My Next Door Neighbour: The Replacement - Lodge & Kitchen

Ah, where do I even begin? I chanced upon The Replacement while getting lost (which happens pretty often unfortunately) and obviously, felt completely in my zone with the minimalist exterior.. I feel like I am stepping into a Kinfolk magazine. Literally. In an alternate universe, I might be. Of course, when I entered, I didn't know I was heading right into my new favourite cafe because I was starving and slightly angry for being lost.

'For the wanderlust to rest between wanders', it reads. Right down my alley, this is the face of the cafe I would probably continuously head back.

I had my usual - the mocha (RM11), as a lunchtime perk-me-up, which was unexpectedly very, very good. This part of town continuously surprises me. They use a blend of El Salvador, Brazilian, and Columbian coffee beans to create this baby, and guess what? When I returned a week and a half later, the baristas actually recognized me, note on my preference (I told them I didn't like it too sweet - the default is the mainstream version which is more palatable to all) and even remembered what I ordered the last time. And I get what I loved the first time, but even better. /Instant swoon

This is their menu which I mulled over - oh my goodness, I want EVERYTHING. But I guess there's plenty of return trips for me to try them out slowly one by one. I think they changed their menu recently again, but there is not a huge difference except for newer sauces for the churros.

Churros original (RM12.90) included a dip of your choice - we went for dark chocolate ganache which was the classic one. There were other local spinoffs, such as gula melaka, but well, next time (seriously, this place makes me want to camp here and wait for my stomach to reset itself). Their churros, which are highly recommended by a few and themselves, were indeed hot and freshly fried, crispy and crunchy all at once, and the interior is incredibly soft too. The dark chocolate was premium and satisfyingly bitter in a good way.

Berries Compote French Toast (RM17.90) doesn't look like what it's supposed to be, but what the hell, it was delicious anyway with all the ingredients in there made for success. Buttery, warm and fluffy on the inside of the 'bread', its texture really feels more like cake. Accompanied with cinnamon powder, sweet and sour notes from the berries compote, maple syrup and vanilla bean ice-cream, it was a wonderful pick indeed. 

This cafe strikes a chord with me somewhere, especially because it is always not jam-packed like most Singapore cafes, its service is much more personal (it feels so good to have the barista remember my choice by memory), extremely photogenic, and their food is pretty awesome as well. On this street, The Replacement is the place to go.