New Restaurants, Cafes and Bars: April 2015

It appears that there is an opening of a new Korean dessert joint every few weeks, and joining Banana Tree this month is O'ma Spoon, situated on the fourth floor of Marina Square. O'ma Spoon offers a variety of milk-based bingsus in both single and 2-people portions as well as a few other items such as their Injeolmi Toast, with the price ranging from $4.80 to $22.80. Go for their Strawberry and Green Tea Bingsus for a cooling, melt-in-your-mouth treat.

Located next to Jewel Cafe + Bar on Rangoon Road, yogurt joint The Cold Pantry has recently revamped their menu. They now offer both yogurt and soft serve options, as well as a variety of quirky flavoured speciality waffles. If you're in the mood for something savoury, go for the mildly spicy Mexican Nachos or the chicken Bak Kua Meltz waffles (both $10). For those with a sweet tooth, go for the Kaya Toast or Sea-salt Caramel waffles (both $8), or go big with the signature Chocolate Root Beer waffle with charcoal vanilla ice cream and drizzled with homemade root beer sauce ($12.50) — it's a sinful treat you won't regret having!

Helmed by the folks behind Hong Kong's Fatty Crab, this modern izakaya situated in The Working Capitol serves Japanese-inspired plates with a wide selection of drinks in a sexy industrial setting. For nosh, go for the Butter Braised Mushrooms ($10) — an assortment of mushrooms in an umami braising sauce and sesame seeds — and the Smoked Baby Back Ribs ($18). If you're more of a seafood person, opt for the tender Steamed Snapper in umeboshi ginger broth and tomato ($14). It is essential that you have drinks with your meal, especially the Green Hornet ($18), a tequila drink with wasabi-infused honey, or their special in-house Junmai Daiginjo Sake ($28).

Formerly an online cake shop, Cake Avenue has now opened a cafe along Lorong Kilat which serves their signature cakes as well as a small selection of food options. Go for their charmingly-named Double Dog Baked Rice ($14.90) — baked rice with two jumbo sausages in cheese and marinara sauce -— and end the meal with their beautiful Chocolate Red Velvet Cake. This cafe also hosts themed parties as well as cupcake decoration classes!

Nestled in the quiet Biopolis cluster at One-North, Tête-à-Tête Café (pronounced "tatt-a-tatt") is a Parisian-style cafe serving cakes, pastries, brunch and an extensive selection of Basilur teas. With its wondrously high ceiling and spaciousness, this place makes for a perfect hideaway for those in the West, especially on Saturdays. Go for the Lemon Meringue Tart ($6.90) or the Flourless Black Forest Cake ($7.90) for something light, or bring your friends and treat yourselves to a Pastry Trio ($18 for three pastries) and pair it with some of their Basilur Specialty Teas ($5 for a small pot; $9 for a large pot).

Tucked away in Gillman Barracks is Red Baron, a new cafe/ bar concept operated by the good people behind Artistry. Expect brunch fare like salads and sandwiches, as well as a small selection of sweets and craft beers. Go for their French Toast ($7) — toasted brioche heaped with caramelised bananas, sopped in gula melaka sauce, and finished with a sprinkling of dessicated coconut.

A sister outlet of the original Grin Affair at Everton Park has opened its doors at Bishan, and it serves more than their signature cakes-in-jars. The Bishan outlet serves crisp and light meringue waffles made with only egg whites and soya milk, and you can choose from both sweet and savoury toppings. Go for the slow-roasted chicken waffle with bacon and maple cream ($7.50) if you're in the mood for something savoury, or the waffle topped with durian gelato, almond flakes and toffee sauce ($10) for a good sugar fix.

Joining the row of eateries along Boon Tat Street in the CBD is FYR Cycene Ond Drinc (pronounced "Fire Kitchen and Drink"), a modern European restaurant with strong Asian influences. Expect a variety of meaty dishes like bone marrow, grain-fed US Holstein Ribeye 365 days, 5-spiced chicken, as well as seafood dishes such as oysters, roasted scallops and red snapper. Go for the Whole Main Lobster ($35), which is dressed in a delightfully tangy shallot lemongrass bechamel, or the Seafood Linguine ($18), which features laksa leaves and Thai basil in the lobster bisque sauce. End the meal on a sweet note with their Baked Pistachio Melt and Pandan Ice Cream ($10).

Joining the increasingly buzzy Keong Saik Road stretch is Banana Tree. A boutique dessert cafe concept from Korea, Banana Tree offers a variety of pretty desserts in a minimalist, spacious cafe setting. Its glass ceiling allowing streams of natural sunlight to create a warm, alfresco-esque cafe experience. Dessert items available include their Flower Paap (pudding in a flower pot), Som Som (cotton candy) lattes and Pot Bingsu (shaved ice). Go for their creamy signature Banana Flower Pot Pudding ($6.50) and their Red Bean Pot BingSu ($12). If you're in the mood for just coffee, go for their iced Banana Som Som Latte ($7), which comes topped with cotton candy!

Brightening up the Mountbatten neighbourhood is 33SixtyEight, a microcreamery serving gelatos and sorbets. Besides the usual waffle option to go with your gelato, 33SixtyEight also offers unique options like Gelato Choux Puffs ($6 for 2). Go for the hot-on-the-outside, cold-on-the-inside Bun Bun Bomb ($6) — your choice of gelato, sealed within a soft, fluffy toasted bun ordered from Sembawang Bakery.

Situated within Burlington Square, Yoğart is the newest kid on the yogurt block. Instead of just offering the usual yogurt with various sauces and toppings, this place offers yoghurt popsicles & waffles as well. Go for their Yuzu Explosion yogurt popsicle, or satisfy your Llao Llao cravings with the Sanum-esque Yogurt Bliss ($6.20) — yogurt with 3 fresh fruits toppings, 1 crunch and 1 sauce. Best to get your yogurt to go, as Yoğart has limited seating!

5 Little Monkeys Cafe is a spacious rooftop cafe situated within the Pico Creative Centre in Kallang, catering to the office crowd in the building and nearby vicinity. While sandwiches, brunch fare, cakes and coffee are available, what you should wholeheartedly concentrate on is their selection of mouth-watering Peranakan dishes that warrant repeat visits (once a week is recommended). Priced at only $6.50, their Nyonya Assam Pedas Fish is outstanding — a generous portion of fresh fish lying in an addictive gravy that goes so perfectly with rice. Also try their Sambal Prawns with Petai ($6.50), and ask for their special sambal sauce to add on if you're a real chili-lover!