carpenter and cook
I must be the only person in Singapore who is not raving about the new boutique cafe, Carpenter and Cook. It's a short drive from my place and walking distance from my parents' place, so I was quite looking forward to having a potential new hangout place for coffee.
Last week C and I had lunch there with The Bun. It's very prettily done up, with vintage stuff like typewriters and weighing scales for decor (and for sale). I like the mish-mask of chairs and tables, particularly the restyled Singer sewing machine tables - very reminiscent of my childhood. All their food is baked on their premises which is also very nice because everything is freshly made, plus the cafe is filled with the lovely smell of baking.
Their portions, however, are teeny tiny. I had a piece of quiche that was just a little larger than the palm of my hand - $7. It was good and creamy on the inside with a crisp (but overly salty) crust. C had a bacon brioche that didn't seem very brioche-like (in texture) and actually reminded us of the type of bread bun that you buy at local chain bakeries like Breadtalk or Four Leaves.
Tiny piece of quiche
As we were eating, the both of us commented that we felt like we were eating an appetizer instead of lunch. With two drinks and our measly portions, our bill came up to $24. I wouldn't have minded so much if the food was outstanding, but it wasn't. It was good, but not blow-your-socks-off great. The service was also slow and a bit disorganised, perhaps because of the lunch rush. Anyway, C and I were too turned off by our meal to bother with the pastries. They looked quite tempting but $5 for a mini-loaf that is the size of The Bun's fist is pretty pricey.
Unimpressed
Not that his opinion should count, but The Bun took a bite each of quiche and brioche, then rejected them completely, preferring instead to lunch on a packet of plain Meiji crackers. Dry crackers - maybe that says it all. Everyone else seems to be giving them rave reviews, though, so perhaps after I've recovered from my sticker shock I'll pop by again to try their baked goods. After I've had a decent lunch.
Last week C and I had lunch there with The Bun. It's very prettily done up, with vintage stuff like typewriters and weighing scales for decor (and for sale). I like the mish-mask of chairs and tables, particularly the restyled Singer sewing machine tables - very reminiscent of my childhood. All their food is baked on their premises which is also very nice because everything is freshly made, plus the cafe is filled with the lovely smell of baking.
Their portions, however, are teeny tiny. I had a piece of quiche that was just a little larger than the palm of my hand - $7. It was good and creamy on the inside with a crisp (but overly salty) crust. C had a bacon brioche that didn't seem very brioche-like (in texture) and actually reminded us of the type of bread bun that you buy at local chain bakeries like Breadtalk or Four Leaves.
Tiny piece of quiche
As we were eating, the both of us commented that we felt like we were eating an appetizer instead of lunch. With two drinks and our measly portions, our bill came up to $24. I wouldn't have minded so much if the food was outstanding, but it wasn't. It was good, but not blow-your-socks-off great. The service was also slow and a bit disorganised, perhaps because of the lunch rush. Anyway, C and I were too turned off by our meal to bother with the pastries. They looked quite tempting but $5 for a mini-loaf that is the size of The Bun's fist is pretty pricey.
Unimpressed
Not that his opinion should count, but The Bun took a bite each of quiche and brioche, then rejected them completely, preferring instead to lunch on a packet of plain Meiji crackers. Dry crackers - maybe that says it all. Everyone else seems to be giving them rave reviews, though, so perhaps after I've recovered from my sticker shock I'll pop by again to try their baked goods. After I've had a decent lunch.