Violet Oon (Ion) - Showcasing Singapore Culinary Treasures

Violet Oon is a household name known for being the Singapore ambassador for local cuisines. The founder whose name is the inspiration behind Violet Oon Singapore, The Restaurant Group, was once named Chef de Mission to lead team Singapore at the Worlds of Flavours Conference and Festival in 2004, 2007 & 2009. The Restaurant Group itself prides its commitment to showcase Singapore food and heritage in the form of Nonya, Chinese, Indian and Malay cuisines.

It is also because of this specialization that I made the decision to bring my mom here for her birthday celebration. I say this because I'm not a big fan of Peranakan, Nonya cuisines where coconut is mainly used in most of the dishes. In fact, I typically steer clear of such food. If not because my mom enjoys local cuisines, I wouldn't have had this Singapore High Tea Set ($58 for 2 pax) experience which I thoroughly enjoyed!

The meal kicked off with a pair of scones served with cream and jam. The pair came with one plain and the other drizzled with gula melaka sauce. While the scones were buttery and crumbly, I felt that its brittle nature made enjoying the scone messy and difficult. Having said that, I like it that the portion was just right because it gave sufficient room for the other dishes.

The first tier of our high tea set came consists of Kuay Pie Tee with julienned bamboo shoots with turnip poached in a prawn bisque, traditionally steamed Yam Cake topped with dried prawn, chinese sausage, dried mushroom, minced pork, five spiced powder and fried shallots and Chilli Crab Tartlet with Quail Egg. I've got to say that the flavours were all on point and they were all easy to eat. The Yam Cake is one of my favourites despite me usually avoiding yam.

The second tier of our high tea set consists of Cream Cheese and Cucumber Openface Sandwich, Egg Salad Tartlet with Pineapple Patcharee, Coronation Chicken on Crispy Wanton Skin and Otak on Belgium Endive. I'd say that the execution of all the items were excellent. Having said that, I felt it'll be perfect if the cream cheese sandwich and egg salad tartlet had been replaced with more localised items. Eating the Otak on Endive and Chicken on Wanton Skin really made me appreciate the genius of the Violet Oon creations. Sometimes you pay a premium for food and have no idea why. I think the creativity on how food can be presented really justifies every cent I pay for this meal.

The third tier is where I sacrifice for my mother because of my dislike for coconut. It consists of a Financier which is an Eurasian moist cake of semolina and ground almonds laced with brandy, Kueh Ko Sui which is a steamed cake made with pandan and coconut infused rice and tapioca flour coated with freshly grated coconut, Kueh Dah Dah which is grated coconut cooked with gula melaka syrup and coconut milk wrapped in a pancake, BuBur Cha Cha Panna Cotta which is coconut panna cotta topped with sweet potato, yam, agar agar, gula melaka syrup and Kueh Lapis which is a multilayered steamed cake. Needless to say, I took an arbitrary bite of most of the food and didn't finish. The Financier and Kueh Lapis were my favourites in this tier but of course I'm biased.

The overall experience dining at Violet Oon (Ion) has been great. Despite not liking nonya food, I enjoyed my time there. It might be interesting to note that the overall dining crowd were relatively sophisticated and you can tell most of them enjoy the finer things in life. There's even a guy who sat next to me who was dressed in plain white t-shirt and FBT shorts with slippers. I reckon his house is walking distance and this is probably his 'Ya Kun'. I guess it's no surprise that Violet Oon (Ion) just got featured on Tatler Singapore days before I visited. So if you want to know how Crazy Rich Asians look like, you might want to have a meal there.

Violet Oon (Ion)
Ion Orchard, #03-28/29, 2 Orchard Turn, S238801

Tarte by Cheryl Koh - Delectable pastries at the heart of Orchard

Tarte by Cheryl Koh is a patisserie based on the 2nd story of Shaw Centre. The concept originated as a takeaway kiosk selling pastries by Les Amis Pastry Chef, Cheryl Koh. Chef Koh won the 'Asia's Best Pastry Chef' in the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants awards in 2016.

I've long heard about this patisserie and it's been sitting on my shortlist for the longest of time. I'm really glad to have finally made this trip with a friend and try out some of the much acclaimed pastries.

I'm totally not a fruits person so all the fruity selections are by my dining companion. Sometimes it's great to dine with different people because it brings out the adventurous side in me. Being a sport, I agreed to share. This is the Fresh Passionfruit Curd ($10) which is really creamy in texture and carries a zesty fruity flavour. Our general consensus is that it is too sour for our liking however I feel it's a matter of preference and not so much of bad execution.

I went for the Pistachio Tart ($10) which greeted us with a challenging hard-rock appearance when I couldn't knife through the pastry with my fork. Despite the not so impressive first impression, we unanimously agreed that it is good. We like it that the tart isn't too sweet and the flavour is not overpowering. The balance is just right.

The Earl Grey tart ($10) is another winner. It is a creme bulee infused with artisanal crafted ceylon teas with bergamot and citrus. The flavours are all very distinct and on point. I enjoyed the tart a lot especially when it isn't excessively flavoured. Judging from my limited experience trying out tarts, I know that these are the best I've eaten so far. In fact, my bad experience with lousy tarts are partially a reason why I tried so little.

My friend was very drawn to the Fraisier ($10). That was her first choice when we made our selection. The cake is made of light sponge with creme mousseline and French strawberry. It is very good! As someone who doesn't like fruits in my food, this is something I am willing to take a couple more bites. The sponge is really light and you don't get tired eating it at all. The strawberries are not the least sour and they are sliced with the absolute right proportions that goes exceedingly well with my fork full of sponge cake.

The entire dining experience was wonderful and I'm very impressed. So this is what it is like to eat tarts from an award winning pastry chef! If you are looking for a coffee place to rest and chit chat in Orchard Road, this is The Place for you.

Tarte By Cheryl Koh
1 Scotts Road, #02-12 Shaw Centre, S228208

Kam's Roast - Singapore's outlet of HK's 1 Star Michelin Restaurant

Kam's Roast is the overseas outpost of Hong Kong's 1 star Michelin Kam's Roast Goose. The catch here is there's only duck in Singapore, no goose. This is because the supplier to their Hong Kong outlet doesn't meet the regulations to import their goose here. Located at Pacific Plaza, Kam's Roast is part of an increasing chain of Hong Kong and Michelin starred establishments opening along Scotts Road. Some of the other prominent restaurants include Tim Ho Wan, Tsuta and Mui Kee across the road.

After queuing an hour for Mui Kee two weeks ago, I was a bracing myself for another queuing challenge this time. Thankfully there's no queue when I visited the outlet at 6.30pm.

Given that we couldn't try their signature Roast Goose due to AVA restrictions, we settled for the next closest item which is Roast Duck ($19.80, for 1/4 lower body). I specially requested for the bones to be removed and they were very obliging. Eating this roast duck reminds me of my very first visit to Hong Kong's Kam's Roast Goose. I recalled that experience was so positively good that I specially made a second trip back to eat it again before I left. (I have never visited the same restaurant twice on a single holiday trip, before this) The roast duck had very tender meat. The sweetness of the gravy was very distinct and it really made the dish stand out. Judging from the taste, the quality control is not lost despite this being an overseas outlet, which happens very often with many other overseas establishments I've tried.

I really love pork and I would feel the meal isn't complete without pork. We ordered the mix pork combination of Toro Char Siew with Crispy Pork ($27.80). Once again, the meat was extremely tender and a joy to eat. I can finish the entire plate myself (if I wasn't trying to control my diet). I enjoyed the honey coated sweetness that goes really well with the toro char siew. The toro char siew is prepared using a secret recipe of the Kam family. The roast crispy pork is another winner with the right balance of fats and tender meat. The crackling pork skin provides the added oomph and texture that goes well with the meat.

As the friend I brought along for the meal hasn't been overseas before, I'm really glad both dishes gave an accurate representation of the Michelin Starred restaurant in Hong Kong. Would I come back for a second visit? It's a rousing yes. I already foresee bringing my family here for dinner one night. This experience has made me a loyal fan of Kam's Roast. I highly doubt I'll bother to visit other roast meat or duck establishments should I have a craving. Must reserve the calories for the best. I highly recommend Kam's Roast if you have craving for roast meat or duck!

Kam's Roast
Pacific Plaza, 9 Scott's Road #01-04/05/06/07, S228210

Mui Kee Congee - Famous Mongkok Porridge with Permanent Outlet in Singapore

Mui Kee is a popular porridge stall that originated in Mongkok way back in 1979. It is currently managed by its third generation owner Ah Tung. The Les Amis Group brought Mui Kee to Singapore last year and it started out as a pop-up stall in Botanic Gardens. I've been wanting to try them out since but busy schedules denied me of this opportunity. In the month of March, Mui Kee opened their first permanent outlet in Shaw Centre. I took the Good Friday break to bring my mom to try it out.

I knew there was going to be a queue so made it a point to arrive early. Nevertheless, I still underestimated the waiting time. I assumed that those chasing the latest fad would have already eaten their fill of Mui Kee when they were at Botanic Gardens. Turns out, there's a lot more people like me who only managed to make time now.

I believed many in the queue shared my sentiments and some left the queue to eat at Tsuta, Kam's Roast and Tim Ho Wan just opposite the street. Are the developers trying to develop some kind of Hong Kong street? My total queue time was 1 Hour 5 mins.

I discovered that the set menus were unavailable during weekends and public holidays. So my mom and I settled for the Sakura Shrimps Steamed Rice Noodles ($5.50) to kick start our meal. The dish was served with a small dish of soya sauce. The steamed rice noodles tasted great and was easy to finish. My mom who basically needs chilli in her food was pleasantly surprised that the dish won her approval without chilli.

As we referred to the staff for recommendations, the staff tried to sell us everything. I selected the Sliced Parrot Congee ($9.80) as I like using fish congee as a gauge among Cantonese restaurants I eat at. This is when the staff suggested also trying the Sliced Threadfin Congee ($16) because its supposed to be sweeter. 

The congee are very smooth and you can hardly feel the grains. However, I felt that the sweetness of the porridge was lacking. It didn't help that I just ate a coffeeshop porridge at Tampines a couple of days back that truly impressed me. Both bowls were generous with their servings and it's definitely advisable to share. I didn't feel the Sliced Threadfin Congee was distinctively sweeter than the Slice Parrot Fish Congee. To be fair, both are definitely above average in terms of quality and for restaurant dining, it's definitely pocket friendly.

I reserved special mention for the dough fritters ($2) which we ordered to go with our porridge. It's fried excellently. There's not a hint of oiliness and it's very crispy. The entire bowl of dough fritters were a joy to eat on its own and really we kinda forgot we were eating flour. I think you know good dough fritters when you don't feel full despite devouring the whole bowl of fried dough and still can eat another bowl.

Would I return to Mui Kee? It's a very attractive place to dine at because of its wallet friendly pricing. I don't think I'd be willing to queue another hour to try their other porridge selections though. I'd highly recommend Mui Kee if you want a good quality meal at the heart of town but would like to keep your dining cost below a $50 budget for two.

Mui Kee Congee
Shaw Centre, 1 Scotts Road, #01-12, S228208

Maison Kayser - French Bakery in Town

Over the weekend, I strove to get some balance in my work-life and met a friend for breakfast. I've been on a diet lately and am striving to keep my food intake on the healthy side. Starting your day early at some cafe can be rather refreshing. I particularly enjoyed the time where after good food and coffee, I can sit back relax and enjoy a good read. I want to do this more often!

Maison Kayser is a French bakery with a few outlets in Singapore. They are known for their fresh bakes. I went to the Scotts Square outlet partially because it's near the MRT. One of the guys I was supposed to meet doesn't drive. The other reason is my own fatigue of driving when I don't have to. Sitting on the train allows me to read on the go and do other productive stuff.

While I was there for breakfast, I was trying to eat enough so that I don't need to have lunch. I picked the Pasta Salad ($10) which comes with a bun on the side. It's pretty good. I enjoyed the tangy spiciness of the pasta shells, the cheese, greens and cherry tomatoes that made my meal healthier. I'd think it's a good healthy fix for anyone who wishes to grab something on the go too.

Naturally we tried the fresh bakes too. I didn't try the Almond Croissant which my friend ordered ($3.50) but it looks delicious enough. One thing I notice is that the staff won't offer or ask if you wish to warm the bread. So you need to ask. I had a set breakfast ($5.90) while waiting for my friend. Comes with brewed coffee and a fresh baked. My selection choice was Plie Aux Chocolat. It's tastes fantastic and I highly recommend it. The bun was fresh and soft. I enjoyed the mild custard and chocolate stuffed that goes excellently with the pastry. The sweetness was just right too. Enjoyed every bite!

For dessert, I settled for the eclaire with vanilla cream ($5.50). While the vanilla icing was pretty good, I found the dough to be not very fresh with a bit of over-night feeling. The texture was dry and too doughy. Not gonna order this again.

Would I return for a second visit? I'd say it's 50-50. The place is pretty small so you got to be early if you want seats. I went there at 9.30am and there were people already inside. I totally enjoyed my fresh baked and would like to try more of their pastries. I'd say only go there if you love fresh bakes like me and you probably should have it on the go without the coffee.

Maison Kayser
6 Scott's Road, #B1-25 Scotts Square, S228209

Supply & Demand

This week for Saturyay I finally got to meet Vain Pot after work has kinda overwhelmed us. The month of August hasn't been my favourite month but it also marks the beginning of a new project I've just embarked on... so exciting times ahead! This week, I wanted to go to the National Design Centre to see the lego exhibition there but heard the queue is more than 2 hours! Then there's the Night Festival at the National Museum but I heard it's spilling with human traffic. I think I'll stick to food... seems safer!

Supply & Demand is known for Italian Casual Dining. I've shortlisted them since last year but never got round to trying them out so I'm really glad I finally did! It's also great they have a constant stream of business but their venue is big enough that there's always pockets of seats around which doesn't require much waiting time. On a weekend in the heart of town, it's awesome!

I wanted to order a feast but Vain Pot stopped me. Thankfully she did, I'm really getting rounder. We kicked started our meal with garlic truffle fries ($17) one of their specialties. Truffle seems very popular in this place, the entire place was oozing of truffle aroma. We found the fries to be very generous, sufficiently garlicky with salsa and tartar dips to satisfy you in every way fathomable. The truffle wasn't overwhelming, in fact, some may find it insufficient. I'm not a fan of truffle so I didn't mind. I liked the potato cuts which were chunky and not overly soft or crispy. Just right!

We had a very late lunch thanks to Vain Pot's uber that took an hour to send her over and my work schedule. Hence we tried our best not to over-order. We shared a tasting portion of the Al Granchio ($20) which was made of crab meat, aglio olio, cherry tomatoes, capsicum and white wine. It was very rich in flavour and the portion is just right if you are eating other stuff. I enjoyed the tangy spiciness which wasn't overwhelming and it wasn't too oily unlike some aglio olios. The crab meat flavours gelled well with the white wine making the dish very addictive to eat.

We also ordered the Truffle and Egg Pizza ($21). The pizze is very delicious. The truffle infused taste was distinct and I enjoyed that the black truffle paste spread across the pizza gave the pizza as much flavour as one topped with veggie and meat. I'm impressed by the simplicity of the dish and it's quite a joy to dip the pizza into the soft boiled egg yolk smacked in the middle. Normally, I'll only settle for 2 slices of pizza but with this pan, I see my hands going back for more.

Would I be back? Yes! I think this is an awesome place for gatherings because you can share food and try lots of very good Italian cuisines. It's the perfect kind of place for group outings where you chill, talk and relax over good food and wine. The location is perfect too!

Supply & Demand
277 Orchard Road, #02-13/14 Orchard Gateway, S238858

Tsukiji Sushi Takewaka

Finally! It's the long weekends!!! Saturyays are always my favourite day of the week. Especially after being bogged down with loads of work for the past two weeks... I felt like going on a play and eat rampage over this long break. So I dragged Vain Pot (who has been working crazy hours) out on a shopping spree in Orchard and we both felt much sated going home with our bags of shopping and a delicious dinner.

Dinner was spent at Tsukiji Sushi Takewaka, one of the many authentic Japanese cuisines in Japan Food Town. It serves a wide variety of freshly made sushi, tempura and cooked food. I've been having a Jap food craze the entire week, and this visit very much satisfied the craving. According to the website, Takewaka first opened its doors 28 years ago in Tsukiji, Japan. Known for fresh fish and seafood, Tsukiji Sushi Takewaka specialises in Endo-style sushi prepared by Chef Kawashima.

I'd be upfront and honest, I haven't been to sufficient authentic Japanese establishments to comment on the technical execution of the food. We kicked started our meal with the Anago Oshi-Sushi ($37) which is basically pressed conger eel sushi. It's without a doubt fresh and well seasoned. As someone who likes loads of wasabi on my food, I found it a little difficult to fully enjoy my meal due to the lack of 'wasabi flare up my nose effect'. Perhaps this is how real wasabi should taste like? I'm not sure. Did I enjoy the eels? I still did!

We also ordered a Takumi set ($45). This is made up of the chef's selection of assorted sushi with one medium fatty tuna included. The set also comes with dessert, chawamushi and a hot bowl of miso soup. When served, we were greeted with glittery and shiny surfaces of the assorted fishes. This is a good sign of freshness. We were asked whether we wanted the wasabi included in the sushi or at the side and I requested for the wasabi to be included in the sushi and an additional one at the side. I guess again, my gripe was that I couldn't really taste much wasabi even when adding additional wasabi on the fish. The sushi on its own is really fresh, the meat nice and cold with each fish distinctive flavour unique to the other.

On top of the sushi galore, we added a cooked meat to our meal. The Samon Harasuyaki ($12), grilled salmon belly was selected. As a dish, it was well grilled, I liked it that the salmon oil complemented the dish making it tastier. The meat was soft and falls off the skin easily. It's tender and retains the juiciness in the meat. However, I was a little disappointed that I had one salmon belly instead of the two shown in the menu's photo. In my view, I interpret it as a form of misrepresentation to the consumer. In the evaluation of whether to order the dish in the first place with the consideration of the price in mind, one slice versus two slice makes a difference.

To sum up my visit, I'm of the view that you either go high end if you wish to pamper yourself or just go mass market. I feel that many middle ground establishments give a half baked experience. While I give it to Tsukiji Sushi Takewaka that the food is indeed fresh and the cooked food tasting great, the nitty gritty frowned upon details really were a downer. There's definitely a market for their existence given that the place was quite occupied at 6pm. I would recommend Tsukiji Sushi Takewaka for readers who wish to pamper themselves with fresh, well prepared Japanese food without spending a bomb and aren't too fussy over the entire dining experience. Service wise, they are definitely better than a lot of mass market establishments.

Tsukiji Sushi Takewaka
435 Orchard Road, Wisma Atria, Level 4, S238877
(On a side note, if you download the Japan Food Town app and is a first time visitor, you can redeem a 10% discount off your bill)

Yan Ting @ St Regis Singapore

Yesterday was 元宵节, the 15th day of Chinese New Year. I spent the entire week eating to be honest and at the rate I go, I'm going to put on 5kg at the end of this year. Vain Pot is going overseas for a work trip so we spent the weekends shopping in town. I also discovered that if I think about ice cream in the Orchard side of Orchard Road, there's no special ice cream I can come up with besides Llao Llao. All the nice sweet desserts are congregating at Orchard Central, Orchard Gateway and 313 Somerset.

We finally tried Yan Ting at St Regis after shortlisting it 2 years ago. There was a time we were dim sum crazy and tried the really good dim sum at Royal China. Ladyironchef rated Yan Ting his top two dim sum alongside Royal China, so we really wanted to try the premium version of quality dim sum. The article was written 2-3 years ago. In any case, I promised Vain Pot I'll bring her to try however, given the myriad of food selection in Singapore along with our individual weekly cravings, we kept putting this visit off. So it's with great excitement that I'm finally fulfilling a promise and trying a much anticipated dim sum.

We kick started our meal with Shrimp Dumpling with Ginseng Soup ($14/pax). The soup was rich in flavour and the shrimp dumpling definitely met expectations that it was well prepared. Shrimp was fresh and crunchy and the entire dish was an exquisite experience.

We also tried the Char Siew Bao ($7 for 3), Steamed Scallop Dumplings with Spinach ($9 for 3), Steamed Pork and Shrimp Dumplings ($9 for 3), Dumplings filled with Celery, Lotus Root and Mushroom ($7 for 3) and Mini Egg Tarts ($7 for 3). The Char Siew Bao met expectations, it was soft and fluffy, char siew was marinated with slight sweetness making the dish just right for the palette.

The rest of the dishes on the other hand while well executed really lacked the 'wow' factor. It probably matches every competently done dim sum at many known establishments but it didn't give me the satisfaction of having eaten dim sum. In fact, this experience kind of made me swore off premium dim sum in the future. It's too overrated and the price premium has nothing to do with the quality of the chef but rather the service and premium ingredients used. I'm not sure if this has to do with a drop in quality standards since it's rated a top dim sum 2-3 years ago.

Will I be back again? Not for the dim sum. I noticed that my surroundings were eating the other mains so if I'm feeling rich and indulgent I might come back to try the mains. As for dim sum, I'm sticking with my all time favourite at Royal China.

Yan Ting 
The St Regis Singapore, Level 1U, 29 Tanglin Road
(Please note that complimentary parking is offered for spending of a minimum $100)

The Coffee Academics

It's a couple of hours left before I board my first ever cruise. I spent my weekend enjoying some ME Time this week and thought it's quite an enjoyable experience. I'll keep this post short because I haven't finished packing and cruise wifi need to pay!

So my choice for ME Time was spent at Coffee Academics. I first came across this place when I was in Hong Kong on Repulse Bay. They are known for good coffee! The problem I had back then was finding something I felt like eating and it was very very difficult. Nothing looked appealing. I decided to give them another chance randomly today.

For my main, I picked their signature Crispy Fish Fillet Tacos ($23) which comes with a locally grown golden snapper that is combined with chipotle mayonnaise and fresh mango salsa. There's also salad and curly fries on the side. I felt the fish went very well with the mango salsa and chipotle mayonnaise. In fact it was rather addictive. Unfortunately the taco shells wasn't very crispy and that took some shine off an otherwise hearty meal. Fries was very very generous. I couldn't finish. Taste wise was ordinary but nothing to complain about.

For dessert, I settled for their signature Affogato Coupe, blend expresso with vanilla gelato ($10). Being known more for their coffee than food, the Affogato was presented well and tasted great too. The quality of gelato given was acceptable and I like how the sweetness of the vanilla goes well with the bitterness of the espresso. Worth trying! I also enjoyed the instagram photo-taking moments. HAHA!

On the whole, I enjoyed my visit to The Coffee Academics. This is a coffee place. It's an awesome chill out place for good coffee and a nice book. I'd be back again when I want some ME Time.

The Coffee Academics
Scotts Square, #02-01/02, 6 Scotts Road

Kiss the Tiramisu

This week I'm honestly flooded with stuff to do! Car inspection, renew road tax, work as much as possible, spend time with my other hobby investment plus put it into practice, and I discovered some new stuff I want to try to increase my knowledge on topics of my interest... so you get the picture. There's still the cruise and Bangkok trip the following week which I'll be taking a break from showcasing food. Oh, I would like to add that my original choice of feature was Hai Di Lao which I've never eaten before (despite my love for good food) but the queue is insane! 4 HOURS! I'm amazed. I'll go the next time after I make reservations...

This entry is kept deliberately short. Kiss the Tiramisu originates from Korea. It's a combination of tiramisu and soft serve making it awesome tiramisu ice cream. At least that is the idea. It's pretty popular here too but thankfully no queue. The crowd is just enough to keep the servers busy but not enough to form a line.

We picked the original flavour ($6.90) and it earned my stamp of approval because I'm one of the typical instagram junkie who must take picture of every food I eat. I love it that it's served in this golden flute plastic cup. I didn't take pictures of the preparation process but I felt it's worth watching if you are the curious sort like me. The taste on the other hand doesn't really live up to its hype. I mean it doesn't taste bad. It's just not special. Vain Pot and I kept digging through the cup trying to taste the distinctive tiramisu flavour but all we got was vanilla soft serve and cocoa powder. Essentially I paid $6.90 for a well decorated vanilla ice cream.

Will I eat it again? No. However I didn't regret trying it. While I've been hunting for food every week, I hardly hunt for snacks or desserts to eat on the go. I found this to be a rather novel experience for both Vain Pot and myself. Unless you fly to Korea very often, I recommend going through the process of trying it once. At least you won't be sua ku. I enjoyed the entire experience even though I won't buy it again.

Kiss The Tiramisu
277 Orchard Road #01-15 Orchard Gateway

d'Good Cafe

I spent my weekend reliving a game that few of my friends still play - Pokemon. The brother is still very much into this game although I tell him nowadays only Aunty and Uncles play. Since it's my first time playing after changing to my iPhone SE, I got lots of catching up to do. There's lots of Pokestops in town and he is very into it, so why not catch some Pokemons while we are running errands there? Apparently the game is offering some pretty attractive perks for its current players because more and more players are dropping out of the game.

In any case, I decided to visit a cafe I've left in my Easy to Go Food Hunting By Public Transport list today since I'm at the heart of Orchard Road. The original plan was to visit Fuel + but time was a little tight given that we had a long list of errands to run. d'Good Cafe has two outlets, one in Holland V and another at Takashimaya. It's a very English themed cafe at the Takashimaya outlet but the biggest highlight I read about this place is that Mediacorp artist Chou Choo Ming is said to be an investor.

Somehow the classic red telephone booth and letterboxes sparked a strong desire for Ling Cod Fish and Chips ($22). I must say it definitely satisfied my cravings, with the cod tasting fresh and the batter light and not very oily. It goes well with the sour cream and malt vinegar sauce that comes with it. One strange observation I have is that most of these cafes serving cod fish have a similar tough rubbery taste that comes with some parts of the fish. According to one of my chef friends, it's due to the frozen fats that comes with the fish whenever these big fishes are imported from overseas.

The Brother picked Fresh Sea Prawn Aglio Olio ($16) which is garlicky rich in taste, a bit oily but who cares, it taste awesome and just how good aglio olio should be. The taste lingers in the mouth which passes my primary criteria for awesome food. The prawns were generous in serving as well. A new place to get my Aglio Olio fix when I'm in town from now on!

d'Good Cafe is also known for their cold brews and the Brother tried D'Unknown Coffee ($7.50) which is just like what the name says. You don't know what coffee you are getting! Turns out it's rose coffee which is a refreshing change from standard coffees at cafes. I like it that it isn't excessively sweet!

For its accessible location and safe cafe menu, I feel that it is a pretty good hang out place for group gatherings and social meet ups. The food standards are above average even though I'm not 'wowed'.  I probably won't bring someone I wish to impress here but I'll definitely recommend this spot for my group gatherings. It's still a very convenient spot to enjoy a comfortable meal at the heart of town.

d'Good Cafe
391 Orchard Road #B1-56 Takashimaya S.C Ngee Ann City