There is no lack of cafes popping up in every corner in Singapore, and rarely do I feel compelled to go back to one that I've visited more than once. Occasionally though, there are a few, and Paddy Hills is one of those that stole my heart. If only it wasn't so inaccessible!!!!! :"( I've got to come back though.
Barely a month old, but it was pretty crowded on a Saturday noon, packed with families and groups of friends who no doubt saw this cafe on social media and braved a trek to the far west to check it out. The breakfast menu is served throughout the day from 9.30am-5pm, while the lunch menu is served from 11.30am-5pm. We went during this period to get the best of both worlds ^^
If you've read other reviews about this cafe, you've probably heard of the long waiting time for the food. It's true. Possibly the only niggle about this cafe which they'll hopefully fix once they get their processes in place. Thankfully our drinks arrived fast enough to keep us somewhat occupied during the wait. Tea is from 1872 Cipper Tea & Co! :) I immediately perked up when I saw this, and while most of the selection seemed pretty typical, we ordered the Bed of Roses ($9) which was a really fragrant blend of pink rose buds. The perfume of the rose tea was infused into the flavour of the tea as well, and was definitely one of the strongest rose teas I've ever tried. Why wasn't the tea pink though??? I was hoping it would be. Haha.
The Iced Chocolate ($7.50) was fantastic. Nothing I've ever tasted before, it's made from artisanal chocolate from Chocolate Naïve, handcrafted in Lithuania. The flavour was robust, and the drink was thick without being overly creamy. It was, simply put, very chocolatey - exactly the way hot chocolate should be. And it came with a yummy piece of dark chocolate on top too. This was SO GOOD.
After half an hour or so, our food finally arrived. And it was absolutely worth waiting for!!! I was so glad :') First up was the Asian Brick ($18). My first thought was, "Where's the french toast?" (at least that was what was mentioned in the description). Turns out the brûlée brioche french toast came in those yummy bite sized buns that were crispy and fluffy all at once. They went wonderfully with the yam ice cream (!!!) on the side, and so did the goreng pisang (fried banana). There was a rather random addition of purple sweet potato on the side, but it was roasted to perfection and I loved it. We used the buns to mop up every bit of the ice cream and butternut squash puree and I was almost purring with happiness at the end of this dish.
Next up was the Hash Hash ($24) which as a stew of roasted baby potatoes, chorizo, sautéed mushrooms and beef shank. There was a decent portion of beef in it, which was tender and easy to eat. Our favourite part of it had to be the sous vide egg which we burst with delight and mixed into the stew to be mopped up by the toasted bread.
From the lunch menu, we ordered the Golden Man Tou Sliders ($23) and I really liked this dish!! A twist on the fried man tou with chilli crab that is typical Singaporean, this dish featured a beef patty and trio of cheese sandwiched between two halves of a crispy man tou. This surprising combination was divine! Dipped in the homemade bbq sauce, it is definitely an east-west fusion done right. And did I mention how incredible those purple sweet potato fries were??!! We couldn't get enough of them. Deliciously crisp with barely a hint of oiliness - can I order a whole bowl of this pleaseee?
And finally, the prettiest item on the menu - the Berry Ricotta Hotcake ($19). Nothing like McDonald's hotcake (though I actually quite like it), this brings pancakes to a whole new level. A single hotcake, thick and fluffy in the middle, crackly on the edges, dressed in a stunning bouquet of edible flowers and berries, with a dollop of ricotta cheese in the middle. The hotcake was lightly sweet, and the berries added a tangy acidity while the creamy ricotta pulled the contrasting tastes into a harmonious blend.
I loved every single item we ordered, and there's more that I would like to try! Also liked how the cafe seemed spacious, despite the crowd and its obvious popularity. The vibe (and perhaps the location played a part here) gave me a fleeting feeling as though I was in a cafe in Melbourne, with a steady buzz that is reminiscent of aussie cafe culture.
Paddy Hills
38 South Buona Vista Road
Tel.: +65 6479 0080
Daily 9.30am-10pm
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