Pacamara Boutique Coffee Roasters @ Upper Thomson Road

This is a backlog post which I sold how allows it to slip down the whole list of articles to be published. Probably because I decided there is no urgency to feature Pacamara Boutique Coffee Roasters at Upper Thomson Road since it has been reviewed numerous times and even to the extend that some claimed the cafe to be their best cafe of 2014.

Latte 4.2/5

Stepping into Pacamara Boutique Coffee Roasters, I can understand why so many cafe hoppers love this place. The cafe has the Aussie feel. Beautifully decorated in white with wooden furniture, I felt as if I am in Melbourne, sipping my cup of Latte ($4.50/$5/$5.5) which comes in three different sizes of 3oz, 5oz and 7oz.

Truffle Fries 4/5

I am not a big fan of Truffle Fries ($8) as I don't think it is worth the extra cost to pay for a few drops of essence. Nevertheless I still gone with the group and ordered this. The fries were deep fried to nice crisp but yet not overly oily.

Deep Fried Mid Wings 4/5

I remembered have a similar rendition of the Deep Fried Mid Wings ($8) at Sunday Market. However, the version with a more crispy exterior batter fares better while also retaining the juiciness. Once again this is not something I would usually order, I felt it is not value for money with the skinny wings for that price I need to pay.

Quinoa Salad 3.8/5

For a healthy brunch, one can go for the Quinoa Salad ($15) that comes with quinoa, edamame bean, pique pepper, baby spinach, sweet corn and pomegranate with lemon vinaigrette dressing. The colour combination is very pleasing in sight. If only the seasoning can be a bit bolder that will give the dish a much needed lift.

Red Velvet Pancakes 2/5

Food that looks pretty does not mean it will taste good. This is exactly how we felt with the Red Velvet Pancakes ($16) served with mascarpone and fresh berries. The pancake itself was rather bland and dry. In the fact the tastiest components on the plate are the berries.

Salted Caramel Banana French Toast 4.2/5

The Salted Caramel Banana French Toast ($16) was the opposite of the red velvet pancakes. It may look messy but it tasted so delicious. The soft brioche french toast was drizzled in a salted caramel sauce and topped with caramelized bananas and whipped cream.

Truffle Benedict 4.2/5

I really felt cafe food are over priced, just take for example the Truffle Benedict that costs $18. I am not saying the food is not good but I probably can't afford to eat it everyday. A breakfast dish is as expensive as a dinner main. Anyway back to the food itself. Two free range poached eggs with truffle hollandaise sauce sits on a bed of wilted spinach, smoked ham and brioche. A beautiful combination that brought sunshine to the plate.

Oven Baked 5 Cheese Macaroni 4.2/5

Last but not least another worthy dish to try is the Oven Baked 5 Cheese Macaroni ($18). The five cheese used are parmesan, feta, emmental, mild cheddar and mozzarella. The macaroni is also infused with honey ham and mushroom, finished with a dash of truffle oil. I love my cheeses and this has the cheesiness that I enjoyed while not too overpowering with a nice harmony. Being oven baked, the macaroni may turned dried but this is still well timed. By the way, I don't understand the need to display the types of cheeses used for the dish on the wooden plank.

Overall Pacamara Boutique Coffee Roasters is a nice cafe to check out. It has ticks all around (Ambience, Coffee, Food and Service.). No wonder it is one of the more popular cafes for cafe hopping in Singapore.


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Pacamara Boutique Coffee Roasters
185 Upper Thomson Road
Singapore 574333
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pacamarasg
Nearest MRT: Upper Thomson (TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 9am - 11pm
(Closed on Mon)

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

Montana Brew Bar Cafe @ POMO

Is the cafe bubble in Singapore bursting? It seems not with yet another new cafe opening at POMO, selegie road. Montana Brew Bar Cafe is the latest new kid in the cafe scene specializing in coffee and waffles.

Latte 4/5

I ordered my usual Latte ($4.50) to kick start the day. The latte has a good body while not too acidity.

Pourover 4.2/5

In recently months, I also noticed a shift in the coffee culture with cafe that is serious with their coffee offering Pourover. With the maturing of the coffee culture, coffee drinkers have started to appreciate a good brew from the Pourover ($5.20) allowing one to appreciate the flavour of the coffee beans even more.

Truffle Mac & Cheese 4.2/5

Being a cafe that specialized in waffles, we ordered some of their popular waffles on the menu to try. First was the Truffle Mac & Cheese ($9.50) which perfumed the air upon served. Initially I was wondering where is the mac & cheese until I cut into the waffle.  It was actually sandwiched in between the fluffy waffle that comes with nice crispy edges. The combination surprisingly works and it got the thumbs of approval around the table. I recently heard it has released its version 2.0 which is more cheesy now.

Southern Fried Chicken Waffle Sandwich 4/5

Another savoury waffle on the menu is the Southern Fried Chicken Waffle Sandwich ($9.50) with wasabi slaw. I realised the waffle is crisper for the southern fried chicken. It tells a lot that the kitchen has given some thoughts into their waffles. The chicken was also perfectly cooked to a nice crisp but yet retaining its juiciness. I was told that the best way to enjoy this is to eat it with the hands just like a sandwich.

Matcha Strawberry Field Waffles 3.5/5

Working on to the sweet waffle, we started with the Match Strawberry Field Waffles ($9.50) which comes with green tea waffle, strawberry, mango passionfruit spheres and vanilla ice cream. The waffle actually lack the green tea flavour. While the exterior is crisp, we prefer the interior to be more cakey. However the burst of the mango passionfruit spheres will delight one with its fruity zest that complemented the waffle.

Red Velvet Waffle Stack 3.5/5

Having a similar texture to the match waffle is the Red Velvet Waffle Stack ($10.50) with vanilla ice cream, red velvet crumble and white chocolate rose sauce. Do note that this is limited per day. I enjoyed every components on the plate except the waffle which is lacking the red velvet flavour. Worthy note is the red velvet crumble that gives it a nice textural bite.

While many cafe concentrated on their coffee and neglected on their food, Montana Brew Bar Cafe has ensured customers have a good a bite while sipping a cup of aromatic coffee. The pricing is also very affordable with waffle that is less than ten dollar. I personally prefer their savoury waffles over their sweet waffles.


Montana Brew Bar Cafe
POMO
1 Selegie Road
#01-04
Singapore 188308
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/montanasingapore
Nearest MRT: Bras Basah (CC Line), Dhoby Ghuat (CC Line, NE Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 8am - 930pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Bras Basah MRT station. Take Exit D or E. Walk down Bras Basah Road to the junction of Bras Basah Road and Prinsep Street. Cross the road and turn right onto Prinsep Street. Walk down Prinsep Street and continue onto Selegie Road. Continue walking down Selegie Road until destination. Journey time about 12 mins. [Map]

2) Alight at Dhoby Ghuat MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk down Orchard Road to the junction of Orchard Road and Prinsep Street. Turn left onto Prinsep Street. Walk down Prinsep Street and continue onto Selegie Road. Continue walking down Selegie Road until destination. Journey time about 12 mins. [Map]

Fei Lou Porridge @ Telok Blangah Crescent Market & Food Centre

If you have been following me on instagram or my facebook page, you will noticed that I have been coming back to Fei Lou Porridge to have late dinner for 2 consecutive weekends. The food here definitely cannot compare to restaurant standard but it is something that is homely, comforting and affordable.

The first visit, I felt that the father and son team was a bit unfriendly. They hardly spoke or acknowledged your order not say even a smile. For a moment I thought they were mute. I kept observing them until I saw them talking to a few of their regular customers. In my 2nd visit, I managed to exchange a few words with the uncle and realized he is actually quite nice. He even gave me a goodbye wave after I finished my dinner and left the place.

Ham & Century Egg Porridge 4/5

The stall offers quite a few choices of porridge but my favourite has been the Ham & Century Egg Porridge ($3). The smooth and silky Cantonese style porridge need no further seasoning. If I am not wrong from what I have observed, the stall added some chicken stock in cooking the porridge. Although the bowl of porridge is cheap, I still get value in return with a generous servicing of century egg, ham and even fried white bait fish.

Ham Macaroni 3.5/5

The beehoon here usually sold out pretty fast so we ended up ordering the Ham Macaroni ($3). I felt that the stall added a bit too much of the chicken stock resulting it to be on the salty side. Nevertheless a hearty bowl of ham macaroni to satisfy the hungry tummy.

Chicken Feet 4/5

Another must order dish for me whether I come here is the Chicken Feet ($3). There are at least about 5-6 pieces of the well braised chicken feet that has absorbed the braising sauce perfectly. Before servicing they will topped it with a few spoonful of peanuts which I like to eat with my porridge.

Cuttlefish & Cabbage 4.2/5

My favourite dish at Fei Lou Porridge is the Cuttlefish & Cabbage ($4.50). This is something different from usual cuttlefish kang kong that is drenched with rich overpowering prawn paste sauce. The cuttlefish cabbage simply allows the sweetness of the cabbage to shine and complement the cuttlefish. Topped with a generous servicing for fried shallot, this is light, refreshing and serves as a delectable side dish to go with the porridge.


Fei Lou Porridge
Telok Blangah Crescent Market & Food Center
(Opposite Mount Faber Safra)
Blk 11 Telok Blangah Crescent
#01-116
Singapore 090011
Nearest MRT: Harbour Front (CC Line, NE Line), Tiong Bahru (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 630pm - 1030pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Harbour Front MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to bus stop at Harbour Front MRT station (Stop ID 14141). Take bus number 131. Alight 6 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Tiong Bahru MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop opposite Tiong Bahru MRT station (Stop ID 10161). Take bus number 195. Alight 6 stops later. Cross the road to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]