A Bagel is a Doughnut with the sin removed – Anon.

Random fact: contrary to some beliefs, the bagel was not created in the shape of a stirrup to commemorate the victory of Poland’s King John III Sobieski over the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Vienna in 1683. It is however, thought to have appeared at around the same century with it being mentioned as a gift for women in childbirth. Whatever the truth of its origins, the bagel (believed to be derived from the transliteration of the Yiddish ‘beygl’, which came from the Middle High German ‘böugel’ or ring) made its way from western Europe to the North America by means of Polish Jew immigrants, it developed into a totally different food culture with the round staple in New York (read: Bagel Brunch in New York).

Two Men Bagel House

Not to be confused with two other guys nearby, Two Men Bagel House started what they claim to be Singapore’s first out and out bagel house since 2014 “located in the depths of Icon Village“. Bros Jerome Lam and Jereborne Lam (real bros or not, it doesn’t matter as long as they’re good bros)  dish out freshly baked, handmade rings of different flavours.  From caramelised onion (my favourite) to multi-grain or melted cheddar cheese , they don’t make that many for each variation (about 9 usually, check their menu for a list), so on busy days some could run out before you can even smell (if you smell…) any trace of bagel goodness!

A usual favourite of mine whenever I’m there would be their all-day breakfast selections, endearingly named with porcine names like Porky, Piglet or even Babe, with one aptly named spam because of the namesake topping. The “bagelwiches” are served piping hot to order and cut in half for easy devouring. Although you have to get ready some napkins because it WILL get messy.

Hold your piggies everyone. Other than some ham, they also have a fuller-bodied menu with pork ribs, beef briskets and more. From time to time, they also have random special edition creations whenever the bros feel inspired! Also , as long as you’re someone who sell bagels,  you MUST have ‘schmears‘, or basically spreads if you so prefer something a bit less savoury and voluminous. Like cream cheese for example!

The Verdict

hole-in-the-wall-ness: [star rating=”3″]
You’ll need to wind around the back wing of icon village, away from the main walkway of big chain restaurants and outlets to find the corridor they’re at, but nothing too challenging if you follow your nose!

Price: [star rating=”3.5″]
A small premium to pay (about $10-12+ for the regular bagels, and $4-6 for schmears) for freshly baked bread and made to order bagelwiches, but nothing too surprising given its CBD environment

Quality: [star rating=”4.5″]
The breakfast bagelwiches could get a tad oily (expected), but otherwise I’ve got nothing on them!

Overall: [star rating=”4″]
They ain’t no jabronis, they’re got thick rings!

Bonus: Watch a video made by some NYP mass communications students!

More Information

Two Men Bagel House
16 Enggor Street
#01-12
Icon Village
Singapore 079717
Tel: +655094125
Email (orders in advance/catering): hello2men@gmail.com
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The post Two Men Bagel House Review – Sin It, Don’t Bin It! appeared first on You Otter Go There.

A balanced diet is having a cupcake in each hand – Anon.

I happened to be in the Tiong Bahru Estate, as I had an apartment for the night before for my other photography works. I know that there was already a bookstore and even a yoga school along Yong Siak Street (one of the more happening enclaves in the area), but Plain Vanilla Bakery and their cupcakes has never exactly caught my eye previously.

Plain Vanilla Bakery

Since 2013, Plain Vanilla has been producing fresh cupcakes, and other cakes and pastries daily. Highlighting their commitment to top quality food, their products are only baked and served on the same day.

The bakery itself has very minimal cottagey, wooden furnishings, with a bright full length window at the entrance for you to peer into rows upon rows of enticing cupcakes. Outside, the seating area is sparse with a few big tables and surrounding long benches. What I liked was that it also designated as a reading area with an eclectic selection of reading materials; something that not many cafes do these days. The wooden swing at their entrance is also something very Instagrammable!

I was there for a quick breakfast, so while I couldn’t resist getting at least one of their cupcakes I also got myself one of their breakfast items, a Brioche bun with baked eggs. Paired with coffee, it’s a pretty good perk me up for the weekend ahead. I just wished I could have more time (and stomach) for their other breakfast items and cakes!

One thing to highlight: they have a lot of cupcake flavours. From the rich chocolatey ones to the fruity, zesty variety, you’ll be really tempted to take a dozen of goodness home to savour!

Verdict

hole-in-the-wall-ness: [star rating=”4″]
Despite having 2 other outlets in relatively convenient places, their flagship store in Tiong Bahru catches on the rustic charm of the entire estate.

Price: [star rating=”3.5″]
A little premium to be made, but still pretty affordable (cupcakes start at $3.90 with better discounts by the dozen, my brioche bun took my at $7).

Quality: [star rating=”4″]
The freshness can be tasted, trust me.

Overall: [star rating=”3.5″]
Whether you like your cafes and other things in life vanilla or not, you’ll find something (usually a cupcake) for you here at Plain Vanilla!

More Information

Plain Vanilla Bakery
Tiong Bahru Flagship
1D Yong Siak Street, Singapore 168641
Tel: 8363 7614
Opening Hours: Monday – Saturday: 8am – 7pm, Sunday: 9am – 6pm
Cupcakes & bakes available from 10am; earliest order collection starts from 10am.
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Cluny Court
01-03A, 501 Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 259760
Tel: 8363 7615
Opening Hours: 8am – 7pm daily
Breakfast bakes available from 8am, and cupcakes & other bakes from 11am; earliest order collection starts from 11am.

ION Orchard
Closed for refurbishment – March 2017 EDIT: They have opened!
B1-06 within IN GOOD COMPANY Concept Store, 2 Orchard Turn, Singapore 238801
Tel: 8299 9422
Opening Hours: Monday – Thursday: 11am – 7pm, Friday – Sunday & Public Holidays: 10am – 7.30pm
Cupcakes & bakes available from 11.30am; earliest order collection starts from 12pm.

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The post Plain Vanilla Bakery Review – Ice Ice Baby appeared first on You Otter Go There.

“I am a coffee fanatic. Once you go to proper coffee, you can’t go back. You cannot go back.”

– Hugh Laurie

UPDATE: VXX has closed.

As recent as 2010, Singapore was hit by a wave of artisan coffee houses, stemming from the Melbourne café scene that has pretty much took over the whole world. It’s no doubt that Singaporeans will always crave for better quality, and will jump on the first available choice AND be more than willing to shell out a premium. However it still remains a cut-throat arena; out of the 391 cafes that opened in 2014, at least a quarter of them didn’t make the cut since. That’s a lot of coffee going both ways!

Also, I personally observe that a lot of these cafés popping up like rabbits aren’t really that serious about the literal meaning of a café; well, the coffee.

Stephanie Phua (Duo Studio)

Stephanie of Duo Studio sought out to disprove that by bringing me to a relatively new coffeehouse in the vicinity of her agency, in Jalan Besar. Speaking of the area, it’s a really under-the-radar and eclectic enclave of coffeehouses and small restaurants!

Creative & advertising agencies similarly have a tough life over here, and she’s glad that she can find such a place just round the corner that not only is a good place to tune out/do work in peace, but also has a satisfying dining experience.

VXX Cooperative

Started by coffee connoisseurs and professionals Joy and Aslam, VXX Cooperative takes pride in their coffee-centric nature, which is evident in the curation of available roasted brews. With a mix of local favourites Nylon Coffee Roasters, Cloud Catcher Roastery (Malaysia), Koppi (Sweden) and Tim Wendelboe (Norway), it’s a special kind of heaven for serious coffee enthusiasts. Coupled with the strong experience of both former baristas themselves, Joy and Aslam are able to bring out the best of what are already among the best roasts in town.

If you wanted to know, “VXX” is something of sentimental value to Aslam, as it is the area code (520) of the district.

I’m a relatively technical person myself, and I love it when being explained to the facts and technical aspects of just about anything, especially food. This was exactly the experience I got; Joy was really patient and enthusiastic to introduce the profiles of the special brews on sale that day and I made an informed choice to get the Nacimiento by Tim Wendelboe. Served in a metal flask, it’s meant to be enjoyed slowly to allow the aromatics time to vaporise and give you an olfactory treat.

If any, their logo is a good representation of their culture: sharp but multi-directional curation. Located at 20 Foch Road, the interior is nicely spaced, minimalistic yet comfortable. The flowery floor tiles were probably because it used to be a dispensary back in the days. It’s not somewhere you’d want to have a 50 seats birthday party at, but like Stephanie, it’s a pretty good place if you want some peace and quiet. When you enter the shop’s front hall you’ll be greeted with a really large flat wooden table, possible with some coffee drips running on it. Take your pick with the merchandise just next to it too, when I was there, I saw some really good chocolate!

In fact, she got so comfy with the place that her coffee choices are simply picked for her and she does not have to worry about not enjoying whatever is served! Joy does not disappoint.

The food menu is something that constantly evolves, but keeps to their principle of serving simple food to a T. I do agree to not over-complicating your food as a café owner as it will rob the attention from the beverages, and turn you into one of those red-velvet-cake-eggs-benedict-please hipster cafés.

Opting for something balanced and light I’ve opted for the banana-walnut french toast, topped up with mascarpone cheese, berries and coffee custard. Stephanie (aka stooffi) got basically what she always orders: a beef chorizo bowl with shaved potatos and tomatoes, topped with a perfectly wobbly *jiggle* onsen egg. According to her this is the third iteration of the same dish, and it is rather different in terms of presentation and preparation style from the predecessors.

There are also several other interesting creations from breakfast items to full lunch menus. I heard the dessert is also to die for, so get them before they change the menu (yet again)!

At the time of writing both Rudi and Joy are taking part in the Singapore National Brewers Cup 2017, happening at Cafe Asia 2017 over at MBS this weekend! All the best!

Verdict

hole-in-the-wall-ness: [star rating=”5″]
Nondescript shopfront, minimalistic furniture, artisan food and beverages? Check!

Price: [star rating=”4″]
While you have to be prepared for some premium in prices, care is taken to prepare the food and (especially) coffee. You won’t feel shortchanged at all!

Quality: [star rating=”4.5″]
See above. Portions are just right regardless if you want a midday snack, or a hearty lunch.

Overall: [star rating=”4.5″]
Definitely a good local effort to bring quality coffee to the scene (a refreshing change in my opinion). They change up every 3-4 months to keep things fresh too, so you won’t get bored.

More Information

VXX Cooperative
20 Foch Road
Singapore 209261
Tel: 8720 0093
Opens daily 9:00am to 6:00pm
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The post [CLOSED]VXX Cooperative with Stephanie Phua (Duo Studio) appeared first on You Otter Go There.