Loving B Bakery

Tucked in a quiet corner of Bussorah Street, its easy to miss this tiny, understated cafe. But there's nothing simple or understated about B Bakery's manjara chocolate cake. It is a painstaking creation of chocolate sponge layers, enveloped between rich chocolate ganache and a lemon curd layer. The lemon penetrates through the chocolate layers, giving the entire dessert a wonderful tangy flavour.


The tiramisu was also light, moist and fluffy, leaving me one happy customer. The best part of it all - the price. Two gorgeous slices of cake and an iced mocha for only $12. Definitely value for money.
It's truly the perfect spot to chill, relax, survey the damage and count your shopping bags after a satisfying day of trotting down Haji Lane!

Sweeet factor: 4/5

B Bakery
15 Bussorah Street

Ode to my dad, the epicurean

I know this blog has so far been about sweets, but it is X'mas, so do indulge me.
And trust me, the subject is remotely relevant. Because my dad is what he believes to be a true gourmet. (the rest of us prefer the term "wolverine")
So much, that X'mas shopping for the man was a true headache and quite a nightmare, cos apart from food, I had no idea what to get him.
My dad's a real guy's guy who has few pleasures apart from the tasty.
How is he a real rock of a man?
Let me count the ways:
1) Real men don't use cologne.
I opened dad's wardrobe recently to find three very familiar half-full (evaporated) bottles of expensive cologne.
One was a birthday gift from my sister's ex-boyfriend. (she is now married with two kids. the elder boy is almost 6 years old)
The other two were also birthday gifts, from when dinosaurs still roamed the earth.
The caveman's theory: Why use pricey cologne when you can use $5-a-can of deodorant from the supermarket?
Real men think it's more sensible to let Hugo Boss and Ralph Lauren go to waste and pay an extra $5 for Lynx from the supermarket.
So, cologne for X'mas is OUT.
2) Real men wear cotton
Dad has, in his wardrobe, stacks of unworn new shirts and even boxes of new underwear - a feeble attempt by mum to transform a real man into a metrosexual.
But real men don't wear underwear with other men's names on them. Who's Calvin?
And linen shirts? No way. Silk? You are out of your mind.
Cotton please.
Better still if they're not ironed. Bonus if there are holes in them.
So, shirts for X'mas is OUT.


3) Real men are strong and silent.
The phone rings.
Dad answers. Listens for ten minutes. Hangs up.
Mum yells from the kitchen: "Who was that?"
Real man: "Your brother."
Mum: "So? What did he say?"
Real man: "Nothing."
Mum later finds out her brother, who has not been in touch with the family for months, had secretly gotten married overseas, was expecting a child, and needed our help.
But in the world of real men, unless someone won the lottery, everything else is "nothing".
Brevity is a virtue.
Just in case you think my dad's a real Neanderthal who doesn't communicate his feelings, let me assure you that sometimes, he can get all emotional.
It is a common occurence to hear him say: "Who is that >$&*#^ who cut into my LANE??!?"
So to all the real men out there (including the one sitting motionless on my couch pretending not to hear the phone), a very Merry X'mas.
Enjoy your gourmet chocolates!

Merry X'mas, one and all!

What's a Christmas holiday without good food?
But cos it's the season to be jolly, forgiving and all things sweet, I shall not be reviewing any sweets today.
Suffice to say, as long as you're surrounded by family, friends and loved ones, even the plainest cereal cracker will delight your tastebuds and warm your soul.

So, to one and all, a very merry christmas and happy feasting!

Fruit Cake

Yippee! It's that time of year again for rich colourful fruit cakes, brandy-soaked puddings, and yummy eggnog drenched in alcohol!
One of our X'mas creations is this yummy fruit cake covered in nuts.
The gorgeous reds and greens definitely put us in the mood to be jolly!

Our Baker's Tip: Here's my twist on the traditional fruitcake. Top a lemon-flavoured butter cake with honey, mixed fruits and almonds and you've got something new for the festive season.

Pineapple Cake

Nothing fancy about this recipe - just a modest, unfussy pineapple upside-down cake. Traditional in its simplicity, yet extremely satisfying.
Loved it.

Our Baker's Tip: A quick fuss-free recipe. Mine's a little plain but there's lots you can do to decorate this - use walnuts, glaced cherries, macadamia nuts and dried apricots.

Oscar's

If you're craving fine sweets after 11pm, head to Oscar's Cafe and Terrace at Conrad Hotel for tiramisu.
The 24-hour cafe has a limited supper menu, but lack of variety is made up for with quality.
Apart from ice cream, the tiramisu is the only other dessert available, but it's definitely a treat both for the eyes and the palate.
I like this one cos it's rocking with alcohol. Moist, fluffy, and not too sweet.
The biscuits and strawberries provided the perfect icing.

Sweeet factor: 4/5

Oscar's Cafe and Terrace
2 Temasek Boulevard
Lobby Level
Conrad Centennial