Have you ever wondered if there are options available for non-meat lovers? For today’s Munchy Monday, we will be featuring two cafes that are within the same district but serving totally different things: Café Salivation – a cafe for all vegans and vegetarians, as well as Milk & Honey Yoghurt – a little cafe selling an array of yoghurts located in City Square Mall.
Café Salivation
by Jacqueline Yeo and Zelene Lee
Café Hopping should not have a limit – vegans should have the rights to café hop too. Unlike many other cafés available in Singapore, Café Salivation serves food suitable for vegans and vegetarians (and also to those who want to try non-meat meals).
Situated away from the city area along the stretch of shophouses in Race Course Road which is less than a minute’s walk from Farrer Park MRT Station, it is perfect location to chill and dine with your friends, even though the name sounds a tad weird when we first heard it. It is a convenient place to head to for car-less foodists who are repelled by the hassle of having to hunt down eateries under the scorching hot sun and perspiring before sitting down to savour a meal.
Food:
This generously portioned two-layered lasagna is highly recommended to all – vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike – who may desperately want to satisfy their meat cravings but do not feel like having meat. The chewy, yet tender soy granules will not disappoint anyone and unlike the typical lasagnas which are overwhelmed with cheese, this is sufficiently flavourful and excellent for those who dislike lasagnas to be too heavy on the tastebuds. Amazingly, it also leaves the mouth with a good kick of spiciness with each bite and accompanied with tomato sauce, the tanginess neutralises the rich and creamy cheese layer, striking a balance between sweet and savoury.
While the photo is not doing this dish justice, the thinly sliced mushrooms that is sautéed with onions, a dash of oregano and chilli is very flavourful, especially when paired with the specially made turmeric and chia seed bread. The butter on the bread completes the herbaceous taste, giving it a creamy texture that is very satisfying. Note: for those looking to pack in more nutrients in your diet, chia seeds are famed for their omega-3 contents.
The ‘Nirvana’ is one of the most popular freshly-made juices on the menu. A refreshing mix of guava and lime lightly sweetened by honey, this is the perfect drink to wash down any savoury meal!
For those who expect to see a pink concoction because of its name, you may be baffled by Pink Mango’s bright yellow colour. However, unlike many other fruit smoothies available in the market that is either slushy or icy, Pink Mango is creamy and rich like yoghurt, and leaves a tangy taste after – perfect for those with a sweet tooth. We were also amazed by the how an addition of rose syrup seemed to enhance the flavour of the drink.
Ambience:
The restaurant follows a colour scheme of purple, orange and pink, suggesting a hint of Indian flavour which can be expected since it is situated in Little India. Overall, the restaurant gives off a comfortable and homely impression, which means that there is no pressure to dress up!
Price:
The prices for the main dishes mirror that of standard cafes’, but is definitely worth the value considering the portion of food given, even though there is no meat-product involved as it is a vegetarian restaurant. Nonetheless, the price of the drinks is slightly on the higher end.
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Café Salivation
176 Race Course Rd
Singapore 218607
Tel: 6298 1412
Opening Hours: 10am – 10.30pm
Milk & Honey Yogurt
by Hong Ziru and Kirstin Sow
At first glance, the white and simple store front of Milk & Honey may seem nothing fanciful, and you would assume what they would serve might be just as simple – however, you would be very much mistaken indeed. This artisan yogurt and dessert bar serves up some of the most exquisite and intricate yogurt parfait creations that you can find, and their handmade toppings are the main draw of the store that is guaranteed to be a feast for anyone’s eyes!
Food:
Milk and Honey offers nine unique signature yogurt parfaits, however, for those of you who are slightly adventurous, you can design your own parfaits – from a single topping to a maximum of six toppings. Apart from the popular flavours such as honey, chocolate and fruits, we went for the most unusual – Lilac Dream ($6.80).
Lilac Dream is layered with five toppings: a base with cubes of lavender jello and tangy blueberries, lavender meringues, plenty of lavender sauce and a lavender macaron that sits atop the yogurt; the combination of all the lavender flavours wasn’t over-powering or too cloying. Instead, the lavender sauce complimented well with the smooth and sourish yogurt and blueberries, and the chewiness and fluffiness of the sugary macaron and meringues gave it an added texture.
The matcha azuki parfait ($6.80) we had next was in our opinion the best of the three we had for the day. Drenched with a generous topping of green tea sauce, it was bitter and sweet – balanced and satisfying. The green tea meringue and Valrhona Noir chocolate pearls gave the yogurt an added crunch, and so did the macaron which was chock full of matcha flavour when you bit into it. The Hokkaido red bean paste used was delightful, as you can distinguish the bits of red beans on the tongue, giving it an added spectrum of sensory pleasure.
The last yoghurt that we had, To-Coffee ($6.80), was disappointing sadly. A mixture of toffee and coffee flavours, the hint of coffee is only present in the jello and nowhere else. While the white Valrhona pearls would have made a good complement to the bitter coffee, in this case it stood out as being far too sweet. However, we did enjoy the coffee jello as it was unexpectedly chewy.
Ambience:
The open concept of space, coupled with the use of warm yellow, makes the entire cafe stand out as bright and airy, and not suffocating despite being located in a mall. Everything is kept simple and neat, and the placement of cushions as well as seats with arm rests adds on to it, giving it a cosy feeling that is great for a couple of friends to meet up and have a yogurt.
Price
The signature yogurt parfaits range from $6.80 to $9.80 – pretty much depending on the flavours you pick. Designing your own yogurt will set you back at $4 for one topping [Petit], $6.80 for four toppings [Moyen] and $8.80 for six toppings [Grand]. The prices here are a tad expensive; however for the serving size, one could consider sharing the yogurt with a friend.
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Milk & Honey Artisan Yogurt & Dessert Bar
180 Kitchener Road
#02-K14, City Square Mall
Singapore 208539
Opening hours: 11am – 10pm
Tel: +65 6834 3040
WIN!!
We are giving away 5 x Lunch Sets from Cafe Salivation!
To win: 1) Like our Facebook post, 2) Tell us: What were the 2 dishes that we had at Cafe Salivation?
