Happy October! I can barely believe it's already October, and it's nearly Halloween! With the COVID restrictions as well as the safety issue, it's unfortunate that we can't go trick-or-treating this year. Because of the travel bans, I'm stuck in Singapore for Half-term Break, but that doesn't mean there aren't fun things to do!
My mom planned a half day outing for our family, and it was really enjoyable! Even without going to all the tourist-y landmarks, Singapore boasts many other attractions, with hidden gems like quaint cafés, biking and hiking trails, even many interesting museums to venture to. Yesterday, we explored Singapore's East Coast, starting our day with brunch at Café De Nicole's Flower, followed by a 18.9 kilometre round trip bike ride at East Coast Park, and then a quick lunch at OverEasy on Fullerton Road. If you're a tourist looking for a fun half-day trip without queuing at the tourist traps, or a native Singaporean looking for an interesting excursion, this is for you!
We started our day with brunch at Nicole's Flower! With an over-the-top floral concept, everything from the interior design, the furniture, the cutlery, the menu, even the food and drinks were heavily floral-inspired! From the second we stepped foot in the café, it felt like I was Alice in a very flowery Wonderland.
The vintage-inspired decor meant that it felt like the café was frozen in time, and I was almost expecting to see Marie Antoinette come waltzing in for tea! Even without ordering food, I would recommend going just for the experience!
Luckily, the food and drinks were also equally impressive. With a wide repertoire of brunch foods, fancy drinks and absolutely AMAZING soufflé pancakes, we wished we could try them all! We tried the Earl Grey Boba soufflé pancake, as well as the Matcha Soufflé pancake (below).
The pancakes were extremely light and fluffy, and it felt almost weightless. The Earl Grey pancake (below) sauce was especially delicious, the subtle taste of Earl Grey pairing very well with the soft and sweet soufflé pancakes. If this doesn't sound tasty enough, it was served with boba as a topping!
Don't forget to take many photos for your Instagram pages! It's a great experience, but the only downside was that it was quite pricy, and some of the drinks weren't anything special.
Highly Recommend: Earl Grey Soufflé pancakes, Matcha Soufflé Pancakes
Famous Picks: Their Mermaid Tears drink and Rose Latte (too bad we didn't get to try it!)
Just a stone's throw away (about a seven minute car ride) from Nicole's Flower is the East Coast Park. One of Singapore's most well-known parks, it offers a 15km bike trail, a big playground for kids, a skate park, many food and beverage outlets, even places for you to try water skiing and wake boarding!
This cycling path is not too easy but also not too hard, and also bypasses some of Singapore's most famous attractions such as The Merlion, Gardens By The Bay, and Marina Bay Sands! For us, we started our journey from the GoCycling Bike Rental (located right next to the C4 Carpark). From here, we cycled past the Marine Cove playground, towards Area B, which was about three kilometres.
Then, we cycled onto the bridge, which took us to Marina Bay East Garden, passing by lush greenery, and a fantastic ocean view. Cross the bridge linking the East Coast to Marina Barrage, and you've already cycled seven kilometres! From the Marina Barrage, we continued our journey, bypassing the famous Gardens By The Bay, going past The Shoppes At Marina Bay Sands, until we reached the Red Dot Design Museum.
Turn right, and then right again to cycle past the well-known Fullerton Hotel, and when you reach a stretch of restaurants overlooking the bay, look out for the OverEasy Diner, which is our next stop!
Highly Recommend: If you brought your own bike and don't have the time constraints for the bike rental, you should definitely buy a one-day pass to Gardens By The Bay's famous Cloud Dome and Flower Dome, because the waterfall in the Cloud Dome as well as the seasonal flower exhibits at the Flower Dome are incredible to witness!
Famous Picks: Gardens By The Bay and Marina Bay Sands are both Singapore's most iconic landmarks, so don't forget to bring your camera and biggest smile
With the decor mimicking those of a traditional American diner, as well as offering your favourite American comfort food, OverEasy Diner is a great place to grab a quick lunch! The decor was heavily inspired by the 60's and 70's, and I loved the subtle references to American pop culture! It almost felt like I was eating in a roller-rink...
If you go on a weekday, the lunch sets would make it even cheaper and get more bang for your buck! It's a great place to grab a milkshake and burger, and with vegetarian options like The Impossible Burger, there's something for everyone! If this isn't convincing enough, The Straits Times crowned it "Singapore's Best Burger!"
I don't like greasy food, so I ordered the Linguine with Prawns, but it was still pretty good! After grabbing lunch, don't forget to cycle back to East Coast Park to return the bikes!
Instead of going back the way you came, cycle along the waterway, towards The Merlion! Snap a quick photo and then cross the bridge back to Marina Barrage, and then you're all set to go back to East Coast!
Highly recommend: The Truffle Burger
Famous Picks: The "To-Die-For" Burger
Have fun!
This blog post is not sponsored, it is based purely on my own opinion and experiences.
Events, dishes and promotions are accurate at time of publication.
Photos either belong to me or the original distributors on Unsplash.