KING's Mao Shan Wang Ice Cream

When in Singapore, eat potong. I don't there is any other dessert that can succinctly represent Singapore better than a potong, best if it's made of durian. For foreigners, our ice-cream is a cuboid, because... this is how we roll in Singapore. Do you know that the word "potong" means "cut"? Don't know right? Now you know la.

So, recently I tried out the limited edition, King's Potong Gold - Mao Shan Wang (MSW) potong. If you haven't taste heaven, this icy goodness is probably how it would taste like (especially in Singapore's hot and humid weather - this is a real life saver). 

Loacker's 90th Anniversary: NEW Raspberry Yoghurt Flavour

Loacker needs no additional introduction. Their iconic Italian wafers packed inside familiar packaging designs have lined the shelves of local supermarkets for as long as limbeh could remember. Recently, my best bud, Fernando (with the silent "o") and I were honoured to be invited for the launch of Loacker's new flavour, and to savour Loacker-inspired desserts at Two Bakers, a quaint bakery-cafe located at Horne road. Check out our experience here:

La Baguette @ Naklua-Pattaya, Thailand

Situated along Naklua road in Northern Pattaya, La Baguette is obviously a French-style (because they "la" almost everything) patisserie and cafe that serves top-notch brunch and desserts. We were there during one god-darn hot Saturday and was relieved to sink our asses down on the cushioned seats in the air-conditioned area. If you enjoy the heat of Pattaya or happened to be there when it's cooler, you could sit outside in their al-fresco dining area. With its delectable specialities they have to offer, it is not difficult to comprehend the crowd-size that mostly includes tourists and locals (from Bangkok).

La Baguette is opened in 1998 by Woodlands Group, which owns a number of restaurants and hotels, including La Ferme and Woodlands Hotel and Resort (located just beside La Baguette). I swear I wouldn't mind eating here everyday during my stay, it would probably take weeks to try out everything given their wide array of breads, crepes and other pastries. Oh, they sell some really cutesy sweets and cookies, which are really perfect for gifts. 

Just the Place @ Punggol Settlement, Singapore

Punggol is a beautiful place, in fact, it is well-developed now (although a bit ulu la) as compared to other coastal areas such as the east coasts. Besides newly-built HDBs, Punggol now boasts several entertainment spots, like cycling/jogging tracks, prawning facilities and a hell lot of cafes and restaurants. We were there cycling one Sunday afternoon and we decided to pop by some of the cafes to try them out. Just the Place might be just the place you are looking for a quick break to have some bites, or simply just to chill the shit out on a hot weekend afternoon with some brunch... or well, beer on a Friday night. Albeit being just a year old, this cafe has already gathered a steady stream of followers.

"Our food is wholesome like German cooking with French finese and always served with the warm hospitality of the Italians."

+39 Gelato Bar @ Circular Road, Singapore

Nestled within the vibrant Circular Road, the newly opened +39 Gelato uses state-of-the-art gelato machines to craft up the most delicate desserts in their rustic and industrial-inspired bar. Of course, machines are one thing, these highly-skilled gelato chefs make their prized babies in-store on a daily basis, so you won't need to worry about stale, overnight gelato. Moreover, the natural and high-quality ingredients are sourced only from the best. It all sounded really exaggerated. Until you try them.

Artistry @ Jalan Pinang, Singapore

Hello hungry people! Sorry for the lack of updates these few weeks as university and work are really time-consuming, and I had to set my priorities right. So, anyway Christmas is once again around the corner, and I will most probably do up a Christmasy post soon. Please look forward to it!

-

Nestled along Jalan Pinang, a quiet lane tucked away in the midst of Kampong Glam, Artistry is a cafe, which specialises in art and food. As one could have expected, the decor was cozy, with a great creativity amidst the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Artistry serves as a platform for art-lovers, featuring live bands and an art gallery with paintings which are up for sale.

Waffle Slayer @ Kampong Bahru, Singapore

Located in the neighborhoods of Kampong Bahru, Waffle Slayer is an expansion and spin-off from its predecessor, Strangers' Reunion. Likewise for its cozy interior, this trendy cafe is built upon the rustic industrial concept, featuring vintage furniture and an open-kitchen. This cafe specialises nothing else other than its highly acclaimed waffles of assorted flavours, ranging from sweet to savoury delights.

We were there on a weekday afternoon and were surprised to find that the cafe is more than 80% full, mostly with females - maybe they are wired for waffles? God knows. Nevertheless, we got seated in a moment of time albeit the very limited seating.

Eggs & Berries 2 @ Westgate, Singapore

Having been there earlier this year for their brunch, I decided to visit Eggs & Berries once again. This time bringing a different date - well, my mother. Having a quirky and conceptualized name such as "Eggs & Berries" left little room for guessing, as most of their creations contain either the components of eggs or berries.

Eggs & Berries is well-known for their all-day American breakfast. Thus, there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn't try their breakfast dishes out. For starters, go for their Italia Eggs Benedict (single, S$14.90; doppio, S$18.90) - beautifully poached eggs complemented by a combination of English muffin, parma ham, salad greens, caviar and drizzled with hollandaise sauce. You know what's better? Perfect, runny egg yolks. (On this visit, rosti was unavailable, so they have to switch the side to hash-brown instead.)

Arteastiq Boutique Tea Lounge @ Mandarin Gallery, Singapore

A month has passed since I last posted about bringing my girlfriend to Tablescape at Movenpick Heritage Hotel (Sentosa) for her birthday, and now this post, well, will be talking about an afternoon we had at Arteastiq on my birthday. Again, I would like to address the lack of updates again, and it's because this month has been filled with assignments and examinations, as one could expect in an undergraduate's life. Following that, I will be making a trip down to Taiwan again next week, and hopefully, could explore some new places and recommend nothing but the best to you guys!

Nevertheless. Arteastiq is located at the fourth level of Mandarin Gallery Orchard, and has a good overview of the buzzling street. Arteastiq (meaning "art of teasing") embodies the essence of luxurious living, completed with modernistic furniture and bar-lounge, offering a great city-getaway for people from all walks of life. Besides encompassing a cafe, diners could go for "art-jamming" to release their artistic juices on the canvas provided (of course, for a fee). Unlimited acrylic paint, sponge and brushes will be provided.

Hoshino Coffee @ Plaza Singapura, Singapore

Following Plaza Singapura's expansion, Hoshino Coffee has been boasting snaking long queues during meal-times, serving authentic Japanese cuisine, which includes their signature hand-dripped coffee and pancake souffles. Having recently been to Miam Miam, I would have to admit that there was an uncanny resemblance between the two, in terms of their offerings etc. I haven't had the former's main courses, so I shouldn't judge as much.

Nevertheless, if you had a chance to pass by Hoshino Coffee, I wouldn't be surprised if you got seduced by their eye-captivating artificial food display. Pancake Souffles, like I said, are one of their best-sellers - boasting a light, fluffy texture that it's sure to get any dessert-lover hooked on first bite. Prices are S$9.80 for one, and S$12.00 for the double (and, of course.. if you're in the right mind, you should get the latter for sharing). The pancake souffles are served with a dollop of cream and maple syrup. Preparation time takes 20 minutes, but as they always say.. Good things are worth the wait.

Compared to Miam Miam's rendition, Hoshino won hands-down.

Eggs & Berries @ Westgate, Singapore

Being an absolute brunch lover, I am always on the hunt for good brunch places. When Eggs & Berries opened another outlet at Westgate - the newest kid in the block of West Singapore, I knew I just had to check it out. Whilst having a weird combination of eggs and berries as their brand, they definitely made their statement when inSing featured them as the top 5 brunch places in Singapore.

So what are you waiting for? Dig in to a world of lovely eggs and berries-filled pancakes here.

Saint Marc Cafe @ Vivocity, Singapore

Since its opening early this year, St. Marc has been my favourite cafe to chill out after a heavy meal. Boasting more than a whopping 300 stores in Japan alone, it mainly sells authentic Japanese pastry, bread and desserts, including their signature chococro (well, we will come to that). Oh, don't ask where is St. Marc, their beautiful glass display of desserts is sure to attract any passer-bys, and probably make them salivate as well.

At St. Marc, there's only one problem: you will be very much be spoilt for choices. For starters, Choco Banana Split is set to satisfy any cravings of your sweet tooth. Here's why you should try out this dessert: One, soft serve holds approximately 10% lesser fat than normal ice cream. Two, there's bananas, so you won't feel as bad while indulging in this dessert. Third, don't ask, just eat.

Miam Miam @ Bugis Junction, Singapore

Nestled outside the second floor of BHG in Bugis Junction, Miam Miam is the newest addition of cafes locally. Bringing a combination of French artisanal cuisine and Japanese-inspired culinary arts, this casual restaurant promises the fresh flavours and the charms of the best of both worlds. Well, as a guy, shopping can be a tiring and sleepy chore, hence I always find comfort in desserts, and as a method to pick myself up via a sugar rush.

Alongside with a dose of their Matcha latte (S$6.80) - a soothing mixture of premium matcha and steamed milk, we had their highly acclaimed French Toast (S$9.80). Originally known as "pain perdu", their rendition of this French classic was fluffy, yet robust with a hint of sweetness. It comes with a scoop of home-made whipped cream (which I thought was vanilla ice cream initially) and maple syrup as well, and it is only sane to indulge a good piece of toast with those amazing pairings. As they say, good things are worth waiting, most of their desserts, including toasts and soufflés have a waiting time of 20 minutes (while they do their magic in the open-concept kitchen).

Mr. Jones Orphanage @ Thong Lor, Bangkok

Step into a whimsical world filled with all your childhood fantasies at Mr. Jones Orphanage. Located at Seenspace in Thong Lor 13, this dessert restaurant is decorated with vintage prints, fluffy teddy bears and toy soldiers, that might just reveal anyone's younger self. We stopped by this quirky cafe as part of our little cafe-hopping in Bangkok, and well, as you all might imagined, once we were inside, cameras were on burst-mode, girls going crazy over the teddy bears and guys relieving the nostalgia by playing war games with those toy soldiers.

You know what? This place is magical and so alluring that once you get in, you never want to get out. Thinking about Hansel and Gretel already? Let's go!

Scoma's @ Terminal 21, Bangkok

Located at the exclusive Sukhumvit district, Terminal 21 brings the world under one roof at Bangkok. Find your exploring this gigantic shopping mall, which houses over 600 shops in nine levels - each featuring a unique theme for each city. Say for example, San Francisco on the 4th and 5th floor is a haven for food lovers, or Rome at ground level features a variety of international and local fashion brands.

After hours of non-stop shopping, the next best thing to do is probably to find a nice cafe to have afternoon tea, as well as to rest our feet (well, unless you are a shopping machine like some of my friends are). Here at Terminal 21, we stumbled upon a dainty cafe nestled comfortably on the 4th floor. Service was applaudable at Scoma's, as we soon found the branch manager more like a friend to us. But we didn't come for the service of course, Scoma's features an array of caffeine beverages, and shelves filled with cutesy-looking cakes.

Awfully Chocolate @ Upper Thomson, Singapore

Regardless of how sinful chocolate could be, it is no doubt that they serve as a great delectable, comfort food. Till now, Awfully Chocolate has became more than an average shop that was tucked away in the back streets. Over the years since 1998, the brainchild of Lynn Lee - a local entrepreneur who took the great leap of faith by leaving her law profession and enter the chocolate business, has transformed into a household name. Mention chocolate, and Awfully Chocolate comes to your mind, almost automatcically.

Nestled at the serene vinicity of Sembawang Hills, Awfully Chocolate makes a great place for residents and university students to hang out whilst enjoying their creative variations of chocolate-inspired bites. Lining their blackboard menu are (just to name some) chocolate cakes, truffles, brownies and premium ice-cream.

[GIVEAWAY] La Tarte Tropezienne

French are good at artistically portrayed romance, that's one. But do you know the pastries that we consume today are mostly inspired by the French? Take for example - the souffle, tartes, crepes, brulees, and the list goes on infinitely. Little do I know about the Tarte Tropezienne, when I was invited to sample these adorable treats from the lovely people at La Tropezienne.

I utilised my research skills by searching them on Google (now, how hard was that..), and found out that they are not really "tarts" at all, but rather a circular disc of brioche, sliced horizontally and filled with buttercream. Tarte Tropezienne derives its name from Saint-Tropez, where it is said to have originated in the 1940s from the place itself.

Photo by: La Tarte Tropezienne

Different from the original version of Tarte Tropezienne, which is about 9-inch in diameter, their rendition of the buttery-rich brioche pastry filled with flavoured cream is of bite-sized. And yes, meaning there is no need for fussy utensils and better, it is mess-free!

If you are still wondering why these little treats look familiar, the reason is because of the close resemblance of the French macarons. However, the tartes are much lighter on the tastebuds with lesser sugar content and coloring, and to a certain extent, packed with a whole lot more of textures - from the sugar sprinkles, down to the rich and tender-crumb of the brioche and finally - the thick, luscious cream. Flavours include The Original, Chocolate, Lime, Hazelnut, Coffee and Green Tea.

For orders and furthur enquiries (deliver options, etc.), do visit La Tarte Tropezienne's site here.

As you all would have known, selfish is probably the last description of myself, that's why I have asked the lovely people at La Tarte Tropezienne, and they have kindly agreed to share their dainty French treats with 5 of my lucky readers. So without further ado, here's 3 simple task that you have to do:

_________________________________________

How to Win?

1. LIKE Thenomsaurus Facebook page and La Tropezienne

2. SHARE this post on your page!

3. Leave a COMMENT on this post!

__________________________________________

The Tarte Giveaway will end at 31 July 2013 (2359hrs, GMT+8).

Winners are selected by random and will be notified via Thenomsaurus Facebook page by 1 August 2013. Prizes will be sent to the winner's residential address (in Singapore only), or if they can't resist the urges, self-collection can be made at La Tropezienne's booth at Pasarbella @ The Grandstand on 3 - 4 August 2013 and 17 - 18 August 2013.

So what are you waiting for? I mean how hard is it, seriously? It doesn't even take a minute.

"Forget macarons, Let them eat Tarte"

BLIC Ice Cream Cafe @ Simpang Bedok, Singapore

The eastern side of Singapore is somewhere that I would rarely head to. Firstly, I reside in the west and secondly, I barely see a reason why should I travel to the other side less for a good reason. Well, they say good things are worth travelling for, I guess good ice cream is one valid reason.

Located at Simpang Bedok, somewhere about a short 5-minute walk away from Tanah Merah MRT, BLIC Ice Cream Cafe is well-known for its good service it has done for the residence at Tampines, serving authentic homemade ice-cream and sorbets of various creative flavours, such as SCaM (Soursop, calamansi and martini), Seasalt Malt, Dino Milo, Mao Shan Wang (Durian King) and the list goes on, reaching unimaginable flavours with a local twist, take for example - Sambal Sorbet and Chocolate Chip Chicken Rice.

Prices are affordable as well, with a scoop of classic flavour and premium flavour going as low as S$3.20 and S$5.20 respectively. Diners can also opt for BLIC's speciaility milkshakes, waffle or brownie combination as well, dosed with a lethal satisfaction for your sweet tooth.

All in all, BLIC proves to be a hidden gem in the east (and I bet that there are many more for myself to discover), as well as a great hangout place to chill-out after a dinner at the nearby Simpang. 

BLIC Ice Cream Cafe

312 Bedok Road

MADO @ Jem, Singapore

Nestled at the ground floor of Jem - Singapore's third largest suburban shopping mall that officially opened recently, the first local MADO prides itself with the "world's best (and real) ice cream" made with mixing high quality goat milk and "schlep" that is harvested from the hillsides of Ahirdagi. Besides a wide variety of ice creams, MADO Cafe also attracts hungry diners with its limited number of main courses and side dishes, such as Kebabs, Prawn Aglio Olio and Caravan Grilled Lamb. But what lacks in quantity, I do, however, expected them to do well with the quality.

Canele Patisserie Chocolaterie @ Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

Les Amis Group is one of the food & beverage giants that has the finest restaurants locally, with award winning concepts. ranging from high end Japanese restaurants to fine dining French cuisine including Aoki, Peperoni Pizzeria and Au Jardin. Besides raising the curtains of Casa Verde, a casual Italian restaurant at the Gardens by the Bay, Canele Patisserie Chocolaterie is introduced to the gastronomic scene of Singapore's newest attraction as well.

With a colorful collection of signature macarons lining the front shelves and savoury bites fresh from the kitchen, dessert lovers are in for a pleasant surprise when they visit the French-inspired chocolate boutique at Gardens by the Bay. Tea and coffee connoseiurs are also treated with an exquisite selection of finely brewed English tea, as well as artisanal coffees - a good cup of Cappucinno (S$6.00) never fails to make my day. Canele's baristas definitely know just how to hit the right spot that is longing for caffeine.

Flowers of the Sea (S$12.00) was my choice for sweet crepes, partially because it rhymes with Gardens by the Bay and has the most unique name, when I visited Canele recently, and boy, what a beauty it was. The nutella-filled crepe with chocolate ice cream, filo pastry (which reminded me of tissue prata), whipped cream and blueberries was drizzled with a good deal of salty caramel sauce and powdered sugar - and yes, it tastes as good as it looks.

Besides desserts, Canele is known for its savoury main courses and sides as well, such as gourmet breakfasts, Big Bang Turkey crepes and, Smoked Salmon Wrap (S$8.00) - Premium smoked salmon over dill cream cheese with shallots, cucumber, Romaine lettuce, capers, and wrapped in a tortilla skin. It comes complete with fresh garden salad.

Being very much satisfied after the visit, I will definitely be back to savour other treats Canele has to offer, for starters, their gourmet breakfast sets and other sweet crepes sure look tempting enough!

 

Canele Patisserie Chocolaterie

Tel: 6604 7277

Opening Hours

Daily: 07:30 - 22:00

18 Marina Gardens Drive

#01-04

Gardens by the Bay