Is it me or does everyone also feel extra sleepy on a weekend morning? Since sleepiness is a symptom of caffeine deprivation, I decided to get it cured at Department of Caffeine. It's located at Duxton Hill no less - a sleepy enclave located in Tanjong Pagar.


Behind the frosted door lies an oasis in the middle of the sleepy town on a Saturday morning. The approach taken was industrial chic and modernist. Alternative music with the likes of Imagine Dragons and Slow Train gave the place an immediate cool vibe. Hmm this place has good taste in music. And spotted - the expected Gen Z, and surprisingly, families with toddlers (well-behaved versions). The ministers and officers of Department of caffeine seemed to be full force at work behind the counter on this slow-paced morning. Ah I like this place more than my bed already.

Menu items comprised of breakfast classics ranging from sausages to French toasts. My wallet might have tried to run away when it first saw the prices (breakfast items ranged from $13 to $20). But the good thing was there was no GST or service charge so it seemed the prices have taken that into account.

My caffeine remedy kicked off with the latte ($5), which was smooth and the perfect art that decorated it warmed the heart. Although I found it slightly over bitter and sourish, it was acceptable. The cappuccino ($5) was also similar. Based on Department of Caffeine's Facebook, they take sustainably-sourced specialty coffee beans from Five Senses Coffee, Australia, and then apply serious technical know-how to craft caffeinated perfection. Sounds like they are serious about their coffee. 4/5

The French toast ($16, below) which was two loaves of brioche stuffed with maple syrup and bananas, soaked in vanilla yoghurt, and sprinkled with almonds and blueberries sent a sugar rush. Not sure if it was because my tummy had not grinded for the last 12 hours, but I felt sweetly blissful when I tucked into the French toast. The only pity was the bananas seemed to be overly soaked with maple syrup, making it soggy. 4/5

There was no way for me not to order waffles when I see one on the menu. Especially when it comes with ice-cream and peanut butter. Say hello to waffles with vanilla ice cream and peanut butter and jelly ($12.5) - these waffles were crispy on the outside (though not super crispy), fluffy and airy on the inside. The generous peanut butter sauce that drenched the waffles balanced the sweetness of the ice-cream and jam. A little pity that it can be crispier. If I can push my limits in the gym after eating a waffle, certainly a waffle could do better. So I say push the limits, unleash the potential! 4/5

Overall, certainly one of the better places for a brunch. Food quality - checked. Attentive service - checked. Ambience - checked. Takes reservations - checked.

Tip 1: If you have Pickat app, it's 15% off (excluding drinks) with min spending of $20 till 29 Jan 2014, excluding Wed, weekends and public holidays. Download Pickat for free.

Tip 2: They have taken their reservation system online now. Reserve before you head down. Queuing is a waste of life.

Address: 15 Duxton Road Singapore 089481

I have to start by disclaiming that this is not a story about authentic Thai food. This is another story of how I found a gem by following the long queue. Ah Loy Thai located at the basement of Tampines Mall always had a long queue every time I passed by. Like always. Being the typical Singaporean, I made the assumption that the long queue means good food. I am a good follower.

The unassuming hole-in-the-wall that contains the gems.


The pineapple fried rice ($7, below) had a wok hei taste, and the pineapples, prawns and raisins were a great infusion to entice the tastebuds. The eggs were to die-for. Although it tasted more like Chinese Zhi Char fried rice, it made me wanted to go Bangkok immediately. 4.5/5


The Tom Yam seafood soup ($7.50, below) was really spicy. One sip and it set my tongue and belly to flames even faster than I could say "sa-wa-dee-kha". And I think they must have been best friends with their supplier because there were a lot of fresh ingredients: prawns, mushroom, lemongrass and chock-ful of squids. It was like a bottomless pot of ingredients. The soup brought out the essence of the ingredients and the spiciness was well balanced by the sourness. 4.5/5


Loved the Phad Thai ($7, below) which was well done : not too oily and had a wok hei taste to it too. Umani packed thin flat noodles were flavorful and delivered the punch. Again, generous amount of eggs, prawns and beanspouts. This is like my perfect Phad Thai. 5/5


And before we thought the meal would not get any better, the butter calamari ($8, below) arrived. Hail the butter calamari! Every bite was a burst of sweet and savory. Although it's sinful, it's addictive and tasty. 5/5


Meat is very important in a meal so we ordered the pandan chicken ($10, below). Hmmm the chicken was a little tough (frozen meat?). Would give this a miss if we had known. 3/5



Although the food was more like Chinese Zhi Char rather than Thai Thai in my opinion, it's really irresistible and tasty and had us swooning. These were really simple, nothing over the top dishes but that's all it takes to make us contented. And also make us work harder at the gym thereafter. And all these for only $13 per pax which is value for money! There is no service charge or Gst. It would have cost more if we went to other Thai restaurants. There is another outlet at Bugis Shaw towers but I haven't tried it before. Despite the long queues during meal times, this is stuff that I would not regret queuing for. Ok I need to wipe off the drool on my keyboard now.