Huck&#39;s Cafe

Huck's Cafe

Dining out at Huck's is like dining in at a beloved friend's home, thanks to the host's hospitality and his hearty, heartfelt cooking.

Huck Seng, the affable proprietor, has converted the top floor of his suburban house into a warm, elegant venue where small groups can come together for cozy dinners.

Nearly every day, Huck slaves in the kitchen _ sometimes from noon onwards _ to prepare each meal, which generally kicks off with appetizers of shrimp-filled fried wontons. Tiny but flavor-packed and incredibly crunchy, without a trace of excess oil.

We adored the French onion soup. One of the best ever _ rich and superbly fresh. Huck buys many ingredients on a daily basis, without storing them in the fridge.

Several one-of-a-kind gastronomic innovations available here include the "Biscuit Pizza" _ basically soft, cookie-like pastry topped with roast chicken, cheese, mangoes, pineapples, chili, onions, tomato & mushrooms. Filling AND fulfilling.

Lamb cottage pie _succulent chunks of lean meat in tangy gravy, served piping-hot and topped with thick, creamy mashed potatoes. What's even more impressive is that Huck is a self-taught chef who honed his craft by cooking for his children.

Pot-roast beef meatloaf with chickpeas. Wholesome and somewhat rustic, this comfort-foodish recipe should please even the fussiest family matriarch.

"Sealed With A Kiss" _ chicken breast marinated with thyme & white wine, foil-cooked with potatoes & five types of mushrooms. An aromatic delight; amazingly, the chicken breast tasted as tender as thighs.

Creme brulee. Simple, but as satisfying as most versions at formal restaurants.

"Apple Rocher." Apple muffins, straight from the oven & topped with Ferrero Rocher.

Reservations need to be made at least 24 hours in advance. But with word-of-mouth spreading by the day, Huck's might be booked way ahead for weekends.