It all started with CL saying "you all should visit my neighbourhood because i stay 1 minute away from Tiong Bahru Bakery!!" 2 weeks ago that got all four of us excited. With much anticipation, my pals and i began our cafe-hopping adventure on a faithful Sat morning to celebrate Twin's bday!
The landscape of Tiong Bahru estate has changed so much over the past few years with the sprouting of new alfresco/concept cafes within the area. However, the shop-house architecture of the residential areas remain unchanged and walking through her neighbourhood made me feel like i've been transported back in time to 1960s Singapore =)
My OOTD for the day:
Electric blue crochet top - MissyPixie
High-waisted shorts - Ms Selfridge
Studded slippers - Topshop
Bag - Alexis bag from Yventually (duh!! =P)
Our first stop? FORTY HANDS, YONG SIAK STREET!
Though we arrived at 11am, the place was already packed with people (mostly foreigners)! Settled for the table right outside the cafe as the make-shift dining area at the back of the cafe (with no aircon) was really stuffy and uncomfortable.
Brunch for the morning =)
Ordering a Tau Sa Pau is not really on our minds when it comes to visiting a cafe like Forty Hands but the waitress kept insisting their bun is a must-try so we gave in.
When she took it out of the basket, i was (highly) skeptical about its taste. I meant, the tau sa pau i know from markets is round and soft-looking but this one's totally flat and simply not the kind i look forward to eating. haha.
However, NEVER judge a book by its cover!!! I'm quite surprised how hot AND soft the bun was and the red bean paste was smooth and just the way i like it =) Pleasant pleasant surprise indeed.
My Cappuccino
Eggs Benedict
Poached eggs with runny yolks. What's not to love? =)
Salmon Hash
This is a dish meant for sharing, especially if you are not a big fan of food that are too creamy. With that being said, the cream sauce works well with the bread slices although i think there should be more salmon chunks in it! haha. Oh, the highlight of the plate? TRUFFLE FRIES!!!!
Happy and satisfied customers =)
Twin couldn't resist and bought a chocolate tart from their array of desserts for her momsy.
Her verdict of the tart (after she got home and tried it)- "The tart is just nice, and the chocolate is not too sweet but flavorful!" haha.
Dropped by some of the quirky boutiques along Yong Siak street like Strangelets and Books Actually while "digesting" our brunch =)
Our next destination was Drips Bakery Cafe on another street so CL brought us around her neighbourhood to show us some of the other eateries along the way!
The famous Bak Kut Teh store!!
Tiong Bahru Bakery (which i will DEFINITELY drop by one day), with The Orange Thimble right next door.
Drips Bakery Cafe, Tiong Poh Road
And it's time for desserts =D
Mixed Fruit Tart
Such a pretty tart with its rich colors though the tart crust was a little too hard. However, kudos to the patissier for not scrimping on the fruits though =)
Dark chocolate banana tart
For all the banana-lovers out there, this is a must-get! =))
We also ordered the Soft Cheesecake with Berry Compote (right) for sharing. The texture of the cheesecake could be softer in my opinion but still a flavorful dessert!
Since Twin had to leave after Drips to get late lunch for her family, we ended our Tiong Bahru cafe-hop after desserts! Now that i know the locations of most of the other cafes, i shall bring theBF on the next cafe-hop adventure and hopefully have time to blog about them too!! =)
-----
If you think i stopped eating after the cafe-hop, YOU ARE SO WRONG! hahaha. I continued my binge-eating (>.<) at Robertsons Quay after meeting theBF!
Hence...3rd stop of the day: Swirls Bake Shop, 8 Rodyk Street
My friend Jun kept raving about this shop after her visit some time ago and I just had to pay this shop a visit. I've had had my fair share of cupcakes from various cupcake patisserie since the craze started but none left an exception impression (except Cupcake Weekend which unfortunately does not own a brick n mortar store) so I was looking forward to Swirls.
Ended up with a box of 6 tiny cupcakes!! =) They were kinda pricey (S$2.50 each) though.
You ready??
From left: Red Velvet, Oh So Cocoa, Strawberry Burst, What's Up Doc (carrot cake with cream cheese frosting)
Overall, they fare much better than the rest of the cupcakes i have eaten!!! The cake base was moist and soft, something i think most cupcakes in Singapore truly lack. My only complaint is that the frosting for certain flavors can be a little too sweet to my liking.
My favorites are Oh So Cocoa (luscious chocolate goodness!) and What's Up Doc because their yummy carrot cake base made me regret buying only the tiny one!
Bro made sure i kept a Nutella cupcake for him so i bought 2 instead and enjoyed one over coffee with theBF.
Nutella filling hidden inside the cake!! =) I was hoping the frosting is a little less sweet but nutella just makes people happy yea?
Took a long stroll along the river as we headed back to Clarke Quay.
Ended up at my favorite BKT restaurant: SongFa Bak Kut Teh, New Bridge Road
You just can't miss this shop because it's right opp Central Mall!
Ahhh, peppery soup with pork ribs. Just heavenly *smacks lips*
We also ordered the braised pork knuckles and salted vegetables to complement our meal!!
So fat, so sinful, SO ME. hahaha.
So did i get you tempted to try any of the cafes/restaurants i mentioned above yet? I sure hope you are not reading this in the middle of the night!! =P haha.
Have a great week everyone! Im anxiously waiting for my stocks to arrive (the wait is excruciating indeed) so i can launch soon!! Also awaiting 2 more sample pieces to reach my supplier so that they can arrive in time for CNY next year *cross fingers*
Until next time~
