Singapore: Le Halo Cafe

Le Halo is determined to make your tastebuds and nostalgia-seeking soul very happy, just like its name promises... 'Le' refers to the Chinese character, Joy; while 'halo' is a pun on the word 'hello' (Cue: Adele). It is definitely not your average cafe, and I am thoroughly in love with their creations, one after another after another. Is it far-fetched to say it's worth travelling down to try it? Not at all.

The moment I entered, I realized that Le Halo is half a boutique store that sells paraphernalia from yesteryear Singapore. curiously well-stocked with all kinds of childhood playthings, furniture and display decor that you might want to furnish your space with. If you're looking to get one of these things... yes, Le Halo is likely to have it.

Battered soldiers to play morbid games with - pre-meal.

No doubt there's a crazy amount of things in there, but somehow it's not too messy and visually assaulting. It serves as a good entertainment and distraction while waiting for your food to be served. Working around a tiny open-concept kitchen, it's surprising how the interior space doesn't smell of oil and food at all, which I deeply appreciate.

Mouthwatering and delicious, I dare say this Otak Egg (SGD9.50) tastes even better than otak itself. Inventive and fun dish that has succeeded in understanding what delicious should be, I found myself reaching for it repeatedly because I can't get enough of the taste. A slab of juicy Muah otak on toast. Never knew this combination could be this good.

The show-stopper must be this all-time customers favourite, Piggy Stew (SGD11.50), and it's not difficult to see why at all. I'm impressed by how truly flavourful the pork stew is from slow-cooked process, it was just so satisfying to dip in the crispy, freshly toasted bread into this. It looks oily but it doesn't bother the taste when I tried it.

Award-winning Eggs Benedict (SGD14.50) from Le Halo deserves all the praise it has gotten thus far, precisely because it does justice to the glorious eggs it incorporated into this dish. Two-way eggs - first is good ol' poached egg doused with in-house hollandaise sauce done to perfection, and second, a cheesy salted muffin cup with ham, egg and cheese stuffed. If all these seemed too overwhelming, take a step back with the brush of pea-paste, horse radish, cherry tomatoes and salad. It is definitely one of the best eggs benedicts around, and worth trying if you're bored of the usual version you get.

When the Mushroom Carbonara (SGD14.50) was first set on the table, I eyed it with queer suspicion beacause I almost always found carbonara too greasy and heavy for my liking... but guess what, this one passed my test. It was still slightly greasy but it didn't grate on my appetite, and its bacon bits were gratifying to have... as usual. Beautifully done.

For desserts, Le Halo's eye-catching rainbow Kueh Lapis and rainbow Cakes are their best sellers. Common reservations about rainbow desserts are about how artificial the colours are, but here, they insist that colours are carefully created by natural ingredients. While it must be painstaking to do so, it isn't easy to detect the flavours. For the Kueh Lapis, it tastes like a regular kueh lapis; for the rainbow cake, I must give it credit it does fare better than normal rainbow cakes, I would prefer to have another flavour. Stick to the mains, but at least the desserts are fun to photograph and finally, something rainbow that's safe to eat.