Despite how this may look (not great), the coffee turned out to my favourite order here! The barista roasts his own under his very own local label called Quarter Life, and changes his single origin beans regularly to keep your cuppa at The Moon fresh.
This season, he’s got Brazilian in the hopper, which churns out very rounded, nutty and balanced flavours — perfect with milk.
Topped with a moon at The Moon, this feels like a very appropriate drink to vibe with at this boho-inspired, newly opened bookstore cafe.
Smooth and heavy, great if you like turmeric! Do ask for them to make it less sweet, as that was our only gripe.
Vegan-friendly and gluten-free, this teatime treat may not be the yummiest you will have had. The bread has a slightly dry, almost powdery texture — we’re guessing due to its almond/coconut flour base? Think of it like your Chinese New Year almond cookies, soft and crumbly. The turmeric flavour does come through quite well, more so than the banana, in fact.
Simple but oh so delicious egg noodles. Every strand shimmers with the mildly spicy, umami oil, with a dollop of spring onions and XO sauce on top. A tad pricey for plain dish, but for a guaranteed good, no-frills noodles, I’d be happy to fork out the dough!
Ultra rich, cheesy risotto with a pleasantly crisped-up crust, plus fat, meaty king mushrooms on top!
Quality wagyu tartare with shallots, garlic, cilantro and herbed oil. The flavours are stellar, especially when had with bitter keropok. Order to share!
Smooth, translucent rice rolls wrapped around crispy, soak-up-all-that-soy-sauce you tiao. I’ve always loved ‘cha leong’ but it’s become so difficult to find one anywhere outside of Hong Kong these days. Happy that Yin Ji does it, and so excellently too. Would definitely come back for these babies.
I’m a sucker for heavy flavours, so when the choice came for White Wine or Chorizo and Craft Beer, you know what I picked.
The seemingly bottomless pot was filled with mussels, all decently fat and juicy, steeped in a super kao, finger lickin’ craft beer and chorizo sauce. Salty with a bubbly, zesty zing, it’s heavenly when sopped up with the side of bread. Or if you’re hardcore like me and mum, on its own (eep!). This also comes peppered with thick-cut chorizo, which while slightly dry (all its moisture gone to the gravy) still pack bursts of umami flavour.
Sorry to break it to you, but the bakery no longer does Toasts! In their place, Breakfast Plates that still feature their yummy yummy bread.
For something that’s kinda like toast, go for the tartines — topped with an obscene amount of mushrooms (or cherry tomatoes) and cheese. Bright, salty, soft, crispy all at once.
Don’t miss dessert because these pear, cream cheese and amaretto-filled babies were a hot-and-cold kind of delicious! The joint also makes their own Tasmanian honey ice cream, which makes a mighty smart combi with the deep-fried dumpling.
Had to order this to determine their dumpling dexterity! The original is executed expertly, with beautifully seared (on one side) skin coddling minced pork collar and napa cabbage filling. I would have wanted more of that ginger soy sauce and black vinaigrette, but happy even without.
Dumpling Darlings also does handmade noodles! You will fare well with the pocket-friendly miso mushroom, which turned out to also be the most flavourful of the lot. The miso sauce clings nicely onto these thin, qq noodles while the mushrooms make a great alternative to all your meat-filled dumpling sides.
