Café Name: Octa Hotel

Pricing: $$$/5

Food: ♥♥+half/5

Ambience: ♥♥♥+half/5

Service: ♥♥♥/5

Website: http://octahotel.com.sg

Location: #P1-39, Millennia Walk, 9 Raffles Boulevard, Singapore 039596
Tel: 6336 4614
Operating Hours: Daily, 10:30 to 21:30

I chanced upon this Café when I was walking towards Marina Square from Promenade MRT on a lovely Friday evening.

It was my virgin trip down the newly established Downtown Line and hence I was a little excited.. So please bear with me for being some country bumpkin..

The Downtown Line was very conveniently located near my office - Asiq Square Tower

Waiting for MRT to come

I love how they design the Privilege Seat...

Be Sweet Singaporeans, give up your seats to the needy! :)

Le' Arrival @ Promenade MRT Station

Octa Hotel originated in Japan and fashioned like a Parisian Hotel. It is a café cum boutique concept whereby guests can enjoy chilling out in the café and shop for their in-house apparels, fashion accessories and home wares which are mostly imported from Europe and Japan at the boutique.

Hmm looks like a Malay shop selling Curtains... But it is actually a Café!

Looks Homely~

As I had a stressed day at work earlier, the homely décor of the café caught my attention and I decided to pop by to try their food out.

I arrived at the place at 6.00pm and the café was really empty - there was only one guest seated at a corner waiting for her food to be served... Hence I had the opportunity to snap some decent photos of the surroundings :)

Le' Ambience

Signboards @ the Entrance

I love their little collage

The place was really indeed very serene (perhaps because the place was empty) and I enjoyed the freedom there as the staff really left me alone to snap photos after serving the food. LOL.

I loved the country style feel at the café but felt that the place was... just a little too empty..

How Empty~

Le' Menu

The menu was very thick... In fact I got very tired and awkward of snapping photos of the menu as the staff was waiting to take my order whilst I was still trying hard to explore their menu. They do offer a wide variety of food and cakes! Here are some shots of the menu (incomplete):

Rum and Raisin French Toast @ S$13.90++
(Limited Time Only)

Petite Déjeuner

Lunch Pasta Deal and New À la Carte Menu

More À la Carte...

Side Menu + À la Carte Menu

À la Carte...

Dinner Set Special @ S$22.90++

High Tea Set @ S$13.50++

Newly Cake Special @ S$8.80++

Cake of the Day Promotion @ S$8.80++

Le Desserts Menu :)

What I Ordered

I ordered their Octa Hotel Dinner Set as I realised that many items are only available for a certain timing to my dismay (i.e. Side Menu is available from 12:00 to 14:30, Newly Cake Special and High Tea Set available from 14:30 to 18:00 etc). Hence I guess dinnertime is the most inappropriate timing for me to visit :(

Le' Food (Octa Hotel Dinner Set @ S$22.90++)

Appetiser

Appetiser: Mini Salad (French Dressing) and Cappuccino Mushroom Soup

Close-Up

Mini Salad (French Dressing)

Mini Salad (French Dressing)

The salad was just so-so and pretty common. Simply lacks the WOW factor...

Cappuccino Mushroom Soup

Cappuccino Mushroom Soup

The cup was filled with mushrooms and the soup was pretty rich with the mushroom taste. However, I still personally prefer the mushroom soup @ Joan Bowen Café.

Main

Corn Cream Pasta

Main: Corn Cream Pasta

I chose the corn cream pasta as I love creamy sauce from the pasta as well as the sweetness from corns.

The Corn Cream Pasta was served in a sweet flowery looking plate and it looked really appetising. However, upon tasting the pasta together with the sauce, I was really disappointed as it was pretty insipid. The cream sauce ain't creamy enough and there was no taste from the corns at all :(

Not enough Corns...

Not Creamy enough :(

Moreover, the skin of the sausages were tough and difficult to chew to the extent that I relented and ate them without the skin instead.

See how tough was the skin of the Sausage?

Eating the Sausage Meat without the Skin...

After a while, I decided to stop eating altogether.. Haix!

Le' Leftovers :(

Dessert

Mini slice of cake and small portion of soft served

Dessert: Mini Slice of Chocolate Cake and Small Portion of Soft Served

I really loved the cake! It was warm and moist and tasted home-made :3

And the softie was delicious with the syrup too! By the way, the syrup tasted very similar to the one used for Paris Baguette's Royal Pudding. The syrup was not sweet and neutralised the sweetness of the softie and I was well-pleased with their desserts. Definitely better than the softie served by Hoshino Coffee!

The downside is that they do not serve desserts with a dessert spoon!

No Dessert Spoon?!!!

Drink

A Pot of Earl Grey Tea (Top Up S$4.00)

Drink: A Pot of Earl Grey Tea

I topped up S$4.00 to get a pot of tea (instead of a cup) which was recommended by the staff.

The presentation of the tea set was really lovely with a pink teapot, a piece of butter cookie and a petite strainer (I think I saw the strainer sold at Daiso!).

Cute looking Tea Set

The tea was not made with normal tea bags but with REAL tea leaves, and hence a strainer is required to filter out the tea leaves.

Tea Leaves used instead of Tea Bags :)

Handy Strainer can be swivelled conveniently. Available at Daiso.

Adding a Sugar Cube to my Tea to add some sweetness~

My expectations for tea is rather high, especially after I have been an ardent fan of TWG Tea for quite some time. Earl Grey is supposed to have its very own unique fragrance and taste, but... This pot of tea tasted somewhat diluted and bland which was another major letdown :(

Le' Service

The service was acceptable but my main dish was served after quite a long wait. I have finished my salad and mushroom soup and spent almost another 10 minutes waiting for the pasta to be served... Perhaps they can consider improving on their efficiency.

Boutique

I explored the boutique after my dinner and have to agree that they do carry some lovely items which caught my attention.

Quaint Stuff imported from Europe + Japan

Overall

I loved the cozy and serene ambience at the café but the food served were somewhat below my expectations. Perhaps I should visit this place again during Tea Time to try their cakes / desserts as that should be their forte in my opinion.