Café Hops

3.5 munchies: Topped with a fried egg, grated Gruyère and sprinkles of salt and pepper, the baked ham and cheese oozed out with velvety béchamel from the slices of rustic bread. The sandwich was also oven-baked, which resulted in the cheese topping to melt and form a crust that gave it some crunch. #Burpproved

3.5 munchies: Smooth and creamy without the roasty edge, the full-flavoured cup of flat white had a solid body with hints of roasted nuts, chocolate, and floral fragrance. If only I had room for their local-flavoured ice cream or raspberry tiramisu! #Burpproved

Lim Kee Cafe is located on the ground floor of Tian Jing Hotel, a 15-room boutique hotel that has a nostalgic charm and pays homage to the first Chinese settlements.

3.5 munchies: Ribbons of well-cooked tagliatelle tossed with olive oil, butter, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. Topped with sweet, firm-textured tiger prawns, scallions, and crispy sakura shrimp, the addition of goma kombu cooked in soy sauce with sesame seeds gave the pasta a tinge of savoury and nutty flavour. #Burpproved

On a side note, I'm really going to miss Artistry’s signature Chilli Crab Burger. Last 2 weekends to get it in your belly before the café ceases operations on 25 March!

3 munchies: All my favourite ingredients were stacked to build this Breakfast Burger – fried egg, potato rösti, guacamole, bacon & tomato relish. The chunky tomato relish made a great condiment by adding sweetness and flavour to the savoury bacon. It was a tad pity that the overdone potato rösti was dry and slightly burnt, though.

3.5 munchies: Featuring one of the new brunch items on The Coffee Academics Singapore’s à la carte menu, the classic Eggs Benedict has been given a spin by topping the poached eggs with honey lemon guacamole sauce. The splash of acidity from the lemon juice not only offset the sweetness of honey, but also balanced the richness of the avocado. Prosciutto di Parma – prized for its sweet, slightly nutty flavours and silky texture – was served on toasted English muffins. It also came with a side of fresh seasonal greens.

3.5 munchies: Firm, slightly chewy linguine cooked to al dente perfection; tossed with sautéed garlic, olive oil, fresh herbs, coriander, and spring onion. I’d highly recommend all the spice kings and queens to request for extra spicy because there was hardly any heat from the pasta – albeit well-cooked and packed with great flavours. There was also a good amount of plump, salty crab meat to complement the springy and garlicky noodles. Unfortunately, I left the cafe still feeling hungry because the portion ($19) was simply too small!

4 munchies: Piping hot, bitter-sweet matcha lava oozes out as soon as the fragrant Thai milk tea ice cream sits atop the buttery, crumbly cookie. One spoonful with all 3 hot and cold elements was all it took to send me to tea heaven after lunch in this blistering heat! #Burpproved

This was a hosted meal by Creamery Boutique Ice Creams.

4 munchies: Topped with ultra-creamy cream cheese frosting that was neither too heavy nor sweet, the carrot cake was incredibly moist and light – unlike the dry ones that you get from most places. You could also tell that carrots were grated by hand, which made the fine pieces melt into the cake batter. It was a slice of classic, perfectly-spiced carrot cake with flavours of cinnamon and nutmeg. #Burpproved

4.5 munchies: Perfect for a chilly morning like this, the Caffè Gianduja is one of the house specials that features its exclusive 1882 Espresso blend and thick hot chocolate topped with whipped cream. Using a slow-roasting method that takes 18-22 minutes instead of the commercial "turbo toasting" which takes 5-6 minutes, flavours and aromas of the Arabica beans are more thoroughly extracted, producing a balanced roast. This indulgent drink from the city of Turin is every chocolate and coffee lover's dream! #Burpproved

4 munchies: Sandwiched in two brownie cookies, the texture of the vanilla bean ice cream was undoubtedly thick and creamy. The crunch of the roasted nut topping not only set off the smoothness of the ice cream, but also the softness and chewiness of the chocolatey cookies. Definitely giving this treat lots of brownie points!

Brownie Points is sold exclusively at the Star Street outlet in the hip Starstreet Precinct. Available for a limited time only!

4.5 munchies: Who'd have thought that the Melbourne Lobster Roll from this Taiwanese coffee chain store was the highlight dish of my HK trip? Served in a toasted, buttery brioche, the large chunks of lobster meat were cooked to perfection – slightly chewy, so tender, and oh so juicy! The tangy cream sauce deserves a special mention for its lightness and mild flavour of garlic. Also comes with crunchy potato cubes and a side salad with lemon dressing.

The natural sweetness of the Longan Claret Jujube Tea makes a refreshing pairing with the lobster roll. Diners may also enjoy the sweet and pulpy longan flesh and red dates that can be retrieved from the dainty clear glass teapot.

3.5 munchies: I've been stuffing myself with so much food in HK and even after climbing up some really steep flights of stairs to get to my favourite cafe, I was still too full for their 5-munchie matcha cheesecake. So, the closest alternative I got was the Matcha & White Chocolate Scone. It was flaky and slightly crusty on the outside; moist and buttery on the inside. The matcha flavour was, needless to say, pronounced as ever.

Because they are advocating environmental friendliness, do bring your own straw next time if you plan to get an iced beverage. I haven't stopped raving about their iced sea salt yuan yang since 2011!