Monniker

Monniker is SO PRETTY. I am nerd trash and as a result I am a sucker for well done Steampunk. Even though it’s not the best Steampunk thing I’ve ever seen, it damn well is the best I’ve seen in Singapore. Let alone Balestier!!! I only had the chicken waffles + egg and a fresh orange juice so I can’t comment on the coffee.
So the waffles and chicken and egg was… Interesting. I’ve had this chicken-​waffle concoction before and thankfully I had the foresight to ask for the syrup to be on the side should I want to pour it on. And I actually did ask for it this time, but I guess they forgot so instead I ate it the way it was meant to, maple syrup and all. Safe to say I don’t think I’m going to do this savoury and sweet waffle thing anytime soon… The waffles themselves were tasty, but it just tasted really weird with the sunny side up egg and fried chicken.
I was expecting the chicken to be like kentucky fried or something, but instead it was really more like a schnitzel??? The meat was a bit tough and I think it was the thigh meat, which is fine, but I was expecting chicken breast so I was a bit disappointed in that.
All in all the food was decent but I think Monniker is a bit more style than substance, if you get what I mean. But it’s definitely worth it for the ambiance alone. Certainly one of a kind in Singapore! I’d like to see more places pop up in this kind of theme but taking it a step further! Where is my Steampunk-​Qing Dynasty themed restaurant with jade canons and dragon lanterns???

Spectacular piccolo lattes and flat whites. I didn’t ask the barista, but he had to have learnt his trade in a Melbourne café. The waffles and eggs benedict went down very well too. Small joint, but a much needed addition to the Balestier area and it’s going to become a regular haunt for my coffee runs. Friendly service is the icing on the cake.

I came here to meet up with some Unilocal peeps and I am so so glad I did: not only I got to meet some awesome people, it was the BEST coffee I had until now in Singapore!
I must admit: I am not a big coffee connoisseur: I am a Starbucks girl — love my big cups of milky warm drinks which they call coffee but I had a flat white at Monniker and cannot get it out of my mind, it’s like an entire world has opened for me. I am seriously craving this coffee and noticed that my usual Starbucks does not satisfy me anymore. I immediately bookmarked Nylon as I was told they serve the same coffee.
Even though it is a bit of the beaten path for me, I am definitely going back to try out their food (I had a few bites of their cakes and they were to die for and I noticed they serve chicken waffles, one of my favorite things to eat), especially since the atmosphere is cute and laid back, perfect for this type of café but the coffee is the main reason to return. Heck, I would even go back if it was just a Hawker stand selling coffee like this.

This review is for drinks and desserts at Monniker!
Finally, I can have my Nylon beans based coffee again because I’m often in this area on the weekends far from the actual Nylon Roasters. They are pulling from Four Chairs here so it’s obviously a tried and tested blend and they are hoping to bring in more types of coffee after they get more established.
Steaming — check the microfoam is there. Shape of bubbles held up well.
Flat whites and cappuccino we ordered $ 5 — consistent.
Mom wanted a hot chocolate and she said it was really good. She enjoyed the small bite of Valrhona chocolate on the side served as a snack.
I LOVED the sea salt caramel cake. $ 8 for a slice — it’s a little pricey but we wiped up in double-​quick time. This was baked inhouse like their caraway bread I was told. (Toast and jam is like my rents’ brek comfort food so I think we have to come back to try that soon.) Wally explained that the cake was quite salty because they wanted the savouryness to come out unlike a lot of caramel based cakes which are just really sweet. Well this suited my tastes perfectly and it was perfect moist. The salty topping had just the right amount of sweetness together with the actual cake to counterbalance and there was a real creaminess to the sauce. I’m still dreaming of this cake days later and have been telling my friends we need to go back so they can try it (ie so I can eat it again).
I’m generally not a cake person so it’s really rare for me to rave about cake.
We also tried their banana cream pie. I wasn’t eager but my brother wanted it. Surprisingly, I really enjoyed it too. The cream was freshly whipped and thick. The crackers were really light and unique and they were generous with the bananas (health food I told myself as I went dug in).
I’m eager to go back to try the savoury items on their breakfast menu. Disclosure, I’m friendly with the owner and chef but we got to know each other over a mutual love for Nylon coffee so it’s part of the coffee street cred of this place. Water was served in a flask at your table which I really like. so you can top up easily. Small touches like this matter to me. The more water I drink, the more coffee I can take haha