1 PLAIN VANILLA AT CLUNY COURT
Get your fresh bakes from the two-month-old Plain Vanilla bakery at Cluny Court.
Choose from the apple custard tart ($7); strawberry rhubarb crumble square ($7.50); blueberry loaf ($5 a slice); and salted rye brownie ($7). A wider range of cookies is also available and diners can pick and mix 10 pieces for $6. Flavours include maple walnut animals; cinnamon almond leaves; chocolate malt dinosaurs; and green tea and white chocolate cookies.
Also available at the store are the salad plates. Choose up to three salads from the daily selection in small ($9) or large ($13) portions. Options include the chicken butternut squash rice salad; kale olive pasta salad; and tuna nicoise. The lunch menu also features sandwiches ($9.50 to $11) as well as savoury tarts ($9 each), such as goat's cheese, mushroom and leek; ham, asparagus and gruyere; smoked salmon and dill.
The cafe also has a Brew Bar, where seasonal single-origin coffee beans are brewed using three methods - French Press ($6.50), Kalita - a pourover drip coffee brewing device ($7); and Syphon ($8), which brews coffee through vacuum pressure via two Pyrex vessels.
Plain Vanilla has two other outlets in Tiong Bahru and Ion Orchard.
Where: 01-03A Cluny Court, 501 Bukit Timah Road
Open: 8am to 7pm daily
Info: Call 8363-7615
2 KYOAJI DINING
Japanese restaurants are continuing to pop up all over Singapore, one of the latest being Kyoaji Dining at The Centrepoint.
Its extensive a la carte menu features a variety of items such as sashimi moriawase (premium assorted raw fish, $88); chirashi zushi ($35); gyuniku aburi maki (seared beef roll, $30); ebi almond tempura ($15); and toumorokoshi kakiage (corn tempura, $15).
There is also a range of grilled dishes such as minami kama shioyaki (grilled southern tuna collar, from $35); asari mentaiko yaki (round clams with cod roe sauce, $18); nasu dengaku (eggplant with miso flavour, from $16); and gyuniku fagura sauce (grilled beef with goose liver sauce, $35). For sushi lovers, pick from a selection that includes chutoro (tuna belly, $18); nama uni (sea urchin, $24); and hamachi (yellow tail, $8).
Set lunch (comes with salad and chawanmushi) options include tempura gozen ($20); sushi gozen ($22); tai mentaiko yaki gozen ($18), with sea bream and cod roe sauce. The set dinner menu includes bento ($45) with tempura, sashimi, sushi and California maki; and unagi gozen ($32).
Or leave your meal in the chef's hands and go for the omakase option priced at $120, $150 or $180.
Where: 04-17/18 The Centrepoint, 176 Orchard Road
Open: 11.30am to 3pm, 5.30 to 10.30pm (weekday); 11.30am to 10.30pm (weekend)
Info: Call 6694-4068 or go to www.facebook.com/KyoajiSG
3 LITTLE HOUSE OF DREAMS RE-OPENS
It started off as a humble bakery in 2012 at Dempsey. Now Little House Of Dreams has expanded to more than 4,000 sq ft - big enough for intimate birthday parties and weddings. Including the space taken by its Ben & Jerry's franchise, the family-friendly bistro can seat 150 diners.
Brunch items include a big breakfast ($16.90); Eggs Benedict ($14.90); and kaya brioche with soft-boiled eggs ($12.90).
Dishes from the grill include seabass with salad ($34.90); lemongrass chicken leg with salad ($29.90); and ribeye steak with salad ($39.90).
Other mains include spaghetti aglio olio with mushroom ($18.90).
For desserts, options include sticky date pudding with vanilla ice cream ($13.90); rainbow pancakes with vanilla ice cream ($13.90); chocolate salted caramel tart ($8.90); and lemon meringue tart ($8.90).
Price lists for customised cakes, dessert tables and parties are available on its website.
Where: Block 8 Dempsey Road, 01-14
Open: 11am to 11pm (weekday); 9am to 11pm (weekend)
Info: Call 6472-4977 or go to www.littlehouseofdreams.com
4 FOC AT SENTOSA
Spanish restaurant FOC at Hongkong Street has expanded to Sentosa, with a two-storey beachfront location on the east end of Palawan Beach.
The first floor has 240 seats (indoor and outdoor), while the second floor is an event space for 150 people.
The Mediterranean-inspired restaurant still features a range of tapas, Spanish rice dishes and grilled items. Tapas items include eggplant with sobrassada sausage (cured paprika Spanish sausage), parmesan cheese and honey ($12); king crab cannelloni ($22), where finely chopped king crab meat is enveloped in thinly sliced zucchini ribbons and topped with diced tomatoes and sriracha mayonnaise; and Galician-style octopus ($22).
Other highlights include Iberian pork paella with spring onion foam (from $18 a person); senyoret paella (from $40 for two people, pictured), with a mix of chicken and seafood; Mediterranean turbot ($98 for 1kg); flambeed lobster with brandy (700g, $92); and baby lamb rack ($48).
Kick back with the restaurant's signature cocktails such as Matcha Colada ($16), an islander twist to the classic Pina Colada, with matcha; Ibiza martini ($18) with passionfruit, lime, ginger and honey; and FOC Red Sangria ($16 a glass, $56 for four glasses, $148 for 12 glasses).
Where: 110 Tanjong Beach Walk, Sentosa
Open: 11.30am to 11pm (Tuesday to Friday and eve of public holiday); 9.30am to 11pm (weekend and public holiday); closed on Monday
Info: Call 6100-1102 or go to www.focsentosa.com
5 O BOEUF A 6 PATTES
It is not often that you see affordable French food sold in a condominium.
For hearty French fare, head to O Boeuf a 6 Pattes (which means the six-legged cow in French). The bistro takes over the space that previously housed chef Patrick Heuberger's eatery Casse Croute at the Park West condominium's clubhouse.
The outlet's name refers simply to the six beef dishes on the menu, including braised beef cheek in red wine with mushrooms ($28); wagyu beef burger with emmental cheese and onion confit ($22); and beef tartare ($28, pictured). Each dish comes with a choice of two sides - creamy mash, french fries, mesclun salad or ratatouille.
For starters, options include half dozen Burgundy escargots baked in garlic herb butter ($15); pan-fried foie gras, apple chutney and blinis ($25); and traditional lobster bisque ($15). Charcuterie items include chicken liver mousse ($12); duck rillettes ($15); and charcuterie board ($28)
Other main course items include fish and chips ($22); duck leg confit ($27) with sauteed potatoes and beans; and wagyu beef ragu lasagne with mozzarella ($18).
Where: 02-02 The Club House, Park West, Block 8 Jalan Lempeng
Open: Noon to 2.30pm, 6 to 9.30pm (Wednesday to Friday); 9.30am to 9.30pm (weekend)
Info: Call 9630-4526 or go to www.facebook.com/oboeufsg
Eunice Quek
•Opening a new restaurant? Send the details to stlife@sph.com.sg
