The Place From Chye Seng Huat to Tian Kee, anything retro seems to be in trend now – even if it is just the name. Yes, as always, the new old is the new cool. From adopting a old shop name, to using colonial shophouses (read: My Awesome Cafe and Three Buns), many of these restaurants and cafes are gaining initial popularity with the instagram-crazy picture-speaks-a-thousand-words generation.

All said and done, Sin Lee Foods is a modern cafe with nothing but it’s name being old school. The cafe adopts a more industrial design, with the standard grey cement flooring, brown tables and brick walls concept. Nice and comfy for a weekend brunch!

The Food Typical suspects on the menu, with a few Sin Lee signatures including the Fried Chicken Chop with Waffle. Unfortunately, tRP was happily snacking away at Tiong Bahru market before this and decided that this might just be too heavy for us. We settled for their other signature brunch selection the Big B ($18.90) instead; with such a heavy title, it ought to define Sin Lee’s standards well.

Probably it has been due to our overdose of brunch food, but Big B didn’t impress. The consolation though was the toast, just the right bite, just the right warm – that’s what all toast should be. The rest are as seen, nothing much to rave about.

After debating much, we decided to go for a hot and cold drink at Sin Lee. The hot weather on the Sunday we visited was too unbearable that a iced cold drink seemed a must. Iced Mocha ($6.50) definitely tops the selection on such days. Not sure it was due to the shiokness of a cold drink, or that Sin Lee did well on this drink, the Iced Mocha was surprisingly good!

The Cafe Latte ($5.50) was good too. Have forgotten to check on the origin of the beans, but definitely going to return for their coffee again.

Rants Sin Lee Foods is located at the Jalan Bukit Ho Swee estate and honestly, tRP has our reservations in having such an upmarket cafe located in this quaint little estate though. Just ain’t sure how many residents in the area actually do welcome such a cafe under their housing blocks, vis-a-vis having a more affordable and community friendly local coffee house in replace of it?

Just a thought.

Will I return again? Not if there are no available indoor seats though. That said, while the coffee is good and the mains are slightly overpriced and with the nearby Tiong Bahru….. what’s your take?

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 3/5
Hole in the pocket: 4/5
Ambience: 4/5
Overall Experience: 3/5

Sin Lee Foods
4 Jalan Bukit Ho Swee #01-164
Singapore 162004
Tel: +65 6377  3170

Reserve your table at Sin Lee Foods on Chope.co !

Opening hours:
Tuesday-Sunday: 10am-9pm