Dinner at Two Bakers Cafe

88 Horne Road, Singapore 209083

Tel: 6293 0329

Website: https://www.facebook.com/twobakers

I thought I had pretty much exhausted most of the cafes along Lavendar area, then I heard about Two Bakers Cafe opening. Hence, that was the decided dinner venue for The Beau and I this evening.

Yes, it is so new that it is days' old.  As cafes go, they are not very huge, and the usual setting applies - all rectangular wooden tables, metal chairs and a long pastry / coffee counter . Nonetheless, the ambience was warm and welcoming amidst the chillax vibes.

It was cute to note that the newly-opened cafe was already up donned up for the upcoming Halloween - with cute pumpkins all over the place in all forms - plastic knickknacks, wall decorations and on tabletops. The service was definitely hospitable and amicable.

I was attracted to the pastries counter, as always, and quickly chopped one of the desserts (to be served after our mains) since there was only one piece left.  It was hard to decide on what to select since all the desserts looked unique and delectable.

Drinks came first - I started with a Cornish Orchards Pear Cider (SGD$10.50) - simply because I felt like drinking, and I have never tried pear cider before. Well, there wasn't any hint of pear taste , just a sweet alcoholic fizz I suppose, but refreshing enough.

The Beau had an Iced Mocha (SGD$6.50) - rather potent and bitterish in taste, and chocolate flavor was resplendent. He didn't really like it, but I really enjoyed the bittersweet taste.

For mains, we shared the Bow Tie Napolitan (SGD$13.80), add Grilled Chicken (SGD$2.00) - well, the bow-tie pasta was adorable. The seemingly rich tomato sauce was surprisingly just right in flavor without being too strong or sour - redolent of tomato's flavor, but with just the right note. The mushrooms and rocket leaves were lovely additions, as well as the succulent grilled chicken slices.

I had the Quesadilla (SGD$9.00) for my mains, adding Bacon (SGD$1.50) - a lovely sandy-textured crust enclaving spicy sauce, chilli pepper and melted cheese within -and my added bacon to add on to the flavorful fillings.

We also had the Luncheon Meat Fries (SGD$7.80) added on as an afterthought (no thanks to my inane craving) - slim, crispy strips of deepfried luncheon meat. This was nice because it was not too salty, unlike those we had at other cafes.

For desserts, we shared the Key Lime Tart (SGD$6.80) - lovely crunchy crust with light lime-sour center, topped with cream and a slice of fresh lime for form. While the texture and flavor were lovely enough, I still prefer the more zesty flavor of the Key Lime Tart from Lime @ Parkroyal. The Key Lime Tart at Two Bakers could do with more punch, a stronger dose of sour-ness.

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Hair Services at Salon Vim @ Somerset 313

313 Orchard Road #04-07 / 08 / 09 Somerset 313, Singapore 238895

Tel: 6884 7757 / 6884 7767

Website: http://salonvim.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/salonvim

I used to do my hair at the usual suspects - Kimage, Jantzen and more often than not, Reds Salons. Then I started hearing about friends and ex-colleagues talking about Salon Vim, and decided to give them a try.

It was time to do something about my long tresses. My hair grows really fast - let's see, at the beginning of the year I could cut it to chin-length, but by the end of the year my hair would be nearly to the waist! Not sure if it is a good or bad thing...

I booked an appointment for haircut with the director - they assigned Ms Jamie Seah to me. For director's hair cut for my hair - near waist length to the shoulder was about SGD$70.00. While Jamie is not the most friendly or chatty stylist around, she did her work with professionalism and quick efficiency, with rather good recommendations when I asked for opinions.

I believe the lady assisting her and doing my rebonding was Sue. Anyway, yes, I had the hair chopped to shoulder length, and the got it rebonded / straightened. "No soft rebonding" was my instructions - because soft rebonding was of no effect to my naturally straight hair. I wanted the good, old-fashioned rebonding - the straight, smooth kind that one could just wake up with and get out of the house in.

The usual beverages and crackers were offered, and I sat there browsing some issues of Cleo, Women's Weekly and Cosmopolitan magazines.  About three hours later, after a few washes and all, I could finally step out of the salon with my new shortened, straightened and sleek hair. I appreciated that they did not do any hard selling of more services or products. The rebonding cost SGD$250.00 for my hair length.

If you have a friend who is a member, you are entitled to 15% referral discount for first time visit. You can also join their membership with a deposit of SGD$50.00, which entitles you to 15% discount for all subsequent hair visits.  Overall, I rather enjoyed my experience at Salon Vim's.

Lunch at Rokeby Bistro Cafe

15-9 Jalan Riang, Singapore 358987

Tel: 9106 0437
Website: http://www.rokeby.com.sg

It was time for lunch with *Sidney again, and we discovered this neat Australian bistro cafe named Rokeby by chance (the one we'd initially came for was not opened yet).

So we succumbed to the warm hospitality and serene ambience of this laid-back cafe set in an austerely pretty area near Serangoon. The dim and polished interior made it perfect as a cafe by daya and bar by night. Everything looked good on the menu so we didn't know what to order for a while.

I started with a Soy Mocha (SGD$6.70) - the coffee was nutty, with hints of creaminess. The soy milk in this case didn't rise above the flavor of the chocolately coffee to bring out a fragrance of its own, like the soy mocha I had at Black Coffee , Loysels Toys Cafe and Forty Hands Cafe. It tasted more like a good cup of strong-flavored Mocha with a slight dash of milk - the bear art on my beverage was very adorable though.

*Sidney had his usual Skinny Latte (SGD$5.50)- a rich blend of milk, coffee and froth.

For mains, I ordered the Braised Ox Cheek Stew (SGD$20.90), being in the mood for beef cheeks, just nice. The beef cheek was stewed to a soft tenderness, retaining its bouncy texture against the rich juicy broth it was cast in. As it quivered in my mouth, I savoured the delicacy with satisfaction, and even pouring spoonfuls of the sauce over my otherwise-bland mashed potato.

*Sidney happened to choose another item that I was debating between - the Rokeby Chilli Mussels (SGD19.90) - it was awesome that they had different levels of spiciness for us to choose from, so we chose the mild (being a weekday and we had to continue working, so couldn't risk stomach upsets). The musels were pliable in its chewyness, the natural sweetness of mussels succint amongst the spicy coat of the broth. It was definitely a good choice - with or without the crispy toast slices it was served with.

We were glad we discovered this lovely place with its interesting menu.

Review: DHC Acerola Gel

This product caught my eye because a tiny tube of 40g gel claimed to contain 1700mg of Vitamin C, and it it sounded like a delicious treat for the skin. Hence I bought it without hesitation, and have been using it for two years now.

DHC's Acerola Gel is a refreshing, fragrance-free, colorless gel that when applied onto the skin, gives a soothing coolness, and gets absorbed into the skin very easily. As gel goes, it is not greasy at all, so suitable for combination or oily skin types to use. The skin stays rejuvenated throughout the day, and uplifted as well. It gives improvement to the apperance of skin, as well as moisturizes it so it looks radiant and supple even with makeup piled on.

Not to forget - one keeps thinking about the richness of natural Vitamin C nourishing the skin, so it puts one in a happy mood to know that the skin is in good hands too.

But I don't know - I realize that if I don't apply any makeup at all, the gel tends to make my face appear shiny (does not feel oily to the touch, but there is a sheen to the skin). So I usually this as part of skincare regime before bed or before makeup.

The tube form makes for hygienic and easy application, as well as compact enough to bring out. I also use the Vitamin-rich gel for other areas of my body, such as arms or legs at times. One tube of 40g gel costs SGD$53.00 and is easily available in most pharmacies.

Dinner at Chicken Up Restaurant @ Tanjong Pagar

50 Tanjong Pagar Road , Singapore 088471

Tel: 6327 1203

Tonight we decided to have fried chicken.... actually we wanted the fruit Soju more... hence The Four Friends met up at Chicken Up, a Korean fried chicken restaurant amongst a row of shophouses along Tanjong Pagar area.

The interesting thing about Chicken Up is that they remove the layer of fats from the chicken skin and double fry the chicken so that it would still be tender and juicy but not greasy. Well, let's see about that.   Anyway, they used to have Fried Chicken Buffet but have done away with that now.

We ordered pretty shortly and began with the Ganjang Up Fried Chicken (SGD$20.00) - soya flavored fried chicken. Well, quite crispy on the outside, and as promised the meat was juicy and tender without the usual oiliness. The soy-marinated flavor was rather distinctive, giving the chicken a lovely taste.

Next, our Truffle Fries (SD$12.00) were served - pretty all right fries redolent with the greasy-flavored truffle oil.

Next, we had the Spicy Up Fried Chicken (SGD$18.00) - well, I believe that the name itself needs no introduction. The skin was more crispy for this one, and I enjoyed the spicy flavor of the succulent chicken although *Katherine, *Zachery and *Edison all preferred the soy chicken more. Perhaps I enjoy heavier / spicier flavors more? Nonetheless, remember - crispy skin on the outside, succulent flesh within with very little hint of greasiness.

Sinful, I know, but once in a while indulgence. The crew went around every table to take photos for their Facebook page.

Anyway, we also had drinks. This is the Pineapple Soju (SGD$30.00) served in a large pineapple shell, mixed with sweet pineapple juice and Korean alcohol SOJU. They were served in dainty little glasses and tasted very refreshing - hints of the bitter soju was minimal and lost within the cold sweetness of the pineapple drinks.

Next, we had the Watermelon Soju (SGD$38.00) - a very huge watermelon shell containing watermelon juice and an entire bottle of SOJU. For this, we drank with small shell-shaped bowls. The watermelon juice was very cooling and parched our thirst, defending us against the heaty delicacy we'd just eaten. For this one, the taste of the soju became even lighter since the watermelon shell is larger than the pineapple husk. Nonetheless, I loved this saccharine drink.

We decided to go for one more drink over chillout and catching up and celebration of *Edison's birthday before calling it a night. Hence, we tried the Bokbunja Sangria (SGD$30.00) - a mixture of raspberry wine with slices of fruits within (apples, lemon in this case) - sweet but rather potent when it first hit the palate. It was another refresher and we enjoyed the wine-soaked fruits at the end of the drinks session.

Chillout at Wheelers' Yard Cafe (revisit)

28 Lorong Ampas, Singapore 328781

Tel: 6254 9128

Website: https://www.facebook.com/wheelersyard

Having been to Wheelers' Yard for brunch, tonight I decide to bring the Beau here for drinks. It was a pity we were still full from dinner - if not, I really enjoyed their desserts. Read about my previous brunch visit here.

Anyway, we decided to sit outdoors. I noticed there has been a revamp since my last visit about a month ago - the tables were replaced by some couches, vintage furniture and strange fixtures.

Nonetheless, we picked a seat and got comfortable. Since we were not eating, the lack of tables did not really faze us. Good music and friendly service were still unchanged, mercifully.

I had a glass of Merlot (SGD$10.00) - the price was really cheap, and there was no service charge. This was Queen's Bay from Chile.

So I had another glass of Merlot (SGD$14.00) - and this one went down the throat easier. This was Wild Rock from New Zealand.

The Beau had an Iced Mocha (SGD$7.00), since he was driving. I took a couple of sips - even though there was no visible chocolate / hot fudge sauce in the drink itself, the chocolate flavor was distinctive and the drink was lovely.

The bicycles and scooters on display are not just for display - patrons can ride around the vicinity in them (or purchase, I believe?).

Overall, it was a fun-loving and relaxing place for hanging out at or simply kicking one's heels back. It was a weekend, and there were a lot of young people as well as families and businessmen types all having fun here laughing, drinking and eating; it was a casual but happy environment . I will definitely be back to try more of their desserts.