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/

D'zerts Cafe

                D'zerts Cafe is located in a private housing estate of Tanah Merah at Jalan Pari Burong.

Let's have a photo together before we attack the desserts

 

When the Lions entered, they were quite surprised to see that they are the only customers there. The decor was a bit bare and did cloud Cuchi's judgement on D'zerts Cafe initially. However, when the desserts came, it was a blast.

The Lions ordered the Passionfruit Meringue and the Matcha Latte Cake. The taste was outstanding! The passionfruit meringue was sweet and had a nice sour zing to it. Very smooth and it is a must try. The Matcha Latte Cake was also very good. The texture of the cake was smooth and the taste of Matcha was very strong. Highly recommended for dessert lovers.

In addition, D'zerts Cafe is proud of their custom made macaroons. They make Hello Kitty and other cartoon character shape macaroons for takeaways.

What?? Going off so soon?

Despite the bare decor, D'zerts Cafe serves very good desserts that is worth going back for. In fact, Cute Cute was considering getting some Hello Kitty macaroons just for the fun of it.

Here is our review for D'zerts Cafe: 

Food Quality: 8.0 pawprints out of 10

Ambience: 6 pawprints out of 10

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

D'zerts Cafe

30 Jalan Pari Burong,

Singapore 488696

Tel No : 6448 6707

Getting all jittery at Department of Caffeine

Cute Cute and Cuchi recalled reading about Department of Caffeine (DOC) in magazines and of course coffee always interests the Lions. Not very conspicuous, it took Cuchi sometime to find DOC as it was situated at one of Duxton corners.

It was so crowded when the Lions stepped in. Outside, Duxton was rather quiet, but when the Lions stepped into DOC, the level of buzz was so strong. Coffee machines spewing out steam, grinders grinding and people laughing and talking under the influence of coffee

Cute Cute wasted no time in ordering. For weekend brunch mains, DOC has only a few selection but they looked so wholesome that Cute Cute ordered without even batting an eyelid.

Long Black
The long black had a spicy tinge to it kinda of peppery in nature. A bit acidic but smooth. A good cuppa to lounge around.

Apple Ginger Mint Fruit Juice

Roast Chicken with Chili and Basil
The chicken had a tangy taste and it was delightful. Meat was also tender. Cute Cute loves his greens so he took up all the salad in the display counter. The char grilled broccoli salad was neutral but with the added fried shallots, the combination came out rather tasty. The Moroccan carrot salad really tasted Moroccan. The spice and flavoring reminded Cute Cute of his Arabian Nights days. Carrots were also sweet too. The roasted beetroot with sunflower seeds, arugala and maple syrup was Cute Cute's fav. Cuchi did not really like it because she was turned off by the natural colour of beetroot. However, if you are not fearful of the deep red colour, go for the beetroot. It tasted neutral and it went really well with the chicken.

Churros with Chocolate Sauce
A Mother's day special..... so good, we asked if the chef could make it into a permanent item

Feeling wild eye after seeing the photos?

Department of Caffeine had an unassuming front entrance. But once you step in, it will remind you of a hole in a wall concept that is prevalent in other countries. A decent place to chill out and enjoy your coffee after you get your books from the local bookstore, Littered with Books, which is just a few doors away.

Here is our review for Department of Caffeine:

Coffee Quality: 8.5 pawprints out of 10

Food Quality: 7.5 pawprints out of 10

Ambience: 7.0 pawprints out of 10

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

Department of Caffeine

15 Duxton Road

Singapore 089481

Tel No : 6223 3426

https://www.facebook.com/deptofcaffeine

Bakes, Bacon and more at Benjamin Browns

Once again the weekend cometh! Cute Cute and Cuchi had a dinner appointment with several of their friends at Orchard Hotel Shopping Arcade. Being an early lion always, Cute Cute arrived early and found that he had some time to do a little exploration.

The sun is setting. It's time to do a bit of twist and shout!

Looked like Cute Cute's curiosity paid off. He discovered Benjamin Browns in Forum!

Benjamin Browns has a country decor that emits a homely feel. The open concept also makes the cafe look bigger from the outside. In addition, the cakes and pastries that were displayed made good eye candy as well.

Benjamin Browns does serve main courses for those who want something more filling. Cute Cute and Cuchi did in fact went down to Benjamin Browns twice before they start on this blog. (First time for the cakes and second time for the mains)

Granny Smith Tea and Strawberry Tea
First up was the tea that the Lions ordered when they were first there. The strawberry tea was a delight. Not too overpowering in its taste and you could taste the tea and strawberry flavoring. The granny smith was a bit slightly bland and one could not really taste the apple taste. Cuchi preferred the Strawberry Tea though.

Greedy eyes once again looking at you

 

Spaghetti Carbonara
Looked very plain but it was good. The sauce was sufficiently creamy and not too thick. Not too heavy as well and could be easily eaten. Instead of chopped up ham, Cuchi was given thin slices of ham for her spaghetti. That was something different.

Slow Cooked 8 Hour Pork Belly
Something from Chinese cuisine that was adapted into sandwiches. Did not seem much but try not to let the photo mislead you. The pork belly was thick and the two slices were just enough for Cute Cute. Very tender and has a slight sweet tinge to its savory taste, the pork belly is one of Benjamin Browns more popular dishes. The crispy ciabatta bread that enveloped the pork belly complement the meat with its crispiness and neutral taste. On top of that, the fries that came with it, was very crispy too.  

Oreo Cheese Cake and Chocolate Praline Cake

Lemon Butter Cream Cake

The cakes that were tried that day were very good and everything was mopped up. The Lions later found out that Benjamin Browns' cakes are different every time, because when they came by the second time, they found that all the cakes they had last time were all gone. New varieties of cakes were available instead.

Benjamin Brown did impress the Lions and friends with their cakes and food. Should you find yourself unwilling to enter the ERP orchard zone due to ERP and the crowd, just drop by Benjamin Browns at Forum to enjoy yourself there.

Here is our review for Benjamin Browns:

Food Quality: 7.5 pawprints out of 10

Ambience: 7.5 pawprints out of 10

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

Benjamin Browns

583 Orchard Road #01-21/20

Singapore 238884

Tel No : 68874117

https://www.facebook.com/BistroBenjaminBrowns

Setting down at Esette

It has been quite a while since the Lions walked around Duxton area. Sensing that there might be changes in the area, the Lions flew down to take a look.

A furry friend that we encountered!



The Lions were right, for they stumbled upon Esette. Located along Duxton road, Esette is a café which also deals with gifts.

Unfortunately, the Lions had ramen for lunch before they embarked on their exploration. Thus they could only try Esette's desserts...... and they were not disappointed.

A cosy interior that makes you want to snuggle up and curl up like a cat.

Long Black
Esette's coffee was fairly decent. Not the best you would have tried but good enough to pair with their cakes. Cute Cute just loved the coffee mug.

Cream cheese cake with white chocolate (above)
The cream cheese cake was light and fluffy, not heavy at all. The white (pink coloured) chocolate spoon on vanilla mousse was a nice décor to the cake as well.

Bread and butter pudding (below)
Unlike the normal bread and butter pudding, Esette's was a bit more solid with some nuts in it. However, Cuchi still preferred the cream cheese cake though.

After having desserts, Cuchi was almost leaving when she saw Esette's kueh lapis. Cuchi has a soft spot for kueh lapis and a box was bought.

Surprise surprise, the kueh lapis was wonderful. It has a very nice buttery taste, soft and filled with flavour. Note the generous amount of prunes in the kueh lapis.

Esette is a place worth going. Perhaps a second trip is warranted to try their mains and to grab another box of kueh lapis.

Here is our review for Esette:

Food Quality: 8.0 pawprints out of 10
Coffee Quality: 6.5 pawprints out of 10

Ambience: 7.5 pawprints out of 10

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

Esette

47 Duxton Road

Singapore 089511
Tel: 6221 5775