There always seem to be something new in the Food Republic food court at Wisma Atria every now and then — it does seem that one of the stall situated at the corner near the windows overlooking Orchard Road had most recently changed hands; new to the food court would be a stall that is labelled Korean Style Beak Ban. Turns out, the stall does carry the name of Jang San Korean Cuisine — if the name does sound familiar to some, perhaps it is because some folks have heard about Jang San Korean Restaurant that is situated in NeWest along AYE. The opening of this stall location within the Food Republic food court at Wisma Atria is the brand’s very first foray outside of running an independent location on its own — the establishment does seem to focus quite a bit on their Korean Home-Style Beak Ban offerings which comes with four (4) side dishes, lettuce, soup and rice; that being said, those whom want to opt for something simpler can go for their Korean Rice Bowl, Korean Soup and Korean Noodle offerings.

Since the Korean Home-Style Beak Ban offerings are the highlight at Jang San Korean Cuisine, we found ourselves going for the Smoky Pork BBQ Set. Whilst Jang San Korean Cuisine did not describe the four (4) side dishes that comes as part of the set, it can be observed from our order that the side dishes involved two (2) different types of Kimchi, pickled radish and fishcake. One can think of the Smoky Pork BBQ Set as something quite similar to Ssam considering how it does come with all the elements that typically come with the Ssam — this includes the lettuce, Ssamjang, cloves of garlic and sliced green chili. The Smoky Pork BBQ does come in a form that is similar to Shabu Shabu Pork where the porn has been sliced into thin pieces and grilled — wrapping these in the leafy greens with the addition of the the Ssamjang, garlic cloves and green chili, the pork does come with a meaty note whilst also carrying a very light hint of smokiness; all that while the Ssamjang gives a nutty, sweet and lightly spicy note further enhanced by the green chili, while the garlic adds a zing alongside that garlicky note that also compliments the refreshing and crisp lettuce leaves. One can also pair the meat with the short grain rice that comes on the side as well. Despite being slightly pricey for Korean fare within a food court setting at $16, it does make for a substantial yet wholesome meal in its own right.

There has been quite a bit of revamp going on in Plaza Singapura of the late, though it does seem that the mall had also seen some F&B tenants moving into the mall’s premises even though there are several that are making their exit out of the mall. Tavola Aperta is a new addition to Plaza Singapura; these folks are located at the ground level situated right beside the outlet of CHAGEE there — they also are conveniently located around the exit / entrance of the mall towards Oldham Lane which should be fairly easy to locate especially for those arriving into the mall through the ground level entrance / exit of Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station in the North East Line wing. Conceptualised as an Italian wine bar, the space sees itself divided into two levels with the bar counter situated at the mezzanine level together with a dining hall that mostly comprises of proper dining tables and chairs which are primarily catered for larger groups — the lower level sees another dining hall which features a mix of proper dining table and chairs configured to accommodate patrons visiting in smaller groups and communal tables matched with high chairs situated in the middle of the space. The food menu at Tavola Aperta features categories such as that of Pasta, Mains, Risotto, Sourdough Pizza and Dessert — they also do boast an a wine menu featuring a decent selection of wines though non-alcoholic beverage choices would include that of espresso-based specialty coffee, tea, soft drinks, spritzers and mocktails; just to name a few.

The White Ragu Bolognese is an item listed under the Pasta section of the menu at Tavola Aperta — it is well-noted that all pasta dishes at Tavola Aperta does feature handmade pasta that is prepared fresh daily; the menu describes the White Ragu Bolognese as an item that comes with elements such as that of a white Ragu of beef and pork with aromatic herbs and white wine. Giving the pasta a little bit of a toss before digging in, it does seem that the choice of pasta that comes with the White Ragu Bolognese at Tavola Aperta would be the Papardelle; a pasta type that is most often paired with Ragu. Considering how Tavola Aperta does use handmade pasta as opposed to dried pasta for their pasta dishes on their menu, the result of the texture of the pasta was one that is less al-dente; feels a little smoother and comes with less bite especially considering how the dough for the pasta does come with slightly more moisture being locked in. With the beef and pork being done in the style of White Ragu, this also meant that there is no tomatoes used in the preparation of the Ragu; instead, it makes use of diced onions, carrots and celery that gives it a slightly sweet tang against the savouriness and brininess of the meat and the white wine itself. The mix of beef and pork actually gave the pasta a meaty flavour without things being particularly gamey from the use of beef nor with any undesirable porky stench stemming from the pork.

Bibik Violet might have been a concept that had been just introduced in the local F&B scene in the past year or so when they had just opened their doors within Temasek Shophouse — the success of the concept had since led to the opening of a second outlet of Bibik Violet within Great World City. The Great World City location of Bibik Violet takes over the former premises of the now-defunct outlet of Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf there — notable stores located within the vicinity would also include that of the Best Denki store situated within the mall. Despite its Great World City outlet being located around the shopping aisle, much effort has been placed in trying to revamp the space to replicate the vibes that its Temasek Shophouse location carries with the extensive use of wooden elements and tropical elements with a bit of Straits flavour thrown into the mix. A concept that is by Violet Oon, Bibik Violet continues serving up its iteration of accessible Peranakan fare similar to the likes of what is being served up at some Nanyang Kopitiam-themed cafes at its Great World City location; there are some new items that have been introduced at the new Great World City location, though the operations is still segregated into Breakfast served from 10am to 11:30am and 3:00pm to 5:30pm (with the exception of Roti Prata) and the Afternoon menu that is served from 11:30am to 3:00pm and 5:30pm to 9:30pm.

The Nasi Lemak with Ayam Berempah is an item that is being listed under the Classic Bibik’s Nasi Lemak section of the menu and is an item that is also available at the Temasek Shophouse location as well — the menu describes the Nasi Lemak with Ayam Berempah as an item that features elements such as fried chicken, coconut rice, sambal, crispy anchovies, peanuts, cucumber and eggs; pretty much what one would expect for the typical composition for such a dish. Thought that the Nasi Lemak with Ayam Berempah from Bibik Violet’s Great World City outlet did came with a quality that is fairly consistent to what we had previously experienced for its Temasek Shophouse location; for one, the coconut rice here did come sufficiently moist with each grain being distinguishable from one another — the version of the Nasi Lemak here does come slightly more gingery than carrying a full-on note of coconut milk. The fried chicken here does come with a very light and crispy batter with tender and juicy meat without being particularly greasy; there is a hint of lemongrass and turmeric within the chicken flesh, and the hint of spices does give sufficient flavour to the chicken. The sambal does come with a light sweetness that is associated with local-style Nasi Lemak, though there is still an underlying sweetness with a rather mild hint of spiciness that would tickle the tastebuds of those whom are tolerable to lesser than moderate levels of spiciness. Anchovies that came on the side delivered a crunch with an extra dimension of saltishness that goes well with the rice. Bibik Violet’s choice on the type of eggs to be serve with their Nasi Lemak would be hard-boiled eggs; works best when paired with the sambal.

It does seem that establishments serving up Chinese-style desserts are quite the trend these days — opened to much fanfare of the late would be that of YIMANFEN 怡满分 that is situated at 313@Somerset which had taken over the former premises of the now-defunct outlet of Awfully Chocolate there. YIMANFEN is an establishment of mainland China origins; the brand having first started out in Hangzhou — their 313@Somerset is their very first international location, though it is said that they do run multiple outlets in different cities in mainland China. With the store being situated in the middle of the shopping aisle, the dine-in area is located right beside the shopping aisle as well with the tables being best catered for patrons visiting in pairs of groups of up to four (4) pax. Whilst there are instructions for patrons to make their orders before finding a seat, there is a lack of crowd control at the establishment with all tables being up for grabs by patrons passing by the store and streaming in as long as there is an empty table. That aside, YIMANFEN serves up a variety of desserts that one can find at establishments that serves up Chinese-style desserts; the desserts menu is being split into sections dedicated to Manfen Desserts, Manfen Snowy Gelato Bowls, Manfen Golden Fruit Bowls and Manfen Soya Pudding. Beverages are categorised into Manfen Frappes & Smoothies, Manfen Fresh Milk Tea, Traditional Winter Melon Series and Manfen Loquat Series.

The Taro Snowy Bowl with Gelato is an item that is listed in the Manfen Snowy Gelato Bowls section of the menu and is described in the menu to come with elements such as that of Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Taro, Black Glutinous Rice, and “White Snow Smoothie”. Going straight for the Taro Snowy Bowl with Gelato, this presents itself as a rather predictable combination of elements — the “White Snow Smoothie” here does seem to be that of shaved milk ice that one would typically be able to find in Korean Bingsu. This does give the dessert a milky base note that wasn’t overly sweetened. Taro elements included in the Taro Snowy Bowl with Gelato would include chunks of Taro and Taro Paste — the latter did provide a slight earthiness with a smooth and somewhat creamy texture that was suitably dense, though the cubes of taro did come in sizeable chunks; we weren’t quite a fan of these given how they seemed a little bland and could have been stewed for a little longer for a softer bite that would have integrated better with everything else in the bowl. The Vanilla Bean Ice Cream did come with a smooth and creamy consistency whilst also carrying an evident hint of vanilla fragrance throughout; complimenting the flavours of the “White Snow Smoothie”. Meanwhile, the Black Glutinous Rice came with a sticky consistency and adds on a roast-y, grainy and lightly sweet note to the dessert.

It does seem that the folks at Omote have been making adjustments within the collective of brands that they are operating — there definitely has been an expansion of their Six Hands brand in recent times where they had been opening a number of outlets at various locations, while they had also opened a second outlet of Umai in the location where the now-defunct Nolita was previously situated at Lentor Modern. Umai’s very first location is situated in Midtown Modern; their location at Lentor Modern has pretty much seen the interior of Nolita being carried through to the rebranding of the space to Umai save for the elements that referred to Nolita previously. Umai is an establishment that is best noted for their artisanal Udon offerings — the Lentor Modern location focuses on two (2) main types of Udon offerings centred around their Sanuki Udon and Hoto Udon. The food menu is being split into sections dedicated to The Crowd Favourites, The Kamatama Series (exclusively available to Lentor Modern), The Wok Series, Cold Sanuki, Hot Sanuki and Beyond Tradition. There is a selection of side dishes, whilst the beverage menu at Umai at its Lentor Modern location features a small selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

The Tempura Kamatama is an item that is listed in the The Kamatama Series of the food menu at Umai’s Lentor Modern outlet — this is also the line-up of Udon offerings that is exclusively available at this location. Based on the description of the item on Umai’s menu, the Tempura Kamatama features elements such as their Sanuki Udon, egg yolk, pollock roe, housemade nori butter, tempura prawn and vegetable and Shiso Perilla Leaves. Giving everything a mix before digging in, what makes the Tempura Kamatama so enticing here would be the fragrance of the housemade nori butter and the pollock roe — the combination of both elements was simply an umami bomb considering how the roast-y notes of Japanese seaweed comes together with the briny flavours of Mentaiko that makes it especially addictive to be had with the chewy, smooth and slurpy udon noodles. Mixing in the runny egg also helps to give that mix of housemade nori butter and the pollock roe a creamier and silkier texture as well. The Shiso Perilla Leaves does seem to be lightly fried in batter that helps add a bit of crispness to the Tempura Kamatama — also further enhances the flavours of the housemade nori butter. The tempura elements included here would be the Tempura Prawn and the Tempura Eggplant; both elements do come with a light and crispy golden brown batter without being particularly greasy — the prawn coming with its own natural crustacean sweetness with a bite as well. The inclusion of vegetables does give a bit of balance amidst the fried stuff and the carbs going on in the whole bowl.

There has been much talk on social media about a newly-opened dining establishment named That Place on social media in recent times — these folks are located at Morse Road that is within a short walk’s distance from Harbourfront MRT Station; they had taken over the former location of the now-defunct Fuel Plus+ which was run by the folks behind Refuel Cafe, Refuel II and Fuel X. That Place does seem to have injected quite a bit of character to the space; there is definitely a mix of industrialism and rustic charm within the space that it operates — all that matched with some whimsical decor that adds to a hint of playfulness to the establishment that defines their branding a little. Operating somewhat as a cafe that also seems to carry a little bit of a gastrobar element to it, That Place does mention on its social media pages that the food menu features dishes curated by Michelin chefs — the food menu is being split into categories such as For The Whole Kampung, Makan Time, Go Atas and Little Treats, while the drinks menu features sections such as The Daily Traditional Ritual (i.e. local-style Hainanese brews), Her Trip to Italy (i.e. espresso-based specialty coffee), Ah Mah’s Zen Era (i.e. matcha-based beverages), Special (i.e. specially curated concoctions) and Alcohol.

The Claypot Rice 2.0 is an item that is listed under the Go Atas section of the menu — this is essentially an item that features a fusion of both local and western elements; a dish in which That Place envisions to be the modern version of the local classic claypot rice. The menu at That Place describes Claypot Rice 2.0 to feature elements such as risotto, fried chicken cubes, Chinese Lupcheong, dark soya sauce and bonito flakes. Going straight for the risotto itself, we must commend that the risotto is actually very well executed here — the risotto itself was not too dry nor too wet; just the right consistency that one can feel each individual grain whilst there was a light savouriness from the cheese that gives it sufficient flavour. As with what one would expect for claypot rice, it does get drizzled with a little bit of oil and also dark soya sauce which gives it a smoother consistency and a slight hint of sweetness — the claypot itself here seemingly being more for aesthetics though it does probably help in keeping the dish warm. The fried chicken cubes does feel no different from popcorn chicken bites and does come crisp on the exterior; carries a peppery note within as well while the Chinese Lupcheong does give another dimension of sweetness with a bite. The inclusion of Ramen Egg here is a nice touch with its soft egg whites and jammy yolks, while the inclusion of bonito flakes adds a hint of umami to the dish as well.

Tanjong Pagar Plaza is pretty much a treasure trove for hidden F&B establishments even outside of the hawker centre component of the complex — while most of the establishments in there have been operating for a while, Bill’s 8 Cafe had recently opened at the second level of Blk 1 Tanjong Pagar Plaza. They are conveniently located right beside one of the staircases / lift lobbies of the HDB block; they are also neighbours with Chef Yamashita which is best known for its Japanese-inspired bakes that has been operating in the same block for a while. Bill’s 8 Cafe does have a long history in the F&B scene in Singapore — the establishment is by the same folks behind Eight Cafe & Bar at Bukit Pasoh; they had also previously ran the previous iteration of MOD Cafe within MOD Hair Salon at Kuo Chuan Avenue before returning to BBC — Beats Bites Cocktails that had taken over the former premises of Eight Cafe & Bar for their afternoon operations. Bill’s 8 Cafe in its current iteration at Tanjong Pagar Plaza is a tighter space — this is also in line with their vision of being a simpler establishment serving up less complex food whilst still focusing on their espresso-based specialty coffee offerings. The food menu here is split into sections dedicated to Light Lunch, Bread and Toast, and Sourdough Waffle during our visit — beverages available are split between Coffee and Non Coffee sections.

The Smoked Tomato Chicken Melt is an item that is listed under the Light Lunch section of the menu. It can be observed from our order that the Smoked Tomato Chicken Melt is served in a format of a sandwich. It can be observed from our order that the Smoked Tomato Chicken Melt comes with elements such as lettuce, melted cheese, smoked tomato puree, chicken breast slices and some chickpeas — all that in between sourdough toast that is baked by themselves which is also a specialty here. Sinking our teeth into the Smoked Tomato Chicken Melt, it does seem like the sourdough here is done on the lighter side; easy to chew, softer and fluffier than most other sourdough bread that we have had elsewhere — it also carries a lighter tang that stems from the fermentation process in the making of the sourdough as well which does not interfere with the other elements within the sandwich. The sliced chicken breast does come in thin slices which makes it easy to chew; each slice also smothered in the smoked tomato puree for a zesty, tangy and refreshing note that adds flavour to the otherwise plain chicken breast. The addition of melted cheese gives the sandwich an added touch of savouriness but it is the inclusion of chickpeas which was particularly interesting — gives a soft bite and a hint of earthiness that adds more flavour complexity to the entire sandwich as well.

For those whom have been keeping tabs to our posts in recent times, one would probably have got to learn about the aggressive expansion of Desert Dessert; no doubt the establishment may have closed its founding outlet at Ang Mo Kio near Mayflower MRT Station not too long ago, but the brand had also refreshed its entire look and offerings with the opening of their new locations at Siglap and Hillv2. These folks had recently opened another new outlet at Lentor; they are located within the Cold Storage Fresh outlet at Lentor Modern which sits right atop Lentor MRT Station along the Thomson-East Coast Line. Their set-up within Cold Storage Fresh is near the checkout area — this is also their very first location in which that is not run as an independent store on its own. With that being said, it is interesting to note that there is a small space catered for those whom intend to dine-in. Given the limited space around for this outlet, the offerings at their Lentor location is not as extensive as what is being served up at their Hillv2 location; the outlet at Lentor serves up selected flavours of gelato that can be ordered in a cup or in a cone, or with a waffle — there is also quite an extensive selection of cakes that are being offered here as well. Beverages offered at the Lentor outlet is segmented into categories such as Coffee & Cocoa, and DD Signatures.

The Kuro Matcha Mochi Cake is one of the few cakes of which are being stocked within the display chiller during our visit to Desert Dessert — Desert Dessert did not describe the elements included in each cake on the description card placed in front of the respective items I the display chiller, though it can be observed from our slice of the Kuro Matcha Mochi Cake that the cake features black sesame-infused pastry cream, matcha-infused pastry cream, mochi, black sesame-infused sponge and Sesame Tuile. If there is anything that we can commend about the cake, it is probably how the cake isn’t too sweet for a start — there is definitely a light hint of the roast-y notes of sesame that is well-complimented by the bitter undertones of the Japanese tea. With all that being said, it does feel like this slice of cake has been sitting around the display chiller for some time; the pastry cream seem to have lost a little bit of its original consistency being slightly less smooth and creamy as one would expect it to be; the mochi was quite a letdown with its consistency being almost no different to the sponge cake itself with no chew nor stretching effect that one typically thinks about when mochi is being mentioned. Equally disappointing would be the Sesame Tuille; this turn out become quite a soggy, wet and sweaty slop that lacked any crispness which was a little off-putting to say the least. Considering how the quality of their cakes are being compromised at this outlet, perhaps it is better to opt for their gelatos that are churned fresh at this location which would also be more representative of the experience of Desert Dessert outlets elsewhere.

Was going around Marina One and got to learn about the existence of new establishment that had found home within the basement of the building — taking over the former premises of the now-defunct Feng 丰 is another dining establishment named Janet’s Pinsa & Tiramisu. These folks can be found situated across from 88 Cafe which also houses the outlet of 88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist there; they are also relatively close to the lift lobby leading up to the West Tower and also the entry / exit of the building that directly links up with Shenton Way MRT Station on the Thomson-East Coast Line. Janet’s Pinsa & Tiramisu does seem to have taken over the furniture and fittings that are left behind by the previous tenant, adopting a red and white colour scheme throughout the establishment though there are attempts to give it a slightly more Italian touch with the use of photos of Italian scenes and sights on the walls for a bit of difference. As the namesake of the establishment suggests, Janet’s Pinsa & Tiramisu focuses on their Pinsa and Tiramisu offerings — the former of which coming with various toppings while both offerings are also available in a variety of sizes to suit different patrons’ needs and occasions as well.

The Mortazza would be one of those Pinsa offerings that would likely attract the attention of those whom prefer their Pinsas to come not too heavily with cheese — the menu describes the Mortazza to come with elements such as Pinsa Base, Tomato Sauce, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Mozzarella, Fresh Basil and Mortadella with Pistachio. For those whom are not aware, there are some differences between a pizza and a Pinsa — the latter originates from Rome and uses a dough with more hydration; sometimes also being fermented for a longer period of time. The difference does show in the Pinsa here where the Pinsa base is definitely more airy, light and crisp as compared to standard pizza dough — this makes it quite easy to have even despite how hefty and dense the Pinsa base looks. Spread atop the Pinsa Base would be the tomato sauce which gives the Pinsa Base a slight tang, while the melted mozzarella does add a touch of savouriness that also helps bridge between the Pinsa Base with the Mortadella on the top that comes with another dimension of savouriness typical of cured meat. The addition of the Fresh Basil over the top not only adds on a note of herb-y fragrance and sweetness, but also adds a visual contrast for an aesthetic appeal as well.

EON Shenton is often considered to be a building on the far end of Shenton Way but the opening of the new Prince Edward Road Station along the stretch of Circle Line Stage 6 now makes the building situated within walking distance away from a MRT Station. One of the most notable recent additions to EON Shenton would be that of MOOF — for those whom are not aware, MOOF is an establishment that had first started out as a home-based business first known as Poof Cafe; MOOF having been conceptualised as a specialty matcha bar with the folks behind Mori Matcha which is an online-based business retailing matcha / houjicha and related peripherals. With MOOF being an actual brick-and-mortar space occupying retail space within a commercial building, MOOF operates as a cafe with limited dine-in seating — most of the dining area is situated outside the establishment but there is a single table that is situated within the premises as well. The main offerings at MOOF is undoubtedly the range of specialty matcha / houjicha beverages which are highlights here, though MOOF also does serve up a limited variety of bakes to pair up with their beverages.

We visited MOOF on a weekday afternoon and it does seem like the only bake left for the day during our visit was the Okinawa Black Sugar Madeline. As compare to most other Madelines that we have had from other establishments, the Okinawa Black Sugar Madeline at MOOF definitely felt lighter and fluffier — not quite as dense as what we had expected and thus missing of that slightly crisp exterior that some would be looking for since this was a little more cake-like in some aspects. Nonetheless, it does seem like MOOF’s Okinawa Black Sugar Madeline is inspired by the Okinawa Black Sugar Steamed Cake that can be found occasionally at the food halls of Isetan Scotts and Takashimaya whenever they make their pop-up appearance in those places — each Madeline comes with a clump of Okinawa Black Sugar embedded in the middle of the Madeline; this does add a bit of a deep earthiness and sweetness akin to that of Gula Melaka without making the Madeline feel overly sweet. The lightness of the Madeline also meant that the Madeline had a texture that was less clumpy and easier to swallow in general — an easier eat that might be preferred by those whom usually find Madelines a little unappealing for their dense nature especially towards the middle. A good pairing to go for with the various Matcha / Houjicha items that they have to offer!

There does seem to be quite a fair bit of talk on social media on the opening of Daily Artisan & Bakery at People’s Park Complex recently — these folks took over the former premises of the now-defunct Dough Magic outlet that was situated within the shopping gallery of the building itself. The establishment is decked in a format where it has a dual frontage — one side of which caters to those whom are taking away their various bread offerings, while the other has a counter that features an espresso machine; one can also find a small dine-in area at this side which patrons can use to enjoy their purchased bakes from Daily Artisan & Bakery on the spot. Daily Artisan & Bakery’s offerings include a wide variety of breads and pastries, though the emphasis here based on social media posts about the establishment does seem to revolve around their rose-infused pastries typical of those that one would find in Yunnan, China — there is also a focus on sourdough based on the marketing collaterals describing about sourdough in general as well. Beverages available at Daily Artisan & Bakery are split into categories dedicated to Coffee, Fruit Drinks & More.

Not sure if it was due to strong demand or if the establishment was ill-prepared but we did find it rather appalling that Daily Artisan & Bakery had only five (5) items available when we dropped by on a weekday early afternoon after lunch; of which the quantity levels of most of the items that they have to offer are also running quite low. It is also noted that none of the items available were part of the listed Popular Pick and Best Seller items as shown in their marketing collaterals. The Seasalt Anchor Butter Roll was one of the few items that were still in stock at the time that we had visited Daily Artisan & Bakery. This felt like an item that felt particularly uninspiring amidst all the hype surrounding Shio Pans of the late — whilst many establishments around seem to be serving up Shio Pans in their own style that distinguished their offerings from that of other similar establishments, the version served up at Daily Artisan & Bakery felt quite run-of-the-mill and forgettable otherwise. The bread does come in a lighter consistency than most other Shio Pans we have had elsewhere with a bit of tension to pull apart, but aside from the buttery notes with some salt crystals that attempted to enhance the flavours of the bread further, the lack of a toasted bottom made this felt more like a soft roll than actually a Shio Pan. Seemingly a soulless establishment if one strips it away of its rose-infused specialty bakes out of its menu.

Was scrolling around social media and got to learn about the new Stash that is situated at 3 Kelantan Lane. The social media bio of Stash describes it to be a pop-up; an indeed, the set-up of the hole-in-the-wall space for Stash does look like a peculiar oddity as compared to most other cafes situated elsewhere in proper shop units. Taking up a small corner space within 3 Kelantan Lane which also houses another business named Tela, Stash is pretty much a hole-in-the-wall with an interesting dine-in space situated in the middle of the walkway — the establishment makes use of the gap in between the pillars to install a table that is paired with some patio furniture to allow patrons to sit around to enjoy their cuppa, while benches with small tables are also set up near the counter to accommodate for more dine-in patrons. Despite the limited space it occupies, the personality of whom runs the cafe does shine through with its decor being pretty cheeky and playful which evokes an element of fun. Given the amount of space it occupies, the emphasis here does seem to be pretty much on their beverages — these are split into sections dedicated to Coffee and Non-Coffee, though they do also serve some light bites on its Food menu which is restricted to either the Cardamom Loaf and Croissant.

We were pretty intrigued with the Cardamon Loaf when we first skimmed through the menu at Stash; whilst buns infusing cardamom rather than that of cinnamon had caught on being a little more commonplace at artisanal bakeries and specialty cafes these days, it was pretty much the look of the Cardamom Loaf at Stash that really caught our attention. All pastries at Stash are heated up upon order by default — props to the folks behind Stash for looking into details like that which do matter. What we quite liked about the Cardamom Loaf here is how it does come with “cubes” that carry a texture that is similar to that of danishes — light, crisp and buttery. Going deeper into the loaf, the bottom does come with a bread-like texture; there is definitely a hint of cardamom within the bread that gives it an evidently spiced note without being too intense or overwhelming. Closer to the base of the loaf was where things start getting interested with the bread coming with a slightly sweet glaze that came with a slightly floral note; gives an extra contrast of flavours that really compliments those spiced notes even further — makes it something that we demolished in no time especially considering how we just simply can’t get enough of it