Lola's Cafe 2023
5 Simon Road
https://www.lolascafe.com.sg/
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| Miso Salmon Grain Bowl (SGD $19) |
Better Than Before
(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 9
Food & Beverage: 9
Service: 7
Value for Money: 8
Spent about SGD $35 per person.
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Lola's Cafe has matured over the years into a stalwart, long-serving cafe and beloved community space. Still operated under original founders June Tan and Foo Choo Kiat, but together with partner Ching Wei Ming now, under the parent brand of Better Craft Co., Lola's Cafe has expanded and revamped itself, opening with a brand new refreshed look in April 2023.
Ambience at Lola's Cafe is refreshed, exuding a cozy Modern Scandinavian lounge vibe, reminiscent of a Wes Anderson film set. Clean lines, warm lights, plush seating, muted pastel colours, and wooden furnishings, combine for a homely, down-to-earth, casual feel. There's both outdoor and indoor seating now, and the perpetual buzz of activity, coupled with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee.
Service at Lola's Cafe is energetic, quick, and relatively attentive, though the latter varies by staff. They're relatively young here, moving quickly to seat guests, serve orders, and clean up. Staff sometimes proactively offer to clear finished plates, but during busy periods, it can be hard to catch their attention. Lola's Cafe still commands a queue; waiting time of up to 30 minutes.
Food at Lola's Cafe is Modern European cuisine, drawing on French, British, American, and Italian influences. Quality is excellent as always, and their consistency is the key to their longevity and returning customers. Beverages are excellent as well. Portions are medium to large, suitable for sharing. Prices have gone up, budget about SGD $35 per person.
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| Lola's Cafe Exterior |
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| Lola's Cafe Interior |
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| Lola's Cafe Menu 2023 |
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| Seating Outdoors |
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| Seating Indoors |
The Hot Chocolate (SGD $5) here is medium thin, easy to drink with a medium strength of body, and a chocolatey sweet milky flavour. The sprinkling of cocoa powder over the hot chocolate beverage helps lend a deeper flavour profile. Alright overall, but nothing particularly outstanding. Could be improved.
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| Hot Chocolate (SGD $5) |
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| Hot Chocolate |
The Hot Peppermint Chocolate (SGD $6) features a medium thick hot chocolate, enhanced with peppermint chocolate sauce and milk. This results in a rich chocolatey sweet milky herbal zesty flavour. Dusted with cocoa powder and topped with gooey soft marshmallow, which lends candied sweet flavour. Good!
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| Hot Peppermint Chocolate (SGD $6) |
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| Hot Peppermint Chocolate |
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| Hot Peppermint Chocolate |
I like the Pineapple Sencha (SGD $6), which has distinct notes of pineapple within the green tea. This creates an interesting fruity earthy sweet flavour, nice. Good!
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| Pineapple Sencha (SGD $6) |
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| Pineapple Sencha |
Their signature Honey Paprika Winglets (SGD $13) is what most people remember about Lola's Cafe. These chunky chicken winglets are coated in a paprika spiced batter, glazed with honey. It's crispy crunchy on the outside, juicy tender on the inside, unfolding with sweet salty savoury spice flavour as you work through it. Addictively yummy. Highly recommended!
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| Honey Paprika Winglets (SGD $13) |
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| Honey Paprika Winglets |
The Pulled Pork & Avocado Eggs Benedict (SGD $16) is among the best renditions of Avocado Toast around. Over a base of crisp porous sourdough bread, is stacked a generous portion of juicy chewy 6-hours smoked chipotle pulled pork, chunky smashed avocado, wobbly lightly poached eggs, creamy hollandaise sauce, crisp red radish, and a dusting of paprika powder. Cut into the eggs, and the beautifully runny yolk coats everything. Has combined bready sour meaty savoury sweet salty vegetal earthy eggy spice flavour. Good!
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| Pulled Pork & Avocado Eggs Benedict (SGD $16) |
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| Pulled Pork & Avocado Eggs Benedict |
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| Pulled Pork & Avocado Eggs Benedict |
Loved the Miso Salmon Grain Bowl (SGD $19), which features a base of grainy light quinoa, sprinkled with Japanese furikake seasoning, crisp spring onions, and roasted sesame dressing. The result is a grainy salty savoury spice sweet nutty flavour. There's several garnishes, including wobbly soft hanjuku tamago / soft boiled egg with eggy sweet salty flavour, crunchy firm sautéed baby corn with vegetal sweet salty spice flavour, and creamy soft avocado with vegetal grassy earthy sweet flavour. The star is the large boneless fillet of salmon fish, tender flaky moist in texture, with robust meaty salty savoury sweet smoky flavour from the generous miso glaze. So addictive. Highly recommended!
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| Miso Salmon Grain Bowl (SGD $19) |
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| Miso Salmon Grain Bowl |
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| Miso Salmon Grain Bowl |
Named after Jamaica's national bird, where this dessert was created, the Hummingbird Cake (SGD $6.50) is a delicious fruit and spice studded cake. With a lovely moist soft spongy texture, the cake is generously studded with chunks of ripe banana, pineapple, golden raisins, black raisins, and flavoured with vanilla and cinnamon, topped with rich cream cheese frosting. Has bold fruity sweet spice milky cheesy flavour, tasty and enticing. Highly recommended!
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| Hummingbird Cake (SGD $6.50) |
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| Hummingbird Cake |
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| Hummingbird Cake |
A unique and tasty dessert, the Muscat Grape Cheese Tart (SGD $9) features an interesting combination. Within a crumbly pastry tart shell with buttery sweet flavour, is a soft vanilla and cream cheese mousse that carries bright floral cheesy salty sweet flavour. The tart is garnished with juicy halved muscat grapes with fruity sweet flavour, decorated with pliant gold leaf for a touch of luxury. Good!
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| Muscat Grape Cheese Tart (SGD $9) |
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| Muscat Grape Cheese Tart |
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| Muscat Grape Cheese Tart |
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CONVERSATION