Singapore is becoming more crowded to go. I particularly like to chill out at coffee places and cafes, and during weekends it is so hard to have quality time with my love ones. 

Thanks to my friend Phil, I discovered a great new place to chill (in fact 3 weeks ago but only made a recent visit) since the folks here do not have a regular business hours.

There simply isn't much other quiet places to visit in Singapore, and I am so glad the owners of this place are pretty inconspicuous about their location and business hours. 

Keeping things hush-hush is the way to go, but due to technology, the wide use of social media and avid cafe goers, I foresee that this mystery will not remain a secret for long. 

At first, I was pretty reluctant to post the photo on my Instagram, as I did not want too many people to know about this place. 

But then I realise there were already many people that discovered this hidden sanctuary before me. 

It’s really no surprise that how people can find their ways around this little mysteries.

During my visit there were a few groups of customers, and on the same day I also noticed the team from 8 Days Eat Out visiting the place. 

Hence, I decided to write this article because I believe in enjoying the taste of eating right, one have to share the love for food to others. 

The way to tell if the folks are open; #1 Put one eye at the peephole. #2 Knock on the door if you can.

What an impressive collection of BearBrick toys. I am not a fan collector of these plastic toys, but I can tell that many were limited collectible toys. 

“The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.” ~ Randy Pausch. 

 Order your coffee and snacks and then grab a seat on the vintage theatre seats.

Bright yellow SMEG refrigerator to keep the food and drink perfectly fresh. It delivers a class of Italian style and retro feel into this space. 

Almost no other animal enjoys such popularity as the elephant admired for its majestic size and loved as the gentle giant. The Eames Elephant Chair looks really great with my coffee on it, and it will be fun and playful for the little children.

There are some other bright coloured designer table and chairs at the corner of the space, where you can enjoy a good read or purchase some cookbooks or magazines (eg. Kinfolk) off the shelf. 

Cute whale plates by SUPERMAMA

Homemade Cookies

Homemade carrot cake

Don't understand why would someone say that the cakes were mediocre. Well, at least it’s one of the best carrot cakes I had in my opinion. 

It gave me a perfectly spiced, moist taste made with a heaping mount of freshly-grated carrots and lots of homemade cream cheese frosting. It was not too sweet nor too heavy on my palate.

Pineapple turnover cake

I think this cheery, sunny, happy cake would make a perfect dessert for any occasions. The cake was supremely moist, springy, and fluffy while the inverted pineapple was soft, sweet, with almost imperceptible tang and adds chewiness and texture to the cake.

There is no menu price for coffee here, tipping has a place here. 

It seems like the practice of coffee tipping is increasing in Singapore. How much do you tip depends on how comfortable you are.

Honesty, respect and trust are the three basic foundations. If there is a need, benchmark your coffee experience against the prices of coffee you get at other cafes, pay as least equivalent or more in acknowledgement of the benefit that you have received from the service person.

For now I will keep a low profile for this space. I hope that this beautiful space will not lose its charm when more people know about it.

Many will seek but not all shall find as quoted by whale & cloud.

Secret Location 48 ¾

boCHINche

I have been to boCHINche on 3 different occasions for dinner and brunch, and I regretted that I never wrote a single formal review on boCHINche, apart from posting pictures and comments on my Instagram. 

My fourth visit to boCHINche was actually an invited tasting session from the Spa Esprit Group, who carries 17 distinct lifestyle (beauty and F&B) brands both in Singapore and internationally.

In case you are not aware, they are the same group of people that brought us Tiong Bahru Bakery, Forty Hands, Skinny Pizza, the big guns Common Man Coffee Roasters and more.

Every weekend, you will see a habitual trend of people queuing outside Common Man Coffee Roasters. While boCHINche on the second level of 22 Martin Road, is much quieter and slightly more sophisticated than her sibling downstairs.

I was pleased to accept the invitation from Spa Esprit Group, as the well respected Argentinean Chef Diego Jacquet was recently in town and has introduced new dishes into the brunch menu.

I was really excited and looking forward to see what Chef Jacquet had spruced up from the existing menu. 

If you think meats are the only highlights at an Argentinean restaurant, then you are wrong.

Chef Diego Jacquet and his kitchen team blends various influences such as Latin American, French, Spanish and Italian into the Argentinian cuisines. 

With a mixed bag of different cultures, there will be dishes at boCHINche that will prove irresistible for the avid eaters and the non-adventurous. 

Without further ado, here are the photo highlights of my brunch tasting. 

Watermelon Juice with Mint

Orange and Grapefruit Juice

Apple and Celery Juice

Pan & Manteca and Provoleta cheese with almonds & honey

Yellow Fin Tuna with grilled pak choi, spicy humita and crispy Aji Molido tofu

Heirloom tomato salad with burrata, citrus olives and chopped basil

Squid burger with smoked pepper, chopped romaine, crayfish and dill mayo

Sirloin steak salad with porcini, sweet potato, grilled leeks and mustard dressing

Smoked salmon and scrambled eggs with red onions, capers and dill cream cheese

Organic poached eggs on toast with braised ossobuco and chives hollandaise

House chorizo sausage with Malbec braised ox cheeks and caramelised onions

Brioche French toast with house cooked ham, ham and vanilla ice cream

Grilled pineapple, mate tea granita, lemon crumble and Arroz con leche sorbet

Dulce de leche creme brulee and banana spilt ice cream

Bitter chocolate tart with chill flakes yogurt and chocolate ice cream

Milk cake with passion fruit sorbet and toasted almonds

Chef Fabrice Mergalet holding the fort as BoCHINche's executive chef, while Chef Diego Jacquet is concentrating and developing Argentinean cuisine in London. 

Chef Fabrice is always busy and too focused at the kitchen, but he gladly pose and smile for my camera. Thank you Chef Fabrice for this picture and accommodating to my request.

VERDICT

Must order - Provoleta cheese.
Top Picks - Yellow Fin Tuna, Steak Salad, Tomato Salad, House Chorizo sausage.
Desserts - You should not miss the Milk Cake and the Dulce de leche creme brulee.

Provoleta - The cheese was so rich and divine, I could easily finish one pan by myself. I would strongly recommend you to order the bread box (Pan & Manteca) to go with the cheese.

Yellow Fin Tuna - The fish was perfectly seared around the edges while the meat in the middle was tender.

Steak Salad - The steak was nicely seasoned and cooked to perfect medium rare. The other condiments complemented the steak well.

Tomato Salad - Cheese lovers will also love this dish. The burrata was plump and oozes out cheese when you break it. The tomatoes were very fresh and flavourful when mixed with the herbs.

House Chorizo Sausage - The Ox Cheeks was literally melting in my mouth, as it was being slow cooked. The chorizo with a fine texture was made in house and packed with so much flavour from the spices used.

Milk Cake - The sponge cake was soaked in a trio of milk - evaporated milk, fresh milk and condense milk, served alongside a dollop of house-made passion fruit sorbet. I had this dessert on my past visits, totally in love with it that I asked for an extra portion on a special request.

Dulce de leche creme brulee - The dulce de leche has a distinct flavor of caramelized milk that really sets it apart from other caramel sauces. The banana spilt ice cream also house-made was lightly flavoured, smooth and bewitching.

I had a completely unexpected experience at boCHINche, some of the brunch items I tried before was refreshed with different elements. This hearty mid-morning meal is definitely worth my trip on the busy weekend. 

Brunch is only available on weekend, Saturdays and Sundays. On weekdays, BoCHINche sets your day right with a tantalising 2/3-course set lunch without ripping a hole your wallet. I personally would favour the dinner menu more at boCHINche, which brandishes an array of creative dishes with diverse cooking style. 

If you are coming with a group of friends or family (pax of 6 and above), you don't have to crack your brains on the wide menu selections. Go for the Sharing menu and you can enjoy a course set specially curated for individual portions. Pre-selection of menu during reservation is strongly recommended, so that the kitchen can prepare the ingredients beforehand.

Thank you Spa Esprit Group and boChINche for inviting me. I will not hesitate to head back to experience another explosion of flavours!

BOCHINCHE
22 Martin Road, #02-01, Singapore 239058

Reservations Tel: 6235 4990

Open Daily, except Monday

Website http://www.bochinche.com.sg
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/bochinchesg

(Photo Credit: The Pelican)

The Pelican Seafood Bar and Grill 
Located at One Fullerton, the chic and laid back Pelican offers classic American cuisine with a focus on fresh seafood and wood-fired grilling.

The Pelican was developed by the dynamic local hospitality group - The Big Idea, whose other successful F&B concepts include Fat Cow, Kinki, Bedrock Bar & Grill, and Marmalade Pantry.

THE RESTAURANT

Entrance of The Pelican

The Gentlemen's Bar, with a chic-industrial design 

The restaurant interior with an inviting setting

Outdoor seating at the Pelican deck

There is no better way to enjoy your meal. With spectacular views of our Singapore skyline and striking landmarks around the Marina Bay area, the night view at The Pelican is certainly delightful and exciting. 

19 June 2014 - Just a week ago, I attended a media launch and was treated to a sumptuous seafood spread of The Pelican Boil and free flow of Veuve Clicquot champagne. 

What's exciting to share about The Pelican Seafood Bar & Grill is that on Saturdays, you can have fun eating seafood served straight from the pot and onto your table. 

There is absolutely no plates nor utensils, just use your hands, simple as that. Though many view hand-eaters as uncivilised, this is a still a very real custom in many parts of Asia, and the Middle East.

In Singapore, it has become a common scene. Our fellow Muslim and Indian friends always eat with their hands, while some think eating with your hands makes the food taste better.


Do you agree with that statement? I leave to you to find out for yourself. A definite rule-of-thumb at every meal, always remember to wash your hands thoroughly. This is obvious, but crucial.

Here are some highlights of the fun I had at The Pelican Boil party.

Why is it called The Pelican Boil

The chefs at The Pelican prepared the items by boiling fresh seafood in a flavoured broth of white wine and aromatic vegetables such as carrots, onions and celery, to name a few. 

The broth was seasoned with lemon, thyme, a sprinkle of salt, Old Bay spices and some traditional spices. Once the seafood is being cooked, the chefs would extract the items and have them served to the table right away.

The Pelican Boil ($128++) can feed about 2 to 3 happy seafood purists. If you are hungry or big eaters, you can opt for add-ons such as whole crab ($58), whole lobster ($78), clams (200g, $18), mussels (180g, $18), prawns (300g, $18), corn on cob ($12) and potatoes ($12).

A special deal for the month of July and August, you can enjoy a complimentary bottle of Venue Clicquot Yellow Label champagne with every purchase of 2 sets of The Pelican Boil. 

For those in search for cocktails, Happy Hour, and pristine seafood bites. The Pelican offers an impressive selection of cocktails and great drink promotions.

Happy Hour begins as early as 3pm with their 1 for 1 promotion on wines, spirits and beer on draft and it ends at 8pm. There are DJs spinning live every Wednesdays to Saturdays, bringing the vibes and sounds of 80s, 90s and commercial top 40s to the evening atmosphere.

The Pelican is also open for weekday lunch with their quick serve menu items such as Fried Clam Submarine Sandwich ($18), Pelican Fish & Chips ($26), New England Lobster Roll ($35) and more. 


VERDICT
I enjoyed my meal and service met my expectation, despite hearing and read some negative reviews. Though this is a tasting invite, I figured that The Pelican is worth an encore.

The Pelican Seafood Bar & Grill

Address: 1 Fullerton Road #01-01, One Fullerton, Singapore 049213
Reservations Tel: 6438 0400

Business Hours
Lunch: Monday to Saturday, 12noon to 3pm (last order 2.30pm)

Dinner: Monday to Saturday, 6pm to 11pm
(last order 10.30pm)

The Pelican Deck:
Monday to Saturday, 3pm to 12am
Friday SupperClub Extended to 2am