Hidden Gems at Jalan Riang

Sprouting faster than babies, cafes and coffee establishments are on the rise, especially those tucked away from all the hustle and bustle. And, even if you spend your weekends visiting a new cafe every week, you probably wouldn’t finish them all by the end of the year.

Located in a tranquil residential area off Upper Serangoon, a lovingly-converted shophouse occupied by three cafes - The Fat Cat, Jules Cafe Bar, and Wimbly Lu, awaits you. These hidden gems can be found in the back streets of the Braddell Heights Estate (Jalan Riang), walking distance from Lorong Chuan MRT.

Jalan Riang simply reminds me of those small towns in Australia or the States where you might stumble across while driving through. You will always finding something unique, cozy and special about the place, and that's what I like about this estate.
 

Your usual "What shall we have for lunch? Where shall we have dinner later?" dilemma can now be solved!

Jules Cafe Bar

Into their third year, this Australian boutique cafe bar serves an authentic Aussie fare with an array of Australian wines and beers to go along with your food. choice They are also well-known for their Sunday brunch and Grinders Coffee from Melbourne (one of the few places in S'pore that serve such coffee) which is said to go perfectly with their hot favorite, French Lemon Tart.

When entering Jules, you'll be greeted by wooden dining tables and chairs and a homely bohemian-style decor. With its cozy and serene ambiance, one can spend their lazy day away in deep conversations while enjoying every bit on your plate at a reasonable price. Also, a cozy sofa corner with a low coffee table, equipped with some kid's toys and drawing materials makes it a good place to dine with little ones in tow. And, by the end of the day, you'll be rolling out of Jules as happy customers.

Jules has a Day and Night Menu as well as one that is With a dedicated specially to Kids. Going through the menu, we decided to go with Housemade Basil Gnocchi with Smoked Bacon & Chilli Passata and Linguine with fresh salmon, spinach, EVOO, garlic and a hint of chili as our choice.

The wonderful flavor of the tomato base with bacon, cheese and pepper bits and the tender texture of the Gnocchi went excellent together. The Gnocchi themselves were like cherub pillows, which melted in the mouth. Small in size as it already is, am not sure if there is a proper way of eating Gnocchi but I think cutting them into smaller pieces together with the sauce and bacon and slowly savouring it, tasted much better and less heavy as compared to eating the whole piece at one go.

Found a couple of delicious looking and fun to make Gnocchi recipes and I might consider cooking this dish from scratch myself!

As for the Linguine, the key to a good pasta is to get it done al dente which it was. The salmon was not over-cooked, and was smooth and tasty. Though complementing well with the spinach and garlic, we thought the dish could be a little more spicy for that extra power to it.

Heard that their Egg Benedict and Wagyu Burger are other hot favorites and I might just try that on my next visit to Jule.

15-1 Jalan Riang

Serangoon Park

Singapore 358987

Tel: 6858-2827

Opening Hours

Monday, Wednesday - Sunday

8.30am - 10pm

(Closed on Tuesdays)

The Fat Cat

This week, we headed down to Jalan Riang again assuming Wimbly Lu would be open by 12.30pm but we were half an hour early so we settle for a light lunch at The Fat Cat instead which Mom has patronized before, and mentioned that I should too. And, am glad I did.

 

At this puuuurfect casual open-air bistro to chill with friends and family, you'll be spoiled for choice with their wide variety of unique and mouth-watering dishes from their Thai, North Indian and Western Grill stalls, and a bar with alcohol to match.

Calling it the "Asian Marche", with a similar vibe as the original one, The Fat Cat is quietly unassuming but with food which you’ll return for, you'll be in for a pleasant surprise.

 

Saving our stomachs for desserts at Wimbly Lu, we shared a plate of Chicken Masala and Rogan Josh (Non-spicy Kashmiri Style Mutton Curry) with Naan. The curries were heavenly; the best I've ever tasted. The gravies for both were thick and rich in flavor, just the right consistency. The tenderness of both meats were just right. They were bite size which was easy to eat especially eating it with the Naan. Not a fan of mutton, you know how the meat has this strong gamy smell and taste as compared to other meats but not for Rogan Josh. In fact, we preferred it to the chicken masala.

From the bright colors of the different ingredients used, this visually appetizing Papaya Salad just burst with flavor in the mouth. Spicy with a twinge of sourness and sweetness; it was mind blowing, and like what Singaporeans usually say, "Damn shiok!"

15 Jalan Riang

Serangoon Park

Singapore 358987

Tel: 6285-5276

Opening Hours

Tuesday - Sunday

11.30am - 2.30pm

5.30pm - 11pm

(Closed on Mondays)

Wimbly Lu

This five month old chocolatier-and-cafe has already set itself in my top 10 list of favorite cafes to chill, and I'm sure it will for you too!

Owners of Wimbly Lu, Lim Wee Bin and Luciana Tan, who after many years as television producers decided to turn their passion for baking and chocolate-making into a homegrown business instead. And, after spending a significant amount of time looking for the right location, they settled on a space in a shophouse row next to Australian boutique cafe bar Jules and Asian bistro The Fat Cat - making for a culinary trifecta of the best kind.

From their signature red-and-white classic early '70s Beetle parked outside which also takes up a prominent spot in the cafe's logo, you won't give it a miss, to being welcomed by an extremely friendly and warm service crew, to their eclectic interior with the mismatched furniture, exposed brick walls, and the glass-roofed dining area at the back where natural light can enter, this cafe already amuses me.

Mom settling in comfortably in her newly found favorite table or rather sofa, which she now claims.

It's the kind of place you know you can be comfortable in with a couple of good friends and family for the afternoon because of this warm homey feel the entire cafe lets out. I guess its got to do with the dim lights, the right air condition temperature set together with the really comfy sofa seats that I noticed almost everyone was slouching in. This is another reason why Wimbly Lu is much to love.

I also like the fact that you can see all the delicious, mouth-watering desserts in the making through a see-through glass panel.

Like the space itself, Wimbly Lu not only specializes in  truffle-style chocolates, but also serves a good selection of inviting, relatively simple homemade cakes and all-day cafe delicacies (i.e. soups, lasagna and baked rice) on their menu.

What's good? Anything Chocolate, but we recommend the Blackout Cake, Waffles with Ice Cream and the Double Chocolate Cheesecake.

When our Waffles with Salted Caramel Ice Cream arrived, we knew immediately that it was going to be one of the best waffles in town from one look at it. And, we were right when it made the crisp sound as our knives cut through its fluffy thick texture.

There was a good drizzle of chocolate syrup, not too much such that it was overly sweet or the waffles were soggy, but just right such that there was still a little leftover that we could mop up with the waffles. Though the salted caramel ice cream was creamy, we thought it was a little too salty that day, but I must say that light, super fluffy, soft but crispy waffles themselves were pure indulgence.

For an alcoholic twist, try their Iced Chocolate with Baileys.

Mom being really particular with her coffee, her order of Cappuccino was at the right temperature but was not strong enough and a little too milky. Other than that, we loved the vibe of the cafe, and will definitely go back for more because everything looks really inviting!

15-2 Jalan Riang
Serangoon Park
Singapore 358987
Tel: 6289-1489
Opening Hours
Tuesday - Friday
1pm - 10.30pm
Saturday - Sunday
9am - 11pm
(Closed on Mondays)