FATCAT Ice Cream Bar @ Bedok North

March 1, 2015April 3, 20151 Comment

Just when our eyes glazed over and we thought to ourselves, “Not another generic waffles and coffee place,” FATCAT surpassed the local cafe game, taste and concept wise. Think gourmet ice cream and plated desserts in the least likely places – Bedok.

At the start of 2015, my Instagram feed exploded with pretty desserts and fluffy charcoal waffles flowing with liu sha, igniting my curiosity in this not-so-hidden-gem in the east. Well, it’s been three months since its official opening, and the crowds (and pre-opening queues) have NOT died down.

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[CLOSED] 2 Loaves @ Tanglin Halt (Sugar)

February 15, 2015June 16, 2020Leave a comment

Update June 2020: 2 Loaves has closed.

Was it two loaves and five fishes? Or five loaves and two fishes? Either way, one thing’s for certain: 2 Loaves is whipping a mean bake this side of Singapore.

Like the neighbourhood it is located in, 2 Loaves is a laid back, unpretentious bakery, reminiscent of the days when we would rush to the likes of Bengawan Solo for an after school snack. Its brother and sister team are a friendly, cheerful bunch who welcome you genially no matter the time of the day, a definite plus in today’s age of impersonal and sometimes sullen servers. 🙂

As their famous loaf cakes were sold out the first time I visited, I ended up swinging by their cozy little space twice in as many weeks. So here’s this eastie’s verdict of whether 2 Loaves’ creations are worth the trip for!

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[CLOSED] Tai Parfait @ Bugis Junction

September 18, 2014June 3, 2016Leave a comment

[Update 3 June 2016: Tai Parfait has closed.]

It’s not so often that we see a school of fish swimming around busy Bugis, let alone one with mouthfuls of sweet, sweet toppings – literally. Adding to Bugis Junction‘s burgeoning kaleidoscope of F&B options is Yokohama-based Tai Parfait, home to a culinary hybrid for dessert lovers.

The store’s titular offering, Tai Parfait, is really that – a combination of the beloved traditional Japanese fish-shaped pancake with piping hot filling on the inside and the rich toppings of a parfait in place of its closed mouth. Cheery decor beckons customers and the brisk, factory-like production of taiyaki behind the counter is telling of just how popular it is.

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Hello Hokkaido! Kitakaro Cafe 北果楼 @ Sakaimachi Street, Otaru

August 4, 2014April 3, 2015Leave a comment

Japanese cream puffs. They taste like heaven, cherub’s kisses, and sweet dreams come true. Okay, I may have exaggerated a little, but that’s the feeling I get whenever I bite into one of ‘em pastries: soft, puffy shell with rich cream, fresh custard and I think I just drooled over my keyboard typing that last sentence.

And then, there’s Kitakaro Cafe’s cream puffs.

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Pastry Snaffle’s Catchcakes from Hakodate, Hokkaido (Japan)

March 16, 2014April 4, 20153 Comments

I once had a friend cart back a box of Tokyo Banana for me. His suitcase was so stuffed to the brim, the flight an arduous 7 hours, that it’s a miracle that that box did not sustain a single dent on its way back (talk about durable Japanese packaging).

You don’t extend the same treatment to a box of Snaffle’s Catchcakes, however. Even if it’s double wrapped and packed in a sturdy, true-to-size package. Why? Because these darlings are, quite literally, as delicate as a cloud.

Established in 1998, Pastry Snaffle’s is just one of the many brands that have since crossed the Pacific Ocean (last year, to be precise) to invade our sunny, Japan-hungry shores. With three outlets at Plaza Singapura, Bedok Mall and VivoCity to date, and another on the way, it’s safe to say that Snaffles is here to stay. 😀