Chock Full of Gourmet Stops.
I proudly declare that I’m an East-sider. More specifically, Changi is mah ‘hood. I love how it’s so tranquil with the beach, boardwalk, chalets, and yet there are prisons, air bases, military training grounds, and a replica of a big ass WWII gun (the Johore Battery)….not to forget friggin’ Old Changi Hospital that gives me the creeps every time I’m in the area.
More than a year ago, I blogged about a nice restaurant at the Johore Battery heritage site. Now I’m back to talk about 2 nice lil’ cafés, one which is tucked in the corner of Block 4 Changi Village Road, and the other is just a few doors down (okay fine, MANY doors down) from my home.
Being the lousy blogger that I am, I didn’t take any pictures of the interiors. Instead, here are pictures of the food and drinks that my friend and I ordered.
1. Chock Full of Beans Blk 4 Changi Village Road, #01-2090, Singapore 500004
The coffee is probably the closest to what I had in Australia, i.e. smooth and creamy, and not in the least bit bitter. The only gripe I have about it is that the aroma was lacking a little. Bonus points for the adorable latte art! In fact, they’re so bad ass, they’ve done 3D latte art and MINIONS. Check out the photos on their Facebook page. Impressive.
In terms of food, my 3-filling omelette was not bad. Definitely a nice, satiating portion. I was a little disappointed that the smoked salmon was pretty much cooked within the egg (go figure), but it was definitely tasty overall! Loved the bread and salad that came along with it too.
My friend Kuan ordered the rosti which was rather small compared to the accompanying sausages. Could’ve turned out better, but it was still decent for a café like this!
Note that the café can get really crowded on weekends, and waiting time for us was about 15 minutes. They do have a wait list for you to leave your number, which is always appreciated.
2. Lots Gourmet Stop Changi Garden, 965A Upper Changi Road North, Singapore 507665
! — closed on Mondays and public holidays, and only open from 10am to 4pm on Tue-Thu. open from 10am to 10pm on Fri-Sun.
Didn’t get a coffee because it was so friggin’ hot in the late afternoon. Settled for a Rekorderlig strawberry-lime cider instead. I have to say that it smells like strawberry flavoured milk, but tastes like the pink paracetamol that I used to take as a kid. On a side note, the pear cider of the same brand tastes like the brown expectorant of my childhood. What is it with Rekorderlig and sweetened medicine??
I’ll have to come back here for the rest of their drinks. That being said, I really appreciate the fact that they serve a variety of ciders (Brothers Toffee Apple, anyone?) near my home. Their milkshakes would bring me to the yard too.
Food-wise….perhaps I didn’t order the right thing. My scrambled eggs were rather bland even after dousing them in black pepper, but I have to give them credit for the creamy but not mushy texture. Bacon was the chewy, meaty sort rather than the crispy kind, and tad salty on its own. Also, I had a hard time with the accompanying bread and ended up with crumbs and flour all over my stuff on the table. Oh well, maybe that’s just me.
I have heard that the main courses are good and have a homemade touch to them. Like I said, I’ll have to come back here. This first visit (well second, if you count the first time i had a cider here) was way too random. Do note that they don’t really have dessert here though. The closest you’ll get is their pancakes which, according to my friend, weren’t very nice. =/
That’s pretty much it. Sorry if you were expecting more. *insert sad face* I hope I’ve still managed to give you guys a little taste (no pun intended) of what else Changi has to offer besides the main food centre and coffee shops along Block 5.
If these two places don’t quite tickle your fancy, there’s also The Coastal Settlement at Netheravon Road which has a really nice, pseudo-colonial setting. The menu is the same as CM-PB at BlockSixAndSeven Dempsey Hill (they’re sister establishments), so if you’re familiar with that place but want a change of environment, head over to the far (creepy) east.
Cheers. x.
poppycocks & hollyhocks 
I’m on the pursuit of these little indie cafes too! Great food and great ambience! :)