TheWongDogs

After-Swim Brunch – Ah B Cafe

After months of anticipation (eight months to be precise), Ah B Café is finally open for business at Sunny Heights! The Wong Dogs dropped by late December after their swim at Sunny Heights’s Swimming Pool and took in everything this new kid on the block has to offer with Sam Forrest Loo Lim and Pecan! Now, the question is… Will Ah B Café join the ranks of Paw Petradise and Happenstance Café and have Cory and Cole coming back for more?

THE WONG DOGS REVIEW

You might be wondering, “Is it just me or are The Wong Dogs a little slow in covering new pet-friendly cafes?” Well, truth be told, I am a little picky. More often than not, these first visits have me leaving disappointed and another possible blog entry down the drain.

But with Ah B Café, I get a sense of comfort when I entered their premises. Maybe it is from the adrenaline rush of Cory and Cole finishing up their hour-long swim. Smelling fresh from their long renovation works, the cheery demeanour was also seen in the staff here.

An ode to their location which is near forested areas, Ah B Café tells me that the décor is inspired by the greenery surrounding them. I love the expansive space and with an elevated area, I foresee many pet owners relaxing by the comfortable cushions for hours on end.

“We want our customers and furkids to feel at home. This is why we built the stage and added beanbags to make our café cosier,” they say. But wait, that is not the end. In fact, there are some plans in the pipeline to improve on their aesthetic in the near future.

Food-wise, the selection is nothing to brag about and could do with more choices for picky diners.

However, Ah B Café makes up for it by offering above average-tasting nosh. Yes, it is still your typical Western-fare but the Teriyaki Chicken and house special, Ah B Burger (it never hurts to have a signature, right?) should have customers reordering when they return. Also, who can resist breaded drumlets and chicken wings?

“Based on our own recipes, the patties in our Ah B Burger are made fresh every day. Even our sauces are made by us,” they revealed. To beef up their menu selections, Ah B Café tells me that there are plans to expand their dessert selection and include a couple more dishes to the list, “We are hoping to include some Japanese cuisine!”

Sincere, comfy and surrounded by a number of pet amenities such as grooming, Pawlicious (petbakery) and the Sunny Heights Swimming Pool, I foresee Ah B Café will be having a steady stream of customers!

Note: Parking is free but limited. No worries, there are more free lots to be found next to Premier Pitch Indoor.

Operating Hours
Tuesday to Friday: 130pm to 9pm
Saturday: 12pm to 9pm
Sunday: 12pm to7pm
Closed on Mondays.

For more information, do visit Ah B Cafe's Facebook page.

Labels: ah b cafe, animal world, cafe, dining, dog swimming pool, dogs, miniature schnauzer, mixed breed, mongrel, sunny heights, swimming, swimming pool

❤ "After-Swim Brunch – Ah B Cafe" was Posted On: Sunday, 25 January 2015 @09:16 | 0 Wong comments ✿

Treat Of The Week: Pawlicious Mooncakes

By now, many people would know that I have been looking forward to the Mid-Autumn Festival this year. More than just mooncakes for myself, is the choice of getting this popular annual snack for Cory and Cole.

The Wong Dogs went back to an old favourite and ordered Pawlicious’s many different flavours available.

“Since all of our food is human-inspired, why can’t our four-legged friends have mooncakes?” argues Jaster, who bakes these creations.

Besides a new flavour (lamb!) this year, Pawlicious decided to use organic whole wheat flour (rich source of calcium, iron and fiber), making this year’s mooncakes more nutritious for all their doggie customers.

Paw parents, you guys totally cannot miss is the addition of Snow Skin Mooncakes! Though Jaster is tight-lipped on revealing how she came up with this popular delicacy, she tells The Wong Dogs that the process was no walk in the park and required time for her to perfect the recipe.

In fact, this tough cookie nearly gave up though she is now glad that she didn’t. “It was difficult as I decided to do away with shortening due to it not being food for dogs. Icing and sugar was also omitted making Pawlicious’s Snow Skin Mooncakes totally safe for all our canine customers,” she explains. This year, Pawliicous introduced Potato & Cheese as their latest addition to the range.

When I cut open the traditional mooncake, you can obviously see that there is no stinging on the filling and each piece is chock-full with meats. As for the snow skin version, the colouring is derived from ingredients that include beetroot, purple sweet potato and cranberries.

What The Wong Dogs realised was the difference in packaging this year. Granted it is not something you will get from a high-end mooncake brand, but definitely beats plastic boxes, right?

Obviously enough, Cory and Cole gobbled their portions as if they weren't fed for days (the greedy buggers)

The boys had their fill and now, their furry friends such as Sam, Pecan and Buxley will be getting a portion too! Will your pet be chomping on a mooncake this year? Well, there is always next year and from what Jaster revealed, there are many more interesting flavours to look out for!

For more information on purchasing these dog-friendly mooncakes, please visit Pawlicious Facebook page.

You can also visit the Pawlicious website here.

Labels: dining, dogs, dogsofinstasg, miniature schnauzer, mixed breed, mooncakes, party, pawlicious, pet cafe, pet treats, pets, snowskin mooncakes, treat of the week, treats

❤ "Treat Of The Week: Pawlicious Mooncakes" was Posted On: Monday, 25 August 2014 @10:39 | 0 Wong comments ✿

East-Side Coffee - Percolate

Is Dempsey overhyped? Tiong Bahru too hipster-mad? Or all too far away altogether? Well, those living in the east of Singapore can hop down to Bedok North Avenue 3 and discover Percolate! Considering the east seem to be lacking in coffee places, starting up here was a no-brainer for co-founder, Avin Tan.

A tiny outfit which serves one of the best caffeine drinks around. Strictly not pretentious, serious coffee drinkers will be lured by the aroma even before stepping into Percolate. “We really love the staff and customer dynamics which can only be achieved through small and intimate spaces. For some reason, a bigger floor plan makes it harder to achieve such a relationship,” says Avin.

Opening shop earlier this year, Percolate has steadily seen her customer base grow. Weekends see the café filled to the brim, with barely enough seating for the ever-growing crowd that need their caffeine fix. Maybe it is the current café-hopping craze that Singapore is currently going through, but there must be something that makes Percolate different?

Avin says he designed Percolate to be a cosy and relaxing space which serves up honest and delicious coffee, “Coming in, we hope visitors will feel welcomed, akin to stepping into their own homes.” Percolate sources their beans from local coffee roaster partners, which allows for a fresh cup in what Avin describes as “carefully selected service ware”.

It also helps this earnest barista has interned at some of the hippest coffee places (Loysel’s Toys and The Steeping Room) around Singapore. Previously in the airline industry, he was also exposed to the different caffeine cultures around the world – which makes for some impressive taste buds on what makes a good cup of coffee. “I like the art of coffee-making as it is so much more than just pulling a shot of expresso or steaming some milk. Being a barista also involves being social with the customer while the coffee is being made. I always strive to make the right cup of coffee, finding out the preference of customers and striking just the appropriate conversation within a short time. Believe it or not, it can make someone’s day,” says Avin.

Customers will also be able to pick from a selection of cakes and pastries. With an ode to going local, Percolate sources from local micro bakeries which count as the owners’ personal favourites too. “We believe in building relationships so it was natural that we integrate their products deeply into their menus too,” says Avin.

The Wong Dogs Review

Okay, disclaimer – Percolate is not in the truest sense, pet-friendly.

But the owners are huge dog lovers and will not chase away customers who wish to have a cuppa and spend some quality time with pooch. Pet owners will prefer visiting Percolate during weekdays during the late afternoon which The Wong Dogs did. This will also allow you the chance to speak to the owners and know more about the café.

It was quite relaxing sitting back with the two furkids as I tucked into an Expresso Tart and a 5oz cup (similar to a latte).

I was expecting the former to taste extremely bitter but I was pleasantly surprised that the tart had the perfect mix of sweetness intertwined with a slight bitter aftertaste. Percolate also has a host of other pastries though due to limited storage space, these sell out quite fast, especially during the weekend.

The cup of coffee was your standard fare of a delicious brew (Singapore’s standards are rather high) and is attributed to Avin’s outlook on what is good coffee. “Percolate’s strives to be meticulous, paying the most attention to our coffee-making,” he says. As mentioned above, this is contributed by sourcing their beans locally, keeping their stock as fresh as possible. The 5oz cup also counts as Percolate’s best-seller to date. “We find that this is the coffee to milk ratio that is the easiest to enjoy as it is creamy and sweet and can be taken without sugar,” he says.

With such comfortable settings, repeat visits are a confirm must!

Address

Bk 136 Bedok North Avenue 3

#01-152B

Singapore 460126

Operating Hours

Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays: 1030 – 2130

Tuesdays: CLOSED

Saturdays and Sundays: 0900 – 2130

For more information, visit Percolate’s Facebook page here.

Labels: dining, dogs, east, miniature schnauzer, mixed breed, pet cafe, pets, the wong dogs

❤ "East-Side Coffee - Percolate" was Posted On: Sunday, 10 August 2014 @22:47 | 0 Wong comments ✿

Sam The Samoyed - My Happiest Moment

"What's your happiest moment?"

"When he caught a rat for the very first time. It reminded me he is not a toy but a dog."

"That is a very interesting view on Sam."

"I always feel like a VIP whenever I go out with Sam. He has such a positive draw and I remember this one time when we were at the beach and there was this crying pup with its owner. Sammy will always go and check on the little thing and leave to play with bigger dogs when it stops. But once it continues whining, he will drop whatever he is doing and return to comfort the puppy." - A conversation during lunch at W39 Bistro & Bakery

Labels: cafe, dining, dogs, dogsofinstasg, lunch, pets, samoyed, stories

❤ "Sam The Samoyed - My Happiest Moment" was Posted On: Tuesday, 15 July 2014 @01:10 | 0 Wong comments ✿

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