Walking Around Ann Siang after a Dirt Cake at Vanilla

26th June 2010. Written by Xin Li.

Finally to the final stop of our third MOOSE Gathering – Vanilla Bar and Café. Like what Harris and BellaV had described in their blogs, this place was really fragrant. The moment we enter, we could smell the sweet delicate vanilla in the café.

The décor was simple and contemporary with a touch of creativity. The menus reminded me of sketchbooks and the place was really relaxing and cosy. It would be a great place to chill out during the late afternoons or mornings for their all-day breakfast.

The service was good, friendly and attentive. Drinks were refilled without prompting.

We ordered the Vanilla Dirt Cake (8.50+ SGD), we had been eyeing this “Vanilla Pudding with Oreo and a tinge of cream cheese” for a long time. Liang Wei and I were intrigued by the dirt cake because of the way it was presented.

When it was first served, Yew Ann didn’t notice it was our order, he was wondering why the waiter placed a flower pot in the middle of the table. This pretty pot of flower is actually a delightful dessert for cookies and cream lovers. On the top was cookie soil, the bottom was layers of creamy vanilla pudding with a hint of cream cheese flavour, while a bit icy, the balance was there, not being too creamy like 15 Minutes’.

In between these layers of vanilla pudding were layers of crushed oreo cookies that provided a crunch to this dessert. The whole experience feels like one having an enjoyable moment with their oreo cookies. Nice dessert, my only feedback was icy texture, probably because it was served straight out of the fridge.

Our total bill was 9.35 SGD after 10% Service Charge, not sign of GST in the receipt.

After spending some time in Vanilla Bar and Café, we took a walk down Amoy Street, where we saw the ACS House, where the Anglo Chinese School first started in 1886. Liang Wei was quite disturbed by how it was now taken over by a nightclub called the Empress. We climbed up to Ann Siang Hill (via Ann Siang Hill Park) but too bad Kki was closed.

We explored The Screening Room, a pink and white coloured shophouse which housed a theatre+restaurant+rooftop bar entertainment and dining complex which used to be the Damenlou Hotel (大门楼旅店) until 2007 when the Screening Room took over the building.

Their rooftop bar, La Terraza (the Terrace) looks like a nice place to have a drink or light snacks at night with views of the city, Ann Siang Hill and Chinatown. Apparently, the rooftop bar was one of the best alfresco bars in Singapore by TimeOut Singapore and even Tatler.

Further down Club Street, we dropped by this stationary and book store called Books Actually. They have quite a few pretty vintage maps on their walls. Old typewriters lined the stairwell to the 2nd floor. The 2nd storey sells trinkets and stuff like those nostalgic flag erasers and old envelopes and I like how they used wine boxes to display them.

Like some of the boutique stores around the area, their stuff doesn’t come cheap, think of Kinokuniya prices (or perhaps a little higher). Nonetheless, I find this place quite charming with the nostalgic and quaint atmosphere with a touch of modern artistry.