Breakfast Bites

Hubby is not a morning person. Occasionally, when he does get up early, I never fail to pounce on the opportunity to go out for a nice breakfast with him.

Here are our favorite brekkie haunts:

Crisp prata (kosong), milo "bing", fried chicken wings and mutton curry from some coffeeshop in Jalan Kayu

Chwee kueh from Jian Bo Shui Kueh at Tiong Bahru food centre. The charred radish bits are fried with lard- sheer sin.

Comfort food- Kaya with butter toast from Ya Kun with 2 half boiled eggs and milo "bing"

the best outlet is still the one at far east square

My latest find? Breakfast with the birds and the bees at Casa Verde, Botanic Gardens.

Casa Verde is run by the Les Amis Group, which also operates the venerable Au Jardin. Accessibility can be a tad challenging without a car as the cafe is about a 20 min walk from the main entrance of the Botanics.

Love the relaxed vibe about this pretty bistro, which manages to blend perfectly into the green foilage of the Botanics without compromising on creature comforts (clean toilets, efficient staff, comfortable seating). Dog owners and ang mohs usually occupy the al fresco area while the air conditioned indoors are ideal for spoilt brats like Hubby and myself, who develop grouchy tendencies when over exposed to Singapore's infamous tropical heat.

Indoor seating please

The Western selection is more extensive than the Asian one, featuring delectable options like strawberry pancakes, sandwiches and scrambled eggs. Hubby and I however felt decidedly Asian that morning and opted for mee siam instead. For SGD9 bucks we were rewarded with a huge bowl of mee siam and a steaming cup of soy bean milk, which is pretty good value.

I really enjoyed the mee siam, which was choc a bloc full of yummies like a full boiled egg, beansprouts, fresh prawns and a molehill of bee hoon. The tangy assam gravy was well balanced with just the right amount of sugar. Coupled with a swig of freshly squeezed lime juice, every single bite felt like a new experience in itself.

Gorgeous glorious mee siam

Since mee siam can be quite a heavy dish in itself, I initially harboured some doubts over the cafe's pairing of mee siam with warm soy bean milk. Wouldn't something more refreshing like a glass of lime juice be more fitting? My doubts were however allayed after taking a sip of the soy bean milk. The flavors were thick, rich and robust, creating a protective film that tamed the spiciness of the mee siam. This is one pairing that has certainly shifted my food paradigm.

A trip to Casa Verde would not be complete without a stroll in the vicinity. Feeling highly satiated after breakfast, Hubby and I spent some time acquainting ourselves with the surrounding flora and fauna, (ever heard of cycads?) stumbling across some ailing earthworms and humongous red ants along the way.

Casa Verde is an excellent place to spend a lazy morning with a book in hand. Newspapers and assorted magazines are readily available within the cafe's premises for customers to leisurely peruse. Parking can get a little tight on weekend mornings but should be generally manageable on other days. Light clothing and mosquito repellent are must-haves if you are planning a walk thereafter.