Delicatesse (巧彰) @ Tanjong Pagar Road - A Cosy Bakery/Cake With Pretty And Delicious Tarts And Cakes

Located along Tanjong Pagar Road is a little cosy bakery/cafe that specialises in tarts and cakes. Together with my foodie friend Thara, we dropped by Delicatesse to try their delicious bakes paired with artisanal tea.

For our visit, we tried six different tarts and cakes that were available, paired with a pot of artisanal tea to wash down the sweetness.

Strawberry St Honore

The Strawberry St Honore ($9.50) is the first to catch my attention for its beautiful pink. It comes with strawberry macaroon and strawberry chantilly cream. Break into the tart to discover the delicious pistachio frangipane filling.

Mango Cake

I love mango, so I have to order the Mango Cake in a sphere shape. What you get inside the sphere are bavarois mousse, diced honey mango and vanilla sponge.

Matcha Mont Blanc 

For the matcha lover, you will enjoy the Matcha Mont Blanc ($9.50) packed with aromatic green tea cream and chestnut mousse, resting on the almond tart.

Carrot Cake

My foodie friend loves the Carrot Cake ($8.50). It comes with delightful textural bites from the carrot sponge, cream cheese frosting, and milk chocolate walnut glaze.

Tiramisu

It is a unique way to present the Tiramisu in a dome shape. The combination of mascarpone mousse, light coffee biscuit, and coffee liquor-soaked sponge is light yet flavourful. Give the espresso in the pipette a squeeze to get a perk in flavour.

Raspberry Puff

Last but not least is the Raspberry Puff ($9.50). It is crispy on the outside and fluffy inside. The choux puff is stuffed with raspberry for a sweet and buttery finish.

Besides their selection of petite tarts and cakes, Delicatesse also sells a whole cake.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Delicatesse (巧彰)
102 Tanjong Pagar Road
Singapore 088523
Tel: +65 87216834
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Website
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon, Wed-Sun: 1230pm - 1030pm
(Closed on Tue)

Direction:
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk towards Tanjong Pagar Road. Cross the road and walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Danger Close Beverage Co. @ Alexandra Village Food Centre - Gourmet Tea & Nitro Cold Brew Coffee On Tap

Having been to Alexandra Village Food Centre so many times, I didn't know that there is a hawker stall by the name of Danger Close Beverage Co., selling gourmet tea and coffee on tap besides draught beer and craft beer. All thanks to KF Seetoh for introducing me to the stall.

We ordered the Chinos and Lady Grey, which are pulled from the tap directly. The layer of foam and colour of the tea looks like a glass of beer, isn't it?

Chinos and Lady Grey

The Chinois is a sparking tea on tap that has a fruity taste of lychee, dried fruit and honey. On the other hand, Lady Grey has a citrus and smoky flavour.

Ping Pong Tie Guan Ying

If you want to see some showmanship, order the Ping Pong Tie Guan Ying. Calvin, the stall owner, will brew the Tie Guan Ying from Pek Sin Choon, one of the oldest tea merchant in Singapore, in a traditional teapot. It is then mixed together in a cocktail shaker like a cocktail. It is a light and refreshing drink that is suitable for the humble Singapore weather.

Abyss Nitro Cold Brew

For the coffee lover, you may want to have the Abyss Nitro Coffee on tap. It has a soft, creamy finishing, almost like having a stout. I have to warn you that coffee quite intense as nitro cold brew contains a much a higher level of caffeine.

Danger Close Beverage Co. definitely brings fresh air to the hawker scene in Singapore. Besides crafted beers and the classic coffee selections, it also offers gourmet tea and nitro cold brew on tap, which is something very unique for the hawker scene.


Danger Close Beverage Co.
Alexandra Village Food Centre
Blk 120 Bukit Merah Lane 1
#01-05
Singapore 150120
Contact: +65 94359194
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Nearest MRT: Queenstown (EW Line), Redhill (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 11am - 2pm, 530pm - 9pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Queenstown MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at Queenstown MRT station (Stop ID 11149). Take bus number 195. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Redhill MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop opposite Redhill MRT station (Stop ID 10201). Take bus number 33 or 120. Alight 5 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time 10 minutes. [Map]

HEYTEA @ Clarke Quay - Opens 2nd Outlet With 4-Exclusive Alcoholic Creations

The popular China Number 1 contemporary tea connoisseur and the original inventor of cheezo tea HEYTEA has opened a second outlet in Clarke Quay. The new outlet reflects a lighthouse theme design inspired by the history of the maritime trade at Clarke Quay.

The latest outlet also comes with an in-store tea experience laboratory TEA GEEK BAR. Tea-baristas at Tea Geek Bar, upgrades the tea drinking experience of Singaporeans with 6 brand new alcoholic tea creations inclusive of 4 Singapore exclusive: 2 alcoholic tea creation and 2 alcoholic ice creams.

The Royal's Romance

The 2 Singapore-exclusive alcoholic tea creations are The Royal's Romance and Scarlet's Heart. The Royal's Romance ($22) is a stellar combination of vodka and osmanthus oolong, laced with a sprig of thyme and coupled with a splash of zest from fresh lemons. The summer cocktail is light and refreshing. Perfect for the humid weather in Singapore.

Scarlet's Heart

The other Singapore-exclusive alcoholic concoction is the Scarlet's Heart ($16). It is a refreshing watermelon-pink tipple topped off with a layer of fomay egg white. The combination of fresh fruits, pineapple pulps, cognac brandy and jasmine green tea give the drink a silky texture and sweet mellow flavours.

Singapore Sling

 The other 2 Singapore-exclusive alcoholic creations is the Singapore Sling ($5.50) and Guinness ($4.50) soft serve. The iconic Singapore sling cocktail is transformed into an alluring blush-pink soft serve. As for the Guinness soft serve, it has a malty Guinness flavour that goes well with the refreshing oolong tea ice cream.

Salted Egg Yolk Ice Cream

If you are not into alcohol, there is another Singapore-exclusive ice cream - Salted Egg Yolk Ice Cream ($4.80). It has a very subtle salted egg flavour infused in the creamy swirls. It is more sweet than savoury.

Right across the Tea Geek Bar is where you can get your non-alcoholic tea drinks such as their popular Cheezo Teas, Fruity Cheezo Teas and Bobo.

Duo Bobo Milk 

The Duo Bobo Milk ($5.5) has a fragrant brown sugar taste, soft chewy bobo pearls infused with sweetness from the brown sugar. The drink is capped with a creamy milk foam, sprinkled with brown sugar and torched to give it a smoky caramalized flavour. It is pretty enjoy. It will be perfect if the brown sugar aroma is stronger.

Located amidst the bustling bar scene at Clarke Quay, unlike all other HEYTEA outlets, this outlet opens at 12pm and closes as late as 1am into the night to cater to all the party lovers. Its well-thought-out opening hours fits perfectly with the Singapore drinking culture, especially when it is located in Clarke Quay.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


HEYTEA
Clarke Quay
3A River Valley Road
#01-06
Singapore 179020
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Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line), Fort Canning (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
12pm - 1am

Direction: 
1) Alight at Fort Canning MRT Station. Take Exit A. Turn right and down River Valley Road. Turn right onto Tan Tye Place. Walk to the end of the road. Turn left onto Clark Quay. Walk to destination. Journey time bout 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit C or G. Walk to the river front. Turn left and walk down the river. Cross the bridge. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Icehaus @ Alley on 25 - Buffet Style Superfood Salad Lounge

Located on the 25th floor of Andaz Singapore, Icehaus has recently launched a do-it-yourself (DIY) superfood salad lounge. Available for weekdays lunch ($18) and dinner ($28), this buffet style superfood Salad Bar includes the usual darlings such as kale, quinoa, assorted salad nuts and seeds condiments such as pine nuts, chia seeds etc.

As to why this superfood concept, the background of how it came about is similar to most of the superfood offerings around - not only to promote wellness for the body but for the mind as well. You are given the autonomy to make your own plate, in an open and relaxing space. And elevating that experience is knowing that what you are consuming are mostly sustainable sourced produce, such as the organic kale, arugula, radicchio and endives that form your salad bases.

Homemade Soup

Not everything has to be raw and cold. There's always a bowl of home-made soup of the day to warm your spirit after a hectic morning, featuring all time favourites such as cream of mushroom, cream of broccoli, roasted tomatoes, pumpkin and more. My Cream of Cauliflower was yummy with toasted sourdough (done upon request). I started my lunch with that and ended my meal with that!

Being able to make my mountain of salad mix and seeing it bright and sunny lifts my mood instantly. One of my favourite toppings is the Grilled Red Bell Pepper. Other than the toppings, there will also be a rotation of different lean proteins on the menu such as Tuna, Ham, Chicken, Cage-free Eggs and Italian Mortadella Sausage. Certainly, you will love the creamy, orangey egg yolk of the cage-free egg as much as I did.

Make your salad slightly more indulgent with big slabs of cheese! Pair your salads with free-flow home-made Andaz Iced Tea. Concocted with a blend of Singapore breakfast tea and citrus fruits, the breakfast tea comes with a syrup infused with pandan leaves, which is meant not just to provide a great aroma but also to boost detoxifying and healing properties to this black tea. I thought it would be even better if it could come in a warm option.

Pandan Chiffon Cake

What's missing from this Superfood Salad Lounge is probably a guilt-free dessert. But a guilt-free dessert doesn't always satisfy, so why not settle for something more authentic such as this Pandan Chiffon Cake ($14). What's unique about Andaz's chiffon cakes is that each come with a layer of coating. Available in 8 flavours, I had the Black Sesame flavour. While I don't fancy the glaze at the outermost layer, I quite like the layer of black sesame cream which goes pretty well with the soft chiffon cake. The vanilla soft serve at the side seems to have the ability to melt everything into one.

For dinner, the salad lounge will feature additional premium chilled seafood and cheese stations such as smoked salmon, tiger prawns, Comte cheese, Brie and Fourme d'ambert. If you are here for dinner, the view here may make it worth while to top up $30 for unlimited glasses of their Wine of the Month, featuring only sustainable, biodynamic, organic or vegan wines.

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.


Icehaus
Andaz Singapore
Level 25
5 Fraser Street
Singapore 189354
Tel: +65 64081288
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Website
Nearest MRT: Bugis (DT Line, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1030am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Bugis MRT station. Take Exit D. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Chef’s Table @ Capella Singapore - Wellness Tea Time

If you are a wholly believer of a plant-based diet or about to step into the realm of raw food, veganism etc, but finds it really hard to give up your sweets, Capella Tea Experience – Wellness Tea Time may be able to ease that yearning, every Friday. At Chef’s Table, this special menu is put together with great effort by Sandra Lim of Live Fruitfully, a certified Raw Food Chef from The Matthew Kenney Culinary Institute and Chef David Senia, the Culinary Director of Capella Singapore. Presented in the form of a five-course menu, the Wellness Tea Time offers not just gluten-free and dairy-free savouries but also sweet creations!

Caffaine takes a back seat. Get in tune with yourself and choose from Ronnefeldt Ayurvedic teas instead, according to your mood – a cocoa-rich taste with light floral notes Stay in Balance; an invigorating herbal Light My Flame or the smooth green tea blend Let It Go.

Hummus is quite common in a vegan diet but I really love this Crispy Charcoal Tuile with Root Vegetables Hummus. Its exuberant colours, textures and most of all, the taste. The hummus is made with sweet potato, yet it has a savoury depth and a tangy note. It is designed to eat with your hands, hence spoon the hummus with the gluten-free Crispy Charcoal Tuile and sweet potato chips.

Tempeh Portobello Slider with Green Goddess Cream is a herbivore's slider that delivers a level of satisfaction no less than a regular slider. Not so much of the Goddess cream but that layer of sweet caramelised onions at the bottom and the pickled cucumber on top, that have successful trick my mind.

The preparation works for Cauliflower Crust Pizza with Shiitake ‘Bacon’ is painstaking but the final product is worth it. The curst is made with cauliflower and teff, a grain grown in Ethiopia and said to have huge health benefits. The sweet corn mash gives the pizza a sweet flavour and body, and if you think that the quintessential cheese is missing, just open up the pizza and you will find a slice of almond cheese in it.

The Sprouted Whole Grain Bread with Tomato Tapenade is made with 5 different grains such as brown rice, quinoa etc. It may comes across a bit dry but the tangy sweet tomato spread makes up for it. The bread is super crusty on the outside, with a slight chewiness to the body.

The Special House Scones are served with homemade raspberry jam and coconut cream. To give the jam a jammy texture, chia seeds are used as the 'gelatin'. I like the jam which is pulpy and not too sweet, the coconut cream also imparts a different flavour to the scones. However, the sweetness of the scones doesn't sit well with me at all, although technically, there isn't any 'real sugar' in it.

Finally the sweets. If the savouries are tough to make, the sweets are multiple times of that. Without cream or dairy, it might take 10 more ingredients just to achieve similar consistency and texture. For example, Chocolate Hazelnut Dome went through multiple trials for the layer of chocolate coating, which is made using aquafaba (chickpea water). The Quinoa and Zucchini Chocolate Tea Cake has a brownie-like texture and the Cacao Avocado Mousse delivers an expected creamy consistency. However, i would prefer more varieties as they start to get cloying after a while. Cultivated ‘Cheesecake’ with Blueberry and Beetroot Glaze offers a brighter taste.

Ending the lazy afternoon is a refreshing Tomato Consomme Jelly with Basil Granita and I really like it, simply because it tastes very natural, compared to the plate of sweet creations prior to it.

Knowing that you ain't consuming anything artificial is certainly assuring. It is intriguing to see how different ingredients are being orchestrated into our well-loved items using methods much less known. Wellness Tea Time is available on Friday from 3pm to 5pm, priced at $59 per person.

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.


Chef’s Table 
Capella Singapore
Sentosa Island
1 The Knolls
Singapore 098297
Tel: +65 65915045
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Harbourfront (CC Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Fri: 3pm - 5pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Harbour Front MRT station. Take Exit C or E. Walk to pick up point at exit of Lobby F in Vivocity (near JPot and Nyonya & Baba Restaurants). Wait for the complimentary shuttle bus service. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Harbour Front MRT station. Take Exit C or E. Walk to Vivocity Shopping Mall. Go to Sentosa Express Station at Level 3 of Vivocity. Take Sentosa Express Train to Imbiah station. Alight at Imbiah station. Proceed to Artillery Ave. Walk along Artillery Ave until you came to a road (slope) to Capella Hotel. Turn right onto the road and walk up the slope to destination. Journey time about 25 mins. [Map]

Lime @ PARKROYAL on Pickering - Afternoon Tea With Local Flavours

For those that enjoys a good afternoon catching with friends, you will be delight to know tht Lime at PARKROYAL on Pickering has refreshed their Afternoon Tea menu with three tiers of joy that features local inspired savoury items as well as sweet delights.

The afternoon tea is available from 3pm to 6pm daily. For $42, you get a high tea set and a single servicing of specialty coffee and TWG Tea. For an additional top up of $6 at $48, you get a high tea set and unlimited servicing of specialty coffee and TWG Tea. Each high tea set is good for 2 person.

The local flavours item on the high tea menu includes item such Nasi Lemak, Peking Duck Duxelles encased in Profiterole and Ayam Percik Shepherd's Pie. The nasi lemak is shaped in a ball and deep fried, so what like a risotto ball, served with potent sambal chilli. Our favoruite among the savory items goes to the flavourful Peking Duck Duxelles paired excellently with the soft and fluffy profiterole.

I personally prefer the sweet over the savoury. The refreshed menu features rich and luscious cholocate treats such as the Chocolate Pudding with Guanaja Chantilly and Peanut Butter Chocolate Cup with Guanaja Chantilly. New sweett creations includes Passionfruit Meringue Tart, Forest Berries Basket, and Coconut Pandan Mousse.

My group felt a bit short that the new afternoon tea menu does not come with scones. I am not a big scone fan so it does not really matter to me, However after they raved about how good it was, it made me wanna try it too. Hopefully the restaurant will do a minor tweak and bring back the scones for the high tea menu.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Lime
PARKROYAL on Pickering
3 Upper Pickering Street
Singapore 058289
Tel: +65 68098899
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Chinatown (DT Line, NE Line), Clarke Quay (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Sun-Thu: 630am - 12midnight
Fri-Sat, Eve of PH: 630am - 2am

Direction:
1) Alight at Chinatown MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk to the junction of Upper Pickering Street and New Bridge Road. Turn right and walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk straight to the junction of Upper Pickering Street and New Bridge Road. Cross the road. Turn left and walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Chong Wen Ge Cafe (崇文阁) @ Thiam Hock Keng Temple - Peranakan Cafe Right Beside A Temple

Located inside the compound of  Thiam Hock Keng Temple (the oldest and most important Hokkien temple in Singapore) is Chong Wen Ge Cafe (崇文阁) offering local kuehs and delights on the menu instead of the usual egg benedict, pancake and waffle. The name of the cafe - "Chong Wen Ge cafe" plays tribute to the ‘Institute for the Veneration of Literature’ which is Singapore’s first Chinese school.

Nyonya Achar Loti 2.5/5

Initially we want to order the Otah Loti but it was not available. Hence we ordered the Nyonya Achar Loti ($3.80). The toasted crustless bread is spread with butter and layered with homemade piquant achar. While the achar was well pickled with the shredded vegetables retaining their crunchiness, it did not go well with the bread and even made the bread soaky. It was also very messy to handle and eat. Although the combination did not work for me, the achar was very good on its own. I would imagine it working excellent with a plate of nasi lemak.

Signature Teh-C Special 4/5

A drink that you don't usually see on the menu is the Signature Teh-C Special ($6.80). It is a spin to the quintessential local drink, Teh C Peng, served chilled. On top of the brewed black tea and evaporated milk, the thick dark layer at the bottom is secret ingredient - gula melaka. A unique drink that is worth trying.

Nyonya Mee Siam 4.2/5

Another worthy item to try is Nyonya Mee Siam ($7.80). The rice vermicelli comes with tiger prawn, beancurd, eggs and fresh beansprouts in sweet tangy tamarind gravy. I was not expecting much from the local delight since it was a cafe but I was proved wrong.The rich and hearty bowl of mee siam with its rich and hearty gravy is definitely something that I would go back for.

Chong Wen Ge Cafe
168 Telok Ayer Street
Singapore 068619
Tel: +65 83540230
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer (DT Line), Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 7pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn left and walk to Telok Ayer Street. Turn left onto Telok Ayer Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit G. Turn left onto Telok Ayer Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]