Le Matin Patisserie @ ION Orchard - A New Dawn, Le Matin’s New Concept Cafe Featuring Its Biggest Menu

Le Matin Patisserie has unveiled its new permanent space in ION Orchard, officially welcoming diners from 1 February 2023. It has Le Matin's biggest menu yet, featuring 4 categories of French delicacies: Cakes and Pastries, Sweet and Savoury, Brunch (from 11am to 3pm), and Dinner and Dessert (from 6pm to 10pm). Chef-owner Mohamed Al-Matin will also be introducing a variety of new items alongside this opening.

Coffee lovers will be happy to know that the cafe uses a special blend from Nylon Coffee Roasters, an exclusive blend of two single-origin coffee beans. It is used in all of the coffee beverages here.

Smoked Beef Cheek Banh Mi 4.2/5

We started with the Smoked Beef Cheek Banh Mi ($18) from its Best of Brunch menu. You will find 48-hour braised and smoked wagyu beef cheeks, pickled carrots, daikon, black garlic and chimichurri in a laminated brioche. My dining companions enjoyed this for the smoky and tender beef cheeks.

Black Truffle Scrambled Eggs Croissant 4.2/5

In the Black Truffle Scrambled Eggs Croissant ($34), the crisp round croissant burger is stacked with black truffle aioli, truffle paste, fluffy scrambled eggs, and topped with 8g of sliced black truffles. The combination is likeable, especially with the truffle flavour permeating the eggs. However, we hoped for more truffle aioli to tie everything together.

Seafood Pot Pie 4.2/5

Luxuriously topped with ikura, the Seafood Pot Pie ($24) has hidden a variety of seafood in its puff pastry, such as snapper, salmon belly, Tiger prawns, green mussels, clams and scallops. This savoury number had a hearty creaminess in the middle, complementing the bursts of savoury ikura. My only gripe is that the base of the pastry got softer from the filling.

Chutoro Brioche Feuilletée 4.5/5

The Chutoro Brioche Feuilletée ($38) is a pricey piece and a crowd favourite among the items we tried. It has chunky shoyu-cured chutoro sandwiched with sea urchin butter, edamame mash, yuzu wasabi mayo and pickled red onions for the extra acidity to cut through the richness. It was rich and fatty in a good way. It would be even better if the yuzu wasabi mayo had a stronger kick to contrast!

Moules Marinieres 4/5

From the dinner menu, we had the Moules Marinieres ($28), white wine-poached blue mussels with enoki fritters, and white fungus cooked in parsley oil with a side of toasted brioche. The blue mussels were fresh, and the savoury broth albeit saltier, had a fragrant and distinct touch of parsley, which was perfect for soaking up with the warm brioche.

Sake Lees & Macadamia, Choux Bun 4/5

The Sake Lees & Macadamia, Choux Bun ($14) is one of the brand new items to expect. On a base of macadamia yuzu crunch, you have a choux bun filled with Sake Lees mousse and a macadamia praline centre, topped with Sake Lees jelly, yuzu and a dusting of silver flakes. It leaned towards sweeter while the yuzu component came to light.

Fromage de vos Reves 4/5

Le Matin pays tribute to Restaurant Andre's famed homemade camembert cheese dessert with its Fromage de vos Reves ($21), which translates to "Cheese of Your Dreams". It may look simple, but it has quite a lot going on - a rillat savarin mousse, reblochon creameux and comte sponge, topped with milk crumble glaze, served with a side of creme fraiche ice cream. The cheese profile is strong and pungent, which may not be for everyone, but more for the big fans of cheese.

Tarte Aux Noix de Cajou 4/5

Our last dessert was the Tarte Aux Noix de Cajou ($20). On layers of cashew custard, cashew nougatine and filo pastry, it's further elevated with orange blossom-scented mulberries and Pedro Ximenez cream. It's nutty and sweet, best for sharing.

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.


Le Matin Patisserie
ION Orchard
2 Orchard Turn
#B2-49
Singapore 238801
Facebook
Instagram
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard MRT (NS Line, TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 10am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit 4. Walk to destination. Journey time about 4 mins. [Map]

Amika Cafe & Bar @ Teck Chye Terrace – Aesthetic Café In Serangoon Serving Asian Western Fusion Food, All-Day Brunches, Mains And Sides

Located just a stone's throw away from Serangoon MRT is Amika Cafe & Bar. They have opened since last year, serving a wide range of all-day classic brunches, pasta, donburis and desserts.

Big Breakfast 3.5/5

The Big Breakfast ($20) features a colourful platter of scrambled eggs, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms, sausages, hash brown, bacon, mixed salad and toasted sourdough. All the components were executed decently, except for the scrambled eggs, which had a nice fluffy texture but felt slightly under-seasoned. However, the bacon was a tad salty, and the hash brown was overly crispy, lacking fluffiness.

Amika French Toast 3/5

The Amika French Toast ($18) comes with crispy bacon, sausage, caramelised banana, strawberries and maple syrup. While the dish was aesthetically pleasing, the french toast was dry in the middle as the egg batter was not soaked thoroughly, lacking the soft custardy texture a french toast should have.

Mentaiko Prawn Pasta 3.5/5

They have quite a huge selection of pasta available with interesting fusion options such as the Prawn Laksa Pasta, Spicy Tamarind Pork Pasta, and Clam Pasta with Thai Chilli Jam. The Mentaiko Prawn Pasta ($17.80) is a mentaiko creamy-based prawn spaghetti topped with tobiko prawn roe, seaweed and grated cheese. While the spaghetti is al dente and the prawns are well cooked, the mentaiko flavour was not rich enough, rendering the pasta dish a tad bland.

Sweet Potato Fries 3.8/5

You can't go wrong with the Sweet Potato Fries ($11) paired with a side of sriracha mayo. They were nicely crisp on the outside, though it could be fluffier on the inside.

Taro Toast 4/5

My favourite dish was the Taro Toast ($11.90), paired with a taro gelato, crispy, fluffy thick toast, crumbles and whipped cream. The taro gelato is creamy and mildly sweet, with a hint of nuttiness. In addition, a small jug of taro sauce was provided to drizzle on the toast, which elevated the taro flavour.

With a huge variety of dishes and drinks on the menu, Amika Cafe & bar has one of the most aesthetically pleasing food and drinks I've encountered. Remember to order one of their vibrant, colourful drinks too. We opted for the Taro Latte ($6.50), which has a gorgeous purple hue. It is not too sweet and has a nice milky taro flavour.

Words and photos 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.


AMIKA Café & Bar
9 Teck Chye Terrace
Singapore 545720
Tel: +65 62416393
Facebook
Instagam
Nearest MRT: Serangoon (CC Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Thu: 11am - 9pm
Fri: 11am - 11pm
Sat: 10am - 11pm
Sun & PH: 10am - 9pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Serangoon MRT station. Take Exit B, C & H. Walk to Upper Serangoon Road. Turn left onto Upper Serangoon Road. Walk down Upper Serangoon Road Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Cafe Natsu @ Joo Chiat - Offers Refreshed Flavours With A Stronger Japanese Influence

Following the opening of their second outlet at Clemenceau Citadines Connect Hotel just six months from the brand's debut in the heritage district of Joo Chiat, Cafe Natsu has launched a refreshed set of offerings for their Joo Chiat outlet as well. Approximately half the menu features brand-new dishes with a stronger Japanese influence.

Fried Ebi Croquette 4.2/5

We kickstarted the meal with the Fried Ebi Croquette ($12) appetiser. The deep-fried ebi croquette has a nice crispy exterior. Biting into it reveals a moist and creamy shrimp filling on the inside.

Wagyu Hamburg 4/5

The Wagyu Hamburg ($26) with Okonomiyaki was one of our favourites. The hamburg was tender and juicy, while the pan-fried base of batter and cabbage was executed perfectly as well. The combination of western wagyu hamburg and Japanese Okonomuyaki hit all the right notes with its savoury flavours. The downside is that it might get slightly cloying with such a highly-flavoured dish.

Cold Somen 3.8/5

The Cold Somen ($14) features a bowl of al dente somen with confit egg yolk, soy dashi, myiga, capers, cucumber and shiso. Break the yolk and mix all the ingredients for a creamy finish. The dish may be a tad mild in flavour, which might be more suitable for diners who prefer a lighter main.

Mochi Fried Doughnuts 4.2/5

We ended the meal on a sweet note with the Mochi Fried Doughnuts ($12). Whilst simple, the dessert is nothing short of amazing. The mochi doughnuts were superbly fluffy and chewy on the inside. It does not have many flavours on its own, so dipping into the salted Hokkaido milk ice cream lends a nice saltish-sweet creamy flavour to the doughnuts, which elevates the whole experience.

The evolving menu goes beyond traditional brunch standards to offer versatile, comforting dishes ideal for any time of day — a testament to the Café Natsu team's progressive interpretation of a cafe experience.

Words and photos 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.


Cafe Natsu
283 Joo Chiat Road
Singapore 427537
Tel: +65 88864497
Facebook
Instagram
Website
Nearest MRT: Dakota (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 830am - 530pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Dakota MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn right and walk to bus stop at block 99 (Stop ID 81181). Take bus number 33. Alight 4 stops later. Walk to Koon Seng Road. Turn right onto Koon Seng Road. Walk to Joo Chiat Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Bearded Bella @ Hillcrest Road - Popular Brunch Spot Second Outlet At Bukit Timah Offers New Dinner Menu

Bearded Bella opened its second outlet in Bukit Timah last year. They recently launched a new dinner menu featuring homemade doughnut burgers and some of their favourite brunch dishes.

Cheesy Black Garlic Goodness 4.2/5

The Cheesy Black Garlic Goodness ($19) features 100% Australian beef patty burger, with added cheddar and black garlic mayo on doughnut, together with lettuce, crispy onions, and bacon. The beef patty is superbly tender and juicy, while the fluffy doughnuts are sweet, balancing the burger's savoury components.

Ahjumma's Corned Beef 4/5

The Ahjumma's Corned Beef ($20) features house-cured corned beef brisket with homemade gojuchang mayo on doughnut, along with bacon, baby cos lettuce, and crispy onions. Similar to the Cheesy Black Garlic Goodness doughnut burger but with a touch of Korean flair with the addition of gojuchang mayo.

Scallop & Cold Pasta 4.5/5

One of their signature items is the Scallop & Cold Pasta ($22), which consists of tender-seared Canadian Scallops atop capellini pasta and chuka wakame marinated with truffle and yuzu ponzu. The pasta was perfectly al dente and had a nice strong truffle flavour.

Charred Asparagus 3.5/5

The Charred Asparagus ($15) features spiced yuzu pepper hollandaise, topped with pomegranate and fried capers. While the asparagus was crunchy and juicy, the yuzu pepper hollandaise was a tad too bland and watery. Unfortunately, it did not add much flavour to the asparagus.

Pain Perdu (AKA Fancy French Toast) 4/5

The Pain Perdu (AKA Fancy French Toast) ($20) was incredibly soft and fluffy, with bits of pink guava and peach fruits embedded within that lend a citrusy touch to the french toast.

Words and photos 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.


Bearded Bella
73 Hillcrest Rd
Singapore 288945
Tel: +65 82012312
Facebook
Instagram
Website
Nearest MRT: Tan Kah Kee (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Fri: 730am - 5pm
Sat-Sun: 730am - 6pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Tan Kah Kee MRT station. Take Exit A. Use the overhead bridge to Exit B. Walk straight to Hillcrest Road. Turn right onto Hillcrest Road. Walk down Hillcrest Road and make a left into Greenwood Avenue. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

Musette Cafe @ Thye Hong Centre - Brunch Classics With An Asian Flair And Sweets From Kōbō by Melissa

Musette, located at Thye Hong Centre, is a casual bistro that serves brunch classics with an Asian flair. Kōbō by Melissa also resides within Musette, providing diners with her signature creations of cakes and pastries using Japanese techniques.

Breakfast Sando 4.5/5

A more exciting brunch item on the menu, and is also one of Musette's signatures, is the Breakfast Sando ($19). Packing the breakfast essentials between 2 toasted fluffy white bread with evenly brown crusts, well-grilled smoked bacon, soft scrambled egg and slices of wholesome avocado bound together by oozy cheddar cheese and chipotle sauce. There were also some finely chopped pickles to lend some acidity to its richness. And what also made it such a delicious sando were the two fluffy slices of bread that come with evenly brown buttery crusts, lightly toasted with butter to enhance their toasty notes.

Shakshuka 3.5/5

Shakshuka ($18.00) is a new brunch item. While I love the bold and robust tomato sauce, which makes a good Shakshuka, it is more cohesive as a dish without the Chicken sausage by the side. It seems awkward to me.

Spicy Crab Rigatoni 3/5

Under Mains, we tried the Spicy Crab Rigatoni. This rendition will hit the right spot if you like yours with a good amount of heat. However, the saltish tobiko works better with mild flavours instead of layering such highly flavoured dish with even more savouriness.

Kale & Avocado Salad 3.5/5

Kale & Avocado Salad ($18) comes with a heap of Fried Kale which sits well even with non-greens lovers. The sweet and citrusy Honey Thyme dressing complimented the bitter greens and sharp feta cheese.

Kaya Butter Roll 5/5

Tiramisu 4/5

On your visit, you must give Kōbō cakes here a try! The Kaya Butter Roll ($8) is simply divine. Nothing was overpowering or overly sweet, which allowed the pandan flavour to come through. The pandan cake roll was light, soft and fluffy, and the aromatic kaya inside enhanced that pandan flavour, leaving a lingering pandan scent on my palette. In addition, the light French butter stick embedded within added a creamy mouthfeel to the cake, which elevated the overall experience.

Photos and words by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Musette x Kōbō by Melissa
Thye Hong Centre
2 Leng Kee Road
#01-06
Singapore 159086
Tel: +65 80310131
Facebook
Instagam 
Website 
Nearest MRT: Redhill (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon – Sun: 8.00am – 5.00pm
Monday: ONLY Pastry & Beverage

Direction:
1) Alight at Redhill MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn right and walk down Tiong Bahru Road. Continue onto Leng Kee Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Pang Zi Durian @ Jurong West - Neighbourhood Durian Specialty Cafe

Looking for durian treats but can't wait for the durian season to arrive? Pang Zi Durian is a neighbourhood durian speciality cafe aiming to offer a wide range of handcrafted durian desserts that contain no preservatives to satisfy your cravings. They've recently launched three new innovative durian creations.

Durian Milkshake 3.5/5

The first dessert we had was their Durian Milkshake ($6.50). It was creamy and smooth, with a thick consistency. Mix the shake thoroughly to enjoy the durian flesh on the bottom. The shake tastes more on the milky end, while the durian notes are much lighter. It can get quite heavy for some, hence would recommend sharing this with a friend.

Mao Shan Wang Spaghettieis 3.8/5

The unique Mao Shan Wang Spaghettieis ($11.90) has pasta-shaped mao shan wang gelato sitting on vanilla cream, with coconut cream and coconut flakes on top. The mao shan wang gelato was rich, while the vanilla cream gave a different dimension to the dessert. We also appreciated the crisp bits of coconut flakes. We recommend sharing this as the sweetness and creaminess can get quite heavy. It melts pretty fast, so digs into it quickly upon serving.

Durian Sticky Rice 4.2/5

Our favourite was the Durian Sticky Rice ($7.90). You have warm glutinous rice served with coconut cream and a generous portion of unadulterated durian flesh. The rice was lovely. It was soft, chewy and fragrant, everything you'd want your sticky rice to be. If you want something not too sweet, this is the one to go for among the three shared here.

Apart from these new creations, Pang Zi Durian also offers other items, like durian puffs, durian mousse, and a range of ice cream flavours such as white coconut, dark chocolate, lychee yuzu, salted caramel popcorn, ondeh ondeh and more.

If you can't pop by their space, Pang Zi Durian also does island-wide delivery at $5 for a minimum spending of $40 and free for orders $80 and above. For Jurong and Bukit Batok residents, you can enjoy free delivery at a minimum of $40.

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.


Pang Zi Durian
Block 492 Jurong West Street 41
#01-18
Singapore 640492
Tel: +65 81939559
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Lakeside (EW Line)

Opening Hours
Daily: 12pm - 10pm

Directions:
1) Alight at Lake Side MRT station. Take Exit A. Cross the road. Walk to bus stop opposite Lakeside MRT station (Stop ID 28099). Take bus number 98 and 187. Alight 4 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

Working Title Riverside @ Kampong Bugis - Halal Cafe Offering Delicious Gourmet Burgers, Brunch And Coffee

Nestled beside Singapore's longest river, Working Title Riverside is surrounded by luscious greeneries, natural lighting, bicycle-friendly al fresco seating, with child and pet-friendly amenities. It was opened earlier this year at Kallang Riverside Condominium and has already garnered quite a following for its quality food and lovely ambience. The place was packed in the late afternoon, even on the weekend.

Working Big Breakfast 4.2/5

From the brunch menu, we had the Working Big Breakfast ($24) consisting of toasted sourdough, scrambled eggs, baked beans, grilled sausage, mushroom ragu, roasted tomato and tater tots. Every ingredient on the plate was executed perfectly, and we absolutely loved the well-seasoned and fluffy scrambled eggs.

Jammy Chicken Waffle 4.2/5

One of their most popular items is the Jammy Chicken Waffle ($18) which features buttermilk waffles, fried chicken, jammy sunny side-up, and maple butter with hot sauce on the side. The fried chicken was perfectly crispy on the outside and tender and juicy within. The buttermilk waffle was superbly fluffy and paired well with the maple butter.

Banana French Toast 4/5

The Banana French Toast ($18) came served with mocha granola, caramelised banana, chocolate ganache, lemon mascarpone and caramel sauce. The french toast has a slightly caramelised and toasted exterior while retaining a soft and fluffy texture within that we thoroughly enjoyed. Customers can opt to top up a scoop of gelato at an additional $3.

Truffle Tater Tots 4/5

The Truffle Tater Tots ($13) is definitely a safe choice for the less adventurous. The mini hash browns are perfectly crispy and drizzled with truffle oil and shaved parmesan.

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.


Working Title Riverside
Kampong Riverside Condominium
51 Kampong Bugis
#01-03
Singapore 338986
Tel: +65 87213153
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Lavender (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 8am - 6pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Lavender MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Crawford Street. Turn right onto Crawford Street and walk down Crawford Street. Cross the bridge at Kallang Riverside Park West across the canal. Turn left at Kampong Bugis. Walk down Kampong Bugis to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]