Western

Back after a long time... unfortunately C&C's menu has fallen off a cliff with the closure of their Dempsey outlet; the shakshoukas used to be served heaping and fresh in pretty porcelain soup dishes with plentiful amounts of sourdough, but now they're giving overcooked eggs and only one piece of toast (alongside questionable accompaniments, like tahini and a chunk of butterhead lettuce??) Not a fan anymore.

Singapore suffers from a severe lack of roadside food carts that are not ice cream uncles, and this Pita Tree branch along the Orchard belt is as close as you'll get. Love that they allow you to pile on the toppings and sauces (tzatziki, tahini, feta... oh my) and generous meat chunks, and of course the fact that it all sits snugly in a pita pocket!

I wasn't expecting this combination to work but IT DID. Dunk the light crispy sourdough into the generous (and I mean generous) avo smash, scoop up some of that jammy egg... there's not a lot of bread though so don't forget to make space for the watermelon cream. P.S. Menu prices include GST, hurray!

An 8am brunch spot looks almost out of place along Sago Street, which is a sleepy route for temple-goers in the morning and buzzing with (alcoholic) activity after sundown. But Food Peeps does it well. The food is just as good as its way pricier contenders down the road at Telok Ayer. Plus they have the cutest tiny handmade bagels! Give it a try.

The eggs were a tad overcooked and not runny at all 😔😔😔 very simple components, one of those dishes where you can't help but think "I can make this myself at home". Glad I tried but would not come back for this specifically! Flat white was aight, very mild roast which I personally like.

For a sucker punch to the senses, head down to this smoky, casual open-air pita joint along Telok Ayer, where they blare loud music and ring a bell by the countertop every time food is ready to serve. I've been told this is not "authentic" Israeli food and it's catered to local tastes, but it's not like I know the difference.

Pita Candy Brisket ($24+) -- a very prominently charred strip of brisket alongside tahini and a couple pickle strips that you might hesitate on at first but they actually complement the meat really well?! So much oomp and so much depth.

Fish 'n Chips Pita -- kind of flops compared to the ostentatious brisket but it'll do. The barramundi is nice and fresh but otherwise not memorable.

Classic avo toast but requested the sourdough be switched to brioche. The egg scramble is massive, covering the entire wingspan of the airy brioche, served at the right amount of done-ness. Hefty portion for a comparatively sweet price but the taste is mediocre.

Psst! If you get these exact combo of ingredients to build your own plate it's $15 but the preselected combo is $14... tastes like opportunity.

If you like your lunch/dinner at weird hours, Tipo is perfect for you, 'cuz their peak hour seating is always booked out at least 3 weeks in advance. Strada at Novena is somehow even tinier than their Bugis outlet, but the food lives up to the same standard nonetheless! P.S. Do NOT get the arugula; it does not work with anything on the DIY menu.

This store looks unassuming and even a tad fishy, it's easily one of the non-vegetarian winners coming out of Fortune Centre 🏆 Run by a Turkish dude who really does not skimp on the toppings. We're talking fresh and crunchy vegetables, zingy chili sauce and THICK cuts of juicy, crisp-skin chicken meat straight from the shawarma grill. Starts at $8.50 for the chicken kebab. I'm sold!

A little al fresco joint overlooking the Saddle Club's lush greenery and (literal) horseplay, only with the occasional smell of manure if you sit at the balcony. Fluffy toast and caramelised burnt banana served warm, topped with a sinful salted caramel & walnut ice cream to boot. Good stuff.

What threw me off was that the handmade pasta toes the line between al dente and undercooked. Staff were especially brusque and it's rather pricey.

That aside, the sauces are fairly enjoyable. Their mentaiko recipe is not what you would expect + those plump, fresh scallops are hard to ignore. The tomato-based lamb merguez and pasta alla vodka are tangy, creamy yet not overly surfeit, but you've gotta pick the right pasta type to go with it.

Very limited seating, good to put in a reservation. Probably wouldn't visit if not for Burpple 1-for-1.

Last group dine-in before Phase I've-Lost-Track, so naturally we had to queue for 30mins and wait to get the food for another 30mins despite coming at 8.30. Staff were prompt and accommodating despite the bustle. Food - worth a try, okayish price, but would not go out of my way to have it. Here's the lowdown:

🥪 FAIRFAX: Indulgent, cheesy, creamy soft scramble, total melt-in-your-mouth along with the buttery brioche. The star among the sandwiches and rightfully so. If you can only have one thing, it has to be this!
🥪 BACON/SAUSAGE, EGG AND CHEESE: The ones to get if you want a gorgeous orange yolk porn. Also the ketchup in the B.E.C is quite something else.
🥪EGG SALAD: Served cold if that's your thing (it's not mine unfortunately). The egg mayo pairs well with the generous heaping of arugula but is slightly dry.
🍳SLUT: Potato and egg on buttered sourdough, and just that. Lacking dimensonality and I got bored of it really quickly. $11 is a tad steep too.
🧃OJ: $5.50 for what tastes like Minute Maid. Still paid for it because I just had to wash down the food.