Foodology Fresh @ The URA Centre

Just right next to Maxwell Hawker Centre is Foodology Fresh, a gourmet deli place that adds to the list of healthy eating places in this increasingly health-conscious urban landscape. Push open the door, get a tray, and start assembling your lunch from the extensive menu of soups, salads, sandwiches and even desserts. How does a sugar-free Sun dried Tomato and Mozzarella muffin sounds? 

Everything here is self-service and one can even take advantage of the microwave--a great modern invention to get the food proper at the right temperature as having chilled food after sitting for long hours in an igloo-like office can be rather upsetting. Alternatively, one can also request to heat up the food with an oven. 

There is no free lunch but there are plenty of "free" options--meat-free, sugar-free, lactose-free, gluten-free and Trans fat-free food. I am no nutritionist but my gut instincts tell me that the Brown Rice & Promegranate $7.50 (pic below) is the healthiest since it amazingly fulfills all the above criteria. 

From the sandwiches selection, the fillings are pretty standard (roasted chicken avocado, multigrain tuna, roasted vegetable and cheese), but it's the croissant that separates this from the crowd. That delightful crunch from the golden crust as you take a bite brings the whole thing together, but first one needs to toast it up.   

For a full-fledged menu, add $3 to the mains of salad/sandwich/wrap to get a quiche, muffin or a bowl of soup. The mushroom and pumpkin soup is especially worth savouring, though they could go lighter on the salt. I enjoyed the man-sized wrap of Smoked Salmon & Avocado as the smoked salmon always go well with cream cheese and sour capers. But for a meaty and full-flavoured option, look out for the Chilli con Carne. 

The quiches, dessert pies and pastries are definitely the least healthiest food there but no harm indulging in one or two. Instead of the Apple Crumble, Summerberry Yoghurt or Lemon Tart, I prefer the Mascarpone Creme Brûlée Tart as it was close to my favourite Tiramisu. The dust of cocoa powder imparted a subtle bitterness which made this not overwhelming rich and sweet. All the chilled tart-based desserts might not deliver that perfectly pert shell or flavour but decent for the price of $5.80.

But the most stirring moments came from something that I often overlooked, the muffins. Each one is dense and filling but every bite proves to be unyieldingly tender. The savoury muffins are a batch of curious specialties, amongst which the Feta Cheese and Olive ($4.80)  caught my eye. The bold duo produced the most distinctive flavour, as indicative from its intensely orange interior, but carefully-balanced and won't intimidate you after the first bite. The Banana Walnut ($3.80), less rich than an average banana bread, is slightly honeyed with a subtle nutty aroma. An ideal wake-me-up, best enjoyed warm on a sleepy working morning with a cuppa hazelnut latte. 

Foodology Fresh @ The URA Centre 

45 Maxwell Road #01-02, Singapore 069118 

Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm 
www.facebook.com/foodologyfresh 

Special thanks to Jaslyn