The pork sausage ($20++) was really delicious - bursting with flavour and juice with every bite!! The pickled beetroot was more palatable than the cabbage, and the potato slices were nice but a little soggy. This was served with an assortment of sauces!
The caramelised onion sauce seems to be missing from my plate, but the farmer’s sausage ($19++) comes with mustard! The chicken sausage is light with a good bite. Was not a fan of pickled cabbage, but the mashed potato was really impressive!
So happy to discover a Tai Cheong! These are hands-down my favourite egg tarts ($2) - I usually dabao them back to toast till the buttery tart is crisp, and the custard caramelised on top. The pandan tart ($2) is really fragrant too!
Loved the smoked flavours in Primal ($15+)! The chimchurri spices complemented it well. However, the brisket was waaay too fatty with barely any meat and the wrapping was soaked with oil from the chimchurri. Would have liked more peppers to balance its heavy flavour profile!
Was really looking forward to TMBH, but it fell a little short of expectations! Each portion is evidently smaller than before, and the all-sorts bagel we had was rather dense and stale. Enjoyed the creaminess of the ricotta and the savoury tomato relish in Bobow ($12+)! It was rather one-dimensional in terms of texture, so I’d probably opt for something else next time.
Finally made it to the bakery that started off the hype! The original burnt cheesecake ($7.50) is made from 4 types of cheese, surprisingly light but extremely flavourful. Didn’t quite live up to expectations - the base was watery even though we ate it almost immediately after purchase, and we would have liked the top to have a greater depth of caramelised sweetness.
Also tried the burnt cheese cruffin ($5.50) - the oozy filling was sweeter than the cake, but complemented the layered pastry nicely. Would similarly enjoy it more if it had been caramelised more! The sor hei ($4) is a crowd favourite, but tastes similar to a regular chocolat au pain and we didn’t find it sufficiently crispy. Both pastries would have been better heated!
One of my all time favourites! The stall specialises in YTF ($4.50) and its popularity is evidenced by the snaking queue that forms even before it opens at 1 pm. Love that everything is handmade, and the soup is very flavourful!
There are limited seats available for reservation to cater for walk-ins! We managed to get a seat outdoors after queuing a short while - it was really enjoyable with the setting sun and evening breeze. Opted for the mexican burger ($24) - the double patty is layered with bacon, guacamole and jalapeño. Enjoyed the spiciness and medley of flavours!
Grabbed a takeaway cup of yuan yang ($6.50)! Thought that the portion was quite small initially, but it worked out really well. The espresso shot mixes with the milk for a strong white, whilst the fragrance of earl grey comes towards the end as the ice ball melts. Really enjoyed this!
The Hokkien mee ($4) is popular but a tad lacking - the ingredients were so sparse! Also found the gravy rather starchy. It’s saving grace was the chilli, which packed formidable heat.
Finally made it back to Tom’s Palette at their new location! The crowd comes in at 9 pm, so I’d recommend coming earlier to avoid the snaking queue. Opted for rum & raisin, Vietnamese coffee and dark chocolate in a large cup ($5)! It was my first time trying Vietnamese coffee, which is hand-dripped. Enjoyed the strong caffeine kick and lingering bitterness! The alcoholic sweetness from the raisins balanced it really well.
Made a second visit within the week and decided to try something different! The braised pork bowl ($10.90+) is reminiscent of a Taiwanese lu rou fan. I found the meat a little too fatty, but the sauce was thick and savoury, balanced by the acidity of pickled cucumbers and chilli. Best part of a meal here is definitely the impeccable service - the staff is warm and attentive, which makes for a really great dining experience!
