Everyone's happy @Doughwory Bakery

After a family lunch at Long Jiang Chinos (surprisingly good grub) at the former Bottle Tree Park, the lions and cub, together with gramps, grandma and extended family, went for a coffee break in the neighbourhood. They could not have chosen a better place when they landed at Doughwory Bakery. This is a small nook (2 indoor tables only!) that aspires to truly serve the neighbourhood, young and old included.

Grandpa will not feel out of place here as he gets to order his usual tuna puffs and other "unfancy" treats that remind him of his childhood while his teenage grandson chug a cup of angmoh coffee. The lions love the fact that young ones also get to enjoy their Western buttermilk waffles at Doughwory while those that crave a little comforting familiarity can sink their teeth into, yup, local waffles. What a cool juxtaposition!

Prices are kept heartland friendly as well, with croissants going for $2 and a lemon cheese tart smiling at you for $3. The barista certainly deserves a pat on the back too as he coaxes a decent cuppa from nondescript Italian beans.

The lions headed for LemonZest at Holland Village after that for a unique cooking demonstration. The grub churned out here will only interest the cub's palate. All the mummies and...ahem...some daddies there were mentally taking notes on how to get their young'uns interested in more exciting ingredients. Very french! A slab of butter into the concoction, give it a grind and a spin, and ta-dah!   

Doughwory Bakery

Block 504 Yishun Street 51

#01-03

Singapore 760504

Three Hands Coffee - Java by Day, Wine by Night

This post is dedicated to the lions' dear friend, Mr Business Times, as this place marries his two great loves.

An invitingly cosy and quiet place to chill along the Binjai Park estate. The pastries are surprisingly to die for (from chye seng huat?) and are a dime cheaper than most java joints. Coffee's currently made with beans from Papa Palheta and Oriole. This joint's too under-rated in our opinion.

Three Hands Coffee

Binjai Park 

Singapore 589825

England goes to the Heartlands at Bloomsbury Bakers

Sitting almost too quietly underneath a block of aging flats, Bloomsbury Bakers feels unmistakably like a fish out of water. Still, the lions are applauding the bravery of the founders for deciding to take root in such a seemingly unbecoming locale. Bloomsbury Bakers joins its unlikely neighbour - the low key Boon Keng hawker centre (think delish local breakfast offerings) - hoping to attract possibly a different foodie demographic. There is nothing ostentatious, however, about the place named after Bloomsbury Square in London where the love for baking sweet treats was birthed in the bellies of two friends at the famed Cordon Bleu. In such an unassuming location, the cafe was invitingly cosy with simple but elegant touches and the service impeccable.The lion did a takeaway but was treated to a nice cuppa as well.    

Cheery pom-poms in happy colours beckoning you in... ...

Uncle, auntie, you want some angmoh dangao and kopi
a not?

The lion agonises over his choice of sweets.
Small interior but they proudly showcase a fair variety of cakes on top of
customised orders, cupcakes and other pastries.

English Chessboard floor.

The lion grabbed the humble pound cake as a gift. He
was told later that it was delightfully moist and buttery.

The lion decided to grab the Lychee Martini and Opera cakes.

Jars with homely touches.

The jar at the top left corner contain sugar sticks ($3 per pack).
Yikes! Hardcore stuff. There are more palatable options like
the dainty madeleines.

The lion was offered coffee on the house. Well, this is something
worth mentioning (not the cup of free coffee but why it was given).
The lion wanted to order a box of cakes but Bloomsbury ran out of
a good box size to fit those cakes. Instead of just asking the lion to
accept whatever packaging they have, one of the kind ladies offered
to run out to purchase an emergency box. Talk about good service!!
And hence he nursed the cuppa during the wait. Nothing gourmet but
the gesture was greatly appreciated indeed.

The lioness got to try Bloomsbury Bakers' signature cakes -
the Lychee Martini and the Opera cake - with Miss Bombadier.
Mixed reviews: In comparison to Pine Garden's famed version,
Miss Bombadier preferred Bloomsbury's version. She thought that
it was pleasantly lighter with the alcoholic notes concentrated mainly
in the fruit. The lioness gave her vote to the defending champion
as she thought that the flavours were punchier and spread more
evenly throughout the PG cake. Bloomsbury's version seemed like
a toothless competitor in comparison. The opera cake was a light
affair as well, not suited for those more partial to bold flavours.

Bloomsbury Bakers

30 Bendemeer Road

Singapore 330030

https://www.facebook.com/BloomsburyBakers/

Bang-for-Buck Blue Mountain Coffee at Blue Mahoe Showroom

The search for a bak kut teh fix at Midview City in Sin Ming led the lions to stumble upon JBM Coffee Works - the distributor of the Blue Mahoe Estate Coffee here.

They did not know what to expect but gingerly pushed the doors open.

It's a showroom for JBM's imported single origin beans from around the
world. The star attraction's of course the Blue Mountain Coffee
from the Blue Mahoe Estate in Jamaica.

This is also a retail shop for coffee accessories like bodum glasses and
nifty coffee contraptions.

The siphon.

Give it a whiff - Ethopian Yirgacheffe beans.
This is better than any perfume counter.

Grab a cuppa of choice - Long Black, Latte, Flat White, etc. Beans used
are from their signature blend. The single origin and blue mountain coffee
are currently not available due to operations being focused on their
pop-up stand in Orchard now. We hear that they will be available sometime
after 15 Feb. Fingers crossed.

As this is a showroom and not a full-fledged cafe, coffee
comes in a takeaway cup. But it was impressively good -
full-bodied, mild acidity, floral and fruity. Boiled it down to
the use of their premium blend of beans. Sign up for their
membership here ($28 for 10 cups). That makes it $2.80
a cup! The more premium coffee like the blue mountain
is deductible for an equivalent 3 cups. Prolly the most
value for money blue mountain on the island. Of course,
head to their Esplanade cafe for the full luxurious experience.

Grab your blue mountain beans here. On a side note,
they are currently running a promotion for coffee puritans.
The Classic Espresso Blend, Costa Rica Coffee, Dominican
Republic Coffee and Ethiopia Coffee will retail at $33 for
3 bags of beans! For a limited time only.

Single origin beans from across the globe.

This showroom has become quite popular among the office crowd here.

German Coffee Roaster for sale.

Blue Mahoe Estate Coffee Showroom/
JBM Coffee Works
22 Sin Ming Lane
Mid View City
#01-80

Singapore 573969

Opening Hours:
Mon to Fri - 9am to 6pm
Sat - 9am to 1pm

The Most Earnest Pasta J is back!

We love Pasta J in a hyperbolic but earnest sorta way. Yes, pasta joints are a dime a dozen on this island but this place is birthed with a lot of heart and soul put into it; it's tough not to leave moved. We first met owner John hawking his most amazing pesto sauce at the weekend farmers' market at Loewen Gardens. And were totally bowled over by the dedication to his craft - hand-plucking each farm fresh aeroponic basil leaf (no icky stem and stalk) and packing a grand total of 14 ingredients including premium Carapelli Extra Virgin Olive Oil into his Soooo Pesto! sauce. Wow! After shifting from his humble coffeeshop premises at Opal Crescent to a similar set-up at Keong Saik Road, he is now the proud owner of a full-fledged restaurant, Pasta J, at Upper Thomson Road.

Simple but comfy set-up with homely touches. Great for a cosy gathering
of friends and family.

Table setting.

You can now savour the incredibly intense pesto sauce
with crackers as a starter at the restaurant.

Signature dishes are retained here and supplemented by
other equally yummy offerings. The lions tried the Bollywood
Pumpkin Soup, which tasted like the Mulligatawny Soup
they had at Cricket Club. For something less exotic, go
for the dependable Muddy Mushrom which is as thick
as mud. Mmmmmmm... ...

The lion went for a new dish on the menu -
The Caramalised Carnivore. A huge bunch of sliced onions
('this big', John gestured with his hands) is reduced and
caramalised over low heat for hours getting the desired
punch and taste. Not forgetting the inclusion of bone marrow,
this sinfully rich dish is a clear piece de resistance.
Homemade pork meatballs also contain no yucky fillers or starches.

One shot glass of cream is given at the side if you
deem the dish not creamy enough!

Miss Bombadier's Vongole was a decidedly lighter
affair with fresh clams. This is for the weight watchers
in the group. Then again, why eat pasta huh?

This dish is a must-try after The Caramalised Carnivore:
The Laksa Seafood Pasta. The lioness love the generous
portion of seafood here and the umami-packed sauce.

Prices of mains hover below $20 and the great part - they're nett! Hop down now!

Pasta J

205 Upper Thomson Road
Singapore 574345
(Same side as Long House)
Opening Hours:
11am to 2pm
6pm to 10pm

Closed on Mondays.