Happenings in September - Hoshino Coffee

Friday 9/9/22

Aunt came over and brought us cheese tarts from Prima Deli. The tarts came just nice for afternoon snack. The crust was firm and had a buttery texture, it paired well with the smooth custard.

Saturday 10/9/22

Get the seat near the edge to be treated with the lush greenery and pool view, dine in a peaceful and relaxed setting. I could not stopped looking at the tropical scenery with only the tall trees and blue sky.

I had Pesto Pasta with grilled chicken thigh sat atop on the pasta and surrounded by cherry tomatoes. Each strand of the pasta was coated with pesto sauce which was delicious. The grilled chicken gave a smoky fragrance and the meat was succulent.

Ended the lunch with Apple Tartlet with Vanilla Ice Cream, the dessert was complemented by the nutella spread which helped to enhance the flavour without overpowering the other ingredients.

Tuesday 13/9/22

Hoshino Coffee is one of my regular hangout place for lunch. I love their brunch ever since I try the last round because it was so delicious.

I had Pancake & Omu Souffle with Sausage & Bacon. There is a slight change to the brunch where the potato wedge is replaced with tater tots. I love the bite-sized tater tots which was crispy on the outside. The pancake has a buttery texture and paired well with maple syrup while the omelette was smooth and creamy.

Saturday 17/9/22

The last 3 dishes were Braised Homemade Beancurd with Baby Abalone and Local Spinach, Egg Fried Rice with Shredded Duck and “Mui Choy”, and Mango Sago. The first dish looked impressive with the huge abalone and the spinach helped to provide healthy green and cut the greasiness.

The egg fried rice was toppled with generous amount of shredded duck and full of flavours. We finished off the lunch with mango sago. The texture of the mango sago was smooth and rich, providing a refreshing ending to our lunch.

Saturday 24/9/22

The set comes with a choice of Organic Herbal Tea and Orange Juice, each pax will have 2 drinks. I opt for Chamomile Tea which was calmming and balance out the greasiness from the meal.

We had Bread, Mediterranean Herbs Omelettes, Israeli Salad and Tapas.

The salad consists of diced cucumber, tomatoes, onions and etc, it gave a refreshing taste to every mouthful. I was amazed by the tapas spread which included Fresh Olives, Avocado Spread, Tuna Mayo, Hummus with Chicpeas, Feta Cheese and Sour Cream spiced. My favourite was definitely Tuna Mayo.

The set also included Yoghurt Granola topped with dried fruits. The granola provided crunch and dried fruits while the dried fruits brought a light sweetness to the yoghurt, making it a refreshing ending treat.

Places to Dine near Clarke Quay (2022 Edition)

Clarke Quay is one of the areas that I visited regularly as the area was near to my workplace and home to many casual restaurants and cafes. Some of these places are quite laid back with lesser crowds, making it a great place for meal. I have came up with a third compilation to share on new places to dine near Clarke Quay (2022 edition). 

1. Mitsuba

It was my second visit to the Japanese restaurant located at The Central. Other than authentic Japanese ala-carte buffet, they have a wide selection of mouth-watering chirashi & donburi sets only available weekdays lunch.

I had Gindara Teriyaki set ($18.90++) which came with cod fish don, miso soup, fruits and green tea. The portion was just nice for the set. The battered exterior was crispy and drizzled with teriyaki sauce to enhance the flavour. A good lunch before the dreadful meeting gave me energy for the day.

6 Eu Tong Sen St, The Central @ Clarke Quay, #03-88, Singapore 059817

Operating hours: 11.30am to 2.30pm and 6pm to 10pm daily

2. Big Elephant Penang Signature

A small eatery located near the entrance of Havelock II specialising in authentic Penang Signature. Best of all, these dishes are priced at a cost of $5.80.

I had Curry Chicken Rice which was served with rice infused with butterfly pea flower, giving the rice a unique blend of blue and white, making the dish looked photo worthy. They gave a huge drumstick which the meat can be easily detached from the bone. The curry on the other hand, was spicy and shiok, but not to the extend of numbing. Didn't let the curry sauce went to waste, I drizzled the curry over the rice and egg to enhance the flavour.

2 Havelock Rd, Singapore 059763

Operating hours: 8am to 6pm from Mon to Fri

3. Griddler & Grinder

Griddler & Grinder is a small cafe specialising in good grill and coffee in a cosy environment. We were attracted by their 2 course set lunch (drink and main) at $9.80+, do note they have 10% service charge. 

I had English Breakfast Tea and Mushroom Cream Spaghetti. The spaghetti was cooked al dente and the richness of the cream was just right. The mushroom added savoury to the overall taste and a cup of tea to cleanse my palate. 

2 Havelock Rd, #01-48, Singapore 059763

Operating hours: 10am to 9pm from Mon to Sat

4. Island Vintage Cafe

Island Vintage Cafe is a simple looking cafe with rustic furnishings. We decided to try their set lunch where you can choose the main course between chicken, salmon or seafood with rice or spaghetti.

The set lunch comes with a choice of drink and main course. I have Tea with Salmon Rice at $9.90 net. I was a bit shocked at the portion of the salmon, but for the price paid, I couldn't fault much. I feel it is for worth it to order spaghetti instead, they served creamy mushroom spaghetti.

2 Havelock Rd, #01-49 Havelock 2, Singapore 059763

Operating hours: 8am to 8pm daily

5. Big Mouth Eat

A small eatery located at the basement of Havelock 2. I always love having Taiwanese food so I decided to give it a try.

I had Yansu Chicken Rice at $8.90. The crispy popcorn chicken was marinated with salt and pepper that made it so addictive that I couldn't stop eating. It was served with sunny side up, a mix of cabbage and carrots that also provided crunch to the dish.

2 Havelock Rd, #B1-22, Singapore 059763

Operating hours: 24/7

6. Don Don Donki

Don Don Donki is a Japanese specialty supermarket chain. They offers a variety of ready to eat bento set, many working adults love to grab a pack of the bento and other dishes for lunch. I was spoilt for choices and eventually settled for Chicken Karaage Tako Balls Omelette Rice ($7.90). The portion was just nice.

6 Eu Tong Sen Street, #B1, #11-28/44-51 The Central, 059817

Operating hours: 9am to 12am daily

7. Straits Bakery

Straits Bakery serves Peranakan cuisine from the major Straits Settlements of Penang, Malacca and Singapore. The restaurant introduced set lunch at the price of $9.80 nett for ice tea and one main course.

Their main course is really value for money, I had Ayam Buah Keluah. The nyonya chicken was well coated with the savoury sweet sauce and paired well with the omelette and butterfly pea infused rice. The fish keropok was a delight to have and added crunchy texture to the dish.

2 Havelock Road, Havelock 2, #B1-10/11, 059763

Operating hours: 10am to 6.pm daily

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