Pollen @ Gardens by The Bay

I've visited Gardens by The Bay twice so far this year. Once was with an out of town visitor to catch the tulips flown in from Holland; the other time was to see the orchid show.

Some of the prize-winning orchids on display

People seem to love taking pictures outside amongst the Avatar-esque surroundings, but I'm more interested in what's inside. The temperature inside the domes is a pleasant change from the humidity outside and feels less artificial than regular air conditioning.

I'm not a huge ice cream fan, but I have to admit the gift shop has an interesting selection of alcoholic ice creams. They carry flavours ranging from the staple rum and raisin to the more unfamiliar soursop vodka. There are also non-alcoholic ice creams available for those who don't particularly fancy alcohol in their dessert.

The Terrace menu

If you ever need a break from being on your feet or from the swarms of people, I'd recommend popping in to the Pollen cafe at the Flower Dome.

The food menu isn't extensive, but is more than serviceable for teatime or a simple lunch. If you're looking for something more filling, there's always the actual restaurant which has a wider selection of dishes. Personally, I prefer the cafe which is perfect for a little chat with friends or for people-watching.

Mixed almonds & olives with manchego cheese

I've tried the linguini alla puttanesca, the mixed almonds & olives with manchego cheese, and focaccia with olives. I guess it depends on how peckish you're feeling, but my favourite was the linguini alla puttanesca which is a simple dish but not always executed well. I'm pleased to say that the puttanesca sauce was on point and that I devoured the linguini. The other olive dishes are also tasty, but best for sharing as they are more like appetizers or snacks.

Flat white & focaccia

Both times I had the flat white which was very satisfying. Perhaps I'll try the white ginger lily tea or the pollen colada (malibu, coconut water, coconut flesh and pineapple) on my next visit.

The Terrace @ Pollen
Flower Dome, Gardens by The Bay
18 Marina Sands Drive #01-09
Singapore 018953

Maki-San

Maki-San is great for a quick lunch although the queue has a tendency to wrap around the corner during office lunch hours on weekdays.

Unagi, spring onion, avocado & other trimmings

What the customise your sushi menu looks like

I was pretty pleased with my mega-san with grilled eggplant, avocado, sweet corn, boiled egg, grilled unagi, spring onion and some spicy mayo. I also have heard that the soy wrap with brown rice is no less tasty than the more traditional nori wrap with white rice.

For those who have trouble making decisions, fret not since there are also interesting rolls like the Kevin's Bacon-San or the Miso Hungry-San available for those who aren't interested in ticking a bunch of boxes.

The decor

The adorable boxes that the sushi rolls are served in

If you're in the mood for some Japanese fusion rolls, I'd definitely recommend Maki-San for a quick and easy meal. Oh, and the website is definitely worth checking out.


Maki-San
2 Handy Road, #B1-17/18
http://www.rollwithmakisan.com

Kilo @ Pact

M. with her hat on while examining the menu

Today I had post-gym brunch with M. and D. at Kilo at Pact. Since moving back to Singapore I've been meaning to try out some new cafes and restaurants and write about them, but have put it off until now. Hopefully this will change.

Kilo's Orchard Central location was definitely a plus for the three of us since it is in such close proximity to our respective gyms and yoga studios. On this particular Saturday during the long weekend, the cafe was thankfully not too crowded. All the tables in the space were occupied, but the bar area was fairly empty.

The weekend brunch menu

M. was disappointed to learn that the lunch set combo inclusive of a drink, dessert and a salad or sushiro or bowl is only available on weekdays. However, they did have the brunch menu since it was the weekend.

Salmon Avocado Sushiro

M. settled for the Salmon Avocado Sushiro. It seemed to be more similar to an asian-style rice burrito than a typical sushi roll. We were surprised by the size of the portion, since M. and I expected a single sushi roll despite the waitress saying that it is actual quite a substantial serving.

Pork Belly Bowl

D. ended up going with the pork belly bowl that is served with sweetcorn, radishes, sugar peas, cherry tomatoes, bean sprouts, avocado, shimeji mushrooms and avocado sprouts. The balance of the protein and veggies is appealing, but D. felt that the sauce was a tad too sweet for her liking. I had a taste and found it tasty enough, but sure enough a little overly saccharine especially considering that the sweetcorn and cherry tomatoes have a natural sweetness of their own. This might just be a matter of personal preference though.

I ordered the Shakshuka off the brunch menu. My love for Shakshuka is so great that I typically order it whenever I see it on a restaurant's menu. Alongside Eggs Norwegian (a variant of Eggs Benny), it's my go-to brunch staple.

Shakshuka

As a result, I was a little disappointed with my order. I felt it was lacking some bite and couldn't taste the usual spices that one finds in a Shakshuka. It wasn't bad by any means, but it certainly wasn't tempting enough for me to finish the entire bowl. Perhaps the Portobello Benedict would have been a better choice.

The verdict: the ambiance at Pact was nice and it was interesting to take a peek at the adjoining hair and nail salon and shop. However, as much as I'm tempted by the sound of the mentaiko spaghetti tossed with cod roe and spring onions or the ebiko cream angel hair pasta with sauteed prawns on the dinner menu, I'm not exactly in a rush to go back to Kilo anytime soon.

Kilo@Pact
181 Orchard Road, Orchard Central #02-16/17/18/19
Open Tuesday-Sundays 11.00-22.00 (closed between 15.00 and 17.30)
http://www.visitpact.com