Liliputian Adventure at Little Pancakes

Little Pancakes is located along the row of shops at Thomson Road. This time, the Lions were followed by a group of friends who had their run at Macritchie Reservoir. Hungry and thirsty, the group adjourned to Little Pancakes but they were early by 20 minutes... and had no choice but to hang around outside until the place was opened.

The interior has a simplistic clean feel and there's a sign that says that they only make pancakes when there's an order. Talk about freshness! The Lions and their friends got about ordering their food.

Bacon Pancakes
The bacon pancakes came as a surprise. Savory and hot, the pancakes were a delight to us.

Long Black
As usual, Cute Cute had to order his long black. Alas, it tasted normal.

Cafe Latte
The latte, on the other hand, fared better. Perhaps milk-based coffee is better suited for the blend of beans that Little Pancakes is using.

Big Breakfast
Ooo... Cute Cute was feeling hungry thus he ordered the biggy breakfast pancakes. Comes with 10 mini pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausages and a dash of maple syrup. The pancakes are hot and fluffy and the combination of savory sides and plain pancakes went very well together.

Nutella Pancakes
This one is for chocolate lovers. Pancakes with chocolate ice cream, chocolate chips, chocolate wafers and nutella! Enough said...
.

Fruit Pancakes
The last one to end it all. From Cute Cute's eyes, you can tell that he said waiting for the first bite. Nothing like ending your meal with pancakes accompanied by ice cream and fresh fruits.

Verdict: The savoury pancakes fared better compared to the sweet ones.

Here is our review for Little Pancakes:

Food Quality: 7.0 pawprints out of 10

Coffee Quality: 6.5 pawprints out of 10

Ambience: 7.0 pawprints out of 10

Specials that you should try:  Big Breakfast, Nutella, Fruit Pancakes

For those who are interested in going there, here is the address:

Little Pancakes

200 Upper Thomson Road

#01-04, Thomson Imperial Court

 Singapore 574424

Sweetened at OKB

OKB which stands simply for "One Kampong Bahru" is a new kid on the block for bakes and other pastries. In fact, OKB was recommended to Cute Cute by Ms Go Green while they were having lunch. Since there was still some lunch time left, the duo, together with Smurfy Lion, decided to head down.

There's a new cafe in town? We have to get there before the bears!!

Located along the row of quaint shophouses at Kampong Bahru Road (home also to indie coffee joints like Strangers' Reunion and Highlander Coffee), OKB offers a cosy hideout for fresh homemade bakes after your caffeine fix.

Warning: OKB has limited seating space thus a lot of their customers tend to take away their pastries. Along with sweet pastries, they do have savory bakes like quiches and sandwiches.

As Cute Cute and Ms Go Green were there to only savour desserts, they settled for a sticky cinnamon bun and some macaroons.

Mmmm.... everything for Smurfy....

Sticky Cinnamon Bun
This one is a must-try. It is really moist and decadent. A quick sell-out so be there early!

Macaroons
Smurfy tried the sea-salt caramel macaroon and the passion-fruit macaroon. They were rather inconsistent in terms of texture; one had an inviting chewy bite to it and the other was just plain soft. The passion fruit macaroon lacked the expected chewiness and was rather crumbly.

The drink in the cup is plain black coffee and Cute Cute will only review them for coffee once their coffee machine is up and running. 

All in all, Cute Cute and Ms Go Green enjoyed their brief respite at OKB. They took away some sweets for their loved ones at home too. 

Here is our review for OKB:

Food Quality: 7.5 pawprints out of 10

Ambience: 7.0 pawprints out of 10

Specials that you should try: Sticky Chewy Cinnamon Bun

For those who are interested in going there, here is the address:

OKB: One Kampong Bahru

1 Kampong Bahru Road

 Singapore 169339

Grown-up Treats at Tuckshop

Tuckshop.... a word synonymous with a place in school to grab your snacks, meal and catch up with friends for a respite during recess .... Yes... those were the good ole days when Cute Cute was a little lion cub. So when Cuchi told him about this hideout called Tuckshop, Cute Cute wasted no time in checking it out with friends.

If only tuckshops were this cool in the past.

Menu written in chalk across an old-school blackboard.
Pun unintended.

Modern art on the wall. Clean lines and simple designs
make for a calming ambience.

Eclectic mix of furniture for sale on display. If you like what you sit
on, take it home with you.

Tuckshop is located in a humble industrial building in the Ubi district and it can be quite a challenge to find. Cute Cute kept his eyes peeled for any signage that might point him in the right direction. A very helpful tip: Tuckshop sits snugly in the "Yamaha" building. Take the lift right up with office workers to the seventh floor, head down the spartan corridor and bingo, you will spot the cafe's name scrawled neatly across the white-washed wall at the entrance.

If you love boutique furniture, Tuckshop would be your version of a colourful playground filled with an eclectic mix of chairs, sofas, tables, etc .... Banter with friends over a meal at the long unfinished wooden table with a big personality.

Straight-forward menu with burgers, sandwiches and pastas for
the office crowd during lunch.

Just like in a classroom ...

This hidden gem, with an "open kitchen" concept where you can see chefs diligently preparing your meals, was comfortably empty during a late weekend afternoon siesta.

Soup of the Day: Pumpkin soup
Cuchi ordered this to try as she was quite full from a lunch before going to Tuckshop. Surprisingly, the pumpkin soup is rich and deliciously creamy.

Tuckshop Nuggets
Ordinary chicken nuggets with a special wasabi mayo sauce. Great snack to bring you back to your childhood days.

Long Black
Tuckshop's Long Black was rather diluted. Cuchi liked the accompanying traditional animal biscuits though.

Soup of the Day: Cream onion soup
This one was ordered on another day when Cute Cute was having a meal with Mr Astro Boy. Light but thick with natural sweetness of onions. Portion was generous as well.

Seafood Aglio Olio
The Aglio Olio looked dry at first but once Cute Cute tucked into it, the dish was packed with flavor. The amount of seafood in the linguini pasta made Cute Cute an extremely satisfied lion.

Chocolate Brownie
As with all meals, it has to end on a sweet note. The chocolate brownie was ordinary. Nothing too fanciful, just straight-to-the-point chocolate brownie. Not too bad but nuthin' exciting either.

German Pork Schnitzel
The German Pork Schnitzel was a delight! Firstly, the portion was hugely satisfying. Secondly, the pork schnitzel was tender but crispy on the outside. The pork itself admittedly was slightly bland but the accompanying brown sauce with a slight hint of apple was an absolutely saving grace. Well worth the price for this dish!

Hey who says that you can't find nice cafes in industrial areas....

Here is our review for Tuckshop:

Food Quality: 8.0 pawprints out of 10

Coffee Quality: 6.0 pawprints out of 10

Ambience: 7.0 pawprints out of 10

Specials that you should try: Pork Schnitzel, Seafood Aglio Olio, Pumpkin soup

For those who are interested in going there, here is the address:

Tuckshop Cafe

178 Paya Lebar Road,

#07-02

Singapore 409030

Tel: 6748 9308

http://www.facebook.com/Tuckshop178

Fab Food at Fabulous Baker Boy

It's finally the weekend.... looks like Cute Cute had to think of another new place to bring Cuchi for some excitement. Thank God that Cuchi had something in mind already... Fabulous Baker Boy which is located at the old River Valley Swimming Pool (defunct long time back). So the lions took the lioncopter and cruised down to nearby Liang Court to get to the Fab Bake Boy.

Grmm...? Is it time for brunch already?

The Lions took their time and waltz through greenery and some of the art works being showcased before heading to Fab.

After walking around enjoying the sights and sound of The Foothills, the Lions proceeded on to Fabulous Baker Boy. Surprise surprise! Haryanto from ex-Pause is there now to head the beverage department! Looks like good coffee is on the way! Fabulous Baker Boy is set up just at the foot of Fort Canning Hill and overlooks a small field and River Valley Road. When the Lions first entered, the aroma of cakes and pastries greeted them. Unique cakes like Almond Praline, Triple Choc and Salted Caramel Brownies were all displayed for customers to make their choice.

 After deciding for sometime, the Lions got together their thoughts and ordered.

Cafe Latte
The latte was good. Very well-balanced.

Long Black
The Long Black was delightful. Not very intense, smooth and a great complement to the cakes of Fabulous Baker Boy. Haryanto told the lions that he used a blend of 3 beans and the outcome came out well with a smooth, light-bodied coffee to go with the cakes.

Xmas Special
Cute Cute wanted Christmas to come soon thus he ordered the Xmas Special. Turkey ham, edam cheese, and cranberry sauce made up the main ingredients of the Xmas Special. Savory with a hint of sweetness. The crusty foccacia bread was soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. The Fabulous Baker Boy, Juwanda, told the lions that he got his focaccia from the bread project!

Fresh Prawn Fettuccine
The only pasta on the menu for the time being... Look at the greedy glint Cute Cute's eyes! The sauce for this fettuccine is out of this world. Juwanda said that it was a combination of Filipino, Malay, Eurasian influence. Prawn heads are a main component of the sauce as well. The pasta was done al dente.
 

Apple Cider Cake
The texture was a lot like a carrot cake. But it was delectably moist and light. There was no discernible apple cider taste though ... maybe Fab Bake Boy is concerned about kids drinking below the drinking age!

Old swimming pool tiles?

Enjoying the greenery after a full meal really made the lions feel on top of the world. Fabulous Baker Boy has great food and pastries plus a really wonderful ambience to match.

Here is our review for Fabulous Baker Boy:

Food Quality: 8.5 pawprints out of 10

Coffee Quality: 8.5 pawprints out of 10

Ambience: 8.5 pawprints out of 10

Specials that you should try: Coffee, Prawn Fettuccine, Xmas Special

For those who are interested in going there, here is the address:

Fabulous Baker Boy

The Foothills, 

70 River Valley Road, #01-15, 

Singapore 179037

Tel: 6694 8336

http://thefabulousbakerboy.com/