Foxhole Cafe @ The Midtown Hougang – Cozy Hideout With Quality All-Day Brunch fare And Coffee From The Pourover Bar

Nestled within the Hougang residences at The Midtown, previously known as Hougang Plaza, The Foxhole Cafe occupies a double storey unit, greeting customers with the smell of coffee from the espresso bar and a dessert display counter filled with freshly baked goods on the first storey. Decor is kept simple for the main seating area tucked away on the second storey that can accommodate up to 30 people, with minimalistic furnishings, an eye-catching hand-painted galaxy unicorn mural on one side of the wall, and a huge floor-to-ceiling window that allows ample lighting into the space for those instagrammable shots.

In collaboration with The Pourover Bar, The Foxhole Cafe serves a selection of quality filtered coffees brewed to perfection with specialty beans from Melbourne, Australia. Known for its wide selection of internationally championed single origin Ninety Plus specialty coffee beans, there is little wonder why The Pourover Bar has garnered a loyal following since its establishment in 2016. Furthermore, The Foxhole Cafe has also expanded its menu over the year, from a limited selection of light bites and cakes, to a larger variety of more substantial mains, such as burgers, pastas and udon bowls. Now you can satisfy your caffeine fix with quality coffee, teas from The 1872 Clipper Tea Co., as well as a wider selection of delectable yet instagrammable food offerings all under one roof.

Croissant Egg Benedict and Black Pepper Smoked Salmon 4/5

The Croissant Egg Benedict and Black Pepper Smoked Salmon ($15.90) features a large croissant that boasts a flaky crispy exterior and buttery softer insides, with a generous serving of smoked salmon slices sandwiched in between, garnished with specks of black pepper that present a balance of saltiness and peppery taste. Slice into the egg benedict and let the creamy yellow soak up the rest of the ingredients, imparting a subtle sweetness to the dish and giving the fillings more textural contrast against the silky smoked salmon and flaky croissant.

Signature Foxhole Hawaiian Beef Burger with Truffle Chips 4/5

The Signature Foxhole Hawaiian Beef Burger with Truffle Chips ($15.90) comes in a huge beef patty, pineapple slice, melted cheese and lettuce sandwiched in between soft burger buns. The beef done medium rare, boasts a soft texture and is well seasoned with salt and pepper, while the addition of the pineapple slice imparts a burst of refreshing juiciness and sweetness to the burger. The side of truffle chips boasts a subtle hint of truffle, while contributing an additional crunch to the dish.

Honey Garlic Prawn Udon Bowl 4.2/5

The Honey Garlic Prawn Udon Bowl ($16.90) features a bowl of thick udon noodles done al dente, and a colourful array of different ingredients carefully arranged on top, comprising of sweet corn, carrots, mushrooms, tofu and green peas. The highlight of the dish - honey glazed garlic prawns boast a perfect sweet-savoury balance as you bite into those juicy prawns. Slice into the onsen egg and let the runny yellow coat the rest of the ingredients.

Yakult Lover 3.8/5

Relive your childhood dreams with the Yakult Lover ($6.90) which is the signature drink of the cafe that seems to have been created for the social media. It comes in an instagrammable upsized Yakult bottle filled with yakult flavoured soda and a small mason jar served on a wooden tray. Although the familiar taste of the probiotic yoghurt drink is a refreshingly unique combination with the soda, the fizzy bubbly taste of the latter might be too overwhelming at some points. The drink further eased to a more welcoming balance as the ice melted towards the ends.

The Foxhole Cafe is the perfect cozy spot to provide a calming respite and chill over pastries and good coffee while people watching through the tall windows overlooking the grass field outside. With an established fan base of coffee lovers for the quality coffee from The Pourover Bar and introduction of a wider variety of quality food pegged at affordable prices, it is a noteworthy place that continuously set expectations and is definitely one not to be missed, especially if you're staying near the Hougang area.

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.


Foxhole Cafe
The Midtown at Hougang
1189 Upper Serangoon Road
#01-18
Singapore 534785
Tel: +65 63855587
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Hougang (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon, Wed-Thu: 11am - 9pm
Sat: 9am - 10pm
Sun: 9am - 9pm
(Closed on Tue)

Direction:
1) Alight at Hougang MRT Station. Take Exit B. Walk towards Hougang Central road. Continue to block 805. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

Starker Signature @ Holland Village – For Authentic German-style Fresh Brews And Delicious Bar Grubs

Nestled within the heart of Holland Village is Starker Signature, a casual bar serving authentic German brew, and probably one of the best authentic hotspot known for their top notch friendly staff and laid-back vibes among the multiple Starker Group outlets across the island. Here, it offers a variety of incredible Starker Fresh Brews with a 7 days shelf policy, and an even wider selection of food items such as their signature roasts, mains and bar grubs to complement the ice-cold beer and further accentuate the fresh brew drinking experience for their diners.

The main highlight at Starker is undeniably their fresh beer - Adopting the traditional German-brewing techniques using the finest European ingredients from milling to fermentation, Starker aims to deliver unfiltered and unpasteurized quality German-style craft beer served icy cold straight from the barrel, and with a strict 7-days shelf life to guarantee absolute freshness. Starring their 5 unique brews: Lager, Dunkel, Charcoal, Aromatic and Lychee. All these award-winning beers, from the sweet Lychee to the smokier Charcoal, are freshly brewed in-house and served the traditional way for beer connoisseurs.

Starker Ale 4.2/5

Starker has recently launched a new beer - Ale. Brewed from specially selected caramelised malts using top fermentation, the Ale is lusciously vibrant-coloured and boasts a mild fruity aftertaste, constituting a refreshing beer with a nice crisp finish that will leave you wanting for more.

Great news! If you're looking to chill out with your loved ones this Friday, look no further as you can now settle your TGIF plans with Stärker - Starker will be giving away 600 half-pints of Ale every Friday from 6pm onwards at different Stärker outlets till 2 Feb 2018. Do note that each customer is limited to only one half-pint beer per day.

5 Jan 2018: Stärker Signature Holland Village
12 Jan 2018: Stärker Bistro Katong Square
19 Jan 2018: Stärker Music Zhongshan Park
26 Jan 2018: Stärker Bistro HillV2
2 Feb 2018: Stärker Signature Tanjong Pagar Centre

If you’re looking for some unique brews, Starker serves a pretty fancy range of fresh brew catering to the preferences of different customers.

Starker Lychee 4.2/5 and Starker Charcoal 4.2/5

What is a trip to Starker without having a round of their renowned beer? For something lighter, go for their Starker Lychee (half-pint $8.90/one-pint $16.90/2L barrel $63.90/5L barrel $148), a medium bodied beer with a distinctive Belgium lychee fragrance. Brewed with a unique mix of wheat malts and 100% lychee extract, it is refreshingly light with a subtle fruity aftertaste and a hint of tartness. Best paired with fresh succulent seafood, salad or pasta.

The Starker Charcoal (half-pint $8.90/one-pint $16.90/2L barrel $63.90/5L barrel $148) is a fuller bodied dark beer with a more intense and robust body. Brewed from crystal and dark roasted malt, it boasts an edging bitterness and leaves a distinctive aftertaste with a hint of coffee. Best paired with Starker's signature roasts or burger.

Even the best beers don't sit so well on empty stomachs, so be prepared to indulge in their extensive selection of unpretentious grubs with a beer or two in hand.

Traditional Pork Knuckle 4.5/5

The Traditional Pork Knuckle ($38.80) features a huge portion of pork knuckles (serve 3-4 pax) marinated with Starker secret spice recipe and roasted to a perfectly crisp exterior, with tender juicy meat within that boasts a decent firmness in each bite. Served with a side of creamy mash, Starker beer sauce and house salad, as well as crispy freshly cut onion strips, battered and golden-fried, each of these complements contribute to the flavour and textural interplay of the dish, yet not overshadowing the perfectly executed pork knuckles.

Roasted Pork Belly 4.5/5

The Roasted Pork Belly ($14.80) comes in a plate of generously portioned sliced pork belly, with a half-half ratio of tender meats and fats that boasts a melt-in-the-mouth consistency, and roasted to a perfect crackling texture for its thin golden crisp outer skin layer. Served with vinegary French mustard and sourish sauerkraut (pickled cabbage) for a more flavorous addition, though the pork belly has already shone on its own.

Muchos Nachos 4/5

One of their upcoming new items on the menu, the Muchos Nachos comes loaded with generous servings of home-made ground beef and cheese sauce to have your crunchy Nacho Chips with. The best kind of savoury pairing for your Nachos, and the perfect finger food to go with your Starker fresh beers.

Gamabas Spanish Style 4.2/5

The Gamabas Spanish Style is another upcoming new item on the menu. This classic Spanish tapas dish features succulent shrimps in a spicy garlicky sauce, served with toasts on the side. The shrimps, which boast a bouncy texture power packed with a great deal of juiciness in each piece stole the show. The mild spicy garlicky sauce is not too overwhelming, and provides just the right amount of flavour to the shrimps so as to not overshadow its freshness.

King Prawn Pasta 4/5

The King Prawn Pasta ($19.80) comes with a single large grilled king prawn on a bed of spaghetti. The king prawn meat is tender and succulent down to the last bite, while the spaghetti is executed excellently as well, cooked al dente and tossed in tomato sauce with a hint of crustacean sweetness due to the prawn stock used.

Seafood Pizza 4.2/5

The Seafood Pizza ($10.80) features a home-made crispy thin crust pizza topped with copious amounts of prawns, squids and crab meats marinated with garlic and herbs. The assortment of seafood toppings are juicy and fresh with a subtle herb aroma, while the blanket of generous mozzarella cheese on top balances the tangy tomato base.

Reviving the old world style of beer drinking with their authentic German-style fresh brews, and bringing to the table such quality food pegged at affordable prices, Stärker is fast becoming the hip joint to be in the neighbourhood. So before the place gets even buzzier, make your way down soon for a relaxing night over some beer and food with your loved ones. Make sure to enjoy their half-pint giveaways which will be happening every Fridays at stipulated outlets till 2 Feb 2018 too!

This post is brought to you by Starker Group


Starker Signature
25 Lorong Mambong
Singapore 277684
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Holland Village (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Sun-Fri: 3pm - 1am
Sat, Eve of PH & PH: 3pm - 2am

Direction: 
1) Alight at Holland Village MRT station. Take Exit B or C. Walk to Lorong Liput. Walk down Lorong Liput. Turn right onto Lorong Mambong. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]