Wayne's Chill Out Cafe Review; Punggol @ Singapore

Hey there, my 6-months long internship is finally over! Of course, I'm now back with more time, and more things to update here in this little space of mine! 
I know that I haven't been blogging for about a month, but now that I'm here let me share with you guys on my experience at this really chill-out cafe i've recently dropped by.
Just like the name of the cafe itself, Wayne's Chill Out is a really good place to CHILL OUT!

It was actually an unintentional visit - I made a last minute decision to kill off some time at this cafe in Punggol before I went to explore "My Waterway @ Punggol" with my camera. It was way too early in the noon and the heat was overwhelming. Google sure served me well when I chanced upon this cafe that was nearby and about to start operating while I was around (most of the other eateries and cafes/restaurants will only open in the evening)

In my opinion, Wayne's Chill Out is an ideal cafe for independent wanderers like myself who enjoy leisure time alone! Furthermore.. Living in a hot and humid country like Singapore, what's better than finding a small, cozy cafe along the way to melt away the heat with refreshing ice cream & desserts?




Cafe Interior & Exterior setting

The cafe has a beautiful and breathtaking sea-view, 100% perfect for a slow and peaceful tea session at the outdoor seating of the cafe. The cafe also has a quiet surrounding, therefore you need not worry about any unwanted noise that may disrupt your peace. 

The cafe's interior is pretty much simple with a blue & white colour scheme, furnished with small tables and stools. I wouldn't say that the interior left a very neat impression, but I still thought that the cafe looks cute and cozy enough since it is small. A very pleasant & homey ambience can be felt too.  

Right next to the counter was a wall decorated with polaroids (arranged in a cute manner) with a board of House Rules hanging next to it. I also loved how the light blue wall helps to add some calmness to your mind too! It was so pretty and creative that I couldn't miss out the chance of snapping a photo.



Service & Food   The staff in-charge was busy setting up the cafe for operating hours when I arrived, and was only halfway through the process. While I was approaching the cafe, the friendly staff greeted me with a smile. Without any hesitations, he offered me to take a seat inside the cafe and immediately checked back whether I'd like to have any drinks. Not once, but at least 3 times. I felt a little bad because he seemed to have rushed a little, which I wouldn't have minded waiting at all. He was so kind and hospitable towards me that I had to reassure him to take his time while I slowly browsed through the menu.

I can hardly forego having a pot of tea at cafes, and of course I couldn't this time too. The menu did not specify the types of tea they serve and therefore I had to ask, which the staff's reply to my query really surprised me.

Little did I know that in front of me was a list of teas the cafe serve, along with some description of each type of tea. Pretty interesting I guess.

Here's a few of the many flavours of homemade ice-cream offered by the cafe, the ice cream were really, really, good. 

I ordered a pot of Rose with French Vanilla Tea (1 pot = for 2 servings) & waffles with double scoops of ice-cream. The staff gave me quick recommendations on the flavours upon my request and no doubt, they were awesome! (More details along this post!)

I chose to sit outside for the sea-view, and the staff actually asked me if I preferred english or chinese songs before I headed out. It was really kind of him to offer me such an option. 
Thumbs up!

The flawless white teapot set was so adorable, totally loved it! 

I really loved the quote imprinted on the teacup too!

It only took the staff less than 3 minutes to prepare my tea, and because the cafe operates on a self-service basis it was served to me rather quickly.  Oh yes, no GST & Service charge at this cafe!!
The Rose with French Vanilla Tea was really refreshing to enjoy along with the sea-view, definitely a good way to spend your slow afternoon by sipping tea! A pot like this cost me $6.50. 
However, I actually prefer the one at Working Title which had a more rosy scent with natural taste, but the teapot set here at Wayne's Chill Out is definitely prettier. Another difference would be that Wayne's Chill Out uses teabags instead. 


Here's the Rose with French Vanilla tea I had from Working Title last November. A pot cost about $6, and great for sharing too! 

 


After approximately 15 to 20 minutes or so, the waffles was finally served to me. It took some time, but it was worth the wait! 
It'll probably take a shorter time for other subsequent customers, since I was the first customer and the staff had to prepare a lot of things.  (I wasn't desperate for it to be served quickly anyway)

The waffle, topped with double scoops of ice cream cost me $12.50, while 1 scoop would cost $10.50. Mmmmm, I really liked how they drizzled some chocolate syrup over and garnished the whole dessert with some sprinkles of icing sugar.

The waffle was served warm, and it was crispy on the outside, yet very soft to chew on the inside! 

I was recommended the Cookies & Cream & Pistachio flavours for the ice cream, and although i'm neither a big fan of these 2 flavours, I totally fell in love with them. The waffle tasted really good with either flavours, while the warm and ice cold combination sure melted away the heat on such a sunny day!

I have to say that the texture of the ice cream was to die for. 

I would rate it as a high quality ice cream for a homemade one. The texture was soft, smooth and "chewy" looking. I've no idea how to explain this in words, you've gotta try it yourself! 

As compared to most ice cream, it isn't like the typical ice-cream that's sometimes 'harder' and more 'chunky' as you bite down. (This ice cream stretches a little whenever I scoop it with my fork, that's how soft it is; is this how I am supposed to put it.... sounds exaggerating huh? Hmm.)

The pistachio flavour was a good recommendation, not too sweet and refreshing to your taste buds. It certainly had a strong taste of pistachio, very yummy!

I don't usually enjoy cookies & cream ice cream but this one was good, in my opinion! 

Unlike most cookies & cream ice cream whereby their cookies are finely chopped and blended in with the ice cream itself, the one at Wayne's Chill Out had larger chunks of oreo cookies which were so soft in texture. It definitely enhanced the taste of oreo, which I believe many would love.

All in all, the waffle dessert is a must-try for a chill-out at this cafe, it is neither too sweet, and not drying to your throat too. 

It was well worth my money!

When the staff noticed that my pot was empty after some time, he kindly offered to refill my pot with hot water, how nice! 

The place was so wonderful & cozy that I stayed on for approximately 3 hours.

Overall

Good service, good food and good environment at an affordable price.

Although the staff was alone and busy with his set-up, he was sensible enough to prioritise his customers and provide good hospitality to them (technically me, since I was the only one there). You can certainly tell how much he cares for his customers through his good & sincere intentions.

I definitely enjoyed my leisure time spent there!

Wayne's Chill Out is very ideal for a stop-by if you are around Punggol area, e.g. My Waterway @ Punggol - especially when the weather is awfully warm and humid. 

The cafe also serves other food like truffle fries and pizza, which I would definitely try them out when I visit the cafe again. 

Definitely a new favourite to my cafe list, the breathtaking sea view was for sure a plus point - really great for outdoor dining with your date, a group of friends/family or alone. The cafe also offers free (& well-loved by humans) WiFi which only requires you to check in at their Facebook in order to use it.

It was a Wednesday when I dropped by, and the cafe was empty throughout my stay. Not very sure on the crowd on other days, but seems like the cafe is always quiet. 

It is located at a beautiful & windy place called The Punggol Settlement, where you can enjoy slow walks along Punggol beach after your afternoon tea. Many other interesting things are in the close vicinity of The Punggol Settlement such as a Horse Ranch and more restaurants, as well as ponds with interesting living creatures like catfish.

So do drop by this chilly cafe for a chill out!! I hope that you guys will have an interesting and relaxing exploration time at Punggol Settlement like I did, have fun!

Wayne's Chill Out Operating Hours:

Monday to Friday: 2PM TO 11PM

Saturday & Sunday: 11AM TO 11PM

Address: 3 Punggol Point Road, #02-11 The Punggol Settlement, Singapore 828694

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wayneschillout/info?tab=overview

Directions:

Click here to see Bus 84 route

(Note: The bus intervals are pretty long so do be prepared to wait)

Option 1

Taking Bus 84 from Punggol Temp Int

Take bus 84 & alight at Punggol Road End (6th stop)

(This is a U-Turning point so it is easy to remember & know where to alight, just alight at the stop after the bus makes the U-turn.)

You'll see the Horse Ranch, Curry Garden and Bacon & Booze (A bar) after you alight.

Walk towards your left while facing that direction (do not face the road)

You'll be facing the sea and towards your right will be a small flight of stairs leading to a sign saying "Punggol Promenade", walk towards that direction. 

Walk straight & you'll pass by the ponds, a playground and see a huge carpark. 

Walk all the way into the carpark area and you'll see all the different restaurants side by side.

(You'll probably see "wayne's chill out" banner somewhere hanging on the 2nd floor's railing.)

Find the lift and proceed to 2nd storey. After exiting from the lift, go all the way towards your right side and you'll see Wayne's Chill Out along your way.

Option 2

Taking bus 84 from the bus stop outside My Waterway @ Punggol

Take the MRT to Punggol, change to LRT and alight at Damai Station

Tap out, turn right and walk towards the stairs. You'll see the blocks 679A etc. 

Turn left after going down the stairs and walk towards the traffic light. Cross over to the opposite side.

Turn to your right and walk towards the bus stop to take bus 84. (See map below)

Alight at the 4th stop (Punggol Road End, where the bus stops at a bus stop after a U-turn)

(The rest of the directions below is the same as Option 1's)

You'll see the Horse Ranch, Curry Garden and Bacon & Booze (A bar) after you alight.

Walk towards your left while facing that direction (do not face the road)

You'll be facing the sea and towards your right will be a small flight of stairs leading to a sign saying "Punggol Promenade", walk towards that direction. 

Walk straight & you'll pass by the ponds, a playground and see a huge carpark. 

Walk all the way into the carpark area and you'll see all the different restaurants side by side.

(You'll probably see "wayne's chill out" banner somewhere hanging on the 2nd floor's railing.)

Find the lift and proceed to 2nd storey. After exiting from the lift, go all the way towards your right side and you'll see Wayne's Chill Out along your way.

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SG Cafe: fArt tArtz @ Expo

If you have read my blog posts diligently while I was still regularly updating a few months ago, you would have seen a few posts on the different cafes I visited once in a while. I am honestly not someone who extremely loves visiting cafes, but I do love them to a a certain extent - mainly to take photos of the food & interior that is - and to relax and have some time alone with my tea and desserts once in a blue moon. Usually, I'd opt for tea only to refresh myself while there are also days when I opt for the lattes or cappuccino, especially if the cafe offers pretty latte art and so on.

The latest cafe I've visited is called Fart Tartz (fArt tArtz), located at Expo. Having heard of it from my friend, I was in disbelief that there was a cafe with such a name, only to realise that it mainly referred to 'tarts' in 'fArt tArtz'. Apparently, it was started by a couple out of affections for their loved ones. Having fancied nature and artsy stuff, the cafe was named fArt tArtz. (Notice the 'Art'? ;))

Curious, I searched for some photos on instagram (#farttartz) and I have to say, they were pleasant to the eye! Without hesitation, I was set on visiting this cafe one day. Therefore, I visited the cafe with 5 other friends.

We actually made reservations beforehand a few days before, for fear that it would be crowded as it was a Friday evening. Our reservation was between 6.30pm to 6.45pm and which to our surprise, the cafe was pretty empty & quiet upon our arrival unlike what we expected - a huge crowd occupying almost all the seats in the cafe.

These were near the entrance and counter of the open-concept cafe. I really loved how fArt tArtz gives a very 'garden-ish' ambience. With very pretty interiors & furnitures, the seating areas were beautiful with various styles offering extreme comfort as well as coziness - the standard table and chairs, the couch and coffee table, and the high chairs and a long table. Further more, majority of the furnitures being white in colour gave off a very classic and clean look.

Our table had a wooden block saying 'reservation' and a flower in a bottle, along with a huge peg clipping on to a note saying "Reserved for Sara" (my friend who made the reservation). My memory faded a little and I did not take a photo of it, so the description sounds somewhat vague and confusing. What I am pointing out is that the note made the place feel right at home, as though you were a regular customer of the cafe. (The menu is in the photo as well)


Proceeding to the counter to order our food...

Pretty aren't they? I was really in love with the layout & decorations of the cafe's counter. If you look at the last photo, you can see all the sweet treats they offer at fart tartz. At the most top section is where their 'flower pots' are placed. They are the signature 'Artsy-Farty "Mud" Tarts' (non-baked specialty tarts). At a glance (especially if from afar), you wouldn't know that they are actually edible!! On the center section lays all the other hand-crafted jar desserts (non-baked tiramisu & tarts in a jar)


I'll admit, I liked their service. The cashier who served me wore a very genuine smile and greeted me. I wanted Earl Grey Tea flavoured jar dessert which apparently, was out of stock (look at the photo :( oh well). So with another alternative in mind, I decided to go for the Thai Milk Tea flavour. However, the girl at the cashier informed me that the milk tea flavour is extremely sweet, and she emphasized clearly; really, super, sweet. Being someone who don't really fancy overly sweet treats that would make you feel as though you'll get diabetes just from a few mouthfuls, I switched to the Sea-salt nutella flavour instead, for fear that I might dislike the milk tea flavoured dessert. I was rather thankful though, for the cashier's initiative to actually inform me.



It took awhile for the food to come, but the waiting time was pretty much at an average, standard and acceptable duration.

Mmmmm, yes I spent a lot of time taking photos. You can guess how much my friends were annoyed with me!!!! 

This was what one of my friends ordered - It can be found under "Grilled Dbl Flatties" on the menu, called Teriyaki Chicken which costs $11.90. According to my friend, he commented that he liked this flatbread sandwich, and that it was tasty. Being only $12, it is pretty worth it if you are one who enjoys eating bread or sandwiches.

A couple of my friends ordered the Grilled Hot Wings to share among themselves which costs $8.50, making it approximately $4.30 per individual. Not too bad I'd say. It looked visually appealing on instagram when I first saw the photos, but it looked even better in real sight, smells good too - making your mouth water instantly! You can find this under "Bites/Starters" on the menu.



One of their main courses is pasta, which is categorised under "Pasta Asciutta". Cute in appearance of course, the pastas are all served in jars. The sight of it attracted me so much because all I have ever heard of were desserts in a jar, e.g. cake in a jar.

I thought that the idea to serve pastas in a jar was pretty unique and interesting. However, the con of it is that the portion may very well be too small or unfilling for big eaters. In contrast, I would say that the portion is just right for small eaters like myself and a few of my friends. (I would safely assume that mainly guys would find the portion too small and not worth their money, since majority have big appetites)

For myself, I ordered the Pepper Chix Linguine which costs $10.90. Just right of a portion for my stomach, and it costs less than $12 too! I personally had a hard time eating due to the noodles falling off my cutlery too easily since they were slippery from the sauce. (Not an issue, I'm guessing that I am lacking some skills in using my cutlery) I'm honestly not someone who fancy eating pepper flavoured food, however I do agree that it tasted good! (The chicken was very soft too!)

Don't worry about not having any vegetables if you are someone who likes to eat greens like me. They serve every pasta set with a small serving of salad at the side, and for this food item that I ordered, there were green, yellow as well as red peppers served inside apart from the chicken as well! The salad tasted awesome, and it felt pretty 'clean' and refreshing. I'm not sure what sauce they used for the salad, but it had a very pleasant taste.

Therefore, if you love pepper flavoured food, you have to try this at fart tartz! All their pastas cost between $10 to $13, or at least less than $15. I would say that they are priced at an affordable & reasonable range for cafe food, in consideration that most of the cafes I went to were quite pricey, with food costing at least $15 or above.

Apart from pastas and sandwiches, fArt tArtz sells salads in a jar as well. Definitely on my list of food-to-eat during my next visit to this cafe! ;)

Lastly, what's a complete meal without a dessert? Everyone has room for desserts after a meal! At fart tartz, you cannot, cannot, CANNOT miss out their famous desserts (that are visually appealing as well!)

Here's what I ordered, and a mud tart which my friend got for herself.

With reference to the last photo, on the left is the sea-salt nutella dessert jar while on the right, a green tea oreo mud tart - both costing $6.80 and $5.50 respectively.

Sea-Salt Nutella Dessert Jar - I would say that this dessert had a very unique taste, with a combination of sweet and saltiness. A little nutty, a little creamy, but what's best was the sensation it gives to your tongue & taste buds! I have never had a dessert I enjoyed so much in a cafe before, and by far this was one of the best. However, you might honestly get sick of it because it can get really creamy. Nevertheless, it was really worth the try! It might get a little sweeter (but not too bad) as you consume little spoons by spoons over time, I would suggest sharing with a friend if you are not a person with really sweet tooth (even though the portion is not exactly that big, it's definitely great for sharing).

Green Tea Oreo Mud Tart - As the name says it, it's a green tea-flavoured oreo dessert. Oreo lovers will definitely love the mud tarts, but green tea lovers will love this petitely, adorable looking sweet treat even more! The green tea has the unique bitter taste, which I believe is the best part of green-tea flavoured desserts. I personally dislike green tea desserts that taste sweet. Rather, I enjoy the bitter taste that can be found in green tea! The mud tart may be a simple dessert, but it can be one that anyone would definitely enjoy.


Overall, the desserts may be really small in portion, but I suppose that can also be one reason why the main courses at fart tartz are not in huge servings - to save your stomach some space for desserts and encourage you to try them out! Even the affordable main courses would encourage you to spend a little more money to try out their desserts after your meal. The best part is that they are no-bake desserts, definitely not overly sweet! Heartwarming as you consume them slowly, why not spend a few dollars and try them out?


With regards to drinks, I have to apologise that I can't be of any help. I usually order tea, lattes/cappucino or simply nothing - just ice water. However, on that day I did not have the craving for my pots of tea, hence I only had the water they served by default to customers at the cafe, (They left a jug of ice water along with the necessary number of cups needed)

I just want to comment that even their water is served in small little jars as cups, which I would say have probably added more uniqueness to their cafe. Everything there like their cutlery set up with the food, were of a pretty sight when the food were served.



So, what do you think of fArt tArtz? 

Affordable and a good place to chill, with friendly staff offering good customer service, fArt tArtz has got NO GST & SERVICE CHARGE (!!!!)

People who are seeking for a cafe that is not pricey, simple yet unique can consider visiting this cafe. In total, I only spent around $17, which is less than $20!!! If you are ordering a starter with a friend, your total bill for one individual may still be less than $25. Not bad yeah? Other cafes may easily amount to a bill of $30 per person, or at least over $25.

I would say that this cafe is perfect for students or a group of friends who are just seeking to spend some quality time at a quiet place. I am not sure if it will be crowded on weekends, or even other weekdays, but it's always safer to make reservations (min. 3 pax). However, judging from my first visit on a Friday evening, it does not seem like the cafe is usually crowded.


This is their official site, www.farttartz.com (Though I'm not very sure if they update it regularly). You can make reservations at their website, and if i'm not wrong they will drop you a whatsapp message (because that's what they did to my friend who made the reservation)

If you hashtag #farttartz on instagram when you post a photo taken at their cafe - e.g. their food, usually they'd comment and say "Thank you for coming!". I had mine commented, and I noticed that other customers' instagram posts had it too. Their staff really put in efforts to make customers feel right at home - I definitely felt that way!


Will I go back again? The answer is yes! (But perhaps not so soon, probably months later)


Easily located just a 5 minute walking distance from Expo MRT station, at Singapore Expo, foyer 1, Max-atria, #02-04, S486150, fArt tArtz is opened daily: 

9am to 6pm on Mondays to Thursdays, and 9am to 8pm on Fridays to Sundays

The cafe is best known for having lunch, since they close early. However, an early dinner on Fridays to Sundays is not a bad choice too! 

So head down to this cute & cosy little open-concept cafe of good ambience similar to that of a garden's, affordable prices, unique settings & food! Some day, check out the cafe yourself. Nothing's better than experiencing something on your own!!!


Thank you for reading, I hope that you'll enjoy your time at fArt tArtz like I do!


Don't forget to check out this blog for other posts on different topics and I hope you have a really great day ahead everyone!


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