A tidy, little spot along River Valley Road with undeniably charming décor—mint green wooden chairs, a bar counter with sweet treats in glass stands and a bright red coffee machine that’s reminiscent of Aussie cafés—and Teng Ei Liang’s Le Cordon Bleu credentials (chocolate fans will know Teng for his goods at Truffs) make for a promising start. It’s hard to get a table here at dinnertime unless you call in advance—the modest space accommodates about 30 patrons—which might give one the impression that this is one hot ticket. Unfortunately, the novelty soon wears off, and you’re left wondering “what’s the fuss all about?” The servers are a friendly enough lot, though not well-informed, but the food is good in neither taste nor value. Whether you’re having Western dishes like soggy Fish & Chips ($24) and a bland piece of Cajun chicken with homemade ketchup (an odd pairing as far as we’re concerned; $18) or Japanese-inspired items such as braised Kurobuta pork belly with flaccid cha soba ($25), the combination of conservative portions, merely passable fare and unjustifiably high prices spoils a place we hoped had real potential. And a cute setup isn’t a get-out-of-jail-free card. Our advice? Pass on dinner in favor of a slice of very moist banana cake studded with chocolate chunks ($6), but get it to go.
