After reading very mixed reviews on this adorable little cafe, bB decided a visit in person was in order!
Pique Nique is located in Takashimaya’s Basement 1, where McDonald’s used to be. I didn’t even realise it has changed! Kate and bB dropped by yesterday for lunch before our shopping.
This place has so much going for it. Great location, lovely decor. Think quaint, cosy American cafe with pretty details. Seats were extremely comfortable. No problems with bum comfort when sitting here chatting with girlfriends.
Love that they serve all-day brekkie. :) bB had sunnysides, ham with cheese and toast. What impressed me was the thick ham slices were folded in half with the cheese melted in between. This was simple yet so awesome. Malted milkshake was the perfect drink for my American brekkie. <3
Kate had a mushroom cheeseburger which was pretty sizable and came with really good fries. Burger itself was tasty, the patty was done nicely and wasn’t dry or tough. Fries stayed crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside even after they get cold. bB tried to help with this dish but we could not finish it all. :P
We were such crazy little piglettes that day. We also ordered a mushroom mac & cheese to share… which wasn’t good at all. The quality and texture of the pasta was very bad. We only had a few mouthfuls and left it alone. Great presentation though!
The service staff were all very young and inexperienced. While there was no outright rudeness, they clearly lacked finesse. They would stand in a group to chat, which isn’t a good thing to see in an establishment. Before the waitress cleared the mac & cheese away, we debated if she would notice it was barely eaten or if she would ask about it. As expected, she did not. Kate then pointed it out to her. She absorbed it politely but did not have anything to say about it.
To their credit, they were all very positive and courteous. I believe they just need lots more training and experience.
We ended our meal with a tiny piece of dessert, as a preview for my upcoming **The Macaron Scribbles**…
The restaurateur behind Pique Nique, Chef Pang Kok Keong, was the former pastry chef of Canele Patisserie, well known for his sweet creations. bB has heard conflicting feedback on his macarons, so we decided to just have a single one to share.
Thankfully we only ordered one. It had the same problem as most macarons in Singapore – way too sweet. The texture was nice but the sweetness was too overwhelming. Nowhere close to Laduree goodness.
In any case, it was a sweet little preview to **The Macaron Scribbles**. Coming up next… So stay tuned! <3
As for Pique Nique, it definitely has a lot of potential. It is comfy to hang out in, to rest your tired feet after shopping or to relax with friends or your significant other. Some hits and misses on the menu but not too bad if you figure out and remember which items work for your tastebuds. Just don’t have high expectations of the young service crew and you won’t be too disappointed!
bB will be back for sure when running errands in town. :)
x o x o
bB
