[MOVED] FATCAT Ice Cream Bar @ Bedok North

Update 20 Jan 2025: FATCAT has moved to Simon Road.

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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Chock Full Of Beans @ Changi Village

If you’ve found your Instagram feed flooded with pictures of eye-catching 2D and 3D latte art, you’ve Chock Full of Beans partly to thank for it. Opened a couple of years back, the cafe has recently gained a following for its adorable, edible artistry.

Tucked away in a corner of Changi Village, CFOB presents itself as a rustic haven away from the hustle and bustle of the city on the east side of Singapore. It is a relatively small cafe, with most diners seated in a shady alfresco area littered with wooden furniture and a long high table for larger groups – or if you, like me, like to perch somewhere high up while doing a little reading and writing over a cuppa. 😉

With much of the hype centred around its latte art, I’ll skip that and tell you about Chock Full of Beans’ other beverage selections – which are equally enticing and picture-worthy! 😛

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Signature 8-flavoured Xiao Long Bao @ Paradise Dynasty

With its tender minced meat encased in a flavourful broth and smooth flour skin, it’s no wonder that xiao long bao is fast becoming a fixture in our Chinese palate. There’s little not to love about this bite-sized offering of meat and broth, which is why restaurants and eateries across the country are catching on to this delicious trend faster than you can say, “zai lai yi long!” (translation: bring me another!)

Confessing your ignorance about this dish is about as sacrilegious as, say, telling others that you don’t like to eat chicken rice; it’s just not possible. Thankfully, there are many places you can go to to “right the wrongs” and taste the legend of xiao long bao yourself. 😉

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Lola’s Cafe @ Kovan

Tucked away in a discreet corner off the beaten track from Kovan MRT Station, Lola’s Cafe appears little more than one of those run-of-the-mill coffee-and-cake joints that have been springing up all over Singapore as of late. Its nondescript exterior bears a simple sign embellished with its name, and from afar, gave me the impression of housing a dusty bookstore that had been left behind in this ever-speedy age of technology.

But looks can be deceiving. 😉

Walking past the glass doors that separated Lola’s interior from the hustle and bustle of its neighbouring housing estates, I found myself immersed in what can only be described as a perfect blend of coziness and that hard-to-find promise of good things to come. I was there to meet up with an old friend from primary school, and what better place to catch up than in this welcoming abode of Lola’s? 😉

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[CLOSED] JPOT @ Tampines 1

Update June 2020: JPOT has closed.

The first thing we noticed when my dad and I stepped into JPOT’s branch in Tampines 1 was its looooong Condiments Bar where we could mix and match our condiments in every combination imaginable, including chili padi, spring onions, chopped garlic, peanut sauce, sesame oil, soya sauce, chili oil and more. 

Peanut sauce and sesame oil topped with spring onions? Or chilli padi drenched in soya sauce and chopped garlic? Hey, no one’s stopping you!

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Tastes and appearances may vary.

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