When we hear of cafes, classics such as eggs benedict, pasta, pizza and burgers are bound to pop up somewhere in their menus. As a result, it can get real boring eating the same old grub. Here’s where Daily Affairs come into the picture! Besides having a variety of meats, seafood and desserts, the cafe owner, Qihao also earnestly makes it a point to revamp the menu every two to three months, with 40% of the menu items being changed each time. Yay! – to more variety!
Located a 5 minute walk from Newton MRT, Daily Affairs is housed within the comforts of Cairnhill Community Club.
The owner of Daily Affairs has been a hotel chef for the past 10 years and he stepped out of his comfort zone last year to set up the cafe as a way to challenge himself and to serve comfort food to everyone. Besides making a point to switch up the menu every two to three months, Daily Affairs is also a venue where gatherings and parties can be held. Additionally, set lunches (Monday – Saturday) are priced at just $9.90 nett, including a soup, main and coffee/tea. A pretty affordable price for delectable delights, if I may say!
Mushroom soups at many cafes in Singapore turn out diluted, mild tasting and more often than not, reminds me of those straight out of a can. Here at Daily Affairs, the fresh mushroom soup is cooked in house with fresh mushrooms and even include a subtle touch of truffle oil. Dip that crunchy garlic cigar into the aromatic, thick soup with minced mushroom bits and you’ll find yourself wishing you ordered another bowl!
I was pleasantly surprised to hear of clams being served as a main dish on its own, rather than in an aglio olio pasta dish but what surprised me even more was how well the beer actually complemented the plump, juicy clams. After cooking, the taste of the beer remained distinct yet not overly overwhelming. The lightness of the broth made it a great option to order a bowl of rice or two.
With the long hours gone into cooking this dish, it is no wonder how easily the beef slid off my fork and knife. The soft and tender chunks of beef were a true addiction, with the hua diao wine helping to enhance the sweet aroma and taste of the slightly salty sauce. A definite must-order for beef lovers!
As this dish was served to us, we caught sight of the generous, thick slab of Japanese eel atop a bed of rice with a side of onsen egg, cucumber and pickled ginger. With each mouthful, the lightness of the spring onions complemented the juicy meat of the eel perfectly. In neutralising the palette, the cucumbers and pickled ginger did a wonderful job. This is one of those dishes that will certainly leave you with a smile on your face when done right, and Daily Affairs have ticked all the right boxes for me!
Daily Affair’s rendition of Taiwanese hot favourite Lu Rou Fan (Braised Pork Rice) features gigantic chunks of pork belly, together with the soft bones. The soft bones were slightly chewy but easy to break, providing a good amount of collagen for our body. The moist and tender meat complemented the rice so well this dish was gone in literally seconds!
You know what they say.. leave the best for the last. This pasta dish may be a new item but it has already taken the podium in my heart. Forget your usual tomato-based or cream-based pasta.. Here comes the Asian Pasta! Think linguine tossed in a slightly salty homemade dark sauce accompanied by some Japanese style breaded pork belly, and topped off with an onsen egg. The breaded pork belly had a thin and very crispy crust while the meat within was both substantial and juicy. The addition of greens at the top aid in balancing your meal a little and certainly, the fried shallots allow for different textures with each bite!
DAILY AFFAIRS
Address: 1 Anthony Road, Cairnhill Community Club, 229944
Nearest MRT: Newton
Tel: 6262 4342
Opening Hours:
Monday – Saturday 1100 – 2200
Sunday 0800 – 1500
*This was an invited tasting but all opinions are of my own*
melmeleats 