TCC: Eat, Drink, Chill

It's a friday night and you are out with your friends downtown. You want a place where you can have a nice dinner, do some catching up, and stay on long without getting the 'when-are-you-leaving-stares' from the servers. Then, you shouldn't give TCC a miss!

The relaxed ambience and comfy chairs already await you to snug onto them.

Oreo Mocha Frappé,   S$7.90++,   

We don't usually choose this, but doesn't mean that it isn't good! We just happened to have cravings for chocolatey drinks that particular day, and our personal favourites are Peach Me Up and Matcha Mambo.

Chocolate Raspberry Frappé,   S$7.90++,   

It's really a wonder how TCC did their drinks, because none of them ever seem to disappoint us. Chocolate Raspberry Frappé was a new menu item, and as usual, it got us squealing in delight with a sour fruity twist to its rich chocolate.

Smoked Salmon and Camembert Toast Salad
with Apricot Sorbet,   S$13.80++,   

A salad of smoked salmon and camembert cheese toast snaps in as a zesty start! Spread in blobs of homemade apricot thyme sorbet to give an uplifting sensation.

Tropical Tamarind Chicken,   S$17.50++,   

A tender piece of marinated chicken thigh soaked in warm tamarind cream sauce, which goes perfectly well with the tropical fruit salsa, asparagus, and the tastiest dauphinoise potatoes. What else could be better?

Banana Salmon Exotica,   S$20++,   

How does banana curry sauce with salmon and mashed potatoes sound? Weird, and perhaps too exotic for the general. Surprisingly, it turned out to be a taste so unique yet appealing in the piquant blend of everything.

Chicken and Turkey Bacon Lasagne,   S$16++,   

Fork your way through a blanket of golden brown mozzarella cheese, with underlying layers of pasta sheets and generous servings of diced chicken and smoked turkey chicken trapped between - meltingly baked goodness.

Seafood Aglio Olio,   S$18.80++,   

Spaghetti Aglio Olio subtly flavoured with chilli and garlic accompanied with succulent pan seared scallops and fresh prawns.

Chic-Mex Pizza,   S$12++,   

This was more like a pizza toast - crispy bread crust topped with chicken chunks and turkey bacon, spiced up with capsicums and jalapeños peppers. The cheese however seemed to be a tad dry.

Smoked Salmon Avo-bayon,   S$14.50++,   

Citrusy smoked salmon draped with luscious avocado mash and drizzled with a thin layer of sabayon sauce, served between delicious baked walnut rye bread. It's gonna be a big pulpy mess!

Beef D'luxe,   S$14.50++,   

You'll be amazed by how thick and juicy the homemade beef patty was. Grilled to tender excellence, the patty was well accompanied with nectarous braised apples, tomato slices, lettuce, and again, the delicious walnut rye bread.

Shrooms 'N' Cheese Sandwich,   S$13++,   

The best sandwich we've tried by far. Meaty portobello, button and oyster mushrooms with velvety layers of melted cheese - this dish is sure to win the hearts of mushroom and cheese lovers.

Cocoa Mosaic,   S$10++,   

An art piece so pretty that you wouldn't know where to start. Swirls of raspberry sauce and berries encompassing cubes of white, milk, and dark chocolate mousse melt subtly in your mouth. Sweet.

Devil-misu,   S$11++,   

It was quite sad to find out that the Ti-rum-isu in the old menu had been replaced by this. Along with the price hike, the Devil-misu was seemingly an upgraded version made from TCC's finest espresso and mascarpone cheese with a demonic kick of rum, served with berries and brandied cherries.

VERDICT
Nothing in TCC was labelled "yucky". Well, at least of all that we'd tried. We are loving everything here from the food, to drinks, desserts, and presentation. TCC had already earned itself a perennial favourite for hanging out and chilling among us and our friends.

TCC - The Atrium @ Orchard
#01-17, Atrium @ Orchard
60 Orchard Road, S(238891)
(+65) 6884 9223
Sun - Thur: 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Fri - Sat: 11 a.m. - 1.30 a.m.
http://www.thecoffeeconnoisseur.com

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Coffee Club: Coffee and Beyond

Stop for a moment in front of Coffee Club to inhale a few breaths of the strong coffee aroma. Absolutely tantalizing.

This gotta be the place for you to throw yourselves onto comfy sofa seats for a good chill.

Iced Tiramisu Latte,   S$8.90++,   

A bitter sweet mix of Tia Maria and Marsala Wine concoction, topped with a rich scoop of vanilla ice cream, and decorated with chocolate shavings.

Iced Mocha Vanilla,   S$6.90++,   

Vanilla ice cream, cinnamon powder, milk and chocolate syrup complete this scintillating doppio espresso, served with a hint of fragrant mocha and sensual spice. Slurp this up fast before the ice melts and takes a place at the bottom.

Polenta Chicken Bites,   S$7.50++,   

Appetisers are supposed to whet one's appetite, and this one certainly had done its deed. Fork your way through these bite-sized lemon-infused chicken pieces, coated with Polenta flour and then deep fried. So crispy and juicy, you won't stop at one.

Slipper Lobster Linguini,   S$16.80++,   

Missed the first word, and we thought that it was a big lobster dish for a moment. In a plate of Linguini cooked in Aglio Olio style, was a fresh piece slipper lobster paired with piquant tomato sauce. Seafood tasted sweet and was rather close to that of crayfishes'; Linguini were supple with a redolent touch of garlic; and capsicums further add on crunch to the dish.

Crusted Dory Gremolata,   S$13.90++,   

We've never eaten such a crumbly version of dory fillets before, and man, it was remarkable! Two tender dory fillets coated in herbs and breadcrumbs baked till nice and crisp, drizzled with a lovely parsley and poached egg sauce, and served with spicy Chorizo mashed potatoes underneath. Do not be deceived by its dainty presentation, because as you uncover the well hidden portions, you'd be filled to the brim in no time.

Matcha Tiramisu,   S$4.90++,   

This wasn't in the menu. We just happened to spot it on display outside and decided to make an order of it.

While nice on its own (with red bean fillings, soft spongy cake and all), this however failed its name, 'Matcha Tiramisu' big time. The main Matcha flavour was close to naught, and it doesn't carry any characteristics of a Tiramisu at all.

Muddy Mud Pie,   S$6.90++,   

Who can resist a giant slab of luxuriously smooth Cappuccino and chocolate ice cream on an Oreo crust, flooded in a pool of more crumbs and ribbons of warm chocolate fudge? This dessert is sure to blow you off your mind, and get you chocolate high.

VERDICT
From their famous coffee, ranging to their desserts, main courses, and even to appetisers, we are loving them all! Prices are, to our surprise, very reasonable for the kind of quality food, relaxing atmosphere, and helpful service we received.

Coffee Club - The Central
#03-105/106/107, The Central ©
6 Eu Tong Sen Street, S(059817)
(+65) 6534 9080
Mon - Sun: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.
http://www.coffeeclubworld.com

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