentary side dish, Steamed Razor Clam & Salmon Trout Roe Drizzled with Japanese Sauce. I was thrilled because that was the other side dish I had considered getting. They said it was one of their signature dishes and thought we should try it.

Steamed Razor Clam & Salmon Trout Roe Drizzled with Japanese Sauce

This was yummy! Obsessed with seafood I am, mention did I not?

Pumpkin Soup with Bacon Bits

I really enjoyed this. It is an example of a simple dish done well. The sweet pureed pumpkin soup paired well with the salty bacons bits which also lent additional texture to the soup.

Prime Beef Short Ribs on Hoba Leaf with Peppercorn Sauce on Lava Stone

Eating this dish takes some effort and a dash of patience. Since the beef slices were presented raw, you will need to use chopsticks to spread it out atop the hot lava stone in order to cook it. This was slightly challenging because they were generous with the beef and the surface area of the stone was not big enough to arrange all the slices. This is a dish best ordered if one likes his/her beef steak rare or medium rare, which luckily for me I do. The marbled beef was tasty when eaten with the accompanying peppercorn sauce. I requested for extra sauce and the obliging staff brought it to me promptly.

Baked Codfish with Lemon Parmesan Croquette in Watercress Sauce

Mum picked the Baked Codfish with Lemon Parmesan Croquette in Watercress Sauce for her main dish and she said she enjoyed it (I did not get to try yet again).

Triple Espresso Creme Brulee

She picked the Triple Espresso Creme Brulee for dessert and I tried some of it. The sugar shell was nicely caramelised and the coffee-flavoured custard was pretty tasty. 

Chocolate Lava Cake with Homemade Gelato

The chocolate lava cake was good and it satisfied my chocolate craving. The molten core flowed out like it was supposed to when I cut into the cake. It paired well with the vanilla gelato and green tea crumble.

Molten Chocolate Lava Cake

Look at the soft molten core rushing out to meet the green tea crumble!

This place is a great find. I must say that prices are truly reasonable for the quality of the food served, the interesting options to choose from and the warm service.

The Clan Restaurant

Address: 20 Bukit Pasoh Road Singapore 089834

Phone: 6222 2084

Show Time - The 39 Steps

Caught the preview show for The 39 Steps with HC and it was so much fun!

The 39 Steps is a fast paced comedy-thriller involving four actors only. It is about a righteous man who found himself caught up in a spy conspiracy after a visit to the theatre on a seemingly mundane evening. From that night onwards, his life spiralled out of control as he found himself on the run from the police after he was wrongly accused of murder and from the spys who want him dead.

Apart from the protagonist, Richard Hannay (played by Andrew Mowatt), the other 3 actors had to switch between a myriad of zany characters relying on wigs, costumes and their acting chops.

The 39 Steps

I was tickled by the various accents the actors put on. I thought that Paul Lucas was especially hilarious in his different roles, be it a Scottish farmer in a red romper or as an old weak mumbling man addressing the townsfolk.

(From Left) Tim Garner, Paul Lucas, Andrew Mowatt

The passionate actors had chemistry and looked like they were having fun while performing for the audience. I was filled with mirth throughout the entire show. It was a great way to spend a Wednesday night.

The 39 Steps

Event Date: Wed, 22 Apr - Sun, 10 May 2015; Tue - Fri: 8pm; Sat & Sun: 3pm & 8pm

Venue: Drama Centre Black Box

Show Time - The Script

Went for The Script's concert at the Singapore Indoor Stadium with SC. It was a rather last minute decision to be honest. We had set the date for a good dinner together, but on a whim decided to try getting tickets a few days before. We were lucky because someone gave up a pair of tickets in the cheap seats area with a great view (which we realised after we got there)! :)

I was listening to their songs on loop in preparation for the concert and I am so glad I did because singing along out loud and annoying less enthused concert-goers also in the cheap seats brought me such joy. <insert emoticon weeping tears of joy>

The concert started 1.5 hours late to which the apologetic band explained was due to technical errors, or in the words of Danny, the lead singer, "the fucking giant screen". They were definitely worth the wait.

Apart from singing songs off their new album, No Sound Without Silence, they also sang all of the hits from their past albums, working the crowd into an excited frenzy. 

The band had showmanship and made sure to interact with the fans as much as possible. In the opening song, "Paint The Town Green", Danny cut a path through excited fans in the standing area with the help of green LED light stick bearers. Many times during the night, he would also move around to the standing area so fans could get close to him. 

Danny surprised fans when he walked around the different seating and standing sections with a GoPro Camera that played live footage on the screens as he sang. Not forgetting the fans at the back of the stadium, the band ran to the back of the stadium and sang 2 songs on a mini stage. These guys made their security guys work hard the entire night.

One of my favourite moment during the concert was when the band asked for a volunteer to call an ex to dedicate the song "Nothing" to him or her. The guy who received the call actually stayed on the line during the entire duration of the song. Hehe.

As the show came to an end, silver confetti exploded over the standing audience and in the bright lights, it was a pretty sight.

When I found out post concert that the lead singer was 34, I was very impressed since he was running around and giving great energy during the entire concert. Let's just say I was tired just looking at him. It was an amazing concert and I am so glad I went!

The Script
Event Date: Tue, 21 April 2015, 8pm
Venue: Singapore Indoor Stadium

Dining Out - Issho Izakaya

Before the concert, SC suggested that we meet for dinner at Issho Izakaya at Kallang Wave.  The entrance to the restaurant is not obvious from the inside of the mall. It is easier to gain access from the entrance located along the promenade from outside the mall.

The restaurant was running a special Tuesday promotions where fresh oysters are going for 5 for $10++, so we got a set to share. We both also picked the Bara Chirashi Don as our main.

Fresh Oysters

The oysters were alright for the price, there is nothing I can complain about. They were fresh and good-sized.

Bara Chirashi Don

The Bara Chirashi Don was served with a raw quail egg sitting atop a dollop of wasabi in the middle of the bowl. Soy sauce was served in a shot-glass so you can season your bowl of chirashi don if you wish. Stirring the raw egg and soy sauce into the rice made it moist and the combination was tasty. 

Issho Izakaya
Address:  1 Stadium Place, #01-13/K5 Kallang Wave @ Sports Hub  Singapore 397628
Phone: 6702 4708

Random iPhone Shot

Dear HC & XT, I have documented our outing as promised!

Mango Desserts at Honeymoon Dessert

The winking desserts ;)

Like I told you girls, I have not been feeling inspired to blog lately. Forgive this short and rather awful entry. But twas a great night!

Show Time - Normal

I was glad I managed to get tickets to catch Normal by playwright Faith Ng. Tonight was the final show (which they specially added after tickets to earlier shows sold-out) and the cast gave an impressive performance, pouring their hearts out to the audience.

Normal

The play was set in a girls school circa 2004 when the leads were facing the seemingly insurmountable challenge of passing their O' Levels. Coincidentally that was the year I had to take the O' Levels as a student in all-girls school. Watching the play, I recalled my days as a student, the pointless worrying about exams, gossiping about teachers, all the silly antics I got up to with my friends.

While I was not a Normal student, I could most certainly relate to all the pressures of having to excel within Singapore's education system.

The heart-wrenching play left many of the audience members in tears, but I did not cry. I wondered about that. Though admittedly I was schooled in what was (and still is) considered good schools, my grades were absolutely terrible in secondary school and junior college. I can tell you that it sucks to be lousy when you are surrounded by hardworking geniuses and a few mean girls (and boys).

My conclusion is that while I may have felt hurt, pressured, unhappy and stressed-out at different moments of my schooling days, the truth is I have had many carefree and happy moments too. I survived my grueling school years with the help of a few amazing lifelong friends and a great deal of luck.

After the show ended, I got to shake hands with Huzir Sulaiman (Producer) and tell him how much I enjoyed his writing in The Weight of Silk on Skin, so that was nice.


Normal
Event Date: Thu, 9 - Sun, 19 Apr 2015; Tue - Sat: 8pm; Sat & Sun: 3pm
Venue: Drama Centre Black Box

Cafe Hopping - Yahava Koffeeworks

After lunch at Thomson Plaza, we went to Yahava Koffeeworks for coffee. This is an Australian coffee chain and this is their first outlet in Singapore.

Yahava Koffeeworks

The place is spacious and quiet, filled with people doing work, nursing huge mugs of coffee and typing away on their laptops.

Cappuccino

We got a large Cappuccino each and it came in a huge ceramic glass with a rubber sleeve. It was great coffee, robust and smooth.

This is a great place to do work or read, but not exactly ideal for chit chat. When we were chatting, we got a few irritated glances from patrons at the next table trying to concentrate on their work.

Yahava Koffeeworks

Address: 4 Jalan Gelenggang Singapore 578188

Phone: 6554 7080

Cafe Hopping - Wheeler's Yard

Picked up the 2 little monsters from school today and we went to Wheeler's Yard. The cafe is adjacent to a bicycle retail space and the vibe is that of an industrial warehouse.

Wheeler's Yard

The place is cool and full of character, with the owners' passion for all things bicycle related evident in the decor. Think bicycle helmets lining the wall, deconstructed bicycle parts as wall decor and shiny new bicycles as table centrepieces.

Bicycle Centrepieces

I ordered a kid's Pasta Pomodoro for the children to share, which included a cup of Apple Juice. The thoughtful waitstaff served 2 cups of Apple Juice to each little brat, which was a pleasant surprise.

Us adults got a Sambal Udang Pasta and an Otah Burger to share.

Sambal Udang Pasta

The Sambal Udang Pasta was flavourful and the prawns were large and juicy. It was not overly spicy so polishing it off was not an issue.

Otah Burger

The Otah Burger featured a tasty mackerel fish otah patty, cheddar cheese, lettuce and tomato slices stacked between soft fresh buns. It came with a side of crunchy fries that had seasoned batter, tasting like curly fries.

Cappuccino

The cappuccino came with 2 iced gem biscuits, which are missing from the photo because the 2 little monsters started fighting for them the moment the cups were laid down. The friendly waiter brought another tiny dish of these iced gem biscuits for them, which they fought over again. -_-

I swear my ovaries shrink a little each time I am around these bickering sisters.

The food portions here are generous, the waitstaff are friendly and generous, plus the space is comfortable and spacious. A great cafe to hang out in. Even better if you are not saddled with 2 squabbling kids.

Wheeler's Yard

Address: 28 Lorong Ampas Singapore 328781

Phone: 6254 9128

Cafe Hopping - Tiong Hoe Specialty Coffee

After lunch, we drove to a cafe in the area for a cuppa. Nestled in a sleepy housing estate is Tiong Hoe Specialty Coffee. We were the only customers in the quiet shop that was tended by a young pleasant barista.

Cafe Interior

Gunny sacks of coffee beans line the shelf placed at one end of the cafe's wall lending a rustic old-school feel. The cafe operates on a tipping for coffee concept which is interesting. We ordered 2 cappuccinos and I left $10 in the tip jar since $5-a-cup is the typical price of a coffee in such hipster cafes.

Cappuccino

The cappuccino was brewed using a blend that tasted different from most blends that we had at other cafes. It was different, but good nonetheless. If I had to guess, perhaps they used some beans in the blend that had been roasted with margarine.

A great quiet hideaway, perfect for coffee aficionados. It is nice to know that if you are feeling a little broke, you can get away with paying a little less for great coffee. I do think anything less than $2 in the tip jar for a cup of artisanal coffee would just be mean. 

Tiong Hoe Specialty Coffee
Address: Blk 170 Stirling Road #01-1133 Singapore 140170
Phone: 6473 1133

Dining Out - The Naked Finn

Since we didn't have to pick up the kids from school today, we thought we would venture a little further afield to The Naked Finn at Gillman Barracks for lunch.

We both decided to get the Hae Mee Tng with Japanese Somen ($25) largely because of the write-up on the top of the menu extolling the quality ingredients and effort made to brew the soup. 

Hae Mee Tng

The noodles came with 3 farmed giant Tiger Prawns, a slice of Kurobuta Pork Belly and chopped Kang Kong. Accompanying condiments served on the side included Fried Iberico Pork Lard and chilli paste. It was tasty and I enjoyed the fresh firm prawns and the tender pork belly, but I have had comparable Hae Mee Tng at Adam Road Prawn Noodle for much less money. In hindsight, I should have picked the pan-fried Barramundi Fillet with Chilled Piquant Vermicelli instead since that was the other option I was interested to try and it is not an option found at most hawker centres.

For dessert, Mum got the Naked Chendol with freshly made coconut sorbet and gula melaka while I got Homemade Lychee + Pink Grapefruit + Acacia Honey Sorbet.

Homemade Sorbet & Naked Chendol

I tried the Naked Chendol and it was absolutely yummy because the fragrant gula melaka complemented the light tasting coconut sorbet and so this 'chendol' is not as heavy as the traditional version. The Homemade Sorbet was refreshing, with stronger grapefruit notes than lychee. It was palate cleansing and not overly filling.

The restaurant's philosophy is to use fresh, top-notch ingredients and with such a philosophy, dishes all turn out reasonably well since freshness is key for seafood.

The Naked Finn

Address: Block 39 Malan Road, Gillman Barracks, Singapore 109442

Phone: 6694 0807

Cafe Hopping - Assembly Coffee

The little imp requested to go to a cafe again today when we picked her up and so off we drove to Assembly Coffee. We got the Pulled Pork Burger and Smoked Salmon & Eggs to share.

Pulled Pork Burger

The Pulled Pork Burger was alright since the sweet BBQ sauce works with the slow-cooked pulled pork. It would have been nicer if the bun was freshly baked, but my guess is that they used factory baked burger buns from Gardenia or another similar brand. It was served with corn chips and a side of salad.

Smoked Salmon & Eggs

Fluffy scrambled eggs and smoked salmon slices are heaped atop a slice of thick toast that has been smeared with cream cheese. Rocket leaves with a balsamic vinegar drizzle are laid on top of everything. Pretty delish.

(From the Top) Cappuccino and Magic Tulip

I got a Magic Tulip which consists of double ristretto shots, which makes for a stronger cup of coffee than my usual cappuccino. The beautifully pulled coffee was photo-friendly and tasty to boot.

Earl Grey Caramel Waffle

We could not leave without ordering a sweet waffle for which Assembly Coffee is noted for. I picked the Earl Grey Caramel Waffle simply because I am partial to Earl Grey flavoured items. The waffle was fluffy and tasty with the earl grey caramel drizzle. I would have liked it even more if they were more generous with the caramel sauce. I also imagine that replacing the generic scoop of vanilla ice cream with Madagascar Vanilla Bean Ice Cream would elevate the dish even further. As I typed it out, I realise how pretentious the last line sounded. Ugh.

The young wait staff were all friendly and helpful. In my opinion, great service is always a plus. Since the mains were not particularly memorable or exciting, I would recommend eating elsewhere before dropping by for coffee and waffles.

Assembly Coffee

Address: 26 Evans Road Singapore 259367

Phone: 6735 5647