New Restaurants, Cafes And Bars: May 2015

Apart from serving really good coffee, Collective Brewers has always been playful and experimental with their food menu, with new items being introduced on a regular basis. Their newly-launched brunch menu offers both traditional items such as the "Ang Moh" Breakfast ($16) and Salmon Crab Cake Benedict ($18), and quirkier options such as their "Ondeh Ondeh" Pancake ($14). If you're looking for something more substantial, go for the Lap Cheong Aglio Olio ($15) — linguine with wilted spinach, shiitake mushrooms and smoked Chinese sausages — and their Rendang Grilled Cheese on brioche ($16).

This is one for those who love their artistic, moody coffee shots! Located at Duxton Hill, MavRx (stylised with a capital R) is a small hole-in-the-wall joint with monochromatic decor and wooden benches for seats. This minimalist, cool spot serves nothing but coffee. The menu offers Black ($4.50), White ($5) and Espresso ($3), with an additional $1 for an extra shot or an iced version.

Joining the popular Tiong Bahru estate is Cream & Custard, a cafe which serves coffee and a small selection of tarts, cakes and pastries. Gloriously spacious with a minimalist white aesthetic, Cream & Custard is a great spot if you are looking for sweet treats in that area. Go for the indulgent Triple Chocolate Devil ($6.80) or the well-balanced Passionfruit Meringue Tart ($5.60).

Hvala Waffle Bar (Hvala means "thank you" in Croatian) is a kiosk located at 313@Somerset's basement which offers takeaway waffle sticks in a variety of flavours such as Tiramisu, Bella Banana, Creme Brulee and Berries Delight. Go for the Apple Cinnamon Waffle Bar ($3.50) with caramelised crunchy apple slices and a sprinkle of cinnamon powder, or the Smurfy Smores ($3.80) with colourful torched mini marshmallows, chocolate fondue and graham crumbs. Hvala also offers vanilla soft serve if you need something cold to combat a sweltering afternoon!

Be swept back to the glorious days of old Hong Kong at Sum Yi Tai, a three-storey dining and drinking complex on Boon Tat Street which offers an interesting fusion of Chinese-Cantonese tapas and cocktails. Go for the Signature Golden Ginger Chips ($10), the umami-laden Claypot Rice with Chinese Sausage & Preserved Meat ($26 for 2), and the Vermicelli with Jumbo Head King Prawn ($32). The cocktails here are intriguingly named, and some even use Chinese ingredients in an unexpected way. Try the intriguing My Mistress' Cherry (bourbon, cherry liqueur, lime and bitters) or the Chinese Mojito (chrysanthemum rum). They also serve a selection of rice and noodle dishes for lunch on weekdays!

Have you ever had frozen custard? Situated at Short Street near the famous Rochor Bean Curd, Density Frozen Custard offers an all-American premium ice cream experience. Priced from $4 onwards, the ice cream is churned daily using natural ingredients, and egg yolks as a stabliser. The minimal air incorporated into the making of the frozen custard thus requiring the use of less sugar (supposedly half the amount in a regular froyo). Aside from their regular flavours such as Madagascan Vanilla Bean, you can expect a rotating selection of Daily Specials such as Quadruple Chocolate, Gingerbread and Strawberry Shortcake.

The famous Four Seasons Chinese Restaurant from London has arrived in Singapore! Offering the same menu as the London outlet, Four Seasons is known for their Cantonese-style roast duck in their signature sauce ($22 per portion, $36 for half, $68 for a whole duck), which reportedly commands legendary queues in London. Also go for the House Special "Pei-Pa" Beancurd ($28) — tofu balls stuffed with mushrooms and coated in salted egg yolk sauce.

Opening their doors across from Butterscotch at Bukit Merah Central, Ice Cream Shack offers ice-cold relief from the unforgiving Singapore heat with their diverse selection of flavours. Expect familiar flavours like Cookies & Cream and Pistachio, and experimental ones such as Marmite and Avocado. Single scoops are priced at $3.80 for regular flavours, while premium flavours such as Lychee Rose or Speculoos are priced at $4.60. Have your ice cream with crispy waffles or in a waffle cone (an additional $4.70 and $0.50 respectively)!

Interestingly situated at Crown Centre, Crown Bakery & Cafe offers an extensive selection of bread and pastries such as ciabattas, brioches and croissants, alongside a small selection of brunch items. Go for their massive Crown Breakfast ($29) which generously comprises of a soft, buttery Crown Puff Pastry with sunny side egg, red wine braised oxtail, chicken sausage, Canadian back bacon, baked tomato and sautéed mushrooms. To go, grab the innovative Hainanese Chicken Bread ($4.50) made from chicken soup, skinless chicken thigh, garlic, ginger and shallots. It's quite literally chicken rice in bread form — it even comes with a spicy, tangy chilli sauce!

Violet Herbs is a modern European, two-storey semi-formal fine dining restaurant on Tras Street with a unique emphasis on the use of herbs in their food and signature cocktails. Perfect for date nights with its elegant and purple-themed decor, Violet Herbs offers an a la carte as well as six- or eight-course degustation menus. Go for the incredible, melt-in-your-mouth and buttery Marinated Red Miso Cod ($33), the Lobster Risotto & Fregola Sarda ($36) and end the meal on a sweet note with the Textures of Lychee Panna Cotta ($12).

Nunsaram (which means "Snowman" in Korean) is the latest in the wave of Korean dessert cafes that have sprouted in the past few months. Specialising in Bingsu, the cafe serves the usual flavours you can expect such as Injeolmi, Strawberry and Black Sesame. Go for the Green Tea Bingsu ($13.90) or the Mango Bingsu ($15.90). You can also find sides such as Garlic Cheese Bread ($7.90) if you crave something savoury.

Joining the eateries in Bukit Timah Plaza's new extension, Rise & Grind Coffee Co. offers both indoor and alfresco seating and serves coffee, brunch fare and a small selection of mains. With few cafes in this area, this is certainly a welcome addition. For brunch, go for the super photogenic and delightfully tasty Ocean's Thirteen ($17) — smoked salmon, poached eggs, asparagus, brioche toast, beetroot yogurt and yuzu hollandaise sauce. Massive trending points for having both beetroot and yuzu in one dish, and making it work well too! For lunch or dinner, go for the more substantial Shakshouka ($16) — lamb merguez sausage, baked egg in tomato sauce, feta cheese with wholemeal pita — or the Tom Yum Pasta ($16).