Turns out that the café is quite popular even on a weekday afternoon. We didn’t have to wait for a seat but most of the tables were occupied during lunchtime.

The Food

The café provides brunch, coffee and cakes during the day, and when the night falls, it turns into a modern bar where you can enjoy a great selection of natural wines, cocktails and negronis while enjoying okonomiyaki, burgers, grilled meats and desserts.

I haven’t got the chance to visit the café at night, but I believe it would be nice to unwind and chill with your gang at the café during dinner time.

Morning Menu

The Morning menu is available from 8 am to 5 pm, where guests enjoy a variety of hearty breakfast selections. The Fried Chicken French Toasts ($24.5) is one of their popular dish with thick, fluffy Shokupan french toast, fried chicken, hot maple and a dollop of compound garlic butter.

I love the soft, buttery and fluffy Shokupan toast enveloped in a crispy caramelised layer. The fried chicken tender was crispy and the fragrant batter is made of a nice mix of herbs but I find that there were too much of chicken skins and the chunks aren’t meaty, which was slightly disappointing. The garlic butter and the maple syrup laced with chilli flakes were great though. These condiments serve alongside the dish give a nice spin on the American classic. If you love fried chicken (and especially fried chicken skin), you’d love the dish.

As their Shokupan french toast was delicious, I couldn’t help but ordered another french toast dish —Passionfruit French Toast ($20.9). This is a classic sweet breakfast combination of Shokupan french toast, passionfruit curd and blueberries.

I am usually not a big fan of tangy fruit curd, especially lemon curd as some places just do it so badly that a dish can taste like vomit. However, the passionfruit curd at Supernova had a nice balance of sweetness and tanginess and it pairs well with that airy soft, buttery and eggy french toast!

Afternoon Menu

The café serves its afternoon menu from 11 am onwards, where you can enjoy a good mix of pasta, burgers, and light bites like salad and grain bowls.

What stood out on the lunch menu was the Eggs in Meurette ($24) so we decided to give it a try. It was a piece of fried sourdough bread in a red wine stew of bacon, mushrooms and pickled shallots and you can choose to modify the eggs. While the original menu comes with two poached eggs, we changed it to scrambled eggs.

The dish tasted quite Christmas-y, perhaps due to the red wine stew. Overall, it was a nice stomach warmer perfect for the colder days.

Gorgonzola Portobello Rigatoni ($22.5) was a cream-based Rigatoni pasta dish with portobello, gorgonzola, and walnuts and served with a slice of lightly toasted baguette. While the dish was a tad too salty in my opinion, especially when we compared it with another pasta dish we ordered on the same day, it was nonetheless an enjoyable dish if you’d like a creamy and luscious cheese-based pasta.

I like the Bacon & Pumpkin Rigatoni ($21) which features a pumpkin cream-based rigatoni pasta, with bacon, Shimeiji mushroom and a slice of baguette bread. The rigatoni was al dente and the large tubes allow the pasta to coat up a nice amount of pumpkin cream sauce — the sauce was divine! It was a perfect balance of the sweetness from the pumpkin and the smokey, savoury flavour from the bacon & cream. I have since made a few subsequent visits to the café and this is the only dish that I have made repeated orders.

Sides

Another pleasant surprise was the Burnt Brussel Sprouts ($14.50) from the side menu. Every bite comes with a fragrant, caramelised crisp while still retaining that juicy, tender, satisfying (but not mushy) texture. One of the best Burnt Brussel Sprouts out there!

Sweets

There are different kinds of cakes and pies available at the café too! We tried the Sea Salt Caramel Carrot Cake ($8) and Key Lime Pie ($7).

Coffee

As the joint is managed by the same team behind Atlas Coffeehouse and Columbus Coffee, you can expect good quality coffee at Supernova. They offer 2 bean blends to choose from: Mr Cuddles and Mr Brightside. The former one is a bold, comforting and well-balanced taste profile, while the latter leans towards the acidic side.

I have ordered Flat White ($5.6) & Cappucino ($5.6) on different occasions with Mr Cuddles blend, and the coffee tastes great!

I was excited when I see Einspanner ($7.50) on their coffee menu. It is a Viennese coffee traditionally made of milk, whipped cream, espresso shots, and a sprinkle of cocoa powder. For some reason, they only serve their Einspanner hot.

I opted for the drink with Mr Cuddles as my chosen blend (which could be a mistake) as my Einspanner turns out to be somewhat too earthy, chocolatey, and overly balanced — the lack of acidity could be the reason why I didn’t enjoy the drink. The drink would have tasted so much better if it is served icy cold. It was a nice try from the team but unfortunately, I find that it pales in comparison with the ones in Korea, especially if you had tried the ones at Taylor Coffee in Seoul.

Writer’s Note: I like the airy interior, chilled vibe and attentive service at this café that serves delicious upscale brunch. While there are some hits and misses, most food items taste really good. This joint is also very popular during weekends so be prepared to sit outdoor if you’re visiting on a weekend or public holiday.

And of course, ending the article with photos of my Week 37 bump! I am having wardrobe crises nowadays as my belly and butt grow so big that I have since “graduated” from my regular pants and jumpsuits. My bust is prepping me to be a milk cow too so most of my pre-pregnancy dresses which I could fit in perfectly now feel uncomfortably tight at my chest area.

So I bought this new dress from Jajainthemoment on Taobao, and it fits just nice for now and hopefully, it’d last me through my 4th trimester.

Restaurant Information

Supernova
266 Tanjong Katong Road, Singapore 437053
supernovaforeva.com.sg/
Tel: +65 6518 9600

TUE-SAT:
8 am – 10 pm

SUN:
8 am – 7 pm

CLOSED ON MONDAYS

The restaurant is nested in one of the traditional shophouses along Jiak Chuan Road. With brick-coloured walls, lush tropical greeneries and carved coffee tables decorating the iconic five-foot-way, the restaurant already sets the perfect mood for an African culinary safari.

The restaurant was packed with visitors on a weekday afternoon. Despite the busy crowd, their service remains warm and friendly. The staff actually served me iced water while I was waiting for a seat at their tropical-themed outdoor seating!

The indoor area exudes a modern cafe and bistro-like atmosphere. The staff appeared to understand their menu inside-out and is able to make recommendations based on our dining preferences and palette.

The Drinks

The restaurant offers a wide variety of cocktails, and they all look very, very interesting (and delectable too!) I wished I could try out their cocktail but since I am pregnant, I ordered their Mocha Bidibado “Abracadabra” (SGD 7), a mocha coffee rimmed with natural peanut butter, toasted almond & crushed pink peppercorns. I like this nutty, chocolatey milk coffee and that gentle peppery kick that lingers in my mouth after each sip. You should definitely give it a try if you love the combination of warm spices and smooth, chocolatey coffee.

My friend ordered the Hibiscus with Rosehip, Apple and Strawberry. The drink was refreshing and tasted very identical to a typical rosehip drink. It was a nice thirst quencher during a warm day but nothing especially remarkable.

The Food

While the restaurant serves African cuisines, you can also find Western brunch dishes with plenty of African influences on the menu.

We ordered Buttermilk Fried Chicken (SGD 18) as our starter. The chunky chicken thigh came piping hot and is battered with crispy buttermilk and spice mix. It is served together with 3 types of dipping sauce – Congo Bongo, Mango Chilli Marmalade and Housemade Chili Sauce. The chicken is crispy, tender and moist. But I was hoping that the spices on the batter can be stronger. The spicy level of the dipping sauce varies and some can be really spicy for those with a lower spice tolerance. This dish was enjoyable, I mean, it is indeed a piping hot, crispy battered chicken. Unfortunately, it wasn’t what I expected in an African-themed restaurant due to the lack of spices in the batter

We also ordered Maharagwe (SGD 28), an East African bean stew dish from the brunch menu. It is an interesting combination of spiced bean stew with coconut milk and smoked pork sausage.

The flavourful dish reminds me of Indian masala curry (there is paneer in the stew too!). It is very substantial, probably due to the large amount of beans in the dish – I think this dish is great for sharing. The dish also comes with chapati which you can soak up with the spicy stew and enjoy!

Another dish we tried was Liberian Peanut Chicken Stew (SGD 28) — I really like this dish. The stew is so packed with bold flavour. The Sakura chicken thigh was well marinated and succulent. While we didn’t really taste any strong peanut flavour from their natural peanut butter, this stew carries a nice hint of spices and is thick, creamy and rich. I love the distinct flavour of the spices and the fiery kick of habanero — great to pair with their fluffy Jasmine white rice!

Dessert

For dessert, we had Malindi Halwa — a Swahili mochi made of dragonfruits, nuts and spices. Halwa, or Halva(h) is a traditional Indian and Middle Eastern sweet dessert. It is a chewy, bouncy and gelatinous cube usually made of tapioca or corn starch.

Here at Kafe Utu, they serve their rendition of Halwa made of dragon fruit juice, hazelnuts, cashew nuts, macadamia, pistachio and Malindi spices. I love the sweet floral hint from the Halwa. It isn’t overly sweetened and matches really well with the light coconut yogurt. The dukkah filo pastries added a nice crisp to the dish too! Overall, it is a light and refreshing “mochi” dessert to complete the meal.

Writer’s Note:

I really like the atmosphere and warm service at this African-themed cafe. It was beautifully done up, and I loved that the waitress share about the food we enquire on the menu so warmly and bubbly. While some of the dishes aren’t what we had imagined them to be, they are all very yummy and enjoyable still. And I look forward to revisiting this place again when I can finally take my alcoholic drinks. There are also a few other dinner dishes which I really wanted to try out. If you love the vibrancy and rich taste profile from the spices and are looking for a place with a chilled and happy vibe, you’ll love this place!

Restaurant Information:

Kafe Utu
12 Jiak Chuan Rd, Singapore 089265
Tel. +65 6966 3937
https://kafeutu.com/

WED- THUR, SAT – SUN :
10AM – 5PM | 6PM – 11PM

FRI:
10AM – 3PM

CLOSED ON MONDAYS & TUESDAYS

As with every PS. Café’s property, the restaurant features a classy, chic and elevated colonial-style interior. I love the dark wooden floors, rattan chairs, high ceilings with bright lights, and their signature, attention-grabbing flower arrangements!

싱가포르 자유여행은 뭐니뭐니 해도 뎀시힐 (Dempsey Hill) 이죠. 간만에 초록 초록한 뎀시힐에 있는 “촙수이 카페” (Chopsuey Café)에서 즐거운 시간을 보냈다. 이미 국내에서 유명한 PS. Café의 자매 레스토랑인 “촙수이”는 영국 식민지 시대의 역사적 건축물에 자리를 잡고 서양식 중국 퓨전 음식을 제공한다.

푸르른 녹음을 마주한 정원 테라스가 있는 레스토랑 인테리어는 역시 PS. Café 답게 잘 구며진것 같다. 짙은 나무색 바닥, 등나무 의자, 높은 천장에 밝은 채광, 그리고 커다란 도자기 화병에 크고 화려한 꽃이 한가득 있는 모습이 인상적이다.

The Food

The menu is a mix of Asian cuisine with a modern twist. There are Cantonese and Sze Chuan dishes, Singaporean-inspired dishes like Chili Crab, Mee Goreng, Rendang Beef, and of course, Anglo-Chinese dishes that are so familiar to those who spent some time overseas. You may find plenty of vegetarian options with an exciting blend of ingredients too.

메뉴는 현대적인 감각이 가미된 아시안 요리, 중국 광동 과 사천 요리, 그리고 칠리 크랩, 미고렝, 비프 렌당 와 같은 싱가포르 퓨전요리들 다양하게 나온다. 물론 서양 나라에서 좀 오래 계신 사람들에게 친숙한 “앵글로 중국 요리”도 있다. 흥미진진한 재료의 조합으로 만든 채식 옵션들도 꽤 있다.

Appetizer

We ordered the Dimsum Basket (9pc, $26) as our appetizer. It comes with a mixture of 9 fried, baked and steamed dim sums. While the colours are bold and vibrant, the shape of the dim sums looks messy — definitely not what I expect for a dim sum that cost $2.8++ each. Some of them tasted nice, just outrageously overpriced considering the execution.

에피타이저로 시켰던 “딤섬 바스켓”은 제 입맛엔 그냥 그랬어요. 딤섬 모양이 깔끔하지 않고 예쁘게 나오지는 않았지만, 색깔이 화려하고 맛을 괜찮았는데 가격 대비에 솔직히 실망했었죠.

Main

We really liked the Chef’s Beef Cheek Rendang ($38). The beef cheeks were braised in an aromatic and rich gravy until tender-soft and flavourful. Topped off with some finely chopped Kaffir lime leaves to create that zesty and refreshing notes, this dish would pair super well with a warm bowl of jasmine rice.

메인 메뉴로 나온 비프 렌당 (Chef’s Beef Cheek Rendang, $38) 은 소고기 볼살을 향긋한 양념 페이스트에 약불로 오랜동안 삶아서 육질이 부드러워 질 때가지 만든 “국물 없는 커리 요리” 이다. 싱가포르 사람인 저에겐 밥 도둑이지요. 코코넛 향도 진하고 맛은 마일드 하면서도 향신료가 강한 편인데, 태국 요리를 좋아하시는 한국분들이시라면 너무 맛있다고 손가락 꼽으실 것 같아요.

The Jade Fried Rice ($16) was another pleasant surprise. It is made of a few humble ingredients – jasmine rice, spinach, basil, mint and egg, but it was so fragrant and fluffy. Each and every bite is enveloped with the aromatic and smokey “wok hei“(the breath of the wok) that makes it really addictive!

시금치 바질 볶음밥이 처음이지만 맛있게 잘 먹었다. 밥, 시금치, 바질, 민트, 계란 몇 가지 간단한 재료로 만들어졌지만 향기롭고 새로웠다.볶음밥은 역시 웍 헤이 (wok hei, 볶음 요리에 풍미를 불어넣어 조화로운 맛을 만들어내는 요리 용어인 ‘웍의 숨결’을 의미)가 필수 인데 이 요리는 웍 헤이 가 가득해서 정말 잘 만들었다는 느낌이 들었다.

We also ordered Chopsuey Chopsuey ($18), a wok-fried seasonal organic baby vegetables dish to compliment the meal. While it wasn’t the most exciting dish on the menu, I liked the garlicky flavour and the holy basil that added a nice fragrant to the dish. Plus, I get to fulfil my dose of leafy veggie quota too!

“촙수이 촙수이”는 유기농 야채 볶음이다. 눈에 띄는 메뉴는 아니지만 마늘 향과 홀리 바질의 독특한 향이 마음에 들었다.

Dessert

I enjoyed the Golden Banana Butterscotch Bundt ($15) at Chopsuey Café just like I have always enjoyed my sticky date pudding at PS. Café. It is a warm banana and chocolate chip cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, set in a generous pool of homemade butterscotch sauce. The cake is moist and soft and tasted divine with that velvety butterscotch sauce. A sinful indulgence!

PS. Café 에서 항상 스티키 데이트 푸딩을 즐겼던 것처럼 Chopsuey Café 에서는 Golden Banana Butterscotch Bundt ($15)를 즐겨 먹었다. 따뜻한 바나나와 초코칩 케이크는 수제 버터스카치 소스에 얹고, 바닐라 아이스크림 함께 먹으면 신의 맛이 난다!

Writer’s Note:

While pricing is on the high side, Chopsuey Café scores A’s for their service, ambience and (some of) their menu selections. Avoid their dim sum and you’d have a generally satisfying meal.

가격은 상당히 높은 편이고, 어떤 메뉴를 선택에 따라 대만족인지 실망인지 느끼실 수 있기는 하는데 서비스, 분위기 등은 다 괜찮았다. 개인적으로 자매 레스토랑인 PS. Café를 더 선호하지만 둘다 뎀시힐에 위치하고 여행 중에 계획이 바꿔겠다고 하셔도 무리하지 않을 겁니다. 만약 조금 더 이색적이고 싱가포르 스타일 퓨전 음식을 드시고 싶으신다면 Chopsuey Café로 추천 합니다.

Restaurant Information:

Chopsuey Cafe at Dempsey
10 Dempsey Rd, #01-23, Singapore 247700
+65 6708 9288
https://www.pscafe.com/chopsueycafe

MON – SUN:
11:30 PM – 11PM

Tucked away on the 70^th level of Swissôtel The Stamford, the newly revamped SKAI Restaurant & Bar focuses on contemporary grills on regular days, the restaurant now also serves fancy brunch on weekends, guaranteeing your weekend starts and ends on a high note.

I brought the Noelle Bag out for the day. It comes in two sizes, the small and the original. Being a small bag collector, of course, I chose the small one. This design debuted in Spring 2018, and now it comes with a brand new, sophisticated Khaki colour to suit the late winter mood. Read more about the Biker Starlet Noelle Bag at this dedicated blog here. The deep and solid green colour complements my slip dress from Klarra so very well, it lifted the holiday mood almost instantly.

You can opt for the SKAI Brunch ($118++) with unlimited plated dishes served at the table, which includes free-flow soft drinks, coffee and house red and white, or splurge on the SKAI Champagne & Cocktail Brunch ($168++). I like the idea of starting the brunch with the elegant French Champagne Taittinger, then moving on to the delicious cocktails.

I love the plated buffet concept. We can just order off the menu then sit back and relax. No FOMO as no one is required to leave the table to fill up our plates. If there is anything you need to order from their Brunch Menu, that’d be the Cauliflower. The combination of apple, cauliflower, almond and black truffle is refreshing and interesting, and I really enjoyed the dish so much that I ordered another serving.

I love the bright and airy space, not to mention the warm and impeccable service. Most of the dishes were pretty up to satisfaction. I foresee this will be an ideal place to your weekend gatherings over brunch in the new year!

The Strawberry Shortcake Tart with Berry Sorbet was a delightful and refreshing combination that I enjoyed every bit of it.

Restaurant Information:

SKAI Restaurant & Bar 
level 70 Swissôtel The Stamford, 2 Stamford Road, Singapore 178882
6837 3322；skai@swissotel.com
https://skai.sg/

Mon-Fri：12pm-2.30pm, 6pm-10pm
Sat: 12pm-3.30pm, 6pm-10pm
Sun: 11.30am-3.30pm, 6pm-10pm