Lunch at Supply and Demand Cafe

277 Orchard Road #02-14 Orchard Gateway, Singapore 238858

Tel: 6702 6218

It was lunch hour by the time I finished an appointment in town, so I had some time to kill before the next one. Trying to find a non-crowded spot in town is no easy feat, and I was in the mood for some quiet "me" time.

I chanced upon Supply and Demand Cafe, located in a secluded corner of Orchard Gateway, and decided to give it a shot, remembering good reviews I'd heard about this cafe with interesting menu comprising of a marriage between Italian and South-east Asian cuisine.

The ambience is dimly-lit, with a spacious interior and faux grass patches. The trees caught my eyes, as did the double Bs strewn around (books and bottles). The best part was that it was rather empty, so I stepped in and grabbed a table.

They have many different menus - food, drinks, set lunch etc, all separated. I find that a little cumbersome and messy - why couldn't they just consolidate them all one one or two booklets will do?

Though they are well known to serve good coffee, I was in a tea mood that day. Hence I was glad to see that they do serve an assortment of interesting teas as well.

In the end I started with a S&D Italian Style Tiramisu (SGD$12.00) - made with egg, French cream, Mascarphone Cheese, Espresso Soaked Savioardi, Cocoa Powder and 2 kinds of Liquer.  Mind you, usually I don't like desserts served in jars, but this one won me over. The tiramisu was smooth and distinctive in flavor, probably because infused with two kinds of liquer!

The beauty when dining alone is that one gets to enjoy desserts first without weird looks or objections from dining companions. Haha.

Okay, I decided to try the Aglio Olio with Shrimps (SGD$14.00) - classic dressing of hot olive oil, garlic and dried chilli pepper. It was the Tasting Portion that I'd chosen, and I really appreciate how they have the Tasting Portion and Full Portion here.

The noodle was springy and the prawns were bouncy, so texture was good. The spiciness level was just about right. I enjoyed this small serving of delicacy.

For drinks, I ordered a pot of Chocolate Rose Tea (SGD$9.90) , a decidedly dessert-sounding tea, that was infused with the sweetness of chocolate and rose fragrance, a combination of two of my favoritest things.

The tea also comes with a lovely gingernut tasting biscotti and a rich dark chocolate muffin. The muffin was not hard and dry - it was soft and slightly moistened, so it went down the throat easily and was a perfect nibble alongside the hot pot of tea.

Not bad, really not bad - the only lackluster was the service. I would be back to try more - maybe the Asian dishes as well, some items do seem interesting.