Review: The Living Cafe

This afternoon, my mom suggested heading to a vegan place for lunch. Being an avid fan of meat, I wasn't very excited but thought to myself... YOLO.

The Living Cafe located along Upp Bukit Timah serves vegan food for people from all walks of life. TLC constantly strives to create genuinely healthy food & drinks that are tasty and suitable for even non-vegans or first timers. 

The waitresses were extremely friendly! I was a little taken aback as when I was there the previous time the male waiter looked disinterested and tired. All smiles & eager to help, the lady was extremely patient when we kept asking about the different dishes. I was pleased to know they actually served meat & fish, so it wasn't a fully vegan cafe afterall. Great news!:) My inner carnivore unleashed itself, eagerly flipping through the menu to satisfy my palate. 

Chicken Supreme Burger ($16)

I decided to go with the Chicken Supreme w a side of sweet potato wedges & coleslaw. The chicken burger, as described in the menu is a marinated chicken patty with tomato, lettuce & pineapple with wasabi aioli on a multigrain bun. If you wish to cut down on your carbs, you can opt for lettuce instead of the multigrain bun, though I think it would be a pity passing up on home baked goods;) 

The chicken patty, albeit dry, was saved by the creamy wasabi aioli that fused the burger together. I'm not sure how fattening the aioli was but I'm pretty sure without the aioli it would have tasted subpar & is thus, forgivable. The bun was lightly toasted and had a lovely fluffy texture. I requested for no tomato but sadly the waitress forgot to jot it down. The coleslaw is different from your regular mayonnaise filled coleslaw. Instead they used red cabbage infused with a touch of tangy sauce. It wasn't very to my liking but definitely a healthier option. The potato wedges were, well, sweet potato wedges. Lightly seasoned with herbs and spices I felt it could be better seasoned. Nonetheless it felt good having baked sweet potatoes instead of your usual deep fried ones. 

Grilled Chicken Brown Rice Bowl with Pesto Sauce ($15)

My mom ordered the grilled chicken brown rice bowl with pesto sauce. It comes with shredded lettuce, a medley of vegetables, avocado and lime. Using chicken breast seasoned with a mixture of herbs, it complemented the sauce and the brown rice well. The rice was cooked to perfection & was surprisingly good! This is something I would get if I wanted something hearty and filling. 

Iced Coffee Cappuccino ($5)

We also ordered a glass of iced coffee cappuccino. When requested for sugar, they mentioned they only had gula melaka as they didn't believe in refined sugars and no agave as it is high in GI. I was pretty impressed that they do practice what they preach. Finally! A cafe that actually promises its patrons genuine foods. And surprisingly it went pretty well with the coffee. I'm not a big fan of coffee but my mom found the cocoa beans good.

Raw Chocolate Ganache Tart ($8.50)

We decided on the chocolate ganache tart for dessert. Sweetened with honey and made with coconut and other natural ingredients, it felt like I was feasting on a regular chocolate tart! The 'crust' is made of shredded coconut and moulded into its shape, while the ganache is made from a variety of other healthy ingredients (which I've forgotten whoops!) I would recommend sharing this though. It got too sweet toward the end and I sadly had to leave a portion behind:(

The bill came to $42+ for 2 people. It's definitely not the most affordable place but for the quality of food coming out from the kitchen, it is worth what it is. Feed your body good food & your health will thank you!

Overall TLC is a cafe I wouldn't mind revisiting just to relax with friends or if I ever wanted to detox. They offer a variety of classes like yoga & detox classes for those interested. So do give it a try one day! It's a little out of the way but it's worth a go.

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The Living Cafe
779 Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 269758 (Before 6th Ave)
Tel: +65 6762 8029

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Food: ♡♡♡♡
Ambience: ♡♡♡♡
Service: ♡♡♡♡
Overall: ♡♡♡♡ 1/2

Kith Cafe - Another Day, Another Place.

#ootd #TGIF

For whoever's reading out there, you guys must be wondering why I've been going to cafes alone lately. Simple. I enjoy being a lone wolf, and at this point of time in my life I actually prefer being in the comfort of my own thoughts rather than making small talk with people. I love my friends to death, but I've been feeling the need to retreat in my own shell for a bit.

So as Maroon 5 continues playing in the background of my iTunes, let me start how I feel about where I am right now- Kith Cafe at Park Mall.

A pretty small cafe packed with a decent number of chairs, it's a pretty good place for people-watching or sipping a cup of tea and indulging in a good book or getting some work done (For those people who simply cannot get anything done at home except sleeping)

It was around 3pm when I arrived, so the breakfast menu was closed sadly. Decided to go for a grilled chicken sandwich and a iced honey milk latte. Mmmhmm.

The staff were pretty friendly too. A young, energetic bunch, they're always on their feet with a smile on their face. Good service = moneys' worth. And within 10 minutes my order arrived! Oh did I mention, they have wifi here? Fantastic for people like me who need to use their laptops to get some work done.

Grilled Chicken Sandwich ($12)

Grilled chicken, portobello mushroom, parmesan cheese atop toasted bread with a side of chips

I'm no fan of chips, but I actually finished the 7-8 pieces that was on my plate. I'm not really sure if they were baked by Kith Cafe themselves but it was worth me gobbling down the whole lot. The mushrooms were sautéed to perfection, and the grated parmesan cheese added a nice touch to the simple albeit yummy meal. I have, however, had better sandwiches. So you might want to try something else like the pasta (Which my next door neighbors are having) when you come here. P/s: They're actually squealing in delight whilst looking at the pasta so...

3.5/5

Iced Honey Milk Latte ($6.50)

Although the honey wasn't stirred properly and kind of coagulated to the bottom, it's an extremely refreshing perk-me-up on a hot day like today. Definitely recommend this for the dehydrated and those who like a tinge of sweet in their drinks.

4.5/5

Like I said, cafes have been a new favorite hangout of mine. Even though half the time my mind drifts into how wonderful the ambience of a place is, I know I can't daydream forever and that projects await me.

Kith Cafe
9 Penang Road, #01-01E Park Mall
6338 8611

Opening Hours
Daily: 8am – 10pm

7 Rodyk Street, #01-33
Watermark @ Robertson Quay
6341 9407

Opening Hours
Daily: 7am – 7pm

CSHH l A day spent alone

I was contemplating cafe-visting today after school but decided I needed some alone time with a nice cup of coffee and lunch. So I forgo-ed breakfast and headed to Chye Seng Huat Hardware.

Slotted along a row of shops and located besides a christian bookshop, I nearly walked past CSHH before I took a second look at the sign and realized that was it. Adorned with almost nothing, simplicity is something I would describe the outside. If you didn't know the name, you'd definitely mistake this for yet another shophouse that could, perhaps, specialize in nuts and bolts. The entrance is right by the side of the actual entrance. I thought I was entering a dilapidated part of the 'shophouse' till I realized otherwise.

A very simple cafe, the aroma of coffee beans filled the air, accompanied by the buzzing of pockets of customers laughing over a good lunch. I settled for a seat by the corner of the shop. #foreveralone

Call me crazy, but I find it extremely therapeutic being alone sometimes. Sure, I love the company of close friends over good food. I love being in crowds at times and I sure as hell don't mind speaking in front of hundreds of people. But at the same time, I love being alone. I know Thboy hates eating alone because according to him, "It makes me feel like a loser" but I think a little otherwise. I wouldn't mind being in a cafe having a good latte and being immersed in one of my favorite author's books.

Cappuccino ($5.50)

I decided with the cappuccino. Simply because I'm not the biggest fan of coffee but I needed a perk-me-up. However latte art never fails to amaze me, probably because I know I'd make a hell of a mess if I were to ever be a barista.

I love my coffee sweet and milky, and this was, in my opinion, a little on the bitter side. I would have asked for more sugar and milk but I told myself I had better go easy on the sugar lest I die from diabetes. Nothing to shout about, but one of the better ones out there.

3/5

French Toasts with Banana and Strawberry Slices ($7.50)

I've been on a french toast frenzy the past 2 days. My taste buds were dying for something sweet and which reminded me of my childhood. I initially wanted to go for a smoked salmon sandwich but when the lady asked what I wanted my mouth immediately blurted out "French Toasts with Banana and Strawberry Slices please" with a huge smile on my face. 

Idiot.

But when it arrived, my eyes literally popped. For $7.50, the portion was huge! I didn't expect much. In fact, I was expecting 2 thinly sliced pieces of bread with slices of banana and strawberry stuffed at the side of the plate drizzled with maple syrup. Instead I was served 2 huge, thick slices of bread (Sliced into 4) with banana and strawberries occupying the entire plate and a side of maple syrup drizzled to your liking.

The egg batter could have been sweeter though. It was a tad bit bland for my liking and I only have the maple syrup to thank. But how wrong can you go with French Toast? Thumbs up for the generous portion though.

4/5

Will I visit CSHH again? Definitely. I would love to try their sandwiches and pastries and spend a little more time people watching and sipping on hot chocolate. But for now, it's time to hit the books.

Chye Seng Huat Hardware Coffee Bar

150 Tyrwhitt Road, Singapore

6396 0609

Opening Hours

Tue – Thu: 9am – 7pm

Fri – Sun: 9am – 10pm

xoxo,

Thehungryunicorn