Putien is a chain restaurant that specializes in the Hing Wa cuisine in Singapore. Prior to their beginning, i have never heard of the Hing Wa people, despite them residing in my "hometown" Fujian and around in the Putian and Xianyou area. I would say it's a refreshing concept in our Chinese food dining culture here in Singapore since when we talk about Cze Char (hawker food), it's usually Cantonese.

Chinese food to me is well.. Chinese food. I am really clueless about the specific cuisines. Can you blame me really? Singapore's food establishments have this habit of incorporating a few dishes from each cuisine despite them claiming themselves to be a specialist in a particular cuisine. Brings me to the point of how unaware we are of our forefather's history (i'm absolutely guilty of that). Anyway..

So what is the Hing Wa cuisine? Well, this tongue thinks it's home cooked food that employs simple ingredients with very light seasoning. Most of the dishes that i have tasted are more towards the bland side but it kinda feels like a healthy meal?

Drunken Cockles (S$5.90). I'm not a cockles fan because i think they are unhealthy but these are perfectly cooked and the simple garnish of chili padi, minced garlic, spring onion and light soy makes this a very appetizing starter. Only pity is that it's very small!

Braised Homemade Beancurd (S$5.90). Mum thought it was going to be that sort beancurd toufu but it turned out to be tau pok. I believe i can easily get this at the Teochew Porridge stalls at a lower price. Tiny portion again.

Deep Fried Tenggiri Fish (S$4.90/pc) aka mackerel. Deep fried till it's crispy but the meat remained moist and firm. This is served with a home made dip which is like a fish sauce. MEH. Just stick to their chili (2nd pic from top), it really packs a punch. Lovely. This is more like a home cooked dish. My mama does her with a ginger Maggi sauce. Yums.

Pu Tien is famous for the Hing Wa Bee Hoon and other noodle staples. The Pu Tien Mee Sua (S$6.90 for small, good for 1 or 2pax) is made using Longevity noodles which are handmade using traditional methods. As a result, the thin vermicelli doesn't turn soggy when cooked. The recipe is supposedly unique to Pu Tien but i think it's not that hard to recreate. The hardest part would probably be the milky broth, which is cooked from pork ribs and bones.   

Pu Tien Lor Mee (S$7.90 for small, good for 1 or 2pax) is as shown. This is my individual portion. Mum thinks that this dish is nothing special. Definitely doesn't resemble the black lor mee. Chewy noodles cooked with pork belly, prawn and clam braised in a luscious seafood and pork gravy. Again, this is a homey dish. 

Spinach with Salted Egg and Century in Supreme stock (S$12.90) is one of my favorites. The Chinese spinach is stir-fried on high heat then stewed in stock of century egg and salted egg. Very rich and tasty gravy which is not overpowered by the salted egg yolk. It's almost like a light broth. I sure did spoon up the sauce like it's soup.

Deep Fried Duck with Yam (S$15.90) was quite a delight. I love yam and this is the first time i've seen it done with duck. The light and crispy crust gives way to a smooth yam paste that envelops the duck meat on the interior. I thought it would be nicer to have some chunks of yam though. The meat however, was on the bland side. 

Pu Tien Sweet and Sour Pork with Lychees (S$11.90) is one of my all time favorites here. Deep fried pork in a crispy light batter. The sauce that coats the meat is of the right level of sweetness and the Lychee lightens up the dish with its refreshing juices. 

Food: 4/5 I think the food is perfect for people who want a quality home cooked meal and something different from the typical Cantonese Cze Char. "Putien is awesome for me because they somehow can make things i hate, to be nice," says my colleague. I have to agree with that. 

Ambience: 3.5/5 Comfortable dining. This is more heartland comfort rather than high end restaurant. 

Service: 3.5/5 Service is a little slow because it really gets crowded. It was weird that our mains were served last and we had to wait a long time for the lor mee to arrive (and that was the last dish). 

Would i return? Maybe i would for a simple lunch. The elders in my family weren't impressed with the food though. They thought it to be too simple for restaurant standards and definitely expensive for the portions served. We still prefer the hawker Cze Char. I can't help but think that my mama can cook better than this. I'm biased. :P

There is currently a Summer Menu that Pu Tien has just rolled out. A variety of in season fruits and produce, as well as "cool" ingredients are used to chase away the summer heat. There is a DBS/POSB 10% discount off any Summer menu dishes till 31 July 2012. 

Pu Tien
23 Serangoon Central, #02-18/19
Nex Shopping Centre
Tel: +65 6634 7833
Daily: 11.30am-3pm, 5.30pm-10pm
High-Tea: 2.30pm-5pm (Fri-Sun & PH)

Other Outlets
City Square Mall
Jurong Point
Kitchener Road
Marina Square
Parkway Parade
Resorts World Sentosa
Tampines Mall
VivoCity

What is the number 1 thing to do in Zagreb, Croatia? Is it visiting the Museum of Contemporary Art or The Cathedral of the Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary? Could it be checking out the sculptures at the Mirogoj cemetery? Or perhaps having a picnic in Maksimir Park? Well well.. You could do all of that and end up rushing from one end of the city to the other on public transport and foot and end up killing yourself at the end of the day.

I'm an easily bored traveler with ADHD. Churches, old buildings and museums kinda look the same after a while (I call this the European traveler fatigue). The only things that get me going through them is 1. the entrance fee and 2. the effort it took me to get there. Of course there are certain attractions that i MUST SEE but i'd rather spend the time chilling out and exploring back alleys than running around taking pictures just to show that i've been to a particular city/country. That kinda takes the joy away from traveling don't you think? 

So here is my recommendation! Number 1 thing to do in Zagreb is..... (drumroll...)

Segway City Tour! 

I used to think that it's super uncool to ride on a Segway and it's meant for old foggies but this is SO FUN. This is probably the fastest and breeziest way to visit most of the attractions in the city. It's not boring because you only spend a couple of minutes at each site and there is a local guide to transfer bite size bits of history (the more interesting parts). Absolutely effortless. I highly recommend this if you visit Zagreb. Heck. I'd do this at every city i visit. 

If you are interested, read on. Here is how you get your tickets. 

Central and Eastern Europe is pretty much misunderstood by the typical Singaporean. When people heard that I was going to Croatia, questions that inevitably popped up were - “Is it safe?” “Do they have proper roads?” “What are you gonna eat? Peasant food?” “Is the water drinkable?” "Don't die there please."

Well... I came back in one piece. In fact, I came back a bigger piece because the food was awesome and I had a ball of a time. 

One of the best meals in my life. That's me mopping up the last bits of my shrimps dish.

S marveled at how this is one of the rare times that i actually finished all of my food without being forced to. 

And seriously people, Croatia is a developed country just without all that huge commercial brands and overly touristy stuff. AND we felt much safer here than in the typical crime ridden European countries like Spain, Paris, Greece and Italy or London. We walked around late at night and had no issues at all.

I suppose that is just the “Paranoid Singaporean” syndrome kicking in. The distrust and wariness we have of all things foreign and strange. I’m not saying it’s not good; we have only our upbringing and artificially safe environment to blame for that. But sometimes you just got to live a little, be a little trusting even when gut reaction tells you to pick up your slippers and run in the opposite direction. 

So anyway, it was 1 awesome trip to Croatia. 11 days. Left footprints in 6 countries. Transited in 2 countries, Qatar (Doha) and Hungary (Budapest), visited 3 countries, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro and threw in a pit stop in Bosnia. 

View from Dubrovnik Old Town.

The stops went like this. Singapore-Doha-Budapest- [Croatia] Zagreb- [Slovenia] Ljubijana (day trip)- [Croatia] Plitvice National Parks- Zadar- Sibenik(day trip)- Split- Hvar & Pakleni Island (day trip)- [Bosnia] (beach stop)- Dubrovnik- [Montenegro] Sveti Stefan & Kotor- [Croatia] Lokrum Island- Zagreb- [Singapore]. It seems like a crazy packed to the brim kinda holiday but it wasn't. We had lots of time to chill out at caffe bars, chase waterfalls, sunbathe with a bunch of naturalists, catch sunsets, do nothing at all. 

Chilling out at Buza- Bar on a Cliff in Dubrovnik 

What's cool is that we didn't break the bank for the trip. Well i never break the bank unless there's shopping involved. Here's a breakdown of how much we spent.

Air ticket-approx SGD1.7k (Qatar Airways)

Travel expenses (food, accommodation, car rental, sights)- 1000 Euros each. We had a range of meals from budget to high end but 1 good meal a day is guaranteed (by good i don't mean it has to be expensive). 40-50Euros would get you 2 mains, 2 starters and drinks. 

Accommodation- Mid range apartments and 1 4* Hotel (which wasn't fantastic). 70-100Euros/night

Currency- Croatian Kunas. Bring Euros for currency exchange in Croatia (that's if Euro is still in use then). Current exchange rate 1Euro:1.613SGD. S$1: 4.5KN approx. You do the math.

Our lovely apartment in Zadar. Huge and rustic with Wifi, AC, Satellite TV and Jacuzzi shower.

The best time to visit Croatia is probably early to mid June. Get a golden tan. Swim in the cool sapphire Adriatic sea. Party hard at cross country festivals. Trek under the shade of vast green canopies. Hop on and off ferries with efficient summer schedules. Avoid high season prices and 3am parties at overbooked hotels.

My very own swimming pool in Bosnia.

I'm really glad that we went on this trip before too many Asians and Singaporeans hit the beautiful Adriatic coast and before it's marred by all the cut throat tourism and scams. We were practically the only Asians/Singaporeans in some towns.

Sunset at the top of Dubrovnik at our secret spot

Croatia has got to be one of my favorite countries at the moment (because i will never stop exploring cool places). Travel to Croatia, will you?

Mikuni at Fairmont Hotel currently is in the top 3 spot of my list of awesome Japanese restaurants in Singapore. The classy and uber luxe establishment puts a modern spin on traditional Japanese dishes and offers diners a mix of Japanese cuisine such as robatayaki, sushi, sashimi, teppanyaki, as well as gourmet preparation of several degustation menu carefully thought of by the chefs.

The black and white themed restaurant with cool blue lights, along with the Japanese instrumental music gives off a very Zen vibe. I was totally in harmony just sitting there, drinking my ocha and waiting for the food to be served. I've never felt so at home in a restaurant before.

Onto the food, we decided to go for the 8 Course Grand Tasting Tour Menu (S$220) and added on another main dish and sushi. This was more than enough for 2 person. There is a 6 Course "Season 1" Dinner Course for S$138 if you have a smaller appetite. Our server recommends that for individual portions.

Our meal started with the Crispy Ebi Cracker and then the Egg Custard with Sukiyaki Foam. This is a smooth and silky Chawanmushi steamed in eggshell, absolutely deserving of the egg custard name. I'm not a Sukiyaki fan and this is the first time I thought that sweet sauce is actually nice. Such a cute presentation by the way. Easter eggs much!

Dobin Mushi, Conger Eels with Prawns and Black Truffle Mushroom
This soup has a wonderful smoky aroma and taste to it, all thanks to the silver of Black Truffle (oh decadence). Just a tiny slice and I could smell the dish 3m away. The truffle doesn't have much taste when eaten on its own but the soup was infused with the flavor of the truffle. It's either you like it or you don't. Some people think that it's like petroleum. This is a light savory seafood and mushroom soup. Love it.

The Anago Sushi (S$23/pc) was a disappointment. I was kinda expecting the melt in your mouth cottony texture but this was fried instead! :( What a waste! It was pretty bland as well. I miss the one at Sushi Dai at Tsukiji.

Toro, Salmon and Southern Yellowtail sashimi
The Sashimi were fresh but after having it straight at the source, I'm thinking that it's way overpriced in Singapore. How do you justify a 100+sgd Sashimi platter? It doesn't even require cooking or effort on the chef's part. Hmm..

On a side note, Yuzu vinegar was an interesting departure from the usual soy. We were told to dip the hamachi in this sauce instead. I like the subtle tartness in it, which is great for something that is a little fishy. I happily soaked my toro in this one. Obviously i'm not a toro fan. Freshly grated wasabi is my new favorite and this one has a slight spiciness which numbs your tongue momentarily and then the tingling sensation disappears and leave your palate refreshed. Really good with the fish.

Miso Marinated Grilled Cod and Crispy Scales

The apple wood smoked cod fish in miso was delightful. Our server was very cute! She told me to get my camera ready so that i could capture the smoke when she releases the cover. :) 

The firm meat was bouncy and succulent. The miso was sweet rather than outrightly salty. The interesting part is the fried edible scales. Apparently there are only 3 fishes whose scales could be eaten. I'm not sure which fish they are. The deep fried scales were crunchy and goes well with the meat. I tried not to think about the scales when i ate them. I always felt that fish scales are icky. Maybe it's the myth that if a fish scale lands on you and you don't remove it, you'll end up growing scales. I think it's something my mama made up because we were playing with fishes at the wet market? Be careful what you tell your kids/grandkids. They are very impressionable and you don't wanna scar them for life.

S ordered a Sukiyaki Konabe (S$62) which came with large tender slices of marbled red meats from Japan. I love Wagyu. It's my guilt free way of eating fats because i cant remove them! Anyway, the sweet caramelized onion sweet broth was flavored with the creamy fats to give the soup a slight foamy texture. I still think Sukiyaki is too sweet but I'm liking this one a little more.

Sakura Ebi Kakiage and Shishitou with 4 Kinds of Mikuni Salt (Sakura, Lemon, Green Tea and Bonito) 
The kakiage looks pleasing to the eyes but the taste was just mediocre. The tiny sakuru shrimps hardly tasted of anything but oil and batter after being deep fried. The flavored sea salt were more of a gimmick and there is hardly any differentiation in taste.

Sagoshima Wagyu with Sakura Leaf and Seasonal Bamboo Shoots
The grilled Wagyu beef on the other hand was heavenly. The light and minty scent gave off by the Sakura leaf and flower transported me back to spring time under the canopy of Cherry Blossoms. The meat was infused with the light fragrance as well. Great choice of a simple black pepper and salt crust to bring out the aroma of the Sakura. The choice of a sweet light garlic soy could not be more perfect though the presentation of it in a syringe was questionable. I ended up jabbing the poor cow just to see if I can make it absorb the sauce better. Sadistic I know but it was great meal entertainment.

Tai Chazuke with Sesame and Signature Soup
This rice dish was pure indulgent yet comfort food. I've had this rice porridge on my first trip to Tokyo. C brought us to this hidden place which served a really homey rice porridge with a broth served in a teapot. This particular soup base is made from Kunbu, the best quality seaweed/kelp. A small 30cm x 10cm piece costs S$100 apparently. The whole set up is resembles a chemistry experiment. The soup is set to boil in a round bottomed flask which is connected to a container that holds the Bonito flakes.

The boiling broth would soak up the fish flakes briefly for that additional smokiness and then the essence is poured over the rice and raw fish and soaked for a quick 10s before you get a light and tasty fish rice porridge. The Shiso leaves adds a citrusy lemon grass flavor to the dish which is refreshing. Could also taste a hint of sesame oil in the fish. I call this the atas fish porridge.

For desserts, we had the Green tea ice cream with Pistachio soup. While the concept is interesting, the taste was confusing. I'm not sure why the Hot Pistachio soup tastes like the old school lemon biscuit filling. I don't taste any pistachio in it. The green tea ice cream was generally smooth and had an intense flavor but it was just a little icy in the centre.

Complimentary sweets from the Chef- White chocolate with green tea paste and cold solidified red bean paste (it was a jelly like paste made without the use of gelatin). Quite a perfect ending to the meal.

Verdict- Recommended
Food: 4/5
Service: 5/5 Attentive and knowledgeable staff. Each dish was carefully explained. Our server was also extremely accommodating and helpful. She even arranged the dishes just so i can get a better picture. Everyone was polite and friendly.
Ambience: 5/5 Though there is Sea view to boast of or spectacular furnishing, I like the calmness and serenity of the place. This is where I would go to restore some balance (the food way instead of the yoga way). Absolutely lovely.

With the Feed at Raffles card, you will get a 50% discount off meals at any restaurants under the hotel group which includes Jaan, Prego etc. It's quite a great deal. Our meal came to S$190 after the discount. :))

Mikuni
80 Bras Basah Road

Level 3 Fairmont Singapore
Tel: +65 6431 6156
Daily: 12pm – 2.30pm, 6.30pm – 10:30pm

I hate packing for a trip. It's so much trouble really. I'm not sure how many share my sentiments on this but S surely doesn't. He just grabs a couple of tee and shorts and jeans and he's done. "It's ok to wear the same thing again", he says. Me? It's a lot more complicated than that.

So how do I pack? Well.. First, make a mental list of the places we'll go and the activities we'll participate in. Also, check for dress code for restaurants. Then begins the whole fashion parade in my room which involves changing in and out of various permutation and combination of tee, blouses, jeans, pants, shorts, skirts, dresses, jumpers... I'm not even being specific here with the rompers, jumpsuits, midi, maxi etc.. Accessorizing is another ballpark altogether. This is why packing is torture for me.
As you can tell, I'm not one of those people who think that it's absolutely okay to wear your lousiest clothes on holidays just because people don't recognize you. It is a matter of aesthetics! Some people just don't get it, even at home where they'd be recognized. These people should not be let out of their houses really. Oh my burning retinas. It's one thing to have confidence but another to be delusional about what clothes fit you. I do not claim to be a fashionista but at least I dress to hide my flaws and I look decent in public.

I digress. Back to the topic of packing. I've tried various methods over the years in order to maximize my luggage space just so that I can look well coordinated and presentable and yet have space to bring home more shopping.

Tip 1: Never fold your clothes individually
They take up way too much space. There are air pockets that are hard to eliminate when you pack this way. I only use this methods for bulky items like jeans. Then again, i'd wear jeans on board just so that I can save precious space in the luggage. ;)

Tip 2: Roll up clothes that don't crinkle
In my earlier years I would simply roll each piece and store them neatly. It's easy to identify which one I wanna wear as well. The prob is that everything ends up being quite crumpled and I would have to hang everything up once I get to the hotel and even iron them sometimes. Not something you can do if you're gonna be on the road the whole time.

Tip 3: Lay them, Stack them, fold into half
This is my current preferred method. Since my clothes aren't bulky, it's easier to just lay them on top of another. I would categorize them by types as well so that it'll easier to find what I wanna wear. Once done, fold them into half and store. This reduces wrinkles too!

Tip 4: Vacuum Bag Everything
This is the trick to getting extra space. Air is useless and you don't wanna be carrying them. Get these vacuum bags from Daiso (only S$2 each, various sizes). I'll put all my clothes in and proceed to squeeze all the air out. You can even do it manually! I've managed to bag a ski suit, 1 long and 1 short wool coat into a Vbag and it didn't even take up much of my luggage space!

Tip 5: Go For Basics
I'm obviously not one who packs light, as hard as I try. This Croatia trip alone I have with me 5 pairs of footwear, 1 outfit for each day, gym wear, 2 sets of swimwear and sleepwear as well. Not the best person to give advice but here is my wardrobe's worth. The above picture is only missing 1 shoebag, and my Longchamp travel bag. Not bad for a heavy packer like me!

For Her: A pair of dark colored shorts and jeans, tank tops, a girly blouse, a pair of heels/pumps for party, a versatile dress that brings you from day to night. To change the look of your outfit, simply accessorize.

For Him: A combination of tees/polo, shorts, slippers, loafers, a proper shirt could bring you anywhere you need to be. Suit up if you must. You have plenty of room in your trunk anyway. Guys have it much easier. Some people say that a man's best accessory is his partner. Apart from his watch and ride. ;)

Ok. Hope this helps if you are packing for your trip! Oh all these don't apply if you have a huge 29" luggage (which i do, coincidentally) Just throw everything in and go! I like mine organized though. :P Or if you have plenty of dough to spare, just buy everything overseas. At least people won't be wearing the same stuff as you back home.

Tata people. My holiday beckons.

XOXO,
C.

The Capella at Sentosa has got to be one of the prettiest hotels in Singapore. I've previously had tea at The Knolls and even though the food wasn't fantastic, i truly enjoyed the view of the South China Sea as well as the luxurious air to the place. Thus, I was excited to hear about their special offer for May! British 2 Michelin Starred Celebrity Chef Tom Kerridge of The Hand & Flowers was invited to helm the Knolls' kitchen for 5 days, bringing to the table a modern spin on British pub food. The Hand and Flowers is the first pub to have been awarded 2 Michelin Stars! If you read on, you wouldn't even think that's pub food at all. 

I managed to get ourselves a booking for lunch which is a 4 course meal (S$98++). A 5 Course dinner (S$178++ without wine) and a Sunday Champagne Brunch was also available. 

S was smart enough to ask for a seat by the windows so that we can get a good view. I've trained him well indeed! Coincidentally, it was the same seats that Z and i took the last time! :)

The bread basket which our servers happily refilled. S requested to have more of the cheese filo pastry (i'm not sure what's the proper name for it) and they came back with an entire basket of it! I thought it's more like a biscuit due to the thickness of the base. 

Our first dish- Moules Mariniere with Brown Bread. This is done in a soup style while traditionally it's just mussels cooked in white wine and parsley. As you can tell, all the shells has been removed (yay!) and that actually allows the white wine base to be fully soaked up by the fresh mussels. Diced carrots and turnips have been added to this dish and there is a tangy citrus taste which i can't figure out but it works perfectly with the sweetness of the seafood. 

The Pan Seared Scallops, White Asparagus Foam and Bleak Roe with Spinach Puree was a delight as well. The scallop is actually sitting on a blended cod puree which gives the dish an additional grainy texture and slightly creamy taste. The taste is very light and subtle and you can see how the chef has brought out the individual flavors without using too much seasoning.

Onto the main course. Breast of Organic British Chicken, Pistachio Crumble, Lovage Poached Turnips, Soft Polenta and Truffle. The organic chicken was a delight, it's so tender and moist. I'm not a fan of the Pistachio Crumble though because the bread crumbs felt kinda stale and hard. The polenta mash was starchy and buttery and i love the strong truffle taste in it. There was also a citrus undertone which i thought was an interesting touch. The little black bits are black truffle shavings and they were oh so delightful of course. The sauce for the chicken is worth a mention here because i think Tom has splashed some Chinese wine in with the chicken stock (i see what you've done there Tom). ;)

Celebrating my break! Woowhee! I deserve it because i've been working so hard for the 1st half of the year. My friends would beg to differ on my definition of hard work. :P 

The Mango Pavlova Ivoire Chantilly and Passion Fruit Coulis was not really my cup of tea. I don't quite fancy pavlova. Why would i want to eat beaten egg whites that are overly sweet? Anyhow, i thought this was quite the extremes because the pavlova could send one into a diabetic shock (i exaggerate) and the mango and passion fruit were quite acidic. Definitely my least fav dish.  

Color palette- Grey, Sunset yellow, navy blue, pink, silver and gold.

As you can tell from this happy picture, i really enjoyed my meal. Kudos to Capella for bringing the stars to our little island. Thumbs up!

Anyway, i'm loving this maxi dress that i bought from Bangkok. I don't believe in spending too much money on clothes (i meant a single piece :P) since i wouldn't wear the same thing too many times unless it's like a basic piece or work wear. With the right accessories and attitude, you can look a million bucks (though i must say i spend way more on my accessories i.e. bags). Confidence is key to looking faboosh.

Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5 Friendly, though not particularly knowledgeable about the dishes.
Ambience: 5/5 Can't beat this view!

The Knolls
1 The Knolls, Capella Singapore
Sentosa
Tel: +65 6591 5046
Daily: 6.30am - 11pm

I knew all along that there are some cafes/bakeries along Killiney Road but i was always too lazy to explore the area. That was till S dragged me over to Freshly Baked by Le Bijoux one afternoon before yoga. That was when i realized how much i've been missing out on this whole time! Freshly Baked does a good quality brunch at a central but yet low key location and at a ridiculously reasonable price. I guess that's the end of my loyalty to Wild Honey (nah.. kidding).

The Bakery Cafe has been opened since late 2007 and it offers a variety of Artisan Breads, cakes and pastries. Audrey, Chef/Owner of "Freshly Baked" is a baker who is not much into style but more into substance and that could be seen by the really simple decor and fuss free dining space at FB.

What is really good here is their breads. They are so addictive; they were all i could think about after dining here the first time. I just wanna eat bread all my life if they were this good.

Sandwiches, breads and cakes are available all day (till they run out and they do run out fast). There are 3 Brunch Sets (S$10.90-12.90).  but i'm not sure what time they end. The most popular order is the deli corned beef from Huber’s Butchery paired with baked beans, a fried egg and burger bag bread. While i was there, i tried the Fresh deli Salami served with Emmental cheese, scrambled eggs and olive oil bread (S$12.90).

Even though the scrambled egg was more like omelette (and a little bland), the bread was faultless. It's kinda like an English muffin with the slightly rough exterior but it's moist and dense on the inside and yet it still maintains the slightly fluffiness. I suppose the salami is also from Huber's. I tried stuffing all the ingredients into the bun but failed because there's too much of everything (not complaining)!

Ham and Cheese Sandwich (S$7.50) It looks very dry and hard but in fact it's so fluffy! The Walnut Raisins bread is airy and light and squishy! The towering 10cm tall sandwich is daunting at first but every bite was a juicy delight. The light sweetness of the raisins complements the savory ham shavings really well. Perfect sweet and savory sandwich. Absolutely delightful!

The Cranberry Scone (S$2.80) is a winner. The crumbly exterior breaks apart to unveil a moist and buttery center. I love how much cranberries are added to it. I still love WH's scone but this is cheaper and an almost-as-good substitute. Spread it with the silver of salted butter and you would have arrived at scones heaven.

The Mocha was so so. Could hardly taste much of the chocolate though.

All the breads are made without any preservatives and thus they only have a shelf-life of 2 to 3 days. It really wouldn't last that long anyway because they are so good! Don't the Banana walnut and Chocolate loaves look so alluring? Just wanna eat 'em all!

Bought home the Chocolate custard buns (4 for S$5.50) which were not bad. They were gone in less than a day. The chocolate taste is quite rich but if you have a sweet tooth, this is not gonna satisfy you. It is also lacking in the custard filling too.

Verdict- Recommended! My current favorite Bakery.
Food: 4.5/5
Service: 3/5 The person in charge (not Audrey) was quite the no nonsense sort. I felt rushed into having to place my order. Z felt equally uneasy as well. Not sure if this would stop me from going again but the people really need to be friendlier.
Atmosphere: 3.5/5 Fuss free dining

Freshly Baked
57 Killiney Road #01-01

(Just a 2min walk from Orchard Central, farther down from KPO)

Tel: +65 6735 3298
Weekdays: 8am – 7pm
Weekends: 8am – 4pm