We don’t like mall restaurants; there’s just something about dining at them that doesn’t sit right with us. Tricky thing really, considering we live in a city almost entirely populated by shopping centers. Once in a while however, we find the odd one or two that aren’t total duds. Pique Nique is one such example—a casual American diner occupying the spot where Micky D’s used to be and the first offering from the Sugar Daddy Group. The menu’s made up of the usual American staples: Hot dogs (from $8.50) and burgers (from $9.50), as well as all-day breakfast items like buttermilk pancakes ($7.50) and eggs, hash and corned beef ($13). We dug right in with Whoopie fries ($8), thick-cut, crispy and tossed in an addictive seasoning that had us loading on the carbs shamelessly. Our Firehouse cheeseburger ($12.50) soon intervened, with a juicy substantial beef patty, pepperoni, pickled jalapenos, hot ketchup, Monterey Jack cheese and even mayonnaise. Not the biggest, or hottest, we’ve ever had, but then again, size isn’t everything. Another crowd-pleaser was the unbelievably sinful ***** Mac ‘n’ Cheese ($16), made with five different cheeses: Gouda, cheddar, mascarpone, blue cheese and Montery Jack. Tasty and fattening? Oh yes, but worth every one of those five million calories. Same goes for dessert, a stodgy sticky date pudding ($10), complete with homemade vanilla bean ice cream and butterscotch sauce; we weren’t left wanting. While the food’s good and affordable, we found service here to be a little hit-or-miss. One of our servers was attentive and efficient, while the rest seemed more interested in chatting with each other. Despite the rather unfortunate location (they’re right across from KFC), it’s a decent spot for good ole American comfort grub or just those times when your tired aching feet are in desperate need of a break from a shopping marathon.
Have you tried the whoopie fries? It’s one of I-S Magazine’s 50 things to eat in Singapore before you die (2011).
