TCC's Sandwich Affair

MatchAzuki Freeze ($7)

The lastest beverage addition on the menu featured a repertoire of japanese green tea and red bean blended icy and milky, truly awesome.


Chicken and Mushroom Sandwich ($10.50)

This dish was full of tastes to excite the senses. An assemble of cold cajun chicken slices with sauteed mushrooms, tomatoes and crunchy lettuce on a toasted wholemeal bun. What took to my liking most was that greenish Asian Pesto puree, stunning with a punch of chinese parsley and ginger. A total chicken rice condiment!


Creamy Tuna and Cheese Melt Sandwich ($9.50)

Dad's hot sandwich consisted of creamy tuna baked with melted cheddar cheese and tomato. Both our orders were served with mesclun mix and pieces of pappadum crisps, suited to meet the local needs.

TCC- The Coffee Connoisseur
80 Middle Road
#01-92/96 Bugis Junction

Little Part 1 Cafe

I certainly did not expect this cosy comfortable cafe with a close-to-perfect score card hidden admist the residential streets of Upper Thomson. A fairly extensive menu comes out of this small establishment, offering a mixture of western and semi-japanese cuisine at some wallet-friendly prices. No prevailing service charges too.


Mango Udon Rolls ($6.90)


Tofu Steak ($5.90)

It didn't take long before the starters grew on me. In fact, love at first bite was how i would wish to describe the Mango Udon Rolls. The sweetness of the mango strips coupled with avocado, japanese cucumber, chopped mints and smooth udon in a tender resistive rice paper roll then spiced up with thai sweet chilli sauce...simply fabulous.

Another house recommendation was the oven-baked tofu with wakame and assorted mushrooms. Nicely sauced oriental style and pleasant to glide up.


Salmon Crepe ($11.90)

The crepe main course was yet another mind-blowing dish. Tightly wrapped within those decent crepe layers were tantalising marinated salmon, onions, sauteed mushrooms and a manageable grasp of hot mozarrella cheese. Just imagine the bliss of every flavourful bite. Yum.


Little's Chicken Schnitzel ($13.90)

One of their main western masterpiece was the parmesan breaded chicken cutlet served creamy corn mash and a clear wine sauce. Not too bad either.

Two thumbs up for the lunch enjoyed. Now thanks to them, unpretentious cafes like such are on my high-in-demand list.

Little Part 1 Cafe
15 Jasmine Road
Adelphi Park Estate

Delifrance Breakfast

Almost every sunday morning Dad and i would drive down to Parkway Parade; he hits the gym whilst i catch up on my schoolwork outside Planet Fitness. Then after an hour or so, we head down for breakfast together.

Somehow we ended up at Bistro Delifrance, taking a short break from Dome. The truth was, i have never been confident of delifrance's quality because none have proved to be up to mark. My first morning meal here only brought back oily, disastrous memories.


Le Scrambled Egg Croissant ($4.90)

I've always thought it was a miracle that this locally-based chain can survive, expand and even introduce outlet banding (bakery, cafe & bistro) to practise price discrimination- especially when their food and service lingered around average and mediocre most of the time.

Or maybe i am just being too fussy, because dad seemed to take delight in their croissant. Okay yes this fluffly thing did look pretty promising, at least of size and containing a fair share of scramble. They bothered to bake the tomato with some cheese too.


Le Waffles Deluxe ($5)

I decided to steer clear from those ham/sausage/bacon stuffs here after my greas-laden experience. Picked the waffles with strawberry and a sunny-side up, which disappointed again with two tough and dry cakes. These were obviously convenience food, those found in supermarkets.

Sad to say, our upgrades to cappuccino & a hot green tea only cost us more with the refilling privilege removed. Arrgh.

Bistro Delifrance
80 Marine Parade Road
#B1-51/55 Parkway Parade

Dome Redeemed

We returned, and left on a much happier note.

One, we were recognised by the waitress. Two, the portion of smoked salmon portion showed positive improvement. Even the speed was compromised and doubly efficient after dad notified them we required a jiffy breakfast.


Toast with Preserves & Smoked Salmon ($7)

I considered adding eggs to my toasts this time when the waitress shocked me with a $3 quote, then followed to question my sudden change of preference; "not having smoked salmon this time?" okay, so she remembers us.

Determined to skip that total egg ripoff, i tuned back to my usual and was not disappointed. Beside my multigrain toasts laid 5 whole slices of smoked salmon, rustic and deep in flavour and a wonderful cup of blueberry preserves. The only grouse had to be bread, toasted less crispy perhaps due to our rushing.


Bacon & Egg Toast ($8)

Dad's usual, and a tomato of the correct colour this time. Also had our usual Latte ($4.80) and Green Tea ($3.30) as well.

McCafe

The Mcdonald's at East Coast Parkway boosts much convenience for a quick weekday morning breakfast; it is of close proximity to Dad's office (and even my former school TKGS) and parking spaces were abundant.


Latte ($3.90)


Fluffy ($1.55)

The next good thing is how their pricings scale down to below the average coffee chain level. A cute steamed milk here only costs $1.55 and you can grab a sandwich at $3.60- those numericals you can't find at Coffee Bean.

Maybe that's why their scrimping and saving whenever as possible. The staff missed on my marshmallows until i went up to enquire- then he compensated me with 3. Loved the chocolate-sugar powder coating too!


Vanilla Chocolate Twist ($2.50)


Triple Decker ($3.60)

Dad grabbed a puff pastry off the shelve, baked with a custard middle and lacings of chocolate chips.

I decided to hit substantiality with their triple decked wholemeal toast, components of sliced tomatoes, ham and rich cheddar cheese pressed in between. The combination made the cut but the bread was too flat and insufficiently grilled.

McCafe
1000 East Coast Parkway
Marine Cove

Return to Ochacha

More good treats uncovered.


Furikake Salmon Sandwich ($5.90)

They serve sandwiches too!

That certainly inccured my first smile for lunch. The activation of a press-grill presented Panini bread as its best, coupled with smoked salmon slices and a dash of furikake. Completed with a ramekin full of salad tossed in japanese dressing and a handful of chips.


Green Tea Financier ($1.80)

The first thing Dad enjoyed was his financier. He couldn't resist starting off with this dense almond teacake before approaching his sandwich. Done egg-mayo style with a touch of pinkish grated ebi.


Sakura Ebi Sandwich ($4.80)


Sencha ($6.90)


Okucha ($7.20)

As you gleed over those affordable food items, be forewarned that their drinks required a greater investment. Dad & i had a tea each, both of different styles but equally rich in depth. I ended off with a dessert.


Matcha Cotton Cake ($2.90)



The lightest, cotton cake i ever encountered! The fluffyness was like never before and lifted by a blissful center of cream. Highly recommended.

OChacha
252 North Bridge Road
#B1-44F Raffles City Shopping Centre

Cafe Cartel

Maju Avenue, where you park along the roadside and head straight for your meals. Mum and I seriously needed a place with minimal walking.


Homemade Bread

The service here was as un-automatic as ever, with waiters nonchalantly standing around until we requested for our bread basket (somehow it was hidden). Fortunately one of them went the extra mile to reheat the stale pieces of bread for us. A good move made.


Hawaiian Pork Chop ($14.50)

Dad's favourite and now maybe Mum's too. Both of them made a unison order of grilled pork slabs with their chef's special sauce and pineapple rings. If only they could beautify those terrible-looking fries a little.


Grilled Fish & Prawns Combo ($15.50)

My fish definitely improved in size but still wrapped in a soggy batter. No regrets about trying those prawns (even though shelling was self-service), it was worth everything for little ones like these so engrasped with the classic charred barbequed flavour.

Cafe Cartel
1 Maju Avenue
#01-01B Serangoon Garden Village

Han's Set Lunch

On our way to the Geylang East Polyclinic, Dad conveniently drove into Trinity Church along Paya Lebar Road for lunch. I always find this a weird location for expansion, but this old-time cafe is sure surviving good- for the lunch crowd was visible.

The sandwiches here are one of Dad's loves but we settled on set lunch instead. An affordable variety offered, accompanied with soup, garlic bread, drink and a dessert- if half a peach in syrup is considered one.


Soup with Garlic Toast


Grilled Seabass ($13.80)


Grilled Salmon ($13.80)

Whilst Dad took a seabass fillet, i appropriately grabbed my favourite fish. Over here they noticeably coat all their fish with flour, perhaps to mask the fishyness or merely to give it a prettier brown surface. Neglecting the saltyness, the hot flesh made the cut but i personally believe fish is best on its own.


Peach & Teh-O

Hans Cafe
Paya Lebar Road
Trinity Christian Church
Level 2