ToMo Cafe @ Upper Thomson - Popular Joo Chiat Cafe with Insta-Worthy Specialty Drinks Opens New Outlet in Upper Thomson

ToMo Cafe opened its third outlet at Upper Thomson on 8 October 2024, following its success in Joo Chiat and Neil Road with popular, Instagram-worthy drinks and hearty, Japanese-style food.

This new location will introduce outlet-exclusive dishes, including rice bowls and handcrafted burgers.

To celebrate its opening, the first 100 customers in October will receive a free cloud drink, with November offering free ‘chuffles’ to the first 100 diners. Both promotions are valid with any purchase made.

Iced Houjicha Goma Cloud Latte 4.2/5

From their list of speciality drinks, I was immediately attracted to the Iced Houjicha Goma Cloud Latte ($8), which combines a slightly nutty base of houjicha and a creamy, rich layer of black sesame cloud cream. I thoroughly enjoyed this combination, but it's best enjoyed quickly.

Iced Matcha Strawberry Cloud Latte 4/5

The Iced Matcha Strawberry Cloud Latte ($8) is another crowd favourite, combining matcha and a base of strawberry bits, topped with dairy-free strawberry cream. This was earthy and sweet. Other matcha options include the Iced Matcha Cloud Latte ($8) with sea salt dairy-free cream and the Kagoshima Matcha Latte ($7).

Yuzuri Apple Fresca 3.8/5

For a refreshing non-coffee option, try the sparkling Yuzuri Apple Fresca ($7), made with Aomori apple, yuzu, and cherry blossom extract.

Tako Karaage 4/5

Starting with the Tako Karaage ($12), we enjoyed crunchy, battered octopus chunks paired with a tangy yuzu kosho mayo. Though the chunks could be more evenly battered, we still found it pretty addictive. The substantial portion is also great for sharing.

Grilled Tiger Prawn Capellini 4/5

The cafe staff highly recommended the Grilled Tiger Prawn Capellini ($22). The hefty portion of capellini was tossed in a savoury mentaiko mayo sauce and topped with grilled prawns, ebiko and seaweed. I would recommend this as a sharing dish as the richness may get too heavy for one.

Fish and Chip Burger 3.5/5

The Fish and Chip Burger offered a crispy tempura dory fillet with sour cream tartar, lettuce, and tomato. Unfortunately, the shoestring fries were undercooked during our visit, but we understand it was an issue with the fryer, which will be quickly fixed.

Homemade Tiramisu 3.8/5

For sweets, we decided on ToMo's Homemade Tiramisu ($9), which has a jar of espresso-infused ladyfingers layered with homemade mascarpone cream. You can enhance it with a shot of Baileys or Kahlua for an extra $4.

We appreciated the openness of the kitchen staff to feedback and look forward to seeing improvements once the cafe officially opens its doors.

Photos and words by Jo. A girl who loves her Mala (麻辣) at Da La (大辣), discovering hidden food gems and a good cup of matcha latte. Note: This is an invited tasting.


ToMo Cafe
185 Upper Thomson Road
Singapore 574333
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Website
Nearest MRT: Upper Thomson (TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 9am - 10pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Upper Thomson MRT station. Take Exit 5. Turn left and walk down Upper Thomson Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

SOD Cafe @ Upper Thomson Road - Launches New Night Concept With A Focus On Freshly Made Pasta

Nestled within the Upper Thomson vicinity, SOD Cafe has launched a new night concept focusing on freshly made pasta. There are a total of 7 pasta dishes to choose from, with the bases all made with either linguine or fettuccine. They make their pasta from scratch daily, with portions only limited to 30 per night for now, though they have hoped to increase the daily portions to 50 in the near future!

Taro Milk Tea 4/5, Green Milk Tea 4/5

We started off the meal with their signature bubble tea drinks, such as the Taro Milk Tea and Green Milk Tea with pearls. The drinks were aromatic, creamy and not too sweet, while the black pearls were soft and chewy, providing a great bite to the drinks.

Aglio Olio with Prawns 4.2/5

We opted for their Aglio Olio with Prawns, cooked with fragrant butter garlic and topped with ebiko, and tiger prawns cooked to plump juicy perfection. The addition of ebiko added a nice bite, and the fettuccine pasta was cooked to a nice al dente texture.

Cream Mushroom 4/5

The Cream Mushroom comprises button mushrooms cooked in mixed herbs and cream. It is perfect for pasta lovers who love creamy pasta, and the shrooms' aroma was strong without being too overwhelming. The fettuccine pasta was similarly cooked to a nice al dente texture.

Beef Stew 4.2/5

The Beef Stew comes with tender 8-hour cooked beef shank cubes and cream demi-glaze. The perfectly done fettuccine was smothered in a robust beef gravy, not too heavy yet sufficiently flavourful. Other pasta options are available such as the Spicy Tomato with Wagyu Beef Balls and Salmon Pesto.

Sweet Potato Fries 3.8/5

We also tried their sides, such as the Sweet Potato Fries, which are fluffy and retain a thin layer of crispiness around them.

Photos and words by Crystal. A girl who likes to eat, photograph, and write about food, and dreams about travelling around the world one day. Note: This is an invited tasting.


SOD Cafe
183 Longhaus
183 Upper Thomson Road
#01-05
Singapore 574332
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Nearest MRT: Marymount (CC Line), Upper Thomson (TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1030am – 9pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Marymount MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to junction of Marymount Lane and Thomson Road. Cross the road and turn right. Walk down Thomson Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Upper Thomson MRT station. Take Exit 4. Walk down Upper Thomson Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Ah Ching Claypot Delights @ Midview City (Sin Ming) - Former Head Chef Of Geylang Claypot Rice Is Back Selling His Famous Claypot Rice

I first got to know Ah Ching when he was at East Village. He was the former Head Chef at Geylang Claypot Rice before venturing on its own. Ah Ching had gone missing for a while when he left the food establishment at East Village. He has opened a new stall - Ah Ching Claypot Delights, selling his signature claypot rice at Midview City.

Charcoal Claypot Rice 4.2/5

Ah Ching still cooks his Claypot Rice ($8/ $20) over charcoal fire from scratch using old rice grains. It takes about 20 minutes for him to cook each claypot. Ah Ching will constantly tilt the claypot at a different angle over the fire so that the rice is evenly cooked and not burnt. Add dark sauce to the rice to eat and give it a good toss. Besides the fragrant rice, Ah Ching makes an effort to marinate the chunky and tender chicken pieces too. The addition of salted fish and Chinese sausages accentuated the taste profile and aroma.

Claypot Wine Chicken Soup 3.8/5

I usually like to have my claypot rice with a bowl of soup, so we had the Claypot Wine Chicken Soup ($10). It is a comforting and hearty bowl of soup with a distinct aroma from the Chinese yellow wine. While the accompanying chicken pieces are tender, I wish for more ingredients.

Claypot Chicken in Sesame Oil 4.2/5

Lastly, we complete our meal with the Claypot Chicken in Sesame Oil ($8). I really find Ah Ching knows how to handle his chicken. They are well-marinated and extremely tender, just like the other two claypot dishes. Cooking the chicken in sesame oil gives the poultry a delicious lift in enjoyment.


[MOVED]
Ah Ching Claypot Delights
Midview City
18 Sin Ming Lane
Stall No 4
Singapore 573960
Tel: +65 88796850
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Nearest MRT: Upper Thomson (TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Upper Thomson Road. Take Exit 2. Turn left and walk down Bright Hill Drive. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

Unilever Buffet Restaurant @ Halcyon 2 - Seafood BBQ Buffet In Jalan Pemimpin

Unilever Buffet opened its doors starting mid-January 2023, offering diners a seafood and BBQ buffet in Jalan Pemimpin. It is $53.90 per adult, while children between 5 to 12 years old are at $23.90 per pax on weekdays and $27.90 per pax on weekends. They are running a 50% promo from now till April 2023, with more details on their Facebook page.

Fresh Food Section

There are oysters, salmon sashimi, chirashi, prawns, mussels and scallops in the fresh food section, while the snow crab legs are provided in limited portions per pax. Though we appreciated the creaminess of the oysters, the freshness among the rest of the other items could have been better.

BBQ Section

BBQ is the highlight of the buffet here. They use smoke-free automatic grillers, which helps to reduce the possibility of lingering BBQ smells on your belongings after the meal.

The selection includes fish, pork, chicken and beef, all available in 10 types of marination. The marinations are black pepper, Thai, German, sambal, Japanese, Korean, lemongrass, garlic, mala, and kimchi. A range of condiment dips is also available to pair with the eats. Unfortunately, we did find some of the marinations too salty, while the flavours we preferred more were the black pepper and German style.

Cooked Food Section

For cooked food during our time of visit, there was a spread of 6 dishes - chilli crabs, sweet and sour fish, pork trotters, fried rice, fried noodles and vegetables with mushrooms. They were generous with the chilli crabs, but the overall quality of the spread could be improved.

Dessert Section

Free Flow Bubble Tea

Lastly, for beverages, there is free flow bubble tea, alongside calamansi, blueberry and orange juices, while desserts were a mixture of bakes, such as eclair, cream puffs and swiss rolls.

Photos and words by Jo. A girl who loves her Mala (麻辣) at Da La (大辣), discovering hidden food gems and a good cup of matcha latte. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Unilever Buffet Restaurant
Halcyon 2
47 Jalan Pemimpin
#01-02
Singapore 577200
Tel: +65 98707673
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Nearest MRT: Marymount MRT (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 4pm to 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Marymount MRT station. Take Exit B. Cross the road,  walk down Jalan Pemimpin. Turn left after Tailee building. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

Nummun Thai Kitchen @ Upper Thomson Road - Don't Miss Ordering The Crab Meat Omelette

I have been wanting to visit Nummun Thai Kitchen at Upper Thomson Road after hearing numerous good reviews of the Thai restaurant. I finally got my chance to check out the place recently with a friend. Mainly because of the Thomson East MRT line opening, it is much more accessible to get there now.

Thai Prawn Cake 4/5

We started our dinner with the Thai Prawn Cake ($9). It is a delightful starter with crispy exterior to munch on while waiting for the rest of the dishes to be served. It is paired with a sweet dipping sauce.

Pad Thai 4/5

For the carbo item, we decide to go for the Pad Thai ($8). Unlike most places, I find the version here is less sweet, and the noodles are not as chewy, which is what I prefer. Give the rice noodles a squeeze of the lime and a sprinkle of the chilli flakes to elevate the whole enjoyment.

Stir Fried Kai Lan with Roasted Pork 4/5

For the vegetable dish, I ordered the Stir Fried Kai Lan with Roasted Pork ($12). I always enjoyed the addition of roasted pork to the stir-fried vegetable. I find that it will enhance the flavour. Furthermore, it is like having two dishes in one. Maybe that is the greedy me at play.

Crab Meat Omelette 4.2/5

Many customers come for the Crab Meat Omelette ($28). The Thai dish that got famous after Jay Fai Bangkok got a Michelin Star brought the dish onto the world map. I have not tried Jay Fai, so I can't compare the difference. I only can say I enjoyed the crab meat omelette here. It was fluffy with generous servicing of crab meat in it. It is also not as oily as some that I have eaten.

Making a reservation before going down is advisable as the restaurant can get pretty crowded.


Nummum Thai Kitchen
Thomson Imperial Court
200 Upper Thomson Road
#01-03
Singapore 574424
Tel: +65 88868699
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Nearest MRT: Upper Thomson (TE Line), Marymount (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 1130am - 3pm, 530pm - 9pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Upper Thomson MRT station. Take Exit 3. Walk straight down Upper Thomson Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Marymount MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn left and cut through the housing estate towards Thomson Community Club. At Thomson Community Club, walk to Upper Thomson Road. Turn right onto Upper Thomson Road. Walk down Upper Thomson Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Fei Lou Fatt @ Upper Thomson Road - White Restaurant Group Opens New Prawn Noodle & Lok Lok Concept

Newly opened at Upper Thomson Road, beside Springleaf MRT station exit 1 is Fei Lou Fatt, a Prawn Noodle and Lok Lok concept by the White Restaurant Group.

Signature Fei Lou Noodle Soup 4.2/5

We started with the Signature Fei Lou Noodle Soup ($20), which comes with 3 half sliced Ang Kar prawns, fork-tender braised pork ribs and abalone in a slurp-worthy bowl of umami-rich prawn broth. The broth's rich flavour comes from the generous use of fresh prawn heads, slow-cooked for up to 10 hours. Unlike other prawn noodles stalls, the pork ribs here are braised, flavouring the tenderness enjoyment.

Signature Fei Lou Noodle Dry 4/5

There is also a dry version of the Signature Fei Lou Noodle Dry ($20), which is tossed in an addictive homemade hae bee hiam volcano chilli that complements the ingredients and the noodle.

The prawn noodle comes with an assortment of choice ingredients such as the Big Prawn Noodle ($16), Prawn Noodle (Small: $8, Big: $11), Prawn and Braised Pork Ribs Noodle (Small: $8, Big: $11) and Braised Pork Ribs Noodle (Small: $8, Big: $11). There are both soup and dry versions, and the choice of noodles include the usual suspects of Bee Hoon, Thick Bee Hoon, Kway Teow and Yellow Noodle to suit different palates.

Big Prawn Zuke 4.2/5

The Big Prawn Zuke ($16) is a unique offering on the menu, inspired by Ochazuke (rice porridge). It is served with fragrant fluffy Japanese rice topped with big succulent Ang Kar prawns and a crispy homemade fried rice cracker for a textural crunch. There is also the Prawn-zuke ($8) version which comes with vannamei prawns.

Braised Pork Ribs with Rice 4/5

I asked the owner which is his favourite dish on the menu, and he recommended that we try the Braised Pork Ribs with Rice ($6.80). It is not the Taiwanese-style version, but it is a delicious rice bowl with fork tender meat.

Lok Lok 4/5

Apart from the mains, customers can pick from a wide variety of over 20 types of Lok Lok ($1.20 to $3) to complement their meal. There are 4 different types of seasoning to choose from - Sze Chuan Mala, Seaweed, BBQ and Furikake. In addition, have them with the dipping sauces (Mayonnaise, Thai Sweet Chilli and Thai Seafood Green Chilli) for the ultimate lok lok experience.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Fei Lou Fatt
928 Upper Thomson Road
Singapore 787121
Tel: +65 62523400
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Springleaf (TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 8am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Springleaf MRT station. Take Exit 1. Walk straight to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]