Tiong Bahru Bakery (Raffles City)

Tiong Bahru Bakery used to be crowded all the time at its Eng Hoon branch. It was therefore good news when they set up branches in the city as well. 

After a heavy lunch, we decided to get some dessert. I got an Almond Croissant ($4.20). I didn't use to be a fan of croissants because to me, they were just pastry loaded with butter. However, recently I tried the almond croissants at AM Bakery and got hooked onto it. The Almond Croissant here is flaky, crispy and dense with almond paste, with a generous sprinkling of sliced almonds on the exterior. 

We also had a Lemon Tart ($6.10). The sweetness and sourness of the lemon tart were well balanced, with neither overpowering the other. It made for a nice post-lunch perk-me-up.

Tiong Bahru Bakery 
Raffles City Shopping Centre
252 North Bridge Road
Singapore 179103
Tel No: 6333 4160 

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Poulet (Raffles City Shopping Centre)

Poulet is one of those places that we go to when we can't decide what to eat and want something safe. 

Poulet is of course best known for their Roast Chicken with Mushroom Chardonnay. We wanted to try something new and went ahead with the Roast Chicken with Black Pepper Sauce ($30.90). I guess it helps that since their main draw is their roast chicken, they constantly roast a few at the same time, and our order got served very quickly.

We are never disappointed by the roast chicken at Poulet, always timed to perfection - slightly crispy skin and moist inside. The sauce tastes different from the usual black pepper sauce and was mildly peppery. I guess if you wanted, you could eat the peppercorns which would lend a stronger peppery taste- they made this dish look almost Christmasy. Between the Mushroom Chardonnay and the Black Pepper Sauce, I prefer the Mushroom Chardonnay.

We can also never go wrong with the Tiramisu ($9.90) which in this market of over-priced desserts, is one that we think is value for money because of its large portion. It is also not too sweet and has enough soaked lady fingers, instead of some desserts where it is just 90% cream.

Good and attentive service.

Poulet 
Raffles City Shopping Centre
252 North Bridge Road
#B1-65/66
Tel No: 6336 3119 

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Sufood

My mum told me that she and her colleagues really liked the food at Sufood. I have heard about Sufood for some time but only got about visiting this establishment which is meat-free and inspired by Italian cuisine. 

We ordered the Set ($29.80++) where you could choose from a variety of salads, soups, mains, desserts and drinks.

Our Sufood Appetiser consisted of a trio of poached Japanese yuca root drizzled with a blueberry coulis, a stack of oriental, white water snowflake greens and a cherry tomato jelly. The server told us that we should eat the appetiser from the right to left. I thought I would enjoy the cherry tomato jelly but it tasted like sour plums (which I do not eat).

Next up was the Rosemary Breadsticks which were soft and fresh.

I ordered the Mushroom Salad which came with button and shiitake mushrooms in a vinegar dressing. I liked how light and refreshing this salad was, with the vinegar to get your stomach juices flowing!

The soup was a Misto Mushroom Soup which was mixed mushrooms simmered in vegetable stock. The mushroom overdose was starting to kick in at this point in time. It was light and tasted a little flat.

This was my favourite dish of the lot and I am glad I ordered the Wild Mushroom Charcoal Tagliatelle. The tagliatelle, mixed with fragrant garlic and chilli, went well with the chewy king oyster mushrooms.

I ended off the meal with a Mango Frollino which is a cake with mango cubes, blueberry and custard sauce. This was decent with crispy strudel crust.

I had high expectations of this place because of the rave reviews that I had seen online. However, I found the food here, at the most, slightly above average. If I had craving for vegetarian food, unless I am looking for a place that looks presentable and has nice plating, this would not be my top choice. That said, this place has a fresh offering of vegetarian food that is not offered at usual vegetarian stalls. Service is also friendly. 

Sufood
Raffles City Shopping Centre
#02-19
Tel No: 63335338 

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Nam Nam Noodle Bar (Raffles City)

Nam Nam Noodle Bar gave me a very good first impression even before I stepped into the restaurant. I normally do some research on where to eat because: (1) I wouldn't want to waste time over mediocre food, (2) I wouldn't want to make my wallet to be significantly lighter and (3) I wouldn't want to ruin my meal experience with bad service staff. After looking at so many websites, I have to say that Nam Nam's website is one of the best. Not only are there pictures, the price is also clearly stated- this is something that many shop owners don't do. 

I had the Pho Chicken ($7.90). The soup had a very clean taste to it but everything else (noodles and chicken) was pretty average. Compared to Long Phung, I'll choose Long Phung anytime.

The Grilled Chicken Banh Mi ($5.90) was rather impressive! The toasted baguette crumbles upon each bite and the pickled carrots and daikon made the Banh Mi very appetising. The chicken was tender and juicy as well.

The queues can get a little long and it's really packed in the restaurant. Nonetheless, the food is pretty worth it for its price!

Nam Nam Noodle Bar 
Raffles City Shopping Centre
252 North Bridge Road
#B1-46
Tel No: 6 336 0500

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Canele

As the saying goes, there's always space in a girl's stomach for some desserts. Canele is one of the places that is always crowded. The macarons are always a pretty sight, but maracons are not my kind of thing- my dessert preference is kind of like me- mostly bitter or sour, unless you catch me on a good day. 

I always enjoy reading interesting descriptions of desserts- here's the description for the Le Citron (Lemon Tart) ($6.07): Zesty baked lemon curd, gently laid on a bed of almond perfumed crumble. The lemon curd possesses the power to wake anyone up- sour and yet somewhat neutralised by the sweetness. A layer of jelly-like glaze also added some texture to the dessert. I would have preferred a different tart to curd ratio though- there simply isn't enough tart!

And the description for the Le Chocolat Croustillant (Crispy Chocolate Cake) ($7.48) goes: A whimsical chocolate indulgence, using luscious Vanini chocolate mousse layered between a crispy chocolate praline & opulent Gianduja cream, surrounded by a wall of divine dark chocolate glaze & crushed hazelnuts.

I have a secret liking for chocolate cakes with a crispy base- Four Leaves sells this at a very affordable price- Coco Exotic. Salt is always a secret weapon in every pastry chef's armoury. Slightly bitter and slightly sweet, the salt always manages to give a slight kick to the cake. Given how much I like the crispy base, need I say anything more else about the crispy chocolate praline?

Desserts are not bad. Service was average- waitress didn't care that we didn't have water, but that's fine.

Canele
Raffles City Shopping Centre
252 North Bridge Road
#B1-46/47
Tel No: 6334 7377 

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Tiong Bahru Bakery (Raffles City)

Every time I go out with this particular friend of mine, I think of how lucky I am to have known her. It's been exactly a decade since we knew each other! Another mutual close friend of ours is coming back from Australia next month after a few years of not being back in Singapore and I can't wait for our meetup. 

We went to Tiong Bahru Bakery at the Raffles City outlet which is strangely not as crowded as the Tiong Bahru one. This is probably due to the large seating capacity at this branch. 

I always get slightly stressed whenever I have to stand at the counter to order because I'm always paranoid that I will hold the queue up behind me. And this is precisely such a place. 

I decided to go with the Ham and Mozzarella Focaccia ($8). I kind of overestimated my appetite and thought one would not be enough. But this was absolutely filling for me. This focaccia was chewy and dense, unlike the one at Paris Baguette. The focaccia at Paris Baguette was one of the worst I had ever eaten. I like how the focaccia here has a mild herb taste. The first half of the meal was good but I got incredibly tired of eating it midway, perhaps because of the combined saltiness of the ham and the mozzarella cheese. 

Being the gullible patrons we were, we readily agreed to have the Kouign Aman ($3.50) when the girl at the counter recommended it to us, saying it was "freshly out of the oven". At first glance, I actually saw the words "Kofi Annan" instead. My eyesight, my eyesight. After some googling, I realise that it is of French origin and is pronounced as "queen a-mahn".

I was too full to truly enjoy this pastry which is made of salted butter and caramel. It had a flaky and crispy exterior and the caramel was a little sweet but still acceptable.

Food was decent although slightly overpriced. Nonetheless, we had a good time chilling the afternoon away.

Tiong Bahru Bakery (Raffles City)
Raffles City Shopping Centre
252 North Bridge Road
#B1-11/12
Tel: 6333 4160 

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Teahouse- The Asian Kitchen

There was a queue forming when we met at Asian Kitchen at 7 pm. Then again, nearly all the stalls at Raffles City Shopping Centre had queues, especially Din Tai Fung. We were seated in around 15 minutes.

The Garlic Pork Ribs was sweet and did not have an overpowering garlicky taste. It went extremely well with rice and was one of my favourite dishes. I also liked the fact that it didn't have bones that you had to navigate around. 

The Sweet Potato Leaves were fried well and the sauce accompanying it was flavourful.

The Crispy Duck wasn't very crispy. Nonetheless, it went well with the chilli provided at every table. Nothing spectacular about the duck although it's supposedly one of their best dishes.

We paid around $45 for these dishes plus four bowls of plain rice. Between the four of us, the amount of food was okay although it's not necessarily filling. Service, while very rushed, was acceptable. Do expect a very crowded place if you go during dinner time.

TeaHouse- The Asian Kitchen
Raffles City Shopping Centre
252 North Bridge Road
#B1-15
Tel No: +65 6336 4838

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Out of the Pan

If you are looking for a review on the main courses at Out of the Pan, please click here. When we went, there was a one-for-one for the main course (crepes) as well as desserts (DBS/POSB card). But for the desserts, you can enjoy a 1-for-1 only if you order from the same category.For example, if you  order a sweet crepe, you can only get another crepe and not a waffle.

We got a Banana Split Waffle ($14). This was the preferred dessert compared to the next one we ordered. The waffles were fluffy and the banana was covered with custard. A scoop of chocolate ice cream and a scoop of raspberry sorbet- wasn't impressed at all by the quality of the ice cream and sorbet. It sure looks impressive but only if it tasted as good as it looked.

We also got a Pear Helene Waffle ($14). Honestly, all four of us felt that the stuff on the waffle tasted too weird. The poached pears were too sweet and we couldn't figure out what ice cream it was.

I would go for the main courses anytime compared to the waffles again. Even for the main courses, I think it was a consensus that the Peking Duck Crepe was still the best amongst the rest! 

Out of The Pan 
Raffles City Shopping Centre
252 North Bridge Road
#B1-45
Tel: +65 6431 6103

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The Handburger (Raffles City Shopping Centre)

The first time I went to The Handburger, it was at the 313 branch. (Click here for the review.) After that dinner, we bought another Groupon and decided to visit the Raffles City branch. 

Since I was deciding between the Duck Confit and Battered Dory the last time (and Duck Confit won), I decided to get the Battered Dory this time.

I chose the mushroom soup (other choices include salad and fries) to go with the Battered Dory Burger ($15.80) because I liked the mushroom soup the last time I drank it. Large portion, chunky mushrooms and lots of flavour.

I'm glad I chose the Battered Dory burger. Two large pieces of dory fish topped with spicy tartare. There were also lotus root crisps, lettuce and tomato, served on a toasted honey wholewheat multigrain bun. The fish was deep fried nicely and not too oily. I didn't find the tartare spicy at all though. It was my first time eating lotus root crisps and I suppose it's no secret that anything deep fried can taste great!

Unlike me, my friend who ordered the NZ Kiwi Burger ($13.80) didn't like the beef because of the meat quality. He said that there were even some hard unknown stuff in the beef.

Well, I suppose the mantra here is then to Choose your Food Wisely.

Service was average, nothing fantastic. There was surprisingly no queue though, I suppose the Groupon frenzy is now over!

The Handburger 

Raffles City Shopping Centre
252 North Bridge Road
#B1-65/66
Tel: +65 6334 4577

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Watami (Raffles City Shopping Centre)

Raffles City's basement is a maze such that I'm pretty sure I would not bump into another person who's in the same building and same floor. Figuring our way through the maze using the store directory, we found our way to Watami. We had to wait for around 10-15 minutes for a table for 6 around 1.15 pm.

Their lunch menu set is affordable. As you can see, for $8.80, you can get yourself a black pepper beef with rice set, salad and a drink. There are many sets for you to choose from and I'm sure you can find something you like. Click here for the lunch set menu and to browse other available menus.

I had the Hire Katsu Tamago Toji Teishoku Set ($10.80). At first the waiter put an egg into a plate and I thought I had to crack it myself. But a waitress later came, took the egg away and came back with a plate of an egg which was cracked with onions mixed in it. The food was piping hot and the egg which was poured over the deep fried pork cutlet slowly cooked. I didn't really like the rice because I felt like it was a little hard and too sticky. Otherwise, it's actually fun to watch the egg cook. The accompaniment to this dish included miso soup, a salad and a drink (I ordered ice lemon tea).

Their service is pretty good and they asked us to fill in a customer's feedback form near the end of the meal which I thought was a good sign in wanting to improve different aspects of their restaurant. The only small glitch we had was asking for the bill three times before it finally came. While the food on the menu may not be authentic, but at least it tastes quite good, fills you up and at an affordable price too.

Watami (Raffles City) 
Raffles City Shopping Centre
252 North Bridge Road
#B1-06/07
Tel No: +65 6336 2425

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Out of The Pan

It's really strange how I haven't eaten at Out of The Pan, given that it's been there for so many years. But there's always a first because we were there to celebrate a friend's birthday. There was a 1-for-1 promotion (for savoury crepes) if you use your UOB card. (Please check details for the promotion- I kind of suspect it doesn't apply from Friday-Sunday but I may be wrong.) 

I ordered a Peking Duck Crepe ($15.50). The description stated that it had sambal olek, roasted duck and lychees. I had no idea what sambal olek was, but I just figured that it would be kind of spicy. But the spice wasn't overwhelming. The duck was moist, so that was good. I wished the lychee's taste could shine more in this dish though. I could taste it on its own, but it didn't complement the peking duck as well as it could have. For those who worry about not having their veggie quota fulfilled, there's a heap of lettuce inside (which I love), and a side of salad (the dressing is a little too sour for me). Overall, this dish felt like it was trying to achieve something more than the normal, but didn't really succeed at it. Nonetheless, it was pretty decent.

Service was nothing to shout about. They only gave us iced water upon our second request at the end of our meal. One of them looked like I owed him money, but another lady waitress was very pleasant.

Only go there if you have the UOB Card and you have multiples of 2 to go with you, if you can't share an extra plate amongst the people eating. A friend and I shared the Korean pork one because there were three of us. (The Korean Pork crepe is worth trying, although we did not finish it because we were super full by then.) Otherwise, you could be better off battling the crazy Raffles City crowd somewhere else.

Out of The Pan 
Raffles City Shopping Centre

252 North Bridge Road
#B1-45
Tel: +65 6431 6103

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Skinny Pizza

Whenever I walked past Raffles City, I would pass by Skinny Pizza and wonder what exactly they serve. Pizzas that looked like bread sticks, pizzas that were uber flat, pizzas with healthy ingredients (how impossible is that?) or WHAT? And I found out the answer today- it's got to do with the crust. Exactly how they say it- What a crack.

Both of us shared a squid ink pizza. Well, it's not that it's difficult to finish that on your own. But, seriously, with the price tag attached to it ($27 after GST), i phatom for cheapos like me, it might be good to share. The portion is simply too huge for one, but a little small for two.

The crust was very crispy, just like eating crackers. Like the light kind of crackers that shatter easily? The squids were aplenty too, coupled with prawns and some other green stuff (arugula, i suspect). The seafood was fresh, and they had a grilled taste to it. The whole idea behind Skinny Pizza, really, is to create wholesome food with natural ingredients.

SH preferred Chicago's deepdish (he will never shake that out of his mind), but I thought this was not bad too. Maybe it's the novelty eating factor of eating 1) squid ink and 2) skinny pizza.

Go early if you can! The queues can get pretty long. 630 pm on a Friday night was okay, even though the place was full. Come at 7pm and you'll be looking at long queues!

Skinny Pizza

Raffles City Shopping Centre

252 North Bridge Road

#B1-63/64

Singapore 179103

Tel: +65 6333 5069

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Canele Patisserie

I don't set foot in places that scream atas. Atas means upstairs in malay. So, atas in urban language, means high class. Canele is exactly the place that will shock you will how atas it looks from the outside. But since it was for a classmates gathering, I suppose I will have to exchange some good conversations for an empty pocket. By the way, the name is so atas then we had some problem trying to figure how to pronounce the first part. (We didn't come to a conclusion.)

The decor inside was really pretty. It had a wonderful colour coordination, and it was a great place for tea. We spent 4 hours there, drinking tea and having cakes. It was a great place to hang out at! (Note the macaroons tree- they tempted all of us to actually have some macaroons!)

My friend ordered a savoury crepe. One friend claimed that it's a two people portion, but the one who actually had it said that it's just enough only for one. Whatever the case, while I didn't try this crepe with ham, egg and cheese, my friend found it delicious.

I had a tiramisu which cost me (I think) around $7. While I loved the flavours, I didn't really like the top layer of the top layer. Plus I think the fingers to form the sponge layer were too soggy. I know they are meant to soak up all the essence, but at the same time, ever since I had eaten the tiramisu in Strega, the texture of this doesn't really come close. I don't know what real good tiramisu tastes like. I only know what kind of tiramisu I like.

My friend had a macha cake. He took 3 hours to complete it. I suppose it could only mean that it was pretty good!

Slightly too expensive for my own taste, but a great place to hang out for tea, nonetheless!

Rating: 4.3/5

Canele Patisserie

Various locations

Raffles City Shopping Centre

252 North Bridge Road,
#B1-46/47.
Singapore 179103

www.canele.com.sg

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