Beating the Heat @Ice Cream Chefs

Month of September has been a busy month for me..  To enrich myself while preparing for assignments and upcoming assessment, I have not been putting up posts for the past weeks.

The first time I tried out Ice Cream Chefs (ICC) was almost 3 years ago at East Coast Road, thinking that it was only available in the east.  Only to realise recently that its flagship outlet is actually located in the north, and so near to me, in Sembawang area.



Ice Cream Chefs
No. 12 Jalan Kuras, Upper Thomson
Singapore 577727
Tel: 6458 4849
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/icecreamchefs

Main shopfront with outdoor seating.




Don't forget to "check-in" for their Weekday Specials on specific days of the week!

 

Their colourful array of ice-cream display..

  

ICC "mix-in" in action!

 

Their Homemade Waffle ($3) was so crispy and nice!  It's common to go with chocolate syrup, but icing?!?  It's up to individual's preference.  Still acceptable for me, not too sweet. 
Best complemented with ICC's creations - 2 ice-cream flavours (Large @$5.10), Oreos & Cream (left) and Mrs Smith (right - apple bits & cinnamon in granny smith apple ice-cream).  One word - Delicious!!
FYI:  Each additional mix-in ingredient is charged @$0.90 each.

 

In general, I like their ice-cream creations and variations (be it creamy or fruity flavours).  They have very "local" flavours that are similar to Island Creamery, however am more drawn to their unique twist e.g. With love, Rose (derived from rose syrup with milk drink, called Bandung), Turkish apple tea, Kaya Lotee and Root Beer Float.

 

Additional piece of sharing:  Found a hidden bread shop, The Bread Table in the same stretch.  Perhaps can take-away some bread when it is freshly out from the oven.

  

Birthday Treats @TCC

The Connoisseur Concerto (TCC) is nowhere new or unfamiliar to the locals, but somehow we don't frequent or rave much about the chain boutique restaurants.  I have the TCC membership card thru' a girlfriend for several years without utilising it.  Until recently I got my new card, I started to use during my birthday month.  I must say they have surprised me with their interesting interpretation and variety of main course - pasta.
FYI: For members during birthday month, get to enjoy 50% off on first visit and 30% off on subsequent visits.  On the other hand, GSS promotion for members is 1-for-1 pasta (valid till 28 July 2013)!  Very worthwhile to try their new dishes (revised every now and then, to create novelty for customers)!

The Connoisseur Concerto (TCC)
*Various location

 

Fried Prawns in Martini Glass - Nice!  Filling portion.

 

 

Seafood Aglio Olio - Ordered by my girlfriend and she finished it all.  It was alright for a typical Italian pasta (but she would prefer Coffee Club's).

 

Tobiko Scallop Pasta - This is a fusion Italian pasta with Japanese influence.  Very yummy, appealing and appetising dish!  Slightly more 'soupy' gravy with a light, non-creamy yet special taste.  There were a generous splash of fresh juicy tobiko (Japanese fish roe), scallops and mushrooms.

 

Devil-misu - Something different from the usual tiramisu.  It was made of espresso and mascarpone cream and I feel it's lack of sufficient rum.  Too much of mascarpone cream, putting more biscotti will be better.  In addition, the pair of brandied cherries was overpowering, but with the nice presentation I deliberately overlooked it.

 

Brunch @Chye Seng Huat Hardware 再成发五金

It's always nice to sleep in during weekends..  So after the huge struggle to wake up, we headed for a late brunch @再成发五金 Chye Seng Huat Hardware (CSHH) Coffee Bar earlier this month.  It wasn't that crowded around 1ish on a Saturday, but you got to act fast to find your own seats.  The service staff are very occupied, so you have to self-service sometimes, and get the menu yourself if need be.
[ *Tip ]:  Run for the bar-top seats (in the centre of the shop) if you like to see 'first-hand' those baristas in action!

 

Orders are taken in and placed at the 2 cashier counters near to the main glass door.  PS:  It is really small and cramp in the shop.

 

I feel that it is more of the novelty in its shop name and the shopfront actually assumed the outlook of an old traditional shophouse with metal grills and folding white panel door.  The location is not easy to find, for you can walk past it without realising (also not many parking lots available in that area).  I have to applaud their marketing team for they did such a risky, yet innovative and successful branding for CSHH!  Oh I love the 'triangular'-shaped brown paper bag used for takeaways.  Very smart and nostalgic!  Kudos!!

[*Important Note ]:  The folding panel door is "FAKE" and seal-fixed to the wall.  There are 2 "real" entrance - (1) at the right-hand side grey-coloured door, which normally leads to the upper floors; & (2) thru' the corrugated metal gates outside & next to the building, where there's a "No Parking" sign.

Chye Seng Huat Hardware (CSHH Coffee Bar)
150 Tyrwhitt Road
Singapore 207563
Tel: 6396 0609

 Operating hours (nailed on the exterior side wall):

 

Apparently, they roast their own coffee beans.

  

Have heard about CSHH for some time and there have been many reviews on it, especially its coffee.  Some good, some bad.  It's the same for most places, depending on your own experience, on what and which stuff you choose to order.  Typically, not everything from the "same brand/shop" will be good, only certain item(s) from each brand/shop will be recommended.  As such, hear me out on my choices as follows..

 

Very simplified menu - with limited choice for main course (left-most column), coffee (middle column) and other drinks (right-most column).

 

Espresso + Milk = Latte --> Not "power" enough for me.  The coffee was fragrant, but taste was overpowered by the milk poured in.  Also, the coffee ain't hot enough when served, thus it turned cold pretty quick.  As you know, no coffee taste good when cold, unless it's iced coffee.

Blinis with Cream Cheese & Smoked Salmon - Luv it!!  It's pancakes with cream cheese + smoked salmon.  I don't usually take cream cheese with pancakes due to health preferences, but totally taken in this time!  For the cream cheese is slightly sour, well-matched with the pancakes and saltish smoked salmon to increase your appetite.

 

Scrambled Eggs with Bacon - Satisfactory =)  (Oh I liked the baked beans, different from the usual canned baked beans!)

 

Hazelnut Ginger Tea Cake - I really like it cos' I'm a fan of ginger! haa

There are ginger bits and hazelnuts in smaller chunks hidden in the cake, but not much of hazelnut on the whole.  I exceptionally like the irregular crumbs stuck on the top layer of the cake (wonder how they managed to have those crumbs up there?!?).

 

From the "Hand-Brewed with Love" menu, one gets to select according to own preference from Bright / Balanced / Bold.  Guatamela was recommended by the staff as the Brew-of-the-day for balanced taste was sold out.  Rather nice and smooth on the palate, with a tad acidic aftertaste.

 

In short, their cakes and coffee seemed average.  I do recommend people to give it an attempt, for its interesting concept but not-so relaxing ambience.  Despite how "remote" this place is hidden, tourists are attracted to this joint.  How can we, Singaporeans miss that out?!?

Baci Italian Cafe @I12 Katong

Tonight, we arrived at I12 Katong to try out Baci for dinner.  I like the deco and feel of the shop.  The café requires customers to "self-service", to queue in front of that little black stand to view the menu when we are the only customers having proper meal (does that make sense?!).  So I had to tell the male staff that I want to bring the food and drinks menu back to my seat before I can decide what to eat.  Then customers will have to help themselves with cutleries, serviettes, side plates, sauces etc. at the small corner near to our seat, which we were fine with it.  Until my husband, Ivan noticed my face entirely changed as I returned to my seat with 2 side plates.  For the stack of side plates left there, were all stained (obviously not 100% cleansed thoroughly using the dishwasher), I had no choice but to choose the less dirty ones from that pile (even with plenty of their staff sitting right behind me while I was struggling with the plates.. Since when can a big group of counter/kitchen staff take break and sit at the shop itself?!  first time ever I had seen this!!)!  Immediately, my husband went back to try and choose 2 other cleaner plates.  Then the same staff who told me to queue for order, asked what my husband was doing?!  Ivan responded loudly that their plates were all so dirty, and walked back to our table! *haa*  Still, those 2 plates ain't any better so I had to wipe it with the serviettes.  This was when the group of staff dispersed behind us and we heard noises in the kitchen with plates clicking and all.  But still none of them offer to even change our plates for us.  How degrading can Singapore's standard of service go?!?!!  Arghhh!!


Baci
@I12 Katong
112 East Coast Road #01-07
Singapore 428802
Tel: 6636 0376

First to be served was the mushroom soup.  The soup was thick and sufficiently blended with the mushroom flavour (a bit disappointing not having mushroom bits to chew on), but too salty to be drank on.

Then, came our BBQ chicken pizza.  Pretty ok with the thin crust slightly burnt but not too much, creating the crisp (however it was not very evenly done, as some pieces did not have the crisp around it).  It would be better if BBQ sauce is being spread all over the pizza as the base, instead of just on the outer circumference; and cut the chicken into slices rather than dice it.  Not many consumers will like the many chopped onions sprinkled all over the pizza.

 The seafood linguine my husband had, was really huge and sad.  Only the spaghetti was warm, the rest of the ingredients e.g. fish chucks, prawns were cold!  Bet those were cooked way before the spaghetti was cooked.  So unprofessional!

Real flop!!  Even if you happen to walk past there, don't bother going in for a meal.  However, I do notice the other table only ordered coffee (only 2 tables were occupied, even after 7pm on a weekday!?!).  Maybe they are good at coffee and waffles etc..but who knows?!?  I don't want to go back for self-service and still paying restaurant price.