The Hungry Bunny

October 2012 is significant for 2 things. The Hari Raya Haji long weekend (mucho amor!) and re-connecting with old friends. In the short span of just a couple of weeks, I've somehow managed to reconnect with 2 old friends whom I've lost touch with over the years. I first got to know Addie at brownies, I thought she was just the prettiest girl ever and couldn't resist chatting her up. Yes yes, I was a superficial kid: I thought all pretty people were nice. And as they say, the rest is history. We lost contact, however, when she moved to live and work in France. I found out, over facebook, that she's recently moved back to Singapore and that's how we re-connected (and this is why facebook, with its ability to reconnect you with long lost friends, has the least choosiest customers ever). It's heart-warming how, despite the almost decade-long disconnect, we were able to pick up exactly where we left off. We yakked our heads off and were so oblivious to our surroun...

I've recently been let in on a secret. Kang's plan for domination: to get all his friends fat by feeding them all irresistibly yummy cupcakes. That kind of made sense, because he'd recently gifted us with a box of his latest culinary discovery - Plain Vanilla Bakery. Even after I'd been whining about my weight gain! Ah well, I've come to terms with the fact that I'm one of those who live to eat. Life's short and you don't ever want to kick yourself for not having savored all that life's to offer, right? I'm not advocating obesity, but I think we should stop obsessing about every single calorie and body image issues. The key is moderation. Live to eat, but make sure you live long enough to eat! Plain Vanilla Bakery is a small-ish establishment that's made quite a splash in the cupcake business scene for churning out really good confectionery. Their cupcakes are dense and moist, with a nuanced sweetness that walks the tightrope between ric...

We were in the Upper Thomson vicinity getting the Hubs' car fixed after he'd dented it (on this note, it irks me when someone tells me that ALL women are bad drivers, or that ALL men make better drivers than ALL women. While the stereotype is generally true, I think it's awfully presumptuous to prejudice against that generalization. I happen to be acquainted with more than a handful of men who are driving-challenged. *cough cough CC cough) and popped over to the club to spend the quarterly F&B levy. Although we dislike the fact that The Lookout is completely open-air, it is admittedly airy (but a little muggy) and does boast a picturesque view of the sprawling green. Save for a few sweaty golfers enjoying their post-game cigars and wines, the bistro was delightedly empty. It was, afterall, mid-afternoon, when we arrived at the all-day dining spot. If not for the dining levy, I don't think we'd eat at the club as much as we do. Most of the bistro fare aren...

Wild Honey recently collaborated with famed Melbourne chef Barry Iddles (to be brutally honest, I'd never heard of the guy until his name popped up on Wild Honey's "Melbourne Does Breakfast" menu) to bring a little touch of the cosmopolitan Victorian state to Singapore's breakfast scene. For 4 days only, Wild Honey featured an eclectic menu that reflected the melting-pot culture of Melbourne. We were very lucky to have been at the right place, at the right time (we were both on leave, yes, we got a headstart on the long weekend...yippee! And we'd just viewed another property so we were in the area), to sample the "limited edition" dishes. Even if I still have no idea who this Aussie dude is, his food's awesome! I loved how the dishes were creative and innovative but worked so naturally well you end up wondering how you didn't think of it in the first place. It was all about freshness of ingredients, a restrained hand with the seasoning, and ...

We wanted to eat at SPRMRKT but it was filled to the brim with diners so we headed to the air-conditioned eateries opposite. Moo Bar & Grill had a very attractive 1-for-1 promotion and it seemed a popular enough lunch option. As it turns out, the 1-for-1 promo is really the entire reason for the restaurant's popularity. At full-on prices, the quality isn't up to par. But, with prices halved, the portions seem twice as generous, you become twice as forgiving and the entire meal appears doubly value-for-money. But, as expected, the downside of a busy restaurant is the resultant choppy service. It took a good half hour before our mains arrived. Our iced waters arrived after 2 reminders and when we were halfway through our mains.  The Oven Baked 'Beer Can' Free Range Chicken ($30) with rosemary and a beer-infused pullet was too dry and lacking in taste, even if the portion was generous and could easily feed 2. The free refill of truffle mas...

Kith Cafe at Park Mall is the second offshoot of the original at Robertson Quay. Unlike its original, this one's a collaboration with Xtra, which probably explains their eclectic and ultra stylish furniture. We'd stumbled upon Kith Cafe one afternoon after furniture-shopping at Xtra (we love their stuff!). For those who can't decide between the 2 outlets, this second branch has a distinct advantage over the picturesque riverside original. It's got a wider menu and larger space. Plus, you can indulge in a little furniture shopping afterwards! Despite the many rave reviews, we found Kith Cafe a little underwhelming. The food's a mix of hit and misses. Pleasantly rustic and unpretentious vibes, but the cooking's a little uneven and inconsistent. Also, the place is usually packed so remember to make reservations or be prepared to wait. The Green Eggs ($14), a kitschy nod to Dr Suess' literary classic, isn't as gross as it sounds. Basil pesto provide t...

Preparazzi is a new restaurant that's opened up along Boon Tat Street.  Apparently, the head chef used to be a private caterer who won some competition and got this one-year-rent-free restaurant space as a result. Preparazzi's food is "mod Sin", i.e. modern Singaporean. This is really just cool-speak for fusion fare - an Asian twist on western classics. In their attempt to be innovatively cool, it seems that they've fallen flat. We found the main courses generally pedestrian, forgettable and average, but the cupcakes were really quite yummy. Service was great - friendly and warm, though not enough to save the lackluster dining experience. I don't think any of us will be back anytime soon. That's the thing. I don't like try-hards (this applies to people as well btw). Just be damn good at the simple, straightforward stuff, instead of being the CMI amateurish player in the big leagues. We didn't expect the Warm Duck Confit Salad ($12.90) to be...

SPRMRKT (otherwise known as SuPeRMaRKeT, but without the vowels) is one of those places that seems to exist in a different dimension, a parallel universe such that you don't realize that it's there even if you're right in front of it. It was only after I read a couple of good reviews about SPRMRKT, that I realized that I've actually walked past it several times. I guess I never really had the impetus to go in because of its nondescript entrance and facade. I mean, I've got friends who've been there to eat and yet do not know its name. Throw in the distractingly snaking long queues of the locals buying 4D at the 7-11 next door and you've got a recipe for invisibility. Gotta really thank the blogosphere for informing about SPRMRKT, would never have discovered this gem of a cafe otherwise. Despite its bustling CBD locale, the small-ish cafe is surprisingly laidback and relaxed. Here, it seems like time passes a little slower than the world outside, a calm re...

Update November 2015: The restaurant has closed down, and replaced by Folks Collective.  Friends know that I generally stay away from any new restaurant, until after its first year of operations. By then, the so-popular-have-to-make-reservations-one-month-in-advance crowds would have dissipated, and the restaurant would have ironed out any kinks in service and food. However, I broke my visit-a-restaurant-only-after-passing-first-year-survival-test for La Cantine , the newly opened three-Michellin starred Bruno Menard 's second foray into our local shores (the first being &Made). I think it was really because the restaurant's within easy walking distance from my office, which made it a really convenient spot for October's L.A. Lunch. For a restaurant that's just opened in September, I was surprised by how much they've got their act together. Service was unbelievably smooth, genuinely friendly, efficient, and worked seamlessly like a well-oiled machine. And, d...

We finally visited to Wild Honey ! To be honest, we've resisted going to Wild Honey because of all the horror stories regarding their abysmal service standards (and, to be blunt, primarily due to the " preferential treatment of ang mohs debacle "). However, we were pleasantly surprised when we recently visited the Scotts Square branch for brunch. While the restaurant consisted a predominantly white crowd, we didn't sense any preferential treatment towards the "fairer race". In fact, we found that service was professional, efficient, knowledgeable (they knew their specials and menu inside out) and reasonably polite. Not super warm, but as polite as Singapore service standards go. Also, despite negative reports of long snaking queues for tables, we managed to find counter seats for us both immediately without any reservations. On a Saturday at noon, no less! Still, it may be prudent to make reservations. As with most brunch places, there's that inevita...

From the first mouthful of the mango sago pomelo with black glutinous rice dessert at Hui Lau Shan , the Hubs became a fan for life. So, every time we spy a Chinese/Hong Kong dessert stall, we make it a point to check it out, in the hope that we can find a substitute. Just so we don't have to hop onto a plane just to satisfy the Hubs' craving. Like Hui Lau Shan, Honeymoon Dessert has its roots in Hong Kong and serves up a veritable range of Cantonese desserts. Despite the wide selection of sweets, we couldn't find the same dessert as the Hubs' fave at Hui Lau Shan. We eventually settled for the Mango Pomelo Sago ($5.90) and topped it up with a scoop of Ice-Cream ($1). This fell short of our expectations. Too much condensed milk was added to this, so instead of a refreshingly light dessert tinged with sweetness, you get a heavily creamed, saccharine concoction. They should have just done away with the condensed milk for a cleaner, clearer taste. The Double Boi...

It's been years since I was last at the Singapore Turf Club . While I'm far from the gambler type (I'm so risk averse I don't even play the "junior league" 10-cent-bets-only blackjack with my cousins over Chinese New Year), I do enjoy hanging out with my colleagues, even if it's at the faraway and inaccessible Singapore Turf Club (we took an hour and a half to get there from the city!). Plus, it's not like I have to squeeze with the predominantly retirees crowd at the spectator stands, all betting their CPF withdrawals away. Instead, we got to watch the races in the air-conditioned comfort of the committee box, where a small buffet kept those of us who are risk-averse occupied. The highlight of the evening was definitely getting into the behind-the-scenes parade field, where we got to see the horses and their jockeys circling round the parade track, just before each race. I suppose this kind of "insider experience" would have some benefit f...

Broadcast HQ is a collaboration between 40 Hands and Tippling Club so there's supposedly good pedigree behind this multi-concept spot. The rustic place, with its deliberately unfinished decor, smoothed cement floors, exposed red brick walls and backpacker-favoured Little India locale makes Broadcast HQ the offbeat kind of place that quirky individuals will love. The adjoining music records shop, and upstairs bar and club, further lend credence to the indie rocker vibe of this place. There are headphones for personal listening at every table as well, although I have no idea why anyone would prefer listening to music, which is quite the anti-social thing to do, over meaningful conversations with their lunch/dinner mate(s). I guess I'll never understand why some people spend their entire dinner tweeting or facebook-ing their online friends instead of actually talking to their dinner companions. What's the point of going out with your friends for dinner if you're gonna i...