bistro du vin, shaw house

this place is an institution for french food in singapore – and to my mind, rightly so. it’s been around for years but I’ve only got to it recently, and I like the food and the vibe. it feels like your round-the-corner french bistro (if you’re lucky enough to have one), with decor that recalls that balanced kitschy-but-cool decor I associate with paris.

there are two classes of french food – the poncy, and the rustic. my tastes run to the latter, which is what they do here, served up hearty and without fuss.

spathe public house, clarke quay

sigh, meh. it’s a friday and I’d hate to be depressing, but the food here falls right into the new-cafe-with-uninspiring-food category. it’s not the easiest cafe to get too, especially if you’re on public transport, impractical heels and under the (darn-it-still-blistering-) hot sun that so hates loves us in singapore. and at the end of the trip, to be smacked met with a lackluster brunch – well, it doesn’t make one cheery at having got up early, eh?

the best part of this meal was that they topped up my nutella without charging me anything, and service can be pretty friendly (when present).