KARA Cafe & Dessert Bar @ Bukit Timah Road - Cafe By Sogurt With Grain Bowls, Pastas, Grilled Toasties And Mochi Waffles With Froyo

Situated along Bukit Timah Road, KARA Cafe & Dessert Bar is the latest f&b concept under frozen yogurt chain Sogurt. Apart from serving frozen yogurt, the cafe has an extensive savoury menu of grain bowls, pastas, salads and grilled cheese toasties, as well as their signature homemade mochi waffles.

Pork Belly Miso 3.8/5

The hearty grain bowls are combined with unusual flavours for an explosion of taste. Diners can opt for the Garlic Japanese Rice or Quinoa Salad (+$3) as their choice of grain base.

The Pork Belly Miso ($16) is a ramen-inspired dish with kakuni braised pork belly, soft egg, ramen crisps, cucumber edamame salad, miso cream and nori. While the braised pork belly is tender with a good proportion of meat and fats, the complimenting ramen crisps add a nice crunch to the dish which we particularly enjoyed.

Beef Larb Fish Bowl 3.8/5

Taking inspiration from cuisines of Northern Thailand, the Beef Larb Rice Bowl ($18) features a bowl of minced beef cooked in a spicy lime and fish sauce marinate, and crowned with a luscious cured egg yolk.

Aburi Mentaiko Salmon 3.5/5

The Aburi Mentaiko Salmon ($16) comes with cooked salmon flakes, mentaiko, mayonnaise, mozzarella, furikake, and soft onsen egg. The dish was extremely creamy, with some bite from the cooked salmon embedded within the mayonnaise and mozzarella mix on a bed of Japanese rice.

Pepperoni Pizzazz 4/5

We opted for the Pepperoni Pizzazz ($11.50) from the Grilled Toasties selection. Spinning a unique twist on the grilled cheese toastie, the dish is a combination of both pizza and grilled cheese toasts - featuring a mouthwatering stack loaded with melty, ozzy cheese, savoury pepperoni salami slices to compliment the cheesiness. Together with marina herb sauce, garlic and basil sandwiched in between crispy toasted sourdough.

Okonomiyaki Truffe Tots 4/5

The Okomiyaki Truffle Tots ($12) comes in a generous portion of tater tots doused in an umami okonomiyaki sauce. These crispy deep fried pieces are extremely addictive.

Matcha Berry 4/5

The highlight is their homemade Mochi Waffles with Froyo. We opted for the Matcha Berry ($12.50) mochi waffles with dark chocolate softie swirl, caco nib sable, cookie crumble, and fresh fruits drizzled in matcha sauce. Different from the usual crispy waffles, the one here boasts a soft chewy texture, paired with a light, refreshing dark chocolate froyo.

Photos and words 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.


Kara Cafe & Dessert Bar By Sogurt
617 Bukit Timah Road
Singapore 269718
Tel: +65 64688940
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Tan Kah Kee (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 11am - 10pm
Sat-Sun: 1030am - 10pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Tan Kah Kee MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn right and walk down Bukit Timah Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

The Dragon Chamber @ Circular Road (Boat Quay) - The Hidden Restaurant Inside A Kopitiam

The Dragon Chamber has been rebirth at its new location in an assuming kopitiam at Circular Road, hidden behind a glass fridge door. Stepping behind the glass door, diners will be plunged into a world that is reminiscent of Chinatown gambling dens and secret society hangouts. One can also find exotic dishes on the menu such as the crocodile feet and penis.

Firecracker Chicken and Maple Fritters 3.8/5

I was told that the Firecracker Chicken and Maple Fritters ($16/$28) is a luxed up version of the chicken and waffle dish which I don't actually get it. It is a La Zi Ji (Sichuan Chilli Chicken) dish with some crispy you tiao drizzled with maple syrup. I can't associate it with the so called chicken and waffle inspiration. Putting the ranting aside, the dish itself is very enjoyable with the spicy kick from the Sichuan peppercorn. The diced chicken which has been deep fried to golden brown was also tender and addictive.

Cheeseburger Eggroll 3.5/5

An unique and bold creation is the Cheeseburger Eggroll ($14). Instead of toasted bun, the ingredients in a cheeseburger such as beef, cheese, lettuce and tomato is stuffed into a eggroll skin. It felt more like have a bonito wrap with crispy skin, instead of a burger.

Dick Soup 4/5

The name of the dish may sounds vulgar but it is absolutely delicious. The nourishing Dick Soup ($30) features crocodile penis in a chicken and pork based broth that has been double boiled for six hours. If you can overcome the idea of eating the exotic ingredient, it actually tasted like pork rib with a layer of collagen. The soup itself tasted nothing acquire, it is flavourful and packed with essences drawn from boiling the ingredients and herbs for hours.

Dragon Mountain 3.8/5

A new dish on the menu is the Dragon Mountain ($88/$138). The whole lobster is fried and tossed in crispy garlic, crushed fermented soybeans, sliced chillis and Sichuan peppercorns. Some commented that it is a waste to mask the freshness of the lobster flesh in the rich flavour. Well, I tend to agree but I also feel it needs to offer something different to entice diners, just like there are different sauces for our favourite local crab dish.

The Flaming Pineapple Beef 3.5/5

The Flaming Pineapple Beef ($28) will make a spectacular entry, served in flame. The beef was really tender and juicy. However I found the sauce too sweet for my liking, masking the appreciation of the beef.

Wagyu Truffle Beef Hor Fun 4.2/5

A must try at The Dragon Chamber is their Wagyu Truffle Beef Hor Fun ($68). This is apparently a new and improved version showcasing wok-fried flat noodles in a moreish truffle gravy. It also comes with slices of A4 Kagoshima wagyu, crispy deep-fried hor fun strips and poached egg. This is a multi-sensual enjoyment packed with flavours and textures. A must order here.

Fried Durian 3/5

For dessert, we had the Fried Durian topped with ikura. Encased in the crispy skin is the durian puree. However the durian puree lacked the piquancy in the king of fruit. It also can be sweeter.

Besides the food at The Dragon Chamber, the bar is worthy to check out too. You can find Asian-inspired cocktails such as Crazy for Coconuts, Old Fashion Twist, Mojito Twist, Tea Time and Soda, and Vodka Citrus Soda. It also offers a range of craft beers and ciders including Dragon Chamber exclusive in-house labelled beers - Dragon Pale Ale and Summer Sesh Ale.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


The Dragon Chamber
2 Circular Road
Singapore 049358
Tel: +65 68058181
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 230pm, 5pm - 12midnight

Direction: 
1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit E. Cross the road. Walk to Upper Circular Road. Walk down the road to North Bridge Road. Cross the road and walk to Circular Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]