PS. Cafe @ Singapore **

Longan Iced Tea

On my annual pilgramage back to Singapore I usually devote so much time to re-capturing the tastes of childhood faves that I never try anything new.

Since a fellow foodie was afoot however, on this last day of 2009 I decided to take a risk. The Dempsey Hill area (just off Singapore’s main drag of Orchard Road), formerly home to Southeast Asian furniture stores like Shang Antique and not much more, has now exploded onto the dining scene. Besides high-end Australian market, Jones the Grocer,  this heavily (rain)forested area is now dotted with trendy spots for an audience of expats and yuppies to wine and dine one another.

Although no one could find fault with the view, the food at PS. Cafe leaves much to be desired. When I order a Caesar Salad with Rosemary Chicken, not even the waiter’s appealing flattery (“I was too captivated by your eyes”) could distract me from my displeasure at biting instead into a limpid, unremarkable one containing Lemongrass Fish instead. While the Green Garden Lasagne had generous amounts of bechemel sauces and overall was rather good, I doubt that many price-conscious, discerning Singaporean diners would hike all the way up this hill for a mediocre meal in the company of mosquitoes.

Details: 28B Harding Road Singapore (+6590708782)