CafeHop - Pies & Coffee

The latest hunt for one of our favorite activity brought us to Pies & Coffee. There are altogether 4 branches at Robertson Walk, Rochester Mall, Tanjong Katong and Turf City. We visited the branch at Robertson Walk.

I like cafes that display their cakes and food right in front for us to choose. This also shows that they are confident of their food.

 

You can’t miss the pies if you are stepping into a shop with a name as ‘pies’.

Quiche Mushroom & Sweet Pea (S$6.00)

Mixed Berry Tart (S$6.90)

The brunch was the specialty that excites the parents like us. Cos it is not too filling and the portion is just nice for our girls.

 

My personal favorite is the Hazelnut Banana Pancakes, stack of pancakes with fresh bananas in between each layer, dripping with thick yet not-so-sweet hazelnut spread. I enjoyed every mouth, almost to the extent of fighting it with my girls.

Another selling point of the cafe is the above-average coffee. I wouldn’t say it’s the best, but I would give it 3.5 out of 5, which in my view, is not bad for a cafe that also provides nice food.

 

It’s a blissful time to see my daughters enjoying a relaxed afternoon with us, cos weekdays are really just about work and studies for both parents and children. I treasure every weekend when we can spend some enjoyable and memorable time with them. This is my conviction, to create memories that the kids will remember forever when they are older and have their own worries and commitments.

Wheeler’s Yard

With the sudden interest of cycling in Singapore, and a group of friends around me who are really bike enthusiastic, a visit to this cafe is just sooner or later. Located at 28 Lorong Ampas, this Bike Shop is only in operation for 4 months – Wheeler’s Yard.

See that lone bike on the top? I don’t mind having that. Nice!

One of the very few cafes that is open on a Monday, Wheeler’s Yard is not only a place for the bikers, but also for customers who just want to chill and have a simple meal.

Walking into the place, you will be greeted by the vast space, it’s almost like walking into a warehouse. We were there around noon time, but it was not too hot even though we did not sit in the air-conditioning area.

Ordered a set of Coney Hotdog and reminiscing the old familiar taste of hotdog with minced beef.

Latte is quite alright. I actually ordered a second helping, a Long Black and I think it’s better.

Serve your own water from this retro tricycle.

The view from the other end of the place. Probably this is the main entrance.

As you can see, there are ample of seats inside and also outside. I can imagine the outdoor seats will be crowded during night time.

The interior is air-conditioned but not too cold, my level of comfort.

Plenty of seats!

Since this is primarily a Bike Shop, nothing goes without showing off some unique bikes and accessories. All up for sale, just need to check with the staff for the price.

Though I am not a biker, but I have always been very interested in cycling. Had a talk with one of the staff and understood that they mostly sell Single Speed Bikes.

What is a Single Speed Bike?
Simply, it is a bike with a single gear ratio. You cannot select the gear ratio/speed to adjust for different terrains. Not designed for race.

Usually such bikes are lighter and cheaper, but like what my “learned cyclist friends” would tell me, there is nothing cheap in cycling. And I agree. Just the bike frame can be over $1000, add on the other necessary accessories and whatever that makes it look good, we are talking about a bike that costs probably between $1500-$2000.

Just like in photography, after playing with the digital SLR cameras for a while, the serious photographers will always share that nothing beats the old film photography days. I guess its a bit similar in cycling. Probably after playing with all the modern multi-speed bikes, some of the cyclists may still prefer the old fashion single speed bikes.

For my cyclist friends, what do you think of these rims? Nice right?

If you are looking for kids’ bikes, this place sells a few too.

If you are not into cycling, then just be like me, come and enjoy a quiet afternoon. Read a book, surf the net, or just hang out with friends for a chat.

Happy Cafe Hop!

Good Coffee @ Cafe Melba

Looking for a cafe that is opened on Mondays is becoming a challenge. Looking for a cafe that serves good coffee is even harder. Our latest search brought us to a place near Mountbatten, a relatively secluded place to find without car.

Cafe Melba is nested among Mountbatten, Tanjong Rhu and Katong area. Good news to pet owners, this place is dog friendly too. For kids, the bouncy castle is only available during weekends.

What I like about such cafes, not only because of the space, but more importantly the feel of being away from the usual bustling work life.

 

You get my meaning..

Now for the food we ordered.

Full Melba Cooked Breakfast
Choice of Eggs (poached, scrambled or sunny side up) with pork sausages, home-cured bacon, roasted cherry vine tomatoes, baked beans, mushrooms, hash brown and home made toast

Linguine Aglio Olio

Long Black

Truly appreciate such days to refresh the soul and body. Best of all, I have my darling with me too.

Cafe Melba
A: 90 Goodman Road, Goodman Arts Centre, Block N #01-56, S(439053)
T: +65 6440 6068
E: info@cafemelba.com.sg
W: www.cafemelba.com.sg

Opening hours: 10am to 10pm (weekdays); 8:30am to 10pm (weekends & PH)

The Bank Bar & Bristo

Looking for a quiet place for breakfast or brunch? Recommend a perfect place in Shenton Way that serves excellent food and without the crowd over the weekends.

Starting in July 2013, The Bank is offering their weekend special from 11am – 6pm, for every paying adult (have to order a main course), one child (under 12 years old) gets to eat for free from the kids’ menu.

 

An additional incentive for parents to bring their kids is the children room specially prepared to cater for them. You can either in the comfort of the restaurant or try out the alfresco style dining experience while looking into the children’s room.

 

The bar is well stocked up with all kinds of drinks for the casual drinkers or the serious ones too.

But we were there not for the drinks (maybe next time without the kids). The main deal was the weekend Succulent Roast & Hearty Breakfast.

The Succulent Roast includes either the Roast Chicken set or the Sirloin Steak Set, both accompanied with dessert, in this case the Homemade Vanilla Cheesecake.

I chose from the Hearty Breakfast menu, The Bank Breakfast set. It was really a hearty meal filled with bacon, cheese sausage, ham, hash brown, pan-fried potatoes & mushrooms, omelette and 2 slides of bread.

The girls chose their favourite bolognaise pasta with apple juice.

 

Since we were there to try out the breakfast menu, it has to be the super fluffy pancake/ waffles. I will definitely recommend this dish. It is just a happy thought to have pancakes for breakfast.

No meals with the girls will be complete without ice-creams.

There you go, another nice quiet place for a undisturbed brunch. Give it a try.

The Bank
One Shenton, #01-01, 1 Shenton Way, S(068803)
Sat-Thu: 11am - 12am
Fri: 11am - 1am