Chocolat N Spice: Hotel quality Muffins at Hawker Prices

With liverpool, iwatch_ueat, zanzoo, pk, smart, AlecEe and Kat


What's the difference between a cupcake and a muffin? Like many things in life, it may be hard to define the differences, but when you see a muffin, you know its a muffin. But if you ask me what the real difference is, I'd say a muffin is a bit lighter then a cupcake. Whereas a cupcake has the texture and density of a butter cake, a muffin is more akin to a spongecake. Perhaps the bakers can further enlighten us on the differences?

Anyway, you all know that I am always out and about looking for stuff that is shiok and value for money at the same time. So, "hotel quality muffins at hawker prices" sounds pretty good to me.

I am not big on muffins per se, so if you had asked me before this where the best muffins in Singapore are, I wouldn't have a clue. But now, at least I can tell you of one that has left quite a good impression on me.



So why are these muffins so special? Well, the lady behind the whole thing happened to be the pastry chef of the now defunct Lighthouse restaurant. So her vision is to make quality muffins available at fantastic prices ($1.10 ea). And for that price, she doesn't skimp on the quality of the ingredients either. One of the most popular muffins are her double chocolate chip muffins which uses some exotic chocolate from France.

My favourite part of the muffin is the crispy rim of the crust. This was was crisp and just slightly sticky from the caramelized sugar. Just the way I like it. The inside is light, yet buttery and fragrant. When I eat muffins, I usually take only one, but I have to say that I was very much tempted to take at least 2 or 3 that day. Of course, waiting in the queue for several minutes and smelling the aroma of freshly baked muffins does stimulate the appetite to a large extent! 4.5/5

Conclusion

I am the latest Muffin convert. Still thinking of going down this week to buy some more!


Chocolat N Spice
Blk 1, #01-18 Tanjong Pagar Plaza
Mon to Fri: 8.30 am to 5 pm
Sat: 8.30 am to 3 pm
Closed: Sundays & public holidays

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Food for Thought: Nice People, Great Food, Social Causes, Decent Prices! I just love this place!

Once upon a time there were three very different little girls.....who grew up to be three very different women....but they have three things in common...they're bright...they're are passionate about God..... and they opened a Restaurant......The Restaurant's name is Food for Thought.

Charlie's Angels fans will recognize immediately the blasphemous adulteration of the opening lines to the TV series. Well, these aren't exactly Charlie's Angels but they are certainly Angels of a different type. And actually there is also a guy involved who can't be considered an Angel, so he's Bosley. And instead of Charlie, they report to a Boss who is also unseen but whose voice is sometimes heard.

Food for thought was founded by three young ladies and a guy with a passion for the underprivileged. Their first project was School of Thought which is a Tuition centre founded in 2002. The centre channeled some of the profits into a special fund to sponsor the tuition fees for underprivileged students. Food for Thought is their second project and one of the first causes they are supporting is to raise funds for the provision of clean water to third world countries.

The other thing that caught my attention was that their website stated that they don't like "paying a lot for very little" and "being asked to pay for tap water". Sounds like my kind of place! I looked at the Menu board and sure enough, soft drinks were $1.50 and Cappuccinos were $3 with no service charge or GST. These people are serious about what they say.


Sandwich Sampler $19.90 includes 2 soups, salad and different fillings for your Foccacia

The very first thing that struck me about the cafe was the atmosphere. It was very cosy and there was an air of joyful expectation. Chef David was busy behind the counter adding yeast to the flour to make the Foccacia and simultaneously entertaining diners. David was previously working at St Julien's but decided to become a hirling (hired by three and a half lady bosses no less - they tell me to consider Bosley a half) at the restaurant because he felt passionate about the cause.

David and his accomplice, Vietnam born, US Sous Chef, Peter managed to churn up quite an interesting array of dishes that are a refreshing twist from what you usually get at your friendly neighbourhood cafe.

We could not decide what to order so we asked for the Sampler which comprised of 2 soups, your choice of salad and a "do-it-yourself" sandwich set which featured the BBQed pulled pork, Mama Heng's Kong Bak (Braised Pork), Basil Pesto Chicken and Grilled Vegetables.

The TLC (tomato, lettuce and corn) salad was a misnomer as it did not have any lettuce in it. Instead it was made up of watercress, laksa leaves, tomatoes, lemongrass and warm sweet corn with a dollop of herbed butter. The combination worked amazingly well and I found it quite a refreshing excursion from the normal salads I was used to. 4.25/5

The must try dish for me was the BBQ pulled pork which is a whole pork shoulder slow roasted till all the collagen has been gelatinized, then pulled apart by hand. The result is melt in your mouth morsels of shredded pork with caramelized BBQ sauce. Not good.....Very Good! 4.5/5

Mama Heng is none other than Chef David's Mum and she makes a pretty mean Kong Bak. It was good but it's something that you can easily find elsewhere. Still it was great with the Foccacia Bread and Garlic scented Olive Oil. 4/5

They have two flavours of soups here which will appeal to people who are watching their weight. Both the Shitake Mushroom Fennel and Broccoli soup are made without cream. The Broccoli was good but most of the bite came from the cheese they added on top. The Mushroom soup could do with a bit more ooomph. Maybe I am just used to creamed soups. The portions are big and could constitute a meal in itself so take note when ordering. 3.5/5



Food for Thought is strategically located just opposite the National Library and with Coffees starting at $2.50, it's a great place to drop by to have a cuppa and a browse through the books that you just borrowed from the library. The cakes are sourced from various hidden talents in the community ie their friends and their momma's friends who are budding bakers and have a really nice homemade quality about them.

I seldom rave about cakes but I was rather taken by the Old Fashioned Red Velvet. One of my favourite cakes is my wife's Carrot Cake and the thing I enjoy most about it is the cream cheese frosting. The red velvet has a generous amount of frosting and a mesmerizing red colour which was a bit jarring at first. But wow, the combination of the cream cheese frosting and the mysterious red coloured cake was, to quote our dessert specialist, iwatch_ueat, "Almost perfect". I went back again later in the week to buy some more! By the way, you might be wondering what gives it that red colour......I wonder too. Guess you will have to go find out! 4.75/5

Conclusion

I just like this happy little cafe. It's a bit quirky, a bit old fashioned yet it's confident and exudes an atmosphere of youthful exuberance that is refreshing to the soul. The people here are happy and happiness is contagious. Come in for a pulled pork sandwich and finish it off with the Red Velvet and a cup of coffee and I can almost guarantee that you will go home happy too.

Oh yes, the picture on the right shows David and Peter carrying their Mega Sampler Board. If you have a group of friends coming in for the sampler, they will pile it all up on your very own bar top counter! ($10 per pax)

Food for Thought

420 North Bridge Road

North Bridge Centre

#01-06

9am to 10 plus daily
Last order at 9pm
Closed on Sundays
www.foodforthought.com.sg

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Loong Fatt: And the First Shall be the Last...

In my last post on the Tau Sar Piah, I gave a brief history of how the Tau Sar Piah came about. So this blog would not be complete if it does not feature the shop from which this Singaporean Confectionery actually first made its appearance. Yes, it was here that the Tau Sar Piah craze started and gained momentum resulting in several shops sprouting up along the Balestier area cashing in on the craze. When the dust finally settled, the one left with the task of blowing the smoke from the gun barrel is Loong Fatt.

Business is still very good in the venerable old shophouse which sells other cakes and confectioneries as well. But it is the Tau Sar Piah that is still the star of the coffeeshop.

Freshly baked Tau Sar Piah with a cup of Kopi or Teh must be one of those unique Singaporean pleasures that you are not going to find anywhere else in the world.

The crust is fragrant albeit a little oily, crisp and savoury. Great with that hot cup of Teh Tarik! 4/5

Conclusion

Its survival of the fittest and this stall obviously has a big fan base to keep them going.

Loong Fatt Eating House & Confectionery
No. 639 Balestier Road
S(329922)
el: 62534584

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Mother's Day Tau Sar Piah: Little Red Shop

The good bakers at 611 Tau Sar Piah have changed their brand to "Little Red Shop" and have come up with a great little gift idea for Mother's day! I guess if you are reading this your Mum would be in that generation where they would actually enjoy Tau Sar Piah! So if you are looking for something to surprise Mom this Mother's Day, you might want to consider visiting 611's new shop over at Vivo City.

The Mother's Day Tau Sar Piah comes in 2 flavours and each one has a little red heart on it. It comes in a box of 10 @ $8.80 with a special gift tag.

Little Red Shop
Formerly 611 Tau Sar Piah
VivoCity #B2-K10
Open 10am to 10pm
Tel: 63768611

Disclosure: I got to know the bakers at 611 quite well after I blogged their Tau Sar Piah last time and this is just an update to help them announce their new brand name. It is not a paid advertisement though I did get a box of Tau Sar Piahs for free.

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Special Feature: V Tea Room's Cookie Museum

As our standard of living improves, Singaporeans continue to look for new things to buy with their excess money (Money more than enough - for some). We are not content with just having our tiger beer anymore! No, we want to learn to appreciate freshly brewed beers. We are not content with plain old Magnolia ice cream, we want it homemade and spiked with flavours like D24 Durian and Baileys. We are not content with plain old Kaya Toast, we want it on Ciabatta Bread.

Clever entrepreneurs like Ian Ong, owner of the V Tea Room knows this very well which is why he started a cafe that is quite unlike any other cafe in Singapore. A place like the V Tea Room will invariably polarize consumers into those that love it and those that think it is a bit over the top. As I sat there surrounded by replica Victorian style furniture, plush red wallpaper, Venetian masks - the type with feathers used for masquarade parties, and waitresses dressed like English maids, I can't help but feel as if I was involved in a period movie.

According to Ian, the place was designed with the well-heeled lady of leisure in mind. The octagonal tables are purposely small so that ladies can sit close to each other (close enough for their knees to touch, according to Ian) to gossip while enjoying liquor teacakes and drinking from 3 legged teacups.

Surrounded by such extravagence, I can't help but try to stick my little finger out while picking up my cup of English Toffee Tea. It was then that I realised that I was indeed surrounded by ladies with big hairdos, CEO types in suits and a handful of Metrosexuals who look like they have just done their facials. Needless to say, this Teochew Ah Hia felt a bit out of place.



Aside from the unique cafe experience, the V Tea Room also houses Singapore's one and only Cookie Museum. Here you can find 49 different flavours of cookies all baked on the premises with exotic flavours like Lavender, Orchid and Cantaloupe with Macademia nuts. Ian is obsessed with using only the finest ingredients to produce his cookies. His vanilla pods are sourced from Madagascar -- which I am told, produces the world's finest vanilla pods. Since there is no local supplier of the pods, he flew his friend from Madagascar to Bangkok and met him to personally courier the 20kg of vanilla pods to Singapore!


Ian holding his vanilla pods

Anything in life can be appreciated when you really get into the details. You can apply this to wines, coffees, teas, fishballs, ice cream and even stuff like Coke. Oh yes, Coke from different regions of the world taste different because of differences in the quality of the water. Some Coke afficianados will be able to tell you where a can of Coke is from from the taste of the beverage!

So what can a Cookie Newbie like me learn from visiting the Cookie Museum? Cookies are made from butter, flour and sugar with the addition of different flavourings. So what is so difficult about that? And how come people are happily paying $28 to $32 for a tin of cookies when I could easily buy a packet of Khong Guan butter cookies for $2 from Aunty Lucy (NTUC).

As I gingerly bit into the cookie, trying to discern the texture and the taste of it rather than gobbling it down to satisfy the craving for sugar, I began to appreciate how light and crisp the texture is and how the fragrance and taste of the ingredients bathe the palate and tease the olfactory glands. Wow, this really does taste better than Marks and Spencers! (Lucky I never say Khong Guan - sure kenna fried!) It turns out that they use 3 different types of flour to bake the cookies. Two of these are easily available and one has to be specially imported. They also use 2 different types of sugars in order to create the right texture for the cookies.

I liked the Lavender, which is made with dried Lavender flowers specially imported from England. Traditionally used for potpourri, aromatic oils and medicine, I have noticed that chefs are now using Lavender increasingly for dessert creations like creme brulee. The way to enjoy this cookie is to take your time and savour the lingering fragrance of the Lavender at the back of the throat. It's almost like you are having tea and undergoing aromatherapy at the same time!

Another cookie I really liked was the Cantaloupe with Macademia nuts. They go to the extent of semi-drying the cantaloupe themselves in order to capture the taste they wanted. I could really appreciate that strong woody rock melon taste which can be very addictive!

Conclusion

Ok, I have already admitted to being a Cookie Newbie who thinks that of the best cookies as the ones from Marks and Spencers, Famous Amos and Mrs Fields. So for me the cookies from V Tea Room is way ahead of anything I have tasted before. Considering the amount of effort Ian and his team puts into every cookie, I'd say that $30 for a tin is actually quite reasonable, especially if you want to impress that special someone or if you simply had a hard day at work and just want to pamper yourself.

The V TeaRoom
#01-02 Esplanade Mall (Main Entrance facing Marina Square)
6333 1965
www.thevtearoom.com
Opened 1pm to 10pm Sundays to Thursdays
1pm to 11pm Fridays and Saturdays

Link to previous blog here

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Special Feature: Tau Sar Piah: Singapore's very own pastry!

Lotus Seed Paste Tau Sar Piah

Have you ever noticed that freshly baked Tau Sar Piah from the bakery tastes different from the more traditional Teochew Tau Sar Piahs that you can buy from the Supermarkets? The freshly baked ones have a flaky, crisp and buttery pastry while the packet ones are flaky and dry. It turns out that the Tau Sar Piahs, which were popular from the 70s to the 90's have a history such that they can rightly be called Singapore's very own pastry.

Everyone knows that the Hainanese are famous for putting western-style food on Singaporean plates. Hainan is an island, so many Hainanese men in the past worked on European ships and learnt how to cook Western food. Thus, when they landed in Singapore and decided to stay, they opened coffeeshops selling western cuisine like coffee and toast. Our kaya toast heritage was thus born back in the early 1920's.

In the 60's, one such Hainanese, Mr Lee, owner of Loong Fatt Coffeeshop joined forces with his old Hainanese Village friends Mr Loo and his wife Mdm Lee to bake western-style cakes to suit the local tastes. The cakes fad flourished in the 60's but begain to wane by the early 70's. Then one fateful day in 1973, one of the customers of the coffeeshop suggested that they bake the traditional Teochew Tau Sar Piah. It was then that the lightbulb above Mr Loo and Mdm Lee's heads lit up. They decided to give a western twist to the traditional Teochew pastry by retaining its flakiness but adding a buttery cookie like crunch to it. Thus was born Singapore's very own Tau Sar Piah (1st edition)

In 1992, the couple left Loong Fatt to collaborate with Mdm Lee's younger brother Mr Lee Hee Tuang to set up the first specialty Tau Sar Piah shop a few shophouses from Loong Fatt. Mr Lee went on to modify the recipe by making it more crispy, less oily and added exotic flavours like Durian and Green Tea amongst others. The success of their Tau Sar Piah gave birth to an explosion of shops along Balestier Road.


Penang Tau Sar Piah

Fads come and fads go, which is why they are called fads. Unfortunately, the Tau Sar Piah fad has long since been replaced by other pastries to tickle our fickle palates. I can still remember stuff like Pandan Chiffon cakes, Blackforest Cakes, Japanese Cheese cakes right up to Apple Strudels and Roti Boy in recent times. As the Tau Sar Piah fad wanes, only the most popular shops like Loong Fatt and 611 Tau Sar Piah still remain.

Will the Tau Sar Piah make a revival amongst our younger generation who may not have tasted Tau Sar Piah yet? That remains to be seen. But a young entrepreneur is trying to make it happen.

Ms Lee Shan Shan, the daughter of Mr Lee from 611 Tau Sar Piah, an occupational therapist by training, decided to quit her job in an attempt to reintroduce the Tau Sar Piah to the younger generation. Her first step was to open an outlet at Vivo City and there are other plans underway to bring the Tau Sar Piah into the 21st century.

Truth be known, I am one of those new generation of Singaporeans who have yet to appreciate the pastry. For me Tau Sar Piah was the stuff that came ready packed in B grade packaging with a Malaysian address printed on it. I never realised how a freshly baked Tau Sar Piah could taste so different. The crust was really crunchy like a light butter cookie but flaky at the same time. The taste of the salty Tau Sar (mung bean paste) was a nice contrast to the sweet pastry. Just in case you feel that salty and sweet don't mix, may I politely remind you of salted eggs in Mooncakes and cheese with dried apricots.

Conclusion

This should rightly be called Singapore's very own pastry. With a bit of clever marketing and packaging, I don't see why it can't be similar to the "Lo Por Pang" of Hong Kong. Something that is tasty enough to create a fad in the past remains tasty even though the fad has passed. It just takes a little tweaking to bring the taste to a whole new generation of Singaporeans!

Little Red Shop (Formerly 611 Tau Sar Piah)

1 HarbourFront Walk

#B2-K10 VivoCity

Singapore 098585

Opens 10am-10pm daily

www.little-red-shop.blogspot.com

In case you are curious about how the crispy flaky pastry is made, the friendly bakers from 611 Tau Sar Piah have graciously consented to share their secret with our readers.



You basically start of with 2 different doughs. One is the water based and the other one is the margarine based.



The two are then combined to together as shown in the pictures with a technique akin to making croissants or puff pastries.



The pastry is then molded around the tau sar to form balls. Finally, and this is what I think is the fun part, the balls are squashed flat with the palm of the hand. Walla!

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Gobi: Disturbingly Delightful Desserts: Guys... Pay Attention!

I have been hooked on Menu Degustation since my delightful experience at Iggy's last year. The great thing about a Degustation type meal is that you don't get overly full and yet your tastebuds are contented after the meal. Great for aging people like me but maybe not for younger people with insatiable appetites where Buffets are the way to go.

When it comes to desserts, the only way so far to try a variety of desserts in small portions is to eat at a buffet. But how many of us would actually go for a buffet just for the desserts? Well I think I might have found the Holy Grail of all dessert lovers -- Dessert Degustation!

This little homegrown store tucked in the 3rd floor of Katong Mall makes all sorts of teeny weeny dessert creations ranging from chocolates, macaroons, cakes etc all beautifully presented in bite sized portions! Great idea right? Now, why didn't I think of that?



I sampled six of the various items and especially liked "Between the Sheets"(top pic) which is praline sandwiched between sheets of dark chocolate sitting on a meringue base. Another nice one is the "Cupid" which is cheese mousse with kirsch in white chocolate cups. The other one that stands out is the "Sweet Expectations" which is a Strawberries and Cream Macaroon "burger".

You might be wondering why the name Gobi Desserts? It so happened that one of the owners, AiMing had a vision (or was it delusion caused by dehydration?) of making these cute desserts while hiking in the middle of the Gobi Desert! Gobi Dessert, Gobi Desert get it? It's true! No kidding!

Conclusion

Again, I think this is a great idea! They also do baby's first month cakes where you can have the name of your baby spelt out on tiny cakes! How's that for something novel? You can choose any 6 items for $10.90 and 12 for $19.90. Not exactly cheap, but worth that initial "Wow" factor especially for that extra special significant other! Wink Wink.

Gobi
112 East Coast Road
Katong Mall #03-13
63452127
www.gobi.com.sg

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Swiss Baeckerei: Chinese New Year! Time to Pig Out!

Tis the season for Pigging out! This coming Chinese New Year the world's porcine population is going to suffer a big blow when thousands of piglets make their way onto our plates. Actually, have you ever considered that the pig is actually quite close to humans? Yah, they are hairless, their skin is pink, they eat anything and their hearts are so similar to ours that we use their heart valves to replace human ones.

Talking about pigs, I can't resist but post some pictures I took while having breakfast at one of my favourite breakfast places viz Swiss Baeckerei. This year their Hamlet, which usually makes its appearance during Christmas, gets to make a second appearance -- a phenomenon that only occurs once every 12 years. For those who don't already know, the Hamlet is a whole rolled ham wrapped in bread. The set even comes with pig shaped cookies!



Those wanting something smaller might want to consider the cupcake pigs (sold without the box) and the wheat and raisin loaf shaped like a pig. I thought it would be interesting to buy a few of these to give along with Mandarin oranges!



These pineapple tarts are really good! They are very attractive and I love the buttery, melt in your mouth pastry. The pineapple filling is reminicent of the Taiwanese Pineapple cakes ie it is chewy with the consistency of Nian Gao and not overly sweet with just the right level of tanginess that doesn't cause your scalp to itch.

Conclusion

Just plugging a few items for one of my favourite breakfast spots! I thought the Piggy Pastries would make an unique Chinese New Year gift! The pineapple tarts are seriously worth considering.

Swiss Baeckerei
97 Frankel Avenue
(Look for the humungous Croissant!)
64418766
7.30am to 7.30pm
Closed on Mondays
sbpastry@singnet.com.sg

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Swiss Baeckerei: Christmas In Switzerland!

Tis the Christmas Season and I thought it would be nice to have a few Christmassy pictures on the blog so everyone will get into the Christmas Mood! I frequent the Swiss Baeckerei because I like the authentic taste of the pastries and cakes here, its really cosy and you get personalized service from the owners!



If you are feeling a bit peckish and want something nice, warm and savoury, the croque champignon might just be the ticket. It's 2 thick slices of freshly baked and super soft bread with sauteed mushrooms in the middle and topped with a really addictive, sticky and chewy cheese sauce. Please buy one for each person because you will fight over it otherwise.



There is something so special in the cheese sauce that I was told a certain French Chef came on several occasions to try to figure out what was in it! $10.90 for the set which includes a coffee or tea. 4.5/5



The Crepe with sausage and scrambled eggs is a favourite amongst the regular here for breakfast. The scrambled eggs were nice and fluffy and you also get a grilled sausage from the Swiss Butchery to go with it. Great for a lazy Saturday morning breakfast! $10.90 4/5



Now we get to the Christmas Log Cakes. This one is their signature Palais Royal. Now if you are looking for something a bit more exciting this Christmas than your usual Sponge Roll covered with cream you should have a look at this one. Dilly shared with us that they use Belgium Dark Chocolate Bars to make the generous layers of mousse and bits of nougat which are sandwiched between thin layers of sponge cake. (Can you really call a cake a cake if less then 20% of it is cake? Like, would you call Ice Kachang, ice kachang if you leave out the ice?) But seriously, the chocolate mousse is rich, luxuorious yet NOT sickeningly sweet. For those who want to taste the cake first, you can actually order a slice of Palais Royal for $4.30. A 400g log will cost $23 and ranges up to 1.6kg log (more like a fireplace) for $64. 4.5/5

Those who want something refreshing and zesty can try the Green Apple log cake featured at the top of the blog. I did not try it so I don't know how it tastes like, but the pic looks nice at the top of the page.

Couldn't resist taking some more Christmassy stuff, so I leave you with the pics below of the things they are selling for Christmas! (I got to support my favourite Cafe what!)

The Cookies and GingerBread Man


The Russian Stollen and the Hamlet.

The Hamlet is a whole Rolled Smoked Ham in a bread made to look like a Pig! Now you can go the whole Hog!

Conclusion

Love the Croque, the Palais Royal and the homely feel of the Cafe. Great place for a lazy Saturday morning breakfast, late morning brunch, lunch or afternoon tea. But remember they close at 7.30pm so dinners will have to be early, which is great 'cos that means you can still get hungry for supper at 10pm!

Swiss Baeckerei
97 Frankel Avenue
(Look for the humungous Croissant!)
64418766
7.30am to 7.30pm
Closed on Mondays
sbpastry@singnet.com.sg

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The V TeaRoom - 17th Century Venetian Desserts

Every now and then, someone will offer to "Blanja" me to lunch. So I took the opportunity to "Ketok"(Slaughter with a Smile) my friend a bit (He quite nice guy with some money in his pocket) and reserved a table at the V TeaRoom. This place is known for its really "over the top" cakes and desserts which I always wanted to try, but reluctant to pay with my own Visa Card.

Just look at their cupcake in the picture above. Isn't that a bit over the top? Phwaa, simple cupcake, they put the frosting, gummy bears, and loads of other stuff. And they have quite a number of different types to choose from; each one a work of art. Good idea as a simple gift for your friend yah? At $5 each, they are over the top in design, but reasonably affordable (considering you get a piece of cake at Starbuck at $5-$6), and definitely worth it just to see your friends go "Wow!".



Dining at the V Tearoom is quite an experience. You feel that you should speak really good English and handle your teacup with the little finger sticking out. The decor is also "over the top", but it's rather cosy and an excellent place to bring someone you are trying to impress.




This place is well known for its desserts, but actually, few people realise that the food here is actually quite good. We were pleasantly surprised by this Smoked Salmon Omelette loaf.



Basically, it is a thick slice of Lohti (Bread) wrapped in a thin omelette and topped with yummy Smoked Salmon and a buttery cream sauce. Not nice, VERY nice. The bread was so super soft that it reminded me of the Kopi Tiam bread. $16 4/5




This Mushroom Steak with Asparagus Salad was also quite delightful. The giant mushroom was lightly seared and then topped with a creamy mushroom sauce which was quite shiok. Now, that's quite a compliment coming from a carnivore. Hey I had a lunch without any meat from any land animals! I feel healthier already. $18.90 4/5




The sauce was so good that being the Teochew Ah Hia I am, I asked for more of the Lohti to dip into the sauce ala Roti Prata style. At first the waitress told me that they don't actually sell bread in the restaurant, but talk about Ritz Carlton service recovery, they actually made an exception and brought me a nice thick slice of Lohti. Ha! Just as I suspected. This is from that famous bakery that everyone buys their Kaya Toast Lohti from! Apparently, the staff go there early in the morning to pick up a few loaves! Don't look down on this humble bread ok? It is very VERY soft and Pang (Nice Aroma) and you just can't readily get it anywhere nowadays.




Ok, we come to the desserts. This is their signature Bailey's Irish Cream Liqeuer Teacake. For those who love to eat kaya toast and drink Kopi, you would be happy to know that even the High Class Ang Mos (Westerner) pour their Kopi into a Saucer then drink it! Yep, that's really nice cafe latte with baileys in the saucer with a slice of TeaCake (Butter Cake lah) topped with whipped cream. It was nice, but it could do with a little more Baileys in it. Afterall, we are paying $15 for this dessert! 3.75/5 If you order this, make sure you ask for Kopi Si Kao Kao, Baileys Tid LoH. (Extra Strength Latte with extra Baileys)




The Warm Chocolate Cake Melt is really rich and seductive. It is not overly sweet and has a good strong and aromatic dark chocolate flavour . One of the best warm chocolate cakes around. It would have been even better if we had a scoop of Haagan Daz Vanilla Ice Cream with it. 4/5




They have an extensive selection of specialised teas some with flavours like Tamarind, Green Tea with Jasmine and they even offer a range of Liqeuer Teas. I had the apple tea which was nice and refreshing. Ay, this really tastes like apples leh! When I opened the Tea Pot, Ay, no wonder it tastes so much like apples, it IS apples in hot water! (Well I am sure they must have dried the apples and processed it first)




The store also sells a selection of homemade (well baked in the kitchen) cookies with exotic flavours ranging from Lavender (quite nice) to Nasi Lemak (quite nice but a bit weird). Why pay $20 for a tin of Nasi Lemak Cookies when you can buy a whole plate of Nasi Lemak in Tanjong Pagar Food Centre for $1.90? Ah, but then you can't eat that Nasi Lemak comfortably in front of the TV with one hand right?

Conclusion

It's the kind of place you just have to visit at least once because it is just so unique. The food is quite reasonably priced and excellent, the desserts are great but a little on the pricey side. The service here is excellent and very personal, so you are guaranteed a great experience overall.

8/10 T3+V2+S2+E1

The V TeaRoom
#01-02 Esplanade Mall (Main Entrance facing Marina Square)
6333 1965
www.thevtearoom.com
Opened 1pm to 10pm Sundays to Thursdays
1pm to 11pm Fridays and Saturdays

Link to the V Tea Room Cookie Museum blog, click here

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