Pig N Whistle Bistro & Bar @ Hexacube (Changi Road) - Great British Fare And Quality British Craft Beers & Ciders In The Heartland

Pig N Whistle recently opened at Hexacube, which is just around 5 minutes walk from Eunos MRT. It is really a nice place for you to have a drink at the bar and indulge in some delicious food at the same time. Even though there is no service charge here, the customer service is prompt, warm and friendly.

First of, the drinks serve here are really unique as they aren’t the typical beers or ciders that bars in Singapore serve. We are recommended the bottle ciders which was purely made out of apple juice and alcohol, no sugar is added. Ciders like Somersby usually has sugar added, and here at Pig N Whistle, they want it to be all natural for health reasons.

As I’m a sweet person, I would recommend the Sheppy’s Cloudy Cider ($12) with ribena (only upon request at the bar) or even the Sheppy’s Raspberry Cider, in which they add real raspberry juice in the drink. Another drink you should give a go is their Caramel Vodka ($10) which they make in-house by mixing salted caramel and vodka for 10 days. You’ll never get something like this elsewhere.

Vegan Burger 4/5

For burgers, they had a vegan option called the Vegan Burger ($16.90) which uses yellow beans, capsicum, spanish onions, swiss brown mushrooms, carrot and herbs in their patty. As you can tell, a lot of effort goes into making this burger an unforgettable experience for those who give it a go.

Fish & Chips 4/5

The Fish & Chips ($15.90) here has a really crispy and flavourful house made beer batter that has its own British twist. Something else that is really unique is the mushy peas at the side that is served in English cuisines. It is boiled till the skins fall out and then mashed to a certain consistency before being served.

Pork Chop 4.5/5

The star for me was the Pork Chop ($18.90) and I loved how they use free range pigs that have 10,000 acres to roam. It is well seasoned and served with a side of British gravy that I would die for. The British gravy also goes very well with the creamy mash potatoes.

Full Monty 4/5

If you’re planning to visit this place on weekends, you’ll love the Full Monty ($18.50) here which consisted of 2 eggs, 2 bacons, 2 sausages, 2 hash browns, black pudding, mushrooms, beans, and bread/toast. The fat and juicy sausages are made of 70% pork meat, 30% fat and 3 secret spices. It will have you wanting more of it with that robust flavours. You might also be wondering what is the black pudding? It’s actually an English name for blood sausage which had an acquired taste. If you think this portion is too much for you, they can have a Half Monty ($14.50).

Burrito 4/5

Under the snack section, there is the Burrito ($12.90). Honestly, it’s a full meal itself at 12-inch. It is stuffed with egg, bacon, potato, cheddar cheese, capsicum, lettuce, tomato, onion and a chili salsa, finished with a nicely grilled tortilla. The chili salsa was pretty spicy for me as I can’t really take spicy food but you might love this salsa as it is house-made too. Plus, for the size, it is super value for money.

If you come at Happy Hours, the House Wines & Spirits are 15% off and Snacks are 10% off. The Happy Hours are Saturday and Sunday,12pm to 7pm, and Monday to Friday, 5pm-8pm.

Photos and words by Vanessa Chia. A girl who has a passion for taking photos. Determined to always get better at what I am doing. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Pig N Whistle Bistro & Bar
Hexacube
160 Changi Road
#01-08
Singapore 419728
Tel: +65 67474367
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Nearest MRT: Eunos (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 5pm - 1am
Sat: 12pm - 1am
Sun: 10am - 1am

Direction:
1) Alight at Eunos MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to traffic light and across the road. Turn right and go around the estate to Changi Road. Cross Changi Road, turn left and walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

SPRMRKT Daily and SPRMRKT Kitchen & Bar @ Robertson Quay - Dine, Retail and Art Concept Under One Roof

Whether or not you are into arts, museums and galleries, dining in places with strong arts affiliations tend to pepper the overall experience. If that's the case for you, you may enjoy SPRMRKT Daily and Kitchen & Bar at STPI-Workshop & Gallery, Robertson Quay. Situated right beside the river, the 2 storey building can't be more apt to house SPRMRKT's second establishment where it combines dining, retail and art space into one, all set to inspire the soul and mind of yours.

Blackened Fish & Chips 3/5

At SPRMRKT Daily, we tried 2 of its menu's mainstays brought from its first establishment at McCallum Street. Blackened Fish & Chips ($20) with batter blackened by squid ink. Although I couldn't really taste the squid ink, I enjoyed its light and airy texture while the fish was kept moist. The sweet potato fries was moreish and its in-house slaw was even more so!

Carbonara 3/5

The Carbonara ($20) was hearty with lots of bacon toasted for extra texture. Break that soft poached egg and you will get a velvety finish to the creamy sauce. We had the pasta sat for a while and the sauce flavoured with aged pamarsan seemed to have seeped deeper into the pasta, which was even better as it seemed to be a little too watery when it was served.

While waiting for your food, spend some time at the retail section that has curated brands of similar values and virtues. You will find independent labels here with deep traditional and/or artisanal roots such as Cerana Honey (a producer of sustainable honey), Bruneus (the first retailer of activated nuts in Singapore), The Hunter’s Kitchenette (a maker of nut butter inspired by the hunter-gatherer lifestyle). What stood out for me while browsing is Chocolate Concierge, the first artisanal chocolate-maker focused on bringing the cocoa trade to Malaysia. Not because that their chocolate bars are exclusive to SPRMRKT, each bar of chocolate simply looks like a gift hand wrapped with a designer wrapper. Not just food, SPRMRKT also collaborates with Mmerciencore for their exclusive Mint Cream cleanser, and Kamilinen, who hand-stitched their staff's aprons! Even BooksActually found its way onto the shelf.

Croque-Madame 3.5/5

On the second level of the space is SPRMRKT Kitchen & Bar which offers a European bistro style menu. Our brunch started with the Croque-Madame ($20). Indeed, it was a french portion but its taste did surpass my expectation. Crispy Farmer's white with creamy and flavourful béchamel in between to harmonise the cheese and the meaty ham. The fried egg in panko breadcrumb crust was a delight too.

Chicken Pot Pie 2.8/5

Unveiling what's underneath the puffy dome is always exciting of the Chicken Pot Pie ($18). In it we got a creamy mixture of chicken, potatoes and carrots. The base wasn't too creamy and dipping the pastry into it is like dipping a fluffy prata into curry. It was good but a thicker and richer base may enhances the experience a lot more. I also don't quite get that joy and happiness of eating a pot pie. Well it may be a personal thing.

Smoked Chicken Ravioli 2.5/5

Smoked Chicken Ravioli ($22) Ravioli, like risotto is a challenging dish to handle. The skin, the filling and the proportion of both need to be rather precise. Perhaps, this dish needs more time.

Weekend Roast 3.8/5

Saving the best for the last, our Weekend Roast ($34) was made up of 180g Pork Belly, homemade ricotta, Yorkshire pudding, mushrooms and vine-ripped tomatoes. No seasoning required when the meat itself was flavoured by its own melty fats lined with crispy skin. I love the homemade ricotta which lighten the meat like how yogurt does to meat. The accompanying mushrooms and tomatoes were leads in their own right.

Bread & Butter Pudding 3.8/5

To round up our Sunday Brunch, I would say SPRMRKT's Bread & Butter Pudding ($10) did it. The taste of the sweet, buttery and flaky viennoiserie followed by the warm custard, juxtaposed against a fine classic vanilla ice cream, spells nothing but bliss for that moment. Yes, more ice cream please!

Like a petite four after dessert, bring home a piece of inspiration by spending some time at Here/Now @ SPRMRKT Daily which showcases one artwork at a time, allowing you be fully present with the artwork in front of you. There is always something new to contemplate each time you drop by. Here at SPRMRKT Daily and Kitchen & Bar, showcasing fresh produce, local and regional artisanal products and artwork, you may find yourself spending half a day away browsing, eating, drink and admiring the art pieces. You may just be inspired and get some fresh produce home to whip up a few good dishes of your own!

Words and photos 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. Noted: This is an invited tasting.


SPRMRKT Daily and SPRMRKT Daily Kitchen & Bar
STPI-Workshop & Gallery
41 Robertson Quay
Singapore 238236
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Nearest MRT: Chinatown (DT Line, NE Line), Clarke Quay (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
SPRMRKT Daily
Mon-Wed, Sun: 8am - 11pm
Thu-Sat: 8am - 12midnight

SPRMRKT Kitchen & Bar
Tue-Wed: 6pm - 10pm
Thu-Fri: 6pm - 12midnight
Sat: 1030am - 430pm, 6pm - 12midnight
Sun: 1030am - 430pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Chinatown MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to bus stop along Upper Cross Street (Stop ID 06171). Take bus number 51 and 186. Alight 1 stop later. Cross the road and walk towards the river. Cross the bridge and walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk to bus stop at Clark Quay Station (Stop ID 04222). Take bus number 54. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to the end UE Square Shopping Mall. Cross the road onto Merbau Road. Walk to the end and turn right. Walk down the river to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

Fish & Chicks @ Cathay Cineleisure Orchard - Salted Egg Yolk Fish & Chips Comes to Orchard

Fish & Chicks is a Western food stall started at a coffeeshop in Ang Mo Kio. Known for its popular salted egg yolk and chilli sauce fish & chips, it soon gained popularity on social media and crowd started to flock to the humble stall. Don't undermine the power of social media, diners need to queue up to 2 hours just to have a taste of their fish & chips once it went viral on social media. With the success, Fish & Chicks soon opens its second outlet in the food court at the basement of Cathay Cineleisure Orchard.

Salted Egg Yolk Fish & Chips 4/5

I have a meeting in town a couple of weeks ago and I took the opportunity to check out their second outlet at the basement of Cineleisure. I was surprised but glad that there wasn't a long queue like their Ang Mo Kio outlet. I placed my order and have my lunch served in less than 10 minutes.

After having a bite of the Salted Egg Yolk Sauce Fish & Chips ($10.90), I can understand why the hype. The batter was deep fried to a crackling crispiness and dressed in a rich salted egg yolk sauce. The salted egg yolk sauce is the creamy type instead of the more robust grainy version. Not what I prefer but still decent. The fish itself is moist and provided the nice contrast against the batter. Doubt they are using fresh fish since it is a fast food style business concept but the quality used is good enough.

Overall I find the Salted Egg Yolk Fish & Chips above average and it is worth trying, provided you do not need to queue for hours for it. If you want to skip the queue, I would advise going to the Orchard outlet as it seems that not many people is aware of it. Furthermore it is inside a mall which is air conditioned.


Fish & Chicks
Cathay Cineleisure Orchard
8 Grange Road
Singapore 239695
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Nearest MRT: Somerset (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 10pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Somerset MRT station. Take Exit B. Go all the way to the ground level. Turn left and walk to the junction of Orchard Road and Grange Road. Cross the road and turn left onto Grange Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Pipe District Bistro @ Science Park 2 - The New Black, Charcoal Fish & Chips

Pipe District Bistro is a rather new bistro in the quiet Science Park 2, offering modern European cuisine in an industrial themed setting surrounded with metal, pipes and wood decor. I took notice of the bistro when I come across the beautiful blue wall and black charcoal fish & chips on social media.

For the hot afternoon, we ordered the Lemon, Lime & Bitters and Iced Lemon Tea to cool ourselves from the humid weather. For those prefers some Archipelago Beers, there are the Belgian Wit, Bohemian Lager, Irish Ale and Summer Ipa.

Charcoal Dory Fish & Chips 4/5

The Charcoal Fish & Chips is what I am here for after seeing all the instagram photos. It comes with a choice of sweet potato fries or normal fries. Served with green salad, tartar dressing and malt vinegar. Besides the dory fish, customers also have a choice of Scottish Salmon ($18), Dory ($14) or Atlantic Cod ($20).

Charcoal Dory Fish & Chips 4/5

I have the Charcoal Dory Fish & Chips ($14). The black gold comes with a thin crispy batter that encased a firm and flaky white meat that is bursting with the natural sweetness of the dory fish.

Soft Shell Crab Pasta Pasta 4/5

Pipe District Bistro likes to give choices to their customers. For the pasta dish, customer gets to pick their protein, carbo and sauce. We went for the crispy soft shell crab, fettuccine and tomato arrabiata. The Crispy Soft Shell Crab Fettuccine with Tomato Arrabita ($12) is cooked to an enjoyable al dente with the hint of spicy sweet tomato arrabiata sauce rounding off for a delectable finishing.

What I like about Pipe District Bistro is the huge spacing with a choice of indoor and outdoor seating. Unlike many other cafes or bistros, the place is still not really being discovered and I can still enjoy a peaceful meal here.


Pipe District Bistro
Science Park 2
The Gemini
45 Science Park Road
#01-09
Singapore 117407
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Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line), Haw Par Villa (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 11pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at Clementi MRT station (Stop ID 17179). Take bus number 183. Alight 13 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 30 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Haw Par Villa MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop opposite Haw Par Villa MRT station (Stop ID 16011). Take bus number 10, 30, 51, 143, 188 or 200. Alight 2 stops later. Walk to traffic light junction. Cross the road Science Park Road. Walk down science park road to destination. Journey time about 20 minutes. [Map]

Sunrise Bistro & Bar @ Big Splash East Coast

If you looking for a French cuisine at affordable price in a comfort and casual ambience, near the beach, then Sunrise Bistro & Bar at Big Splash East Coast will be a good place to consider. Sunrise Bistro & Bar is helmed by Execute Chef and Owner Vincent Teng with 22 years of culinary experience under his belt. He used to work at  many well established hotels and restaurants, latest was at Table 66 and Skyve Elementary Bistro & Bar before venturing out on his own.

Seafood Chowder Soup 4.2/5

The first dish that was served, already got me curious with Chef Vincent's cuisine. Tomato is added to the Seafood Chowder Soup ($12) to give it a bit of acidity on top of the creamy soup with seasonal seafood. It is then topped with chives and a few drops of extra virgin olive oil. The creaminess of the soup and the tanginess from the tomato provided a comforting and hearty enjoyment.

Luncheon Chips 4/5

I am not sure how the kitchen managed to sliced the luncheon meat into such thin slices. These Luncheon Chips are extremely addictive.

Seared Foie Gras 4.2/5

The Seared Foie Gras ($19) is a nice starter before mains. The beautifully seared goose liver is rest on a brioche bread layered with mango, with citrus jam and berry compote at the side. I like the use of mango to cut through the gaminess of the foie gras, with the jam and berry compote providing an injection of acidity.

Sunrise Fish & Chips 4/5

This is definitely not your usual fish & chips. The Sunrise Fish & Chips ($26) actually comes with a whole red snapper deep fried to crispy. It is served with lemon myrtie pepper, mango salsa, tartare sauce and french fries.

Cereal Crusted Cod Fish 4.2/5

The other fish item on the menu is the Cereal Crusted Cod Fish ($28). The cod fish is baked with cereal crust and served with vegetable braised in sesame oil, in a ginger shoyu broth. It actually tasted like a Chinese dish, like those Hong Kong style steamed fish with the ginger shoyu broth.

Asian Five Spice Duck Leg Confit 4.2/5

Chef Vincent is known for his sous vide cooking which can be seen in the following dishes. We started with the Asian Five Spice Duck Leg Confit ($28) which is sous vide for 8 hours, infused with five spice. The crispy skin and the tender meat is paired with passionfruit sauce and served with citrus salad. A classic French dish with Asian inspired flavours, subtle but not throwing it off.

Marmite Canadian Pork Shoulder 4.2/5

The Marmite Canadian Pork Shoulder ($26) is sous vide and grilled with marmite marinate. The pork shoulder has a consistent tender bite to it. The marinate gives a nice sweetness to it but I was hoping that the marmite taste can be stronger.

BBQ Beef Short Ribs 4/5

The BBQ Beef Short Ribs ($32) is sous vide for 24 hours and roasted in a homemade BBQ sauce. It is another enjoyable dish on the menu with the tender and fall of the bone meat.

Tiramisu Semi Freddo 3/5

Moving on to the dessert, we had the Tiramisu Semi Freddo ($12).  It is made up of semi frozen mascarpone cheese layered with coffee liqueur jelly sponge topped with milo crunch and tuile biscuit. Unfortunately the pretty presentation did not transpire to taste. I find the various components have too much individual character on the plate and it did not come together as a dish.

Espresso Martini 4/5

If the night is still young, hit to the bar and have an Espresso Martini. Sunrise has an extensive wine and beer list. It also makes some great cocktails and mocktails.

Salted Egg Yolk Custard Molten Chocolate Cake 3.8/5

The most looking forward dessert for the night was the Salted Egg Yolk Custard Molten Chocolate Cake ($14). Cutting into the molten cake, is the flowing salted egg lava. Maybe it was my high expectation, I felt that the chocolate overpowered the salted egg and got lost in the richness.

Sunrise Bistro & Bar presents a casual French fare at a more affordable price in a comfortable and casual ambience, near the beach. The quality of food at Sunrise is as good as what one can experience in fine dining, but at a much more affordable price in a less intimidating environment.


Sunrise Bistro & Bar
Big Splash East Coast
Block B
902 East Coast Parkway
#01-05
Singapore 449874
Tel: +65 64409090
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Nearest MRT: Mountbatten (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 1130am - 1am
Fri: 1130am - 2am
Sat: 9am - 2am
Sun: 9am - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Mountbatten MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at block 2 along Mountbatten Road (Stop ID 80279). Take bus 401*. Alight 5 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 25 minutes. [Map]

* Note this bus service is only available on weekends and PH. The operating timing on Sat and Sun varies too. Please check SBS Transit website.

Lighthouse Bistro & Bar @ Jellicoe Road (Lavendar)

What the Lavender MRT Station has been known for in the recent years, is its close proximity to cafes such as Antoinette, Chye Seng Huat Hardware, The Tiramisu Hero etc. Little it is known to be the station to get down for a particular restaurant, and with a rather interesting name - Lighthouse Bistro, located at Jellicoe Road. Since opening in 2003, it has been serving mainly members of the Singapore Maritime Officers' Union, who is also its owner. (well, that says a lot about the name). Hoping to attract a wider audience, they decided to give their interior and a menu a face lift. After much R&D, what resulted was a contemporary selection of Asian-influenced meat and seafood dishes that aims to stay true to its maritime identity.

Salmon’s Milk Bath 3.8/5

Given its association with the marine, do expect a wide selection of seafood items. To begin with, we had a simple Salmon’s Milk Bath ($10++). This appetiser reminds me of the salmon soup that I had in Helsinki. Although it's cream based, given its light texture, there is no issue finishing to the last drop. The good oil that oozed out from the Oceanic salmon helps to create a buttery body, which makes it even more satisfying. Probably due to the touch of chopped chilli padi, it was mentioned that some diners actually reminisced about fried fish bee hoon soup when drinking it. You may find similarity between the 2 dishes.

Fishermen’s Board 2.8/5

Fishermen’s Board ($18.++). A generous portion of seafood platter of Atlantic prawns, calamari, black mussels and deep-fried chunks of dory, accompanied with a light-whipped Orange Mayonnaise and a House Salad. Among the items, what I find the most well done was the calamari. It was quite succulent, not rubbery at all. Other than that, I feel the rest of the items was a bit flat. A sauce resembling sweet Thai chilli was being drizzled on the mussels, which I felt was kinda too sweet and dense for the mussels. Both the dory and shrimps were also too dry for me.

North American Scallops 4/5

North American Scallops ($15++). This is my favourite of all. Nicely seared, keeping them moist and juicy. Creative use of Tom Yam cauliflower puree, hence making this common dish unique in their own ways.

Lighthouse Bistro’s Tiger Fish & Chips 3.8/5

Lighthouse Bistro’s Tiger Fish & Chips ($19++). I was assured that this sea bass is coated with the real Tiger Beer batter, and not Anchor beer which some might be using otherwise. I hate batter that is floury, resulting in them taking in too much oil when deep fried. But this, I could finish it without any alarm on the fats. The fish was still quite moist. When comes to fish & chips, the chips is somewhat the lead as well, to complete the entire experience. Hence, it was more disappointing when the Nori fries did not turn out to be as tasty as expected. Apart from seeing the specks of nori ingrained in the fries, it's not present in taste. Perhaps spiking the fries with some seaweed strips may help?

Pan-seared East Atlantic Sea Perch Fillet 3.5/5

Pan-seared East Atlantic Sea Perch Fillet ($23++). I really like the capsicum sauce that was used to pair with the fish. It is a little tangy, and given its taste profile, it goes really well with this white fish. The fish, however, could be done better. The outer layer wasn't as crisp as I would prefer. The layer seemed to have coated with a layer of flour before pan frying, which turned flaccid after a while.

Black Onyx Angus Steak 3.8/5

Black Onyx Angus Steak ($39++), a 3MB+ Australian steak – paired with a potato risotto, turkey bacon and red wine sauce. We had added on Foie Gras ($12++) and Red Wine Sauce ($7++). This would be a good choice for meat eaters. A real solid decent piece of meat. What I want to highlight is the red wine sauce. I don't have much experience with red wine sauce but this sits really well with my palate. To my untrained taste buds, the foie gras is just as lovely. It is slightly crisp at the edges, and not too gamy.

Malaysian Angel Hair 2.5/5

Malaysian Angel Hair ($17++). This dish is somewhat disappointing. I can understand the effort in infusing an Asian take in the dishes but perhaps there's also a need to take note of the nature of the ingredients. When this thin pasta can be just as delicious plain with olive oil, garlic, salt etc, the beauty of this pasta has been lost in the sambal sauce. Spaghetti would have been a better choice to hold the sauce's density. However, if you are in for something that can ignite your engine, this may be something for you.

P.P Lighthouse Cake 4/5

P.P Lighthouse Cake aka Pulau Pisang Lighthouse ($10++). Just some background. Pisang Island is a small island situated off the western coast of the Malaysian state of Johor. Situated there is Pulau Pisang Light, a lighthouse that guides ships into the western entrance of the busy our Singapore Strait, and, it is operated by us! Hence, the plating of the dessert symbolises the coconut tree and the light house. It is so comforting when the warm and spongy banana cake softens and melts with the coconut ice cream in my mouth. Such a simple recipe but twice the satisfaction level. 

Chocolate & Caramel Cake  4/5

Chocolate & Caramel Cake ($13++). Made with 72% cocoa, it is no surprise that the chocolate mousse can be so velvety smooth. The creamy caramel atop is too, and also quite well balanced in terms of sweetness.

Their effort to rejuvenate their image can be seen not just from the exterior, such as the change of furnitures and lightings, but also little details - Their choice of material used for their new menu cover, the use of wooden board for my cutlery, which I really love, the nostalgic looking lighthouse icon that says "Summer 2015" at the corner of the table paper, and the cute little red bowl which they have given to me for sharing the Salmon Bath, which is my favourite of all. All are very thoughtful choices made, aiming at giving its guests a totally different experience than before. You may want to try and see for yourself as well!

Photography and Written 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.


Lighthouse Bistro & Bar
Wavelink Building
75 Jellicoe Road
 #01-00
Singapore 208738
Tel: +65 63901699
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Website
Nearest MRT: Lavender (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 12noon - 1030pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Lavender MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to V Hotel Lavender. Turn right onto Jellicoe Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]