Weekend baking is extra rewarding because you don’t have to rush, so you can really take your time getting those bakes just right. I really believe in having the right emotion when baking. When I get too stressed up and rushed for time, my bakes didn’t taste as good.

I spent a Sunday at Chiew Mei’s house to do some baking. It was relaxing – we had a casual lunch before spending the afternoon to bake together. Of course, being a hardcore photographer, I just had to photograph the process before getting my hands dirty. After all the fun in the kitchen, we get the pleasure of sharing our lovingly baked egg tarts while watching the cooking show by Nicholas Tse. Prior to the show, I never even know he can cook as he always had a bad boy image. After watching the show, I see a different side of him.

Anyway, we made egg tarts that afternoon. Chiew Mei is quite an expert in making egg tarts so we got it ready within an hour or so. Using Annielicious‘s recipe, we made a buttery pastry base instead of the flaky kind. One of the tricks I learnt from Chiew Mei was to use the tart cases to flatten the dough first before putting it into the tart case to shape it. I am super happy with the final product!

Egg Tarts

2016-01-04 09:18:57

Serves 12

Freshly baked egg tarts with buttery base and soft egg custard insides.

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Pastry

1. 280g Plain Flour
2. 2 tbsp Icing Sugar
3. 2 Egg Yolk
4. 1 Egg White
5. 150g Salted Butter

Filling

1. 150g Castor Sugar or fine sugar
2. 150g Hot Water
3. 4 Whole Eggs
4. 250ml Fresh Milk
5. 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
6. a pinch of fine salt

Method (for Pastry)

1. Cream butter with icing sugar, egg yolk and egg white.
2. Add in flour and mix well. Once it is well mixed, using hand, press the mixture together and form a dough. If the dough is too wet or oily, do add some flour. Give it a few knead.
3. Wrap the dough in a clingwrap. Put it into the fridge for 15mins to let it cool.
4. Take the dough out of the fridge. Cut pastries into 12 equal portion (about 38g each).
5. Roll individual dough into a ball. Using a tart case, press the pastry ball into a flat piece. Line dough in the middle of tart cases, lightly press the dough into the tart cases.
6. Refrigerate the tart cases for 30mins, and it is ready to use.

Method (for Filling)

1. Add castor sugar into hot water, mix until sugar completely dissolved. Set aside and let it cool.
2. Beat eggs with milk, vanilla essence and salt. Pour in sugar water. Mix well.
3. Sift egg mixture TWICE to achieve smooth egg mixture.
4. Take tarts out of the refrigerator, carefully pour egg mixture into each tart shells.
5. Bake tarts for 25mins at 180 degree, fan ON.

Adapted from Annielicious Food

Adapted from Annielicious Food

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

The post Recipe – Egg Tarts appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

With the trend towards more health-conscious eating, diners are discerning on the health aspects of the food they consume, yet not compromising on the taste. Prima Taste, the award-winning brand synonymous with authentic Singaporean cuisine, has come up with all-new Wholegrain LaMian & Ready Meals. Awarded the Healthier Choice Symbol (HCS) by the Health Promotion Board, these products provide Singapore flavours in convenient packages, without compromising on authenticity and taste.

Imagine having a comforting bowl of Wholegrain Lamian at 3 in the morning. It gets you through so many emotions. The steaminess of the broth, the stickiness of the noodles, the flavor is really powerful… yet healthy!

Made with 51% Superfine Wholegrain Flour, the noodles still remain smooth with an excellent al dente and springy mouthfeel without breaking easily. Much like its predecessor, Prima Taste’s Wholegrain LaMian noodle is steamed and not fried, thus ensuring a taste profile of hand-pulled noodles. The pastes used in these LaMian packets are created with natural ingredients with no artificial flavouring or colouring and no added MSG and preservatives. All products in this range have been awarded the Healthier Choice Symbol (HCS) by the Health Promotion Board.

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Laksa Wholegrain LaMian

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This new addition to Prima Taste’s Wholegrain LaMian range is available in the classic LaMian flavours of Laksa and Curry. We first tried the Laksa Wholegrain LaMian with addition of tau pok, fish cake and prawns that I bought.

The process is very simple. All you need is 7 MINUTES. Yes, you heard it right! Just 7 minutes to prepare your healthy and filling meal. Since you’re the one cooking up a storm, you can choose how simple or how indulgent you’d like to prepare your LaMian! Simply add in the pastes, water and noodles, and you are done!

There is a perception that healthy food does not taste good and that good-tasting food is bad for your health. I beg to differ. As I slurp my bowl of Laksa Wholegrain LaMian, I am surprised at the taste and quality of the product. It tastes just like any other bowl of laksa and I didn’t even realize I was eating wholegrain!

The new product packaging also features QR Codes that link directly to cooking videos. The videos are step-by-step cooking demonstrations of ‘Standard Version’, ‘Enhanced Version’ and ‘Indulgent Version’ options. The “Enhanced Version” offers a slight variation in cooking style to bring about an intensified flavor, while the latter recommends suitable cooking methods and ingredient additions to make a truly hearty and indulgent gourmet meal.

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Curry Wholegrain LaMian

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You might think, what makes wholegrain so great? Well, it helps in your digestion and add bulk to the diet to help you feel full, reducing the risk of overeating. Wholegrain also prevents damage of blood vessels and decreases cholesterol level; hence reduce the risk of heart diseases. It was fun cooking healthy laksa for my family, so I cooked a bowl of curry mee for myself.

Same procedure, all you need is… 7 MINUTES! I added chicken drumstick into my curry mee!

Don’t worry about the noodles having coarse and grainy texture. Prima’s wholegrain LaMian is smooth and curry gravy coats every strand well without breaking it. Due to the high wholegrain content, consuming one serving of Prima Taste Wholegrain LaMian fulfils an adult’s recommended minimum daily wholegrain requirements.

Like we said, besides being a healthy choice, Prima Taste’s Wholemeal LaMian range still remains as tasty as the original range! It is priced at $12.25 for a pack of four and they are now available at all leading supermarkets. For more information on the product as well as the entire range of Prima Taste’s products, please visit http://www.primataste.com.sg.

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Prima Taste Ready Meals

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If you are craving for rice instead of noodles, Prima Taste has also introduced a new quick meal product range – Prima Taste Ready Meals. The first of its kind in Singapore, these ambient meals require no refrigeration and only need to be warmed up for 90 seconds in the microwave before consumption.

Inspired by classic local flavours, you can enjoy 4 different products: Curry Chicken with Rice, Nonya Sambal Chicken Rice, Beef Rendang and Chicken Claypot Rice. The first three stated flavours have been awarded the Healthier Choice Symbol (HCS) by the Health Promotion Board.

I tried the Beef Rendang with Rice. The surprisingly thing is, all the read meals can be stored without refrigeration. Featuring a combination of white basmati rice (75%), wholegrain basmati rice (20%) and multi-grains (5%), the product is a complete meal with rice and diced beef simmered in rich coconut curry gravy. It offers a host of nutritional benefits in one convenient package – it has added dietary fibre, soluble fibre and prebiotics.

TA-DAH! My beef rending is ready! Prima Taste Ready Meals take great care in developing new range to ensure that it meets the HPB Healthier Choice Symbol without compromising on taste or eating experience, providing the choice meal alternative for everyone. It’s so convenient especially for tertiary students, working parents, people who tend to work late and overseas consumers who want an easy option to prepare a good tasting Asian rice dish. Prima Taste Ready Meals retail at $6.50 and are currently available at select NTUC Fairprice outlets. The new product packaging also features QR Codes that link directly to instructional videos which provide demonstrations of two methods of preparation.

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This post is brought to you by Prima Taste. For more information on the product as well as the entire range of Prima Taste’s products, please visit http://www.primataste.com.sg

The post Prima Taste Introduces Healthier, yet Gourmet Wholegrain Lamian & Ready Meals appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Rejoice! The first hawker centre at Bukit Panjang is finally opened! Managed by NTUC Foodfare, the one-week-old hawker centre consists of 500 seats and 28 food stalls. It is one of the 20 being built by the government over the next few years.

Here are 5 Must Try Stalls At Bukit Panjang Hawker Centre

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Zai Lai Prawn Noodle
#01-09

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The thing that most people like to do while walking around hawker centre would be to observe what others are eating. At Bukit Panjang Hawker Centre, you will see that almost every table has a bowl of Lor Mee. The stall itself has a queue that never seems to go away no matter what time it is. For the bowl of Lor Mee ($2.70), you get a generous portio of ngoh hiang, fish, pork belly and egg. Most importantly, the Lor here is very tasty. In addition, you could add any amount of garlic, chili, and vinegar based on your own preference. Other than Lor Mee,they also serve Prawn Noodle, Laksa, and some sides to go along with your mains. We tried the Fried Ngoh Hiang ($2.50), which was handmade but the fillings were a little too salty for us.

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Xin Ban Mian
#01-16

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The Pork Belly Ban Mian ($4.50) is one of best seller from this stall; the other would be the Original Ban Mian ($3.50). Brimming with pork belly, minced meatball, vegetables and egg, the broth seemed normal, but the sweetness and richness of it took me by surprise. The minced meatballs were also well marinated that you just can’t stop at one. The ban mian was also soft and suitable for people of all ages, whether young or old.

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BP Braised Meat Rice
#01-25

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Unlike the Taiwanese Braised Minced Meat Rice, you actually get chunks of meat from the Braised Knuckle or Trotters. For Braised Pork Knuckle Set ($3.80), it comes with rice, braised pork knuckles, egg and tofu. The pork knuckles were thoroughly braised and very tender. It is especially nice (but unhealthy) to chew the soft and juicy fat off the meat. Another surprising factor would be their braised tofu, which unlike others, it was first deep fried then braised. Hence, you get a chewy juicy braised layer before tasting the natural sweetness of the soft tofu.

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You Xiang Teochew Noodles
#01-13

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With 30 years of experience, You Xiang Teochew Noodles was previously located at Blk 137 Potong Pasir. Despite moving to a new location, there was still a long queue before the stall. The Mushroom Minced Meat Noodles ($2.70) has the usual minced meat, braised mushroom, pig’s liver and meatball. Their had handmade meatballs were filled with lusciously umami meat and broth.

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Bee Hwa Handmade Pau Tim
#01-07

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Another worth queueing stall is Bee Hwa Handmade Pau Tim. The Big Pau ($1.20) were handmade and sold at the very same place. Although the skin of the bun looks thick, it is actually very soft and puffy. The fillings within were very succulent, and the savory minced meat goes well with the skin. Other than the popular Big Pau, there are other dim sum such as Siew Mai, Prawn Dumpling and Char Siew Pau sold very cheaply at $0.60 per piece.

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READ: Downtown Line 2 Hawker Guide – Cheap & Good Eateries at the 12 new MRT Stations in DTL

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Photos & text by Aileen Lim, a fellow food writer for Miss Tam Chiak. Follow her at @ailove2eat on instagram for her latest food hunt.

The post 5 Must Try Stalls at Bukit Panjang Hawker Centre appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

We’ve seen many cafés come and go and shifting locations across our little sunny island. With Windowsill Pie moved out to Upper Thomson, Bao Makers has joined the league of Jalan Besar cafés and is the current occupant of this space. Being another all-white interior café, many would describe the design as minimalist with a touch of industrial due to the cemented walls. The style and offerings of these two cafés are entirely different.

As the name suggests, the specialties here are their fusion “bao” concepts revolving around Mantou buns with various fillings. There are a total of six flavours offered here, which are the Classic (pork belly), Bulgogi (pork), Salted Egg Shrimp, Chili Crab, Teriyaki Chicken and Roasted Veggie. Each of these buns came in sets of two. However, you are able to get a Bao Platter ($28), consisting of Classic, Bulgogi, Chili Crab and Teriyaki if you want to savour different flavours. There are two types of bao – the steamed and the fried. We prefer the latter as the former was a tad too dry for our liking. As for the fillings, although it seemed sufficient, we wouldn’t mind having more!

Besides their specialty buns, simple mains are also available here, such as Fish & Chips, Teriyaki Chicken Chop and their Buta Yaki Don ($12) which we tried. Bao Makers also serve up side dishes like these chicken wings ($8) with a homemade spicy dip that we had. It’s fragrant and crispy on the outside and tender inside but we’ve had better chicken wings elsewhere.

Even though the prices are on a steep side based on the portion size, Bao Makers has came up with a very good concept, infusing local flavours into the bao concept. This is something that would help them differentiate and stand out from the other cafés and they offer something more refreshing and different unlike the usual Egg Benedicts and waffles served at cafés.

Bao Makers
Address: 78 Horne Road, Singapore 209078
Opening Hours: 11am – 9pm (Mon-Fri). 10am – 10pm (Sat). 10am – 6pm (Sun).
Website: https://www.baomakers.com

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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 The Bao Makers – Café and Bakery appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Formerly called Ujung Pandang, the city of Makassar is the largest city in east Indonesia. Besides being Indonesia’s busy air hub, Makassar is also a food paradise with several famous traditional foods. Last month, I went on a delicious trip in Mandalay, all thanks to SilkAir! I will be sharing my exciting food experience with all you over the weekends.

Why Makassar, you may ask? Well, SilkAir has consistently searched for new and exciting Asian destinations to add to its network. It currently operates more than 350 weekly flights to 49 destinations in 12 countries. They offer a route network of destinations that are lesser known holiday choices but have so much to offer in terms of local food and culture. Makassar, is one of them. Check out our tips for a comfy flight!

1. Watch movies in the air
You can also sit back, relax and enjoy their new wireless inflight entertainment system. Complementing their existing overhead drop-down screens, you can now stream up to 20 Hollywood and international movies, 26 TV features as well as 100 chart-topping music albums via WI-FI directly onto your personal mobile devices at no additional cost. Bringing mobile entertainment to new heights yo!

2. Shopping? No problem!
You’ll be pleased to find that passengers in Economy Class enjoy a 30kg check-in luggage limit, an amenity synonymous with full-service airlines. Fly Business, and your allowance will increase by 10kg.

3. Eat your hearts out
When it’s time to dine, SilkAir offers Singaporean origins with local favourites such as Hainanese Chicken Rice and Laksa, and a diverse selection of Malay, Indian and Chinese dishes. Pair your meal with a glass of red or white wine as you sit back and enjoy your flight.

4. Check-in is a breeze
Check-in online to breeze right through the airport and into your seat. Simply select your seat and complete your check-in before proceeding to the airport. Internet check-in is available 48 to 2 hours prior to flight departure for confirmed bookings. Whether it’s seeing the clouds pass by through the window beside you, or having an aisle seat to stretch your legs as you desire, it’s yours to have with SilkAir. You can also have a faster and more flexible check-in experience with the Fast and Seamless Travel (FAST) check-in kiosks in Terminal 2.

5. Read about exciting stories in Asia
Silkwinds presents a different perspective on travel in that a destination is an experience and not just a place to visit. With exciting stories and stunning photography, the magazine keeps me abreast of the best in Asia and explores the latest products, food trends, fashion, personalities and entertainment. You can also catch up on the latest news with our selection of complimentary newspapers and browse through a wide selection of magazines covering business, fashion, lifestyle and sports.

Flights to Makassar will be operated on a thrice weekly basis, departing Singapore on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Follow SilkAir Facebook / Instagram / Twitter for more updates.

The post 5 tips to enjoy a comfy flight with SilkAir appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Visiting Makassar is a treat for tastebuds. Formerly called Ujung Pandang, the city of Makassar is the largest city in east Indonesia. Besides being Indonesia’s busy air hub, it is also a culinary heaven. Even if you are a frequent traveller to Indonesia, you may be surprised to find some cuisine here that is not found anywhere else. I spent close to a week combing down all the good food places around Makassar.

Here is The Ultimate Makassar Food Guide.

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Palbas Serigala
Address: Jl. Serigala No. 54, Kec. Makassar, Sulawesi Selatan 90132, Indonesia
GPS: -5.160517, 119.421105

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Makassar cuisine is best known across the rest of Indonesia for its hearty meat stews. Hence, Pallubasa was my first meal in #Makassar. Like Coto Mangkasara (Coto Makassar), it is also made from offal of cattle or buffalo. I visited Palbas Serigala on 54 Jalan Serigala which is the most famous Pallubasa restaurant. The offal is cooked for a long time, hence you get a thick and rich mixed beef soup. At this restaurant, they put an egg yolk in the soup which added to the visual delight of the serving. You can also add shredded coconut and chilli to the flavourful soup. This is so good that I regret not ordering a second bowl! Ini sup yang sangat enak!

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Muda Mudi
Address: Jl. Rusa No.45 A, Kec. Makassar, Kota Makassar, Sulawesi Selatan 90142, Indonesia
GPS: -5.151028, 119.421940

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Tourists who have been to Makassar would know that the heat here can get quite unbearable. Have a plate of es pisang ijo – an iced treat against the searing heat. One of the popular ones can be found at the Muda-Mudi restaurant on Jalan Rusa, which has been serving up es pisang ijo since 1993. The king bananas (pisang raja) are peeled and wrapped in a rice four pancake made with pandan leaves (hence the ijo, or green, in the name). It is served with shaved ice, condensed milk, vanilla syrup and tapioca. It’s soooooooo sweet.

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Rumah Makan Nelayan
Address: Jalan Ali Malaka No. 25, Makassar, South Sulawesi 90112, Indonesia
GPS: -5.140680, 119.407882

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This is my favourite restaurant in Makassar. The entrance has several barrels of fish for you to choose from. There is also seafood on display with a smoking grill alongside the main door. After picking the seafood you wish to have for dinner, head into the restaurant where keropok (crackers) and condiments are served quickly. The grilled fish (Baronang Bakar) is butterflied and dry grilled, resulting in simply moist and delicious fish with fairly little bones. Dip it into the sauces to enjoy it better. The fish soup is excellent as well, it’s a little tangy with spices. We also had “otak otak” – fish cake wrapped in banana leaf wrapped and grilled.

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Putu Cangkir
Address: Jalan Masjid Raya, Makassar, Sulawesi Selatan, Indonesia
GPS: -5.131173, 119.423859

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Putu cake known as a typical Indonesian snacks which can be found at various locations. Along Jalan Mesjid Raya, you can find a row of night stalls selling putu cangkir. It is widely known as glutinous rice-based foods, which are served as snacks or desserts. Like our tutu kueh, the cakes here are cooked with steam coming out of small holes. The mixture consists of rice flour, glutinous rice flour and brown sugar, inserted in a mold and filled with grated coconut. Once filled, it is then covered with a cloth and cooked for about 2 minutes.

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Buroncong
Address: Jalan Pasar Ikan, Ujung Pandang, Kota Makassar, Sulawesi Selatan 90174, Indonesia
GPS: -5.137364, 119.405417

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At Jalan Pasar Ikan, there is a very good roadside stall that sells Buroncong. This is one of traditional cakes from Makassar and is made of grated coconut and flour, cooked under charcoal fire. This breakfast cake can be found at Losari Beach and at Jl Bacan market in Chinatown in the morning. Look for the mobile carts with a firewood stove. I think I have found my favourite street snack!

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Nasi Kuning Riburane
Address: Great Eastern, Jl. Riburane No.11, Wajo, Kota Makassar, Sulawesi Selatan 90174, Indonesia
GPS: -5.131759, 119.405840

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At the corner of Jl. Sulawesi and Jl. Riburane is a stall selling Nasi Kuning (yellow rice). Cooked with coconut milk and turmeric, the rice is served with a variety of meat and egg options which which you can choose. Their version has toppings such as boiled egg, topak lada, empal, paru, sambal goreng, and shredded beef. I had many scoops of sambal to pair with it. This was my breakfast. I am not kidding. So shiok!

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Toarco Toraja Coffee
Address: Jl. Gunung Latimojong No.105, Kec. Makassar, Kota Makassar, Sulawesi Selatan 90151, Indonesia
GPS: -5.134670, 119.419842

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Toraja coffee has long been praised as a masterpiece of Arabica coffee, with its mellow aroma and well balanced taste. This clean and comfortable cafe in the city offers a range of Japanese cakes and coffee. You can choose your coffee style – hand drip, press coffee, syphon style and espresso.

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Pallu Kaloa
Address: Jl. Tentara Pelajar No.66, Wajo, Kota Makassar, Sulawesi Selatan 90173, Indonesia
GPS: -5.122662, 119.414532

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In Makassar, you really got to get use of drink coconut based soups. I had Sup Kepala Ikan with the Novotel ladies at Jalan Tentara Pelajar. It’s a light and tangy tumeric-based broth filled with fish head and bones. It is not as rich and spicy like the assam curry. But it’s great to go with fish roes, rice and seaweed.

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Coto Nusantara
Address: Jl. Nusantara, Kota Makassar, Sulawesi Selatan, Indonesia
GPS: -5.124169, 119.408999

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In every street in Makassar, you can find stalls that sell Coto Makassar. I had breakfast at the famous stall in Jalan Nusantara. It is a rich and full-bodied beef broth filled with lung, liver, intestine, tripe and heart. The rice cake is a great way to soak up the tasty soup broth. Sometimes, the governors from South Sulawesi come here for breakfast!

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Sop Konro Ratulangi
Address: Jl. Sultan Alauddin No.88, Tamalate, Kota Makassar, Sulawesi Selatan 90223, Indonesia
GPS: -5.151989, 119.420643

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Sup Konro is a spicy beef rib soup originally from Buginese cuisine. Made with quartered whole meaty long beef ribs, the konro soup is spicy, rich and creamy with toasted coriander, nutmeg and cloves. At this shop next to Hotel Grand Celino, they also served grilled beef ribs.

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Pisang Epe
Address: Jl. Lamaddukelleng, Ujung Pandang, Kota Makassar, Sulawesi Selatan, Indonesia
GPS: -5.145790, 119.410935

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“Epe” comes form the word “pipih,” which means “flattened” — an apt description for the bananas in this dish, which are grilled over a charcoal fire and pressed flat with tongs while being brushed with dollops of palm sugar syrup. The bananas have a harder exterior with sweet and sticky taste from the palm sugar. They also do durian version as well. Packed in a bag of three, it makes for a perfect snack for a night out with friends at the beach.

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MAMA Toko Kue dan Es Krim
Address: Jl. Serui, Wajo, Kota Makassar, Sulawesi Selatan, Indonesia
GPS: -5.131633, 119.408997

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Started from a small-sized bakery shop along the streets to now a beautiful cafe, Kafe Mama still sells a good variety of traditional cakes and snacks for the people of Makassar. They have snacks like Katrisala (black glutinous rice), Cucur Bayao (made from eggyolk), Bangko (Coconut & corn), and much more. Love the atmosphere here, I can just sit by the window, eat some cakes and wind down after so many days of makan.

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Kapurung Kasuari
Address: Jl. Kasuari No.2, Mariso, Kota Makassar, Sulawesi Selatan 90125, Indonesia
GPS: -5.152360, 119.413455

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Kapurung is another unique and tasty dish from Makassar. It is a traditional fish soup with water spinach, local basil, and chilli. Something that makes this dish unique is that because this dish is not served with steamed rice but with this sago ball. It’s very good, and a rather unique experience to have tang yuan in savoury soup. Deep fried mairo fish is also super delicious!

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Warung Kopi Phoenam
Address: Jl. Jampea No.8, Wajo, Kota Makassar, Sulawesi Selatan 90174, Indonesia
GPS: -5.132408, 119.407240

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Many coffee shops in Makassar were mostly run by Hainanese migrants. Originated from the provincial capital of South Sulawesi in 1946, Phoenam Coffee Shop is one of the oldest coffee shop in Makassar. Thick and fragrant, I recommend you to go for the coffee with condensed milk (as the kosong one may be too bitter). They also serve kaya toast, made with thick yet soft bread in their homemade kaya jam (coconut jam). Cheers to their free wifi, you see some businessmen on weekdays coming here for work or meetings.

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RM Surya Super Crab
Address: Jl.Nusa Kambangan, Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
GPS: -5.147665, 119.432731

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Seafood is one of the natural wealth owned Makassar. Crab, shrimp, squid, scallops and sea fish are of good quality. Surya restaurant is famous for their jumbo size crab cooked in Chinese style. Try the Kepiting (Crab) cooked in Padang style sauce, which is similar to our chilli crab. Surya restaurant is famous for their jumbo size crab cooked in Chinese style. Try the Kepiting (Crab) cooked in Padang style sauce. Another highlight here is Mie Titi, made from fried noodles coated in egg and cornstarch sauce (just like our yee-mee). The ingredients here are generous, and you eat in the comfort of air-conditioning.

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Pangsit Mie 90
Address: Jl. Lembeh No.64 D, Wajo, Kota Makassar, Sulawesi Selatan 90172, Indonesia
GPS: -5.127857, 119.411357

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Used to be a watch shop, this place sells porridge, wanton mee and chicken rice. Their pangsit mie is really similar to our wanton noodle. Just that a lot of them pours the soup into the noodles, add small chilli and chilli sauce to eat instead of having it dry. People call this “special noodle” because it contains pork.

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Nyuk Nyang Roya
Address: Jl. Irian No.3, Makassar, Sulawesi Selatan, Indonesia
GPS: -5.126893, 119.413233

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Nyuk Nyang Roya is one of the tastiest pork ball soup in town. Pork is fattier than beef, hence what you get is juicy and moist homemade pork balls. The soup is serve piping hot and very light. But I like the change very much, especially after eating so many bowls of meat stew for the past few days.

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Es Cendol Malino
Address: Jl. Gunung Latimojong, Kota Makassar, Sulawesi Selatan, Indonesia
GPS: -5.138590, 119.420448

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OMG, THIS CHENDOL IS SO GOOD! Thick and rich gula melaka, fresh coconut with green chendol strips from Malino. The chendol strips has dark greenish shade, translucent and soft but chewy. Enjoy the thick fragrance of their coconut and gula meleka, I enjoyed it so much under the hot weather! This is bought from a street van parked along Gunung Latimojong! Enak!

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Ati Raja
Address: Jl. Gunung Merapi No. 170 (Jl. Gunung Nona), Makassar, Sulawesi Selatan, Indonesia
GPS: -5.144136, 119.419412

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It’s meatball soup and fried tofu fritters at Kios Ati Raja! I was told that, if I post a picture for this fried tofu fritters, people can recognize which stall it is from. This place is pretty new and you can try different kind of meat balls. Suggest that you skip the dimsum, it’s not worth your tummy space. Oh yes, this is halal!

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Es Putar Papabon
Address: Jl. Gunung Nona, Makassar, Sulawesi Selatan, Indonesia
GPS: -5.144136, 119.419412

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Concluding the trip with ice cream from Es Putar Papabon. With more than 10 flavours, the ice cream is colourful, thick and super creamy. You can have it in cone or bread, and with alot of condiments like the colourful rice crackers or chocolate sauce.

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TO STAY

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Makassar has a large number and variety of large and small hotels. The latest in town is Novotel Makassar Grand Shayla. The centrally-located hotel provides everything the discerning traveller looks for in a hotel. After a day’s work in the business centre, or sightseeing around town, reap the benefits of a massage or a dip in the outdoor pool. With 4-star service and first-rate amenities, all my needs are covered at Novotel.

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TO DO

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One of the latest attractions in Makassar is a large indoor theme park called Trans Studio. Part of The Trans Studio World project, there is also shopping mall, supermarket, hotel, office area, recreational beach area, and residential area. Trans Studio theme park has 22 features and rides. Many of the rides are adopted from TransTV’s and Trans7’s shows.

Many said Makassar has one of the most beautiful sunset. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to see it for the past few days as it was raining here. On my last night in Makassar, we travelled all the way to Ballairate Sunset Bar at Pantay Gapura Hotel to try to catch a glimpse of it. It was too cloudy and the sun was hiding shyly behind the clouds. Well I guess that gives me another reason to come back again next time!

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Thank you SilkAir & Antavaya Travel for hosting this trip. SilkAir flies to Makassar on a thrice weekly basis, departing Singapore on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Antavaya Travel does excellent customized inbound tours.

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

Situated on the ground floor of Intercontinental Singapore, the new Ash & Elm takes over the space which used to house the longstanding all-day dining restaurant, Olive Tree. Featuring three exciting culinary theatres – a Charcuterie & Cheese room, Wood-fired oven and an open-grill kitchen, it’s not just a feast for your stomach, it’s also a culinary feast for your eyes!

True to the offerings of a European dining restaurant, their menu revolves around an assortment of classic and re-invented dishes that are prepared on-the-spot (“live in action”) at its three culinary theatres. Complemented by a list of over 100 different labels of wines handpicked from renowned regions, a comprehensive selection of quality wines are made available alongside exceptional menu highlights.

Designed for diners seeking hearty and comforting European food, the menu at Ash & Elm offers a selection of sharing platters, house-cured and premium meats, as well as sustainability-sourced seafood, primed with the traditional craft of classic wood-fired ovens and charcoal-grill.

We began with a selection of their signature sourdough bread, flatbread and French baguette accompanied by unsalted butter and flavoured butter specially sourced from France. We had the seaweed flavour and really like that the butter gets its natural saltiness from the seaweed. There are more oriental flavours such as the yuzu and the citrus butter.

Pumpkin and Bacon flat bread ($18) is made fresh in the wood-fired oven kindled with Jarrah hardwood from Western Australia. Containing ingredients like pumpkin, bacon, nutmeg, sage, mascarpone and parmigiano reggiano, the aroma lingers in the air when the flatbread is taken out of their oven. It makes us even hungrier and more eager to sink our teeth into this delectable dish.

Moving on, we checked out their Charcuterie & Cheese room where the chef introduced 10 different types of cheese from across France, Italy, Spain and United Kingdom. Their selection of cheeses here are served in Cheese platters of three, four or five cheeses ($24/$28/$34) for those looking to round up the meal before the sweets.

Charcuterie on the menu is served in small and large portions, catering to varying group sizes and is perfect for sharing. The meat is sourced from France, Italy and Spain. We recommend first-time diners to try the Ash & Elm Platter ($24/$42) which consists of a mix of house-made delights including house-cured beef pastrami, house-cured hot smoked pork loin, cold-roasted beef, air-dried pork belly and presse de foie gras with smoked duck that is served straight out of the Charcuterie & Cheese room. Our personal favourite is the presse de foie gras with smoked duck. With a soft and lovely texture, it’s simply wonderful to the palate!

Platter servings follow through to the Beef Tasting Platter ($108), giving diners the option of sampling a range of meat offerings from the “Mains” and the Charcoal Grill that uses specially imported Manuka woodchips from New Zealand, alongside charcoal to provide broad robust flavours and natural caramelisation to meats. We had USDA New York Striploin, Australian Rib-Eye steak and French Bavette dAloyau with béarnaise, peppercorn and natural jus. Some sides include handcut baked roseval potato wedges with paprika-rosemary, grandma’s mashed potatoes, sautéed mixed mushrooms and grilled green asparagus.

For those with a preference for seafood, the classic Seafood Linguini ($31) coated in a thick crustacean sauce, and the sustainably farmed Tasmanian Salmon Fillet A La Plancha ($46) with a grapefruit hollandaise are two must-tries from the “Mains”.

A good dessert is often the key to ending the meal on a high note. Desserts at Ash & Elm are designed and created by Pastry Chef, Ben Goh. Using a few key ingredients in each dessert, they emphasize on the interactions between the texture and flavour of each, so that it’s simple yet satisfying.

We had their chocolate-hazelnut pizza ($24) which contains chocolate brioche, dark, milk and white chocolate, praline and marshmellows, accompanied by cocoa granite and white chocolate ice cream to clean your palate. This dessert is so chocolatey rich, perfect for chocolate lovers! We had Peach Melba ($14) and Yuzu-Citrus combination ($14), as well as their seasonal soufflé ($15).

Ash & Elm
Address: Level 1, InterContinental Singapore, 80 Middle Road, Singapore 188966
Tel: +65 6825 1008
Opening Hours: 12pm – 3pm (daily a la carte lunch), 12pm – 2pm (Mon-Fri semi-buffet lunch) and 6pm – 10.30pm (daily dinner)

The post Ash & Elm – New Culinary Theatres at Intercontinental Singapore appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Chicken rice balls, you probably have eaten it. Now how about duck rice balls? While I am a supporter of downright traditional heritage food, I can’t deny that modernisation has its charm too. Now, how about having duck rice bento in Chinatown Food Centre with golden lava egg? Jin Ji Teochew Braised Duck & Kway Chap (金记潮洲卤鸭) has always been serving classic teochew braised duck for more than 30 years. It was only recently that the second-generation hawker, Melvin, puts a fresh look on classic by coming up with Duck Rice Bento to attract the younger crowd.

Gimmicky indeed. But you can’t deny that it has help to bring media eyeballs to this shop. That’s the power of product packaging. Nothing changes, the recipe remains the same, yet placing our traditional duck rice into a Japanese bento box does have a different feel. Now before you get too excited at having duck rice balls in a bento set, let’s take a step back and look at what’s in it. For $8 a platter, you get a generous portion of yam rice rolled into balls, tender braised duck, beancurd, offals , pickled vegetables and Japanese-style runny yolk lava eggs.

While innovation is welcoming, what distinguishes it as the quality of the dish. Slices of braised duck meat were still succulent, retaining a bite but adequately tender. The yam rice topped with dried shrimps and fried shallots was little mild in flavours, but it’s softer and sticky enough to form a ball. Look, there are also daikon slices to separate the rice balls! When you combined the rice with other dishes in the set, it forms a perfect formula.

Know what’s the best part about this? That two lava egg yolk with its custard-like consistency. It wasn’t as runny, but hello, you are eating in a hawker centre. Who else would bother to cook their eggs as such?

While the rice balls could be more distinctive, the gravy & soup from Kway Chap were loaded with robust herbal flavours. Their braising sauce is solid pom pi pi. Not extremely thick and sticky, but good enough to coat the meat and offals well. I ordered a one person version which has pork belly, beancurd, pig’s skin, pig’s intestine and more. It went well with the soup kway and vinegar garlic chilli sauce. Melvin’s mother is still the one who does all the chopping, while Melvin helps her out for the cooking.

It’s interesting to see how our local food has evolved overtime. Can’t decide if you should eat the duck rice or kway chap? Get the best of the both worlds from their bento set loh! It is unique on its own, yet still comforting.

Jin Ji Teochew Braised Duck & Kway Chap (金记潮洲卤鸭)
Address: Blk 335 Smith Street, #02-156 Chinatown Complex, Singapore 050335
Contact: +65 9018 9052 (Melvin Chew)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jinjiteochewbraisedduck
Opening Hours: Sat-Thu 10.30am to 6pm+ or till sold out. Closed on Fri

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READ: 10 Best Cheap Eats in Singapore 2015

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The post Jin Ji Teochew Braised Duck – Duck Rice Given A New Look appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Fans of Truly Curry Rice (真咖喱饭), rejoice! These young hawkerpreneurs who used to run a curry rice stall at Telok Blangah Food Centre has now been incorporated into their latest premise, “Truly Test Kitchen” – a sprawling 3000 square feet modern coffeeshop situated right in the industrial building of MacPherson.

“Industrial building? 7th storey? Crazy or what?” That was my first remark when I was finding my way to Jun Jie Industrial Building. It may sound like a crazy idea, but hey, after 3 years, Truly Curry Rice is still going strong and I believe they have grown the small brand into something bigger and promising.

From a small hawker stall to a coffeeshop, the young hawkers at Truly Test Kitchen aims to provide quality food at great value to people from all walks of life while preserving a dying hawker trade. The original space was a defunct canteen which eventually turned into a warehouse for companies here. When the trio took over, they revamped the entire place into an coffeeshop, catering predominantly to the large factory and office crowds in the vicinity.

Driven by what hawker food means to them, Truly Test Kitchen houses a total of five unique food stalls, singlehandedly created and meticulously managed by the trio. They include Truly Curry Rice, Miàn, Handmade Meatball Porridge & Traditional Yam / Carrot Cake, Truly Western and the drinks stall which sells super gao (thick) kopi.

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Truly Curry Rice

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For those who don’t know them, Deniece and Joel gave up their bank job and took over Deniece’s dad’s hawker stall at Telok Blangah Drive when the latter reached retirement. They are now joined at the stall by Joshua, Joel’s younger brother. Truly Curry Rice serves an amalgamation of hainanese curry rice, mixed with many home styled dishes. This is the much-loved flagship stall, now with a greatly enhanced and rejuvenated menu.

Their day starts at 3am (yes 3am) as they prepare for breakfast to start at 7am – which is an excellent plate of fried bee hoon. With the belief that food can be good and cheap, the trio tries to keep the prices low while serving good tasting dishes. Joel and Deniece insist on cooking everything from scratch and this bigger space in Macpherson allows them to work better and they are able to come up with more exciting dish.

The curry is served in excess, drenching your entire plate in more-ish curry flavours. Made from scratch daily, the rice is filled with chicken and assam curry. The curry is how it should be – thick and sticky but not overpowering in taste with a spiciness level that is suited for all.

Just a plate of pork chop and chap chye is good enough when you are having a good plate of curry rice. The pork chop here is still my favourite. It is deep fried in light batter leaving it moist on the inside and crispy on the outside.

For a selection of vegetables, there are the Chap Chye, Bitter Gourd, Sambal Brinjal and braised radish. The braised radish is a new dish that most diners enjoy. It is cooked to a delectable softness and sweetness.

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Miàn

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When you come home after school, what was the dish that your mother cook for you? Miàn is a novel concept featuring a plethora of homely, hearty & healthy noodle dishes. For only $3.50, choose from curry or ikan bilis soy stock base and any choice of minced meat – chicken, pork, beef. I actually prefer meat slices instead of minced meat for a better mouthfeel. Not sure about eating this bowl of curry noodles on such a hot weather, but it has a strong and complex scent of spiciness. Definitely a hearty finish.

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Handmade Meatball Porridge & Traditional Yam / Carrot Cake

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I make my own yam cake and pumpkin cake once in a blue moon, so I know exactly how tedious it is. Slicing the yam is already a tough job for me, and I am not even talking about steaming it, pressing it then pan frying it. Truly offers a nostalgic rendition of the classic Cantonese-style porridge and traditional yam / carrot cake lovingly made from scratch. The pan fried pumpkin cake offers a slight crisp exterior with soft and moist texture within. Pairing it with the sweet sauce and sambal chilli, this is probably our favourite dish for breakfast.

In addition, they also does meatball porridge. The whole preparation of the porridge is also not easy. In order to reach a perfect thick porridge consistency, it has to be stirred constantly for 2 hours. The porridge is then cooked with different ingredients such as chicken ball, minced beef, pork ball, century egg or peanut. It’s one simple home-cooked food, and I think it will be better if the meat balls are a little bigger and more solid.

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Truly Western

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Truly Western is an innovative take on the ever-popular local western cuisine with truly unique offerings at amazing value. How cheap are their pasta? ONLY $3.50! And the portions, omg, SO HUGE LAH! Confirm eat already will be full. Options include chicken aglio olio, chicken marinara, creamy chicken, curry chicken, seafood aglio olio, seafood marinara and meatball marinara. They also serve pork chop baked rice ($4.50) and chicken N waffles ($4.50).

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Truly Test Kitchen is testament of their unwavering drive to create the perfect business model that seeks to represent the future of our integral hawker culture. Joel believes that, a good business must be able to make the lives of people better. They try their best in terms of taste, but portions here are definitely hearty. Their passion to preserve the hawker heritage is still very remarkable.

Truly Test Kitchen
Address: 153 Kampong Ampat #07-05, Singapore 368326
Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday 7am to 2.30pm, closed on Sundays

The post Truly Test Kitchen – Young Hawkers Selling Curry Rice in Industrial Estate appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

I came back from Hokkaido last month with a luggage full of snacks. When I walked around the airport, I was hoping to bring all the goodies back home. The snacks from Japan not only have pretty packaging, they are also made with premium ingredients and every single box I bought home tasted good.

Now here comes the solution: Rakuten Singapore Marketplace – the one stop Japanese food shop online! It carries over 270,000 goods from close to 500 merchants with a diverse mix of product categories, including fashion apparel and accessories, health and beauty products, consumer electronics, toys and games, food and beverages and home furniture.

This website is launched to bring the store experience to those living outside Japan. Offering the best value, best variety and best service for shoppers of Japanese goods online, it’s bursting with authentic Japanese food & drink. They source for the best snacks from different parts of Japan and offer the best value, best variety and best service for shoppers of Japanese goods online.

Why Shop on Rakuten?

1. For people like me with post-holiday-in-Japan-blues and cannot afford to buy every thing I need when I was there!

2. Save money! By default, members can get 5% point rebate on every purchase so some products can already be cheaper than retail stores! Scroll to the end to understand more about their 5X Rakuten Super Points system, which allows members to get a 5% rebate on every purchase.

3. Shop online at discounted prices. Look out for campaigns, flash sales, festive gift sets, Rakuten massive point campaigns, payment discounts, exclusive coupon codes etc. 

4. Large variety of popular Japanese snacks. Here are some of my favourites:

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Oimoya Chips

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Oimoya, located in Shizuoka prefecture which is well-known for Mt.Fuji, is a manufacturer and seller specializing in sweet potato snacks. Its dried sweet potato chips ($9.99) is a traditional snack made by dehydrating sweet potatoes and slicing them into bite size. Another popular product is the marasaki-imo-chips ($9.50). It is highly popular in Japan, people had to queue up to 3 hours at the department stores for them. At Rakuten, you just have to purchase at the comfort of your home and it gets delivered to you!

Get it before it goes out of stock from here. Get $5 off by typing in “TAMCHIAKSZ5”.

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Un-Fleurys

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The Fururisu head office is at the base of Mount Fuji. This secret confectionary store makes sweets of different colours and shapes. The owner of Kato picked up his skills in France and return to Japan hoping to create more delicious sweets. Try their snowball cookies and donuts. You can’t stop at one!

Order now from here. Get $3 off by typing in “TAMCHIAKRAK3”.

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Henri Charpentier

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Henri Charpentier began in 1969 as a humble café in Ashiya city, Japan. Founded by Naokuni Arita, the fine French-inspired Japanese dessert chain achieved renown status from confectionary all over Japan. Today, it has its first overseas branch at Demsey road, Singapore.

Using finest ingredients and crafted with a unique balance of flavours and textures, the sweets can be enjoyed conveniently at every occasion. Their popular Madeleines and Financiers won my heart. The madeleines are made with Hokkaido flour, Japanese lemons, fragrant rum and honey. To maintain the fresh aroma, each madeleine is packed within 20 minutes after baking so as to ensure the sweets remains its freshness! It’s so moist and fluffy, which pairs well with my afternoon tea. Les Financiers is made with fragrant almond and Henri’s original cultured butter recipe. The batter is carefully prepared to maximise moisture, making the financier soft and delicious as if they had just come out of the oven.

Get it by clicking here. Get $3 off by typing in “TAMCHIAKRAK3”.

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Snaffle’s Cheese Catch Cake

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Oh I love Snaffles! Whenever I visit Hokkaido, I would always buy boxes of Snaffle’s Cheese Catch Cake ($23.80) home. Originating from Hokkaido, it has gain much popularity all over Japan and made its way to Singapore. The key secret lies in its high-quality milk and eggs supplied specially appointed farmers in Hokkaido. Each piece is fluffy and melts in your mouth literally.

Get it online at 5% cheaper every day than the offline store. Click here to buy. Remember the rebate and don’t forget to use my exclusive coupon “TAMCHIAKRAK3” for $3 off!)

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Soup Stock Tokyo

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What’s the cheapest and easiest way to enjoy a bowl of Atlantic Lobster Bisque? Get Soup Stock Tokyo 3 pack set at $23.90! The soup has been the best-seller since 1999, being rich in umami from Atlantic lobster, aromatic vegetables, and fresh tomato.

The lobsters are mainly caught from Prince Edward Island in Canada. The head of lobster is carefully sauté and is combined with vegetables and tomatoes flavor. It also uses the brandy and wine to eliminate seafood distinctive smell. All you have to do it to put it into the hot bath for a few minutes and it’s done! It is a rich and luxurious soup that offers a tastefully mellow finish. This soup is flavorful and light, yet filling enough to be a meal. Another flavour worth trying is the Hokkaido Corn and Sweet Potato. It is also recommended serving with crackers or bread.

Good news! From now until 6 Feb, enjoy $4 off on any purchase on Soup Stock Tokyo on Rakuten (with no minimum spending) with my exclusive code “TAMCHIAKSS4“! Enjoy free shipping with when you make add 2 or more to cart! Tip: Get the CNY trial sets for only $10 each with my code ☺

Order now by clicking here.

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5x Rakuten Super Points

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Rakuten’s reward programme, Rakuten Super Points, allows customers to shop more, for less. 100 Super Points are worth S$1, and this can be spent on products across the website during the next purchase. Members are able to earn 5x Rakuten Super Points (That’s equal to 5% rebate in points!) on everything, every day!

How to earn points?
You can earn points by purchasing products from Rakuten Singapore! Earn 1 point for every $1 spend. 100 points are worth $1, and this can be spent on products across the website during the next purchase.

What’s 5X Super Points?
Members are able to earn 5x Rakuten Super Points for every $1 you spend on everything, every day! That’s equal to 5% rebate in points! SUPER WORTH IT! Let me count for you. Let’s say you buy the soup stock at $23.90. With 5X Super Points, you get 119 points. Cash Rebate equivalent is $1.19. So you can use it to deduct the products you on your next purchase, that’s the extra bonus!

Don’t forget to use the extra bonus especially for Miss Tam Chiak’s avid readers. Click on the links below.

For Soup Stock Tokyo,
Type in “TAMCHIAKSS4” for $4 off

For Oimoya Potato Snacks,
Type in “TAMCHIAKSZ5” for $5 off

For shopping on any other Rakuten shops,
Type in “TAMCHIAKRAK3” for $3 off

The first 100 people who use the code by 8 February 2016 will be further rewarded an additional 500 Rakuten Super Points (that’s $5 worth!). Points will be credited into your members’ account from 17 February 2016 if the order is completed. Note that each discount code can only be used once. Oh mine, I love the shopping deals!

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This post is brought to you in partnership with Rakuten Singapore Marketplace.

The post Rakuten Singapore Marketplace – Get Great Deals & Best Variety of Japanese Snacks Online! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Housing 40 stalls and 640 seats, Ci Yuan Hawker Centre is the first hawker in Singapore to be located in a community club. Managed by Fei Siong Food Management Pte Ltd, the hawker has a mixture of established F&B operators, as well as young hawkers, who went through Fei Siong’s entrepreneurship program.

This two-month training programme pairs retiring hawkers with budding entrepreneurs, teaching them how to cook and manage business. As we combed through the hawker centre finding for good food, we also spoke to a few successful young hawkers who are now running stalls in Ci Yuan Hawker Centre.

With the recent talks on sustaining Singapore’s hawker culture, there were suggestions on improving hawker centre environments and providing hawker courses. I am happy to know that the government is finding ways to preserve our hawker heritage.

Ci Yuan Hawker Centre was built with a high ceiling and installed with giant fans for better ventilation. With the new self-payment kiosk, we won’t have to worry about hawkers touching our food and handling money with the same hand! There is a range of food stalls from local to international cuisine, and they are priced from as low as $2.80, so that it can be affordable to all.

Here is a list of 17 Must Try Stalls at Ci Yuan Hawker Centre.

Mei Shi Quan
Unit: #01-04
Opening Hours: 11am – 11pm

Formerly from Orchard Carpark, they had moved to Gluttons by the Bay, and now finally, at Ci Yuan Hawker Centre. The wife started off learning from the husband’s family, and now she works hand in hand with her husband to bring us delicious food. The oysters from Oyster Omelette ($5) were shipped from Korea and instead of frying together with the egg and corn starch, it left to cook at the side of the pan. After plating the omelette, the oysters were then scooped up to top the dish. This allows customers to taste the freshness of the oyster. On the other hand, the Fried Kway Teow ($3.80) has the wok hei fragrance as well as the sweetness from the dark soy sauce; making it a very tasty and addictive dish.

Mei Xi Yong Tau Foo
Unit: #01-17
Opening hours: 7am – 11pm (once manpower issues are settled, it will be 24 hours)

Being a Hakka herself, Mei Xi’s owner brings about Hakka style Yong Tau Foo to the residents of Hougang. She marinates the fish paste with her own seasoning, and also comes up with different types of Yong Tau Foo ingredients. Besides the usual dou gan, bittergourd and eggplant, the more unique items that we don’t often see in other yong tau foo stalls are fried bean roll, deep fried yam strings and egg roll. In addition, soy beans were also boiled for long hours to make the tasty soup. For $3.60, you could choose up to 5 ingredients and it comes along with noodles.

Teochew Fish Soup
Unit: #01-15
Opening Hours: 7am till sold out (usually 9pm)

When it comes to fish soup, we’re all wary about the fish, wondering if it’s fresh or will there be a fishy taste. At Teochew Fish Soup, they used Batang Fish or Spanish Mackeral as their sliced fish. The soup, though flavorful, was very light and the sliced fish was very fresh. You could even taste the sweetness of the fish. It would make a great meal on a rainy day!

Teochew Handmade Fishball Noodle
Unit: #01-07
Opening Hours: 24hrs, Daily

Although there were only 3 main items on their menu, there was still a queue that never seems to go away. So what is so special about this Fishball Noodle ($2.80)? Taking a first glance into the bowl, one will see three fairly big handmade fishballs and one odd-looking meatball, made from a combination of fish and meat. Savory and rich in flavors, it is comforting and satisfying. The handmade fishballs were also very tasty and bouncy!

Dessert
Unit: #01-25
Opening Hours: 8.30am – 10pm

Previously studied Pharmaceutical Science at Republic Polytechnic, 23-year-old Aericurl saw the entrepreneurship program as an opportunity and decided to give it a try. She felt that hawkers are usually owned by elderly who will one day retire, hence it was necessary for the younger generation to take over this responsibility. Being a lover of traditional dessert, Aericurl took up the challenge to open a dessert stall. Working alongside with her is her mother who willingly gave up her job to assist her daughter. Together, they came up with traditional desserts such as bubur hitam, tau suan and chendol. Aericurl said the toughest dessert was the Tow Suan ($1.50), as it is difficult to get the right consistency, making sure that the soup is not too thick or too watery. Aericurl’s favourite dessert and also the bestseller is the Chendol ($1.80), which is served with big red beans and drizzled with freshly squeezed coconut milk. For such a low price, it was quite impressive for the quality that was served.

Teochew Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle
Unit: #01-20
Opening hours: 7am – 11pm

Served in a mini hotpot, the Mini Pot Noodles ($3.80) consists of crabsticks, minced meat, egg and meatballs. The soup was savory, and the ingredients were fresh. The dried mee kia was tossed in chili and pork lard which enhances the flavors. Other than Mini Pot Noodles, there are also Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle ($2.80) and Teochew Handmade Fish Dumpling Noodle ($3.80).

Fatty Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle
Unit: #01-16
Opening Hours: 11am – 9.30pm (Tues to Thurs); 10am – 9.30pm (Fri to Sun). Closed on Mondays

The famed Simon Road Hokkien Prawn Mee is now relocated to this very hawker! This plate of Hokkien Mee ($4) consists of noodles, bee hoon, squid, and prawn. The noodles, though fried, were served with a bit of gravy, keeping this dish slightly moist. The noodles were infused with prawn stock with mild smoky fragrance. Nevertheless, for those who like spicy food, their chilli is definitely something for you to look forward to.

HK Wanton Noodle
Unit: #01-06
Opening Hours: 7am – 12am

HK Wanton Noodle has a variety of noodle dish for you to be spoilt for. The usual Wanton Noodle ($2.80) has got lean char siew meat, which is suitable for people who don’t like the fats. You could also try the Braised Soft Pork Ribs Noodles ($4) or Mushroom Chicken Feet Noodles ($2.80) for a change. There’s also Dumpling Soup ($3) which you could get to be shared amongst your families and friends.

Ah Kun Chicken Rice
Unit: #01-05
Opening Hours: 7am – 11pm

Derek, NUS Business graduate, was formerly doing operations in the oil and gas industry, but found the pay to be too low. He saw the opportunity in the entrepreneurship program and decided to learn more about the F&B industry. Determined to serve up a good plate of chicken rice, Derek underwent training with Ah Kun from Old Airport Road. He shared that the uniqueness of his Chicken Rice ($2.80) is in the rice, where wild rice grains were cooked, along with ginger, garlic and chicken broth. For the aroma to emit from the ingredients, it was first stir fried in the rice cooker and subsequently, leaving it in the rice cooker to cook. Not only were there fragrant rice, there were also soft and tender chicken that complements the rice.

Hong Kong Chef’s Kitchen
Unit: #01-23/24
Opening Hours: 11.30am to 2pm, 5pm to 11pm

Who would have known that a former Hong Kong chef from Crystal Jade would be here cooking at a heartland area? One of the bestseller and a must try would be their Salted Egg Prawn Ball ($18). This tasty and addictive dish has got 10 jumbo de-shelled prawn that was stir fried along with salted egg, curry leaves and chili. The aromatic salted egg that coats around the prawn is fried to crispiness, making this dish crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Another bestseller here would be the Double Taste with Shrimp ($10), a dish that stir fries eggplant and lady’s finger with hei bi hiam. For healthier option, there’s the Home Style Beancurd with Mushroom ($10). Unlike other zi char stalls, they make their own beancurd by using gypsum powder to coagulate the soy milk. It was very soft and smooth, like you could just slurp it up!

Leo Satay
Unit: #01-31
Opening Hours: 3pm – 10.30pm (Mon to Fri); 3pm – 11pm (Sat, Sun & PH)

Nowadays, it is hard to come by good and cheap satay. First started off as a supplier, Leo Satay has now opened a stall at Ci Yuan Hawker Centre. Although limited by choices, they are selling their chicken and pork satay at $0.50 per stick. For the convenience of their customers, Leo Satay also sells Satay Cup Set ($2.80) which consists of five satay sticks and one ketupat. Their thick peanut sauce is also mixed with pineapple puree, which gives you a tinge of sweet and sour. Slightly unique about this stall is their Durian Mochi ($3.20), where their mocha is filled with D24 durian puree and freshly made upon order.

Mee Hoon Kueh
Unit: #01-08
Opening Hours: 7am – 11pm

A graduate from NTU, Yi Jie decided to venture into online business, selling pet supplies for 2 years before taking up the opportunity with the Entrepreneurship Program. After 3 months of in-house training, Yi Jie went under Turf City’s Nam Kee to learn more about making Mee Hoon Kueh. He chose to use handmade noodles and to break the dough upon each order of Mee Hoon Kueh. He felt that the traditional way is slower, but it allows him to provide tastier Mee Hoon Kueh for his customers. With such effort on his noodles, Yi Jie does not forget about the importance of the broth. Using pig’s bone, the broth is cooked over long hours, giving it the natural sweetness. Other than Mee Hoon Kueh ($2.80), there are also Koka Noodles ($2.80) and Pork Porridge ($2.80)

Kitchen @ Work
Unit: #01-35
Opening Hours: 11am – 9.30pm (Tues to Sun) (Closed on Monday)

Who said that you can only find Japanese cuisine in foodcourt and restaurants? Kitchen @ Work, is the hawker version that serves a variety of Japanese food, ranging from Donburi (rice bowl dish), to Fried Udon; all of which are tagged with an affordable price. The Yaki Niku Don ($6) is a rice dish topped with sliced beef, shredded onions and capsicums. It was a rather impressive dish, as the ingredients were slightly torched, giving it a tad burnt taste. Despite being in a hawker, Kitchen @ Work has definitely shown quality in the food that they prepare.

Teochew Satay Bee Hoon
Unit: #01-14
Opening hours: 8am – 10pm

Satay Bee Hoon ($3.50) is like a fusion of Malay and Chinese cuisine. It is literally a combination of bee hoon, or rice vermicelli, with satay sauce. The sauce is similar to the peanut sauce that we have when we eat satay. This Satay Bee Hoon also has other ingredients such as cuttlefish, kang kong, bean sprouts, cockles and thin slices of tau pok. Other than Satay Bee Hoon, this stall also has Laksa ($2.80).

The Pasta Stop
Unit: #01-27
Opening Hours: 10am – 9.30pm (Weekdays); 8am – 9.30pm (Weekends)

Venturing out from Restaurant Valentino, The Pasta Stop is the hawker version with food sold at a more affordable price. The recipes are similar to the restaurant, and even some handmade ingredients like the pasta was brought over from the restaurant. The Chicken Pasta ($7.50) is a great dish for cheese lovers. The tangy tomato base compliments well with the cheesy pasta, hence you won’t feel too overwhelmed by the cheese. The Grilled Spicy Chicken Chop Combo ($9) comes with Aglio Olio and Chicken Chop. The grilled garlic in the Aglio Olio has a tad sweetness to it, which was very unique. The grilled Chicken Chop was marinated with a tinge of sourness, which gives it a refreshing taste. This dish also has the localized feel to it as the chicken is accompanied by our well loved chicken rice chili.

To-Ricos Guo Shi
Unit: #01-30
Opening hours: 12pm – 9.30pm (Weekdays); 11am – 9.30pm (Weekends). Closed on Mondays

Now we don’t have to travel to Old Airport, the famed Blanco Court Food Centre Kway Chap has now opened another stall at Ci Yuan Hawker Centre. Their second generation son has taken over the stall, using the same recipe as his Dad! The flavorful braising gravy makes the Kway Chap Platter ($4) very savory. There are also pig’s trotters and other parts like the large intestine and pork belly that you could order separately based on your preference.

Zhen Hao Lor Mee
Unit: #01-13
Opening Hours: 7.30am – 9.30pm

The North Bridge Road Market, Zhen Hao Lor Mee, has been around for more than a decade. With the younger brother and sister-in-law manning the stall there, the elder brother brought this famous Lor Mee into the heartland of Singapore. The Lor is very tasty and they are also very generous in the toppings, where you’ll have fried fish slice, braised pork, and braised egg. Other than Lor Mee, there’s also Cod Fish Hor Fun ($4), Yam Roll Hor Fun ($2.80) and Chicken Cutlet Hor Fun ($2.80).

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Ci Yuan Hawker Centre
Address: 51 Hougang Avenue 9, Singapore 530917

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Compiled by Miss Tam Chiak & Aileen Lim.

The post 17 Must Try Stalls at Ci Yuan Hawker Centre appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

“OH MY TIAN!” This is the kinda exclaimation the owners of Ohmytian cafe, Cindy and Yvette, want to hear from customers. Ohmytian cafe is a sister cafe of the already popular neighbourhood cafe, Hatter Street Bakehouse & Cafe, in Kovan. Although this carnival-themed cafe just opened on 15 January 2016, we noticed quite a reasonably large crowd streaming in, mostly families with their kids. Perhaps, the draw relates to the cafe’s interior design.

There are four different corners, boosting different interior designs that are painstakingly handpainted and hardmarked by Cindy and Yvette themselves, with a little help from their families and close friends. They even approached the contrators to install the carousel at one corner, to invoke a sense of nostalgia and childhood memories as everyone who was once young definitely loved riding on carousels. If you observe closely enough, you would have noticed some children’s handwritings and drawings. These nitty gritty details are done by Cindy’s child. Also, Cindy has a liking for European design so there’s a corner, with the mirror that exudes a very European feel. All these designs reflects the fun, whimsical and interesting personalities of Cindy and Yvette.

Moving on to the menu, we learnt from Yvette that their recipes are inspired through the food they get to taste all over the world, which they want to bring back to Singapore. On top of bringing the original recipes back here, there’s an interesting twist of infusing local flavours into these dishes.

We started off with their Iced Chocolate ($7.50) and Hot Fudge ($6). While the former appeals to locals due to its more milky taste and being lighter on the palate, Yvette decided to bring in the latter, that is much more “gao” (thicker) and rich in chocolate! She saw how the Spanish served hot chocolate when she was travelling and felt that this was a very different style, yet superb! What’s more – their cream is freshly made so it’s recommended to drink it immediately to savour the entire taste.

Using bagels instead of the usual burger buns, the Donut Burger ($13) consists of your desired choice of chicken or beef, hashbrowns, mushrooms, caramelized onions, cheddar, topped a huge serving of BBQ sauce and comes with mixed greens. We love that there’s plenty of cheese in the middle! Currently, there are also other mains such as their OhMyTian Big Breakfast, Hashbrown Pizza, Chicken Tacos and French Toast. As Yvette explained, “OhMyTian’s main focus is on the quality and standard of the food and not too much emphasis is placed on presentation”.

The cafe will occasionally update their menu and introduce new dishes which has our local flavours infused into them. Eggs benedicts fanatics, keep your eyes peeled as OhMyTian café will be launching an eggs benedict with satay sauce dish very soon! In addition, they will be launching HK-style Tau Huey. Instead of the usual store-bought Tau Huey that is not freshly made, the portions here will be prepared individually on the spot and served in a Bamboo container. Customers will then be given a timer which will be set to about 2-3 minutes. Only upon hearing the timer go off, will the customers open up their Tau Huey and add their desired amount of sugar or syrup. This idea is brought back from Hong Kong by Yvette! We’re pretty sure that everyone will be going, “OhMyTian! WOW!”

Since Hatter Street is famous for their waffles, we definitely have to try their waffle and ice cream ($9.50). With all flavours made in house, pick from 8 flavours – Cookies & Cream, Vanilla, Soy Milk, Gula Meleka, Strawberry Cheesecake, Snickers, Coffee and Milo. Our personal favourites are Cookies and Cream and Vanilla. We found the Gula Meleka flavour a tad too sweet but if you’re a person with super sweet tooth just like Cindy, you should definitely go for this! Sauces such as chocolate, espresso, caramel and butter & maple are available at 50 cents each and an additional scoop of ice cream costs $3.

Such a whimsical yet cozy cafe to chill your afternoon away. This might be the next “OOTD” place for Instagrammers. We will definitely return to try new items on their ever-changing menu!

Oh My Tian
Address: 34 Whampoa West, #01-79, Singapore 330034
Opening hours: 12pm – 10pm (Tue-Sun). Closed on Mondays.
Website: www.ohmytian.sg

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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 Oh My Tian @ Whampoa – By The Hatter Street Sisters appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Time flies! We have just welcome 2016 three weeks ago. Yet, in about another three weeks’ time, we will be having our annual reunion dinner with our loved ones to welcome the Lunar New Year! This festive is all about getting together with your family and friends, catching up over a scrumptious spread of Chinese delicacies. Well, our favourite part of the Lunar New Year is getting to savour some of the BEST pineapple tarts in Singapore!

History of Pineapple Tarts

Have you wondered how pineapple tarts were brought into Singapore? As early as 1593, pineapples were brought into Malaya from South America by the renowned Italian explorer, Christopher Columbus. The years that followed saw widespread pineapple plantations in Singapore which resulted in the country becoming an important center of the global pineapple-canning industry. One of the big pineapple plantation in Singapore is at the northern part of Singapore, where the present Yishun Town is located.

The creation of pineapple tarts was largely attributed to the Peranakans who were strongly influenced by the Portuguese settlers in Malaya, who in turn were well-known for their pastries and tarts. With the abundance of pineapples in the area, it was being turned into pineapple jam/paste. Combining the pastries and pineapple paste gave birth to the popular pineapple tarts today.

In Hokkien and Cantonese families, pineapple translates to “Ong Lai” which means “Prosperity Come” and to add, pineapple is golden in its rawest form, therefore giving these tarts to your loved ones signify the Gift of Gold and wishes of prosperity.

So, what makes a good pineapple tart?

Personally, we prefer ours to be fragrant, buttery and with the right amount of sweetness – everyone wants to have a 甜甜蜜蜜 (romantic) relationship right?! On top of this, the exterior shouldn’t be too flaky and the pastry shouldn’t be too dry. We love a good melt-in-your-mouth kinda pineapple tart! This year, we shortlisted TEN of our favourites all around Singapore!

Believe us when we say it was an extremely “unique” experience to journey to different corners of Singapore just to obtain our top ten favourite pineapple tarts. It was a literal journey to both the east side and the west! For example, did you know that Kele Confectionery’s “factory” is located at the Jurong Food Hub, which is right beside Jurong Fishery Port?! Yes, it sounds super far and out of reach yet, we took the trouble to switch between MRT and buses and were really satisfied as our efforts have paid off! The aroma lingering in the air inside their factory was so wonderful. Lucky for us, we were treated to a sampling session where we were offered to try their original traditional pineapple tarts, golden cheese pineapple balls and two new flavours, the cocoa pineapple balls, as well as, the black phoenix pineapple balls. Other than Kele Confectionery, we also went to places such as The Raffles Hotel, industrial area in Ubi and the culturally-rich Katong area for pineapple tarts! With all the walking and exploring, we feel less sinful having over-indulged in these addictively yummy pineapple tarts! Let us begin by introducing the ten different brands of pineapple tarts in no order of ranking.

Amethyst Pastry & Cakes 紫晶阁西饼店
Address: Blk 524A Jelapang Road #02-04, Greenridge Shopping Centre
Contact: 6759 2338
Website: http://www.amethystpastry.com/

Over the years, Amethyst Pastry & Cakes has created two signature festive treats, their famous cheese pineapple tarts available every Lunar New Year and their Hainanese mooncakes which are available every Mid-Autumn Festival, that have delighted Singaporeans. Since year 2000, they have continually improved their recipes and introduced new items on top of their seasonal favourites. Their traditional pineapple balls goes at $24 for about 36 balls while their pineapple cheese balls goes at $26. Amethyst sells other Lunar New Year pastries such as Love Letters ($20), Sugee Cookies ($20) and Prawn Roll ($20) etc.

Bake Inc.
Address: 8A Admiralty St, #05-09, Food Xchange @ Admiralty, Singapore 757437 (Headquarter)
Contact: 6570 4980
Website: http://www.bakeinc.com.sg/

For over fifteen years, Bake Inc has been providing customers with freshly baked daily bread and cakes and currently, they have ten confectionery stores island wide in Singapore. Each store offers a variety of products ranging from freshly baked daily bread, Singaporean’s favourite cakes and traditional assorted biscuits. During festive seasons such as the Lunar New Year, they do offer pineapple tarts too! It’s probably one of the few places where you get the cheapest pineapple tarts, at only $5.50 per 20+ pieces.

Bakerzin
Address: 2 Tampines Central 5, #01-19/22, Singapore 529509
Opening hours: 10am – 10pm (Mon-Fri). 9am – 10pm (Sat, Sun & PH).
Website: http://www.bakerzin.com/

Bakerzin has been offering a tempting array of luscious sweets since 1998 and today, proudly shares its heavenly creations through its outlets island wide. During this festive season, Bakerzin will launch their signature traditional Yuan Bao pineapple tarts ($29.80 for 21 pieces). According to one of our friends, her mother even brought these “lucky yuan bao” into the casino! If you believe in such luck, do let us know if it really works! This year, Bakerzin is introducing the Parmesan Cheese pineapple tarts ($29.80 for 21 pieces). Parmigiano cheese from Italy is baked together in the buttery pastry, which gives a combination of saltiness from the cheese and lightly spiced pineapple filling, such that it wouldn’t overwhelm the sweetness. Other than pineapple tarts, Bakerzin also offers Good Luck Cookies which comes in nine different flavours and Prosperity Lapis Surabaya.

D’Pastry
Address: Blk 3020, Ubi Avenue 2, #01-121, Singapore 408896
Opening hours: 8am – 7pm (Mon-Fri). 8am – 4pm (Sat & Sun). Closed on alternate Sundays.
Website: http://www.d-pastry.com/

Surprised to find a pastry shop smacked in the middle of an industrial area? Don’t give it a miss! They offer samplings for their Lunar New Year goodies and we are really wow-ed by their pineapple tarts. Although the shop front isn’t very attractive, the staffs are very friendly and helpful and their pastry is definitely worth every count of calories. Their pineapple tarts are going at $22 for 20+ pieces. Remember to grab them earlier or else the office crowd would have cleared their stocks by the end of the day!

Glory
Address: 139 East Coast Road, Singapore 428829
Opening hours: 8.30am – 8.30pm (Tue-Sun). Closed on Mondays.
Website: http://www.glorycatering.com.sg/

The love for authentic Peranakan food is what inspired the Chin family to share their favourite recipes at Glory since 1979. Glory offers five kinds of pineapple tarts – traditional, jumbo tarts, golden pillow, apple shape and pineapple shape. A 650g of apple shape pineapple tarts cost $20. Besides pineapple tarts, Glory offer customers festive cookies and snacks such as almond cookies, green pea cookies, chili tapioca crackers and agar agar in shapes of goldfish and rabbit.

Joyus Pastries
Address: Tanjong Pagar MRT Station, #BI-03
Opening hours: 10am – 9pm (Mon-Fri). 11am – 6pm (Sat). Closed on Sundays & PH.
Website: http://www.joyuspastries.com/

For years, Joyus has uphold their belief that, “every tart and every biscuit is made from traditional recipes passed down from generation to generation”. Its humble beginnings started out as a homely set up and Joyus is proud to have grown to become one of our locals’ favourite. They strongly feel that natural, handmade freshness is important hence, they select only the finest ingredients and painstakingly handmade their pineapple fillings instead of using industrial pre-packs. From kneading to rolling, cutting, moulding and finally, packing these tarts, every step has been done passionately and dedicatedly in order to give customers the quality and warmth that can only be found in food that is baked from the heart. Pastries here are free from preservatives and colouring. For $21, you get a 20+ pieces box of pineapple tarts.

Kele Confectionery
Address: 15 Jalan Tepong, Jurong Food Hub, #06-16, Singapore 619336
Contact: 6560 1249
Website: http://kele.sg/

Since Kele’s business commencement 30 years ago, they have been continuing their spiritful legacy of pineapple tarts and pastries. Their pineapple tarts were voted the best in Singapore during a competition held by a local shopping mall in 2013. These tarts were also featured in a renowned airline’s travel magazine the following year. In their quest to be Singapore’s brand for pineapple tarts, Kele is dedicated to using the best quality ingredients in making mouthwatering products as souvenirs for their customers. A tin of 725g of traditional pineapple tarts cost $21.40.

Le Café Confectionery & Pastry
Address: 264 Middle Road, David Elias Building, Singapore 188990
Opening hours: 10.30am – 7pm (Mon-Sat). 10.30am – 4pm (Sun & PH).
Website: http://www.lecafe.com.sg/

Le Café is one of Singapore’s oldest and finest cake and pastry shops since its establishment in 1949. Hence, it’s no surprise that they are well recognized for their quality and unique taste of their products. Their selections are 100% crafted by hand and contain no pork or lard. Le Café is also the first to introduce round pineapple tarts aka “Gold Ball” tarts! The moist pineapple filling is encased in their buttery, crumbly pastry. Mmm … A bite guarantees 100% gratification! These “Golf Balls” are available only in 20 pieces bottle, 10 pieces bottle ($11.30) and 10 pieces box. Remember to consume within six weeks from the day of purchase and note that these “Golf Balls” do not require refrigeration. If you’re planning on bringing these overseas for friends, hand carry this item due to its fragility.

Mr. Bean
Address: Np. 802 Bukit Batok West Avenue 5, #01-03, Bukit Gombak MRT Station, Singapore 659083
Opening hours: 6.30am – 10.30pm daily
Website: http://www.mrbean.com.sg/

Behind the story of a humble bean that has grown to be part of people’s lives in Singapore lies this non-complex philosophy – Life’s Simple Pleasures. Indeed, it is the simple pleasures in life that fill us up and move us. Through Mr. Bean’s relationships with their customers, staff and the community, they hope to inspire and touch lives as they are entrusted by their customers to be part of their daily life experiences. Pineapple tarts happen to play a big role in being one of our lives’ simple pleasures. Mr. Bean’s traditional pineapple tarts are sold at $14.80 for 400g.

SunnyHills
Address: #03-05 Raffles Hotel Arcade, 328 North Bridge Road, Singapore 188719
Opening hours: 10.30am – 7pm (Tue-Sat). 10.30am – 6pm (Sun & Mon).
Website: http://www.sunnyhills.com.sg

Popular for their pineapple “cakes”, each and every pineapple at SunnyHills is carefully selected, hand peeled and cut before being crafted into their luscious paste. They advocate a generous Fair Trade policy during all phases of production, thus ensuring the sustainability of these glorious organically grown fruits. Only the freshest and finest ingredients are chosen at SunnyHills. Their eggs are obtained from Sunny Eggs Taiwan farm, renowned for using classical music to inspire the breeding process while their gourmet baking flour is obtained from Japan and their pure and natural butter from New Zealand. A box of 10 pineapple “cakes” is sold at $25.

With our shortlisted 10 favourite pineapple tarts brands, we roped in a total of 20 family and friends to help with our tasting session and grade according to the following criteria – (i) fragrance, (ii) buttery, (iii) sweetness, (iv) texture, (v) appearance and (vi) packaging. Grades range from 1 to 5, with 1 being poor to 5 being excellent. The total score is upon 30 marks. As seen from the table above, our scores were collated and averaged out. Here’s our top 5 favourites!

1. Kele Confectionery
Pineapple tarts from Kele give customers the right amount of sweetness. Its pastry is not too flaky nor too dry, it simply melts in your mouth! Warning – this is extremely addictive! Haha! On top of its wonderful taste, the packaging is very presentable and this can easily be a good gift for anyone or everyone!

2. Le Café Confectionery & Pastry
Customers love this for their huge, unique “golf ball” size! It is filling enough and provides ample satisfaction. You know you need to run around visiting relatives and friends over the Lunar New Year to the extent you might not get to sit down for a proper meal due to too many visitings. Hence, this is the perfect snack to fill your tummy temporarily! Yums indeed!

3. Joyus Pastries
We love that the pineapple fillings here are homemade, with no added preservatives nor colouring. Their packaging may look simple now but we feel that if they improve on their packaging, perhaps, more people might purchase and give this as presents to overseas friends, letting them know how good our Lunar New Year delicacies are.

4. Bakerzin
Bakerzin’s creative “yuan bao” shaped pineapple tarts will make your in-laws happy. We like the mild sweetness of their pineapple filling. Their crust isn’t too flaky nor too hard. The size is perfect for a few bites. Bakerzin puts effort into their presentation and we believe people would like to get this as corporate gifts or just gifts for their family and friends.

5. Amethyst
Amethyst’s pineapple balls are miniature in size but still gives a burst of flavours. We feel if the size is slightly bigger, these pineapple balls will become hotsellers. We like its oriental packaging too!

Hope we have provided enough information as a guideline to help you decide on which sinfully delicious pineapple tarts are worth your calories. Do remember to order earlier to avoid disappointments! Here wishing you a prosperous and abundant Lunar New Year! Have fun and indulge more!

♥♥♥

Photos & text by Alexis Toh Mu Qin, a fellow food writer for Miss Tam Chiak. MissTamChiak.com pays for all the pineapple tarts in this article. Prices are accurate at the point of publishing. No monetary compensation was received and all opinions are of our own.

The post 10 Best Pineapple Tarts in Singapore appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Located at level three of Suntec City’s newest Sky Garden, Eat At Seven is home to seven of Japan’s top food specialist concepts as well as restaurants. Offering the best of what Japan has to offer all in one place, each restaurant boasts a strong reputation — Japanese willingly queue for hours just to savour the cuisines. They have currently unveiled a sushi restaurant, warayaki izakaya, beef yakiniku and café. Here are some of the dishes that we have tried!

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MAGURO-DONYA MIURA-MISAKI-KOU SUSHI & DINING
Unit: #03-314
Tel: 6684 5054
Operating hours: 11.30am to 10pm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MiuraMisakiKouSushiAndDiningSG

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In Japan, the average queue time to get into this restaurant is more than an hour. MAGURO-DONYA MIURA-MISAKI-KOU SUSHI & DINING is regarded as one of the most renowned maguro (tuna) and sashimi wholesalers in Japan. The name is such a mouthful. To help you with it, it means Misaki Port in Miura, Kanagawa Prefecture where the restaurant imports its fish. Being a tuna specialist, you can get to taste the same quality of maguro and sashimi that rival those served in the best restaurants in Japan.

Headed by Chef Shuji Sawada, the main restaurants in Japan operates at Yokohama, Tokyo (Akihabara), Kanagawa (Shin-Yokohama) and 15 other Kaiken Sushi stores in Japan. Misaki Megumi Saisan supplies Maguro and fresh fishes from Miura Misaki harbour, a landmark of Japan where fantastic maguro abounds all year round. The establishment has its own fleet of fishing trawlers and hence is able to curate the freshest maguro and sashimi from around the world and fly them directly to Singapore via ANA air freight.

A great master of maguro is on deck to cull high-quality tuna from the catch. The chefs will then practise shinkei-jime, which is the Japanese’s tradition of inserting a spike into the hind brain and destroying the spinal cord. Doing so would stop the production of lactic acid, and in turn the quality of the fish can be maintained.

To ensure absolute freshness, the restaurant employs a state-of the-art transport and freezing method, where the tuna is frozen at -60°C, the optimal temperature for preserving its freshness. Combined with air freight, they bring in the freshest and highest-quality sashimi such as maguro, salmon, swordfish and yellowtail. The bluefin here comes mostly from the Pacific Ocean.

We had some of the signature dishes including Three Cuts of Hon Maguro Sashimi ($39) served on crushed ice which consists of Otoro (Belly), Chutoro (Bottom Loin) and Akami (Top Loin). The slices are massive and the akami is the best I have tasted so far. The otoro is creamy and doesn’t have any metallic taste. If you would like a bigger variety, go for Five Cuts Hon Maguro Sashimi ($49) which features five parts of Blue Fin Maguro —Akami (Top Loin); Chutoro (Bottom Loin); Otoro (Belly); Kamatoro (Cheek); and Mekajiki (Swordfish). Sushi fans can go for Five Cut of Hon Maguro Nigiri Sushi ($35).

Hon Maguro Hikkaki Gunkan ($12) is a huge tuna sushi that looks like a battleship (Gunkan means a battleship in Japanese). The tuna belly scrapings are perched on two rice balls, making the gunkan resemble one large leap of otoro atop a mountain. The best way to savour this is to split the battleship sushi with your partner, add some wasabi and shoyu and enjoy it together.

If you prefer something cooked, go for the Grilled Maguro Kama ($34), which is the cheek of the maguro. The flesh is soft and smooth! oh yes, for people working in Suntec, do try their Hon Maguro Megumi Trio Lunch Set ($79). The lunch set showcases three parts of the Hon Maguro —Hon Maguro Akami Sashimi (Top Loin); Chutoro Steak (Seared Bottom Loin); and Kama Yakimono (Grilled Cheek). The trio will each be prepared using different culinary styles and presented as well as plated differently.

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NikuNoHi
Unit: #03-316
Tel: 6837 0263
Operating hours: 11am to 10.30pm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NikunohiSG

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NikuNoHi’s flagship store is in Tokyo and this is its first and only overseas branch. In Japan, the average queue time to get into this restaurant is 30 minutes. The restaurant is helmed by Chef Kensuke Sakai.

With a great selection of authentic roast beef and premium meats, this is a mecca for carnivorous eaters. The meats they bring in are a cut above the rest and patrons can select many different parts of the cow in one seating. Its secret ingredient is the east-meets-west marinade, which is used to enliven all its Yakiniku meats. Yakiniku is a Japanese culinary style of cooking small chunks of meat and vegetables on hot plate.

Each table at the restaurant is fitted with a hot plate. Patrons can huddle together and grill the meats themselves; or, upon request, the chefs will also help to grill the meats.

The must-try dishes include Premium Rare Plate (150g, S$48), which showcases three choices of beef parts. The Tomo Sankaku (Tri-tip) is the best part of lean meat thanks to its wonderful marbling. Kainomi (bottom flap) is the part of the flank breast that boasts a thick sweet layer of fat.

Other marquee highlights include Chateaubriand (100g, $$50), which features the best part of the beef fillet; and Japanese Wagyu Sirloin (100g, S$42.50), a perennial favourite.

Apart from the yakiniku menu, the restaurant also serves a range of tapas which are made by an Italian cuisine chef. They include Ahijo and trippa al pomodro, which is made with beef guts. Vegetable lovers can also tuck into the seasonal vegetable salad, which is tossed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar sauce. Another crunchy offering is kimchi, or spicy vegetable pickles.

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Nigiro Café
Unit: #03-315
Tel: 6238 1669
Operating hours: 11am to 10.30pm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nigirocafesingapore

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Nigiro is ‘origin’ spelt backwards and this is fitting as it is the very first café concept by Chef Kensuke Sakai, who holds the title of having been the youngest challenger —at age 26— to compete on Iron Chef, a famous TV culinary competition in Japan. The café specialises in Japanese-Italian cuisines, which are loved by many Japanese and Singaporeans.

The signature dishes here include Grilled Prawn NIGIRO Caesar Salad ($9.50 for half portion/ $20 for full portion). Enlivening the crunchy leaves are grilled prawns and poached eggs. This is Nigiro’s world famous Caesar salad! Hanako, a Japanese biweekly magazine, touts the restaurant’s Caesar salad as the best by a foreigner choice.

Another worth trying dish is NIGIRO Hamburg Steak ($24) using Nigiro’s home-made secret recipe Hamburg steak served with original sauce. Cheese and pasta lover will love Short Pasta Melanzane ($19). This pasta is cooked with eggplant and also three kinds of cheese. It is then soused in tomato sauce to achieve the perfect taste. Don’t forget to pair your dinner with Oolong Rose Raspberry Tea ($7).

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ENBU
Unit: #03-307
Tel: 6268 8043
Operating hours: 11am to 11pm
Facebook: www.facebook.com/enbusingapore

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With a meaning that translates to “Dance of Flame”, ENBU offers a dining experience that perfectly complements Singapore’s exciting dining scene. The restaurant’s calling card is grilling with straws and charcoal grill, which lend a wonderful smoky fragrance to its wide array of fresh and exquisite cuisines.

Warayaki izakaya is a traditional cooking method that has its roots in Shikoku, Kochi prefecture. Chef Tatsunori Yara is the head chef, and he has combined traditional cooking methods with a new-style izakaya presentation to create a true and exciting Japanese izakaya taste. WARAYAKI Chicken ($14) has got the smoky fragrance in the meat while keeping the meat juices intact. Pairing with their spring onion sauce, it was a mix of spicy, savoury and sweetness, very similar to Ssamjang that was served in Korean BBQ restaurants.

Something instagram worthy is Jilase Tsukune ($13) which is essentially chicken meatball with onsen egg. Another worthy trying dish is Deep Fried Tofu With Uni Sauce ($13) which is so simple yet so sinful. The tofu is so silky smooth with crispy batter. The uni sauce just makes this even better!

Local patrons can also quaff Coedo’s line-up of exquisite craft beers in Singapore for the very first time. The Coedo Craft Beer White (350ml, $15) is a wheat beer that boasts fruity notes as well as the sweet aromas of the wheat. The Coedo Craft Beer Ruri (350ml, $15) has a soft, white head that complements almost any dish. The rich flavours and hoppy bitterness go light on one’s taste buds.

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Eat At Seven
Address: 3 Temasek Boulevard, Suntec City Sky Garden Level 3, Singapore 038983

The post Eat At Seven – Sushi, Warayaki, Yakiniku and Café all in Suntec City Sky Garden! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Chinese New Year is almost here. Traditionally, families gather together for dinner on New Year’s Eve to catch up and savour the auspicious dishes,but the celebrations and feasts can last throughout the 15 days. Fussing over the venue for your Chinese New Year reunion dinner? Don’t wait until the last minute to settle your reunion dinner venue. Here is our roundup of 9 Chinese Restaurants that you should hold your reunion dinners.

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Goodwood Park Hotel

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The Chinese culinary teams have created three new ‘Yu Sheng’ platters – Crispy Salmon Skin ‘Lo Hei’, Fruity ‘Lo Hei’ with Bacon and White Truffle Oil and Crispy Silver Bait Fish with Mock Tuna ‘Lo Hei’ – that are great for those who prefer to enjoy their ‘Yu Sheng’ without raw fish.

New and decadent savoury Prosperity Specials include ‘Gong Xi Fa Cai’ ($298 for eight persons). Inspired by a game that is particularly enjoyed during Lunar New Year, Master Chef Chan Hwan Kee has handcrafted a flawless replica of a mahjong tile emblazoned with the Chinese word for good fortune – 發 – made entirely with salt. Guests are invited to ‘release’ the fortune by breaking open the salt crust with a mallet (Chef recommends adding in a sprightly shout of “Huat ah!” at the same time), then feasting on the delicious treasures within. Pig’s trotter which has been braised for four hours, is wrapped in a salt crust along with Australian 6-head abalones, dried scallops, flower mushrooms and ‘fa cai’ (black moss), before the entire package is baked further for one and a half hours, resulting in a flavourful finish.

The Lunar New Year Goodies are very pretty. Shaped like a mandarin orange bag, the Auspicious Blessings cake ($88, 1kg) is made from early grey butter. Resplendently glowing in gold is this scrumptious homemade chocolate marble cake Wealth of Opportunities cake ($88, 1kg) that is handcrafted into the shape of a large garlic. Not forgetting the Durian ‘Nian Gao’ Roll ($28 for two rolls takeaway, $18
for six slices dine-in) which is made with luscious D24 durian paste embraced by layers of divine gula Melaka-infused ‘nian gao’ and sprinkled with coconut flakes.

The Lunar New Year Goodies will be available from the hotel’s Deli, while Prosperity Specials, a selection of ‘Yu Sheng’ as well as dine-in à la carte and set menus will be available at Min Jiang (Goodwood Park Hotel) and Min Jiang at One-North (No. 5 Rochester Park) for lunch and dinner.

Min Jiang | 6730 1704 | min_jiang@goodwoodparkhotel.com,
Min Jiang at One-North | 6774 0122 | mj1n@goodwoodparkhotel.com
Deli | 6730 1786 | deli@goodwoodparkhotel.com

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The St. Regis Singapore

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Yan Ting’s Chinese Executive Chef Tony Wun has curated a delightful a la carte menu and set menus, as well as festive takeaways to usher in good tidings, abundance and prosperity. Toss high with Yan Ting’s Prosperity Yu Sheng with Norwegian salmon, made with the freshest ingredients, and further enhanced with a wider selection of fruits, including papaya, honeydew, peach, pomelo, snow pear and dried orange peel.

Indulge in Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, an interesting spin of the traditional dish that transforms the soup delicacy into a braised delight. Featuring all time honoured indulgences like abalone, sea cucumber, fish maw, prosperity oyster and dried scallops, this luxurious dish makes a perfect starter to the gastronomic experience. Not forgetting the CNY Pun Choy, a lavish dish of 14 divine treasures including abalones, dried oysters, sea cucumbers, fish maw and homemade dace fish ball, stepped in the juices of the tasty pork belly and meat.s.

Other specialities include Braised Pig’s Trotters with Fermented Bean Curd, marrying beautiful aromas with tender and flavourful meat. The Crispy Roasted Chicken is grilled to perfection with a glistening golden sheen of skin layered over juicy meat beneath. My favourite is the Fried Prawns with Golden Garlic as every bite is filled with the fragrance of fried garlic and crunchy texture of succulent prawns.

Yan Ting’s set lunch and dinner menu starts from $118++ to $198++ per person with a minimum of 2 guests. For tables of 10 guests, prices start from $1288 to $3888 per table.

Yan Ting | 6506 6887 | yanting@stregis.com

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Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium

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Xin Cuisine presents an elaborate wealth of flavours and feasts to usher in the Lunar New Year of the Monkey this year. Their festive treats and set menus offered during this season are a majestic reflection of prosperity to ensure that you herald in an auspicious year of wealth through your doors.

Be wow-ed by their amazing Gold Leaf Bamboo Clam and Salmon Yusheng which is delicately designed by their head chef, Eric Chan himself! Apparently, two monkeys have found their way right up to our table! Big eaters will look forward to the next dish, which is Xin Cuisine’s Traditional Pen Cai. Be prepared to dive into a treasure trove of luxurious ingredients such as prawns, scallops, mussels, roasted duck, sea cucumber and abalone etc. We thoroughly enjoyed the two servings we had from this multi-layered pot.

This is followed by Xin Cuisine’s new Braised Vermicelli with Crab, Ginger and Onion! Doesn’t matter if you get your hands dirty as these crabs are definitely worth every count of calories. A Chinese New Year meal will never be complete without glutinous rice and Xin Cuisine’s version was goodness beyond description. Always one to experiment with flavours, Chef Eric brings a refreshing concoction of pear and white fungus dessert this year. It was not too sweet and really delightful on the palate.

Xin Cuisine | 6731 7173 | singaporeatrium.holidayinn.com/festive

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Pan Pacific Singapore

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Celebrate Chinese New Year at Hai Tien Lo with an extravagant selection of culinary delights and 8 prix fixe menus, including one nutritious vegetarian set menu. Toss to a great year with Wealth Happiness Yu Sheng ($168 serves 4, $228 serves 8) featuring lavish spread of Boston Lobster, Hokkaido Scallops, Surf Clams, Norwegian Salmon, Mushrooms and Gold & Silver Flakes. A must-have for the CNY feast is the Poon Choy, which is a pot of culinary treasures to celebrate abundance and good fortune. The new Classic Auspicious Treasure Pot ($238 for six, $398 for 10) comes with decadent ingredients like whole chicken, whole abalone, sea cucumber and more.

Other premium delicacies include pan-fried foie gras with sliced BBQ Beijing and Smoked Duck, the nutritious soup of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall with Matsutake mushroom, the flavourful and succulent Braised Whole Abalone with Sea Cucumber and Dried Oysters, signature Traditional Stewed Chicken with Eight Treasures and Lotus Seeds, and festive favourite BBQ Crispy Whole Suckling Pig.

End the feast with auspicious goodies such as Homemade Caramel Walnuts with Sesame Seeds ($30), Signature Homemade XO Chilli Sauce with Dried Scallops ($30) and Koi Fish Nian Gao ($28.80). Other highlights include Rainbow Kueh Lapis ($52). Pineapple Tarts ($48) and Assorted Prosperity Chocolate Pralines ($60).

Hai Tien Lo | 6826 8240 | celebrate.sin@panpacific.com | pacificmarketplace.sg

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Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel

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Chinese New Year reunions are elevated to new heights at Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant with Chef Brian’s exquisite line-up of Prosperity Set Menus that bespeak of luxury and culinary bliss. Priced from $98.80++ per person (4 to 8 persons) to $1888++ per 10 persons, highlights include Salmon, Scallops, Caviar, Tuna & Lobster Yu Sheng; Salmon Yu Sheng; Braised 3-head Whole Abalone with Baby White Cabbage and Brown Sauce; Roast Duck Marinated with Ginseng Sauce; Sautéed Scallop with Prawn, Asparagus, Macadamia Nuts & Golden Nest; Stewed Sliced Abalone with Pig Trotter, Black Moss and Seasonal Vegetables; Steamed Live Grouper with Sliced Ham & Black Mushroom in Light Soya Sauce; Wok-fried Prawn with Coral Clam, Broccoli & Chinese Rice Wine; Traditional Nian Gao; Wan Hao Signature Roast Chicken with Shredded Fillet; Barbecue Whole Boneless Suckling Pig and more.

Reunite with family and friends, and celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Monkey with tempting celebratory takeaways. Making a debut this year is Wan Hao’s Deluxe Pen Cai with Nourishing Pig Trotter at $738nett (6 persons)/ $1388nett (10 persons). Suitable for the whole family with 14 luxuriant ingredients served communal-style in a festive casserole hot pot, this delicacy is not only steeped in symbolisms of goodness and auspicious meanings, it boasts the ultimate in taste and presentation, and is brimming with collagen. Pig trotters are rich in collagen which helps your skin to retain moisture and it is the connective protein that holds muscle tissue together. A

Wan Hao | 6831 4605 | mhrs.sindt.fb.reservations@marriotthotels.com

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Carlton Hotel

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Indulge in traditional and premium Lunar New Year Treasures at Wah Lok Cantonese Restaurant. Toss to new beginnings with resplendent Yu Sheng in Soon Tak style which consists of Hamachi (yellow tail) sashimi. Using simple condiments such as light soy sauce, sesame oil, pepper and their secret sauces, the entire Lou Hei tastes light yet very flavoursome. Other options include Alaskan Crab Lo Hei (Prosperity Toss) and Abalone Yu Sheng.

Relish heavenly soups like the signature Braised Shark’s Fin in Red Carrot Soup, and savour traditional flavours like Buddha Jumps Over The Wall, Longevity Poon Choi, or Braised Whole Abalone, Dried Oysters & Vegetables specially prepared by Chinese Executive Chef Ng Wai Tong and his team of culinary experts. Wah Lok’s Longevity Poon Choy ($408 for 6 pax, $688 for 10 pax) consists of baby abalones, scallops, sea cucumber, dried oysters, roasted duck, pan-fried live prawns, pork shank, fishballs, mushrooms, black moss, Tianjin cabbage, raddish and yam. What a good balance of meat, seafood and vegetables.

The dessert for their Chinese New Year menu is their Pan-fried Nian Gao, done yuan-yang style. The brown part which is the original flavour, consists of sugar and flour, while the white portion has almond flavour infused into it. Set menus start from $398 for 4 pax to $3388 for 10 pax. It is perfectly alright to indulge once in awhile, especially during the Chinese New Year!

Wah Lok | 6311 8188 / 6311 8189 | wah.lok@carltonhotel.sg

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Fullerton

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Revel in Jade restaurant’s perennially popular festive dishes and new creations. Toss to a prosperous year with our signature Eight Happiness Gold Rush Yu Sheng with Champagne Jelly, Salmon, Olive Oil and Peach Dressing. Chef Leong employs the use of homemade Champagne Jelly featuring edible gold leaves. Priced at $68 (5 pax and below), $98 (6 to 8 pax), $138 (9 to 12 pax); orders should be made one day in advance.

Chefs at Jade have once again created a different interpretation of the dumpling with the use of Japanese Kelp (kombu) and abalone. Each dumpling is shaped liked beautiful corals found underwater. Priced at $16 per person (3 pieces) or $38 per portion of 8 pieces. A centre piece for the table, savour the fresh Boston lobster meat simmered with milk, ginger, butter and a hint of lemon before it is drizzled with a generous serving of the fragrant ginger milk gravy. Priced at $88 for a whole lobster (700g).

New and noteworthy is this quintessential roasted duck dish, marinated with Foie Gras sauce and Chef Leong’s specially created Sour Plum Guava Jelly. Enjoy the piquant flavour of the Foie Gras and the crispy skin of the roasted duck all in
one bite. It is priced at $23 (quarter portion), $46 (half portion) and $92 for the whole duck.

Jade brings back the signature Yam Paste Nian Gao Tart, a delicate pastry tart which can be savoured in one bite. In addition, Chef Leong gives the Nian Gao (Glutinous Rice Cake) a modern twist with pandan and sweet potato filling within a buttery crust oven baked to perfection. Packaged in an attractive box for gifting, our signature Yam Paste Nian Gao Tarts and Sweet Potato Pandan Flavoured Nian Gao Tarts are available at $28+ per box of 8 pieces.

Jade | 6877 8188 | jade@fullertonhotel.com
The Fullerton Cake Boutique | 6877 8943 | fullertonshop@fullertonhotel.com

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Crystal Jade

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Mark a lucky start to the year with a striking Chilled asparagu ($20) at Crystal Jade Palace Restaurant (Ngee Ann City), Crystal Jade Golden Palace (Paragon), Crystal Jade Dining IN (Vivocity) and Crystal Jade Prestige (Marina Bay Financial Centre, opening in January 2016). Besides the Prosperity yu sheng with Mexican abalone and red pomegranate, savour The Trio Treasures – a meaty Combination of braised duck, roasted suckling pig, foie gras ($16 per pax).

Crystal Jade Kitchen’s culinary team has also conjured several highlight Lunar New Year dishes such as Sautéed scallop and coral mussel with XO sauce ($28), comforting Fried glutinous rice topped with roasted duck ($36), as well as a hearty Thai-style pork knuckle ($28) and indulgent Braised three-head abalone in superior oyster sauce ($48 per pax). Four set menus for 4, 6, 8 and 10 persons at $338, $498, $668 and $838 are available at all Crystal Jade Kitchen outlets except at Causeway Point and Westgate where there is an additional set menu for 10 at $1,188. At Zhongshan Park, a steamboat set is offered.

Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao, on the other hand, has intrdouced a special Steamed pork dumplings ($6.80 for six) with a sweet red date within. Other auspicious picks include Braised pork knuckle with black moss ($36.80), Eight Treasures glutinous rice ($10.80), Steamed herbal xiao long bao ($6 for 4 pieces) and many more. There are also four set menus for 4, 6, 8 and 10 persons ranging from $238
to $598.

Crystal Jade | www.crystaljade.com

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Intercontinental Singapore

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Honouring the tradition of Lunar New Year, Man Fu Yuan introduces the Yellowtail Yusheng with Monkey Head Mushrooms, Prosperity Flakes and Peach Dressing as a ‘must-have’ this Lunar New Year. Symbolic of the year of the monkey, the use of monkey-head mushrooms adds texture to the Chinese yusheng, and is accompanied with a refreshing peach dressing to sweeten the New Year. Honey gold flakes that adorn the yusheng add a symbol of wealth and prosperity to the traditional dish.

A treasure trove of prized ingredients, Man Fu Yuan’s Deluxe Treasures Pot, will take centrestage at every dinner table. The exclusively designed claypot which features blossoms of Spring and the agile monkey is significant of a new beginning and comprises over 18 ingredients including Whole Baby Abalone, Canadian Lobster, Fish Maw, Goose Web, Pig’s Trotter, Scallops, Dried Oyster, Quail, Flower Mushroom, Sea Moss and Roasted Duck. Prepared for over 12 hours, the amalgamation of tastes lends a touch of vibrance and warmth to the dinner table.

New on the menu this year is the Double-Boiled Sakura Chicken and Bird’s Nest Soup with Black Truffle, Abalone and Fish Maw. Bred using a Japanese farming technology where chickens live in a temperature-controlled and clean environment, the Sakura Chicken is known for its tender and moist meat. Double-boiled for over 1.5 hours with nourishing bird’s nest and paired with lavish ingredients such as black truffle and abalone, this indulgent soup brings out the true essence of opulence. Man Fu Yuan will launch a selection of prosperity set menus from $688++ for a table of 5 persons, to $2,088++ for a table of 10 persons. The sets are well-catered for a hearty family reunion or business gathering.

Man Fu Yuan | 6825 1059 | sinhb-festive@ihg.com

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Compiled by Miss Tam Chiak & Toh Mu Qin.

The post 9 Best Chinese Restaurants For Reunion Dinners 2016 appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Andong-jjimdak is a dish that originated from Gyeongsangbukdo province in Andong. The dish is made with chicken, a variety of vegetables and Korean soya sauce-based sauce. Andong Zzimdak in Raffles City is the latest franchise restaurant from Korea.

Their menu includes original Andong Jjimdak ($45.90 for 2-3 pax) with chicken; Boneless Jjimdak ($49.90 for 2-3 pax) with boneless chicken thigh; Seafood Jjimdak ($52.90 for 2-3 pax); and Mayak Jjimdak ($47.90 for 2-3 pax).

We ordered the original Andong Jjimdak to share among two petite ladies. Oh mine, it is such a huge Korean stew with chicken, potato, and carrots. The thick sauce is savoury and mildly sweet. All jjimdak options come with chewy sweet potato noodles which we love – it’s chewy and soaked up all the flavours from the gravy!

We also ordered other dishes to share, such as mini seafood pancake ($9.90) and spicy dokboki (rice cake, $9.90) which has nothing to shout about.

Andong Zzimdak
Address: Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Road, #B1-44F, Singapore 179103
Contact: +65 6533 3951
Opening Hours: Mon-Sun 11.30am to 10pm

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Celebrity-favourite Founder Bak Kut Teh opens its second restaurant at Hotel Boss (500 Jalan Sultan) yesterday. Since 1978, Founder Bak Kut Teh has been consistently dishing out bowls of its delectable Teochew-style pork rib soup to legions of fans. Owner Mr Chua Chwee Whatt, a pig farmer in Seletar in the 60s, loved eating Bak Kut Teh. So he decided to use the pork from his own farm and concoct his own recipe using herbs and spices. After successful testing and tweaking through the feedback of friends and neighbours, he opened a small Bak Kut Teh eatery in Choa Chu Kang in 1978.

Mr Chua eventually moved out of Choa Chu Kang and gave up his pig farm. By 1988, he had transitioned from farmer to restauranteur with the growing success of Founder Bak Kut Teh. Now, Founder regularly ranks as one of Singapore’s top Bak Kut Teh restaurants, and is poised to expand to neighbouring countries.

You may ask, what is the successful formula of Founder BKT? Well, I think it’s the soup that is made using the freshest pork and a blend of pepper and spices from a recipe created by Mr Chua. Using only superior cuts of meaty long ribs or premium short ribs in its clear soup, the peppery soup isn’t as intense as Ng Ah Sio but still gives that solid rush that will wake me up. The long ribs are notably tender, and goes well with the tea from Pek Sin Choon.

A smorgasbord of side dishes makes for perfect accompaniment: Braised Pig’s Intestines, Braised Pig’s Trotter, Pig Intestines Soup, Braised Bean Curd Skin, Salted Vegetables, Lettuce with Oyster Sauce and of course, You Tiao (dough fritters). However, I find the braising sauce a little salty than usual during our visit. Perhaps it’s just the teething issue.

Over the years, Founder has seen not just faithful patrons return again and again for its signature dishes, but a galaxy of stars as well. Through no advertising on its part, the restaurant has won the patronage of celebrities like Chinese, Taiwanese and Hong Kong stars Jay Chou, Emil Chau, Eason Chan, S.H.E, Zhang Zi Yi and local celebrities such as Fann Wong and Stefanie Sun. And they will be launching another new outlet in Jakarta as well, I wish them all the best!

Good news for everyone, they will be opened during Chinese New Year! They are closed from 3pm on CNY Eve and reopen again from 3pm on CNY Day 1. Business will resume thereafter. So if you are looking for meal options during CNY, this may be a good choice?

Founder Bak Kut Teh
Address: 500 Jalan Sultan #01-09 Singapore 199020
Tel: +65 6816 2582
Opening hours: 11 am to 5 am daily

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It was their second day of operation when I paid a visit to Atlas Coffeehouse. It was a rainy day but the new cafe at the corner of Bukit Timah Road and Dukes Road was filled with cafe-goers yearning for their afternoon coffee. Opened by the folks behind Assembly Coffee, I caught a glimpse of pretty owner Daphne getting busy at the espresso machine from far.

I love cafes with big space, because it gives me some breathing space to truly enjoy the coffee and surroundings. We sat by huge windows, watch passers-bys walk pass and catch up with each other’s life. They get their coffee beans from Two Degrees North Coffee Co, a blend which consists of 70% Brazil and 30% Guatemala. I ordered a cup of cappuccino as usual. The thick velvety pillow of microfoam is amazing.

Coming here for coffee is one thing, but now I think cafes are also trying to serve better quality food instead of the usual Egg Benedict. The current menu offers simple eats such as breakfast pancakes, toasts, sweet waffles, cakes and pastries. The classic Bacon, Beans & Sausage ($16) has nothing to shout about but the Summer Chicken Stew ($17) caught my eye. Slow roasted chicken thigh with herb potatoes and carrots were served with sundried tomato cream broth and a dipping toasted sourdough. The chicken was tender but the broth had too much butter added in it, making it a little too oily for us to dip the toast.

Must try is ATLAS Butterscotch Banana Pancake ($18) featuring signature fluffy pancake served with caramelized banana and house-made butterscotch & honey comb ice cream. The wait is 20 minutes, but it’s worthwhile for the soft and tasty pancakes. Alternatively, go for the Breakfast Strawberry Maple Pancake ($16). Other interesting options include the chicken miso salad, salmon soba noodles and grain bowl, all below $20.

Atlas Coffeehouse has all the trappings of an up-and-coming cafe. It just creates this atmosphere of connection where I found myself coming here and talking to people that I would have just passed by on the street or sat unconnected to in a coffee shop, over a cup of coffee.

Atlas Coffeehouse
Address: 6 Duke’s Road, Singapore 268886
Opening Hours: Sunday – Tuesday 8am to 5pm (subject to changes)

The post Atlas Coffeehouse @ Bukit Timah – Opened by the folks behind Assembly Coffee appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Since 1989, founder of Top 1 Home Made noodle started making handmade noodle with wide variety of soups, sides and noodles. I got to know the stall from my crazy girlfriend who would visit the stall almost every weekend just to get her mala mee craving fixed. After the opening of Downtown Line (DTL2), travelling to Bukit Timah just to have a bowl of mala mee becomes so much more convenient!

The menu has so much permutations that it became confusing to order for first timers like me. Plus, plastering of so many notices all over the place makes it more difficult to focus. Anyway to help the first-timers a little, here’s what you need to do:

1) Order the type of noodle you want to have (fine? flat? mee sua? beehoon? etc)
2) Choose the type of soup to pair with your noodle (Clear Soup? Tomyam? Hot & Spicy? Dry?)
3) Pick the types of ingredients to go with your soup (prawns? meatball? sliced fish? fish maw? abalone?)

It was raining during our visit, so it seems slurping on piping hot noodle soup is the best way to keep ourselves warm. Somehow, the bowl of cloudy ikan bilis soup is super satisfying because it has been boiled for hours to get the good flavours. I added fish maw and the girls love it (but I don’t like their mee hoon kueh, it’s too flat).

Probably because we took a long time to take photos, the dry version become really dry (how ironic) and didn’t appeal that much. Yes, it’s coated with dark sauce which has nothing much to speak about. The kick only comes in when you add the killer chilli sauce and toss it again. It leaves us breaking out in sweats and burns out lips. No wonder the aunty refuses to give me one more chilli sauce when I asked for it. I would probably have become Angelina Jolie if more chilli was added.

Now here comes the Mala Mee – which is the star of the show. My version comes with flat noodles, fresh prawns and well seasoned minced meat. Yes, it’s not for the faint hearted. The first mouthful made us nearly cry, but after all those heat, it left us (or rather, me) wanting for more. And I continue to sip from their oh-so-delicious soup. It’s so shiok that I wanted to order one more bowl for myself. It’s a love-hate relationship somehow. But you know what, I will come back just for this.

Top 1 Home Made Noodle
Address: Beauty World Centre #04-44, 144 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 588177
Opening Hours: 9am to 8.30pm, closed every Tuesdays & Wednesdays
Tel: 84488450

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Read about Downtown Line 2 (DTL2) Hawker Guide

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There are some hawker food that I always return for comfort, especially after all the festive feasting. One of them is lor mee – a garlicky bowl of noodles in thick gravy with additional vinegar. When I heard that Bukit Purmei Lor Mee is back in action again, it got me very excited!

I visited their Bukit Purmei outlet 5 years ago while I was still writing for the papers. That was one of the most memorable hawker feature I did. Owner Mr. Zhang started helping out his dad in Bukit Ho Swee from the 1950s when he was 8 years old. In the 1960s, the stall has moved to Tiong Bahru where Mr. Zhang was the first to serve the fried fish lor mee before he moved to a coffeeshop in Bukit Purmei.

Even when the queue stretches all the way to the bus stop in front of coffeeshop, Mr Zhang remains dedicated in serving good bowl of lor mee with a smile. Unfortunately, as age catches up, Mr Zhang suffered from a heart attack and had to give up his one and only lor mee stall in Bukit Purmei.

After taking a year of rest, Mr Zhang is back in action. Even though he is now frail and no longer cooks the lor mee, he still prepares the ingredients and “lor” every morning. I visited him last Friday but unfortunately, he was closed. He said that the doctor advised him not to overwork, so he rests on Monday, Tuesday and Friday. Even so, he still visits the stall to prepare ingredients and do some cleaning.

We went back the second time on yesterday (Sunday) at 10am. The queue snakes all the way to the entrance of the coffee shop (yes, it’s even longer than Ah Hoe Mee Pok). Honestly, the queue moves very slowly because his wife and niece are now fronting the stall and still getting used to the processes.

After 1 hour 30 mins, we finally got our lor mee! While I still prefer the old school kind of shredded fish meat instead of fried fish nuggets, their “lor” (braising sauce) made with a combination of pork ribs, egg-white, “five-spice” powder and starch is still as good. The dark, viscous sauce is thick and sticky, punctuated with copious lashings of black vinegar, homemade chilli sambal and pepper. The vinegar here is not the usual off-the-shelve kind. It’s aromatic and enhances the flavour of the gravy.

Each bowl of lor mee ($3 / $3.50 / $4.50) is loaded with sliced fish cakes, braised pork belly and the signature flour nuggets. Every ingredient added into the bowl complements each other very well and these crunchy morsels probably sets it apart from the rest. Fans of bukit purmei lor mee, you know where to head for lunch next!

Lor Mee
Address: Blk 501 West Coast Drive, Singapore 120501
Opening Hours: 7.30am to 2pm, closed every Monday, Tuesday & Friday

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