Cafe hopping by region once again, this time to the better hidden cafes.
1. Shop Wonderland
Shop wonderland is an easily missed shops due to the generous lush of greenery at its front door. With a cafe on a ground floor and a unique retail store upstairs, shop wonderful sure is a heaven for detailed planners just like how its name suggested. Items on sale ranged from bouquets of baby breaths to teapots, where vintage furniture is at its best form.
Except for the fact that the cafe had limited seats, the interior gave off a an individualistic feel. The colourful hanging lights and vintage furniture sure set the mood right for a cafe visit to this shop :> Almost anything on display is for sale , a similar concept to Plain Vanilla Bakery.
While the shop sells a wide array of cakes and sweet stuff, my friend and I settled for their Quiche Lorraine ( S$7.50). I was skeptical about their salt and vinegar crisps (served alongside every savory) initially but the taste gave me a pleasant surprise. With the saltiness and sourness complementing each other seamlessly, I found myself craving for more. The quiche on the other hand was served hot and I thought it was a smart move. While it might be a little oily, I personally liked the crust- the sort of crust that crumble in your mouth! They were generous with the slices of bacon and thankfully they were baked to the right degree. As someone who prefers strong flavoured food, I thought the cafe had managed the taste really well. Due to the oil that was already present, adding too much a cheese would be displeasing and vice versa. It was an addictive taste and because the quiche was shared between my friend and I, we finished it up in no time. It definitely was worth the try!
My friend gave the babycino (S$3.50) a try and I had to say it looked pretty tempting! Topping off the frothy milk with cocoa, it was a warm drink which filled the stomach. More cafes are having such a drink on their menu so be sure to check them out when you aren’t in the mood for any coffee or tea.
37 Haji Lane Singapore 189230
10am-8pm
FB: https://www.facebook.com/wonderlandfordetailedplanners
cr: http://www.eatprayflying.com/tag/cad-cafe/
2. CAD cafe
It is almost impossible to miss CAD cafe. Located at a bent along haji lane, the wall of graffiti will capture your attention in a way or another. While it aims to be a gallery cafe, it decors did felt a little out of place to me. With street art and well elaborated graffiti painted outside the cafe, the inside wall held up neatly framed portraits which spelled a different form. The furniture and lighting felt vintage and it seemed as if the cafe could not decided on which art style to go towards.
Interior aside, I ordered a Smoked Salmon Bagel(S$12). While the wait was horrendously long, it was my first attempt chomping down a bagel. The appearance did not look any special but the best part was the generous amount of salmon. With the thinly sliced salmon stacking upon each other, it was a rather filling meal though the bagel was honestly a little too hard for me. Or maybe I am just not a bagel person. On the side note, I thought that having grapes as the sides was an awesome idea. The refreshing squirts of juices washed out the taste of caper cream cheese, a nice end to comfort food.
Though I did not go for any drinks, coffee seemed to be its specialty so I guess it would be a safe choice for all the cafe hoppers out there!
23 Haji Lane, Singapore 189216
Mon: Closed
Tue – Wed: 08.00 – 22.00
Thurs – Fri: 08.00 – 12.00am
Sat: 10.00 – 12.00am
Sun & Public Holiday: 10.00 – 22.00
FB: https://www.facebook.com/coffeeartdesign
3. Stateland Cafe
You know it is opened by young entrepreneurs the moment you stepped in. Unexpectedly, it is indeed founded by 3 guys and this cafe aimed to bring out the industrial feel through its dark walls and black and white portraits. Just when you thought this cafe was fresh enough with the concept they chose, wait till you taste the food. While the menu included the classic Eggs Benedict and French Toast, they had included their house special red velvet waffles ( which I had yet to try) and their honey thick toast.
My friend and I shared the Classic Honey Toast ( S$11.90) and i had say this was the best treasure of the day. Served with a plate full of contrasting flavours, I was on cloud nine. The toast was served fresh and hot but the ice cream cooled it right before its entry into your mouth. The berries were slightly sour but the honey supplemented some sweetness into it. Flavours on complete opposite ends blended well with each other and it sure was a work of art.
When the menu mentioned THICK toast, it was literally thick. With a slight crisp on the outside, the inside was surprisingly moist. As far as I’ve known, I had not found any similar dishes and it sure is a must try in the house. With sweetness added to a supposed savoury dish, it gave me a warm fuzzy feeling and I would definitely be back for more :>
For a newly opened cafe this year, the existing crowd had already made this cafe reputable. With Stateland steadily climbing its way up, do pay a visit for this unique cafe before it really gets too crowded!
30 Bali Lane Singapore 189866
Mon, Wed, Thu 12pm – 10pm
Sat 12pm – 12am
Sundays: 12pm – 10pm
Comes and Goes 