The Book Cafe

Had a free day so decided to go to a cafe to catch up on some reading since I haven't done that for damn long. K doesn't like to read (although he denies it) but I'm a bookworm. Or I used to be until uni took up all my time. 

Have wanted to visit the Book Cafe for damn long since I read so much positive reviews about it online. But I've got to say, unless you have a car, it's really really inconvenient to go there. You've got to walk quite a bit, probably 500m to the nearest bus stop, and doing it in the middle of the afternoon with the sun beating down on you wasn't fun. But at least we didn't have much trouble finding the place thanks to GPS.

Passed by some really nice shophouses on the way there. 

I have got to say I was a bit disappointed with The Book Cafe. Having read all the positive reviews, I expected the place to be more spacious and cosy and home-y. But in reality it was actually quite small and crammed up. But I do still like the atmosphere that it gives. There were some ang mohs sitting outside using laptops and stuff (there are power points) but it was too hot so we headed inside.

It wasn't really crowded that day, probably because it's a weekday, so we had no problem snagging one of the famous sofa seats.

And yes, I admit that the sofa seats are really really comfortable. You kind of sink in into the cloth and just feel very enveloped. Quite a nice feeling I must say.

They have quite a large selection of books and magazines, as you can see from the shelves. But with the space so cram, I really don't think you'll have much desire to walk up/behind other tables just to take a look at the available choices. A guy (the one sitting with the girl in the previous photo) did, and he kind of bumped into another table. So I would say it's better to just read your own  book/use your own laptop/read the newspapers provided.

The staff were all really friendly, non of the black face attitudes you see in other cafes (like The Raindrop Cafe, urgh), and they won't really disturb you after you've made your order so you can just sit there for hours reading and you won't get chased away. So I actually did enjoy the ambience and environment. But K said he preferred Starbucks as he wasn't very impressed with the menu, and he also prefers the Starbuck atmosphere.

So like I said, K didn't really like the place that much (I felt that it was pretty nice though), so we weren't expecting to stay long. So in the end we only ordered a drink to share.

The ice cocoa with marshmallows ($7 after GST) was a bit too pricey in my opinion. It wasn't really thick and chocolatey like how I liked it to be, and there were only four marshmallows. :( Presentation wise it was pretty decent, but just felt like the taste did not match up to the price.

Song Fa Bak Kut Teh

On wednesday we actually had plans to head to Marina Barrage for a picnic, but the whole schedule got messed up since we woke up really really late. So in the we decided to satisfy my BKT craving and then head for a movie instead.

And...

My favourite BKT of all times is Song Fa Bak Kut Teh!

They now have another shop space beside the old one at the cross junction of the main road and the side road. Once you come out from Clarke Quay MRT (the burger king side) you'll see it across the road. The old one is still more popular with customers so it was really crowded compared to the new shop space. But I reckon they taste the same? Since they are the same shop. The new one has air con but you can't really feel it la.

It actually looks more clean and spacious compared to the old shop front. But it somehow lacks the old feel, like this one feels more commercialized and less authentic. But the BKT is still nice la!

 I really like the BKT here because the soup base is just the right amount of spiciness. I went to the one at Outram before but it was too spicy and tasted too much like pepper spam for my liking. The meat also comes off really easily and is not tough at all.

The you tiao wasn't that crispy because I guess its pre-fried, but it didn't really matter because we were drowning it in the soup anyway. The soft dough with all the soup absorbed is just plain happiness. :)

As usual, we ordered their BKTs and you tiao, but because we're short on cash recently we stopped at that. We also ordered two white rice and two water chestnut drink and the bill came to about $20. So far, this is the only BKT place that I like and I always come back here whenever I have BKT cravings!

Do give it a try!

Teadot at Serangoon NEX

After tom yum we went to NEX to chill for a bit. The comfy chairs at Starbucks was taken so we decided on teadot instead. This is the fruit tea frappe, priced at about $6++. Note: this has no tea taste nor frappe taste, it just taste like bubblegum. Those cheapo ones we use to eat from the mama shop when we were younger. AND it was like super cold, you get brain freeze the moment you suck it in.

Best tom yum in Singapore

Finally satisfied my craving for Tom Yum yesterday. I don't know where your favourite tom yum place is, but mine is here.

Fish Sou in the coffee shop along Serangoon Ave 3. It's the one that is opposite Zhonghua Secondary School, at the end right next to the soya bean place. The uncle is a very nice and smiley person, very very kind looking.

Wanted to have double fish but had a very full breakfast. So in the end settled for my usual fried fish tom yum ee-mian. I can't take food that is too spicy but this is just nice for me (but of course I have to eat with milo la, to reduce the spiciness).

I also like the fish soup from bedok, the soup base has bittergourd in it. But I'll introduce it another day. :)