The Lokal @ Neil Road

With new cafes opening in various part of Singapore every couple of weeks, cafe hopping has become a trend and in a way a sort of competition in who is the first to discover any new cafe. I may not be the first to discover The Lokal but it definitely is one the latest cafes to be opened in the cafe scene in Singapore. Opened by Chef owner Darren Farr, one of the founding chefs of Tetsuya in Sydney, it has been gaining many good reviews in both their coffee and food.

Latte & Mocha 4.5/5

The coffee at The Lokal uses Sarnies coffee beans. I have not been to Sarnies but it was my privilege to meet K-Man at The Lokal who even made our Latte ($5.5) and Mocha ($6). Managed to have brief chat with him and I can feel the passion in him. The coffee itself was smooth, aromatic and had a nice body with just the right acidity.

Pork Belly Burger 3.8/5

Who eats a Pork Belly Burger ($23) for breakfast? Ha not me but for photography seek I had to have a heavy breakfast. When I saw the pork belly burger delivered to my table, it instantly reminds me of the fish burger at GRUB. While I thought the pork belly could be more tender, nevertheless it was a good burger with spinach, scrambled eggs and beetroots.

Sticky Date Pudding 4.2/5

In my second visit, I tried the Sticky Date Pudding which was really good. Served warmed and drenched in a chocolate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it was just too inviting. The pudding was really moist, eaten with the chocolate and ice cream only one word to describe it, heavenly.

The Lokal definitely has the right formula with its beautiful decorated space, good coffee and great food is what I described as a total package for a cafe to be successful. No wonders food bloggers and cafe hoppers on social media has been raving about the new cafe. Patrons who wish to check out the cafe need to take note that kitchen is closed at 330pm although it will be opened until 6pm on weekdays.


The Lokal
136 Neil Road
Singapore 088865
Tel: +65 64239918
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelokalsingapore
Website: http://www.thelokalsingapore.com/
Nearest MRT: Outram Park (EW Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon: 8am - 6pm
Tue-Fri: 8am - 1030pm
Sat: 9am - 1030pm
Sun: 9am - 4pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Outram Park MRT station. Take Exit H. Turn left onto Teo Hong Road. At the end of Teo Hong Road turn left and continue on Bukit Pasoh Road. Walk to the end of the road. The Lokal is on the right side at the end of the road. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Sek Tong Gai (食通街) @ Tanglin Halt

When I heard from a friend that even Les Amis chefs like to visit Sek Tong Gai (食通街) to eat after a late night service, I was eager to visit the restaurant and check out the food there. I had a foodies meetup session with Nat, Elaine and Elle so I took the opportunity to suggest checking out the restaurant. Armed with my camera and a group of friends, we headed down to the Sek Tong Gai which was formerly known as Sin Lee Chinese Cuisine in Tiong Bahru.

Spinach with Tang Hoon in Claypot 4.2/5

Usually I will order the 3 eggs with vegetables whenever I eat at Chinese restaurant. The Spinach with Tang Hoon in Claypot ($21) is a delicious alternative. Cooked in a tasty broth together with dried scallops and dried shrimps, the claypot is jam packed with flavours and textures with the silky smooth tang hoon infused with the rich flavours.

Claypot Chicken with Salted Fish 4.2/5

This may look like three cups chicken but no it is actually Claypot Chicken with Salted Fish ($18). While the chicken may not be very tender, the savoury sauce marriage the chicken perfectly with the salted fish lifting the flavour to a whole new level of enjoyment.

Steamed Pork Ribs 4.2/5

I have to admit I was not very keen to order the Steamed Pork Ribs ($21) initially as I thought it would be just an ordinary home cooked dish. I was glad that the rest of group persisted or I would have missed savouring this delicious dish. While the timing of cooking the pork ribs can be a bit better, what impressed me most is the sauce used. It was so good and flavourful that I had to resist ordering a bowl of rice to go with it as I am cutting down on my carbo intake.

Soon Hock in Claypot 4.5/5

For me the star of the dinner is the Claypot Soon Hock (market price) cooked with beancurd, minced meat, mushroom and brinjal. For the size of the fish we had that night, it cost us $97. The beancurd was silky smooth and the brinjal was not too mushy that still had a crunch. Lastly the fresh soon hock was moist and tender.

I am glad that I have finally try the Cantonese cuisine at Sek Tong Gai (食通街). I left feeling not only satisfied but impressed with the dishes I had. It may seen like some ordinary zichar dishes but I can tell that there were many thoughts in each dish especially how they were beautifully paired with the different sauces.


Sek Tong Gai
47 Tanglin Halt Road
Singapore 141047
Tel: +65 64744547
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sektonggai.sg
Nearest MRT: Commonwealth (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon: 6pm - 2am
Wed-Sun: 6pm - 2am
(Closed on Tue)

Direction:
1) Alight at Commonwealth MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk straight to Sheng Siong. Turn right and walk towards Tanglin Halt Road. Cross the road and walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]