.Elia: Lovely Unpretentious Bistro Cafe with Friendly Staff

New kid on the block .elia has taken over the former ground of Oriole Coffee Roasters which moved out of Jiak Chuan Street three years ago. .elia is a casual bistro by day where diners can delight in their comforting house-made pasta and sandwiches and when night falls, the menu becomes a little more sophisticated.

Most of the items on the menu are kept below $20 and for a dollar you’ll get a cup of coffee or tea when you order the lunch set. Popular item on the menu is the Jamon Iberico Grilled Cheese Sandwich ($16.50) composed of freshly baked bread, Spanish cured ham, 3 kinds of cheese and a glorious fried egg.

Mouth-watering house-made pastas such as Panchetta ($15.50), Meatball Pappardelle ($17.50) and Tagliatelle Genovese ($15.50) will add a level of freshness and flavour to the dishes presented at .elia.

Swing by on a Friday or Saturday to enjoy all-day brunch items such as Potatoes ($16) classic Pancakes ($15) and Big Breakfast ($19). Or you can have rich and creamy milkshakes for breakfast too. The Peanut Butter Fudge ($12) and Nut-ing Fancy ($12) milkshakes are typical choices but with no regrets.

.elia will soon be launching a dinner menu and here’s a sneak preview of some of the upcoming mains and dessert. Enjoy creations put together by owner-and-chef Clint Seah include the perfectly grilled Octopus with sautéed kale, caramelised chilli and macadamia nuts; a crusty sous-vide seared Wagyu Beef Shortrib and .elia‘s rendition of the classic Chocolate Molten Cake for dessert.