We picked a weekday afternoon to avoid the crowd. And we were so pleased to arrive at this gorgeous Mediterranean-themed café inside the Flower Dome away from the hustle and bustle, in style — their exclusive and complimentary buggy ride from the entrance of the Gardens by the Bay made arrival a breeze! While I was worried that it might be too windy for my newborn, bebe actually enjoyed the short and scenic ride.

The afternoon tea goes at S$58 per diner and comprises 10 pieces of sweet and savoury canapés and a Devonshire scone. There’s also a vegetarian option though the sweet segment remains the same. We had both the original afternoon tea and the vegetarian afternoon tea during our visit.

The Space

We love how bright, tranquil and airy the space is. As the café is nestled in the Flower Dome and surrounded by greenery, you get to enjoy the cool temperature with ample alfresco sunlight, which bebe K clearly enjoys. I’d say it is a great pick for your infant’s very first leisure outing, providing that you strategically plan the time of your outing. Bring along extra swaddle so that you can layer up your baby just in case it gets a little too chilly for the little one.

Afternoon Tea

The afternoon tea comes in a cute and dainty three-tier cake stand. The gorgeous set-up is an instant mood lifter. For a moment it almost felt like a fairy tale. The serving crew, Isyraf was warm and smiley as he serves our drinks and gave us a brief introduction of the canapés.

The Savouries

The savoury section includes sandwiches, quiche, pastries and puffs. The gougères and quiche were great but the sandwiches were a tad dry. However, I enjoyed the cucumber sandwich from the vegetarian menu. Perhaps, it was the cream cheese that provides the bread with some moisture that the other sandwiches were lacking.

Free Flow Beverages

The afternoon tea at Hortus comes with free-flow coffee and tea, although one beverage will be served at one time. You may also opt for free-flow Prosecco at S$98++ per pax if you are in the mood for some bubbles.

The Sweets

The sweet section comes with a variety of classic desserts, including macaron, lemon meringue, choux and tart. We love the Blueberry & Vanilla Frangipane Tart and the Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse on the top tier of the cake stand.

Complimentary Access to Flower Dome

One exclusive perk of dining here is that you’ll get complimentary access to the Flower Dome. Imagine an afternoon tea followed by a nice stroll around the Flower Dome…Sometimes we just need to stop and smell the roses!

Pro Tip: Arrange a visit to the café during your favourite season and theme exhibition and smell the scent of your favourite flower while having high tea in a cooling environment! We love the idea of enjoying an afternoon tea and spend a leisure evening at the Dome during the yearly cherry blossom exhibition. 

Writer’s Note: The afternoon tea in the tranquil garden of Hortus is akin to dining in a secret garden. We love the bright, cooling and beautiful space and the warm and attentive service. I was having a problem making a reservation but everything was settled swiftly.

However, I’d very much be a happy diner if the portions were a little more generous, and if the kitchen team can improve some of the items on their afternoon tea menu, especially the scone and sandwiches which are the basic and essential components of an afternoon tea.

Considering the price point, the canapés were mediocre. However, if we factor in the complimentary admission to the Flower Dome, the exclusive buggy service and the charming garden dining experience, I’d say it is of a fair value proposition. That said, I’ve heard good reviews of their Mediterranean food offerings and their ala-carte dessert near the counter looks rather promising too so I would return to try their main dishes someday.

Last but not least, ending the post with a 3-month post-partum update — My body isn’t the same anymore and I am truly not ready for any full body shoot. However, this Lucy V Front Babydoll Midi Dress from The Tinsel Rack got me covered. It’s super easy to care for and comfy to wear. Perfect for a new mama like me!

Restaurant Information

Hortus
Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay
18 Marina Gardens Dr, #01-09 Flower Dome, S018953
hortus.com.sg/

WED – FRI:
Lunch: 11am – 230pm
Afternoon Tea: 3pm – 5pm
Dinner: 6pm – 10pm

SAT – SUN:
Lunch: 10am – 230pm
Afternoon Tea: 3pm – 5pm
Dinner: 6pm – 10pm

CLOSED ON MONDAYS & TUESDAYS

Photographs by: Wind Tay

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