Barrio by Mex Out @ Vivocity - Mexican Cuisine In A Beer-Garden Inspired Casual Dining Setting

With the success of its 313 Somerset outlet, Barrio by Mex Out has opened a second outlet at Vivocity offering Mexican cuisine in a beer-garden inspired casual dining setting. On weekends, it even has a breakfast deal at $12.90, which comes with a breakfast dish + a coffee (available 9am to 12pm).

Smashed Avocado on Toast 3/5

Let us check out what do Barrio by Mex Out has to offer on its breakfast menu. The Smashed Avocado on Toast ($7.80) comes with tomato jam and smashed avocado on a grilled sourdough. You can add bacon/fried egg / mushrooms for an additional cost of $3 each.

Huevos Rancheros 3/5

Comes in a Tortilla shell is the Huevos Rancheros ($12.80) that comprises of black beans, rice, guacamole and a fried egg with barrio breakfast sauce. This is a bit heavy for me to eat as breakfast though. For those with big appetite, you may want to add extra bacon/fried egg/mushrooms for an additional $3 each.

Churros with Yogurt & Fruits 3/5

How about Churros ($11.90) for breakfast with Yogurt and Fruits? It is a first for me to have churros for breakfast. Not my preference but it is quite nice though with its crispy exterior and fluffy interior.

Loaded Nachos 4.2/5

Be warned! The Loaded Nachos ($13.60) is super addictive. I have told myself not to have to eat too much but I just could not control myself from going back for more of the freshly fried corn tortillas, which is topped with a generous amount of chilli con carne, cotija cheese, moazzarella and cheddar cheese sauce, pico de gallo, coriander, sour cream and freshly made guacamole.

Pulled Pork Torta 4/5

For a more hearty bite, the Pulled Pork Torta ($15.90) is a good consideration. Sandwiched in between the deep fried brioche buns is the delectable pork marinated with Chipotle Aioli, cotijatas cheese, pickled red cabbage and mayonnaise. Be prepared to get your hands messy.

Fish Taco 4.5/5

A mush try at Barrio is their Fish Taco ($13.40 for 2pc / $15.90 for 3pc). The taco uses beer battered sea bass and topped with pickled red cabbage, pico de gallo and chipotle aioli. With a squeeze of the lime to zest up the whole enjoyment.

Barbacoa Quesadilla 4.2/5

The Barbacoa Quesadilla ($13.40) did not disappoint with the diced chargrilled flank steak encased in a crispy tortilla, paired with pico de gallo, chilli jam, cheddar and jalapenos for a delightful combination of flavours and textures.

Jalapeno with Cheese 4/5

I am great that Barrio is still servicing the Jalapeno with Cheese ($8.40) on its menu. Lightly battered for a crispy exterior, the Jalapeno is stuffed with cheese for a harmonious combination of spicy and cheesy finishing.


Barrio by Mex Out
Vivocity
1 Harbourfront Walk
#01-116
Singapore 098585
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Nearest MRT: Harbourfront (CC Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Sun-Thu: 11am - 11pm
Fri-Sat: 11am - 12midnight

Direction: 
1) Alight at Harbourfront MRT station. Take Exit C or E. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Wildseed Cafe By The Summerhouse @ Seletar Airport - Take A Flight to The English Countryside

In recent months, the former Seletar Airbase or better known as Seletar Airport has been transformed into a F&B and lifestyle destination. The black and white colonial bungalows, together with the lush greenery, felt as if one is being transported to the English countryside. Occupying the former home of the Royal Air Force's Tech Wing Command, is the site of The Summerhouse.

The Summerhouse is an integrated multi-concept destination comprising The Summerhouse Dining Room and Balcony Bar located on the upper storey; and Wildseed, a cafe, patisserie and bar on the ground level.

Pork & Krauts 4/5

From the sandwich menu, we started with the Pork & Krauts ($15). It is a pulled pork sandwich with cabbage, cucumber salad, nuts, and yoghurt sauce. Initially I thought the sandwich may be too meaty but it turned out the cucumber and cabbage not only lend a crunchy touch, they give it a refreshing balance.

The Morocano 4/5

The other sandwich we tried is the The Morocano ($18). The braised beef brisket is paired with eggplant stew, feta cheese and sauteed pak choi, hummus and sesame. The combination of ingredients is rather refreshing, with the flavours coming together as one yummy sandwich.

Independent Uruguay 4.5/5

Among the three sandwiches we tried, the favourite is the Independent Uruguay ($15). It is a vegetarian sandwich with herbal falafel, carrot pesto, feta cheese, pickled beetroot, Kranji lettuce and yoghurt sauce. The star has to be the falafel which is perfumed by the different herbs and spices.

Super Thin Curly Fries 4/5

Mentioned earlier, Wildseed is not just a cafe, it also comes with a bar. Complementing the cocktails and drinks is the bar snack menu. A crowd favourite is the Super Thin Curly Fries ($11/$17) that comes with ketchup and/or soy sauce seaweed mayonnaise dip. These thin curly fries are very dangerous. Unknowingly, I probably have eaten half of it in a short time span.

Deep Fried Hollandaise Balls 4/5

Instead of cheese balls, the snack bar has these addictive Deep Fried Hollandaise Balls ($12/$18). It did not occur to me that you can actually transformed a sauce into a snack. The hollandaise sauce was given a gelatine coat and deep fried. It is crispy on the exterior and saucy inside.

Pancake 4/5

It is amazing that Chef Florian Rider makes his own butter which is used to pair with the Pancake. The fluffy pancake is drizzled with maple syrup and topped with grilled corn kernels. I like the addition of the corn kernels, giving it an extra crunch for a delightful finish.

Kaya Toast 4.8/5

The highlight at Wildseed Cafe has to be the Kaya Toast. The interpretation of the local breakfast is out of this world. Who would have thought of stuffing a 62.5 degrees sous vide egg into sour dough bread with kaya, butter, coconut and gula melaka. You need to try it yourself to understand how good this is.

Pea Flower Coconut Muffin 3.8/5

If you have a sweet tooth, then you will be delighted to know that the cakes at Wildseed Cafe are created by 1-Group Pastry Chef Jasmin Chew drawing inspiration from the edible cafe. The Pea Flower Coconut Muffin ($6.50) with its gula melaka coconut filling, reminded me of a giant ondeh ondeh but more cakey.

Honey Lemon Rosemary Tart 4.2/5

For me I adore the Honey Lemon Rosemary Tart ($6.50) more. The execution was well balanced with the scent of rosemary crowning the beautiful flavours.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Wildseed Cafe 
The Summerhouse
Seletar Airport
3 Park Lane
Singapore 798387
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Nearest MRT: Punggol (NE Line), Yishun (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Fri: 10am - 7pm
Sat-Sun: 9am - 7pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Punggol MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to Punggol Bus Interchange (Stop ID 65009). Take bus number 117. Alight 6 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 30 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Yishun MRT station. Take Exit C or E. Walk to Yishun Bus Interchange (Stop ID 59009). Take bus number 103. Alight 16 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 45 minutes. [Map]

Otto's Deli Fresh @ Holland Village - Mastery Comes To The Neighbourhood

For those that is familiar with Holland Village, you will know that the old POSB building has been demolished and replaced with the new Raffles @ Holland Village. It also sees a few new food establishments at the new building. One of them is Otto's Deli Fresh. The new deli and restaurant is opened by the revered veteran chef Otto Weibel. Chef Otto is a father figure of the Singapore culinary scene, working at the highest level of profession, promoting the Singapore F&B industry on the world stage, and mentoring young talents.

Button Mushroom Soup with Toasted Brioche 4/5

Dinner at the new Otto's Deli Fresh started with the Button Mushroom Soup with Toasted Brioche ($8.50). Besides button mushroom, other ingredients such as dried porchini powder, cream, caramelized onion and chives are added for a flavourful and comforting bowl of soup.

Burratina Roquette Salad 3.5/5

Moving on to the next dish is the Burratina Roquette Salad ($17) that comes with baby arugula, Italian burrata, Jamon Iberico de Bellota, tomato chutney and cherry tomato dressing. It is a light and simple salad dish with each components playing their respective role and coming together as one.

Pulled Pork Burger 3.5/5

For the hungry, you may want to check out the Pulled Pork Burger ($19) that is served with fries and condiments. The pork cheek is slow cooked for 5 hours, shredded and tossed in a housemade BBQ sauce. What aroused my palate for a balanced finishing is the used of housemade pickled Japanese cucumber for a contrasting tang to the sweetness of the BBQ sauce.

Beef Stroganoff Fettuccine 4.2/5

A beautiful dish on the menu is the Beef Stroganoff Fettuccine ($17). The pasta dish is served with hanger steak and white button mushrooms. The fettuccine is braised together with beef jus, carmelised onions and gherkins, infusing the essence of the ingredients for a slurping goodness.

Heritage US Kurobuta Pork Rack 300g 4.2/5

The Heritage US Kurobuta Pork Rack 300g ($39) is another dish on the menu that I enjoyed. The Japanese pork is grilled until colour develops, and then finished off in oven. Only lightly seasoned with salt, its amazing how it can taste so good.

Burnt Banana Waffles 4.5/5

The Burnt Banana Waffles ($11.50) comes with a whole burnt banana literally. Please do not eat the banana skin, it supposed to be peeled off. Spread the banana flesh onto the waffle and have it with some of the peanut butter gelato. The hot and cold combination worked excellently for a well fitting ending to the dinner.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Otto Deli Fresh
Raffles @ Holland Village
118 Holland Avenue
#02-01
Singapore 278990
Tel: +65 66943291
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Nearest MRT: Holland Village (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 10pm

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

Rise & Grind Coffee Co @ Bukit Timah Plaza - Excellent Coffee, Fresh Ingredients & Heartfelt Service.

Near the entrance of Bukit Timah Plaza is a row of shops built on a elevated ground, looking somewhat like Hobbit houses, but urbanised. One of which belongs to the team of Rise & Grind Coffee Co, since April 2015.

Barely 700 square feet including an alfresco area, the compact space houses quite a sizeable kitchen, which explains the simple industrial furnishing- cement flooring, bare ceiling with a few drop light bulbs. The sofa seats at one side, though narrow, appeared extra cosy. Every inch matters indeed. Perhaps due to the limited seating spaces, I was offered by the crew a basket for my bag, taken from a stack of at the entrance. That is what service is all about.

Their menu impresses me, as I caught sight of ingredients such as Halumi Cheese, Salmon roe, 63 degrees egg and grass fed ribeye steak. We ordered their newest creation Pulled pork Benedict ($15), their most popular pasta Tom Yum Seafood ($17) and the lady boss's favourite Burger The Gold Standard ($18).

Tom Yum Seafood Pasta 4.2/5

Among these three mains, our favourite is the Tom Yum Seafood Pasta. It is way more stimulating than any salted egg yolk pasta. The sauce, fragrant with lime leaves, lemongrass, clings onto the spaghetti nicely. It is a little spicy, with creaminess rounding out the tangy edges. What gives the sauce its depth of flavour, which I found out later, is the shrimps stock which they have prepared by cooking the prawn shells for hours before reducing it to a flavourful base. No shortcuts. The prawns were succulent and squids were chewy, and its vibrant orange red makes this dish ever more appetising. Not to forget the stems of parsley that adds a great touch to the flavour. The nori does little to the taste, but it reflects the culinary background of Chef Charles, the soul behind kitchen, who is French trained but with strong Japanese influence.

Pull Pork Benedict 3.5/5

Breakfast & Brunch is no longer just about cured meat, eggs, sausages and Hollandaise sauce with their newly created Pull Pork Benedict. Although this is not exactly something new, but they did it the right manner. The pork shoulders is slowed cook overnight for 24 hours, cooking and soaking in its own flavours and lard, like a confit. It's not at all greasy, trust me. Combined with perfectly poached eggs, I'm quite certain that this will win the hearts of men who always see egg benedict as more of a light snack. I thought my added sautéed mushrooms was pretty tasty too, with a hint of wine along with its earthy taste.

The Gold Standard 3/5

As for The Gold Standard, it is above your average cafe burger but I feel there is still a bit of distance before it reaches the gold standard. The patty is juicy, but I find the brioche bun a little too dense. Smeared with in house garlic & chive aioli, I appreciate the flavour and the tang fired from the sauce, but it doesn't excite my appetite as much as I want it to. The truffle fries was lovely, which is of the right cut and fried till crisp.

Roasted Garlic Tomato Soup 2.8/5

You may also opt for the lighter side if you are here during the mid day. Roasted Garlic Tomato Soup ($8) is a very hearty soup combined with grilled cheese toast. I like its thickness, which is almost like a stew. Perhaps, some basil to punctuate its richness would be good. If not for the cream, I would have really loved it.

Single origin coffee from Dutch Colony is served it, you can go for 3oz, 5oz or 7oz with milk. I like the simplicity of it.

Almost a year on, Rise & Grind Coffee Co already has their pool of regulars who see them as an ideal gathering place, which explains the crowd when I was there on a weekend. Not just youngsters, but families too. They might have something special coming up in conjunction with their 1 year anniversary, hence do look out for it!

Photograph 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.


Rise & Grind Coffee Co
Bukit Timah Plaza
1 Jalan Anak Bukit
#L1-CA1
Bukit Timah
Singapore 588996
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Nearest MRT: Beauty World (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 10am - 9pm
Fri: 10am - 10pm
Sat: 9am - 10pm
Sun: 9am - 9pm

Direction: 
Alight at Beauty World MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to Bukit Timah food centre. Cut across the car park and walk towards Shell petrol station. Cross the road. Continue walking down Upper Bukit Timah Road towards Bukit Timah Plaza. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]