Wonderous Hand-Crafted Ice-cream & Coffee @Creamier

We always hear people say "hidden gem" here & there etc.  This time round, the ice-cream cafe that I want recommend to you is indeed a hidden gem in an established residential estate, Toa Payoh (my old "hometown" where I first resided).

Creamier
Blk 128 Toa Payoh Lor 1
#01-835 Singapore 310128
Tel: 6250 1476
Email: info@creamier.com.sg
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/creamier.singapore


Do take note of their operating hours.  Mondays off!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ THE MENU ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Their menu is displayed clearly on top of the ice-cream counter wall.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ THE INTERIOR ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

The shopfront is actually pretty small and neat.  Seating are very limited.  Thus you can either takeaway or wait around until you find a seat (before ordering).  Otherwise, last resort you can takeaway and eat at the open playground opposite the shop.

 

Wide selection of ice-cream that can make your eyes all dancing and confused.  The flavours will be frequently changed as and when.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ THE TASTE ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Green Tea Latte (*paid $2.50 together with pie) - Milky and smooth like matcha.  Yet reveal a tint of latte at the same time.  A balanced drink.

Creamier also carry Windowsill's pie, but limited selection (only 1 or 2 types).
Lemon Tart ($7.50 per slice; or $10 with any hot beverage) - This was alright.  Not too sour, nor too sweet.  Instead of in the form of a tart, it is more like a slice from a cake.  The bottom biscuit crust was substantial to keep the balance and tone down any sourness.

2 scoops of ice-cream in cup ($5 / $3 for single scoop *Add $0.80 for each scoop of premium flavours) - Summer Strawberries and Earl Grey Lavender. 
Summer Strawberries flavour - It was creamy yet fruity. The sun-ripe strawberries used bring out the sweetness, not so much of sourness present in it.  Makes you just want to dig your spoon more.  *yum yum*
Earl Grey Lavender flavour - An interesting blend.  I always like floral tea, hence this flavour gives me a fragrance in the mouth.  Very nice. 

Waffle topped with 2 scoops of ice-cream ($10.80) - Orange Cranberry Vodka and Rum & Raisin.
By far, the best waffle I have eaten!  Its crisp to the right extent, easy to cut thru' with the fork and comfortable texture when into the mouth. 
Orange Cranberry Vodka flavour - Quite a refreshing combi.  Vodka is lightly added into the mix, not too bitter nor strong.  Though vodka is not my favourite, it somehow turns out to be quite nice.
Rum & Raisin flavour - Yes, at last someone puts more rum into the ice-cream!  You can definitely taste the both the rum and the raisin present, for the dried raisins are drenched in rum liqueur.  Cheers!

It is always very interesting to make my friends guess what flavour or ingredients it contain (as I was the one placing the order).  I especially like their concoction of fruit with liqueur, everything are mixed in proportion without overpowering either ingredients. The endless possible combination make your imagination run wild, beyond border and region.  They also have localised flavours as well e.g. Mochaholic, Richest Dark Chocolate Ferrero, Sea Salt Gula Melaka and Horlicks Chocolate Chip.

I will give my 2-thumbs up for this cafe's ice-cream!  Each new flavour they invent, just makes me want to come back again.

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.

  

Ice-Cream Buffet @Seventh Heaven, Orchard Central

As greedy as can be, we bought the Seventh Heaven ice-cream buffet vouchers from Groupon (when it came out) almost instantly.  Can't wait for an icy feast!
[*My Tip]: Reservation is recommended for big group gathering.

Seventh Heaven
181 Orchard Road
#02-31/32 Orchard Central
Singapore 238896
Tel: 6884 7510
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/seventhheavensg

 

Stepping into the little shopfront, we are immediately bowled over by the wide selection of ice-creams and sorbets.  There are two full display fridges (but too bad Lychee Martini was not available that day)!

 

1.  Twin Sesame - Not in my favour, though black sesame has always been one of my favourite ice-cream flavours.

2.  Malty Oreos - Nice try to have one of our local flavours, Horlick with oreo biscuit bits.

3.  Matcha - Japanese green tea flavour.  Would prefer it to have some of the original bitter aftertaste from the matcha.

4.  Potato Chip Shatters - Can barely see the potato chips nor taste it, for they are so itty-bitty.

5.  Finest Rum & Raisin - Very rich rum taste (provided you like liquor) and smooth.  Must-try!

6.  Little Red Velvet - Contains chunky bits of red velvet cake.  Can't make out what exactly is the flavour.  Nothing distinctive about it.

 

7.  Salty Caramel - Yes, I can taste the saltiness but not so much of the caramel.  Still room for improvement.

8.  A-Maizing Pop - It was actually sweet corn and popcorn.  Interesting combi!

9.  Black Forest - Made of chocolate and rum.  Pleasant, though ice-cream melted faster than usual.

10.  Strawberry & Cream - Simple, yet nice..  Creamy strawberry taste. *smile*

11.  100% Chocolate - as the name states, nothing but chocolate.  So I would expect to have loads of rich chocolate in it.  Tad too sweet.  Would have been more palatable if it is made of dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate.

12.  Peanut Butter Brickle - Made of peanut butter and chocolate.  Tasted alright.

 

After finishing up 12 scoops of ice-cream with my Sister, besides feeling coldness, we couldn't seem to feel full in our stomachs.  So we ordered one of their hot dishes cum appetisers, Chicken Noodle Soup.  Making us very happy, it came with lots of potato chips on the side.  A savoury, yet light clear soup with boiled skinless chicken chunks and very thin yellow noodles.  Warm and comforting for our tummies.

 

13.  Superman - This is a raspberry flavour, though blended with flashy colours, it is not exceptionally tasteful.  A bit disappointing for its mismatch between the attractive appearance and mediocre taste. 

14.  Grape Sorbet - Very strong grapey flavour, although it was very sticky in texture (for a sorbet).  Quite nice.
15.  Cotton Candy - Besides getting fascinated by the cute colours, nothing much in the taste though.  It tasted somewhat like vanilla flavour.

  



16.  Yuzu - Mandarin orange and grapefruit sorbet.  Sour yet satisfying.  Exceptionally good and refreshing to have, after having so much creamy ice-creams.

17.  Chocolate & Jack - This is chocolate with whiskey.  Can obviously taste the whiskey in it!  Yummy!

18.  Creamy Durian - Indeed very creamy as the name indicates!  Can't take in much of this, as durian itself has a very rich taste.

 

[ My Verdict ]:  On the whole, their ice-creams are more on the creamier side, and sorbets are more clumpy rather than soft and icy in texture.  In terms of creativity in ice-cream inventions, not much as their selection are pretty much the same as other ice-cream shops.  With only a few that stood out (i.e. Potato Chip Shatters) but lost in taste, without its primary ingredients' taste.  While flavour-wise, the fruity ice-creams definitely score higher than the rest, being more flavourful and tastier with strong dashes of fruits.  Probably their artisan dessert creations are better, but I didn't get any "super high" or extremely good reaction from neighbouring tables (who were not having the ice-cream buffet).

Appetising Ice-cream Creations @Cold Stone Creamery

I was first drawn into the store by its strong fragrance exuding from its waffle.  Therefore, one day I did something that I rarely do.  I queued for the 2nd time in my life for more than 30min (in case you are wondering, the 1st time was at Melben's crab for more than 1hr!)

Luckily, the Cold Stone Creamery have many staff at work and they had worked fast for the never-ending, long queue of customers waiting in line, so we could get our desired ice-cream fix within approx. 40min. (During my most recent visit, surprisingly no one was queuing and the wait was less than 10min.)  Well, the hardest part would be to find seats, unless you pop by during mealtimes or don't mind sitting along the high bar-top chairs.

Cold Stone Creamery
@Orchard Central
181 Orchard Central Road
#01-09/10
Singapore 238896

Signboard menu overhead to choose what you would like to have - ice-cream, smoothies and shakes.  3 sizes of ice-cream available namely, "Like It"; "Love It"; & "Gotta Have It" -->  "Like It" is just nice for 2 to share after having a full meal. Y(^,^)Y

 

Simply love their Signature Creations!!!! 
You gonna try it for yourself to know how well each combination is!

Each time, I tell myself to try a different Signature Creation (so far, I have only managed to try 4 of them & I like each of them!).  The main difference that sets Cold Stone apart from Marble Slab, is really their great combinations for each of the Signature Creations.  They just seem to go so well together!

This time round, I was having Cheesecake Fantasy with my Sister (her 1st time of course! keke).  Love this combination of power berries, cheesecake ice-cream with graham bits!  Waffle was nice.  *thumbs up*

 

Will always head back for more whenever my sweet tooth acts up and provided there is no extremely long trailing queue!