The festive season’s approaching and this calls for gatherings and catch-up sessions with family and friends. Whether over a cup of aromatic coffee at a café or savouring mouthwatering dishes at restaurants and small-scale eateries, it’s the company that matters most. With the recent increase in the number of cafés situated along Upper Thomson, and the already well established food joints present, I’m sure you will enjoy a hearty meal at any one of the eateries we have checked out. Here’s the ultimate Upper Thomson food guide for your reference. Enjoy!

Updated as of 25 November 2015

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Habitat Coffee
Address: 223 Upper Thomson Road, Singapore 574355
Tel: 6456 2567
Opening Hours: Tue-Fri 11am-10:30pm; Sat-Sun 10:30am-10:30pm. Closed on Monday
Website: http://www.habitatcoffee.com.sg

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

At Habitat, it all started with the coffee. It wasn’t, of course, just any coffee. It was a cup of coffee made with passion. Singaporean owner Ryan was so inspired by Melbourne cafes, he’s taken his passion for coffee back to Singapore and started his own cafe Habitat in a neighbourhood in Upper Thomson populated with cafe-goers. From salads, sandwiches, pastas to most vitally, brunch, Habitat Coffee does it all. Some new items in the menu include BBQ Pulled Pork ($13), Chilli Crab Linguine ($17), Truffle Salmon Scrambled Egg ($15), Stuffed Berries Hotcake ($15). Something that runs out fast is Pick A Date ($12), featuring warm sticky date pudding with cream butterscotch sauce. There is an unanimity of praise for this unassuming dessert among diners.

Read about the full post here.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Kampong Chicken Rice
Address: 255 Upper Thomson Road, Singapore 574382
Tel: (65) 6456 0698
Opening hours: 11am – 8pm daily

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Chicken rice is the most common dish in Singapore and most people would have heard of Kampong chicken, which is different from your usual chicken found in most places. The normal chicken is usually injected with hormones to make them grow faster and fatter for commercial purposes whereas Kampong chicken are free range chickens allowed to run about in the wild and not force fed corn meal to fatten them up, hence making it a healthier version. The moist rice that accompanied the Kampong chicken was aromatic and not too oily. There are also other dishes such as the chicken’s internal organs, vegetables and Thai-style chicken feet available on their menu. Honestly, we felt that the chili and garlic sauce is one the best we have tried. Although big eaters might find it a hassle to dissect every slab of the bony chicken to salvage any remaining pieces of meat, diet-watchers and health conscious people are satisfied with the noticeably less fat.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Badoque Cafe
Address: 246 Upper Thomson Road, Thomson Garden Estate, Singapore 574370
Tel: 6446 6928
Website: https://www.facebook.com/badoquecafeSG
Opening Hours: 12pm – 10pm daily

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Badoque (Malay slang for eat) has developed a loyal following among the local Malay community because of the café’s cozy vibe and good food. The café features an internationally inspired menu – Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Asian Fusion. The bestseller is the Badoque Ribs ($36), it was 5cm thick and almost as long as my arm. The accompanying brown sauce had a nice silky consistency helped by the addition of beef drippings and jus. Meat is grilled well-done and served hot to your table with potatoes and greens. We suggest you share your food with your loved ones — the portions are very generous. Yes, it’s halal-certified!

Read about 20 Halal Cafes in Singapore // 10 Halal Cafes in the East

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Pacamara Boutique Coffee Roasters
Address: 185 Upper Thomson Road, Singapore 574333
Website: http://pacamara.sg
Opening hours: 9am to 11pm daily

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Tucked in a corner lies this amazing, vibrant café! Its simplistic interior, making use of white walls and woody furniture, exudes an Australian-feel. Beginning the day with Truffle Benedict ($18) or Salmon Royale ($18) is a strong motivational factor for me to crawl out of bed. The free range poached eggs lie on a spread of smoked ham, over brioche and are topped with delicious truffle hollandaise sauce. Salmon Royale is another favourite brunch of mine, with asparagus, wilted spinach and smoked salmon served with ebiko anchovy hollandaise sauce. Looking to begin your day on a sweet note instead, try their Salted Caramel Banana French Toast ($16) where caramelized bananas are drizzled with salted caramel sauce and topped with whipped cream. The barista at Pacamara makes really good coffee too!

Read about the full post here.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Ngee Fou Restaurant – Ampang Yong Tau Foo
Address: 928 Upper Thomson Road, Singapore 787121
Tel: (65) 6452 1801
Opening hours: 10am – 8pm daily

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

At Ngee Fou, a portion of Yong Tau Foo ($4) consists of standard ingredients such as kangkong, fried bean sticks, fishballs, tau kwa, tau pok, fried quail eggs, fried wanton, tofu, brinjal, bittergourd and lady’s finger. The ingredients are freshly made daily. There is only the dried version available and the braising sauce is incredibly irresistible! Yong Tau Foo is served with rice here. The medley of saltiness and fragrance is simply heavenly. Apart from their signature Yong Tau Foo, they also sell chicken and duck rice. Its location might be rather ulu and inconvenient unless you own a car but definitely worth a trip for their Hakka Yong Tau Foo. It can get crowded during lunch and dinner time so arrive earlier!

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Five by Five
Address: Thomson V One, 9 Sin Ming Road #01-03, Singapore 575630
Facebook: www.facebook.com/fivebyfive.sg
Opening hours: 11am – 12am (Mon, Wed-Fri), 10am – 12am (Sat & Sun). Closed on Tuesdays.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Opened by the same guys behind November 8, Five by Five cafe made use of minimalist wooden furnishings which complements their all-white interior. This café exudes a cozy and homey feeling that chases away your troubles and worries. Brunch goers can indulge in their signature 5by5 breakfast ($15.50) or Salmon Florentine ($16.50) while the dinner crowd can settle for Chicken Bleu ($15.50), Japanese Beef Stew ($18.50) or Miso Roasted Pork ($16.50). If you’re just looking for a place to chill and catch up over a couple of beers, why not order some bar snacks as well? Their Spicy Lemon Topshell ($7) and Nachos with Cheese sauce and Tomato Chorizo ($9) are highly raved about. This café offers complimentary Wi-Fi and opens till midnight hence it’s a perfect hangout with your best pals. Even though November 8 was short-lived, it seems like Five by Five is here to stay!

Read the full post here.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

The Famous Ice-Cream Rolls Shop
Address: Thomson V Two, 11 Sin Ming Road, #01-12, Singapore 575629
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/famous.icecream.rolls/
Opening hours: 1pm – 10pm (Tue-Thu, Sun), 1pm – 11pm (Fri & Sat). Closed on Mondays.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

‘Thailand’ would pop up in everyone’s minds at the mention of ice-cream rolls. You need not travel far for this because there is The Famous Ice-Cream Rolls Shop! You can choose a flavour per cup ($4.20) or mix two flavours (add $0.80). They offer Vanilla, Ferrero Rocher, Chocolate, Oreo, Kinder Bueno, Milo, Ovomaltine and Nutella. Each cup is served with Chocolate Hershey sauce and Rainbow Rice. They also offer Fruits Delight – one fruit ($4.90) or a mixture of two fruits (add $0.80). You can choose between Strawberry, Lychee and Mango. Each fruit cup is served with Strawberry or Caramel sauce and Rainbow Rice. This is a simple frozen dessert which helps you to beat the extreme heat!

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

One Man Coffee
Address: 215R Upper Thomson Road, Singapore 574349
Tel: (65) 9658 1685
Opening hours: 9am to 5pm daily

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Café goers would often miss out on One Man Coffee as the premise is better known for Crust Gourmet Pizza Bar. They share the same shophouse unit – One Man Coffee utilizes the premise from 9am to 5pm while Crust Gourmet Pizza Bar only opens after 5pm. At One Man Coffee, coffee lovers will be treated to a brew made from Axil Coffee Roasters beans, one of Melbourne’s popular coffee joints. An espresso starts at $3 nett. My cappuccino ($4.50) excels with well-balanced body and a rich aroma. I enjoyed the nutty Brioche French Toast served with homemade berry compote and fresh cream ($10). The brioche was so pillow-y soft and moist as it was soaked in egg mixture. The walnuts was full of nutty goodness and the blueberry jam and a dollop of fresh cream complemented the french toast. Another dish that caught our eye from the menu is the Gashouse Eggs ($10). The café’s unpretentious laidback atmosphere makes me want to return and spend a relaxing afternoon there again. There are cake and pastry displays on its vintage-looking cabinet as well. P/S Say YAY to no GST & service charge!

Read the full post here.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

The Roti Prata House
Address: 246 Upper Thomson Road, Singapore 574370
Tel: (65) 6459 5260
Opening hours: 7am – 2am (Mon-Thu & Sun), 24 hours (Fri), till 12 midnight (Sat)

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Being a convenient and prominent shop that serves up one of the best ‘pratas’ in Singapore, this space fills up with a steady stream of customers and rarely goes quiet. Be there early in order to grab seats! The pratas sold here are different from the typical soft and fluffy ones you get elsewhere. We especially love the crispy and crunchy pratas offered here! Dunking the prata into the thick and creamy chicken curry is definitely love at first bite.

With its extensive variety of Indian-Muslim food, you’re bound to get spoilt for choices. There is probably less space in your stomach than there are food options such as Maggie Goreng ($3.50), Chicken Briyani ($5), Murtabak ($5), Mutton Soup ($4) and Indian Rojak etc. Besides their delicious fare, we also love their super shiok Teh Tarik ($0.90), which is neither diluted nor overly sweet. This is a great place to satisfy your late night hungry pangs, do check it out!

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Salted Caramel Artisan Ice Cream
Address: 246F Upper Thomson Road, Singapore 574370
Tel: (65) 6753 1718
Opening hours: 12pm – 11pm (Sun-Thu), 12pm – 2am (Eve of PH, Fri & Sat)

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Since opening its doors in 2011, Salted Caramel has been serving affordable ice cream. Single scoop costs $3.60 while double goes for $6.40 and triple for $9.20. Such a good deal yea? All below $10! For a more substantial dessert, you have the choice of adding on a brownie ($3.50) or a waffle ($4) to your choice of ice cream. My personal favourites are Earl Grey, Rum & Raisin, Milo and not to forget, Salted Caramel! Their ice cream is free from artificial enhancers and preservatives. They open till late night!

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Fatboy’s – The Burger Bar
Address: 187 Upper Thomson Road, Singapore 574335
Tel: (65) 6252 8780
Opening hours: 4pm – 12am (Mon-Thu), 12pm – 12am (Fri, Sat & Sun)

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Craving for an irresistibly sinful burger with fries? Look no further! Fatboy’s here to satisfy that hunger pang of yours! Forget diets and begin your indulgence in Fatboy’s appetizers ranging from Spicy Hot Drumlets ($11.50) to Beer Battered Calamari ($10.50) to Mozzarella Cheese Sticks ($10). Fatboy’s Specialty Fries is a must, with flavours such as Beef Chili Cheese Fries ($7.50) and Parmesan Truffle Fries ($7.50).

Personally, I love “Fat Basterd” ($19.80), which consists of double beef chunk patties, chewy bacon, cheddar cheese, a fried egg and homemade Fatboy’s BBQ sauce on sesame seed bun. Chow down like a champion! There’s not a civilized soul dining here! Haha! Be prepared to get your hands messy with the dripping cheese and overflowing sauces. I’m not exaggerating when I say, ‘a bite of Fatboy’s burger takes you to heaven’.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Sparks Café & Bistro
Address: Thomson V One, 9 Sin Ming Road #01-04, Singapore 575630
Website: www.sparkscafebistro.com
Opening hours: 11.30am – 10pm (Mon), 10am – 10pm (Tue-Sun)

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Sparks Café & Bistro is an extension of the already famous Berrygerrybakes that started two years ago. Upon entering this cafe, you’ll be treated to an overwhelming aroma of cookies, freshly baked out of the oven. Berrygerrybakes is famous for its sugee cake, butter cake and fruit cake. Moreover, they offer a wide variety of cookies ranging from flavours such as Singaporean’s Chinese New Year favourite Bak Kwa, classic Earl Grey, nutty Almond to another local delight – Pandan and lots more. The Pandan Kaya cake ($4.80) here not only looks good, it smells and tastes good too! They also offer light bites such as their chicken pot pie ($4.80). With its crispy crust yet soft interior and the savory ingredients within the pie, I would give this pie an overall thumbs-up!

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Yahava KoffeeWorks
Address: 4 Jalan Gelenggang, Singapore 578188
Website: www.yahava.com
Opening hours: 9am – 6pm daily

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

This is one of the very few cafés that roasts its own Arabica coffee beans in-house. The resultant brews are fragrant, fully flavoured and is the perfect way to begin your day! Due to their open-concept kitchen, you get to observe the roasting process and take in the fragrance of their roasted coffee beans lingering in the air. The few brewing methods available in-store include Plunger Coffee aka French Press, Filter/Pourover Coffee and Aeropress. Customers get complimentary coffee tasting in-store. Just approach any one of their friendly baristas and they’re more than willing and eager to share their coffee knowledge with you!

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Nam Kee Chicken Rice Restaurant
Address: 201 Upper Thomson Road, Singapore 574343
Tel: (65) 6253 4502
Opening hours: 11am – 9pm (Wed-Mon). Closed on Tuesdays.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Nam Kee Chicken Rice has over forty years of experience and is probably a household name for many families across Singapore. It serves traditional Hainanese Chicken Rice ($26 for whole chicken) with meat so tender, chili with just the right punch and at affordable prices. The velvety smooth skin of the chicken is enticing enough and bears just the right amount of fat within. The chicken pieces were juicy and complemented perfectly with the dipping sauce – a combination of chili sauce, ginger paste and dark soy sauce. Nam Kee is famous for its outstanding sauce, boasting a mixture of spicy chili sauce, yellow pasty ginger and thick yet less salty dark soy sauce. Overall, the gratifying chicken rice is a must-try!

Besides their signature chicken rice, Nam Kee is also known for their Hainanese Zi Char dishes such as my personal favourite, the Hainanese Pork Chop ($7). Crispy pieces of pork chops are presented with a home-styled favourite of tomatoes, carrots, corns and green peas. I love the exquisitely tangy tomato sauce that is spooned generously over the dish. Other dishes worth mentioning are the Hainanese Mixed Vegetables ($7), Fu-Yong Egg ($6), as well as, Fish Maw Soup ($10).

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Ice Cream Chefs
Address: 12 Jalan Kuras, Singapore 577727
Website: www.icecreamchefs.com
Opening hours: 12.30pm – 10.30pm (Mon-Thu), 12pm – 11.30pm (Eve of PH, Fri & Sat), 12pm – 11pm (Sun & PH)

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

This café is no stranger to the ice cream scene in Singapore ever since its establishment in 2007. Ice cream are made fresh daily, with over 10 flavours to choose from each day. The Banana waffle came with a regular scoop of Oreos and Cream flavoured ice cream. The waffle was fluffy, not overly-crisp and leaves a mildly sweet aftertaste from the banana flavour. Oreos and Cream ice cream brings out the traditional cookie flavour. Ice Cream Chefs’ Hot Chocolate is generously topped with mini marshmallows. Thankfully, it is not overwhelmingly sweet. They do serve Milkshakes such as Nutella, ChocoBanana and Coffee etc. beginning from $6.50 and above.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Yi Jia Bakery House Café
Address: 229 Upper Thomson Road, Singapore 574361
Website: http://yijiabakery.com.sg/
Opening hours: 7am – 9pm daily

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

For the older generation, this nostalgic café, with its budget-friendly Chinese pastries, freshly baked traditional-style breads and traditional kopi and teh, is definitely a trip down memory lane! Most of the items here are just above a dollar, with a few costing lesser than that. What sets this café apart from others would be its concept of being both a traditional bakery, yet also offering patrons dine-in seating. Some must-try items include the coconut bun, Swiss rolls and milk bread. They sell very scrumptious “tau-sar-pia” (Chinese biscuit with red bean paste) too. If you are fortunate enough, you may even get it freshly hot from the oven! Yi Jia Bakery serves your local “kopitiam-style” – Kopi, Kopi O, Kopi C etc. Why not bring your parents here and enjoy an afternoon with them?

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Udders Ice Cream
Address: 246D Upper Thomson Road, Singapore 574370
Website: http://www.udders.com.sg/
Opening hours: 12pm – 1am (Mon-Thu), 12pm – 2am (Fri, Sat, Sun & Eve of PH)

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Udders is a local homegrown ice cream shop in Singapore, famous for their alcohol-spiked ice cream. The owners named their business after a cow’s mammary glands to keep things quirky and fun. What started as a 20-seater ice cream parlour in 2007 is a well-established and recognized local brand with a number of outlets across the island today. The ice cream at Udders is less sweet, contains more alcohol and more pure flavours. It is best known for its best selling Mao Shan Wang ice cream and its range of intensely alcoholic flavours such as Wineberries, Rum Rum Raisin and Bailey’s and Bourbon. The chocolatey flavours at Udders are also crowd pleasers.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Old School Delights
Address: 215M Upper Thomson Road, Singapore 574349
Website: http://www.oldschooldelights.com/
Opening hours: 11.30am – 10.30pm (Tue-Fri), 11am – 10.30pm (Sat & Sun). Closed on Mondays.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Old School Delights (OSD) is a retro school-themed café, which evokes the nostalgia in you. You will be especially thrilled to find some of the old school toys and displays still existent in this highly technologically advancing country. They serve up traditional favourites such as Laksa ($6.50), Nasi Lemak ($6.90), Hainanese Chicken cutlet ($8.90) and Curry Chicken ($8.90). Their signature dish has got to be the Old School Heritage Mee Siam ($5.50), with its slightly spicy thick gravy that packed a good combination of sweetness and sourness. Besides their mains and drinks, OSD also offers cakes and desserts for the sweet-tooth. Chendol ($4.50) was refreshing and very satisfying. OSD certainly brought back memories of recess time in my school canteen.

Read the full post here.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Dino Cake House and Café
Address: 257 Upper Thomson Road, Singapore 574384
Tel: (65) 6552 5088
Opening hours: 9am – 9pm daily

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Dino Café’s Sugar Roll ($0.80) are the best in town! Imagine soft and spongy cake roll, with a layer of light butter cream, melting in your mouth – simply heavenly! The royal chocolate cake ($16 per half kg) features a rich chocolate sponge that is generously covered by dark chocolate fudge and chocolatey layers. They also offers Durian Puffs ($7.50 for a box of 6) – a hot favourite among locals! Its homemade puffs are fresh and generously filled with D24 durian. For non-durian lover, do try their Mango Ring ($1.80) – soft mango sponge with a generous filling of fresh mangoes.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Rochor Beancurd House
Address: 232 Upper Thomson Road, Singapore 574363
Tel: (65) 9734 1562
Opening hours: 1pm – 3am daily

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Rochor’s traditional beancurd is made from real beans. My cravings for soya beancurd with dough fritters will always be satisfied here. The beancurd is smooth and contains the right amount of soy bean flavour in it, without being diluted. If you want a richer and more intense soy bean flavour, opt for less sugar syrup. Prices start as low as $1.40 for a bowl of hot or cold beancurd. You can request for toppings such as pearls ($2), lotus/redbean/peanut ($2.20) and rice balls ($2.90 for 3). The dough fritters are extremely greasy yet sinfully crispy and complements the beancurd.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Ban Leong Wah Hoe Seafood
Address: 122 Casuarina Road, Singapore 579510
Tel: (65) 6452 2824
Opening hours: 4pm – 1.30am daily

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Although Upper Thomson is well known for their café culture and pratas craze, do not belittle this zi char stall. With its wide range of dishes offered, it can get overwhelmed with crowds, especially on weekends. Fans of this zi char stall would rave about their Har Cheong Gai (prawn paste chicken). Indeed, the chicken wings were well-marinated, crispy on the outside, yet juicy and tender on the inside. The La La clams are big and quite meaty as compared to other restaurants. The tangy and mildly spicy gravy made the La La dish very appetizing. This stall also offers Singaporean’s favourite chili crab and black pepper crabs.

Read the full post here.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Auntie Kim’s Korean Restaurant
Address: 265 Upper Thomson Road
Tel: 64522112
Website: http://www.auntiekim.sg/
Opening Hours: Mon – Sun 11am to 3pm; 5.30pm to 10pm

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

This neighbourhood restaurant has gone the whole hog with Korean music and waitresses wearing traditional Korean garb. Try the Ginseng Chicken Soup ($25) with tender meat in light chicken soup enhanced with wolfberries and ginseng. The seafood pancake Haemuljeon ($18) is generous with fresh prawns, squid and enlivened with spring onions and sliced chilli. It’s really addictive and not too greasy! For something refreshing, go for the Cold Buckwheat Noodles ($18) with slightly tangy broth.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Casuarina Curry Restaurant
Address: 136 Casuarina Road, Singapore 579526
Tel: (65) 6455 9093
Opening hours: 7am – 12 midnight daily

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Prata enthusiasts would flock here for their signature mushroom cheese prata. The ambience and affordable food items makes Casuarina a worthy place to chillax with friends. Being located near the Lower Pierce Reservoir, you may occasionally stumble upon monkeys playing along the perimeter of the reservoir. The plain prata goes for a dollar a piece. For $2, you get to enjoy a gratifying meal with simple, tasty curry. The list of prata flavours is extensive, ranging from chicken floss prata and sausage cheese prata for the customers who prefer savory to chocolate prata and banana prata for the sweet-tooth. Casuarina also has very delicious chicken and mutton briyani, as well as, curry fish head.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Meng’s Kitchen
Address: 246B Upper Thomson Road, Singapore 574370
Website: http://www.mingfafishball.com/
Opening hours: 24 hours daily

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Doesn’t matter if it’s 3am or 3pm, this eatery is always overflowing with customers. For obvious reasons, it’s Bak Chor Mee. The noodles are springy and tangy and they are very generous with the ingredients (meatball, sliced pork, prawn, liver, mushroom and a heap of bak chor). Best of all, there was many tiny savory pieces of pork lard! Topped off with a dash of chili and vinegar, you get the perfect Bak Chor Mee to suffice your hunger. Other than Bak Chor Mee, we are a fan of their Mini Wok too, with its flavourful broth and similar ingredients.

We would also recommend the Deep Fried Thai Tofu and the Fuzhou fishballs to go along with your noodles for a really hearty meal. The former is delightfully crispy on the outside, yet soft on the inside while the latter contains sweet, juicy minced pork fillings. Avoid going during dinner time or you’ll have to queue and jostle for a table. After a filling meal of Bak Chor Mee, you can always explore the row of cafés along Upper Thomson in search for desserts. As it is opened 24 hours, this is a perfect eatery for night owls and famished clubbers.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Peach Garden
Address: 301 Upper Thomson Road, #01-88 Thomson Plaza, Singapore 574408
Website: http://www.peachgarden.com.sg/
Opening hours: 11am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 10pm (Mon-Fri), 10am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm (Sat, Sun & PH)

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Dim Sum is only served for lunch and this is one of the very few remaining restaurants where you see waitresses pushing dim sum trolleys around. There are two trolleys, one for steamed dim sum and the other, for fried dim sum. The waitresses are efficient in serving and it seems as though food comes looking for you here whereas usually, you’re the one looking for food. There are dishes such as BBQ pork bun, siew mai with crab roe, braised chicken feet, ha gau, xiao long bao and pork ribs etc from the steamed trolley. As for the fried trolley, there are char siew soh, yam paste roll, carrot cake, egg tarts and prawn dumplings etc. The ingredients used were fresh and not overly greasy. Peach Garden also serves mains that are equally good as their dim sum. And don’t forget that they have weekend dim sum buffet!

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Little Part 1 Café
Address: 15 Jasmine Road
Tel: 6451 7553
Website: http://www.littlepart1cafe.com/
Opening Hours: Sunday – Thursday 12pm to 10pm; Friday & Saturday 12pm to 12am. Closed on Mondays

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Tucked away in a quaint spot along a row of shophouses at Jasmine Road by Thomson Plaza is Little Part 1 Cafe, a cozy little cafe serving a mixture of Western, Swedish and Japanese fusion dishes. The extra delicious minced beef in the Shepherd’s pie is a well balanced savoury combination with the mash. If you are there during the weekends, make sure you order their Irish Beef Stew. They also sell savory crepes which includes spinach tuna, salmon, classic Italiano, louisiana, pomodoro chicken, 3 cheese and mixed green. The Louisiana crepe is wrapped with black pepper ham, asparagus, mozzarella cheese, with homemade smokey sauce. You can find Belgian Beers in affordable price.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

With the array of eateries lined along Upper Thomson, you’ll be able to satisfy any kind of cravings! Why not grab a couple of buddies, feast on the affordable and delicious delicacies and hang out in one of the cafes after your meal for desserts? As quoted from Virginia Woolf, “One cannot think, love nor sleep well if one has not dined well”. Food is essential to our lives, therefore, make your meal a good one, worth all your calories!

Compiled by Miss Tam Chiak & Toh Mu Qin

The post The Ultimate Upper Thomson Food Guide appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

I miss Hong Kong. The culinary philosophy there is eat often and eat well. I miss visiting to different Cha Chaan Tengs in a day. But thankfully, there is Cha Chaan Tengs in Singapore too! So I don’t have to fly to Hong Kong or drool at the food pictures online.

Drawing inspiration from the contemporary yet traditional food culture in Hong Kong, Xin Wang Hong Kong Café started up to be more than just a normal ‘Cha Chaan Teng’ in mind. Who knows 10 years have passed and the brand has been standing very strong till date.

In celebration of the 10-year milestone since its flagship store opening at Heartland Mall, Xin Wang Hong Kong Café has proudly launched an exclusive line-up of new products – the specially curated #AWESOMELY10 (十全食美) menu!

With 186 items in the menu, it is really not easy to choose. Let me help you a bit here! One of the top choices for Xin Wang menu is the Pork Cutlet Dry Curry Ramen ($10.90). Combining eastern and western cooking style, the springy ramen is bathed in a pool of Xin Wang’s thick curry, and served with crispy pork cutlet and vegetable to top it off.

Back by popular demand, Eel Hot Pot Porridge ($12.90) is in the menu again. YAY! This comforting bowl of hot pot porridge is cooked in a flavourful stock and topped with tasty grilled Japanese Unagi.

Seafood Curry with Rice ($11.90) is a combination of local favourite using traditional Hong Kong cooking style served in a claypot. Fresh seafood is simmered in thick and savoury curry. It gets a subtle sweetness from pineapple with robust, complex layers of flavour.

Pasta lover will fall in love with Fried Fish Fillet Spaghetti ($9.90) tossed over special tomato sauce. I like how the fish fillet is served piping hot and deep fried till it gives a nice crunch. Another noodle dish worth recommending is XW Signature Stir Fried Noodles ($11.50). Just like the Cantonese “chow-mien”, the noodles bring a favourable amount of smoky flavor resulted from cooking in high heat. The deep fried ikan billis sprinkled on top gives a hint of crispiness and saltiness.

A brother version of XW Signature Stir Fried Noodles is XW Signature Fried Rice ($11.50). Japanese rice grain is coated with special sauce and stir fried to golden brown with excellent wok hei after taste. By using Japanese rice grains, it is fluffier and absorbs the sauces better.

One of the notable unique creations by Xin Wang’s Executive Chef to name is the Ham Ying Yong Sauce Spaghetti ($11.90). Inspired by Hong Kong’s popular beverage; YingYong, this out-of-the-box creation comprises of homemade tomato and cream sauce, presenting a double-specialty signature. Slices of ham is added to top it off.

Bringing fried rice to the next level, Smoked Duck Fried Rice ($9.90) is coated with home-made sauced with flavours and wok-hei tossed over a searing hot flame with smoked duck. My friend love their Sliced Beef Claypot Ee Noodle ($11.90) topped with homemade marinated sliced beef which is super tender, mushroom and fresh vegetables.

Whenever I visit Xin Wang Hong Kong Café, I would usually order baked rice with fried pork chop. With the new Scallop Cheese Baked Rice ($11.90) in the menu, I am a total convert. This baked rice is topped with two plump and fresh scallop. A mush-have dish for all baked rice lover!

This is not a new item but I must introduce again because this has become my new love – Pork Chop & Egg Papaya Soup Bee Hoon. Home cooked till perfection, the nourishing and sweet papaya is simmered in soup broth and topped with a piece of juicy pork chop. This combination is so comforting to the tummy and guess what, OVER 3 MILLION BOWLS ARE SOLD!

Interesting desserts include Kiwi N Mango Shaved Ice ($3.90) and Glutinous Rice With Coconut Ice Cream ($4.90). I prefer the latter – creamy black rice pudding with fresh coconut and a scoop of ice cream.

A milk tea done right will distinguish a cha chaan teng from the crowd and garner loyal customers. The good stuff is the Iced Lemon HK Milk Tea ($1.90). This new drink made from a mixture of strong black teas with a lot of creamy milk is velvet-smooth, mellow yet fragrant concoction. Of course, the addition of lemon makes it refreshing!

You should assemble a group; seven or eight is a good number, though really, the more the merrier. They should be very hungry. Come to Xin Wang Hong Kong Café, and try out the new dishes. What’s the plus point? THERE IS FREE WIFI and it opens till 2am! The booth seats are all very comfortable and cozy too. With every $30 spent in a single receipt, you will be rewarded with a sure-win scratch card.

With the organizers and other influencers taken during the #AWESOMELY10 party! Don’t forget to follow Xin Wang’s Facebook Page @xinwanghkcafe for more updates.

Kicking off the #AWESOMELY10 campaign, Xin Wang recently revamped its membership card – Xin Wang REWARDS with the aim to provide better value to diners. Xin Wang REWARDS is available at all Xin Wang Hong Kong Café outlets for $15. All Xin Wang REWARDS card members are entitled to complimentary welcome vouchers, awesome 5% rebates and birthday treat during your birthday month

20 Xin Wang Hong Kong Café Outlets include:
• 321 Clementi Ave 3 #02-10 Singapore 129905 Tel: +65 6774 0907
• 370 Alexandra Road Anchorpoint #01-13/14 Singapore 159953 Tel: +65 6474 4498
• 8 Grange Road Cathay Cineleisure Orchard #02-11 Singapore 239695 Tel: +65 6235 6480
• Viewing Mall North Level 4, Terminal 3 #04-02 Singapore Changi Airport Tel: +65 6241 5201
• 5 Ang Mo Kio Central 2 #01-10 Djitsun Mall Singapore 569663 Tel: +65 6455 9792
• 3 Simei Street 6 #01-15 Eastpoint Mall Singapore 528833 Tel: +65 6260 0515
• 1 Joo Koon Circle #01-21/22 Fairprice Hub Singapore 629117 Tel: +65 6397 4341
• 205 Heartland Mall Hougang Street 21 #01-133/135 Singapore 530205 Tel: +65 6487 3481
• 251 Holland Avenue Singapore 278981 Tel: +65 6469 0325
• 1 Hougang Street 91 #01-40, Hougang1 Singapore 538692 Tel: +65 6384 3709
• 50 Jurong Gateway Road JEM #04-25 Singapore 608549 Tel: +65 6684 0613
• No. 6 Raffles Boulevard Marina Square #01-04 Singapore 039594 Tel: +65 6337 5297
• 33 Sengkang West Ave #01-28/29/30 The Seletar Mall Singapore 797653 Tel: +65 6702 3206
• 907 East Coast Road #01-03A Springvale Singapore 459107 Tel : +65 6441 8802
• 21 Choa Chu Kang North 6 #01-17 Yew Tee Point Singapore 689578 Tel: +65 6509 0146
• 154 West Coast Road #B1-04 West Coast Plaza Singapore 127371 Tel: +65 6779 1526
• 1 Pasir Ris Central St 3 Whitesands #02-05/06 Singapore 518457 Tel: +65-6585 0756

To celebrate Xin Wang’s #AWESOMELY10, Xin Wang Hong Kong Café will be rewarding 3 readers from MissTamChiak.com with $20 Dining Vouchers!

How to win?
Step 1 – LIKE Miss Tam Chiak and Xin Wang Hong Kong Café on Facebook
Step 2 – LIKE and SHARE this entry
Step 3 – COMMENT below: What’s the new item you would like to try most and why?

Closing date: 4 December 2015. Winners will be picked at random. Only for readers residing in Singapore.

The post Xin Wang Hong Kong Café #AWESOMELY10 menu – Everything less than $15! (PLUS GIVEAWAY) appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

There are so many reasons to visit Hong Kong. Not only is it a shoppers’ paradise, this city is also home to some of the most food-obsessed people in the world and produces a great variety of drool-worthy Hong Kong food. Big thank you to Hong Kong Tourism Board, I was invited to visit Hong Kong from 22 – 24 Oct to attend the 2015 Wine and Dine Festival, as well as to celebrate Halloween! Together with me, was Yina and Evonne and you can be sure it was a blast having three girls together eating, shopping and having fun non stop for 3 days. Of course, I promised the two ladies that I would introduce some of my favourite eats along the way too!

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

DAY 1

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

After we left the airport, off we went to Star Cafe to begin our journey. Situated inside the maze of champagne court, Star Cafe started in 1966 and is part of a unique Hong Kong dining culture called bing shi (冰室) where western food became increasingly popular in Hong Kong with the British colonization after the world war. We had the tomato noodle soup with pork chop and some seriously good braised chicken wings.

Then we checked in to the luxurious Marco Polo Hong Kong which is near Tsim Sha Tsui MTR. It has very spacious rooms overlooking Victoria Harbour.

We did a quick hands-on leather workshop at Fungus Workshop @ Po Hing Fong before heading to the Wine and Dine Festival! Owners Baldwin Pui and Philip Lau have been teaching leather making class since 2009 and they are really passionate about their craft. Bookings are essential and what you choose to make is completely up to you. I made a customised cardholder from scratch for myself and I was taught simple techniques like hand stitch, lining, fastening and leather finishing. I think the most difficult part for me was to hand stitch because you have to sew it in a straight line in the shortest time possible. I always have problem drawing straight lines! HAHA! But thankfully with the help of Baldwin, my card holder was done and I can even customize my name! This is a great gift for your loved ones!

Every autumn, along with the refreshing breeze, Hong Kong brings you a whole month of indulgence with epicurean events from around the globe to set your tongues tingling. Located against the stunning backdrop of Victoria Harbour, the Wine and Dine Festival grounds was a colourful street packed with marquees after marquees with their food and drinks beckoning attendees.

This 4-day event celebrated the various unique food and wine from all over the world. There were 5 thematic wine zones filled with champagnes, party wines, cocktails etc.

We got to try lots of wine and beer that night from 200 different booths and even took a picture with the beautiful ladies dressed in pink from La La La. They sell interesting fruity wines like rose lychee wine, sakura peach wine, strawberry wine etc. One of them looks like Cecilia Cheung!

I still prefer my beers and for the first time ever, whisky and craft beer were also featured at the festival. I tried some interesting beers from Little Beer Room like Death From Above by Garage Project and juicy pear cider! There were also booths showcasing wine accessories, wine education and related trade associations.

There were about 100 booths featuring winning dishes from the 2015 Best of the Best Culinary Awards and signature dishes from many of Hong Kong’s renowned hotels and restaurants, appetizers, BBQ food, desserts and more!

A new addition to this year’s #HKWineandDine festival is the Garden Party – a VIP lounge for ticket holders within lush greenery settings with complimentary champagne and beautiful lighting effects. If I am coming back here next year, I am so going to dine at this beautiful garden party!

Don’t be disappointed that you missed the festival, because there will still be a month of Wine & Dine events, tours, classes, and promotions in Hong Kong from now till 30 November 2015. For more info, please visit http://www.discoverhongkong.com/seasia/see-do/events-festivals/highlight-events/wine-dine-festival.jsp

Watch the video to see how much fun we have!

More videos of our fun in Hong Kong will be coming soon, so stay tuned!

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

DAY 2

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

On the second day, we started early walking around PMQ before queuing for the famous Kau Kee Beef Brisket Noodle. Opened at only 12.30pm, you can already see a long queue outside this 90-year-old eatery on Gough Street before it opens. The tender beef is in a good bowl of broth cooked with Chinese spices, ladled over smooth noodles. We also slurped a bowl of curry beef brisket & tendon noodles. 再来多一碗牛腩面 please!

Besides all the eating and drinking in Hong Kong, the day for play time is FINALLY HERE! I went to the happiest place on earth! Even though I have been to Hong Kong Disneyland 5 times before, it never fails to make me happy and excited every visit. There are always new things to see and do, and this time I actually got to take a photo with DUFFY! *screams*

It was also my first time having the Mickey waffles which was really tasty and soft.

During the day parade I was waving frantically at Minnie Mouse that has been my favourite cartoon since I was a kid. I’ll let you in on a personal secret – I need to sleep with my Minnie Mouse plush every night and she has accompanied me since my primary school days!

Because we were there during the Halloween period, we need to have some Halloween treats yo! Yina, Evonne and I shared the Main Street Halloween Duffy’s Afternoon Tea Set at Corner Cafe in Disneyland that’s only available during the Halloween festivities!

And that is not all! We also had the set menu which consists of smoked duck breast with tomato and orange salad, grilled veal tenderloin and slow poached beef ribs, pan fried pink perch with lemongrass sauce, and chocolate mousse with Coca Cola creme brulee.

This year at Disney Haunted Halloween, frightful fun was extended to the great outdoors, transforming the once bustling lands into a Ghost Town inhabited by the “dead”. The performers did a great job at making it look as real as possible.

But this is Disney after all, and towards the end of our evening, the night parade rounded up everything on a light hearted note. I can say, this is the most fun Disney trip for me thus far. It was also my first time to sit on the roller coaster, Grizzly Gulch, which made me scream at the top of my lungs. Needless to say, the rides were the most memorable part of the trip.

If you think that was the last of our itinerary for the day, you are so wrong! Because we headed straight after for a BEER FESTIVAL! The 24th German Bierfest at Marco Polo Hong Kong is one of the most traditional, authentic and popular German beer festivals in Hong Kong. From 16 Oct – 7 Nov 2015 at Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel Level 6, you get to enjoy traditional German dishes, desserts, sausages, snacks, and beer at this annual event.

I love the Notenhobler Band who was performing at the bierfest. It has been the official band since 1994. The band wears original Oberkrainer clothes, entertaining folks with alphorn-blowing contests and chicken dance routines and sings traditional tunes and hearty folk music. Showtime from 7.30pm onwards and ends about midnight. Hong Kongers really know how to let loose and enjoy themselves. Towards the end, everyone kept shouting “Encore! Encore!” because we really love the music! The night is still young yo!

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

DAY 3

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

On the third day of the trip, we spent most of the time doing some shopping and eating. I introduced everyone to Kung Wo Dou Bun Chong (公和荳品廠) for a tau huay break! Having been around for more than 100 years, the stall makes their soy bean products from scratch using an ancient stone grinder. Besides having the silky smooth beancurd, I was more intrigued by the pan fried tofu. Their fish paste is seasoned with dried orange peel and pan-fried to a crisp surface while retaining its moisture from within.

And of course, not forgetting my favourite place to have polo bun – Kam Wah Café! Located right on the busy Bute Street, this unassuming-looking ‘char chaan teng’ can easily be spotted due to the crowds outside the restaurant taking away the delicious Polo Buns and other pastries. We had the crispy and flaky polo bun, egg tarts, french toast with a cup of yuan yang.

Thank you Hong Kong Tourism Board for giving me the chance to experience Hong Kong all over again. I have been to Hong Kong so many times, but this trip is different as I get to meet local craftsman, revisit Disneyland and tried most of the rides, experience Halloween, visit Wine & Dine Festival, as well as sing and dance with locals during German Bierfest. I didn’t know Hong Kong has so much more to offer and we will definitely be back! So, if you’ve ever considered traveling to Hong Kong, go now!

The post Discover Hong Kong with Hong Kong Tourism Board & Nuffnang appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

BreadTalk, Singapore’s homegrown bakery brand, celebrated the launch of its first global concept store at Vivo City mall in November 2015. The new concept store features a contemporary design – a neutral colour palette that accentuates the appeal of golden-baked breads.

There was an interesting repertoire of over 50 brand new items, specially developed by its international Master Chefs – Shin Horie from Japan, Alan Zou from Taiwan and Janson Loo from Singapore. The three masterchefs have been baking for many years, therefore they bring a wealth of experience to BreadTalk. They have been actively involved in creating new and innovative flavours to achieve an intricate refinement of taste and texture.

The highlight of this new product collection lies with careful sourcing and selection of premium natural ingredients such as Japanese-milled flour and pure butter from New Zealand.

Through rigorous global sourcing, all ingredients are procured and handpicked in their finest, natural forms and only the choicest make it to the BreadTalk kitchen. Simple in taste and robust in flavour, these ingredients are especially prepared from its raw state to create pastes or fillings within its Central Kitchen, ensuring greater quality control of the finished items. No artificial elements, additives or preservatives are included during the baking or cooking processes.

Focusing on creating perfect harmony among textures, flavours and ingredients, the new recipes are inspired from each Master Chef’s personal take on classic simplicity. Cakes such as the Hokkaido Rice Roll ($18.80) and Rice Chiffon ($28.80) are made from premium rice flour. These cakes are delectably moist, reflecting the chefs’ intimate familiarity with rice as an ingredient.

To tantalize the palate, a creative combination of textures is achieved through the careful balancing of sponge cake and fresh custard cream in these cakes. Subtle, natural flavours are accentuated through the pairing of roasted rice, fresh fruits and nuts with light cream, epitomized by the heavenly Genmai Origins ($36) and Fraisier Pistachio ($36) cakes.

Catering specially to Asian tastes are breads made from four different dough types – White Dough, Natural Yeast, Soft French and Wheat Germ. Providing more bite and satisfying enjoyment, these creations boast the taste and quality of artisanal European breads while retaining the pliability that Asian consumers treasure. Paired with uniquely-oriental ingredients like wine-soaked longan, sweet potato and Sichuan spices, items such as Mala Chicken ($1.70) and Sweet Potato Volcano ($1.80) will be definite crowd-pleasers.

A wider selection of products with specially imported ingredients, are also presented in this new concept store. The Red Bean Queen ($1.70) bun features Taiwan-imported red beans wrapped in nutritious and chewy wheat germ dough, while the Snow White Yam ($1.60) is dressed in moist white dough and complemented by the natural sweetness of Taiwan yam cubes.

All outlets across Singapore will be reinvigorated progressively to sport the new concept’s contemporary interiors. The new store concept will be implemented internationally, with the first in China in the first quarter of 2016, followed by Thailand and Indonesia. We feel so proud of the achievements of our local brand!

Breadtalk @ Vivo City
Address: #B2-34 Vivo City, 1 Harbourfront Walk, Singapore 098585
Opening Hours: 8am – 10.45pm (Sun-Thu), 8am – 11pm (Fri & Sat)
Website: http://breadtalk.com.sg

The post BreadTalk Opens a Global Concept Store in Vivo City with 50 Brand New Items appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

The most magical time of the year is just around the corner. This is the season to indulge in all things sweet and decadent, like log cakes, puddings, fruitcakes, festive hampers and more. We have certainly tasted (there goes our waist lines) our fair share of log cakes. Here are 13 Best Christmas Log Cakes of 2015 for your reference, inclusive of the traditional and innovative. Spread the word, tell your friends and family – this is our way of wishing everyone a sweet and delicious Christmas!
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Bakerzin
List of outlets: http://www.bakerzin.com/locations
Order online at http://rewards.bakerzin.com/bakerzin/
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What is Christmas revelry without log cakes? Bakerzin has created an assortment that will go down well at any jolly gathering. Bakerzin’s Apple Pistachio Yule Log ($70 / approx. 1kg) is one of the most impressive flavours I have tasted this year. This exquisite pistachio dacquoise features several distinct layers that give this cake a lot of texture and flavour. Starting from the bottom up, the foundation is a dacquoise made of ground almonds and pistachio followed by an apple jam with diced version of the fruit and a hint of Smirnoff Green Apple Vodka. This is then tiered with an apple and pistachio mousse before a lovely green chocolate layer encases the whole sweet treat.

For true chocoholics, Santa’s Chocolate Yule Log ($62 / approx. 1kg) is worth every sinful bite. It is a simply divine cake reminiscent of the traditional Yuletide log cake with its chocolate chiffon sponge and coats of tart blackberry jam and a luscious Valrhona chocolate mousse with hazelnut crunch. This sponge is then rolled up and covered with rich chocolate glaze and decorated with fun filled Christmas icons.

Enjoy early bird discount of 10% for orders made between now till 6 December 2015. HSBC and OCBC card holders can enjoy 15% discount. Not applicable for festive feast packages and bundle deals. View full post here.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Délifrance
List of outlets: http://www.delifrance.com.sg/outlets
Email: catering@delifrance.com.sg OR
Order online at http://www.delifrance.com.sg/deli-cater/christmas-special.html
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As the year draws to a close, now is the time for families and friends to celebrate the festive season. Délifrance endeavours to offer a smorgasbord of French festive specials and signatures prepared by master bakers, pâtissiers and chefs to make your season’s feasting come true.

Available from now till 3 January 2016, Délifrance’s signature log cake is the Joy of Délifrance ($60 / 1kg). Touted for its velvety texture, this log cake sure puts a smile on everyone’s face. This irresistible cake is made with pillowy chocolate sponge layered with 100% Valrhona Fine French Chocolate. My favourite is the White Chocolate and Raspberry ($48 / 1kg). The sweet white chocolate sponge combined with the thick tangy raspberry coulis is a lovely crowd pleaser.

Other festive sweets include the Season’s Macarons ($16) which come in both peppermint and raspberry flavours; and the lineup of Festive Éclairs ($8) made up of chocolate, rose, vanilla and coffee flavours.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Goodwood Park Hotel
Tel: 6730 1867 / 6730 1868
Email: festive@goodwoodparkhotel.com OR
Order online at http://festivepromotions.goodwoodparkhotel.com
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Goodwood Park Hotel has always been getting a lot of compliments from their cakes. Apart from the well-loved Goodwood D24 Durian Christmas Log Cake ($69 for 1kg) which caters to durian lovers, this year’s new Manjari Chocolate and Cassis Mousse Log Cake ($76 for 1kg) is a must-buy.

A balance of rich chocolate and fruity flavours, Manjari Chocolate and Cassis Mousse Log Cake is a wonderful medley of textures. A crunchy base of sable feuilleté lends weight to the lightly-textured dark Manjari chocolate mousse outer layer. Within lies a layer of tangy blackcurrant mousse as well as a centre of poached apples and pears wrapped within a hazelnut genoise (sponge cake) layer. The sleek contemporary lines of the log cake make it an elegant addition to the table.

The log cake among other takeaway gourmet festive treats will be available at the Deli from 1 to 26 December 2015. Advance orders of three working days are required. Place your takeaway orders at the Deli anytime from 9am to 9pm daily. Alternatively, you can place your orders online from 1 December 2015. Last order date is 18 December 2015, 12pm.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

D9 Cakery at Hilton Singapore
Tel: 6730 3392
Email: D9cakery@hilton.com OR
Click the ordering form here.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Revel in the season’s good cheer with jolly surprises at Hilton Singapore, all set to conclude the year in style. Be sure to visit D9 Cakery as you will be greeted by the impressive six-metre jewellery showcase, specially created by Executive Pastry Chef Prabhu. This year, the hotel has created three jewellery inspired Yule logs: Crystal ($68/500g; $98/1kg), Diamond ($50/500g; $80/1kg), and Pearl ($50/500g; $80/1kg).

Each of these gems are represented by different flavours from a light champagne matched with sweet cranberries to a 72 percent Valrhona dark chocolate brownie with raspberry cremux and the ultimate sweet crunchy hazelnut dacquoise with white ivory chocolate and chewy nougat. We like the blue Pearl Yule most with a lovely combination of brownies and hazelnut crunch, and a touch of refreshing raspberry Chantilly.

Be enchanted by the exquisite glittery North Pole Magical Globe ($28) fitted with a miniature cottage village creation. Plough all the way through the three delicate layers with an array of textures and flavours in every bite. Kick start with the base layer of moist ladyfingers topped with crunchy apple and sweet cranberry compote, which is perfectly complemented by the bursting flavours from the eggnog mousse. All homemade Christmas delights at D9 Cakery are available from now to 26 December 2015.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium
Tel: 6731 7172
Order online at www.singaporeatrium.holidayinn.com/festive
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Christmas is never complete without log cakes. New in Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium this year are two delectable log cakes – indulge n the rich Chocolate Mousse with Pearls log Cake ($58 nett / 1 kg), or opt for a refreshing medley of Lychee and Raspberry ($60 nett / 1 kg).

I love the Lychee and Raspberry log cake most. Luscious lychee mousse dominates the entire composition of the log cake, delicately inserted with distinctive layers of raspberry mousse. This thoughtfully composed log cake bound to be the centre of attraction at any Christmas party.

For those looking to host a fuss-free Christmas party, their menu of festive takeaways will be available from 15 November to 31 December 2015.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Neo Garden Catering
Tel: 6896 7757
Order online at https://www.neogarden.com.sg/Menu
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This holiday season, Singapore’s No. 1 Events Caterer, Neo Garden Catering is offering a selection of delectable buffet packages for those planning your perfect festive celebration. Festive savouries include the Traditional Roasted Turkey ($98.80) and the new “Guitar” Turkey ($128.80), a western version of the musical instrument-inspired Pipa Duck.

They have also created a new Ondeh Ondeh Log Cake ($68.80)! Transforming our favourite nonya kueh into a Christmas delight of “gula melaka” wrapped with pandan sponge cake, this light and homely yule log is decorated with grated coconut and macarons. Other options include the traditional Chocolate Fudge Log Cake ($45.80) and Yuzu Lemon Surprise ($68.80).

Enjoy a FREE Christmas Chocolate Fudge log cake when you order any Christmas Regular Buffet or Mini Package menu before 7 December 2015. OCBC credit/debit card holders, here’s something special for you: enjoy 10% off Christmas Regular Buffets for orders placed from now till 2 January 2016 & enjoy 50% off traditional roasted turkey when you placed your order before 7 December 2015. Collections and deliveries are available now to 3 January 2016. 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pan Pacific Orchard, Singapore
Tel: 6831 6686
Email: dining.ppsgo@panpacific.com
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pan Pacific Orchard ushers in the joyous spirit of Christmas with two enticing Yule logs. For chocolate lovers, the Rolled Genoise Log Le Noir ($78+/1 kg) is a classic, filled with milk chocolate and hazelnut praline, wrapped in a dark chocolate mirror glaze and top with handcrafted chocolate accents.

Or, indulge in the Rolled Genoise Log Red Forest ($78+/1 kg), a luscious combination of raspberries, red currents, marello cherries and strawberries all in a homemade jelly. Rolled together with strawberry yoghurt mousse in almond sponge and coated with another layer of strawberry yoghurt mousse, this beautiful log cake is topped with fresh berries.

You can bring home the warmth of Christmas with a selection of festive goodies, featuring charmingly handcrafted seasonal delights and festive sweet treats such as Brandy and Rum Fruit Cake, Gingerbread House, Traditional Christmas Pudding with Brandy Sauce and more. Available from 1 to 31 December 2015.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pan Pacific Singapore
Tel: 6826 8240
Email: celebrate.sin@panpacific.com OR
Order online at www.pacificmarketplace.sg
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Celebrate ‘A Pacific Christmas’ at Pan Pacific Singapore with exceptional festive goodies at Pacific Marketplace. Raspberry Pâte de Fruit with Szechuan Pepper infused Mascarpone Mousse Log Cake ($65 / 1 kg) is a cake that can stop traffic. The cake has a beautiful red glaze from the rich infusion of raspberries. Filled with a subtle Szechuan pepper infused mascarpone mousse, be enchanted with a beautiful raspberry Pâte de Fruit set in the centre like a piece of gem.

For those who prefer citrus flavours, the Crunchy Salted Caramel Parfait Lemon Curd Log Cake ($65 / 1 kg) will definitely do the work. Salted caramel is a very trendy ingredient. It has the right mix of bitterness and sweetness. Together with the tangy lemon curd, the cake melted subtly on the tongue, leaving a pronounced caramelized, buttery flavor. My heart melted too.

All the festive goodies are available from now to 25 December 2015. There are also savoury specials such as Roasted Turkey with Cornbread and Sausage Stuffing, and limited edition Smoked Juniper Berry Ham, created by talented Master Butcher Leonhard Weber.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pies & Coffee
Tel: 6570 0080
Email: custsvc@piesncoffee.com OR
Order online at http://www.piesncoffee.com/
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Christmas isn’t complete without the classic Christmas log cakes and sweet treats! This year, the chefs from Pies & Coffee will relish the heart-warming flavours of Asia with a series of unique mouth-watering creations worthy of the Yuletide feast! P/S They are halal-certified!

Christmas Rhapsody ($49) features hand-whipped pandan custard spread across a subtle gula melaka sponge. The offering not only looks stunning, but tastes delicious, with loads of soft boiled azuki beans & nata de coco that teases your palate with the extra bites. Holly Indulgence ($54) is the obvious choice for children with earthy chocolate hazelnut mousse playfully layered on top of our homemade pistachio butter cream. Crunch caramelised mixed nuts & almond streusel are sandwiched between the moist eggless chocolate sponges. Indeed every bite of this captures the true essence of Christmas with our signature creation.

Not only that, sweeten your Christmas celebration with selections from Choco-Holly Indulgence with eggless chocolate sponges to The Classic Fruitcake and their timeless artisanal cookies – all handcrafted with premium ingredients with no added preservatives. DBS credit card holders can enjoy 10% discount off the cakes. Pies & Coffee outlets include Robertson Walk, The Grandstand, Rochestor Mall and Alexandra Retail Centre.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel
Tel: 6831 4708
Email: mhrs.sindt.fb.promotions@marriotthotels.com OR
Order online at www.singaporemarriott.com/christmas
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Bring a touch of class to your festive gatherings with the Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel’s symphony of festive sweet treats centerpieces encompassing Kaya Namachoco Yule Logcake ($68nett) and Strawberry Cream Raspberry Lychee Logcake ($68nett).

Available from 25 November to 25 December 2015, the Kaya Namachoco Yule Logcake brings a little Asian touch to the season. With sweet coconut jam hiding in between the rich and moist Nama chocolate mousse, it was a love at first bite.

Strawberry Cream Raspberry Lychee certainly don’t sound all that impressive on paper, but who knew the trio can be so good together! Juicy lychees and tart raspberries tame the sweetness of the strawberry cream. Each bite is light and airy with a lovely hint of strawberry scent. There are also Christmas Stollen (from $26nett); as well as succulent roasts, home-made cookies, pies, puddings and more.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Swensens
List of outlets: http://www.swensens.com.sg/singapore
Online order at http://www.swensens.com.sg/christmas-catalogue/page-1
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This year, Swensen’s festive menu features a comprehensive Christmas catalogue complete with six all-new ice cream log cakes that can be delivered right to your doorstep from 1 November to 25 December 2015. Beautiful to look at and delicious to boot, Swensen’s range of ice cream log cakes ($58) are perfect for familial gatherings and are based on best-selling ice cream flavors and new, inventive flavor additions to offer an ample selection for everyone.

A highlight for me is the Honey Manukadamia ($58) log. Manuka honey is renowned for its health properties so get ready to indulge in the goodness of Manuka honey ice cream paired with macadamia nuts and a melange of berries, chocolate & a red truffle ball. Little ones can look out for the exclusive Disney Frozen log cake aptly named A Frozen Dream ($58) featuring their favourite animated princesses.

Exclusively for early birds, take a sweet 20% off your ice cream log cakes and gift cards from 1 November to 10 December 2015 for Cool Rewards and Kid’s Club members. ANZ, Bank of China, Citibank, Diners, Maybank, OCBC, UOB, and Standard Chartered Bank credit card members can receive a 15% off ice cream log cakes and gift cards. Missed the early bird window? No problem, flash your Cool Rewards or Kid’s Club card for 15% off, or your credit/debit card to get 10% off log cakes and gift cards from 11 December to 25 December 2015.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Fullerton Hotel Singapore
Tel: 6877 8943
Email: festive@fullertonhotel.com
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Available from now to 25 December 2015, treat your loved ones with sweet pleasures from The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, such as the new Sicilian Red Yule Log ($69/1kg) and Snickers Yule Log ($69/1kg). The former is a milk chocolate mousse yule log filled with luscious layering of raspberry puree, crispy croquantine and drizzled with raspberry powder all over.

For those who adore chocolate, love the smooth sweetness from caramel and the salty crunch of peanut, Snickers Yule Log is sure to excite you. Made with milk chocolate mousse yule log filled with caramel, biscuit joconde and peanut crunch, it is a hit among my family! Willy Wonka would also be delighted by how the chef managed to transform snickers into a feast for the eyes.

Add a meaningful touch to your Christmas gifts this year with The Fullerton Hotel’s limited edition custom-designed Fullerton Santa Plush Bear, which supports the funding of The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund. Priced at S$28 per bear, S$10 from the sale of each bear will be donated to provide financial aid and resources to children and youths from low-income households to help them through school.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The St. Regis Singapore
Tel: 6506 6852
Email: festive.sg@stregis.com OR
Order online at http://www.stregissingapore.com/en/christmas
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Celebrate joyous Yuletide traditions with freshly baked staples and welcome guests with a platter of fine traditional Christmas cookies from The St. Regis Singapore. Whether for intimate gatherings or as lavish gifts, indulge in festive specialities and relish in log cakes created exclusively by the masterchefs.

Signature Chocolate Yule Log ($62) is quite the table centre-piece, with its beautiful icing that resembles snow. Flavour wise, the sponge is delightfully soft and there is a good hit of dark chocolate.

Another option is Griotte Cherry and 70% Amedei Gocce Chocolate Yule Log ($62). Smothered in layers of chocolate cream, you can’t help but sigh with happiness when you take a mouthful.

All handcrafted takeaways for the festive season are available from now to 25th December 2015 at La Pâtisserie, Lobby Level. Esteemed members of Supper Club at The St. Regis Singapore, Starwood Preferred Guests, and Maybank, Standard Chartered and Citibank card members enjoy exclusive privileges.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

There is always something heartwarming and jolly for this season of feasting. We hope our Christmas Log Cakes Guide will help you a little with your festive feast. Here’s wishing you a MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

The post 13 Best Christmas Log Cakes of 2015 appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

I love Christmas. It is the only festive holiday that I look forward to celebrating every year. It’s never too soon to start planning your Christmas – the further ahead you do, the more you’ll enjoy the magic of the big day.

With that in mind, I have been working super hard to make planning for Christmas as easy as possible. First on my list is to create some Christmas goodies using Perfect Italiano. It is a cooking cheese brand that adds simple Italian flair to everyday family meals and festive treats. It is simple and easy to use, to prevent homemade meals from being difficult, complex and time-consuming. Scroll down to see my creations!

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Parmesan Shortbread Cookies
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Who says Christmas cookies have to be sweet? These savory parmesan shortbread cookies are great, and you can even bake them as a Christmas present! I have always wanted to bake some cookies for Christmas, and I think I have found a great recipe. The texture is light and fluffy, and the parmesan and sesame seeds make it so fragrant!

Parmesan Shortbread Cookies

2015-12-01 01:24:27

Savory parmesan shortbread cookies for Christmas, made using Perfect Italiano Parmesan Grated Cheese.

Write a review

Save Recipe

Print

Ingredients

1. 150g all purpose flour
2. 100g Perfect Italiano Parmesan Grated Cheese
3. 100g unsalted butter, cubes
4. ¼ tsp sea salt
5. ¼ tsp black pepper
6. 1/8 tsp cayenne
7. some white sesame seeds
8. 1 egg

Instructions

1. Mix all the ingredients including Perfect Italiano parmesan cheese together (except egg), until a golden dough begins to form. Put into the fridge for 30mins.
2. Roll the dough in between two baking sheets to about 3-4mm thick. Using a cookie cutter, stamp out cookies as close together as possible. Arrange the cookies about 1 inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
3. Spread some egg mixture and sesame seeds on top of each cracker.
4. Bake shortbread at 180 degree celcius until tops are dry and bottoms are golden brown, about 20 mins. Transfer shortbread rounds to rack and cool completely.

Notes

1. They can be made 1 week ahead. Store the shortbread in airtight container at room temperature, or freeze up to 1 month.

Miss Tam Chiak http://www.misstamchiak.com/

Perfect Italiano Parmesan Grated Cheese is matured for up to 18 months to guarantee bold flavour. It is pre-grated from the block for convenience, and packaged in a re-sealable bag for easy storage. Besides using it to bake the shortbread cookies, you can also add it into pasta sauces and risotto, or toss in salads!

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mozzarella & Cranberry Toasties
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

When planning to do a recipe for Perfect Italiano Mozzarella, I was in the midst of preparing toasties for breakfast. Then the idea came – that is to make Christmas toasties! Walking around the supermarket, I was very happy to find cranberries. They are winterberries that have become synonymous with the Christmas table for many. That’s it, let’s make Mozzarella & Cranberry Toasties!

Mozzarella & Cranberry Toasties

2015-12-01 01:25:46

Cranberries are synonymous with the Christmas table for many. Add them together with Perfect Italiano Mozzarella Grated Cheese to enjoy the delicious toasties!

Write a review

Save Recipe

Print

CRANBERRY SAUCE

1. 1 1/2 cups Cranberries
2. 1/2 cup Water
3. 1/2 cup Sugar
4. 1 tsp Lemon Juice

TOASTIES

1. 1 cup Baby Arugula
2. ½ tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3. ¼ tsp Sea Salt
4. ¼ tsp black pepper
5. 6 slices White Bread
6. 1/3 cup Cranberry Sauce
7. 3 pcs Sliced Ham
8. 180g Perfect Italiano Mozzarella Grated Cheese
9. some salted butter to coat

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan combine all cranberry sauce ingredients, then cover and bring to a boil. Once a boil is reached, reduce flame to low and allow sauce to simmer until cranberries are burst and thickened, about 10 mins. When desired texture is reached, remove from heat and cool.
2. Cut the crust off bread. Next, in small bowl combine arugula, olive oil, salt and pepper, tossing until all leaves are lightly coated.
3. To assemble, spread a thin layer of cranberry sauce onto each bread slice, then top with arugula, sliced ham, and Perfect Italiano Mozzarella. Combine the bread slices to create three sandwiches.
4. Coat each side of the sandwich with butter, then pan fry till the Mozzarella cheese melted. Flip sandwiches, then coat & pan fry once more. Cut sandwiches diagonal-wise, then serve immediately.

Miss Tam Chiak http://www.misstamchiak.com/

Perfect Italiano Mozzarella Grated Cheese has a mild flavour and melts beautifully when you want to enjoy that traditional stretch. It’s pre-grated from the block for your convenience, and packaged in a re-sealable bag for easy storage.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hope it inspires you to try new and simple recipes! Visit Perfect Italiano’s website www.perfectitaliano.com.sg to get simple festive inspirations in the recipe library available. Do hashtag your own Perfect Italiano food creations with #perfectitalianosg.

The post Christmas Recipes with Perfect Italiano – Create Easy Festive Treats For Your Family! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Taipei is one of the top travelling destinations for Singaporeans. This vibrant city offers tourists a vast array of beautiful landscapes for sightseeing, as well as, numerous scrumptious delicacies. Night markets are well embedded in the lives of Taiwanese locals. Taipei is well-known for their night markets, which open all over the city in the evening, selling a huge range of clothes and household goods, but their main attraction is the street food.

It’s always very difficult to decide on what to eat as you’ll be spoilt for choice at night markets. With so many night markets in Taipei city, it’s amazing how I remember every one of them. There are similarities yet enough differences to set one apart from the other. Here’s a list of the bigger-scale and more popular night markets in Taipei city and the street snacks that they are famous for.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tonghua Night Market
通化夜市
Address: Linjiang Street, Da-an District, Taipei 106
Opening hours: 6pm to 2am daily
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Despite being smacked in the middle of a residential area, this night market can get very crowded. It is the closest night market to Taipei 101 so, if you’re on a budget trip and decide to skip the expensive restaurants in Taipei 101 after a scenic tour above the tower, take an evening stroll over to Tonghua night market to satisfy your rumbling tummy. We noticed different age groups of visitors and realized that the young crowd comes here for trendy clothing while the older generation comes here to purchase their daily necessities. This night market is also packed with gourmet lovers. Hungry night owls rejoice as this night market is one of the very few that opens till the wee hours.

Among the mouthwatering dishes sold here, one can find甜不辣 (Taiwanese Tempura), oyster omelette, beef noodles, barbecued sausages, fried chicken feet, braised duck tongue and just about anything else you may be hungering for. This night market left a very deep impression on us as the stall vendors are all extremely friendly and approachable. They shared some historical and cultural background on Taiwan and its food and kept introducing local flavours which they insist we should try. They even cracked jokes and invited us to capture more shots while they pose with their ingredients, while in the midst of preparing the food. Having eaten your fill, do take a walk further down to Wenchang Street to browse the stylish Chinese and Western style furniture shops.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Gongguan Night Market
公館夜市
Address: Section 3, Luosifu Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City
Opening hours: 6pm to 12am daily
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This is the biggest night market in the South District of Taipei city. Located in a business district makes this night market very distinct. There are clothing and accessory stores, bookstores, tea houses and even a movie theatre. Being close to the National Taiwan University, prices are very reasonable here as most of the customers are students.

Street vendors here offer tourists one of the best “大腸包小腸 (Small Sausage in Big Sausage)”, “葱蛋餅 (Scallion Egg Pancake)” and “Cuttlefish Vermicelli with Thick Soup”. The most popular drink in the Gongguan area is the “青蛙撞奶 (Frog Hits Milk) Bubble Milk Tea”, containing special ingredients such as dark brown sugar, tapioca and fresh milk.

Feeling a little more daring? Go for “小李豬血糕 (Little Li’s Pig’s Blood Cake)”. Its pig’s blood cakes are made fresh daily and cooked in a steamer for more than three hours until they are fragrantly chewy and soft. As the cakes are covered with their secret sauce and sweet peanut powder, the bloody taste is not too overwhelming, unlike when you eat pork liver. We like the rich flavour of this pig’s blood cake.

The street snacks here can get so popular that you may need to wait in line for half an hour. Looking for an environment that’s less crowded to accommodate a bigger group, you can head to the nearby restaurants. Most restaurants are in South-East Asian styles such as Thai-style, Malaysian style, Indonesian style, Myanmar style etc.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Shilin Night Market
士林夜市
Address: No. 101, Jihe Road, Shilin District, Taipei City
Opening hours: 5pm to 1am daily
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Imagine thrice the size of Singapore’s Bugis Street, Shilin night market is one of the major popular attractions that tourists flock to when in Taipei. The sights, scents and bargains are enough for a second or third visit – you can never get enough! The maze of alleyways is filled with a variety of local, traditional and international merchandise that attract both locals and foreigners. Many of the food vendors are famous for their local flavours and are only available here. Visitors get to enjoy a plethora of local fare ranging from stir-fried squids, oyster omelette and huge chicken cutlet to shaved ice desserts, oyster mee sua and much more at very affordable prices.

We recommend 王子起司馬鈴薯 (Prince Cheese Potato) and 牛魔王 pasta and steak. The former consists of fried potato drenched in truckloads of cheese and covered with generous amounts of your desired toppings while the latter offers delectable beef steak served on a hotplate, accompanied by pasta, a sunny-side-up egg and a mushroom soup bread bowl. We learnt from the servers that potato is firstly, mashed and molded into an ellipsoid shape before a hardboiled egg is stuffed in. Next, this mixture of mashed potato and hardboiled egg is dipped and battered in breadcrumbs before it is fried. After which, this fried potato is dissected, stuffed and covered with your desired choice of ingredients. Simply heavenly!

Showcasing Taiwan’s culture with its vivid colours, along with friendly stall vendors and numerous scrumptious food and cheap clothes, Shilin night market is a place to head to for shopping, eating, browsing and just soaking up the atmosphere as you share the night market with Taipei locals.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Raohe Street Night Market
饒河街觀光夜市
Address: Raohe Street and Sec. 4, Bade Road and Fuyuan Street, Taipei City
Opening hours: 5pm to 12am daily
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Located a stone’s throw away from 五分埔 (WuFenPu), Taipei’s largest wholesale market for clothes and accessories, many locals and tourists have a habit to visit this night market after an exhausting afternoon of shopping spree. It is easy to locate this night market due to the magnificent landmark beside it – Ciyou temple (慈佑宮). This temple is hard to miss, especially when it’s beautifully illuminated at night. Although it only spans 600 meters along the path of Raohe Street, this night market has a lot to offer. Bargaining for something you like makes an exciting shopping experience here! The most outstanding delicacies are their pepper meat buns (福州世祖胡椒饼), 玉子烧 (omelette with toppings), pork ribs herbal stew (陈董药炖排骨) and spicy stinky tofu (下港名彭臭豆腐).

Indulging in too much heaty food would cause you to fall sick easily but fret not, grab a cup of traditional winter melon tea! Besides quenching your thirst, it is also a healthier alternative to Taipei’s popular bubble milk tea. Winter melon tea helps reduce the heaty-ness in your body.

The best advantage of this night market is that Songshan train station is just across the road, which makes it very convenient for visitors. This might probably be the reason why Raohe night market is always bustling with activities, providing a lively and energetic atmosphere.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Huaxi Street Night Market
華西街夜市
Address: Intersection of Guangzhou Street and Huaxi Street, Wanhua District, Taipei City
Opening hours: 4pm to 12am daily
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

According to a street vendor, since the success of the movie, “艋舺” (Monga) in 2010, with well-known Taiwanese actor 阮經天 as the main lead, Huaxi Street Night Market has attracted larger crowds. This famous street has appeared in a very vital scene in the movie. Taiwanese locals flock to this particular night market for tonic food and commodities while tourists patronize this night market for its gourmet snacks and their especially famous seafood.

The real draw to this night market are the Chinese herbal cuisine cooked with snakes, foot massage shops, as well as, health-oriented spa. It’s no wonder this night market has been nicknamed, ‘Snake Alley’. As with all night markets in Taipei, there were way too many food stalls. We were so lost in our choices of food and approached the locals for recommendations, which lead us to conclude that Taiwanese here go gaga over their special pork rib noodles, Scholar’s pancakes, “Eight Treasures Iced Dessert”, salted egg dumpling and fried pepper crabs. After a sinful indulgence in street snacks, it’s a good idea to relax and unwind at one of their massage parlors or health-oriented spas.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ningxia Night Market
寧夏夜市
Address: Ningxia Road, Datong District, Taipei City, Taiwan 103
Opening hours: 6pm to 12am daily
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ningxia night market might not be spacious and big-scale yet its nostalgic ambience charms visitors, both locals and tourists alike. Forget shopping as this night market focuses on providing the best street snacks, hence having the highest concentration of all the best snacks from the old days. We learnt a little historical background of this night market from one of the stall vendors. During the Japanese occupation, this area was a park where food stands were abundant inside. However, this park was rebuilt into water storage when WWI broke out, which saw the end of food-related activities here. After the war, the market excelled and expanded but due to fire and urban renewal in later years, the old night market has to be replaced and is currently what we know as Ningxia night market.

There is only one narrow lane, flanked by stalls on both sides. Expect to squeeze with the crowd to get to your desired stall. These stalls have been running for over 50 years, providing visitors with scrumptious street food such as Taiwanese oden, sesame oil chicken, fresh and juicy oysters, 小籠包, shaved iced desserts and many other traditional local fare waiting for you to discover. Have your first round of finger food before moving on to tackle and challenge your friends and families over old school games, after which you will have a little more stomach capacity to try more food! We like that this night market is not so commercialized, which enabled us to better experience Taiwanese local culture and activities.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lehua Night Market
樂華夜市
Address: Yongping Road, Yonghe District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 234
Opening hours: 6pm to 12am daily
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This wouldn’t make it to the top three must-go night markets that tourists frequent as it’s located quite far away from the city centre hence and is a night market for locals. We were awed by how clean and well-maintained this night market was. Besides, the neon lights of clothing shops and snack stands make the night seem as bright as daytime. Due to the diversity of street food served here, locals can always return for different food. As tourists, we always find it difficult to select the best snack stand. There are snacks that are more special here such as our favourite, the Marlin fish paste on stick (旗鱼串). The vendor fried Marlin fish paste with a slice of hard-boiled egg filling inside before serving it with sweet chili sauce, salt and pepper. We fell in love with the mix of textures with every bite – soft and chewy inside while crispy outside.

Furthermore, you have the choice of savouring other delightful snacks like the braised meat vermicelli and salted egg taro snacks. Lehua also offers exotic food from around the world – Turkish Döner Kebab, Thai green papaya salad, Japanese sushi and many other kinds of foreign specialties. This is a night market for kids as there are a couple of stores selling cute and cartoony goods. Finally, what’s better than ending your night at a KTV? There’s one directly at the entrance of Lehua night market.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Night markets are places that tourists will never skip whenever we travel to Taiwan. Great bargains at very affordable prices? Check! Wide range of irresistibly delectable local fare and street snacks? Check! Experience the local culture and night life, hanging out with Taiwanese locals? Check! We can’t think of a reason not to hit the night markets. Calories don’t count when you’re overseas and having good food will put you in a good mood. Complete your trip by heading to at least one night market when you visit Taiwan! Have a blast!

Photos & text by Alexis Toh Mu Qin, a fellow food writer for Miss Tam Chiak. Follow her at @tmooq on instagram for her latest food hunt.

The post 7 Best Night Markets To Visit in Taipei appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Rojak is one the hawker dish I seldom eat. Because the one near my house (Soon Heng Rojak) is forever long queue, the one in Whampoa (Hoover) is a little out of the way, and the thought of eating thick and gooey prawn paste doesn’t quite appeal to me. Having said that, I do have a list of rojak places that I have always wanted to visit. One of them is Brothers Rojak.

It’s really hard to say which is the best rojak. Some likes the youtiao to be crispy, some likes the prawn paste to be thick, some prefers it to be not so wet, some prefers to sprinkle with lots of crushed peanuts… As one of my friends said, the food we love is based on the memories/perception we had of that dish. This is so true.

For me, a good plate of rojak needs the usual motley of cut fruits (pineapple, guava, cucumber) with youtiao and taupok, that are nicely coated with homemade shrimp paste (hei gou). The shrimp paste doesn’t have to be exceptionally thick as I don’t think I can finish it all by myself. But it has got to be rich, yet wet enough to coat the ingredients and balanced enough for me to finish the plate. I am a difficult customer, right?

I think I have a new found love, and that is Brothers Rojak in Clementi. It is quite common to see a snaking long queue at this small stall waiting to tuck into the savoury delights. It has got almost all the elements I needed in the rojak. The sweet-and-savoury concoction complements the dose of freshly-cut fruits. The tau pok and youtiao were given a quick toast before serving, even though I prefer the youtiao to be more crispy than what I had that day. The key ingredient of rojak is the sticky sweet and slightly pungent fermented shrimp paste. The sauce is dark and flavourful, and lifted by the flora notes of ginger torch bud. Lime is added into the sauce for a more refreshing finish.

Of course, a good plate of rojak lie in the hands of the rojak seller as well. It’s quite entertaining to see the brother skilfully tossed the rojak in his big bowl (and yet never lose his smile). The shrimp paste is wet enough to coat the ingredients evenly. Crushed peanuts are sprinkled all over for that extra crunch. The acidity from lime helps to make this rojak more palatable but not too acidic, I can easily finish the whole plate myself!

Brothers Rojak does not come with a lot of ingredients unless you chose to add more ingredients at a little cost. Prices start from $3 to $8 with additional cost for add-ons like stuffed taupok (taupok pau), century egg and pressed cuttlefish. If you are packing away, the sauce will be packed separately so the you tiao and taupok does not turn soggy by the time you get home.

Brothers Rojak
Address: Blk 449 Clementi Avenue 3 #01-211, Singapore 120449
Opening Hours: Mon to Sat 11am – 930pm. Closed on Sun

The post Brothers Rojak @ Clementi – I Should Have Ordered Two Plates! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Inspired by 大腕燒肉專門 (Da-Wan Yakiniku) in Taiwan, three traders decided to set up modern grill restaurant called Yen Yakiniku along Ann Siang Road. This Japanese BBQ-centric restaurant is notorious for serving the crème de la crème of Wagyu beef and pork. Since its opening in April, two philosophies are at work within it. The first has to do with the quality of the meat, which is superior to many other Japanese BBQ restaurant. The second has to do with the diversity of the cuts of meat Yen Yakiniku offers their customers.

This cozy restaurant that seats about 25 people around a large bar and each group of patrons has their own individual charcoal grill. Usually, the grill is set up, raw meats are brought to the table and customers are expected to do the cooking. This wasn’t the case at Yen. Each dish we ordered is skillfully prepared and served by the chef at our table ensuring that everything was cooked to perfection. The charcoal heats the mesh of the grill; the exhaust pulls heat and smoke silently away from the table. The waiter skillfully puts the meat on the hot grill, one by one, bit by bit.

The menu is straightforward. There are a few sides like the Yen’s special salad (S$14) – finely julienned cabbage and Japanese mizuna tossed in a peanut-studded tangy sesame dressing which is a replica of Da Wan’s original. Topped with pieces of fried egg tofu, it’s ordinary but a great alternative to coleslaw.

Next up, Japanese ox tongue ($25) was thinly sliced and served with a mound of grated onion, sliced scallions, toasted sesame seeds and a sprinkle of salt. The beef was gently seared on once side. The chef recommends eating the beef with just a touch of lemon juice, no sauce needed. It’s only a few pieces on the plate, so take your time to savour the tenderness in each piece.

Owner/Chef Jones Chen still insists on cutting the meat by himself. All the meat is marinated and prepared in front of you before going on the grill. Servers at Da Wan sear/grill the beef to absolute perfection and serve it to you piece by piece, this means no over cooking. Once you’re finished eating your first piece, they will then start searing the second piece for you. It’s like watching a sushi chef at the sushi bar. Every single one of them are very knowledgable and they know the meat inside out and the time for different parts of the meat to grill to achieve optimal tenderness.

If there is one dish that you need to order, that would be the Wagyu Oyster Blade ($36). The Toriyama beef shoulder is marinated in sweet soy and garnished with chopped onion. Each slice is cooked to a medium rare on one side, then rolled up and served. It has the melt-in-your-mouth tenderness and doesn’t need any sauce, just a touch of lemon juice.

When Wagyu Beef is referred to as Fullblood, that means the Japanese Wagyu that has not had any other breed introduced into their bloodlines. Different sides give a different flavour and texture when done right. It has a smooth buttery caramel flavor that is intensely sweet and delicate. The Ribeye Fullblood ($130/260g) that I had is cooked to medium rare served with wasabi and sliced raw garlic. It amplifies the taste of all that it touches.

The meats are offered for grilling in one of two styles: either marinated in BBQ sauce or simply dressed with garlic, salt and sesame oil. After all the solid ones, I also had a plate of beef slices marinated in barbecue sauce that’s super tasty. But if you’re considering the rib-eye or oyster blade, you ought to stay with the plain ones which will allow you to experience the true taste of beef.

Non beef lovers, don’t be disappointed! They have chicken and pork options as well! The Pork Jowl ($13) is glistened with generous marbling of fats.

The most popular seafood item – Sashimi grade ‪Hokkaido‬ Scallops ($15) is grilled to medium-rare. It has a smokey profile, slight charred exterior combined with the juiciness of the freshest sashimi grade scallop on the inside.
‎
Make sure to ask for vegetables as well. Having soft Japanese Yam ($12) after a piece of simply dressed rib-eye is feels good. Consumed all the above with the restaurant’s excellent sakes, draft beers or whiskey, it will raise what might seem a stunt meal into a real one.

What really sets it apart is the quality of the meat and the meticulous attention to detail. The service is always on point and the servers have an in-depth knowledge of the food. Another good thing about dining here is, I don’t leave the restaurant with a smoky head! Currently only opened for dinner, hope they do lunch soon.

Yen Yakiniku
Address: 15 Ann Siang Rd, Singapore 069695
Tel: 62216380
Website: http://www.theyengroup.com.sg
Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday 6pm – 12am

The post Yen Yakiniku – Quality Grilled Meats with a Taste of Passion appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Many readers have emailed me asking me questions on my recent post on Slim Couture. I have collated all of them and reply through this space. First and foremost, I paid for all my treatments in Slim Couture. I am not paid to do any advertorial for them. They have initially offered me a sponsorship and I gently declined it, as I do not want to be obligated to write a review for products or services that I have not tried and have no confidence if it will work. Eventually, I completed my 12 sessions as a super happy and satisfied client. After which, the owner asked me if I can review about them and I gladly say yes!

So now the question is – Why do I consider Slim Couture and not other slimming companies? Personally, I am a friend of Jessica (Shiberty) and I was astounded by her results. She literally lost half of her original size and she is looking so good! At the same time, I googled on the reviews of slim couture and some other companies and realized that they really have many positive reviews on forum and client’s testimonials on Facebook! I was in a hurry to lose weight for my wedding thus decided to sign up slim couture for slimming. I am not sure if they are more effective than others but I can gladly and proudly say that Slim Couture is effective for me, at the very least.

I managed to catch up with the owners and asked them some questions, which I think many of us are wondering.

1) What has inspired both of you (Joanne & Sherlin) decide to start a boutique slimming center, using TCM for slimming?
We have been in this industry for more than 16 years and we are very conscious about healthy appearances and well-being of the body. We were once young and had gone through many ways of slimming methods – pills, machines, exercises , diets but none works to meet our expectations. This was till we met a renowned physician who has many years of experience in TCM slimming and has helped many women in attaining good health.

At that time, there were a few home-based salons doing such treatments but there was clearly not a distinctive brand with proper physician guidance for such treatments. We embarked on a year of market research and training from the physician and personally tried on the treatments on ourselves. We are convinced that it is a safe and effective treatment with long lasting result. We know this is going to be the answer to all women who have been thinking about losing weight.

2) TCM slimming seems to be getting popular in Singapore, what’s your take?
TCM slimming has always been an alternative solution to slimming since 40 years ago! Actually, many TCM companies use acupuncture slimming but there are no proper shop front which uses cupping and gua sha as a method. But this method is nothing new. There are home-based salons that do this and you may think that you can even do it at home! But we do not agree on experimentation. This should be done on a proper guidance. That is why, we decided to set up a brick and mortar shop under the guidance of Dr Colin to administer this treatment.

3) How do you ensure the program’s competiveness and effectiveness?
We conduct our business with integrity and puts all our client’s health on priority. We have learnt that some companies use dangerous and invasive methods which includes fire etc that may cause burns or injury to the body. We ensure that we do not use any of such method to ensure the safety of clients. We use only baguan and guasha for our treatments. Both our centres are endorsed by Physician Colin Chan Peng Chong (SRN CCRN) and he has been a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) internal medicine and acupuncture practitioner for closed to 30 years. A sought-after seminar speaker, academic and clinical mentor, he is also registered with the Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board, Ministry of Health Singapore. He is also a Lecturer, Clinical Mentor and Examiner of the Singapore Traditional Chinese Medical College. He gave us guidance since the first day and reviews the acupuncture points and practices on a monthly basis to ensure that we are always improving and updated with the latest knowledge.

4) Are there any slimming supplements required?
Strictly NO pills or any supplementary dietary or meal replacement shakes. We do not encourage customers to take any pills during the entire treatment.

5) Is there a diet plan to follow?
During treatment, you will be advised to abstain from carbohydrates and processed foods. Our diet plan is made up of fruits, vegetables and non-processed meat. Basically, it is a low carbohydrates, medium to high proteins and a high minerals and vitamins diet plan! After all, all these are healthy eating!

6) Money back guarantee?
We understand that this treatment may not be suitable for all customers thus we offer a money-back-guarantee program. After all, it is the branding and real testimonial of clients which have helped us to move thus far. Nevertheless, we experience 100% success rate on our clients. We are truly blessed by the continuous streams of referrals, positive reviews and thank you messages from our customers.

7) Will the lost weight rebound after the treatment?
When our clients are on the program, we set the ideal weight’s target for clients and 99% of our clients are able to achieve their ideal weight’s target while on Divine Slim’s program. Once they reach their ideal weight, the chances for them to rebound is very unlikely…. unless they go for buffets everyday (with a laugh). The reason is because their metabolism is optimum and they will have a younger body age, lower fats percentage, their stomach capacity is smaller and they will not tend to overeat. Most importantly, their overall health is in a much better condition as well. Clients can still enjoy healthy and good food and even feasting with their friends and family but naturally clients will be more aware and conscious of the choices of food that they will be putting into their mouths. In fact, 85% of our clients reported that they continued to experience weight loss of up to 2.5kg after they have graduated from the slimming program.

8) Any plans for expansion?
Yes, something exciting is brewing! As you know, obesity has several causes eg. eating habits, psychological patterns, stress etc. So we are in the midst of creating a health centre to provide a holistic approach for your specific cause of being overweight. Each individual requires her/his own customized therapy which we will provide. We are quite excited!

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Quote “Maureen” and get 10% off. If you sign up with a friend, you get 10% + 5% off. First 50 pax who signs up get complimentary wrap! *T&C applies, this promotion is valid till end of December 2015.

The post Exclusive Interview – How Slim Couture Become A Successful TCM Slimming Centre? appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Imagine travelling the whole of Italy: south to north, region after region, tasting its fabulous pasta along the way. Imagine eating each speciality; learning its history, its provenance, its culture. Imagine again, enjoying a glass of the local wine – the nectar of terroir – with each pasta. What a delicious education at Zafferano – just imagine!

After having brunch at Zafferano the previous time, the husband and I have been talking about their pasta. And it seems like our pasta craving is satisfied with Zafferano’s new Festival della Pasta promotion!

Every Saturday, from now till 30th January 2016, Chef Marco Guccio has prepared a menu of 5 pasta dishes, a dolci plus biscotti. Exploring pasta from the lighter dishes to the more substantial ones, we see how each region’s terroir affects shape and ingredient. In South Italy, there is a preference for lighter dishes with more vegetables, and the use of spices such as basil and oregano. Whereas in North Italy, stuffed pastas filled with meat are the order of the day, and recipes are richer with butter and cream.

1st Course : Zitoni dalla Sicilia
Wine pairing: Catarratto & Chardonnay Firriato Santagostino 2013

At the southern tip of Italy sits the beautiful island of Sicily. Brimming with sumptuous vineyards and seafood from the surrounding waters, Sicily was home to the earliest cookbook writer in history, Mithaecus. Pasta was also first recorded on the island in 1154 and takes mainly long or shortcut and large forms, exemplified by the zitoni.

Tubular and smooth, the zitoni holds well with chunky sauces, lending itself to the light Sicilian palate, which tends to replace cream and butter with fresh tomatoes and Sicilian olives. Local plants like the melanzane, a round eggplant, and the crunchy and sweet Pachino tomato, are used extensively in Sicilian cuisine, including as sauces for pasta. Ricotta is also common in Sicily, including in ricotta salata, made from the whey of sheep milk which is pressed, salted, baked in a woodfire oven, and aged for at least 90 days.

Chef Marco remembers his grandmother making ricotta salata at home when he was growing up, so he decides to share that memory in this course. ‘Zitoni with violet eggplant, fresh cherry tomatoes Pachino, and salted ricotta cheese” features the seasonal ‘malenzane’ eggplant from Sicily, with Pachino cherry tomatoes in Pomodoro sauce, finished with grated Ricotta Salata. I was told htat zitoni is a dish served to the soldiers during World War II as well!

2nd Course : Orecchiette dalla Puglia
Wine pairing: Chardonnay Tormaresca 2013

Bordered by azure beaches, Apulia on the southern mainland is well known for its tomatoes, seafood and peppers, as well as cucina provera or peasant cooking, which uses all that is available to cook. Also famous is orecchiette, made by local women on the streets of Bari Vecchia, who roll out a knob of dough on a wooden board and with a sharp turn of the thumb, form a pasta resembling a small ear — thus its name, which is Italian for ‘small ear’.

A local crop is cime di rapa, or turnip greens. This wilder member of the broccoli family is seasonal in mid to late autumn and is a pleasantly bitter green traditionally served with the orecchiette. Chef Marco serves ‘Orecchiette with fresh turnip greens and tomatoes, and anchovies’ in its traditional earthy and rustic charm, with a base made of extra virgin olive oil, garlic, a touch of butter, and chopped Italian anchovies; added to the base will be blanched turnip greens, fresh tomatoes, and herbs. The turnip greens, which resembles kai lan flower and give a mild bitter taste, pair exceptionally well with the orecchiette and tomatoes. You will notice that breadcrumbs are sprinkled around the plate. It is done so because in the past, the Italians would just crush the remaining bread crumbs from the previous night and serve it together with the pasta (of course, it wasn’t so atas lah!)

3rd Course : Tortellini dall’ Emilia-Romagna
Wine pairing: Lambrusco Salomino Concerto Medici Ermete 2013

Moving on to the North, Emilia-Romagna is a wealthy and developed region with culinary delectables ranging from eels and clams to pork sausages, balsamic vinegar, and of course, pasta. Filled pasta is especially renowned here; among these the tortellini is said to have a cheeky origin.

The story goes that Lucrezia Borgia, the luscious daughter of Pope Alexander VI, stayed one night at an inn. The innkeeper, besotted by her beauty, peeped at her through the keyhole of her room. All he could see through the tiny opening was Lucrezia’s navel, but it sent him into such a paroxysm of passion that he created tortellini, a navel-shaped pasta. I don’t know how true is this but imagine if he saw something else instead of navel, perhaps we would have a different shape that all men love. LOL!

Stuffed with a mix of pork or cheese, tortellini is often served with a rich chicken or beef broth. At Zafferano, the homemade tortellini filled with prosciutto and mortadella, is served with a light and clear chicken consommé poured at the table. According to Chef, this has got to be the most challenging pasta amongst all as he has got to skillfully wrap the pasta to achieve a navel shape.

4th Course: Casoncelli dalla Lombardia
Wine pairing: Rosé Franciacorta Barone Pizzini 2011

Lombardy, unlike most other Italian regions, uses less tomatoes and olive oil in its cooking, and is more heavily influenced by Austria and Central Europe. The huge rice fields in Lombardy also means polenta and risotto dishes dominate the cuisine. But pasta is never forgotten in Italy; and Mantova, a city of Lombardy, is home to casoncelli, a uniquely sweet stuffed pasta. Typically filled with breadcrumbs, parmesan and garlic, but without meat, casoncelli is shaped to look like wrapped candy and is traditionally served with burro e salvia, or melted better infused with sage.

I wasn’t too welcoming about the idea of having sweet pasta in cheese. But after trying Chef’s ‘casoncelli with pumpkin, Taleggio cheese fondue, butter and sage emulsion, and walnut’, I was impressed. Chef Marco fills his handmade casoncelli with oven-stewed ‘zucca’, pumpkin in season from Mantova, an egg yolk, parmesan cheese, and raisins mix, and serve it with a smooth butter and sage emulsion, with Taleggio cheese fondue, and topped with chopped walnuts. It’s interesting to see how the cheese fondue pairs exceptionally well with the pasta, and you get a party of flavours and textures in your mouth. This is Chef’s favourite pasta as well.

5th Course : Agnolotti dal Piemonte
Wine pairing: Barbera d’Alba Adriano 2013

The northern region of Piedmont — Italian for ‘foot of the mountain’ – is surrounded by the Swiss Alps and home to magnificent wines and an abundance of cheeses. Even so, the pasta identified with the region — agnolotti – is filled only with braised meat, and is uniquely shaped and different from other stuffed pastas such as ravioli.

A signature dish of Zafferano, Chef Marco serves his handmade agnolotti, filled with slow-cooked oxtail, over a celery puree with pistachio nuts for an added crunch. The fork tender slow-cooked oxtail is marinated for 12 hours to achieve the desired flavor. This is my favourite dish for the night.

Having tried so many pasta, we are filled to the brim by now. Crostata della Mamma was served to end the night. A much-loved dessert in all Italy and a domestic classic, the rustic pie that is the Crostata is made from dough known as pasta frolla, and flavoured with clarified fat and butter.

The resulting buttery crust is both crumbly and crunchy, and is used to hold a filling of fresh seasonal fruits. Chef Marco recreates his mom’s crostata, which is filled with a delicious jam made with mixed berries in season, and calls it ‘My mom’s crostata with homemade fresh berry jam’.

The pasta menu also comes with Cantucci dalla Toscana that was served with Vin Santo Farnito Antinori, a traditional Tuscan dessert wine. Once an essential item in the rations of Roman soldiers, this salted biscuit has evolved into a sweet treat thanks to the efforts of a pastry chef named Antonio Mattei in the 19th century.

I love it that each pasta comes with a story to tell – how it came to be and why it is special. To enrich this experience, Zafferano offers the ‘wine pairing’ option in which a regional wine will accompany each pasta course. The Festival della Pasta menu is priced at $85++ and a regional wine pairing option is priced at an additional $75++.

Zafferano Restaurant & Lounge
Address: 10 Collyer Quay, 43rd Floor, Ocean Financial Centre, Singapore 049315
Tel: 6509 1488
Website: www.zafferano.sg

The post Zafferano’s Festival della Pasta Menu: A Pasta-licious Menu Every Saturday appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Danish lifestyle brand, Joe & The Juice, opens their first juice bar in Chevron House. Since its first opening in Copenhagen in 2002, the fun and health-focused juice bar has become a cult favorite in 70 cities across Europe, including London, Stockholm, Hamburg, Oslo, New York, Nice, Reykjavik, Korea and now Singapore!

If there were ever a place that subtly demanded an effortless fusion between cool and well, Joe & The Juice would be first in line for the crown. There is an unspoken criterion for all the juicers to ooze style and create an atmosphere to welcome any intrigued healthy eater. The guys behind the counter talk and sing together, performed some tricks here and there while preparing the juices. It’s entertaining and engaging! Who knows juicing can be so fun!

The concept answers Singapore’s distinctive shift towards healthy diets and the need for a quick pick-me-up. There’s an abundance of vibrantly fabulous options to choose from including an Avo Shake, Breakfast Club and Coffee, followed by a juice collection of many, perfectly labelled with names like ‘Hangover Heaven’, ‘Iron Man’, ‘Peas of Mind’ etc.

With such an extensive menu, no matter how you are feeling, there really is something to see to everyone’s preferences. We have listed 7 must-try juices based on different moods, enjoy!

For the needy (in bed)…

One of the more interesting drink (and apparently a popular one) is Sex Me Up ($6.90 for 12oz; $8.90 for 16 oz). Made with passion fruit, apple and ginger, it is a delicious way to get you and your partner in the mood. I don’t really know how true, but well, it tasted really good!

For the sleepy heads…

You might not like the spicy taste and exotic scent of ginger, but trust me; this Ginger Shot ($3 for 2 oz) is really good! When juiced with sweet apples, it increases the nutritional content while adding a pleasantly spicy taste – a surefire way to wake up the senses! You can either have it first thing each morning, or in the afternoon for a natural energy boost, rather than a coffee break.

For those who wish to look younger…

Beet juice might not be incredibly delicious on its own but adding apple and fennel sweetens it and boosts the overall antioxidants. Sweet Beet ($7.20 for 12oz; $9.20 for 16 oz) is a thick drink packed with nutrients. It has an earthy taste and helps protect against premature aging.

For those with indigestion…

With 3.2 grams of dietary fibre, avocados have the highest concentration of dietary fibre of any commonly eaten fruit. If you have been squatting on the toilet bowl for a long time, how about having a cup of Fibre Active ($7.20 for 12oz; $9.20 for 16 oz)? Consisting of avocado, apple and lemon, this high-fibre drink can help lower cholesterol and improve digestive health.

For those who drank too much last night …

For hangover fuel, skip the typical chips and pizza, and grab a cup of Hangover Heaven ($6.90 for 12oz; $8.90 for 16 oz). Made with apple, elderflower and mint, the sugar in fruit helps to naturally boost the body’s energy. You’ll restore the vitamins and nutrients that were lost from last night’s binge. (Plus, when a handsome ang moh makes the drinks for you, you’ll sure to feel better instantly!)

For those who are too stressed at work …

Sometimes, all you need is a little sweetness in life. Whether you’ve lost your appetite or you can’t control your temper, have a cup of Stress Down ($6.90 for 12oz; $8.90 for 16 oz)! High in magnesium, strawberries can help reduce anxiety and irritability. Adding apple and ginger, it will definitely make you feel better after a stressful day!

For the hungry ones…

Introducing the most famous drink in Joe & The Juice – Power Shake ($6.90 for 12oz; $8.90 for 16 oz)! Made with strawberry, banana and vanilla milk, this protein-rich shake will fill you up for hours. Vanilla milk is the key to a satisfying shake. It has a really subtle, natural sweetness and makes the shake silky and delightful.

Besides the drinks selection, Joe & The Juice also offers wholegrain rye bread sandwiches prepared on the spot. I really love the “Tunacado” ($11.50) filled with tomato, avocado, and of course tuna, flat pressed and lightly toasted on rye bread to create an equally light lunch time snack. Other options include Turkey ($10.50), Avocado ($10.50), Serrano ($11.50) and much more.

Joe & The Juice uses a unique blend of coffee beans that have been specially blended. There’s no extra charge if you want to up your caffeine intake with a double shot in your latte and you choose your cup size—in pink, purple, yellow or grey. Prices start from $3.50.

JOIN THEIR LOYALTY CLUB!

Great tip: pick up a loyalty card and save $$ while getting your favourite drinks and sandwiches at your convenience! For instance, pay $45 upfront for a latte Joe card and enjoy 10 cups of coffee in ANY size with ANY amount of shots ANY time (pssst.. these cards do not expire). And wow, it turns out that you will be saving over $25 on latte if you get 10 pink cups of coffee! If you’re working around the area, simply pop by the bar for lunch with just the loyalty cards to enjoy a delicious healthy meal.

Joe & The Juice has most certainly got trendy juicing covered. They provide hipsters with a refreshing vibe and newbies with a platform to try something not too green. With such a prime location, you can casually picking up your protein packed juice before strolling into work. So what are you waiting for? Come #MEETJOE at Chevron House

Joe & The Juice
Address: 30 Raffles Place, Chevron House #01-35A, Singapore 039803
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 8am – 8pm; Saturday 11am – 3pm
Follow their Facebook or Instagram for more updates!

The post Joe & The Juice Opens at Chevron House – 7 Fun & Healthy Juices for Different Moods! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Nothing says Sunday like a good feast, which is why you need look to no further than the new Sunday Champagne Brunch at Hilton Singapore. Highlights of the new buffet spread include live seafood, meat carving and grill stocked with fresh imported ocean catches, premium Australian cuts and gourmet delicatessen from Europe.

From the moment guests set foot in the restaurant, which is classically adorned fluid curvilinear wooden walls, they will be treated to a visual feast and tantalizing aromas thanks to eight cooking stations. To start your brunch on a light note, have a plate of appetisers such as Tuna Tartare with Avocado Mousse, Tomato Gazpacho, Tiger Prawn with Green Mango and Alaskan Crabmeat with Mango Jelly.

Gourmands will be spoilt for choice at the Smorgasbord Station, where they can pile their plates with thinly-sliced à la minute charcuterie of imported whole leg Iberico ham, Lomo Ham and Saucisson sec cured meat and more than 20 types of cheeses specially flown in from Italy, France and Switzerland.

Seafood connoisseurs can dive straight in to the live Seafood Station which will be well-stocked with platters of fresh sashimi and premium catches like half shell scallops from Australia, Canadian-Maine Lobsters, yabbies (a type of crayfish) from Spain and shucked oysters from Australia, Canada and France. We are in love with variety of oysters. The husband loves the ones from France especially. For those that loves Japanese food, there was also platters of fresh sashimi.

For those who prefer asian flavours, there are dim sum, Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup and some cooked dishes such as Gong Bao Frog Leg (which I am very surprised to see in the menu), chilli crabs and more. Unfortunately, I think their Chinese section lack lustre, they need to work more on the flavours. There are also western session like grilled cod, and wood fired pizza.

The chefs working behind the stations have put out an array of à la minute specialty dishes such as pan-fried foie gras with apple and passion fruit, fresh homemade Italian maccheroni pasta with juicy Maine lobster meat and yabbies’ and the not-to-be-missed classic homemade Scotch egg with black truffle hollandaise. The scotch eggs were done golden and crunchy — I joyfully ate them up, pairing it with the aromatic black truffle hollandaise.

The most impressive section in this brunch is the grills. Those feeling carnivorous can satiate their appetites with hearty, meaty offerings including Australian grain-fed prime rib, honey mustard-glazed pork rack and slow-frilled herb-roasted baby fowl. You can witness chef in action behind the open-flame charcoal grills, expertly cooking popular cuts of wagyu flank steaks, lamb chops and Rangers Valley grain-fed beef tenderloins over white-hot charcoal to smoky, caramelized perfection.

A brunch experience is not complete without decadent desserts. The Sunday Champagne Brunch will feature sweet treats like the luscious caramel hazelnut chocolate fountain, perfectly-torched crème brulee, multi-layered rainbow cake, delicate green tea and strawberry tarts, macarons, pralines and refreshing homemade gelatos.

The Hilton Singapore Sunday Champagne Brunch is available every Sunday from noon to 3p.m., only at Opus Restaurant, located on the ground level. You can opt to finish their buffet with bottomless rounds of select house pours, sparkling wine and champagne.

Opus Bar & Grill
Address: Hilton Singapore, 581 Orchard Road, Singapore 238883
Tel: +65 67303390
Email: sinhi_F&B@hilton.com
Sunday Champagne Brunch is available every Sunday from 12pm to 3pm

Prices:
Adult – $88++ per person with a welcome drink // $108++ per person (free flow of sparkling wine, selected white & red wines and beer) // $138++ per person (free flow of Louis Roederer champagne, selected white & red wines and beer)
Child – $39++ per child (aged 5 to 12 years old) // Children below the age of four dine for free.

The post Hilton Singapore Introduces The New Champagne Brunch appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Recently, there has been a craze for seafood hawker dish. I have eaten seafood soup at A.S Seafood in Depot Road, Tom Yam lobster noodles at Abb Zabb in Golden Mile and Seafood Mee Pok at Guan’s Mee Pork in Maxwell Market. Now, I have found another hidden gem selling seafood noodles in Bedok South – Yong He Bak Chor Seafood Noodles!

Used to be at Yishun, Yong He Bak Chor Seafood Noodles have relocated to Bedok a few months ago. After probing further, we then realized he is actually the uncle of Ah Guan Noodles and brother of Ah Lam’s Abalone Noodles! So the whole family has been targeting seafood noodle!

For $4.50 a bowl, you get a bowl of noodles tossed in homemade chilli sauce, and served with fresh prawn, clams and well braised mushroom sauce. The noodles were splendidly cooked, it’s springy, tasty, aromatic and of course, well larded.

The braised mushroom slices gave the Mee Pok another delectable dimension, with its sweet and deep flavour from the prawns and clams. The soup was ordinary, nothing much to shout about. The deluxe $10 version comes with either big prawns or crayfish.

What’s more memorable is the bowl of Meatball Seafood Watercress Soup ($4) which exuded seafood flavours from the clams and has so much depth in flavour. Be prepared to queue because there are many components in this seafood noodles, so the owner takes some time to cook.

Yong He Bak Chor Seafood Noodles (永和肉脞海鲜面)
Address: 18 Brewcoffee, Blk 18 Bedok South Road, Singapore 460018
Opening hours: 7.30am – 3pm daily

The post Yong He Bak Chor Seafood Noodles @ Bedok South – Opened by the brother of Ah Lam’s Abalone Noodles appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Fancy some Korean-packed lunch boxes? Visit Dosirak, which serves convenient and healthy Korean food in China Square Central. The owner, Edward, a half-Korean who has spent his life growing up in Singapore, shared that students and housewives in Korea pack a balanced meal of rice, meat and vegetables for lunch every day as it is not only healthy, yet budget friendly and fun!

Edward decided to collaborate with Singapore’s Health Promotion Board (HPB), incorporating the concept of traditional Korean healthy lunchbox, hence bringing Dosirak’s brand new dining concept for busy office workers in the CBD.

Inspired by Edward’s family recipe, Dosirak only uses lean meat and they are sous-vide in water at 63 degree celsius. Vegetables are either lightly blanched or served raw as Dosirak does not want to compromise its nutrition. All pre-decided combination meals on their menu falls below 500 calories and are certified by a nutritionist.

Of course, the fun part comes when you get to plan your own meal! Firstly, choose your desired base from cold noodles, tofu, brown rice, red cabbage to cauliflower rice. Next, pick five vegetables you like from mushrooms, carrots, bean sprouts, spinach, cucumber, red and white cabbage, onions, black beans, corns etc. This is followed by selecting your protein. There are Bulgogi beef, spicy or soy sesame chicken, cured salmon, smoked duck or seared tuna. You have an optional choice of adding their secret sauce or not. Finally, cap your tub and shake it up!

We tried their new food menu’s combination of avocado, sweet potato with cauliflower rice with their secret sauce and it indeed tantalizes your tastebuds! The sauce tastes naturally sweetened, with a tinge of spiciness.

We also tried their newly launched pumpkin tofu with brown rice. Dosirak uses jasmine brown rice as it is easier for shaking because it is not too moist or too dry. The husk is removed yet the rice still retains an earthy and woody taste. Brown rice releases energy at a consistent rate as compared to white rice so you’ll be kept energized for a longer period of time, without feeling lethargic. This shows that a lot of thought goes into the ingredients used and how they are prepared at Dosirak.

Lastly, we tried their smoked duck with cold noodles. The duck is smoked in-house and dressed in citron sauce, similar to Korean yuja. We particularly like their well-flavoured cold noodles. Edward only prepares twenty boxes per day and it sells out very fast. To pair with the food, Dosirak also serves up “nuhoney” drink.

Unlike most of the Korean restaurants, Dosirak does not use any kinds of corn syrup, MSG nor refined sugar in their food. Ingredients used are all natural and the sweetness comes from fruits and unrefined brown sugar. All ingredients are done in-house.

We really like this concept of a fast and healthy lunchbox! Eating healthily is a very good habit and certainly essential for everyone. On top of taking care of everyone’s health and food options, Dosirak has partnered with Food Bank Singapore to reach out to the needy and provide them with something special this festive season. For every tub purchased at Dosirak, a dollar will be given to Food Bank. You can also donate more than a dollar to Food Bank and generous Edward will most willingly give you a free drink from Dosirak.

Dosirak
Address: 18 Cross Street, #01-02 China Square Central, Singapore 048423
Tel: (65) 6536 6034
Opening Hours: Weekdays 11am to 5pm. You can book them for parties/catering.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com.sg/dosiraksg

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Photos & text by Alexis Toh Mu Qin, a fellow food writer for Miss Tam Chiak. Follow her at @tmooq on instagram for her latest food hunt.

The post Dosirak – New healthy lunch takeaway menu launched appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Christmas can be a stressful time with all the preparation for holiday parties. On one hand, you need to get ready so many dishes on the menu. But on the other hand, you want to prepare something extra special for your guests. Here’s what you need – 3-step cheesecakes that is EASY TO MAKE! These recipes are sure going to make someone’s eyes light up!

As we were brainstorming for an easy cheesecake recipe, we thought of mini Santa Cupcakes idea which will be great for the coming holidays as it is sure to bring smiles to our guests. Plus there are many fresh boxes of strawberries in the supermarket now, so we did a simple frosting and style it to look like Santa. I am sure kids will love these jolly looking cheesecakes!

Mini Santa Cheesecake Cupcakes

2015-12-10 10:17:33

Yields 20

Cute mini Santa Cheesecake Cupcakes using PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese!

Write a review

Save Recipe

Print

For the cheesecake cupcakes

1. 2 cup graham cracker crumbs
2. 2 packages (8oz. each) Philadelphia cream cheese
3. 1/2 cup sugar
4. 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
5. 2 eggs
6. 1 box of strawberries

For the white frosting

1. 1 1/2 cups butter
2. 6 cups powdered sugar
3. 2 teaspoon vanilla essence (clear)
4. 2-4 tablespoon milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 170 degree Celsius. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla essence with electric mixer until combined. Add eggs and mix well.
2. Crush graham crackers and place evenly in each muffin cups, topped with cream cheese mixture.
3. Bake 20 minutes or until centers are almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 3 hours. Top with frosting and decorate with strawberries.

Notes

1. Tip: You can decorate with candy cane and blueberries as well.

Miss Tam Chiak http://www.misstamchiak.com/

Toblerone has been part of my childhood as my teachers would usually give us a bar each during Children’s Day. Not only that, it is also a must for every Christmas stocking. Hence, I am very excited when I saw Toblerone Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake recipe in PHILADELPHIA Recipe Book 2! Combining the crunchy almond bits with rich chocolate cream and smooth cheesecake mousse, the raspberry coulis makes the cheesecake tangy and refreshing all at the same time. Now, I am ready for Christmas!

This is a limited edition recipe that is only available in PHILADELPHIA Recipe Book 2 (read to the end to see how to get the recipe book).

Toblerone Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake

2015-12-10 10:20:12

Serves 10

Combining the crunchy almond bits with rich chocolate cream and tangy raspberry coulis, the Toblerone Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake is refreshing and simple cake to create!

Write a review

Save Recipe

Print

Ingredients

1. 1 ½ cups chocolate biscuit crumbs
2. 100g butter, melted
3. 2 x 250g PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese Block, softened
4. 3.4 cup cater sugar
5. 1 teaspoon gelatine, dissolved in 2 tbsp boiling water
6. 200g TOBLERONE milk chocolate, melted
7. 1 tsp vanilla extract
8. 1 cup thickened cream, softly whipped
9. 1 punnet raspberries pureed and sieved, combined with 2 tbsp icing sugar
10. TOBLERONE shavings, for decoration
11. Raspberries, extra for decoration

Instructions

1. Combine the biscuit crumbs and butter then press into the base of a greased 23cm springform pan. Chill.
2. Beat the PHILLY and sugar with an electric mixer until just smooth Add the gelatine, melted chocolate and vanilla and mix until smooth, then gently fold through the cream.
3. Pour the mixture over the prepared base, spoon the raspberry onto the top then swirl through the PHILLY mixture. Chill for 3 hours or until set. Decorate with TOBLERONE shavings and extra raspberries prior to serving.

Miss Tam Chiak http://www.misstamchiak.com/

In Philly Recipe Book 2, you’ll find desserts, tips and tricks to help you celebrate any occasion, be it a festive evening get together or a solo after-work indulgence. Plus, there are many great recipes that you can find only in this collectible. The recipe book is available at all leading Singapore supermarket. All you have to do is purchase any 2 Philadelphia products and you get it for FREE! It’s LIMITED EDITION so hurry & grab a copy now!

The post PHILADELPHIA Cheesecakes in 3 Easy Steps – It’s as easy as 1-2-3! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

The unconventional stand-alone exhibition, “Louis Vuitton Series 3 – Past, Present, Future” has hit our shores. Series 3 showcases the designer Nicolas Ghesquière’s inspirations for his Fall/Winter 2015-2016 ready-to-wear collection.

The most expensive exhibit is the SG50 Petite Malle, a limited-edition coveted box clutch bag.

This exhibition comprises of seven different rooms with different themes, including Mastermind, Artist’s Hands, Infinite Show, Accessories Gallery, Walk-in Wardrobe, Tale of Craftsmanship and Lounge. Our personal favourite is the Tale of Craftsmanship which offers a live demonstration to help viewers appreciate and understand the work that goes into creating each and every piece at Louis Vuitton.

We ended our tour of the exhibition at the Louis Vuitton pop-up lounge. Yes, you heard it right! The first ever Louis Vuitton lounge set against the iconic Singapore skyline! Visitors may sit down and enjoy light dishes, desserts and refreshments from an exclusive menu from Saint Pierre Market.

Light dishes include savoury salads and wraps while desserts are perfect for people with sweet-tooth. Olive cake is our favourite. What we enjoyed most was the view overlooking Marina Bay’s skyline and our skyscrapers. It is spectacular, especially at night so after walking through the exhibits, why not sip some champagne and nibble on canapés?

You can either book your appointment on their website to skip the queue at the exhibition or walk-in. This exhibition can be entered from the B2 entrance near Todai restaurant and is running from now until 23 December 2015. It is open to the public and free admission for all.

Address: Crystal Pavilion South, Marina Bay Sands, B2 Level
Opening Hours: 11am – 11pm (Sun-Thu), 11am – 11.30pm (Fri &Sat)
Website: http://www.louisvuitton.com/

The post Louis Vuitton Series 3 Exhibition – First Ever Louis Vuitton Lounge! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Being a commercial area with many factories and offices in Tai Seng, I’m glad there’s a row of cafés to help lighten the serious work environment and offer a refuge to de-stress during lunch and dinner hours. With cafés such as 23 Jumpin, The Oven, The Boneless Kitchen etc, the working crowd would not lack variety of food items to choose from. SuperMilk has opened its doors, with their Artisan ice cream and a menu that differs from the other cafés. It’s easy to spot this brightly illuminated café due to its distinct contrast with other cafés that has a dark and tinted exterior along this stretch. They have a decent sized interior but might not be able to accommodate the crazy office lunch crowd on a weekday.

The Artisan ice cream comes in single ($3.90), double ($7.60) and triple ($11) scoops, with flavours such as Raisin Fantasy, Lime Sorbet, Japanese Matcha, Hazelnut and their signature Honey Lavender. Just approach the friendly staff stationed behind their ice cream displays for sampling before making your choice. My favourite was their Honey Lavender ice cream – lavender-infused milk with honey. Not sure if you’ll find it weird, but I like the floral flavour, which enhanced the sweetness of the honey. With my eyes closed, I could imagine myself standing in the middle of a large lavender field, with the gentle wind breezing across my skin. Okay, that’s too exaggerated, haha! Another hot pick has to be the Hazelnut flavour that’s distinctively crunchy, while still retaining its milky texture and not overly sweet.

The highlight of our meal was their unique bubble waffles ($10.90) – crisp on the outside yet soft and fluffy on the inside. It smells heavenly and we couldn’t wait to sink our teeth into the waffles, topped with scoops of deliciously sweet ice cream.

Moving on to the mains, we had Tunisian Eggs ($15.90) and Deep Ocean Marinara ($17.90). Their signature Tunisian Eggs is slowed-cooked for 24 hours using spicy tomato herb sauce and consisted of minced beef, chicken and baked eggs, served with a side of baguettes. We feel that this dish was just the right amount of robustness in taste but texture wise, a little too watery. Nothing can go wrong when eggs are involved but instead of using processed hot-dog from NTUC, perhaps Merguez sausages would be a better choice. As for their Deep Ocean Marinara, which boasts tiger prawns and fish chunks with linguine, tossed in the chef’s special red sauce, we find it a tad disappointing. Pairing with the meals, we had a decent hot chocolate ($5.80) and refreshing Citrus Orange Fruit Juice ($4).

Speaking of convenient café-hopping, this stretch near the Tai Seng MRT might just be the place to go if you’re too lazy to travel, yet want to visit many cafés in one shot.

SuperMilk
Address: The Commerze @ Irving, 1 Irving Place #01-29, Singapore 369546
Opening Hours: 11.30am – 9pm (Mon-Fri), 9.30am – 11pm (Sat & Sun)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/supermilksg/

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Photos & text by Alexis Toh Mu Qin, a fellow food writer for Miss Tam Chiak. Follow her at @tmooq on instagram for her latest food hunt.

The post SuperMilk – Bubble Tea’s Out, Bubble Waffle’s in! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

When you hear people mention Hokkaido, you might think of delicious, locally produced food. That is exactly the kind of reputation Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau want to create for Hokkaido. With ideal farming conditions, produce world-class beef, seafood, fruit and vegetables, Hokkaido is becoming a famous food destination.

Under Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau is using agritourism (agriculture + tourism) to entice overseas travellers to visit the region, with the long term goal of adding value to local produce.

They have realized that people have become more interested in how their food is produced. They want to meet farmers and processors and talk with them about what goes into food production. So they are trying to connect producers with consumers and restaurant in the region, so they can “tell the story” of the local product.

Now, it’s time to pack your bag and get ready your stomach for the food to come!

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Milk Kobo (高橋牧場ニセコミルク工房)
Address: Yubinbango 048-1522 Hokkaido Abuta-gun Niseko-cho Soga 888-1 (〒048-1522 北海道虻田郡ニセコ町曽我888-1)
Latitude: 42.836571 | Longitute: 140.675598
Tel: +81 136-44-3734
Opening Hours: Summer 9:30am to 6pm, Winter 9:30am to 5:30pm
Website: http://www.milk-kobo.com/

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Takahashi Dairy Farm, owner of Milk Kobo, treats its cows much in the same way the Kobe Beef farmers treat theirs, with respect and care. Cows are milked by-hand, raised on the highest quality natural feed and drink the pure, crystal clear water from nearby Mount Yotei. The result is a series of delicious, fresh and sweet treats made from the milk these cows produce.

Takahashi Dairy Farm, owner of Milk Kobo (ミルク工房), treats its cows with tender loving care. The 80 hectares of farm raise 300 cows on the highest quality natural feed and drink the pure, crystal clear water from nearby Mount Yotei. The result is a range of fresh and sweet treats made from the milk. Their custard cream puff (¥150), is the best I have ever tasted. The pastry itself is light and crispy, only accentuated by the vanilla custard which is made of milk fresh from the cow that day only. Trust me, you would want a second piece after finishing your first. They also sell roll cakes, cheese cakes and ice cream. Unfortunately, we went close to their closing hours. If you were to go in the afternoon, you can sit outside on the picnic tables and enjoy their milk treats while admiring the beautiful grassland and cow grazing.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Prativo
Address: Yubinbango 048-1522 Hokkaido Abuta-gun Niseko-cho Soga 888-1 (〒048-1522 北海道虻田郡ニセコ町曽我888-1)
Latitude: 42.836571 | Longitude: 140.675598
Tel: +81 136-55-8852
Opening Hours: 11.30am to 2.30pm; 5.30pm to 9.30pm. Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Website: http://www.milk-kobo.com/prativo/

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

On the same premise as Milk Kobo is Prativo, which serves value-for-money semi-buffet lunch and dinner menu against the expansive views of Mt Yotei. The menu makes extensive use of fresh milk from Takahashi Farm and vegetables that are grown around the district. Vegetable buffet & Main dishes cost ¥1,550 per person. For your main you can choose from 4 different mains, such as steamed chicken breast with dijon mustard, sauteed Raibow trout, egg plant & mozzarella cheese pasta with tomato sauce, or tuna & Cabbage pasta, with olive oil and black pepper.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Makkari Flower Center (真狩フラワーセンター)
Address: 虻田郡真狩村字光8番地3
Latitude: 42.762321 | Longitude: 140.807705
Tel: +81 136-48-2007
Opening hours; 10am to 5pm (April to October); 10am to 3pm (January to April)
Website: http://www.hokkaido-michinoeki.jp/

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Do you know, Hokkaido produces over 98% of Japan’s lily bulbs, most of which get sent south to Kyoto where they are used in classical Japanese cuisine. Amongst it, half of the lily bulb is made in the village of Makkari. It takes about 6 years to grow lily bulb. A visit to the Tamura Farm lets us to a better understanding on how the crop is cultivated, cleaned and distributed. Mr Toyokazu Tamura is the fifth generation in a family business that has been running for more than 100 years.

Fresh lily bulbs are creamy white, and look like slightly-flattened heads of garlic. They have a delicate, mildly sweet flavor, and are crunchy when raw and silky-creamy when cooked. You can slurp up a bowl of buckwheat noodles with lily bulb tempura or have it with rice at Michi-no-Eki (Makkari Flower Center) roadside station – a rest stop for travellers. This small eatery we went to is run by a group of obasans. A piping hot bowl of buckwheat noodle soup with lily bulb tempura is perfect for the cold weather. On our table, all you can hear is slurping sound.

Oh by the way, the roadside stations in Hokkaido is amazing. There are 117 of such and they are equipped with clean toilets, which include breastfeeding rooms, and ample car park spaces and facilities such as food stalls, souvenir shops and even playgrounds.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Nikka Whisky Yoichi Distillery (ニッカウヰスキー余市蒸留所)
Address: Hokkaido Yoichigun Yoichimachi Kurokawacho 7-6 Japan (〒046-0003黒川町7-6)
Latitude: 43.187369 | Longitude: 140.791780
Phone : +81 135 23 3131
Website: http://www.nikka.com/eng/
Opening hours: 9am to 5pm

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Nikka Whisky, one of Japan’s top whisky makers, has its main distillery in Yoichi, the neighboring town of Otaru. The company was founded by Taketsuru Masataka, known as the father of Japanese whisky, who studied whisky making techniques for several years in Scotland before bringing the trade to Japan. He was instrumental in establishing the country’s first whisky distillery, the Yamazaki Distillery near Kyoto, before he set out on his own to start Nikka Whisky here in Hokkaido.

The Yoichi Distillery was built in 1934, on a site chosen for its clear water, brisk air and rich peat. Taketsuru believed that the conditions in Yoichi best resembled those found in Scotland and would be perfect for recreating Scotch whisky. The traditional distillation process that he brought over is largely unchanged today. Nikka whiskies have been recognized to rank among the world’s best single malt whiskies have won numerous awards. Take a guided tour to understand the whisky making process from start to finish.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Denpachi (でん八 札幌駅道庁前店)
Address: MAINICHI KAIKAN 1F, Kita 4 Nishi 6, Chuo-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido, 060-0004060-0004 (北海道札幌市中央区北4条西6 毎日会館1F)
Latitude: 43.065415 | Longitude: 141.347203
Opening Hours: Weekdays 11.30am to 2pm; 5pm to 12am Weekends & Holiday 5pm to 11pm
Tel: +81 11-200-6782

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Just 5-minute walk from Sapporo Subway Station, Denpachi serves one of the best sashimi in Sapporo. The assorted sashimi on a boat is so fresh. My favourite is the grilled pork neck. Cooked over charcoal of the right temperature until smoky, the pork neck has just the right amount of a nice balance of lean meat and tender juicy fats.

Because the weather is cold, we are having hot pot as well. What happens after the hot pot is more memorable – we make our own porridge by pouring in rice, egg and some sake into the broth. What we get is a deep and intense porridge.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Kururu-no-Mori (くるるの杜)
Address: Yubinbango061-1270 Kitahiroshima Omagari 377-1 (〒061-1270 北海道北広島市大曲377-1)
Latitude: 42.978981 | Longitude: 141.491708
Tel: +81 11-377-8700 or +81 11-377-8886 (make reservation for restaurant)
Opening hours: Lunch 11.30am to 3.30pm
Website: http://www.hokuren-kururu.jp/restaurant.html

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

In the Southern part of Sapporo city, there is a spacious farmland called くるるの杜 (Kururu no Mori) which allows people to experience farming and cooking using agricultural produce from Hokkaido.

You can spend half a day here learning how to cook, have lunch and do some grocery shopping. Trust me, it is NOT easy to make mochi. I was so inspired to be a mochi expert, but it’s too much work! Got to grind the beans, and pound the rice till you get the sticky texture of a mochi.

After our mochi class in the farmland, we headed to their famous farmer’s restaurant which offers a buffet spread of home-cooked meal using vegetables, meats and dairy products produced in Hokkaido. For 1,500 yen, there were salads, side dishes, pastas, rices, soups, desserts, and you can taste the freshness within each dish. I was told the queue to enter was 1 hour!

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

North Farm Stock
Address: Yubinbango068-0833, Hokkaido Iwamizawa Shimon cho 292-4 (〒068-0833 北海道岩見沢市志文町292-4)
Latitude: 43.161389 | Longitude: 141.758869
Tel: +81 126-35-5251
Opening Hours: 10am to 6pm

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

“NORTH FARM STOCK” is a brand that produces and sells unique foods made from delicious Hokkaido ingredients. They have more than 100 items available, including juices, jams, sauces, pickles, pasta and pasta sauce, dip, and much more. They have recently opened a cafe which looks so pinterest friendly. We spent alot of time shopping and also tried their pancakes!

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Fukuyoshi (福よし)
Address: Chuo-ku Sapporo Hokkaido (北海道 札幌市中央区 北2条西3丁目 敷島ビル B1F)
Latitude: 43.063834 | Longitude: 141.352279
Tel: +81-11-281-2944
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11.30am to 2pm; Mon-Sat 4.30pm to 23:15pm

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

When you feel like nibbling on skewers of grilled chicken, you don’t go to the city; you head for your local. Never mind about smoky hair, we are at this quiet neighbourhood to have yakitori. Intimate but not cramped, the grill sits theatrically in the entrance of Fukuyoshi, perfuming the eatery with smoky aroma. Using charcoal, expect all the usual cuts of chicken grilled to juicy perfection. And we even ate chicken sashimi. ? It costs 4,000 yen with unlimited beer. Highly recommended if you are doing self-drive in Hokkaido!

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Kindaitei (金大亭)
Address: 1 Shinmachi, Ishikari, Hokkaido Prefecture 061-3373 (北海道 石狩市 新町 1)
Latitude: 43.248801, Longitude: 141.355364
Tel: +81 133-62-3011
Opening hours: 11am to 9pm

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Ishikari Subprefecture (石狩振興局) is a subprefecture of Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan, located in the western part of the island. Ishikari’s history and culture have been fostered by salmon fishery. In the early Meiji era, millions of salmon were caught in the Ishikari River.

130-year-old Kindaitei is the creator of Ishikari hot pot. This salmon specialty restaurant located in the city of Ishikari, 40-minutes from central Sapporo by car. Both the salmon from autumn and the masu trout (a type of fish in the same salmon family) served from spring to autumn are caught locally in Ishikari and prepared into course meals for you to enjoy, using the salmon-filled traditional recipes preserved since the restaurant’s founding.

Ishikari-nabe is a Hokkaido regional specialty and Kindaitei was named the best by Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in 2007. The soup is flavoured by white miso in kelp bouillabaisse, chrysanthemum, bamboo shoots and salmon. Tofu, konnyaku, leek and onion are added to give the sweetness. Other famous dishes you can taste include the traditional Ainu dish of frozen salmon sashimi called “rui-be,” and mefun (salted and fermented salmon kidney), which pairs well with Japanese sake. Reservation is needed. The restaurant is located right next to Ishikari Asobeach, so you can enjoy a walk after your meal.

With this group shot, I conclude my Hokkaido trip. Hokkaido has always been somewhere I long to revisit after my last trip there in 2011. I am thankful to come back again to visit some of the new destinations and explore the possible self-drive routes. Of course, it’s also the company that matters. My hosts and new friends are spontaneous enough to take such fun shots in the middle of the road! Thank you Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau for the opportunity and Nippon Travel for planning the trip. See you soon, Japan!

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

For fans from Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, you can now deliver Hokkaido souvenirs including foods such as fresh fruit, seafood, or sweats from the shop you purchased directly to your home in your country. Then you can free yourself from heavy and big baggage in the rest days of your journey. Visit http://fresh-hokkaido.com/sg/ for more information.

Everywhere you drive in Hokkaido, there is always an attractive route. If you are sick of daily traffic jams and too many traffic lights in cities, you will enjoy nice cruising in Hokkaido. For customized food trips in Hokkaido, please visit Jet About or Country Holidays.

The post The Hokkaido Food Guide 2015 – Experiencing the Best Local Produce in the Region! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Opened in June 2015, Palette Restaurant & Bar runs a food court with a very different concept. Firstly, unlike other food courts where tables are found on a first-come-first-serve basis and you have to go to all the trouble just to “chope” a table, there are ushers at Palette who will lead you to your seats conveniently and comfortably.

Secondly, instead of queuing up to order your food from the specific vendors in food courts, Palette makes use of a cable service concept whereby orders are placed using a tablet before food is served to your table by waiters and waitresses. Thirdly, customers are able to make reservations beforehand at Palette so during the festive periods, you will be able to safely secure a table without having to go through too much hassle or worry about not being able to get any tables.

These unique hawker vendors here are not available elsewhere in Singapore, with the exceptions of Balestier Bak Kut Teh and Little Nanyang. There are ten specially curated vendors from Southeast Asia here to cater to what everyone wants to eat, from satisfying the young to the old.

We started our feast with an authentic Malaysian flavour of handmade ikan parang (wolf herring) fried fishcake from Ah Koong Restaurant. This is a noodle joint established in Johor Bahru since 1987. It is renowned for its specialty dishes ranging from Chinese-style seafood dishes, dim sum to roast meats. Its operations at Palette, is its sixth in Singapore.

Moving on to the mains, we had baked rice with abalone from Ah Yat. Many would already have known that Ah Yat is a well-recognized Hong Kong brand boasting restaurants in seven different countries; including three in Singapore. It serves diners with a wide choice of mouthwatering Hong Kong style dishes that includes its signature succulent abalone. Here at Palette, every abalone is masterfully-handled by the chefs, where each morsel releases its natural juices as it is chewed. The dish is also prepared with Ah Yat’s proprietary abalone sauce, a top-secret recipe that was created over 40 years ago. We like the fragrant and savory baked egg fried rice as well.

Hok Kee specializes in stewed beef and tripe, shrimp wontons and salted chicken congee. Serving their signature braised beef brisket noodles for over 60 years, Hok Kee has been touted as one of the “Ten Best Delicacies in Hong Kong” since 2000. Their stall at Palette is their first venture outside Hong Kong.

The signature braised beef brisket noodles’ thick gravy is brewed from a complex mixture of 10 spices, including cinnamon, cloves, pepper and star anise, and can be served with the popular Hong Kong style wonton in bite-sized parcels of fresh shrimp, lean pork, pork fat and a secret ingredient – flatfish. Although it was a tad on the saltier side, we still enjoyed this piping hot bowl of noodle soup, especially comforting on a rainy day.

Besides the above famous Hong Kong dishes, Palette has Delhi 6, which stays true to the rustic flavours and cooking methods of Northwest Indian cuisine. Two electric tandoors (Indian clay oven) take centrestage here, as most of the dishes are cooked in them. The options are endless and cater to every palate and served in variations of wraps, rolls, flatbreads and Indian briyani rice. We had their Lahori Boti Kebab – a meat-lovers’ delight! Pieces of meat and brown onions are grilled so skillfully in the tandoor, such that the spice-marinated meat is imbued with a tantalizing smokiness and remains impeccably juicy.

Nasi Tumpeng Mini was born in 2007 under IndoChili’s Java Kitchen group, an Indo-Peranakan family business, with recipes from Padang, Bali and Java. The group boasts its own spice blends with raw ingredients sourced from Indonesia. No artificial or ready-made flavourings are used in its food.

Tumpeng Mini fits the bill as a one-dish meal, with turmeric rice, shaped in a mountain, surrounded by bergedil, keropok, achar tempe (fermented soybeans) and a leg of ayam bumbu rujak (Indonesian spicy chicken). We like the crispy beancurd that was minced and cooked with peanuts. Hawkers outside would usually serve an entire big piece of beancurd but here, the beancurd is bite-size crispy and oh-so-heavenly!

Our lunch ended off with kopi-infused bread and butter pudding dessert from 90 Gastro Bar. This bar is Palette’s very own in-house bar. Presenting a collection of Capitol cocktail tributes and sweet nosh that fuse familiar Asian flavours with classic Western desserts, these are designed to trigger a wave of nostalgia among Singaporeans. The dessert we tried would make a delightful Christmas treat with a local twist. Infused with traditional kopi and served with chocolate ice-cream, this dessert is bound to be a hot favourite.

Speaking of Christmas, the Vice President of Palette has personally concocted three cocktails and one mocktail for this festive season! Winter Wonderland makes use of Southern Comfort and Peach Schnapps as its key ingredients. We find this artful combination of blueberries and grapes, paired with Southern Comfort and Peach Schnapps very fruity and refreshing. Do enjoy a berry-licious Christmas!

Herald Angels, on the other hand, is a botanical gin-based cocktail drink with strong notes of lemongrass and delightful undertones of Kwai Feh Lychee liquor. The third cocktail is Rudolph’s Sleigh – a fresh citrus concoction of pineapple, orange and lemon juice paired with cherry liqueur and garnished with a sprig of rosemary. This Christmas selection will end on 31st December 2015.

Palette’s prices are on the high side but well, you get the convenience and comfort of just sitting down and waiting for someone will be coming to serve you. There are still other vendors that we have not yet tried so perhaps, we would visit Palette again to try their highly recommended Tauhu Goreng from IndoGoreng, as well as, Balestier Bak Kut Teh.

Address:
13 Stamford Road
#B1-20/27 Capital Piazza
Singapore 178905

Opening Hours:
11am to 10.30pm daily

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePaletteSingapore
Tel: (65) 6384 3359

The post Palette Restaurant & Bar – Food Court with Restaurant Service in Capital Piazza appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.