Jalan Besar is home to tons of dining options — be it hawker fare such as Beach Road Scissors Cut Curry Rice, or even cafes like the ever famous Chye Seng Huat Hardware. 

Joining the culinary scene in Jalan Besar is Seven & Ate, a gastropub along Horne Road.
This quaint gastropub serves up humble café fare, from sandwiches to quinoa bowls. They also offer a good variety of craft beers, such as Mac’s Three Wolves ($10) and Peroni ($10.50).

Choose from a variety of quinoa bowls, such as the Portobello Mushroom ($12), Pork Belly ($15) and Pulled Duck ($15).Each bowl comes with a portion of homemade guacamole, fresh salsa, roasted squash, mesclun, orange wedges and a poached egg. What a colourful and pretty ensemble!

The pulled duck quinoa bowl comprises a myriad of flavours. The savouriness of the duck, sweetness of the orange wedges and tartness of the salsa made the dish pretty appetizing. If the duck meat is a little too dry for you, dip it in the runny egg yolk.

We also had the Oyster & Pork Burger ($16), which came with a side of nacho chips and shaved parmesan. Prior to the meal, I thought the combination of pork and oysters was rather strange, and I wondered if I would actually take to it. To my surprise, I actually enjoyed the burger. The flavours did go well together. The distinct briny taste of the oysters was complemented by the sweetness of the honey mustard pork patties. I relished every bite. 

Besides craft beers and wines, the gastropub also serves freshly brewed coffee, such as Iced Black/White ($5/$6), as well as Hot or Iced Nutella ($6/$7.50).

All in all, Seven & Ate is quite a cozy space that’s great for those looking to get some alone time, or for those who wish to get some work done. 

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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District Sushi is famous for its affordable chirashi don, and the eatery has garnered a ton of attention in the last 2 months. I was a little dismayed to find that the popular $10 Bara Chirashi Don has observed a $3 increase in price. Well, but $13 is still pretty reasonable for a bara chirashi don. It is still too early to conclude if the price increase is justifiable, for the true test lies in the taste of the rice bowl.

The Bara Chirashi Don ($13) was chock full of seafood such as octopus, tuna, salmon, prawn and ikura. I enjoyed the chewy and thick chunks of salmon sashimi, which tasted fresh and clean. However, the tuna sashimi chunks did not warrant equally positive sentiments from both my friend and me. In terms of texture, the tuna chunks were chewy and slightly weird — not the usual smooth tuna texture. Furthermore, it was a tad fishy. As such, the salmon sashimi cubes were much favoured over the tuna ones. The other ingredients in the bowl tasted alright, and I especially loved the addition of the ikura, which was a fresh burst of salty ocean.

However, I did notice that several other reviews online mentioned that the ingredients used in the Bara Chirashi Don were very fresh. Thus I would not rule out the fact that maybe I visited on a rare bad day? I shall give District Sushi the benefit of doubt. Nonetheless, the Bara Chirashi Don’s colourful cubes of sashimi and artfully-placed prawn makes for a pretty picture.

We then decided to try the Mentaiyaki Tamago Sushi ($6). The egg was soft and jiggly, while the torched mentaiko sauce on top added a salty and creamy deliciousness. The different components of the Mentaiyaki Tamago Sushi taste good together, even though the strong and salty mentaiko sauce does overpower the more mellow egg taste at times. While this dish is very flavourful, $6 for 2 pieces of tamago sushi is a little too steep.

Lastly, we ordered the 5 kind Sushi ($12), which came with unagi, prawn, swordfish, tuna and salmon. While I found the unagi, prawn and salmon sushi delicious, I faced another problem with the tuna and swordfish sushi. In fact, I found both the tuna and swordfish a tad sour, and I’m not sure why. Perhaps my expectations were set too high after reading countless good reviews about the freshness of the sashimi at District Sushi, and thus was left disappointed.

While the sushi and sashimi at District Sushi is quite affordable as compared to the higher-end Japanese restaurants, I was left wondering if perhaps it is unfair to expect such fresh and premium ingredients for the price that I am paying. To conclude, I do feel that the price increase in the bara chirashi don (from $10 to $13) is not justifiable. I would not make another trip down specially for the food at District Sushi. Comparing solely between bara chirashi dons, I very much prefer the $12.80 one at Sushiro in Thomson plaza. In my opinion, the sashimi in the chirashi at Sushiro taste fresher.

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Loyang isn’t the most accessible place in Singapore. Located in the far, far east of the island, there isn’t a designated MRT station near the vicinity, the nearest being Pasir Ris.

When someone mentions Loyang, there’s only one place that comes to my mind — the huge white and gold Loyang Tua Pek Kong temple that many devotees go to to pray. Other than that, the estate is home to many industrial buildings and factories.

Now, I’ll also think of something else whenever anyone asks me what’s there to do in Loyang. Located within the 64+4 Food Court that is just opposite the temple, Chan Kwong Kee (S’pore) Roast Shop, which, as the shop name suggests, sells a variety of roast meats.

This shop isn’t a ‘kept secret’. During lunchtime on weekdays, throngs of diners queue up patiently, waiting for their turn to sink their teeth into gorgeous roast meats.

Each order of meat — roast duck, soya sauce chicken, char siew or crispy pork belly — comes with a generous side of very simple and lightly seasoned stewed cabbage which goes very well with the flavourful meat.

We tried the Roasted Duck Rice ($4.50) with an addition of stewed radish ($1), an item you don’t commonly see being sold with roast meats. I was sold. The duck was meaty and had a slight hint of five spice powder — my favourite spice mixture. I also loved how the meat was tender, juicy and moist. The stewed radish was refreshing and was easy to chew.

The char siew and crispy pork belly ($5 with rice) were also delightful. I thought that the crispy pork belly wasn’t going to be crispy because it seemed like it had been hanging out in the open for quite awhile. But I was wrong. The crackling still had a good crunch, and the layers of meat and fat were distinctly divided, making it easy for the health conscious to remove the fat easily. The char siew was also well roasted, with a sweet caramelised exterior. However, the meat was a tad dry. 

Maybe most of the patrons are workers working nearby, and the stall isn’t widely visited by the general public but if you do love yourself a good plate of roast meat and rice, you might want to pay the stall a visit. 

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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I was filming for a Mediacorp programme and a producer introduced me to Yap Kee Wanton Noodles (葉记全蛋云吞面). What makes them special is their 100% egg noodles (全蛋面)!

Yap Kee is a family business. Richard and his wife are originally from Batu Pahat, Johor. Richard’s brother, Bernard, used to own a wanton mee stall under the same name in Taman Johor Jaya. He is famous for his flying wanton mee. The couple started the business in 2003, and have made their presence known and felt in Jurong East, Bukit Gombak, Holland Drive, and Clementi.

Sadly, you won’t see any flying wanton mee in Singapore but their egg noodles came from the same supplier that used to supply to the now-defunct Yap Kee in Johor Bahru.

The noodles are made using only eggs and gluten flour without the addition of water. They were cooked in hot and cold water before being tossed in the air. The egg noodles were cooked to a delightful QQ texture. They were springy and firm, and were evenly coated in a housemade sauce made from lard, chilli and oil. Give the noodles a good toss and slurp them up. Confirm no alkaline taste!

Richard also roasts his own char siew. He uses fresh pork only. It was decent, with a balance of sweet and savoury notes. I wish it was fattier though. There is a good amount of filling in the juicy dumplings.

Each plate of wanton mee starts from $3.50, and it comes with some char siew, wantons and vegetables. Richard always recommend customers to try the noodles without any seasonings like chilli and black sauce. Yap Kee also serves dumpling and shredded chicken noodles.

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When I think of carrot cake, I think of those that you commonly find in hawker centers – oily, fragrant and most definitely sinful. .

But with great taste comes a high calorie intake. The copious amount of oil used, generous serving of cai poh and the cubes of radish cake make for a sinful indulgence. However, what if I told you it’s possible to get a hot, summer-ready body even if you eat fried carrot cake everyday?

Meet Walter Tay, a 30-year-old hawker who has the dream body of every man. He eats fried carrot cake daily, and has proven that it’s possible to indulge and stay fit at the same time. The hunk shared with us that he hits the gym six times a week, and manages his calorie intake well. The strenuous demands of working as a hawker also helps him to keep his body in shape.

The story behind Father & Son is quite a heartwarming one. Prior to his stint as a hawker, Walter was working in a multi-level marketing business, driving a Mercedes Benz and living the high life until the business closed down. Out of job, he decided to start a business with his dad selling fried carrot cake, strengthening the bond between father and son, and also ensuring that the hawker culture doesn’t die out.

We’re glad that he decided to make the career jump three years ago to start Father & Son. We tried both the white and black carrot cake, and we couldn’t decide which tasted better.

The fried carrot cakes came with a generous amount of cai poh and minced garlic. The white version has a fiery chili sauce mix added to it, while the black carrot cake was sweet and savoury, just the way I like my black chai tow kway. You can still taste the sweetness of the dark soy sauce even after you’re done with the dish. At the price of $2.30, both the white and black versions are quite a steal, especially when the portion is this hearty. 

Business has been quite good over the past three years and Walter and his family have opened another stall in the Kampung Admiralty estate called Mother & Daughter. The busy bee shuttles back and forth between the two outlets, but stations himself more at Mother & Daughter to help both his mother and sister with the stall’s daily operations.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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A video publicizing the arrival of  a very special Roti John XL Cheese Tarik ($7.50) grabbed our attention, and we knew we had to try it!

Pondok Daun Upeh Restaurant is the proud creator of this dish. The Muslim-owned eatery puts their own cheesy spin on the classic roti john, transforming it into an Instagram-worthy delight.

Now, it’s time to take a bite, and judge beyond its cheesy facade. Sandwiched between the soft bread is a medley of minced chicken, omelette, mushroom bits, chopped onions and, of course, cheese. Sadly, the supposed XL size of their roti john resembles more like an M. Get ready and say cheese as you pull apart the bread to reveal melty and stringy cheese!

Each bite is a tasty mix that is enhanced by the generous addition of chilli sauce and mayonnaise. The gooey cheese also lends a punch of saltiness. However, the taste of the cheese becomes easily forgettable after you’ve eaten it for long enough. The food might not have lived up to the hype, but it’s still worth a try. Share it with a friend or two for supper.

Now that we have your attention, we’ll feature the true star of Pondok Daun Upeh – the Mee Racun ($7)! Available only after 3 pm, the mee racun is essentially maggi noodles cooked in a sweet and spicy red sauce. You can find a bone steak, some beef slices, as well as a slice of an egg. What’s unique is that the whole dish is served in a fibrous leaf bowl made from opeh (betel nut).

I love everything bright red because that means it’s going to be spicy! True enough, the sauce leaves your tongue tingling. Each strand of noodle is well coated with the thick sauce and it did look really promising. Unfortuately, the sauce was pretty bland. The bone steak also barely had any meat, so it rendered the dish less than satisfying. The only saving grace is the tender beef slices.

Call me slow, but it only hit me later that the the shop is named after their unique plating style (Daun Upeh means opeh leaf). In conclusion, I feel that their mee racun could use a little work. Once again, note that the mee racun is available only after 3 pm. If you come before that, there are breakfast items and nasi padang available. 

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to Pondok Daun Upeh. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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Finding food in a foreign country can be daunting but, luckily for us, we had a very knowledgeable food guide who brought us around Bangkok. Mr. Bow, who speaks very fluent English, is a local that knows where all the good food in Bangkok is. In fact, this very post is based on a recommendation from Mr. Bow!

If you’re reading this, then you probably have a deep love for beef noodles like me. Beef noodles are my comfort food so I was extra excited to visit this popular beef noodle place. Wattana Beef Noodles has been around since 1970 (longer than I have been around) and for good reason. The boss and lady boss there don’t really speak good English so it was kind of difficult to convey what we wanted but just point at what you want, and you should be fine. They serve a variety of soups, fried noodles, glass noodles, and stews. Of course, their signature is the beef noodles so that’s a must order.

They use a very large cauldron to boil the stew over an open fire. If you stay long enough, you might be able to catch them topping up the cauldron with more stew. We went in the afternoon so it wasn’t really crowded but Mr. Bow told us that this is a very popular place so it could get crowded around lunch and dinner time.

We ordered the Goat stewed in selected Chinese herbs, Bovine’s tendon stewed in selected Chinese herbs and the fine noodles (面线) served with sliced beef, stewed beef and beef balls (soup).

It was drizzling when we got there so we decided to get more soup dishes. The serving is pretty small so I wouldn’t recommend sharing one bowl. You can order rice separately, if you like, to make this a full meal. The tendon broth boasts a distinct full-bodied herbal flavor and a thick consistency. I love soups so this was pretty heartwarming, especially on a rainy day. The chunky tendons were really soft and melted easily in my mouth, but I felt that they could have been more generous with the tendons.

For those who don’t quite like tendons, you can opt for the Goat Stew which features chunks of goat meat stewed in a dark broth. The broth is more intense, more peppery and carried stronger herbal notes. The meat was tender and full of flavor from soaking up the broth. A definite must-try for me. 

The highlight of the meal was definitely the beef noodles. This place is known for its beef noodles and it certainly didn’t disappoint. There was another beef noodle place which we visited earlier in the day but I thought that this was significantly better. You can opt for thick or thin noodles in soup or dry versions. We got the thin noodles with soup which was assembled with beef slices and a couple of handmade beef balls. This unassuming-looking dish is perhaps my favorite dish of the trip, or at least one of the more memorable ones. The broth is slightly oily, with an appetizing meaty flavor. Compared to the other soups, this broth has less herbal notes, but was more flavorful. I liked that the noodles were done al dente with a slight bite, making it very slurp-worthy. The broth and the noodles were simply an excellent combination. While the beef slices, stewed beef and beef balls were really mouthwatering, I liked the beef balls a little more because they were extra big with a springy texture. My only gripe would be the small serving size.

If you’re looking for a great bowl of beef noodles, this is one place that you have to visit if you haven’t already checked them out.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to Wattana Beef Noodles. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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Have you ever tasted succulent roasted meat so good, that you feel like you are being sent to meat heaven? Well, I have at Kim Heng Roasted Meat located at Serangoon Avenue 4. Housed in a coffeeshop opposite Serangoon Swimming Complex, Kim Heng Roasted Meat sells a slew of roast meats such as roast duck, roast chicken, roast pork (siew yoke) and bbq pork (char siew).

We decided to order the Roasted Pork and Bbq Pork Rice ($4.80), as the meats looked absolutely tantalising. When a dish looks as good as that, you know you are in for a treat. The roasted pork (Siew yoke) had a crispy crackle and the melodious crunch reverberated in my mouth. The perfectly seasoned roast pork had the perfect meat-to-fat ratio and just melted in my mouth. Pair the siew yoke with white rice to balance out the saltiness. Tuck in, and enjoy. Trust me, you can’t stop at one piece!

The char siew was glorious too. It was slightly fatty, and was really tender. The fats were not rubbery, but were soft, melty and delicious. In addition, it was not too cloyingly sweet. The rice was bathed in a slightly smokey gravy.

Chilli sauce is also available at the stall front, should you want to dip your roast meats in a spicy concoction. The chilli sauce was sweet, spicy and slightly bitter at the same time. I gather this must be from the roasted char flavour. The chilli sauce complements the dish well, but the roasted meats are already pretty good on their own.

We also ordered the Duck Rice ($4). The duck had a nice bite to it, and was not tough at all. The skin had a slight char, which would be well received by those who love a smokier flavour. Similarly, if you are in the mood for some spice, you can dip the duck into the accompanying chilli sauce.

You know when things are bad for you, and you ought to stop? Well, in this case, it is very very hard to stop eating the crispy skins and tender fats in the roasted meats. It takes a sheer amount of willpower. Well, but the meats at Kim Heng Roasted Meat (especially the siew yoke) is definitely worth the calories. So sinful, but so good.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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Recently, my friends and I were discussing about our favourite hawker dishes. Chicken rice, chai tow kway, bak chor mee were a few of the dishes that were mentioned. However, my answer was very different from everyone else’s. I love handmade noodles.

There are three important pointers that I look out for when having handmade noodles – the noodles must be made on site (be it by hand or with a machine), the soup must be rich, sweet and a little viscous, and the minced pork has to be tender and springy.

Lan Xiang Handmade Noodles at Bukit Merah Central Hawker Centre ticks all the boxes for me. The stall makes their own ban mian, u mian and mee hoon kuay on site. The evidence is in the floury tables and availability of a large flour cutting machine. The dough is thicker, which results in the noodles still retaining a bite even after being cooked in the rich broth.

The soup was also sweet and flavourful. I liked the springy and chewy minced meat as well, which had been really well marinated. 

The stall sells your usual variations of handmade noodles as well. Look forward to Tomyum ($4.50), Prawn ($5), Chicken ($4) and Sliced Fish ($5) options. Pick your preferred noodle from seven types – ban mian, u mian, mee hoon kuay, mee sua, yee mian, bee hoon, and instant noodles – and they’ll whip up a lovely bowl of noodles for you.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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If you’re in the Bang Na vicinity of Bangkok, why not make a trip to Freight Space? Located next to Profreight Group, a logistics provider in Thailand, Freight Space is a quaint café that serves up a variety of artisanal coffees, cakes and pastries.

The café faces a long highway, but getting on and off a cab along the highway isn’t a problem in Bangkok. When we stepped into the café, we were instantly transported to a tranquil forest. There’s an extensive use of wood in the cafe, and the piece de resistance is a man-made life-size tree.

Apart from coffee, the café also sells Thai street drinks, such as Thai Milk Tea (Hot: 60B, Cold: 70B), as well as fruit juices (60B to 110B) and fizzy sodas (85B).

We tried their Thai Milk Tea & Coffee (95B), Sparkling Honey Coffee (95B) and their signature Roselle Mint Coffee (130B).

The Thai Milk Tea & Coffee was a delicate blend of traditional Thai tea and robust coffee. This creamy drink carried more tea flavours than that of coffee. 

The Sparkling Honey Coffee was my first fizzy coffee, ever. The coffee had the texture of soda, but the flavours of aromatic ground coffee and soothing honey. I thought the idea was great, but I still preferred my coffee flat, strong and robust.

As for their signature drink, it was very similar to nitro-brewed coffees. There wasn’t much of a minty taste, but the roselle aroma was acidic, and tasted somewhat similar to fermented umeshu plums. Served in a tall wine glass, it looks the part of an exquisite drink, and definitely befitting of a place in your photo album.

Although Freight Space doesn’t sell any savoury food, I think that it’s a great place to unwind. I love the chill vibes !

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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Just when everyone thought that Sing HK cafe has closed its shutters at Everton Park for good, the eatery has re-emerged in Jurong East. You can’t find the same extensive menu that was available at the previous outlet though, as this new stall showcases just a few specialty dishes.

“The menu was downsized in hopes of delivering a selection that’s focused only on traditional Cantonese cuisine, in a coffeeshop setting. Also, all these dishes that we put on our menu focuses on evoking the senses, with each food exuding 色香味俱全, ” shared the co-owner Alfred, who used to be in the banking sector.

With Chakey’s departure from the food scene, Sing HK Cafe’s Signature Salt Baked Chicken Noodle ($6.50) seems like it will be a crowd-puller. The salt baked chicken is prepared according to a recipe that is passed down from Alfred’s family. The chicken is first soaked in salt water and marinated in a secret mixture that consists of ingredients such as 萨酱 sa-Jiang, garlic oil and jiang yu zai for at least 6 hours. It’s no wonder that a bite of their chicken is both sweet and savoury at the same time!

With the fat removed, the whole chicken leg is wrapped in parchment paper and laid on a bed of salt, before the chicken is baked for one and a half hours. The temperature is constantly being controlled in order to bring out the aroma and flavour of the chicken. The tender chicken will then have very little fat left! I was surprised to find that the chicken and the sauce weren’t salty. Every portion of salt baked chicken also comes with homemade pickled vegetables that taste like achar, but more sour. 

Another bestseller is the Classic Braised Pork Belly Rice ($5.80), which features pork belly, a bed of grains, and a sous vide egg. Six different kinds of herbs and spices are incorporated into the base for the 鲁 lu marinate. After the pork belly is throughly marinated, it undergoes a slow cooking process for 2-3 hours.

Unfortunately, the pork belly that we had that day was lacking the 鲁 lu flavour. However, the fatty layers which melted in my mouth more than made up for it!

What’s worth a mention is definitely Sing HK’s homemade chilli. Using the chicken rice chilli as a base, Alfred mixes his own chilli with added lime zest as well as a pinch of parsley. 

Currently, Alfred has plans to expand into the CBD area as he sees that there is a growing demand for salt baked chicken. I’ll recommend that you visit Sing HK Cafe for its wallet-friendly and delicious Chinese cuisine.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to Sing HK Cafe. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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The Chinese Kitchen, which is situated along Cavan Road, sits in the midst of backpacker hotels and factories.

Helmed by chef Austen, The Chinese Kitchen serves up contemporary Chinese cuisine. Don’t expect your typical steamed fish or fried rice as the restaurant whips up dishes such as Old Sixties Style Hor Fun ($14), and Braised La La “Ying Yang” Noodle ($14).

The noodles, which are a mixture of bee hoon and yellow noodles, were doused in a good amount of gravy. I enjoyed the sweet gravy which had a delicate hint of the sea. Tossed together with the clams were bite-sized pieces of prawns and bean sprouts. This dish actually reminded me of fried Hokkien noodles, except that it didn’t have the wok hei that most fried Hokkien noodles have.

We also tried their Signature Old Fifty Collagen Broth which comes with a choice of red garoupa, snapper, or catch of the day. We had the snapper ($28/standard, $40/upsized).

The collagen broth here is made from a combination of pork and chicken bones. I really enjoyed the taste of the collagen broth. It was very flavourful and had a good texture, even though it wasn’t as thick as shark cartilage collagen broth. 

Prior to cooking, the chunks of fish are fried. This helps to flavour the broth even more. However, I thought that the fish was a little tough. 

For dessert, we had the Poached White Pear in “Luohan” Tea, Ice Cream ($4.50). The refreshing combination of creamy vanilla icecream and pear definitely left an impression. 

Another dessert that we had was the Coconut Bean Curd ($4.50). The bean curd was more like a pudding, and was very soft and smooth. However, I couldn’t detect any hint of coconut in the pudding.

Although the restaurant isn’t the most accessible, it definitely warrants a visit. 

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

The post The Chinese Kitchen – Delicious Chinese Dishes Reimagined! appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

One of the things that you have to try on the streets of Bangkok is Thai Beef Noodles, especially the one from Heng Chun Seng. At the front of the shop, there exists a large fire pot filled with beef parts swimming in a broth. The pot sits over burning charcoal for hours. Inside the fire pot, you’ll find an exotic mix of beef entrails such as liver, intestines, spleen and even tongue! 

While the shop appears to be known for its Thai Beef Hotpot, we ordered the Thai Beef Noodles Soup (50/60/70 THB) instead as it was really early in the morning. From the large fire pot, the chef will scoop out a ladleful of beef broth and parts, and pour it over a carb of your choice. Options include rice and egg noodles. Although you can roughly identify the beef parts that you’re eating from what is listed on the menu, there are some unrecognisable parts… So, good luck!

The clear broth echoed sweet and savoury notes that are probably derived from the mix of beef innards. Take the broth to the next level by pairing it with condiments that can be found at the side of the table. Trust us, it will taste so much better! You might want to try telling the waiter “Kway Teow Neu-a-wua (Kway Teow Beef)” if they do not understand ‘beef noodles”, or you can always point at the menu.

If the beef noodles aren’t enough, you can always order Thai Pork Satay from a stall nearby. We’re pretty sure that the beef noodles will suffice. Do let us know how the Thai Beef Hotpot fares!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to Heng Chun Seng. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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To me, Peranakan cuisine can be considered one of the most lavish cuisines in Southeast Asia. The Nyonyas take pride in their meals, which can be seen in their Tok Panjang. Peranakan cuisine is still highly sought after by many Singaporeans simply because of the amazing flavours that it offers.

Brew & Bar is a new restaurant located along Jalan Pari Burong that serves up authentic Nyonya delights, together with a wide selection of craft beers.

We tried a few of their signature items, such as the Babi Pongteh ($12), Chap Chye ($10) and Kari Ayam ($12).

Chap chye is essentially a medley of cabbage, tang hoon, black fungus, mushrooms and, often, beancurd skin. The savoury and fragrant vegetable stew is with steamed rice. I enjoyed the firmness of the beancurd skin which gives the stew its distinct soy-flavour. The version done at Brew & Bar was slightly drier than the ones I’m used to, but still tasted great when paired with the Blue Fragrant Rice ($0.80).

The rice which has been cooked with aromatics and coconut milk was both flavourful and beautiful. 

The Babi Pongteh was also much drier than what I expected. Maybe it’s because the pieces of pork and potato have absorbed all the broth, which rendered them very flavourful. However, the pork pieces were a tad too tough for my liking.

My favourite of the lot would have to be the Kari Ayam, which is a curry chicken dish. Large chunks of tender fresh chicken meat are cooked in the rich and creamy curry. There was just enough santan (coconut milk) too. My favourite thing about curry is actually the nuggets of potatoes, which should be fork tender but not overly mushy. Brew & Bar definitely met my expectations.

I washed the meal down with some Iced Lavender Tea ($7), which was, to my surprise, a great accompaniment to the flavourful dishes. The lavender tea was very light and delicate in flavour, which helped to remove any lingering greasiness from the meal.

I think that the availability of traditional Peranakan food and beer in the same setting will attract the younger generation to give the restaurant a shot. Who knows, maybe Nyonya dishes will be paired with beer or wine in the near future. 

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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Moosh, a family-owned soft serve chain, is the newest occupant of one of the shophouses that line Haji Lane. Muslims can now look forward to another dessert spot that is 100% halal!

Although small, Moosh carries a rustic charm. Try to eat in, as the homemade soft serves melt almost instantly as soon as sunlight hits them. Despite being made in-house, the soft serves here are VERY affordable. For just $4.50, you get a regular cup of soft serve that’s more than enough for one.

The owner’s guilty pleasures have inspired a few of the flavours. I was more drawn towards the Ondeh Ondeh ($4.50/regular, $6/large) for its local and familiar flavours. The soft serve itself tasted like vanilla ice, but with a creamy and smooth consistency.

Get ready for a sugar rush when you scoop up a spoonful of soft serve along with the gula melaka sauce and coconut flakes. While I do enjoy the cup of sugary goodness, it did not achieve the ondeh ondeh flavour that I was expecting.

Initially, I thought that the flavour of the soft serve in every type of creation available was the same. However, I was wrong. The Apple Crumble ($4.50/regular, $6/large) comes with a soft serve that boasts a good tartness, and tasted like an actual apple crumble.

There’s a surprising fizzy aftertaste which I find intriguing as well. The soft serve is topped with a generous serving of crunchy honey oats and cookie crumble for added crunch and texture.

Although I’d usually prefer desserts that are sweet, I highly recommend the well-executed apple crumble soft serve for its lovely tartness. I’ll say that Moosh is definitely a place to visit if you’re looking to satisfy your sweet tooth if you’re near Haji Lane.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to Moosh. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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You don’t have to be a sailor or a mad man to patronize The Mad Sailors, but you do need a voracious appetite for British food! The Mad Sailors is a Muslim-owned eatery that serves up halal British classics. Fun fact! The eatery is actually started by the same people who brought you Afterwit and Working Title. So, if you’re a fervent supporter of these two places, you might want to drop by for a meal!

You must be a nutter if you skip their classic Bangers & Mash ($18) which comes with two garlic and herb beef sausages, mushy peas, fresh slaw, and housemade mash drenched with onion gravy. Each sausage is packed with peppery coarsely-ground meat, which carried a mild smokiness. The sausage tasted slightly gamey, so pair it with the neutral mash and sweet onion gravy. The mushy peas lent a lovely savouriness to the sausage-mash mix as well.

The bangers & mash might do well as a sharing platter for a group of friends, but I reckon it might be insufficient to qualify as a main course. The Cod ($20), on the other hand, will satisfy your growling tummy with its huge portion.

Sadly, the cod was not well-executed. The flesh was chewy and the batter was quite disappointing. The fish does come with a generous serving of fries though. 

Pay The Mad Sailors a visit if you’re craving for some British comfort food. There’s no GST here!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to The Mad Sailors. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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Rays of sunlight shine into the quaint Lina’s Cafe that sits on Jalan Pisang. As if to match the warm afternoon sunbeams, friendly smiles welcomed us in. I already have a good feeling about this cafe, and when I uncovered its story, it pleased me to no end that I had eaten food cooked by people with wonderful hearts.

Here’s a quick summary of Lina Cafe’s heartwarming story —100% Muslim owned and opened by the Mummy of an autistic child, Lina’s Cafe aims to spread awareness about autism in Singapore. According to the owner, autism awareness “is still quite shitty in Singapore”. Hence, judgement is often cast on families who dine out with their autistic children, especially when their kids have meltdowns or break the cutlery.

In addition, Lina’s Cafe hopes to not only spread awareness about autism, but also provide a safe haven for diners with autistic family members. For every family of 4 dining-in (provided the family brings their autistic child(ren) along), the 1st 4 drinks ordered will be on the house. These “Welcome drinks” aim to encourage families to dine out with their autistic children, instead of keeping them confined at home for fear of being judged. Their efforts have definitely paid off in the autistic community, with the owner telling me that sometimes, “random parents [of autistic children] just drop by our cafe to share stories and experiences, or simply talk about their children”.

With a smile, the owner also shared that families of children with Down Syndrome (instead of autism) also patronise the cafe. When these parents ask whether only those with autistic children are entitled to the complimentary drinks, Lina’s cafe’s kind-hearted owners extended the offer to them too. After all, promoting inclusiveness in our society is a cause they hold dear to their hearts.

Moving on to the food, we ordered the Crispy Calamari ($4.20) as a starter. Although the calamari rings come from a packet, they were fried to golden brown perfection. I was glad that the rings were very crispy, and not too greasy.

We also tried Lina’s Home-styled Fried Kway Teow noodles ($5.80), which is reminiscent of simple Malay home-cooked fare. The fried kway teow had a kick of spice (as most Malay dishes do), and a strong tomato taste. Don’t forget to squeeze the lime all over before you give the noodles a good toss. I thought this dish could use a little more salt though.

The menu has a section called “Weekly Asian/Western”. Dishes under this section are served only on specific days. For example, Mee Siam ($4) is served only from Thursday to Saturday, Nasi Lemak ($3.60) only on Friday, Creamy Breaded Fish Pasta ($9.80) and Creamy chicken pasta ($9.40) only from Tuesday to Saturday and Shepherd’s Pie Cup ($3.40) only on Saturday. Hence, be sure to check the menu before heading down to avoid disappointment. While I thought the savoury food options were alright, the cakes blew me away. Both the cakes I ordered were very delicious.

The Pandan Mille Crepe with Gula Melaka ($7.20) was a hot favourite at our table. I lowered my expectations, considering that Mille Crepe is a difficult dessert to master. However, my fears were unfounded as the Mille Crepe was absolutely delightful. The thin layers of well-cooked crepe carried a fragrant Pandan aroma. The decadent gula melaka sauce drizzled atop the soft mille crepe added smokey caramel and vanilla hints. Dotted with chunky bits of fragrant gula melaka rock sugar crystals, the sauce had a very pleasant texture. To sum it up, the cake essentially tastes like an Ondeh Ondeh explosion in your mouth.

Fans of Lotus’ Speculoos cookie butter will be glad to know Lina’s Cafe has a home-baked Speculoos Cheesecake ($5.80). The rich cheesecake had a smooth and creamy consistency, without being too sweet. With a crumbly, yet moist, crust, and a strong Speculoos taste, this cheesecake was very good.

The savoury food options at Lina’s Cafe are alright, albeit a tad limited. I would, however, return for their cakes. For families with autistic children, I urge you to check out Lina’s Cafe. The owner also shared that during non-peak periods, they sometimes help to care for autistic children, so that parents can dine at ease. For those without autistic family members, why not check out this cafe to show your support too? The dessert options are rather wonderful, and you will be dining for a good cause!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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Noodles? Meats? Sounds typical, but it’s not. The former executive chef of Arteastiq, Firdaus Nasir, has brought Noods & Meats to this quiet part of Yishun. The Muslim-owned stall might be only two months old, but don’t underestimate its menu offerings. There are easily more than 15 delectable dishes to try. It’s a pity we did not get to speak to the chef about the food. So, we’ll let the food speak for him instead.

Out of all the homemade pasta dishes, I ordered the Di Kicap ($9.90) as it’s the only pasta that is more “Asian”. 

I loved the al dente spaghetti. However, it was the sweet sambal sauce that stole my heart. Each strand of spaghetti was thoroughly coated in the mildly viscous sambal sauce, so every bite delivers a fiery blow. Now, I love spicy food so the di kicap is enjoyable. If you can’t take the heat, get ready a cup of teh bing at the side before you dig in. Seated above the spaghetti is a roasted chicken leg. If there’s anything to improve on, it has to be the texture of the chicken, which was too dry. However, the chicken was flavourful, and still tasted pretty good when eaten with the sedap sambal sauce.

They have a range of meats that are smoked in-house here. Each main comes with a complimentary side. We opted for the Bebek Meat ($12.90), which marries both Western and French cooking styles. The sauce is commendable!

Unfortunately, the sauce overshadowed the star of bebek meat – the duck confit. Although I liked that it did not carry that distinct strong taste of duck, it was too dry. Besides the complimentary dish and accompanying greens, you’ll get a beef broth soup as well. Sadly, the soup is too salty. Regardless, the bebek meat is definitely a steal for just $12.90! One more thing, heed our advice and you won’t regret it. Opt for the potato salad as your side when you order the duck confit. Each piece of potato is coated in a savoury mayonnaise mix that is highly addictive.

Noods & Meats is still pretty new so I believe they are still working certain things out. Hence, I’ll definitely be back to give the food another shot! 

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to Noods & Meats. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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We’ve always been a café nation. Whether it’s a weekday tea or Sunday brunch, our first choice is usually, and most probably, a café. Hey, I even have friends who travel all the way to Johor Bahru just to café hop! I love dining at cafes, and it’s great to see that there are more cafes sprouting up in the heartlands.

Fans of Dandelion Café located at Bukit Merah Central would be glad to know that the owners have started a new venture, Carrara Café, which opened late last month.

Apart from the usual dishes such as Mentaiko Prawn Pasta ($14.9) and Truffle Mushroom Pasta ($13.90), they do have interesting options, such as Marmite Fried Chicken & Waffle ($13.90) and Salmon Swiss Rosti ($14.90).

I chose the Salmon Swiss Rosti as I was told that the rostis were made in-house. It came with a sunny side up, a side of salad, and a few slices of smoked salmon. There was nothing to shout about.

The Marmite Fried Chicken & Waffle came with a side of overcooked potato wedges and overdressed salad, but the marmite chicken was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. What blew me away was the waffle. To be honest, I didn’t expect much from the waffle as it looked quite doughy, but the waffle was light, crisp and airy. 

Carrara Café also has a good selection of cakes, such as the Ondeh Ondeh Cake, and a wide variety of gelatos that are churned in-house. Although I didn’t try any of the gelatos, I think they would make a great dessert when paired with the waffles. 

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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Located on the first floor of the same building as Organika, D’ark Café lure throngs of office workers with their delicious coffee. D’ark café is run and managed by Phillip Di Bella who is also the owner of Di Bella Coffee. Phillip is one of Australia’s most well-known philanthropists and entrepreneurs.

If you’re a coffee person (I’m not), then this is a place you have to visit. D’ark is pretty serious when it comes to coffee. Turn your eyes to the coffee section on the menu and you’ll know why. D’ark tells you the country where the beans are from, how they processed it, the acidity, the fragrance, the roast and the body. All the blends featured were customized by Phillip De Bella himself. In total, D’ark offers patrons 4 kinds of single origin beans and 3 types of blends. Pretty elaborate for a cup of joe, if you ask me. If you’re adventurous, you can even get the friendly baristas to assist you in creating your own custom cup of coffee by cherry-picking everything from the beans down to the kind of milk. Pretty intense.

Besides their dedication to coffee, D’ark café also boasts a versatile menu that comprises brunch, dinner, 3-course meals, snacks, and dessert options. The café also has 2 levels so you can decide where you’ll like to sit.

We ordered the English Cocotte (350THB) and Banana Pancakes (240THB) to fill our stomachs. The English Cocotte is an ensemble of cumberland sausage, baked organic free-range egg, baked beans, roasted cherry tomato, eryngii and shimeiji mushrooms. Overall, the ingredients are general crowd pleasers so it’s quite hard to go wrong with this dish. Also, the portion is quite generous, in my opinion. 

The banana pancakes were quite self-explanatory. It’s basically banana pancakes, whipped cream, salted caramel sauce and banana slices arranged beautifully on a plate. The salted caramel sauce comes serves in a separate small saucer. For about 10SGD, you get 3 pancakes with banana slices. The pancakes were quite thick and dense, so you might be disappointed if you’re looking for light fluffy pancakes. I’m more of a waffles guy so this wasn’t really my thing. If you’re a pancake guy or gal, this might be worth running another 2km for.

For drinks, we ordered the Cappucino and Matcha Latte. I liked the latte art on both of the drinks but we weren’t really impressed by the taste and aroma of the beverages though. Perhaps, we should have gone for the more exquisite offerings. 

Tthe café is a great place for those looking for a quiet spot to do some reading. The food wasn’t bad by any means, but it didn’t impress. If you’re looking for a meal, I’ll recommend heading up to Organika on the 6th floor. The prices are somewhat similar, and the view up there is a thousand times better. If you’re looking for a solid cup of coffee, this might just be the place for you. 

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to D’ark Cafe. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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