Pizz Please ~

For those whom have been following us for a while, perhaps the mention of Ajiya Okonomiyaki Restaurant may have rang some bells — yes, these folks have been in operation at Jalan Jurong Kechil for quite a while, but have recently opened a second outlet at E!Avenue within Downtown East. It does seem that the section that it is located is rather new to Downtown East; this block seemingly being an extension across where The Basil Inn is beside the spot that overlooks Wild Wild Wet. Ajiya Okonomiyaki Restaurant should be relatively easy to spot, considering how the restaurant features a wooden facade that is undoubtedly Japanese — all that with red lanterns hanging from the awning styled in the likes of a Japanese roof. The Ajiya Okonomiyaki Restaurant outlet at Downtown East is split into two (2) sections — indoor and outdoor seating; the indoor seating being an air-conditioned space where all seats surrounds a counter where patrons can observe the chefs preparing the Okonomiyaki right in front of them with the grill positioned at the table itself. In retrospect, the outdoor dining space comprises of booths with traditional Japanese-style seating, while the remaining tables are all regular dining tables that is configured to seat patrons visiting their establishment in pairs or in groups of four (4) pax. The food menu at Ajiya Okonomiyaki Restaurant at its Downtown East outlet is segmented into Okonomiyaki, Teppan-Grilled, Mentai, Appetisers, Sides and Rice / Noodles, while beverages are split into Japanese Beers, Sake, House Cocktails, Japanese Wines, Other Liqueurs and Non-Alcoholic Drinks categories.

It is worth noting that Ajiya Okonomiyaki Restaurant’s menu consists of two subsections for the Okonomiyaki offerings — the Ajiya’s Combo and the Veggie Delight; both allows patrons to flexibly create their very own Okonomiyaki with their choice of three (3) ingredients from the list that they have provided. Patrons seated indoors with the grills right in front of them can choose to make their very own Okonomiyaki, or have the Okonomiyaki prepared by the chef. Either way, the Okonomiyaki will arrive to the table without the sauces and bonito flakes; patrons can opt for the service staff to help them out with the garnishes, or choose to do it on their own as well. We went for the Ajiya’s Combo and opted for one item each from the three (3) categories of ingredients listed — the Scallop, Chicken Ham and Kimchi which are namely from the Seafood, Meat & Dairy and Vegetable section accordingly. The Okonomiyaki at Ajiya Okonomiyaki Restaurant is sized in a way that is good as a main dish for a single pax or to be shared around multiple pax at the table. Coming with a drizzle of Okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise and topped off with bonito flakes, the Okonomiyaki is well-made with a crusty and crisp surface from being grilled; the Okonomiyaki can also be sliced easily with the batter holding everything up firm so that the elements do not fall apart. Despite the elements that we have opted for in our order, the Okonomiyaki does taste like a typical Okonomiyaki for the most part — perhaps due to the heavy drizzle of Okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise that gives a savoury-sweet note that is slightly vinegary with a dash of creaminess to it; the addition of Bonito flakes giving a factor of umami-ness at the same time.

During our visit, we had also given the Century Egg Kami Tofu from the Appetisers section of the menu a go. As the namesake of the dish suggests, the Century Egg Kami Tofu comes with elements such as silken tofu, Japanese surimi crabmeat, and century egg sauce. Much like a typical century egg tofu dish, one think that we note about the tofu here is how “crumbly” and “curdled” the texture of the tofu seems to be; smooth but not quite as what we had expected considering the other century egg tofu that we had come across at other Japanese dining establishments around the island. The century egg sauce helps to add a umami note and a creamy mouthfeel, gelling the tofu with other elements such as Ebiko that provides a popping sensation; all that whilst chopped up pieces of century egg adds further enhancing the flavours of the dish further. We had tried the Potato Cheese Mentai from the Mentai section of the menu; Ajiya Okonomiyaki Restaurant describes the item as being “sliced potatoes topped with mozzarella cheese & mentai sauce and baked”. This does seem to be pretty much a crowd pleaser; the sliced potatoes carry a soft but firm bite — the potatoes providing a little bit of an earthy note that acts a vehicle for the Mentaiko sauce that is drizzled atop of it. The Mentaiko sauce here carries a good balance of being umami and creamy; having gone through the flame torch to come with a slight hint of smokiness.

Meanwhile, the Shio Koji Tori Karaage is mentioned to be a dish that features “fried chicken bites”, “marinated with fermented salt and rice”. These do seem to be a very good accompaniment to the range of alcohol which Ajiya Okonomiyaki Restaurant has to offer; the chicken being especially tender and juicy with a very light zing at the end whilst carrying a slight hint of saltishness within. Ajiya Okonomiyaki Restaurant was an establishment that had impressed us when we had first visited their founding location at Jalan Jurong Kechil; it is definitely surprising to hear about these folks making expansion plans especially given how they have been pretty stable with just having one location for quite a number of years — the move to open a second outlet in the East does come with a little bit of surprise. Nonetheless, Ajiya Okonomiyaki Restaurant provides a fun experience especially for those who manage to get one of the indoor seats at their Downtown East outlet — there is definitely a theatrical experience for those whom opt for the chef to prepare the Okonomiyaki order for them, whilst those whom prefer the hands-on experience can always choose to do it themselves. They had also not forgotten about adding the theatrical experience for those seated outdoors, with the servers still being able to assist to apply all sauces / garnishes to the Okonomiyaki to provide a partial experience to ensure that they are not missing out entirely. With a loyal following and being an established name providing patrons with a unique dining experience few establishments are able to provide in Singapore, Ajiya Okonomiyaki Restaurant is likely an establishment that would be popular with residents in the East given how Upper Bukit Timah is a tad far out; also an opportunity for Easties that had not heard about them to give them a try given the more convenient location for them now.

It hasn’t been too long since the folks at Delato Handcrafted Ice-Cream had first made their mark in the Singapore F&B scene with the opening of their very first location at Blk 477 Tampines Street 43; it has been more than a year since, and it seems like these folks are expanding their footprint on the island further with their second outlet that has just recently opened its doors at D’Marquee at Downtown East in Pasir Ris. These folks can be easily spotted as one walks down the main road in front of the car park at Downtown East; located just behind the carpark, Delato Handcrafted Ice-Cream is neighbours with the outlet of KOPIFELLAS there. It is interesting to note that Delato Handcrafted Ice-Cream takes up the space of two shop units here; one being where the counter displaying the various flavours of ice-creams that are available is located along with counter-seating that faces the wall, while a separate unit consists of four dining tables with two (2) dining chairs each. The interior design of the outlet differs from that of their Tampines location; the outlet seeing a facade and interior that features the use of bright yellow while matched against other colours like red, blue and white that takes up a minor role — these colours being used for its outdoor seating space just right outside the store. As how things are like at their Tampines location, Delato Handcrafted Ice-Cream serves up gelato in several flavours which are available in cups or with cones; patrons also do get a choice to pick between a variety of waffle types or with a Praffle — beverages available are split across categories such as Coffee, Drinks and Soda.

After skimming through the menu on what Delato Handcrafted Ice-Cream has to offer, we found ourselves gravitating towards ordering the Blue Pea Mochi Waffle; one out of the two mochi-infused waffles which Delato Handcrafted Ice-Cream serves up. We also went with the Salted Oreo Gelato to pair up with the waffle. Waffles are prepared on the spot and an electronic buzzer is issued after payment is made to be used to buzz the patron when the food is prepared and ready for collection at the counter. Coming with a shade of brown, it is interesting to note that one can still notice globs of blue that is hidden within the waffle. Slicing down the Blue Pea Mochi Waffle, we did notice that they seem to be quite generous with the amount of mochi that comes with the waffle — each slice evidently coming with some mochi in between. The mochi has been dyed blue with the natural colouring from blue pea flowers and the intensity of the colours come stronger as one move closer into the middle of the waffle as well. The waffles do come beautifully browned; plush and lightly crisp on the outside whilst coming with a buttermilk fragrance — the mochi adds a chewy and stretchy texture that compliments the waffle nicely. Meanwhile, our choice of the Salted Oreo Gelato is a bit of an interesting take to the standard Cookies and Cream — perhaps inspired from some of the “Blue Milk” flavoured ice-cream flavours that we had come across from other establishments around the island where it is a flavour with a simple composition of milk and salt. The addition of salt does create a good contrast against the slightly bittersweet notes of the cocoa biscuit crumbs that comes with the Salted Oreo Gelato, with the crumbs also adding a contrast of textures to the otherwise creamy and milky gelato. Delato Handcrafted Ice-Cream’s outlet at D’Marquee does feel like an establishment that provides a sample of the experience of what Delato Handcrafted Ice-Cream’s Tampines outlet has to provide; perhaps this is due to the set-up of its D’Marquee outlet that just felt slightly missing out of the full experience. Nonetheless, fans of the brand whom reside closer to Pasir Ris or within the Pasir Ris neighbourhood might be glad that there is a more convenient spot for them to get their Delato Handcrafted Ice-Cream fix near them now that they are at D’Marquee.

Was going around the Orchard neighbourhood within Lucky Plaza and found out all about Indonesia Bolehh!! which had recently opened its doors at level four of the mall in May 2025 — Indonesia Bolehh!! takes up a space right across from the outlet of May Tailor & Laundry there. From its signboard, it does seem that Indonesia Bolehh!! is a multi-concept store that comprises of several notable brands for those whom have been frequenting Lucky Plaza — think brands such as Indo 6 Expres and My Little Coconut, though there are also mentions of Waroeng Sunda, Waroeng Pempek and Waroeng Vege that are a wee bit generic (we also did spot some boxes from the now-defunct Gading Street Food from 313@Somerset within the food preparation area in the store). The decor of Indonesia Bolehh!! can be described as a little haphazard; but is one that can be described to be pretty much like how one would expect a home-style Indonesian establishment to look like — pretty mom-and-pop aside from the placement of mobile food carts with some items on display that really ups the vibes of the entire space. There are a mix of high tables and proper dining table and chairs within the space as well, with the proper dining tables configured in a layout that seats pairs as well as groups up to six (6) pax. Considering how they are pretty much a multi-concept dining establishment at heart, Indonesia Bolehh!! segments its menu into sections such as Mains, Indomie, Bakso, Soup, Sides (Snacks), Rujak, Ropang, Aneka Kue and Dessert. Beverages available at Indonesia Bolehh!! would include items listed in Drinks category and My Little Coconut.

Skimming through the menu, we did notice that Indonesia Bolehh!! does carry quite a unique selection of dishes that isn’t quite as commonly found as most Indonesian stalls that one would come across whilst in hawker centres / food courts / coffeeshop stall settings — noting this, we did find an interest with the Nasi Gudeg which is an item that is listed in the Mains section of the menu. The Nasi Gudeg is described in the menu to come with elements such as sweet jackfruit stew, chicken and rice. Digging into the Nasi Gudeg, it is interesting to note that the sweet jackfruit stew was an element that felt like an attempt to replicate some sort of meat element whilst probably being braised with brown sugar and coconut milk — whilst being described as a sweet jackfruit stew, the jackfruit itself doesn’t really quite sweet as how we had expected it to be; very balanced whilst being more braised like a braised dish where the jackfruit came with a soft bite with its fibres being having been broken down. The accompanying chicken leg is what Indonesians may refer to as Opor Ayam — also can be described as braised chicken with coconut milk. The braised chicken does come with meat that comes off the bone easily; all that whilst coming with a braised gravy that comes with a soft hint of coconut milk that does provide a “lemak” factor to the dish much like Nasi Lemak. Not mentioned in the description of the dish would be the inclusion of an element that seems like beef tendon marinated with some form of sambal chili — there is a slight gelatinous texture that comes with a tension when one chews into it, while the sambal chili is a little bit similar to the Sambal Terasi which comes with quite a spicy kick that tickles the tastebuds even for those whom are tolerable to more than moderate levels of spiciness. Equally unmentioned in the description on the menu would be the hard-boiled egg that seemingly got drenched with the coconut milk-infused, braised gravy that came with the chicken leg

During our visit, we had also went for the Celimpungan; an item that is listed in the Soup section of the menu at Indonesia Bolehh!!. Indonesia Bolehh!! describes the Celimpungan to be a dish that originates from
Palembang, the capital of South Sumatra, Indonesia, and comes with elements such as fish dumplings in a “thick, savory coconut milk-based yellow curry”. Turns out, the Celimpungan has quite a lot in common as the more commonly found Lontong that we are more exposed to — perhaps due to the use of the coconut milk-based curry which does hint heavily of turmeric and coconut milk. While Lontong would usually come with rice cakes, the use of fish dumplings that carried a texture more similar to fish cakes with a bouncy consistency that carries some bite as well. Otherwise, it also comes with shreds of crunchy greens and carrots that help to add to the wholesomeness of the dish that also helps to further enhance textures within the soup as well.

We found ourselves going for the Ropang Nutella to end off our meal at Indonesia Bolehh!!. Whilst no description of the Ropang Nutella is being provided by the establishment, Ropang (which can also be otherwise known as Roti Panggang) refers to an Indonesian sandwich featuring grilled white bread with filling topped off with shredded mozzarella cheese. In the case of the Ropang Nutella, it does come with a spread of Nutella in between. The grilled bread does come slightly crusty and crisp on the exterior; all that whilst coming with a savoury note coming from the cheese and the nutty and chocolatey sweetness coming from the Nutella itself — something that is a crowd pleaser on its own. The Soda Gembira is an item that can be described as beverage coming with rose syrup, condensed milk which is carbonated — pretty much like a fizzy Bandung which is a great respite from all of spiciness with its floral notes and sweetness. Indonesia Bolehh!! does add on to the number of Indonesian dining establishments that are already in operation at Lucky Plaza — despite being an enclave for Filipino cuisine and goods, Lucky Plaza still does have a handful of Indonesian dining establishments serving up some seriously authentic Indonesian cuisine hardly found around the island. Indonesia Bolehh!! is one such establishment; whilst we hadn’t really given many of the Indonesian eateries within Lucky Plaza a go thus far to give a good comparison between Indonesia Bolehh!! and the various establishments within the same building, Indonesia Bolehh!! does provide an authentic taste of Indonesia with dishes that are just uncommon here — definitely a spot worth checking out especially for those whom are particularly interested with Indonesian cuisine coming from different parts of the country itself!

Always looking forward to McDonald’s limited time-only creations every time National Day is round the corner since they seem to have always put in a lot more effort in creating something with a local influence whenever this season comes right by. This year’s limited time-only offerings for National Day sees McDonald’s introducing the Chilli Crab Sauce Prawn Burger / Chilli Crab Sauce Chicken Burger as the frontrunners of the campaign; McDonald’s having collaborated with Jumbo Seafood 珍宝海鲜 to create the Chilli Crab Sauce within the burgers that is also available as a standalone sauce tub as well. Alongside the aforementioned burgers would be the Kampung Drumlets, Pulut Hitam Pie and Iced Dinosaur — outlets with dessert kiosks attached also do offer the Chendol soft-serve available in Cone, Sundae and McFlurry formats.

The Chili Crab Sauce Prawn Burger (Single) comes with the deep-fried prawn patty that has made its appearance in other limited time-only burgers like the Laksa Delight Prawn Burger — other elements that made an appearance in the Chili Crab Sauce Prawn Burger includes the Chili Crab Sauce, egg and lettuce; a burger with a very simple composition. While we had always liked their deep-fried prawn patty which comes crisp with breaded batter that comes in a beautiful shade of golden-brown and comes with chunks of actual prawn within, we did think that the Golden Arches could be more generous with the amount of Chili Crab Sauce that came with the burger. With that being said, we do think that the Chili Crab Sauce comes within expectations being a creation coming from a fast food joint; there is definitely that sweetness and spiciness that one would associate with Chili Crab Sauce, though there is that deep, savoury tang that comes in its finish that may be a little odd / artificial for some. Felt that the egg was a crowd pleaser here, providing the burger with a more wholesome vibe rather than it being without the egg.

The one that really impressed us was the Kampung Drumlets; whilst just another rendition of McWings which usually tend to be a little disappointing whenever a limited time-only special is being spun off from it, the Kampung Drumlets were especially flavourful from the use of turmeric, cumin and ginger — there is this really interesting note that makes it come between a local-style curry and Ayam Goreng Berempah (i.e. Malaysia-style spice fried chicken), all that with a slight zing that one would probably associate with lime leaves. Another item that was equally impressive was the Pulut Hitam Pie; this is one from the archives from the Golden Arches that was served also for the National Day season in 2022 alongside the Laksa Delight Prawn Burger — basically the same hand pie as their rendition of the Apple Pie that comes with that sweet, earthy and grainy flavours of black glutinous rice mixed with coconut milk, all that with soft black glutinous rice grains that provides a variance of textures. The Chendol Cone is probably the one not to go for — we rarely do feel that off about McDonald’s limited time-only soft-serves but the Chendol soft-serve just ain’t it; we do get how they are trying to replicate the notes of Gula Melaka but the use of brown sugar does make it closer to a rendition of Boba Milk soft-serve. This is also made worse by the fact that there was a lack of attempt to include any notes of Pandan or red beans into the Chendol soft-serve itself.

Got to know of a new stall that had recently surfaced in Chinatown Complex Food Centre — Uma Haus Ramen & Donburi takes over the former premises that was previously occupied by the now-defunct OH MY BENTO in the red zone of the food centre; this would be quite a prominent spot within Chinatown Complex Food Centre with its neighbour being Bangkok Thai Food. The stall should be relatively easy to spot, considering its use of a signboard that features a wooden-esque background which is pretty unconventional for hawker centre stalls all across the island. As the namesake of the stall suggests, the stall specialises in its Donburi and Ramen offerings —the menu split between the categories of Rice and Ramen. There are also a small number of Sides that one can go for to complement with their rice and ramen offerings.

The Kuruma Tempura Ramen is an item that can be found in the Noodles section of the menu — Uma Haus describes this item to feature elements such as the Original Tonkotsu Broth, Ajitama and three (3) pieces of Black Tiger Prawn Tempura. Interestingly, patrons can opt for four different flavour variants for their Tonkotsu Soup base — the Original, Black Garlic Oil, Spicy and Prawn Oil; we found ourselves opting for the Spicy variant. The Spicy variant is observed to come with chili oil added to the Tonkotsu Soup base. Taking a sip of the broth, the broth does come savoury and sufficiently creamy — whilst not as intricate or complex as those served up in actual Japanese Ramen specialty restaurants which can be found all across the island, the broth is still creamy and sufficiently savoury with a slight tinge of spiciness coming from the chili oil added; nothing much to pick about considering how this only costs $7.90. We were glad that the noodles turned out right for our order given how they looked swimming in the broth; they did carry a sufficiently firm texture and carried a bite. The Ajitama also did come with soft egg whites and a molten egg yolk that has been marinated with soy sauce that carried a deep, savoury note. Coming also with black fungus on the side, the black fungus provided a textural contrast with the soft crunch that it comes with. The Black Tiger Prawn Tempura does come well-sized; the texture of the batter being pretty well-executed considering how it is being served up from a hawker centre stall. The golden-brown batter is sufficiently light; crisp without being greasy, while the prawn within carries a good bite; fresh and carries a natural sweetness of crustaceans with a dollop of mayonnaise on the side.

The Food Place by Food Republic at Raffles City Shopping Centre has been one of the more anticipated revamps of a food court in recent times — the entire food hall has been through a much needed revamp with the space fully renovated with a brighter colour scheme and a change of layout of the dining hall that presumably would improve the dining experience there. Alongside the revamp would be the introduction of a few brand new tenants; notably that of Kam’s Roast Express, Ju Xing Fish (by the same folks behind Ju Xing Home), Mon Kee Cafe and Smashed by BurgerLabo which are some of the names that most are looking forward to with this revamp. Mon Kee Cafe is a Cha Chaan Teng brand that hails from Hong Kong; these folks do have multiple outlets there which includes one in Tsim Sha Tsui and one in Wan Chai — this would be their very first overseas outpost with the brand being brought in by the same folks behind The Naked Finn. Considering so, it is little wonder how these folks are located right beside Smashed by BurgerLabo within The Food Place by Food Republic at Raffles City Shopping Centre; BurgerLabo being another brand that is conceptualised by the same people. Mon Kee Cafe does seem to be noted for their scrambled egg offerings; the menu of its Singapore outlet is segregated into categories comprising of Scrambled Egg Rice, Hong Kong Specialty (consists of Macaroni dishes) and Bun series (consists of Pineapple Bun Sandwich). The establishment also does offer Silky HK Style Milk Tea that is offered as an add-on to the various dishes across the above-mentioned categories in the food menu.

With their scrambled egg rice dishes being much of the highlight here that are also mentioned quite a fair bit in the social media posts describing Mon Kee Cafe’s offerings within The Food Place, it is needless to say that we found ourselves wanting to try at least one of such items on the menu during our visit there. The Char Siew Scrambled Egg Rice with Homemade Sweet Soy Sauce is the rendition of the scrambled egg rice that is the most talked about online; that being said, we were more drawn towards the Roasted Pork Scrambled Egg Rice with Homemade Sweet Soy Sauce instead. The Hong Kong-style scrambled rice dish comes pretty much with similar elements that one will expect from an offering coming from the local scrambled egg rice specialty store DanLao 蛋佬; just soy sauce drizzled over scrambled egg coming with roast pork above a bed of rice — it also does come with a sprinkle of spring onions as well. One thing worth noting is how Mon Kee Cafe is quite generous with the drizzling of its Homemade Sweet Soy Sauce; in fact, this was the element that really helped to flavour up everything else with its sweet and savoury notes — especially so for the rice beneath and therefore easier to finish as such. The scrambled egg is sufficiently moist and done pretty much thinly like a piece of cloth draped over the rice; that being said, it is not quite as runny as the scrambled eggs that comes with the scrambled egg rice at DanLao locations, though still comes with an evidently eggy note nonetheless. The roast pork does come sliced in pretty chunky pieces; these do seem to be more on the leaner side of things where the cut of meat is of concern — the skin being considerably crisp and came with savoury and smoky hint of flavours from the spice rub.

The line-up in the Bun series of the food menu is probably the one to go for for those whom intend to try something that is a little bit on the lighter side for those visiting Mon Kee Cafe — Mon Kee Cafe does serve up two (2) variants of their Mon Kee Quartet Pineapple Sandwich; one that comes with Luncheon Meat, Scrambled Egg, Peanut Butter and Lettuce, whilst the other one sees the luncheon meat being replaced by corned beef instead. We found ourselves going for the version that came with Luncheon Meat. It does seem that it is very difficult to find a version of the pineapple bun in Singapore that satisfies and this rendition of it being served by Mon Kee Cafe just isn’t it — while we did like how everything in between in the sandwich was prepared ala-minute, the pineapple bun was rather lacking with the bun itself being barely crusty. There is some attempt in doing so where there is some crust going around the sides, but this does feel missing throughout most of the surface otherwise; makes the pineapple bun itself lack both texture and the sweet, buttery and milky fragrance that the crust typically would carry. The scrambled egg does come fluffy and sufficiently moist; did carry an evidently eggy note and came folded with shreds of lettuce — all that whilst the luncheon meat does come pan-fried with a light crust around it and carrying a savoury note for the meaty touch. The addition of peanut butter does attempt to gel everything together with its nuttiness and creaminess. Meanwhile, the iced Silky HK Style Milk Tea does carry a fragrance of tea leaves; the addition of milk giving it a little more depth in its flavours — the lack of inclusion of ice cubes helped prevent the milk tea from getting diluted from melted ice cubes over time. Whilst we had not been to Mon Kee Cafe’s locations in its home ground in Hong Kong before, we do feel that the items served up at their sole Singapore location for now feels a tad underwhelming — we would perhaps say that the scrambled egg rice offerings are probably the safest of the lot to go for; we definitely weren’t too big of a fan of the Mon Kee Quartet Pineapple Sandwich that we tried. Will be interesting to see how these folks would do as they progress further in the local F&B scene here.

Have learnt about the existence of the new Lao Ba Cha 老爸茶 that had recently opened up within Kheng Chiu Building at 47 Beach Road — this would be the very same building which houses the Singapore Hainan Hwee Kuan 海南会馆 being a clan association for the Singapore Hainanese population as well. Lao Ba Cha occupies the front of the building right immediately after the entrance into Kheng Chiu Building; an interesting use of space that is otherwise an empty porch that would lead up to the entrance of Singapore Hainan Hwee Kuan. Considering the space that it occupies, Lao Ba Cha is segmented into two (2) spaces towards the left and the right of the interior of the building as one makes their entry into Kheng Chiu Building. With its operations being much in the style of a local coffeeshop, the left side of the space is where one can find the counter of the stalls dedicated to serving up Hainanese-style curry rice / Chinese-style mixed economic rice, Noodles and beverages with a small dining area that comprises of dining tables that can seat three (3) groups of six (6) pax each; there is another separate dining hall that is larger which accommodates to diners coming in pairs or groups of four (4) pax on the right side as well. Both spaces are decked in a nostalgic design theme that is also pretty simple — the use of tables with marble table tops matched with wooden stools accompanied with the walls painted in dual shades and mosaic tiles does bring an old-school vibe typical to that of Hainanese-run coffeeshops in the past. Despite situated in the building where the Singapore Hainan Hwee Kuan is also housed and being themed in such a manner, Lao Ba Cha is more of an establishment that serves up local fare rather than one that is to be described as a Hainanese-themed establishment; this is considering that the Noodles they offer are more of a Teochew-style sort such as that of the Signature Abalone Noodle and Minced Meat Noodle. The beverage stall does serve up a variety of Hainanese-style breakfast toast, local Nanyang style Kopi and Teh, as well as a line-up of fruits and juices.

With the whole fact about Lao Ba Cha being situated within the building that houses Singapore Hainan Hwee Kuan in mind, we had decided to go for the Deluxe Pork Set that is being served up by the stall that offers Hainanese-style curry rice / Chinese-style mixed economic rice — Lao Ba Cha describes the Deluxe Pork Set to come with elements such as pork chop, braised pork, cabbage, fried egg and rice. It is interesting to note that the folks behind the counter does scoop up the portion of rice served on the plate and thereafter showing it to the patrons so that they could ask if it is sufficient rice to the patrons — patrons can then inform them if it is just right, too little or too much if any adjustments are needed. On first sight, we did wish that these folks would serve their Deluxe Pork Set just like how proper Hainanese-style curry rice do; the liberal drizzling of curry and braised gravy does make the dish feel more like an item that is being served at a Chinese-style mixed economic rice stall. We did enjoy both gravies; the curry here definitely does hit the spot for an establishment that attempts to serve up Hainanese-style curry being all thick and rich with its hint of curry and coconut milk, while the braised sauce adds a touch of savouriness to the curry — we did wish for a more generous lashing of both that would go atop all of the elements and especially so for the rice however for that ugly-delicious messy aesthetic for the rice to soak up those flavours more. Nonetheless, both the pork chop and braised pork does come with leaner meat; the braised pork being savoury enough that helps with the inherent meatiness that comes along whilst the meat also carries a little bit of a bite.

We were lesser of a fan of the breaded deep-fried pork cutlet however; these seem to have been prepared en-masse in anticipation of the lunch crowd and seemed to have lost some of its crispness on the exterior during the process. The pork chop does come with a decent bite which wasn’t too dry nor difficult to chew, but would have been better if they could drench it with more of the curry gravy. The braised cabbage does come with a soft crunch; not quite as braised to the extent as per what other Hainanese-style curry rice stalls elsewhere tends to serve up — the sunny side-up here coming with a fully-cooked yolk that is a little short of the flowy, molten yolk that some would yearn for. Meanwhile, the Kopi (Hot) that is being served up at Lao Ba Cha was surprisingly good — this is one well-brewed cuppa where the aroma of the Robusta beans used was especially evident being all roasty and smoky while being balanced out with evaporated milk and condensed milk for that silky texture and a slight sweetness that comes along. Don’t think Lao Ba Cha is an establishment that is trying to jump on the success of the Nanyang Kopitiam-style of eateries that have been getting quite popular in recent times, though they do seem to add on as one of those dining options that might be well-positioned to cater to the office workers looking for a fuss-free local lunch within the vicinity.

The Food Place food court at Raffles City Shopping Centre has recently gone through a much needed revamp and apart from the refreshed interior they boasts a new seating layout that is more brightly-lit, there has already been talks about the food court being occupied by a few rather notable tenants prior to its opening — this would include that of Kam’s Roast Express, Ju Xing Fish (by the same folks behind Ju Xing Home) and Mon Kee Cafe. A concept by the same folks behind The Naked Finn, SMASH is a sub-brand under the BurgerLabo umbrella — it is noted that SMASH is located right beside Mon Kee Cafe within the food court; Mon Kee Cafe being a Hong Kong-style Char Chaan Teng concept hailing from Hong Kong that The Naked Finn has a part in bringing into Singapore as well. SMASH can be described as a concept that is based on the success of BurgerLabo which is in turn its own concept that is situated at Henderson Industrial Park. Considering how SMASH is just a stall situated within the food court unlike BurgerLabo that is an independently-run establishment, SMASH only offers a smaller selection of burgers on its menu; the menu at SMASH only features the SMASH burger that is available in single or double patty format, as well as that of the Fried Chicken Burger. They do offer an equally small selection of side dishes which includes Salted Fries, Truffle Fries and Cheese Truffle Fries, while the list of beverages that they carry includes Malted Barley Milkshake and Orion Beer.

Given how SMASH is all about their smashed beef patty burgers, it is needless to say that we went for the SMASHED Burger (Single Patty) during our visit made on a weekday dinner service — SMASH does not describe the elements that comes with their various menu items, though it could be observed that the SMASHED Burger (Single Patty) comes with a single smashed beef patty, burger sauce, pickled red onions and cheese; all sandwich between the burger buns. SMASH does offer patrons an option to go for a set with their order of the burgers — one can add Salted Fries and additional price of $4 with the base price of the burger chosen. Having tried BurgerLabo’s burgers previously when they were located at Gillman Barracks and also during the time when 2280 was still in operations before its subsequent rebranding as BurgerLabo for its Henderson Road location, the SMASHED Burger (Single Patty) served up at SMASH is pretty consistent to what the BurgerLabo branding is all about. The burger buns does come toasted warm, carrying a soft and fluffy consistency but the star of the show here is undeniably the smashed beef patty that comes in between — the burger patty comes in a form where it can described as flattened to not only achieve the crisp and crusty exterior from being grilled, but still immensely flavourful and sufficiently moist having been cooked in its own brine. The proportion of all the other elements are well-balanced and worked fine in terms of their ratios against one another; the melted cheese giving just the right touch of saltishness without being overly heavy to the tastebuds, while the burger sauce attempts to add a zingy creaminess that binds all of the elements in between the burger buns altogether. We also liked how the pickled red onions added a soft crunch; all that whilst adding a sourish tang that cuts through the meat and carbs here. The fries in the meanwhile are a little greasy but undoubtedly crisp; nicely salted for a good flavour — would likely serve well as a base to their Truffle / Cheese Truffle Fries.

For those whom have been following the local F&B scene for a while, the mention of a Ching’s Pancake might ring some bells — these folks had previously been an establishment that have had some mention on social media quite a number of years before; Ching’s Pancake had first made its appearance at Circuit Road Food Centre, but had made a recent move into Tanjong Pagar Plaza Food Centre in late June 2025. Occupying a stall unit that is in the corner of the row of stalls that it is located in, Ching’s Pancake is still fairly recognisable for those whom are familiar with their previous look — these folks seemed to have retained the former signboard that they had been using since their days at Circuit Road Food Centre. Unlike the newer establishments such as that of Ottie Pancakes and Munchi Pancakes which have been aggressively expanding their footprint in the local marketplace in the past couple of years, the pancakes offered by Ching’s Pancake are more towards the traditional sort — flavours of the pancakes offered at Ching’s Pancake are also limited to peanut, red bean, coconut and peanut butter.

Considering the limited number of flavours that they carry at Ching’s Pancake, we found ourselves opting for the Coconut Pancake and the Red Bean Pancake — for the slice of the Coconut Pancake, we were given a slice of the pancake that was from the middle of the entire pancake. Unlike the more trendier versions of Min Jiang Kueh that one would find at establishments such as that of Ottie Pancakes and Munchi Pancakes, all of Ching’s Pancake batter comes with the classic batter — one thing we liked about Ching’s Pancake is how the pancake isn’t particularly thick as it is in the case of the ones served up at Ottie Pancakes and Munchi Pancakes; therefore not being overwhelming at all. The pancake still carries a plush consistency that came with a little bit of tension to chew apart — all that whilst still maintaining its soft and pillowy mouthfeel at the same time. The desiccated coconut here seems to have been soaked with red jaggery sugar that gives its a slightly orange hue; aptly sweet but not overly so. We were being served with a corner slice for the Red Bean Pancake; this one does come with thin, crispy ends that adds a variance of texture to the chewy, moist abd fluffy pancake — the red bean filling being a red bean paste that carried a good earthiness that wasn’t overly sweet nor too dry. All in all, quite a worthy post-lunch snack that is great to take away back to the office for tea time — as what some office workers would typically do!

Learnt about the new opening of the second outlet of Sojourner Coffee whilst passing by the area during lunch — the very same Sojourner Coffee that has made its debut in the local cafe scene at Royal Group Building had recently opened their second outlet within a new shop space situated at the foot of Hathaway at Capital Tower. These folks had taken up a shop unit that features a three-sided glass facade that allows one to notice the establishment when coming out from the side entrances of Capital Tower, as well as from the thoroughfare of Robinson Road; quite a visible spot though the entrance into the cafe is tucked on the side of the establishment on the opposite end from Robinson Road. Whilst the Sojourner Coffee at Royal Group Building does have a pretty eye-catching aesthetic, the outlet of Sojourner Coffee at Capital Tower is less attention-grabbing perhaps due to the flat glass windows that fronts the entire space. That being said, the interior design of the establishment does seem to align closely with their location at Royal Group Building with the large use of earthy tones and elements against that of green cushioned seating and maroon fittings that is used for its ceiling and some of its decorative panels; the interior exuding a chic vibe being simple but not overly pretentious nor minimalistic. Just like its outlet at Royal Group Building, the outlet at Capital Tower does consist of dine-in seating — most of which being on cushioned benches and stools with tables configured for pairs of groups of up to four (4) pax. Being an establishment that is focused more on its specialty coffee offerings, the beverages menu consist of categories dedicated to espresso-based specialty coffee, pour overs, cold brews and non-coffee beverages, while they also do keep in stock a limited variety of pastries for those whom are feeling peckish that are stocked in the display case near the counter.

We were skimming through the selection of bakes that Sojourner Coffee has to offer at the item that seems to have caught quite a fair bit of our attention was the Garden Vegetable Pastry. Sojourner Coffee does not describe the elements that are included in their pastry offerings on the display cards placed in front of the respective items in the display case; that being said, one can observe that the Garden Vegetable Pastry features puff pastry that seemingly comes filed with a mixed vegetable filling in the middle. Think of the Garden Vegetable Pastry as a little bit of a morphed quiche per se; the shreds of vegetables being held together by an eggy / cheesy component that makes it pretty quiche-like to say the least, though there isn’t the depth in the vegetable filling as one would expect out of a standard quiche. With the Garden Vegetable Pastry being warmed up before being served to the table, the pastry was light, crisp and flaky — though it does still feel like it has been sitting around for a bit nonetheless.

Of course, we wouldn’t be leaving Sojourner Coffee without going for one of their espresso-based specialty coffee offerings; as usual, we found ourselves settling for the White (Hot) during our visit. The White (Hot) is actually pretty well-pulled; a cuppa that is smooth and creamy with fine microfoam that suggests that the milk has been frothed with a good control of timing and temperature. The cuppa does come with a medium body with a fruity flavours profile in its finish — a cuppa that would do well as a perk-me-up well suited for the office workers of the Central Business District. Still a brand that is very rooted in serving up the office workers of the Central Business District, Sojourner Coffee’s new location at Capital Tower is definitely slightly more centralised than the spot that their very first outlet had occupied at Royal Group Building — helps in getting their name out there especially for those working closer towards the Shenton Way / Tanjong Pagar area further down away from Raffles Place. While the shop unit they it takes up is still relatively discreet to say the least, it does make up for a cosy spot for a coffee catch-up session conducive for more serious discussions. Would this be the beginning of more Sojourner Coffee outlets to appear in the Central Business District though? Only time will be able to tell …

The folks at Generation Coffee Roasters are certainly at it again — it has been a long while since we have heard these folks opening up a new outlet ever since they had set-up their locations at both Hong Lim Complex Food Centre and Tanjong Pagar Plaza Food Centre to serve the folks in the Central Business District. Their latest outlet is situated within Bendemeer Food Centre which is just a bit of a walk away from Boon Keng MRT Station— the same food centre is also where one can find other notable F&B establishments such as that of Singapore Bao 新加坡包点, One Ton Mee, Indonesia Curry Rice and La Porpo. Just like the other newer Generation Coffee Roasters outlets that had opened in recent times, the stall can be found with its iconic dark blue signboard with the namesake of the stall occupying one corner of the entire signboard. The offerings of Generation Coffee Roasters at its Bendemeer Food Centre outlet closely aligns to what they serve up at other outlets — the menu being sectioned off into categories such as Coffee and Others.

Generation Coffee Roasters is a brand that we had been following ever since its founding at Tekka Centre and we had been to the various outlets across the island which includes that of the ones located in Hong Lim Complex Food Centre, Tanjong Pagar Plaza Food Centre and Pasar 216 Bedok Central before the opening of their outlet at Bendemeer Food Centre. Despite its offering of espresso-based specialty coffee, we hadn’t quite moved on from ordering the variant of the Kopi that they have to offer. Whilst not the first ones to serve up Kopi that is being pulled from the espresso machine within the hawker centre, what we really liked about Generation Coffee Roasters is how they serve up their Kopi using a special blend of coffee beans that is roasted just for the traditional line-up of coffee that they have to offer — the Pioneer Blend that sees a mix of Vietnam Robusta and Brazil Arabica; all that with a touch of sweetness from the addition of condensed milk. The end result is a cuppa that is especially intense; replicates the robust, smoky and buttery notes in the usual Kopi, yet with a transition towards a lighter, earthy finish with that tinge of sweetness that one would usually expect of the standard glass of traditionally-brewed Nanyang Kopi — very unique being a modern interpretation of a classic while aptly embracing the heritage of local Nanyang-style Kopi. For those whom have yet to give their Kopi a go; perhaps its time to do just that!

Heard about yet another opening of a bakery within the heartlands and this time it would be that of The Weirdoughs Bakery & Cafe that is situated at the foot of Blk 211 Serangoon Avenue 4; these folks are situated within the same block as the outlet of KOOKS Creamery there, and takes over the former premises of the now-defunct Jane Provision Shop that was better known during its time as The Plain Jane for the most part during its existence. The folks from The Weirdoughs Bakery & Cafe had definitely attempted to make the space uniquely theirs after taking over the premises; the shop now sees a vibrant colour scheme of white and yellow for its facade. Entering the shop, the spade within the spade can be described as pretty cosy; in an attempt to save space, a large communal table is placed in the middle of the space before the counter. Those whom prefer to dine in a slightly more private setting can opt for the seats back facing the windows instead that comprises of a small side table with two dining chairs beside them. There are also a small number of outdoor seating that is available for dine-in patrons to sit at as well. Being primarily a bakery, The Weirdoughs Bakery & Cafe carries a line-up of freshly baked danishes, breads as small cakes which are prominently displayed in the display case; we also spot the availability of a cheesecake within the display chiller during our visit to the shop as well. Bread loaves are also retailed at The Weirdoughs Bakery & Cafe with these being stocked above the display case, while beverages available are categorised into sections such as Coffee, Non-Coffee, and 100% Natural Juice.

Giving one sweet and one savoury offering a go during our visit made to The Weirdoughs Bakery & Cafe during a weekend afternoon, we found ourselves opting for the M.A.P. Danish as the sweet item to go for. The Weirdoughs Bakery & Cafe does not describe on the elements they come with their various offerings in the description card placed in front of the items in the display case; that being said, it can be observed and also inferred that the acronym in the namesake likely refers to Mango, Apricot and Pineapple — makes the M.A.P. Danish a little bit of a semisynthetic inspired by tropical elements. The chunks of mango and pineapples sit atop the Danish that has been spread with vanilla-infused pastry cream and apricot jam — both mangoes and pineapple carrying a soft bite that adds a sweetness and bright, zesty zing that provided a complimenting contrast of flavours. The apricot jam helps to add a bit of a sweetness and helps to bind the chunks of fruit to the Danish alongside with the more neutral-tasting vanilla-infused pasty cream. The Danish is one which we found to be pretty well-made; itself carrying light, flaky and buttery notes — beautifully layered within.

During our visit to The Weirdoughs Bakery & Cafe, we also went with the Caramalised Onion & Leek as the savoury item to try. This turned out to be more bun-like the pastry coming with a slightly fluffier centre while the bread is also stuffed with caramalised onions and leek within; there also seem to be a use of cheese within this item as well. The use of caramalised onions and leek meant that there is an inherent hint of sweetness that runs throughout the insides of the bread; the leek providing a little bit of a textural contrast where there is a little bit of a soft bite to it — the addition of cheese does help to add a bit of savouriness that helps to add on to the sweetness of the caramalised onions every now and then. We also paired up our order of the bakes with their Milo Latte — we had initially thought that the Milo Latte was a beverage that would have come with a shot of espresso though it does seem like there is a reason why this item is actually being listed in the Non-Coffee section of the beverage seating the menu instead. This does seem to turn out to be a slightly less sweetened version of the usual Milo — perhaps due to the lack of condensed milk and being solely on the flavours of the malt chocolate drink itself.

Overall, it does seem that the folks at The Weirdoughs Bakery & Cafe is filling in a bit of the void that the neighbourhood had with the revamp of The Plain Jane into Jane Provision Shop; a spot where residents in the area are able to sit around to enjoy a cuppa with a pastry / cake to go along and soak into the vibes on a slow weekend. If anything, we do find the quality of the bakes at The Weirdoughs Bakery & Cafe to be pretty on par with most good bakeries serving up danishes within the heartlands these days with prices that are pretty competitive as well; the folks running the space also do feel like enthusiastic bunch whom have got passion for the craft as well. A name in the F&B scene to look out for especially if these folks would be able to innovate with the times as they progress further in the competitive local F&B scene here.