Good news for the café hoppers in the West. The Kins’ Specialty Coffee has opened at Bijou Condo, which is located directly next to Pasir Panjang MRT.

While the address is directed to a private condominium, the café is located at its public space, so you don’t have to get pass any security gantries.

The layout of The Kins’ is somewhat unique – 2 different units with 2 glass doors leading to both the indoor seating area of the cafe and the kitchen respectively.

With a total of 40 seats In the compound, 15 seats are indoors whereas the remaining 25 seats are outdoors with ample natural lighting.

For Instagrammers, they can choose between the indoor with white minimalist décor, or the outdoor area with some greenery. Choices, choices.

Currently during its soft launch phase, The Kins’ Specialty Coffee has about 18 items on their food menu, ranging from All-Day Brunch ($14 – $22), Mains ($14 – $22), Salad ($6), Sides ($7 – $12), to the one and only dessert, the Kins’ Burnt Cheesecake ($7.50). More on that later.

The selection on the All-Day Brunch is similar to some other cafes elsewhere, though I noted that the price tag is unexpectedly slightly steeper.

You get choices of Big Brekkie ($22), Scrambled Eggs on Croissant with Smoked Duck Shavings ($14), Smashed Avocado with Feta Cheese ($16) and Granola Bowl ($14).

The variety of the Main dishes seem more promising as compared to their All-Day Brunch, such as BBQ Pulled Pork Burger ($18), Beer Battered Fish & Chips ($16) and Gochujang Grilled Chicken ($14).

As I wanted to have something out of the ordinary, I decided to go for the Gochujang Grilled Chicken ($14) served with guacamole, kimchi and fries (not Kimchi fries as stated on their menu).

The chicken thigh was first marinated with Korean chili paste (gochujang) before grilling to provide the smokiness and and more robust flavour.

The meat was tender, but unfortunately a tad salty and lacked the spicy gochujang kick – which is possibly one of the most important component.

The thick-cut fries looked promising, but turned out to be slightly greasy.

The highlight of the meal was definitely their Kins’ Burnt Cheesecake ($7.50), served with a dollop of sweetened whipping cream on its side.

This Basque Burnt Cheesecake may look like a failed product from the kitchen, with a burnt and rough top layer, an under-cooked oozy layer in the middle mixed a fluffy layer of cheesecake at the bottom.

But it really tasted better than it looked.

The Burnt Cheesecake was light on the palate, soft and moist at the same time, which resembled more of a Japanese cheesecake in terms of its texture.

Even though the flavours and texture are quite complex, they blend and complement one another – from the smokiness of the burnt layer to the creamy centre layer with a zesty tinge of lemon and a lightly sweetened layer of cheesecake.

The Kins’ Burnt Cheesecake can be easily consumed within a minute and is definitely worth the calories.

Note that the Kins’ Burnt Cheesecake is not available for takeaway because it will probably end up as a puddle of cream cheese at room temperature.

Having prior experience as a mobile coffee service at various events, The Kins’ serves coffee beans from Single origin: Brazil and a House blend (50% Brazil, 50% Ethiopian) local roastery Two Degree North Coffee Co.

The price is reasonable: Espresso ($3), White ($4.50/ $5/ $5.50), Black ($4.50), Hot Chocolate ($5) and White Cold Brew ($7).

For non- coffee drinkers, Matcha Latte ($6), Hojicha Latte ($6) and Tumeric Latte ($5) are available.

As a matchaholic, I was eager to try out the Matcha Latte, which came with earthy matcha notes and a well-drawn latte art.

The Burnt Cheesecake definitely leaves a deep impression and with further tweaks and adjustment to their mains, I believed this will be the next hipster place in the near future.

So the question is: Will the Burnt Cheesecake be the next “hot” food trend?

The Kins’ Specialty Coffee
2 Jalan Mat Jambol, BIJOU, #01-08/09, Singapore 119554
Opening Hours: 11am – 9pm (Thurs – Tue), Closed Wed
https://www.facebook.com/thekinscafe/

Other Related Entries
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* Written by Nicholas Tan @stormscape who loves all things [NEW]. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

Chir Chir, the famous fried chicken chain originating from Seoul, South Korea, continues to delight trend-crazy fans of Korean-style chicken with its new twists in the menu.

Why Chir Chir?

Pronounced “chi-ruh chi-ruh” (NOT ”cher cher” like how you call your teacher), Chir Chir is playfully named after the bubbling sound that hot oil makes once chicken is dropped into the deep-fryer.

The Korean Fried Chicken restaurant offers over 20 variations of fried and roasted chicken, using only fresh chicken, never frozen ones.

To ensure flavour consistency across all its outlets, all proprietary sauces and marinades are imported from Seoul.

A good starting point is the Signature Fried Chicken available in Crispy, Garlicky, and Spicy. You can enjoy them as whole cuts, just the wings and drumlets, or as boneless tenders.

Note they deep-dry their chicken only upon order. It will take about 8 – 12 minutes before they are ready.

Some of their special highlights include the Nest Snow which features Cajun chicken tenders stacked with melted cheese and whipped cream; and Honey Butter Chicken made with boneless fried chicken mixed with Chir Chir’s proprietary honey butter seasoning and sauce.

Clucking Good Set (Promotion starts 27 May 2019)
Now you can get a set (available at Bugis Junction, JEM and 313@somerset outlets) for only $39.90++. This should fill 2-3 diners (or even 4) up.

The “Clucking Good Set” includes
– 1 choice of Whole Chicken (Crispy/ Garlicky / Spicy / Curry)
– 1 choice of Salad (Mango / Glass Noodles)
– 1 choice of Fries (Curry / Cheesy)

Here are more on the Chir Chir dishes to try when you meet up with family or friends:

Crispy Fried Chicken
Every fried chicken is unique and Chir Chir’s house seasoning makes this dish tastes like no other.

For 6 hours the fresh chicken is marinated in a special blend, then battered and deep-fried until it is worthy to be called Crispy Fried Chicken.

The meat remains succulent and flavourful not only on the skin, but all the way to the bone.

If you are a first-timer to Chir Chir, I would recommend getting this (or maybe the Curry). Enjoy the crunch with its accompanying salsa and honey mustard sauce.

Garlicky Chicken
Even from afar, you can’t miss this dish for its ultra-fragrant garlic aroma.

This fried chicken is swaddled in a house-made soy-based sauce, infused with biting flavours from the minced garlic and fried garlic cloves. Lip-smacking good.

Spicy Chicken
If you love a good, spicy meal, Chir Chir’s Spicy Chicken should interest you.

These crunchy chicken pieces, are slathered with a sticky spicy chilli sauce with a hint of sweetness, then topped with nutty almond flakes.

This was not as spicy as I imagined, but on the third piece or so, you may just feel the heat settling in.

And if it they’re not spicy enough for you, there’s always a way to level up.

Curry Fried Chicken
Fresh cuts of chicken are coated in Chir Chir’s signature crunchy batter and deep-fried. What follows is tossing the crunchy and juicy chunks of fried chicken in a liberal dose of curry powder.

This addictive powder enhances the overall flavour, with the outer later tasting sweet, salty and spicy. (Upon the first bite, I thought it reminded me of … Twisties, the curry flavoured packet.)

Though the chicken is not considered spicy at all, it still is quite tasty. Recommended for sharing for friends.

Mango Salad
Indulged in too much chicken? Cleanse your taste buds with this Mango Salad, a refreshing mix of lettuce, cherry tomatoes, olives, and of course, the star of this salad – loads of juicy, ripe mango cubes.

Toss them altogether in the tangy yoghurt sauce complemented with a sprinkling of berry fresh blueberries.

Glass Noodle Salad
Oh, this was actually originally from the Chir Chir Thailand menu.

This is a Korean-Thai fusion salad, made with Korean glass noodles as the base, with a sweet-sour-spicy Thai style dressing topped with seafood of prawns and squid.

Curry Fries
You can’t stop nibbling on potato fries, and adding some curry powder won’t help. If you’re a fan of all things curry, these fries are worth trying.

Warning: not quite possible to stop at just a few.

Chir Cheese Fries
These potato batonnet fries are topped with an organised delicious mess of finely shredded cheese, sliced black olives, and chopped tomatoes.

It is your next-level fries, a balance of good and evil, served with a few pieces of fresh, crunchy celery sticks on the side and a serving of tartar dressing.

So whether you are one of the younger ones or young once, go ahead and give in to experience fun chimaek dining.

At $39.90++ for a Whole Chicken, Fries and Salad (Is this considered a balanced diet?), this is quite a good deal to leave you satisfied.

Chir Chir – JEM
#04-13/14 JEM, 50 Jurong Gateway Road Singapore 608549
Tel: +65 6262 6171
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm Last orders at 9.30pm (Sun – Thu)
11am – 11pm Last orders 10.30pm (Fri – Sat)
https://www.facebook.com/ChirChirSingapore

Chir Chir – 313@somerset
#B3-04/05/06 313@somerset, 313 Orchard Road Singapore 238895
Tel: +65 6509 8364
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm Last orders at 9.30pm (Sun – Thu)
11am – 11pm Last orders 10.30pm (Fri – Sat)

Chir Chir – Bugis Junction
#02-50 Bugis Junction, 200 Victoria Street Singapore 188021
Tel: +65 251 0598
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm Last orders 9.30pm (Sun – Thu)
11am – 11pm Last orders 10.30pm (Fri – Sat)

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Chir Chir.

My friends called the “food trinity” of Jewel Changi Airport – Shake Shack,
Burger & Lobster, and A&W.

I finally made it a point to queue and dine at all 3 restaurants, to experience if it was all worth it.

The tip is, to head slightly before opening hours during weekday morning (that’s if you are on leave.)

Despite some social media posts saying lines have dwindled down (it is true the queues have gone down), there is still a sizable crowd of diners waiting.

A&W made its return to Singapore at B2-209 of Jewel Changi Airport after a long hiatus of 16 years, attracting 2-3 hours’ queue during the opening weeks.

Of course there were people who quipped, “Go JB buy come back also faster.”

Customers complained of extreme waiting time and slow service, after which operations and menu were tweaked.

From 3am to 7am, only takeaway drinks are available. From 7:01am to 11:00am, a “breakfast menu” of limited popular items such as the Coney Dog and Root Beer Float is available.

Founded in 1919, A&W stands for Allen & Wright – the two founders of an iconic American brand.

While I wasn’t that much of an A&W fan during my youth days (I was usually more a Macs or KFC student back then), I fondly remember the Root Beer Float and iconic A&W Boathouse at Sentosa.

Surprisingly, I headed to Jewel seeing about 20+ pax in the queue, even though I went during a weekend morning.

It ended up to be a 30 minutes’ wait or so. Operations seem to have ironed out more smoothly.

If you are curious what to order, the classics includes the Made Fresh A&W Root Beer ($2.90) and Root Beer Float ($3.50) served in the signature ice-cold frosty mug, Chicken or Beef Coney Dog ($5.20) and Curly Fries ($3.60).

Also making its comeback is the dessert favourite of Waffle ($7.90) with choice of butter & syrup or ice cream.

The menu also includes bestsellers from other A&W Restaurants in the region and beyond, such as the Chicken or Beef Coney Cheese Fries (S$4.90) from the USA, Golden Aroma Chicken (from $3.20) from Indonesia, Cream Cheese Chicken or Beef Burgers ($7.90) inspired from Okinawa, as well as the Waffle Sundae ($4.90) from Thailand.

If there is only one thing you must get, I guess it would be the A&W Root Beer.

It is different from if say, you buy a can and chill the drink at home. The Root Beer is freshly made in-store daily, made from a secret blend of spices, cane sugar and water, and actually caffeine free,

Serving it in an ice-cold frosty mug makes all that difference.

Having the drink again really was about that special moment when you suddenly remember your childhood days.

If you never had this drink in the past, then maybe it would just be another ordinary beverage.

Despite not very positive reviews online, the Golden Aroma Chicken ($8.90 with set of curly fries and Root Beer) worked well for me – good contrast of crispy batter with a crunch, moist and flavourful meat.

If only there was a spicy version.

As for the Coney Dog of hotdog topped with minced beef and freshly chopped onions wrapped in a soft bun, it was almost how I remembered it to taste like.

Again, if this is totally foreign to you, then you probably won’t get the fuss at all. There are probably better hotdogs elsewhere, and I wished there was more sauce.

The Waffle with ice cream had that ‘old school’ taste – sensed that touch of saltiness there.

But as we are ‘spoilt’ by those crisp and fluffy buttermilk waffles sold in hipster cafes, this may appear to be inferior as it was soggy without a really full-scoop of ice cream.

Our conclusion was, A&W is a place to remember that nostalgic taste and cool down with a Root Beer Float, but probably won’t be that enthusiastic to queue up so long in line for it.

A&W Restaurants Singapore
Jewel Changi Airport #B2-209, 78 Airport Blvd, Singapore 819666
Opening Hours: 24 Hours (Mon – Sun) (3 – 7am: Takeaway drinks only)

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Jewel Changi Airport Food Guide
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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

When you talk about the best Bak Chor Mee in Singapore, the usual suspects such as Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles at Crawford Lane, High Street Tai Wah Pork Noodle at Hong Lim Food Centre, Macpherson Minced Meat Noodle, Lai Heng Mushroom Minced Meat Noodles at Toa Payoh, and Seng Kee Bak Chor Mee at Serangoon Garden Way, may come to mind.

I noted that Ah Seng Bak Chor Mee 亚成潮州肉脞面 located at Albert Centre Market & Food Centre (opposite Bugis Plus) was listed in the Singapore’s Michelin Guide with a “Michelin Plate”.

This pipped my curiosity as I never seem to hear this stall being talked about. Even if I head to that food centre, it is usually for Bai Nian Niang Dou Fu or Hock Lee Fishball Noodles.

Located closest to Bugis MRT station, this hawker stall is founded by a simple factor worker-turned noodle seller, Ah Seng.

His father’s friend, who ran a popular Bak Chor Mee stall at Chinatown Complex, taught him all about BCM-cooking.

Turned out, his version was way different from his mentor’s, as it comes with mee pok that’s softer and thinner than most Bak Chor Mee stalls.

This helps as he could cater to the many seniors who frequent this food centre, and prefer their noodles softer.

Ah Seng serves affordable bowls of Bak Chor Mee, starting at $3. The Fish Ball Kway Teow available in dry or soup versions, is priced only at $2.50 onwards.

Prices are kept low so more customers can afford and eat his food.

The $3.00 portion (add $1 for meatballs) comes with assorted meat balls and fish cake, as well as generous amounts of noodles, minced meat and stewed mushrooms.

As earlier mentioned, the mee pok was cooked to a softer consistency, but still quite springy.

For the condiment, the sambal is paired with some black vinegar and stewed mushroom sauce. What’s nice about their sambal, though mildly spicy, was it being flavourful – you can even taste a subtle nuttiness in it.

However, if you compare this to the more prominent stalls, you may find the sauce light on the vinegar and not as rich overall, which some people may not fancy.

Also, during a return visit, I noted that I didn’t get those braised sliced mushrooms.

Here, two types of meatballs are served. The regular fish balls and pork balls supplied by his mentor, and a special in-house meatball made with a mix of fish and meat.

With a ratio that leans more on the fish, the spongy meat balls have a Teochew fish cake-like texture. The pork flavour wasn’t drowned out at all, as it was even enhanced with bits of pork fat added to the mix.

Appearance wise, they look lumpy as they are intentionally not kneaded too finely.

While I thought the sauce and soup might not stand out that much, the special item in the whole bowl was indeed those meat balls.

Ah Seng Bak Chor Mee 亚成潮州肉脞面
270 Queen Street, #01-77 Albert Centre Market & Food Centre, Singapore 180270
Tel: +65 8399 0220
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 5pm, (Mon – Fri, Sun), Closed Sat

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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

This is another ‘famous’ stall that probably went quite under-the-radar.

Singapore’s most known Rojak stalls probably includes Balestier Road Hoover Rojak at Whampoa, Rojak, Popiah & Cockle at Maxwell Food Centre, Brothers Rojak at Clementi, and Lau Hong Ser Rojak at Onan Road.

Aside from its proximity to Bugis Plus and Bugis Junction, Albert Centre Market & Food Centre is located in a heritage district, making it a very attractive destination among locals and tourists.

Bai Nian Niang Dou Fu, Hock Lee Fishball Noodles, Angel Horse Teochew Fish Soup, Guan Kee Black Carrot Cake, and Siraj Famous Waterloo St Indian Rojak are some of the more-known hawker stalls there.

One of its stalls serves the so-called “Singapore Famous Rojak”, and is run by the second generation of the family.

Rojak is an Asian-style ‘salad’ of chopped fruits and vegetables, peanuts, bean curd, and fried dough fritters in a dark sweet thick dressing.

While different versions of rojak abound, the Singapore Famous Rojak ($3, $4) doesn’t have too much of that dark prawn paste sauce.

Their special home-made sauce is on the sweet side and not too thick, just adequate to coat the cut-up pineapple, cucumber, turnip, bean sprouts, and tau pok.

Just before serving, the hawker sprinkles a handful of roughly crushed roasted peanuts to the rojak.

Unlike other versions with finely ground peanuts, this one adds a nice textural crunch to the overall dish.

The accompanying deep-fried youtiao is more chewy than crispy, which some may find delightful while others would frown upon.

While it was not as rich and fragrant (pungent) as the prawn paste takes on a secondary role, I enjoyed how the flavours come together rather well-balanced.

The spiciness was more pronounced than usual, gentling coating every piece that would give that slight shiokness, especially with pineapples.

The crunch and complex sweet-spicy flavours make this a worthy Rojak to try out.

Singapore Famous Rojak
270 Queen Street #01-45 Albert Centre Market & Food Centre, Singapore 180270
Opening Hours: 12pm – 8:30pm (Mon – Sun)

Other Related Entries
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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

Paya Lebar Square is conveniently located right next to Paya Lebar MRT station, and you may be wondering about the restaurants and cafes available there.

Some of the more unique food places there include Charcoal-Grill & Salad Bar Keisuke which features charcoal grill dishes with FREE FLOW salad bar; Chicken Run which specialises in chicken stew hotpots; and Delibowl which specialises in Sichuan casual meals.

The first flagship restaurant of popular vegetarian restaurant Greendot; and the first outlet of Korean sandwich shop Egg Stop can be found at the mall as well.

Hungry for more? Here are 10 restaurants and cafes you can find at Paya Lebar Square:

Ginza Tendon Itsuki
Paya Lebar Square #01-02/03
Tel: +65 6214 3345
Opening Hours: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm-10pm (Mon – Sun)

Delightful Japanese Tendon overflowing with fried tempura
Ginza Tendon Itsuki (Paya Lebar) is Ramen Keisuke’s 18th outlet and Keisuke’s Singapore second Tendon Itsuki outlet.

It is also one of the three Keisuke-branded outlets located at Paya Lebar Square, the other two outlets being Tonkotsu King and Charcoal-Grill and Salad Bar Keisuke.

At Ginza Tendon Itsuki, you can look forward to Keisuke’s authentic Japanese tendon creations crafted using the freshest ingredients. Tendon aka Tempura Rice Bowl, is often regarded as delightful one-bowl soul food meals for many Japanese around the world especially during summer.

Filled to the brim, the tendon is overflowing with fried ingredients topped on rice. The ingredients are coated in a light batter and are only deep-fried upon order, so you get them hot and crispy outside and succulent inside.

Try the Vegetable Tendon ($12.90) with a medley of Pumpkin, Shiitake Mushroom, Lotus Root, Eggplant and 4 pieces of vegetable tempura; or go for the Special Tendon ($13.90) which comes with 2 pieces of Chicken, 2 pieces of Prawn, 4 pieces of Vegetables, and Half-Boiled Egg.

For the ultimate tendon bowl which is exclusive to Paya Lebar Square’s outlet, order the Deluxe Tendon ($19.90) featuring more premium ingredients like Snow Crab, Prawn, Conger, Squid, 4 pieces of Vegetable Tempura, and Half-Boiled Egg.

Each tendon set is served with miso soup and Chawanmushi (steamed egg), which is value for your money.

Charcoal-Grill & Salad Bar Keisuke
Paya Lebar Square #B1-16
Tel: +65 6241 8588
Opening Hours: 11.30am – 2:30pm, 5.30pm – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

Grilled food concept with all-you-can-eat salad bar
Charcoal-Grill & Salad Bar Kaisuke is a new dining concept by Keisuke Takeda, offering slow-grilled meat items and features an all-you-can-eat salad bar.

What’s special here is the use of sumiyaki (charcoal grill), a cooking method similar to barbecue but more of a slow-grilling over hot charcoals.

The result? Consistently tender and succulent meats. The restaurant uses only Japan-sourced bincho-tan or Japanese white charcoal as it burns cleanly with a high steady heat.

At the core of its menu are traditional fish dishes enjoyed by the Japanese – Mackerel, Salmon, Yellow Tail and Black Cod.

You’ll get to choose from various gozen (Japanese set meal) which comes with the traditional miso soup and onsen egg. For each gozen, there’s also a serving of Japanese rice freshly cooked in a small iron pot.

Some of the signatures include Charcoal Grilled Teriyaki Yellowtail Set ($21.90), Charcoal Grilled Miso Marinated Black Cod Set ($21.90), Charcoal Grilled Dried Atka Mackerel Set ($14.90), Charcoal Grilled Salmon Set ($14.90), Charcoal Grilled Salmon Belly Set ($16.90), and Charcoal Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Set ($10.90).

I will recommend the Miso Marinated Black Cod Set which is wonderfully buttery and fresh, or the Teriyaki Chicken which is a steal at $10.90 for all that you will be getting.

Remember to head for the free-flow salad bar which boasts of more than 30 types of Japanese osousai (side dishes) from potato salad to Keisuke’s famous beansprouts.

Lotus Thai Restaurant
Paya Lebar Square #02-13/14/K1
Tel: +65 6386 7228
Opening Hours: 11am – 9:30pm (Mon – Sun)

Authentic and affordable Thai fare
Lotus Thai Restaurant is known for its authentic Thai fare cooked up by Thai chefs. Its signature dish is the Fried Seabass or Garouper with “2 faces” – half mango salad and half special Thai chilli sauce.

If you are the type who wants a “sampler” type of meal, this is an excellent choice as you can try 2 flavours in one dish. Plus, this has a range of tasting notes from sweet, mildly salty, sour to spicy.

Recommended dishes include Thai-style Fried Whole Garouper with Thai Chilli Sauce ($28++), with the fish sporting a wonderfully crisp skin and a tender flesh underneath, Steamed Seabass with Lemon Sauce ($28++), Thai-style Stewed Prawn with Vermicelli in Claypot ($18++), Curry Prawns ($12.80++), Thai Stuffed Chicken Wings ($9.80++), and Prawn Roll Lemongrass ($10.80++).

Lotus Thai implements a No Pork and No Lard policy in creating its menu catering to the Malay community. Recognising that its location has a strong presence of vegetarians, you will also find a number of vegetarian options here that are still authentically Thai.

Chicken Run 跑跑鸡
Paya Lebar Square #02-18/19/20
Tel: +65 6702 1373
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

Comforting chicken claypot dishes
Chicken Run is a good place for a get-together with family and friends over home-style comfort food.

Why Chicken Run? It’s literally chickens running away from the owners for their lives. During their childhood years living in a kampong, the owners as kids would chase and catch the free-range chickens for their family meal.

It specialises in chicken stew hotpot, including its signature items Chicken Hotpot ($9.90), Chicken Laksa Hotpot ($10.90), the \sour and spicy Fish Hotpot ($10.90), and the reasonably portioned Beef Hotpot ($18.90). They also serve a vegetarian Mushroom Hotpot ($9.90) as an alternative to non-meat diners.

Your order comes with a free flow of soup for non-stop hotpot enjoyment.

Add-ons (starts at $1.90) are available such as vegetables, mushrooms, sliced beef, prawns, noodles, etc. Feel free to browse what’s available in their display fridge and hand pick your choices. To maintain quality, chicken, prawns, and vegetables are delivered fresh daily to the restaurant.

The home-grown dish Chicken Hotpot is made using a family recipe handed down through generations. Each pot is prepared individually, and starts with fresh chicken marinated for hours, then stir-fried in garlic, onion, ginger, dry chili, and herbs. It is then stewed in chicken stock and home-made sauces in a claypot over a fire.

The flavourful, thick broth goes well with plain rice. Spiciness level can be adjusted to your liking. Go non-spicy or go extreme and request for the spiciest level.

Other must-try dishes include Egg Fried Rice with Chicken Chop/Pork Chop ($9.80), Homemade Wu Xiang ($6.90), and Laksa Noodle with Prawn ($6.50).

Kei Kaisendon
Paya Lebar Square #01-84
Tel: +65 68449915
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10:00pm (Mon – Sun)

Japanese rice bowls topped with fresh sashimi
In the mood for fresh sashimi? Kei Kaisendon is the place for you, a Kaisendon specialty restaurant serving rice bowls topped with fresh sashimi imported straight from the seas of Japan.

Each bowl of Japanese white rice is brimming with a wide variety of sashimi, and a mixture of toppings and seasonings.

Highly recommended is the Kei Signature Kaisendon ($12.90, $16.90, $19.90) which comes with salad or rice or a mixture of both.

Maximise your Kei Kaisendon dining experience by exploring the 4 different ways of eating the Kei Kaisendon Signature Bowl.

First, savour the taste of signature Kaisendon with fresh sashimi and a little bit of shoyu and wasabi. Next, you can combine a dollop of mayonnaise and chili powder on a sauce and blend the mixture into the rice bowl. Enjoy the spicy creamy rice. Once you finish your Kaisendon halfway, pour the special Sakura chicken soup into the remaining ingredients and enjoy the mixture as a porridge – this is the 3rd way. Finally, the fourth way is to take some nori seaweed to wrap a spoonful of rice and sashimi into hand rolls. Four ways to Kaisendon bliss.

For your main dish, you can also try the Unagi Kaisendon Set ($19.90), Salmon Kaisendon Set ($18.90), or Mentaiyaki Kaisendon Set ($17.90).

Complete your meal by adding $3.00 (salad + soup + hot tea) or $6.00 (salad + soup + 3 pieces salmon slices + hot tea).

Delibowl
Paya Lebar Square #01-77
Tel: +65 9382 5685
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 10:00pm (Mon – Sun)

Delicious Mapo Tofu found in casual Chinese ‘fast-food’ restaurant
From the same owners of Nuodle, a popular hand-pulled noodle stall, comes Delibowl, an eatery where you can savour traditional Chinese food in a fastfood-like setup.

The concept of Delibowl takes inspiration from the eight culinary traditions of China and presents itself as “One Bowl To Satisfy”. It seeks to reinvent the way Chinese food is created and enjoyed, using only the freshest and finest quality ingredients.

Drop by for lunch or dinner and try their signature dishes, including Stir-Fried Tofu in Hot Sauce ($6.85), a classic Sichuan dish and a top favourite at Delibowl. It has chunks of soft tofu and minced meat, combined with a spicy sauce of fermented bean, chili oil and Sichuan peppercorn. This aromatic and numbingly hot and spicy dish is aching for some steamed rice on the side.

Simply add $3.00 to upgrade your Mapo Tofu to a lunch set, which includes 1 main, a side dish and soup.

Other signature dishes are Double-Cooked Marinated Beef Slices ($7.85), Fried Egg with Green Pepper ($6.85), Stewed Beef Brisket with Tomato ($7.85), Steamed Chicken with Chili Sauce ($7.85), and Spicy Popcorn Chicken ($7.85).

All orders come with a bowl of freshly cooked white rice, a much-needed accompaniment. Depending on the crop quality each year, Delibowl imports high-quality rice grains such as Chinese Wuchang rice, Japanese pearl rice, and Thai fragrant rice.

To cater to the Muslim community, Delibowl offers Muslim-friendly Chinese delicacies. All ingredients are already Halal-compliant but Halal certification is still in progress.

Kay Lee Roast Meat
Paya Lebar Square #B1-10
Tel: +65 6655 0302
Opening Hours: 9:30 am – 9pm (Mon – Sun)

For caramelised Char Siew and signature Roast Ruck
Kay Lee is a famous Singapore roast meat stall operating since 1940 and specialises in Guangzhou-style roast meats.

They made a name for themselves through their signature items Dark Char Siew and Roast Chicken. Don’t forget to drench some sauces over your rice or meats.

For this outlet at Paya Lebar Square, they are introducing two new dishes: Braised Duck Rice + Lime Juice ($6.00) and Curry Chicken + Rice + Lime Juice ($6.00). For the month of June, you can get any of these two for the promotional price of $5.00 which is a really good deal.

A couple of their regular food items are also offered for a special price of $5.00 this June, such as the Roast Chicken + Vegetables + Chicken Rice + Water Chestnut Juice ($6.50) and the Dark Char Siew Rice + Ice Lemon Tea ($6.50).

Aside from these, you can still get their standard items like roast pork, roast duck and roast chicken, which comes with either rice or noodles. Choose from bestsellers Roast Pork Rice/Noodle ($4.50/$5.00), Roasted Duck Rice/Noodle ($4.50/$5.00), and Roast Chicken/Noodle ($3.50/$4.00).

The Dark Char Siew Rice/Noodle ($4.50/$5.00) is not to be missed at Kay Lee.

As additional dishes with your rice or noodles, you can add some vegetables, Double-Boiled Soup ($5.00), and Wanton/Dumpling Noodle ($3.50/$5.00).

5 Little Bears
Paya Lebar Square #B1-09
Tel: +65 6702 1098
Opening Hours: 11.30am – 9.30pm (Mon – Sun)

Reasonably-priced Taiwanese meals and snacks
The genesis of this cuddly named shop is a Taiwanese immigrant who relocated to Singapore with his family. Back then, while the family did find Taiwanese food in Singapore, they still missed the authentic taste of their home. The “Big Bear”, the head of the family with 5 children, began to set up 5 Little Bears to bring authentic Taiwanese street food to Singapore.

Recommended item is the Braised Pork Rice aka Lu Rou Fan ($5.00), made with pork belly cubes simmered in Taiwanese soy sauce and spices.

The pork has a well-balanced ratio of fat and lean meat making this traditional Taiwanese Lu Rou Fan full of flavour but not oily.

Another pork dish to try is the Pork Chop Bento ($7.50), a deep-fried battered boneless pork chop that’s crisp on the edges yet still juicy inside.

Those who prefer chicken meat is in for a treat. They have the extra-large Chicken Chop ($4.80) to soothe your huge crunchy chicken cravings.

5 Little Bears not only offers deep-fried items but also soupy ones to slurp on the side. Try their Taiwanese-style Beef Noodle ($8.50) or the Oyster Mee Sua ($4.50) which comes with fresh, plump pieces of oysters to contrast with crunchy fried items.

CRAVE
Paya Lebar Square #B1-45
Tel: +65 6252 1322
Opening Hours: 10am – 9:30am (Mon – Sun)

Famous Nasi Lemak and Teh Tarik
CRAVE brings together two renowned brands in Singapore’s hawker food scene: Selera Rasa’s Nasi Lemak and Rafee’s Corner famous Teh Tarik.

Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak is also known as Adam Road Nasi Lemak because of its location. It is one of the most popular go-to places in Singapore for a good plate of this Malay rice dish, made of long-grained Basmati rice cooked in coconut milk.

Rafee’s Corner, on the other hand, is better known as Amoy Street Teh Tarik.

Visit CRAVE’s latest outlet and don’t miss the Nasi Lemak with Chicken Wing ($5.90). While the Nasi Lemak is the star of this dish, the crunchy chicken wings are just as delicious. What makes the chicken wings really flavourful is marinating them overnight in a specially prepared home-made marinade with traditional Asian spices.

And you cannot not scoop the accompanying dollop of sambal chili on the side, prepared with a mix of Indian and Japanese chilies but more sweet-savoury than it is too spicy.

Upgrade your nasi lemak by getting the Nasi Lemak Royale ($7.90) which includes not only the chicken wing but also a bergedil (Malay fried potato patty), fried fish, and spicy otah.

Add a hot cup of Teh Tarik ($2.00) to complete your dining experience. This fragrant and smooth cup of tea is a unique mixture of different types of tea dust. You get that strong tea taste and distinct floral aroma without being overly bitter not overwhelmingly sweet.

Ah Long Pancake & Popiah
Paya Lebar Square #01-48
Tel: +65 9018 0516
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

Freshly made pancakes and popiah
If you are craving for a savoury snack, go to Ah Long’s stall and order any of its pancake and popiah offerings.

They are popular for their specialty Min Chiang Kueh, a traditional snack item using a special in-house dough recipe, which they serve with egg.

All pancakes are freshly made on the spot upon order, so you get them nice and hot. Ah Long has tweaked tradition a bit and innovated by adding different savoury fillings.

The menu features 9 combinations. If you want some heat in the pancake, go for the Sambal Chili + Carrot + Egg ($2.00). For fish fans, try the Tuna + Egg ($2.80) which comes with a generous topping of tuna flakes. If you want something with chicken, they have Chicken Floss + Cheese + Egg ($3.00). Or try the Chicken Hot Dog or Chicken Ham versions ($2.50).

For non-meat options, you may like the Peanut + Corn + Egg ($2.00) combo for it crunchy-creamy textures.

For the popiah side, the Traditional Popiah ($1.80) is a must-try for first-timers, good as a teatime snack. For the “advanced”, order the Chicken Floss Salad Popiah ($2.50), a dressed-up version of the traditional popiah.

Paya Lebar Square F&B Outlets
5 Little Bears (B1-09)
Ah Long Pancake (01-48)
Ah Mah Homemade Cake (B1-46)
Bee Cheng Hiang (B1-07)
Burger King (01-37/38/39/40/41/42/43)
Cantine (B1-51)
Charcoal-Grill & Salad Bar Keisuke (B1-16)
Chicken Run (02-18/19/20/K4)
Crave Nasi Lemak (B1-45)
Crystal Jade My Bread (01-30)
Delibowl (01-77/80)
Duke Bakery (B1-28)
Eatzi Gourmet Bistro (B1-15)
Four Leaves (B1-18)
Fruitbox (B1-47)
Fun Tea (01-01)
Gado & Grill (B1-08)
Ginza Tendon Itsuki (01-02/03)
Greendot (02-15/16/17/K2/K3)
HoneyWorld (01-32)
House of Teochew (B1-06)
iTea (01-50)
J CO Donuts & Coffee (01-78/79/K2)
Jollibee (01-05/06/07)
Ju Hao (B1-29/30/31)
Kajiken (01-86)
Kay Lee Roast Meat Joint (B1-10)
KEI Kaisendon (01-84)
Kraftwich by Swissbake / The Soup Spoon (01-09/10/11)
Lotus Thai (02-13/14/K1)
Madura’s (01-08)
McDonald’s (01-68/69/74/75/76/K3)
MOS Burger (01-72/73/K4/K5)
Mr Youtiao (01-85)
Nine Fresh Desserts Taiwan (01-49)
Old Chang Kee (01-47)
Pezzo/Stuff’d (01-61)
Pontian Wanton Noodles (01-88)
Ramen Keisuke (01-04)
Sakae Sushi (B1-19)
Toast Box (01-89/90/K1)
Tok Tok Indonesian Soup House (01-71)
Wok Hey / Egg Stop (01-62)
Ya Kun Kaya Toast (01-87)

Paya Lebar Square
60 Paya Lebar Road Singapore 409051

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Paya Lebar Square.

Tamoya Udon at Liang Court is known to serve one of the best udon available in Singapore.

Always keeping it fresh with exciting new flavours, the udon eatery has launched 2 new seasonal dishes – Tonkotsu Udon and Tonjiru Udon.

Founded in 1996 in Kagawa prefecture, Tamoya’s udon propelled to fame after it won the “Best Udon Maker of Kagawa Prefecture” in a television champion show in Japan.

Its udon dishes are handmade on site with ingredients imported from Japan, from flour to shoyu to bonito.

The noodles blend 3 types of different flour, and will change their combination ration by the seasons depending on the temperature and humidity.

Therefore, you would find it having more bite and chewiness unlike some others who can be soggy or just plain rubbery.

Tonkotsu Udon ($10.80)
While you always hear Tonkotsu going with ramen, this features Tamoya’s signature springy udon noodles with rich and creamy tonkotsu soup boiled for long period of time.

On the surface of the soup is house-made black garlic oil (aka ma-yu), which lends the broth a distinct fragrance and more complex blend of flavours. This accentuate the depth of tonkotsu soup, adding an earthy savouriness.

Added with pork char siu, bamboo shoots and ajitama egg.

Tonjiru Udon ($10.20)
Tonjiru literally meaning “pork (ton) soup (jiru)”, is a classic miso dish which is popular during winter/spring seasons. The bowl comes with slowly-stewed slices of Tamoya’s signature pork mixed with vegetables and onsen tamago.

The soup base is made of red miso soup broth, which has a deeper umami flavour and intricately balanced flavors for a more authentic Japanese taste.

The other plus point is that most of the udon items are $10.80 or below, inclusive of GST, and the eatery waives off the additional service charge.

Tamoya Udon Singapore たも屋うどん-シンガポール
177 River Valley Road, Liang Court Shopping Centre, #01-32, Singapore 179030
Opening Hours: 11:00am – 9:30pm (Mon – Sun)

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Tamoya Udon Singapore.

There are many facades to Indonesian dining due to the diversity of its cultures, and it stretches beyond the Nasi Goreng, Satay, Beef Rendang and Oxtail Soup we are more accustomed with.

Sama Sama by Tok-Tok at Jewel Changi Airport brings about quite a diverse range of Indonesia’s home-style comfort food in a modern yet cosy setting.

From the restaurant you can have a view of the Rain Vortex.

In the Indonesian language, Sama Sama means “you’re welcome”.

The name reflects that joyful spirit of togetherness, making this a good venue not just for solo dining but for group meals with family and friends.

Created by the same team behind Tok Tok Indonesian Soup House, you get a menu of authentic yet somewhat unfamiliar Indonesian dishes, which recipes are collected from all around Nusantara (the archipelago of Indonesia).

I did spend a while flipping through its menu (which came without photos but there is a QR code that leads you to them), many of the dishes come with longer descriptions and even explanations of its origins.

There is this learning process involved which I found rather enriching for a foodie.

Engage yourself and your taste buds in this unique Sama Sama experience with these recommended dishes, steeped in history and tradition.

Ayam Bakar Taliwang ($29)
This to me is the highlight. Order the Ayam Bakar Taliwang, a spicy dish that gives you a hefty 500g of whole chicken.

This dish, a culinary icon of Lombok, hailed from Karang Taliwang, a village nestled in Lombok’s capital city Mataram. Its recipe is said to have originated from the nobilities of the Sasak people who live on Lombok Island.

Its signature marinating process is done Lombok-style where the whole chicken is spiced with freshly pounded black peppercorns and purified sea salt.

Once well-seasoned, the chicken is grilled whole until fork-tender juicy. It is best paired with Plecing Kangkung, a steamed water spinach side dish topped with tomato chili sambal.

Aside from the chicken, expect a medley of sides including vegetables like farm-fresh cucumber, tomatoes, long beans, and kemangi or lemon basil, a hybrid of basil and American basil.

Tip: You can also top-up to add some exclusive house-made sambal (available at $4 per portion), including Sambal Embe, Sambal Matah, Sambal Daun Jeruk, and Sambal Goreng Terasi to your meats for a more authentic-fiery dining experience.

Sambal Embe is Balinese style red shallots chili salsa with coconut oil, while Sambal Goreng Terasi uses lemongrass and kaffir lime. (Did you know that Nusantara’s multi-ethnic cultures offers as many as 300 varieties of sambals?!)

As the meat is grilled about order, allow 20 minutes more or less for the preparation time.

Sate Padang ($21 for 6 sticks)
Named after Padang City in West Sumatra, Sate Padang is a skewered meat dish prepared according to the grilling traditions in Padang.

The meats are premium beef which have been marinated overnight in a Sumatran-flavoured marinade with 19 different type of spices.

To further enhance the flavours, the grilled skewers are topped with an aromatic curry sauce that’s both authentic and creamy. An order of 10 sticks comes with Indonesian rice cakes and rind crackers served on the side.

I do think that this is a dish that you should find intriguing due to its complex flavours.

Sate Kambing Betawi ($24 for 10 sticks)
Similar to Sate Padang, Sate Kambing Betawi is also a skewered meat dish but grilled this time to the traditions of the Betawi people.

The Betawis are the inhabitants of the Dutch colonial port city Betavia, now known as modern day Jakarta.

Instead of beef, this main uses premium lamb meat likewise marinated overnight in the multi-spiced Indonesian-style marinade.

It’s interesting how this special mix represents the harmonious blend of cultural and culinary influences from Chinese, Malay, Sundanese, Javanese, Arabic, and European settlers back in the 17th century.

Think about that as you bite into each flavourful piece of meat. It has quite a lean (as you do not get much of the fats) yet tender bite.

Accompanying your lamb skewers are house-made Sambal Kecap, a spice mixture commonly served with satays instead of or alongside the usual peanut sauce. Cleanse your palate with the fresh-cut sweet and crunchy cucumber pickles.

Kakap Merah Bakar Jimbaran ($39)
This seafood main dish boasts of the freshest catch of Red Snapper. To maximize its fresh flavour, the whole 500g fish is prepared grilled Jimbaran-style with traditional house-made Balinese shrimp paste and Javanese sweet soy sauce.

Kakap Merah Bakar Jimbaran is one of the most-loved seaside delicacies native to the fishing village of Jimbaran, Bali. If you are a frequent visitor to Bali, you should have come across this dish.

Generations after generations, the recipe for this dish has been passed down from one fisherman family to another. And that’s why you can enjoy this age-old dish today, accompanied with farm-fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, long beans, and kemangi.

The fish was fresh and moist, but to me the best part was when we slathered it with some of those must-have house-made sambal. The sambal is made from a combination of Sambal Embe, Sambal Matah and Sambal Nasi Bali.

Like the Ayam Bakar Taliwang, expect this dish prepared in more or less 20 minutes.

Gado Gado ($15)
Gado-Gado, which literally means “mix-mix”, is a popular Indonesian salad that originated from the island of Java, which is what many local diners would be accustomed to.

It is so prevalent that it was nominated as one of the five national dishes of Indonesia.

However here at Sama Sama, this dish is served with a “performance” as the staff pushes out a trolley and prepares it right in front of you.

It wasn’t just done in a minute or two, as makcik shows from the first step how the chilli padi is pounded. At this stage, you can choose how many chillies to be thrown in to determine the overall spiciness.

You will appreciate how the ingredients are tossed and mixed in a special house-made sauce. The sauce is made from scratch with freshly pounded peanuts and cashew mixed with spices and flavourings.

Addictive to munch on the Gado Gao with its delicious creamy sauce, along with the deep-fried crunchy garlic crackers on the side and a whole boiled egg.

Rawon Surabaya ($17)
Rawon Surabaya is a signature dish prepared the way they do in Surabaya, the second largest city in Indonesia.

Rawon, or Rawaran in Old Javanese, is known to be one of the oldest dishes in Nusantara, dating back to the 10th century during the Kingdom of Mataram’s reign.

This is a hearty beef soup that is quite rarely found in Singapore, so don’t think twice to try this out if you love something rich and aromatic.

It is made by simmering the stock with traditional Javanese herbs and spices, including ground Buah Keluak and diced grain-fed beef.

A filling meal in itself, it is served with fresh and naturally sweet baby bean sprouts, premium salted egg, deep-fried crunchy prawn crackers, and their special house-made chili.

Es Cendol ($9)
The Indonesian Es Cendol is different from the colourful bowls offered in Singapore and Malaysia typically with green jelly and red beans.

Sama Sama’s version comes in a big serving, probably good for 2-4 to share after a hearty meal, included with pandan jelly, Indonesian palm sugar, coconut milk and jackfruit for the aroma.

Other sweet treats available to end the meal include the Es Teler ($9) and Es Campur ($9).

As the food presented at Sama Sama is quite diverse and comes in sizeable portions, it will be good to dine with a group of families and friends.

Also take note that a number of dishes such as the Ayam Bakar Taliwang and Kakap Merah Bakar Jimbaran are prepared and grilled only upon order, do dedicate some time waiting for them.

Sama Sama by Tok Tok
Jewel Changi Airport, #03-225/226 78 Airport Blvd, Singapore 819666
Tel: +65 6904 3971
Operating hours: 10am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Sama Sama by Tok Tok.

If you are in the lookout for all-you-can-eat buffet with new dishes AND seafood, PARKROYAL on Beach Road’s latest buffet special “Ocean’s Treasures at Ginger” is something to check out.

Running from now until 28 July 2019, Ginger’s buffet places the crustaceans on centre stage, a specially conceptualised showcase of seafood specialties.

Even if you have been to Ginger in the past, you may be in for a surprise as the new Executive Chef Vincent Aw and his team has delivered a spread of both Ginger classics and new highlights previously not seen in the line-up.

The buffet features primary flavours of the sea, from popular items like Chili Crab and Grilled River Prawns to new creations like Baby Lobster in Sambal with Petai and Herbal Claypot Crab.

The Seafood on Ice Station adds even more choices, such as Flower Clams, Snow Crab Leg, Prawns, and more.

There are other seafood surprises that come in the form of Deep-Fried Soft-Shell Crabs, Otah Otah, and Market Catch of the Day. During the dinner I visited, there was the Baked Salmon topped with crispy fish skin.

Also look out for the DanielFoodDiary Promo in which you can enjoy 25% OFF Ocean’s Treasures at Ginger till 28th July 2019.

Here’s what to expect when you at PARKROYAL on Beach Road’s “Ocean’s Treasures at Ginger”:

Singapore Chilli Crab
The much-loved Singapore Chili Crab is one of Ginger’s signature dishes, known for its aromatic wok-hei and rich, spicy sauce.

What I loved about this dish was the sauce – thick and almost gooey, rather eggy with tinge of sweetness coming from the tomato ketchup.

Other than savouring the chunk sweet crab flesh, do not forget about the deep-fried mantou to dip into the sauce and complete the shiok experience.

Claypot Herbal Crab
The winning formula for the Claypot Herbal Crab is the freshness of its ingredients plus the cooking method used.

Along with a combination of locally sourced herbs, the fresh crabs are cooked in a traditional claypot that helps retain the moisture.

What you get are succulently cooked crabs with tender, good-textured meats infused with the herbal flavours of the selected seasonings.

Cereal Crab
You may have heard of the popular zi-char dish of Cereal Prawn, but Cereal Crabs is not so commonly found. Not at a buffet anyway.

The crabs featured here are not as juicy and moist here, because they undergo high-heat frying and there are no sauces here.

The real icing on the cake was the crisp and buttery-fragrant cereal topped on the crabs, which can be really addictive.

Notes: Crab flavours are available on rotational basis, so you may get other favourites such as Black Pepper Crabs and Salted Egg Crabs.

Baby Lobsters with Petai
This new addition to the buffet menu features baby lobsters prepared with petai.

Also known as parkia speciosa, bitter bean, and even stink bean, petai has a unique taste similar to garlic. This may take some getting used to, some really LOVE it.

Aside from the beans, the baby lobsters are cooked with a special home-made sambal chili to give them a bright and sparkling kick of flavour.

Grilled River Prawn with Thai sauce
From the crabs, let’s move on to River Prawns. Unlike the globally famous Thai dishes like pad thai and tom yum, koong-pao (grilled prawn) is a traditional Thai delicacy that not everybody knows.

Traditionally served carved down the length in half and grilled over coals, then served with rice.

The creamy fat of the prawn blends into the meat, and is further enlivened with a dab of Thai sauce.

Here’s a tip: While the Grilled River Prawns (and other new dishes) are good on their own, you may still want a flavour booster: Ginger’s house-made sambal sauces.

These special concoctions are prepared using onions, chili, limes, and salted fish, and they best complement your barbecued or grilled food items.

Spread some on the prawns and enjoy the added satisfying spicy kick.

Seafood Dry Mee Siam
Many love Mee Siam, the spicy dish made of rice vermicelli noodles stir-fried and mixed with different toppings.

Some may have difficulty choosing between the wet (more commonly found) and the dry.

You are in luck because Ginger sometimes often BOTH versions – the dry found at the buffet counter; the soupy at the live noodle station (along with the Laksa).

Ginger’s rendition of the wet Mee Siam has a delicious balance of sweet, salty, sour, and spicy in its gravy; while the dry version features a medley of seafood along with Chinese chives, bean sprouts, and fried bean curd.

Enjoy this with its garnishing of egg omelette strips, lime, and red thinly sliced red chili.

Rendang Beef Cheek
Those who love curries are no stranger to rendang, a rich and spicy beef stew that originated from Indonesia.

Ginger executes this dish using Beef Cheek. Cooked ‘til wobbly tender yet still solid, the chunks of beef cheek melt in your mouth with spicy goodness, earthy tones and fragrant notes.

Coffee Pork Ribs
Another zi-char favourite. These sticky pork ribs will attract both the carnivores and the curious coffee lovers out there for its unique coffee-infused glaze.

I ‘feared’ that the fried ribs would be too tough, but there were surprisingly quite tender. The coffee glazy had a sweet slight-bitter tinge.

Babi Pongteh
Another meat dish to look forward to is the Nyonya-style braised pork belly served with fermented soya beans.

This Peranakan specialty with its luscious dark thick sauce is best enjoyed along with freshly steamed white rice.

What makes this babi (pork) really tender is the slow-cooking process, turning the pork belly cuts into succulent morsels of meat and fat waiting to melt on your tongue.

You have until July 28 to try these new dishes, or take comfort in your usual Ginger favourites, such as their Laksa, DIY Kueh Pie Tee, and assorted Satays. Yup, you can still find these staples in the buffet line.

And speaking of new, Ginger is introducing Shawarma (alternating between chicken and beef) as a Meat-of-the Day.

Find it at the Carving Station accompanied with assorted condiments.

Don’t want to end your meal yet? I know. But if you need to, they have a wide variety of desserts plus ice-cream, coffee, and tea.

Pricing for Ocean’s Treasures (Price before discount and prevailing taxes)
Lunch Saturdays and Sundays 12:00pm – 2:30pm
$58 per adult, $29 per child

Dinner Fridays to Sundays 6:00pm – 10:00pm
$68 per adult, $34 per child

Ginger at PARKROYAL on Beach Road X DanielFoodDiary Promotion
For “DanielFoodDiary” readers, enjoy 25% OFF “Oceans Treasures at Ginger” from now till 28 July 2019.

Quote “DFD25” upon reservations to enjoy discounts.

Terms and conditions
– “Oceans Treasures at Ginger” available during lunch on Sat-Sun, dinner from Fri-Sun
– Valid for dine-in only. Black-out dates apply.
– Child prices apply to children 6 to 12 years old.
– Prior reservation is recommended. Quote “DFD25” during reservations to enjoy discount. Please call +65 6505 5710 or email dining.prsin@parkroyalhotels.com to make a dining reservation.
– Buffet menu items are on rotation basis and are subject to change.
– Prices are subject to service charge and Goods and Services Tax (GST).
– The hotel reserves the right to amend the menu or promotional details without prior notice.

Ginger Restaurant
PARKROYAL on Beach Road, 7500 Beach Road Singapore 199591
Tel: +65 6505 5710
Email: dining.prsin@parkroyalhotels.com
Opening Hours: Lunch 12pm – 2:30pm, Dinner 6pm – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

*This entry is brought to you in partnership with PARKROYAL on Beach Road.

Residents staying in Serangoon will be familiar with Teck Chye Terrace, a row of shophouses with restaurants serving a variety from Thai seafood, Taiwanese cuisine, Korea BBQ to Laksa steamboat.

Taking over the space previously occupied by Scissors Paper Stove, Two Bakers is located right opposite Paya Lebar Methodist Church and diagonally across Amber Ember.

This is their second outlet, the first at Horne Road in Jalan Besar.

You may recall that Jalan Besar is one of the first hipster cafe clusters during those days, alongside iconic Chye Seng Huat Hardware and The Tiramisu Hero.

The layout in Two Bakers at Serangoon is somewhat similar to Scissors Paper Stove, except that rainbow-coloured zig zag lines and pastel coloured furniture has transformed into a MUJI-like white and earthly tones.

The menu is exactly the same as their outlet in Jalan Besar: Brunch ($14 – $18) available till 3pm daily, Mains ($14 – $18) available all day except from 3-6pm and their cute selection of nostalgic desserts ($7.50 – $9.50).

Visiting their outlet on a weekday afternoon (3pm – 6pm) will mean that there is only coffee served, with limited selection and quantity of desserts available.

I wanted to try out both their “Bao Zi” ($8.50) shaped like a white bun and made from chrysanthemum white chocolate, yuzu, lemon and matcha; and the Raspberry Litchi Ripple ($8.50) made from litchi aka lychee mousse, raspberry and vanilla.

Unfortunately both items are not available during the time of visit.

I ended up with both the “Paddle Pop” Cheesecake ($8) and the “Ming Jian Kueh” ($8) which sounded familiar and relatable.

The “Paddle Pop” Cheesecake ($8) comes in various pastel colours, randomly splashed across the surface to create a fun and playful visual.

Made up of raspberry, lime, passionfruit and blue pea, cream cheese with almond crumble shaped like a cloud, it was surprisingly soft, light and fluffy, easily sliced apart with a single fork.

The first bite was filled with citrusy-ness from both the lime and passionfruit, followed by the milk and creamy-ness of the cream cheese which wasn’t as overwhelming as I expected.

Even though the almond crumble “cloud” was slightly on the soggy side, I was literally on cloud nine as this “Paddle Pop” Cheesecake was not as gimmicky as it looked and was quite a pleasant surprise.

The “Ming Jian Kueh” ($8) was a twist from our local traditional “Min Jiang Kueh” also known as a “Singaporean pancake”, commonly found in our local hawker scenes.

Made into a 8-layered crepe with salted caramel Chantilly, peanut butter and roasted peanuts, the entire combination was rich and flavourful.

Even though the “Ming Jian Kueh” was not as light and fluffy as other crepe cakes available in the market and looked more compact in size, it had a moist texture.

That complemented well with the textural crunch from the crushed roasted peanuts.

With a nutty flavour and sweetness from the peanut butter and salted caramel Chantilly, it certainly transformed our traditional dessert into a hipster and trendy version.

For the drinks menu, there are the usual suspects such as Black ($4.50), White ($4.50/ $5/ $5.50), Mocha ($6) and interesting options such as Coconut Latte ($6.50), Chendol Latte ($9) and Baileys Cold Brew ($10.80).

Unfortunately, the Coconut Latte ($6.50) tasted like a cup of normal latte, with coconut taste almost non- existent.

On a side note, the latte art was well drawn, at least better than what many new cafes are churning out.

Two Bakers has maintained their standard throughout the years and evolve and develop their selection of pastries to keep up to the trend.

Looking forward to see more exclusive items at their second outlet and more creations in the future.

Two Bakers – Serangoon
9 Teck Chye Terrace, Singapore 545720
Opening Hours: 12pm – 9pm (Mon – Fri), 10am – 10pm (Sat), 10am – 6pm (Sun)
https://www.facebook.com/twobakerssingapore/

Other Related Entries
Amber Ember (Upper Serangoon)
Wishes Café (Macpherson)
Glyph Supply Co. (TripleOne Somerset)
Ms Durian (Potong Pasir)
Cafe De Nicole’s Flower (Telok Kurau Road)

* Written by Nicholas Tan @stormscape who loves all things [NEW]. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

If you are obsessed with BOTH Peranakan food and crabs, this crab-ilicious feast at Ellenborough Market Café is an event to mark on your calendar.

For the daily buffet dinners from the 4th to 28th of June 2019, the Ellenborough Market Cafe’s culinary team will prepare an abundant array of crab creations for all types of crab lovers.

Located at the 1st level of Swissôtel Merchant Court, right in the city centre by the banks of the historic Singapore River, Ellenborough Market Café is known to be a Peranakan speciality buffet restaurant offering a medley of all-you-can-eat Asian and Western delights.

And for a limited time, a crab-centric buffet feast.

Whether you fancy spicy dishes or lean more towards savoury flavours, you will find a crab prepared just right to satisfy your cravings.

With different varieties of crabs available on a rotational basis, you can expect the likes of Chilli Crab, Black Pepper Crab, Szechuan Spicy Crab, Thai Yellow Curry Flower Crab, Boiling Crab Shabang, and Sambal Flower Crab – these are all fiery flavours that you can enjoy.

For savoury options, you could have their Sweet Flour Crab, Salted Egg Crab, and Braised Crab with Bee Hoon.

The crustacean madness doesn’t end there. Go ahead and check out their Seafood on Ice station for more tempting seafood offerings, like the Chilled Prawns, Black Mussels, Crayfish, Whelk, Snow Crab legs.

But first, let’s take a sneak peek on the upcoming showcase crabs and classic Peranakan signature dishes (Note: Items available on a rotational basis.)

Chilli Crab
A crab feast in Singapore without Chilli Crab is unimaginable.

One of the national dishes of Singapore, this dish is often prepared using mud crabs that are stir-fried in a semi-thick, sweet and savoury tomato and chilli-based sauce.

Black Pepper Crab
Compared to the saucy Chilli Crab, Black Pepper Crab has a drier consistency as it is not cooked in a sauce at all.

The spiciness is not the fiery type but more of a mild peppery taste.

Szechuan Spicy Crab
The key flavouring ingredient is Sichuan peppercorns which are notorious for its numbing spiciness, and known for their beautiful aroma.

This dish is prepared with the crab flash-fried in oil, then cooked with the peppercorns, chilli, garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and other seasonings.

The crab was not as fiery-hot as what I expected, but would still be great for those craving for a kick of spice.

Salted Egg Crab
One of the non-spicy crab recipes available in the menu, the Salted Egg Crab is a delectable dish inspired by the then-craze-now-standard flavour of salted egg yolks.

This is probably my favourite of all the crabs.

Enhancing the crabs is a creamy sauce made by combining mashed salted egg yolk, chopped garlic, chilli padi, curry leaves and butter.

Once the crabs are coated in this golden buttery sauce, be ready for an explosion of flavours. I would suggest just using your hands so that you can slowly lick the sauce off the shells.

Braised Crab with Bee Hoon
These fresh and tender crabs and bee hoon are braised together until the right amount of doneness – firm to the bite and not mushy.

The crab’s essence is captured in the broth, and there was that touch of Chinese Hua-diao wine for that added depth. The soup was light and sweet, not the rich and robust type.

Aside from feasting on crabs, a big draw here in their selection of local and Peranakan fare or Nyonya-style cooking. It is wise to include it in your To-Eat Bucket List to tick off.

Ayam Buah Keluak
The signature item, this poultry dish makes use of tamarind, a signature Peranakan ingredient prepared as part of the spicy gravy. The ayam (chicken) is braised in this sweet-spicy-tart gravy along with Indonesian black nuts.

Babi Pongteh
The Babi Pongteh (or babi pong tay) dish is an evergreen Nyonya-style using pork braised pork with fermented soy bean sauce.

There is this home-cooked savour to this dish, and the melt-in-your-mouth pork belly is easy to love.

Nyonya Chap Chye
The Nyonya Chap Chye includes at least half a dozen kinds of veggies to contribute flavours and textures to the dish. What I enjoyed about this was the deep-fried tau-kee (beancurd skin) just like how my grandma used to prepare, but is less commonly found now.

Itek Sio
Try this duck main course revered in Peranakan cuisine and often finds its way to the family table during special feasts like Chinese New Year.

It uses tamarind and a ridiculously generous amount of ground coriander. Though it looks simple, its flavour is anything but bland.

The duck is slowly braised until extra tender and coated in the thick, glossy, tangy tamarind-infused sauce.

Kueh Pie Tee
All all-time favourite in the buffet line, these crispy pastry shells are filled with a mix of cooked shredded turnip, prawn and egg.

This is from the DIY station, so you can choose the amount of radish you would like to fill your shells up, and topped with ingredients of chopped hard-boiled egg, shrimps, peanut and that touch of sambal chilli.

Once you’ve tried all these, you can likewise try these perennial Peranakan favourites like Black Fungus Kerabu Salad (spicy and tangy salad with black fungus), Nyonya Achar (Straits Chinese spicy mixed vegetables), Steamed Fish “Nyonya Style”, Nasi Kunyit (turmeric rice) and Nasi Ulam (rice with mixed herbs).

Not many diners would know that Ellenborough Market Café also offers La Mian (hand-pulled noodles), which are freshly pulled on the spot.

The toppings differ on a daily basis, from Sichuan spicy Dan Dan Sauce, Zhajiang Sauce made with minced meat and Chinese black beans, comforting Wanton La Mian, or even La Mian in local Laksa gravy.

In case you’re entertaining tourists or friends from the West, you may want to go local-icious. Check out the popular local fare available such as Beef Rendang, Coffee Pork Rib, Stir-fried Baby Nai Bai (Milk Cabbage), Masala Lamb Chop, and more.

Every cuisine has its own range of sweet treats to reward you at the end of satisfying meal.

At Ellenborough Market Café, the Kueh Dadar (sweet coconut pancake), Muah Cheese (Chinese-style mochi coated with crushed peanuts and sugar), assorted Nyonya Kueh, Bread and Butter Pudding are recommended Peranakan desserts.

If you are a DURIAN fan and only have room for a couple of desserts, go for the Deep-fried Durian and the signature Durian Pengat.

Deep-fried Durian
It’s time to bite into these deep-fried crisp-on-the-outside chewy-on-the-inside glutinous rice balls with a surprise within… filled with durian flesh.

Signature Durian Pengat
This signature traditional dessert is a durian-flavoured mousse with gula melaka and fragrant pandan flavours.

Ellenborough’s version of this smooth and creamy dessert (or snack if you like) uses aged durians. For first timer, the bittersweet taste of durian could take some getting used to, but for some, this dessert is divine.

CRAB-ILICIOUS FEAST + Peranakan Buffet Dinner
$78++ (adult), $39++ (child)

Ellenborough Market Café X DanielFoodDiary.com Promotion
Quote “DanielFoodDiary” upon reservation and enjoy complimentary Sugarcane Juice.

T&C:
– Valid for buffet dinners from 4th to 28th of June 2019.
– Quote “DanielFoodDiary” during reservation to enjoy this complimentary drink.

The Crab-ilicious Feast Buffet Dinner is available from 4 to 28 June 2019. Perennial Peranakan, local and international favourites are available all year round from Monday to Sunday.

Ellenborough Market Café
Swissôtel Merchant Court, Singapore Level 1, 20 Merchant Road, Singapore 058281
Reservations: +65 6239 1847, +65 6239 1848
Email: dining.merchantcourt@swissotel.com

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Swissôtel Merchant Court, Singapore.

Even if you are a donut fan, you would not have come across this before. These unconventional doughnuts are a cross between an ice cream cone and a doughnut.

A new player in the dessert and café category, Coney Donut recently opened at the revamped TripleOne Somerset Mall, located across 313 Somerset.

Its concept is anchored in transforming the classic doughnut into something that is more than just a deep-fried cake with a hole.

Home-made fresh daily, the doughnut cones are crafted by rolling strips of dough around a stainless steel cone mould.

These were inspired by the Hungarian Chimney Cones.

I observed that they were deep-fried and not baked, as the process would give an impeccable crispier texture to the outer layer even though it is more time-consuming. Yet, the end product was surprisingly not that greasy.

Once cooked, these warm and fluffy doughnut cones acquire a mild sweet taste with hints of caramel flavour.

Each doughnut cone holds a different filling, and you can choose from their selections of both sweet and savoury items.

On the sweet side of the spectrum, you have home-made soft-serve ice cream with unique, seasonal flavours and assorted toppings. For the savoury side, you get options such as scrambled eggs and bacon, and tuna mayo.

Discover what Coney Donut is all about through this line up of recommended items:

Soft-Serve Donut Cone ($6.80)
Start off with their Soft Serve Donut Cone, and features your choice of vanilla or salted caramel soft-serve ice cream that comes with a sauce and toppings. (Flavours are on a rotational basis and change every month.)

Pick from any of their classic sauces, such as chocolate, butterscotch, white chocolate, coffee, salted caramel and apple.

For the toppings (you can pick two), they offer nuts (hazelnuts, almonds), branded snacks (Pocky sticks, Lotus biscuits), cereals (honey stars, fruit loops), chocolates (Kit Kat), marshmallows, mocha bean, fudge cake, etc.

Experience the warm and cold sensation of the fried donut and cold softserve, and contrast in texture of fluffy-doughy with soft-airy ice cream.

Be quick as this home-made soft serve is made without stabilisers.

The other surprise comes in the form of the inside which is lined with chocolate sauce. Yums.

Apple Pie Custard Donut ($4.80)
Coney Donut has transformed the classic apple pie into a doughnut cone.

Instead of ice cream, try their doughnut cone filled with custard cream and tangy diced apples that’s drizzled with a luscious butterscotch sauce.

The custard cream is not the instant kind, and made from scratch.

Crushed almonds are also added for that crunchy texture, making this a delectable dessert item that sweet tooths will like.

Chocolate Hazelnut OR Salted Caramel Macchiato ($4.80)
These sweet doughnut cones will attract the chocolate-hazelnut fans; and coffee lovers out there for its coffee custard cream filling combined with salted caramel sauce.

It is your favourite caramel macchiato not in a cup but in a doughnut form.

And to complete the coffee theme, this dessert is served with a topping of chocolate coffee beans.

Brown Sugar Boba Custard Cone ($4.80)
You had Brown Sugar Bubble Milk before, but I am sure you would not come across a Brown Sugar Boba Custard Cone.

The cone is lined up with syrup on the inside, but this time it is the trendy brown sugar as a sauce.

The syrup-lined cone is then filled with a creamy milk tea flavoured custard cream, and finished off with a topping of chewy boba pearls.

Check out how the wildly popular brown sugar milk tea has morphed into a doughnut cone here at Coney Donut. It actually… worked!

English Breakfast ($4.80)
As for the savoury filled donuts, the English Breakfast is a good choice for a quick brekkie. For extreme cases, one hand on this doughnut cone, another for your coffee could work.

This cone comes with a generous filling of crispy smoked bacon strips and cooked-to-order scrambled eggs topped with chopped chives.

If you fancy a good scrambled egg, you will like how light and fluffy these scrambled eggs are.

Salted Egg Chicken ($5.20)
Another option if you’re looking for a savoury fix for breakfast is the Salted Egg Chicken.

The flavours are Asian-inspired with components such as salted egg, curry leaf, chill padi, and popcorn chicken.

A portable and filling meal on the go.

Chilli Dog Donut ($6.80)
If you simply needing a snack elsewhere, the Chili Dog Donut is recommended as a side kick meal.

It is basically a hot dog served in a donut bun, and topped with meat sauce. The mild sweetness of the cone contrasts the savoury meat flavours of hot dog.

Eating it may be strange at the start – as there was this slightly sweetness, then it starts growing on you.

A grab & go set with 1 Chilli Dog Donut, Cajun Wedges and Iced Team is available at $8.80.

Cajun Wedges
Throw in these potato wedges as a side dish or simply enjoy them on their own.

These flavourful potato snacks are seasoned with Cajun-style seasonings and deep-fried until their edges are crisp.

Summer Float ($4.90)
Beat the heat and refresh with Coney Donut’s Summer Float, a fruity concoction of peach and passionfruit soda served with soft-serve vanilla ice cream.

Mix it all up to balance the sweet-tart flavours of these summer fruits and the mildly sweet creaminess of the soft-serve ice cream.

Brewed Premium Iced Coffee ($3.60)
Cool down and not skip the caffeine with their Brewed Premium Iced Coffee.

It is the perfect breakfast coffee pair for your English Breakfast, or as a rejuvenating afternoon beverage with your Apple Pie Custard Donut.

This innovative way of serving doughnuts as a cone makes it convenient for you to grab-and-go something more filling than just plain ice cream.

With its bevy of fillings, you now have more choices the next time you look for a mobile snack.

Too lazy to check them out in person? They deliver in the central area via GrabFood, Foodpanda, and Deliveroo.

Coney Donut
111 Somerset Road, TripleOne Somerset, #01-K1, Singapore 238164
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 9:00pm (Mon – Sun)
https://www.facebook.com/coneydonut

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Coney Donut.

There are two popular 58 Bak Chor Mee in Singapore: The stall called “58 Minced Meat Mee” at Bedok New Changi Road specialises in the soup style BCM; while “58 Minced Meat Noodle” at Taman Jurong is known for its dry version.

The two stalls are not related.

On a search for the best Bak Chor Mee in Singapore, I headed all the way to Taman Jurong Market and Food Centre, only to find the stall closed (Lesson learnt: check their Facebook.)

That was when I found out that they opened a 2nd branch at OSG Suntec City, which also houses another Nasi Lemak stall.

Note that they do not open on Sundays and Public Holiday, also because I learnt through the ‘hard’ way.

58 Minced Meat Noodle started way by in 1973, now managed by 2nd generation hawker Deon Ang.

For a venue at Suntec City, the price is still kept very affordable at $5 or $6, in which you can choose your noodle type from mee kia, mee pok, kway teow, bee hoon etc.

The only catch is, the stall is opened only from 11:30am to 3pm Mondays to Fridays.

I suspect it will get super crowded (especially after this post goes out), so heading before lunch time may be your best bet.

58 Minced Meat Noodle started way back in 1973, with many staying in Jurong which counts as its fans.

Between the $5 and $6 portion, I would recommend the bigger as ingredients seemed to be proportionally more substantial.

Here’s what worked about the bowl: Ingredients were generous, pork slices and liver were prepared just nice and tender. Noodles were cooked more to the softer side.

The base sauce was unlike others, more to the savoury-spicy side with a tinge of sweetish ketchup, and less of the vinegary element.

Add your own vinegar if you need that (If you are the Tai Hwa-type, then you could find this quite ‘foreign’.)

There were also sliced dry button mushroom included, which I feel could not absorb the sauces as well.

Someone recommended me to try the Soup version, which I thought was weaker of the two.

Perhaps I am too used to all those served in Bedok, I wished there was more flavours and soft minced meat included within the soup.

Great to see one of our well loved Bak Chor Mee move at a more convenient location.

Take note that the Taman Jurong stall remains closed till further notice.

58 Minced Meat Noodle – Suntec City
Suntec City 3 Temasek Boulevard, OSG Bar + Kitchen #01-510/511, Singapore 038983
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 3:00pm (Mon – Fri), Closed Sat, Sun

58 Minced Meat Noodle – Taman Jurong
3 Yung Sheng Road, Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre, #03-150, Singapore 618499
Opening Hours: 7am – 2pm (Thurs – Mon) , Closed Tues, Wed (Currently closed till further notice)

Other Related Entries
Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles (Crawford Lane)
High Street Tai Wah Pork Noodle (Hong Lim Food Centre)
Hock Seng Choon Fish Ball Kway Teow Mee (Bedok South Food Centre)
Lao Shen Ji Si Mian (Toa Payaoh Lor 1 Food Centre)
Ru Ji Kitchen (Holland Drive)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

Sir Stamford Waffles (a play on Sir Stamford Raffles) has reopened at Ang Mo Kio Central, after it announced its closure at Bedok 85 last year.

Opened by the folks behind Hatter Street Bakehouse and Café at Kovan, both their sister brands Oh My Tian and Sir Stamford Waffles (Bedok) did not survive too long after its opening.

This was despite some initial hype during the opening days. Hmm…

This outlet Ang Mo Kio Central has a similar whimsical design, though seemed to have scaled down in terms compared to Oh My Tian, looking a lot more ‘basic’.

A red signboard, an entrance painted in red and photos of clowns hanging on the vibrant-coloured walls.

Signature items include their Whoaffle ($5.50) intentionally spelt this way to indicate a different rendition of their waffles.

A set of Whoaffle with a single scoop of ice cream is available at $9.50, and double scoops is priced at $12.50.

Instead of the square shaped stacked waffles previously used at the outlet at Bedok 85, the Whoaffle is similar to the one seen at Hatter Street Bakehouse and Café.

I looked forward to their Whoaffle with certain expectation after hearing so much about it.

Appearance wise, it looked somewhat different from the usual waffles.

Shaped like a snowflake instead of a square with multiple edges and denser In texture, the Whoaffle would come drizzled with a complimentary sauce of your choice which included Gula Melaka, Salted Caramel, Chocolate or Espresso ButterScotch.

Taste-wise, the Whoaffle was crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside with a slightly chewy texture.

Unfortunately, it was slightly burnt with a lingering bitter taste, also lacking the buttery aroma and fragrance.

The saving grace was the smooth and creamy ice cream ($4 for Single scoop/ $7.50 for double scoops/ additional $0.50 for premium flavours).

With 7 ice cream flavours on display, classic flavours include Dark Chocolate, Vanilla and Cookies & Cream, whereas interesting flavours include Sesame Tofu and outlet exclusive flavour – Kaya Roti.

The Kaya Roti ice cream had a familiar taste that came with small chunks of bread, with distinctive pandan, coconut milk and egg taste of the kaya.

The Tofu Sesame, on the other hand, was rich and flavourful with the right amount of sweetness.

Apart from ice cream and Whoaffles, mini cakes such as Mini Mermaid ($10.90), Mini Unicorn ($10.90), Mini After Eight ($8.90), Mini Strawberry Marshmallow ($8.90) and Mini Salted Caramel ($8.90) are available for desserts.

Another dish that is exclusive here and not at other Hatter Street Bakehouse and Café outlets is the savoury food options.

With only Crayfish Laksa ($8.90) on their savoury food menu at the moment, it comes with fried beancurd skin, beansprout, slices of fishcake and half a crayfish.

The laksa was quite “lemak” and slightly spicy, especially when mixed with the dollop of sambal chili.

The springy fishcake is worth a mention.

Good news is that they are bringing back the Instagram-worthy Unicorn Whoaffle in the future, using the same Whoaffle base as Hatter Street Bakehouse and Café.

The ice cream was flavourful and unique enough to make a return visit but their WHOAffle unfortunately did not have a “Woah” factor.

Sir Stamford Waffles
727 Ang Mo Kio Ave 6, #01-4264, Singapore 560727
Opening Hours: 12pm – 10pm (Mon – Sun)
https://www.facebook.com/sirstamfordwaffles/

Other Related Entries
The Kins’ Specialty Coffee (Pasir Panjang)
OCD Café (Ang Mo Kio)
Wishes Café (Macpherson)
Molten Diners (Upper Thomson)
Wild Wood Café (Yishun)

* Written by Nicholas Tan @stormscape who loves all things [NEW]. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The famous Wu Pao Chun Bakery from Taiwan has opened in Singapore at Capitol Piazza.

Baker Wu Pao-chun 吳寶春 himself found fame when he won the Les Masters de la Boulangerie world-championship held in Paris.

He is known for the Lychee Rose Royal bread created, which included rose petals, dried lychees and millet wine.

There are outlets in Taiwan’s Kaohsiung, Taichung and Taipei. This is Wu Pao Chun’s first flagship store in South East Asia.

Wu Pao Chun Bakery’s opening may bring about new-found attention to Capitol Piazza, which has been less visited in the recent year due to low foot-traffic and shops leaving. A revamp of the mall is in the works.

Walking in, you may feel that Wu Pao Chun Bakery is “BreadTalk 2.0” with its décor, shelf displays, bread offerings and even the Toast Box nearby. Just FYI, BreadTalk has an 80% stake in this joint venture.

The two main breads to look out for are the award-winning Lychee Rose Royale and Red Wine Longan ($20.80 each), handcrafted in small batches, available only at specific timings.

When I visited, the Lychee Rose Royale was not available, while there was about a dozen or so Red Wine Longan still around.

There were customers looking around the large breads, some questioning about the heavy price-tag. There appears to be no half-loaves available for sale.

I read online reviews commenting about the high prices of the breads – TWD350 (SGD15.25) in Taiwan, and RMB95 (SGD18.90) in Shanghai. Well, Singapore’s prices take the cake for now.

Talking about China, Wu Pao Chun Bakery’s opening in Shanghai was not without its share of controversy, with many Chinese netizens calling for a boycott due to his previous remarks on the mainland market.

Looking at initial response, Singaporeans seem welcoming of the bread shop amidst the slightly higher prices.

The staff members were generally friendly, and there was even a Japanese supervisor who would welcome with ”Irasshaimase”. (Though they made some customers wonder if this was a Japanese bakery.)

I bought and tried a couple of breads, the quality (softness) and variety (with many types of fillings) were slightly higher than the average bakery here. Here are some of the breads you can expect:

Red Wine Longan ($20.80 for whole bread)
With fresh longan smoked over 6 days using a recipe accentuated with red wine, wheat sprouts and walnuts.

Tom Yummy ($2.60)
Filled with mildly spicy tom yum chicken

Spicy Tuna ($2.80)

Sawadee ($2.80)
Bun with rich green curry chicken, mushrooms and cashew nuts.

Mentaiko Baguette ($3.00)

Sausage Roll with German pork sausage ($2.20)

Spring Into Life ($5.20)
Bread with ham, cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese.

Spring Blossom ($2.20)
Soft and chewy bun topped with spring onions and shallot oil.

Satay Satay ($3.50)
Inspired by the Singapore hawker food, this is filled with satay chicken, satay sauce and cheese, topped with onions and peanuts.

Fuji Spring ($2.20)
Matcha almond topping, red bean cream cheese.

Brown Sugar ($3.40)
With melted brown sugar imported from Taiwan.

Wu Pao Chun Bakery
Capitol Piazza, 13 Stamford Rd #01-19/20, Singapore 178905
Opening Hours: 8:30am – 9pm (Mon – Sun)

Other Related Entries
Kazo (Chinatown Point)
Tong Heng (South Bridge Road)
Ah Mah Homemade Cake (Changi Airport)
Délifrance (Wheelock Place)
Tai Cheong Bakery Singapore (Takashimaya)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

Fans of THIS RAMEN are likely to be ecstatic over this piece of news. Afuri Ramen 阿夫利 is coming to Singapore.

Afuri is known for its light fresh chicken broth with a splash of citrusy yuzu, and I would consider it one of the 10 must-try ramen in Tokyo.

The Singapore location is set to be at the basement of the revamped Funan Centre, though the exact date of operation has yet to be announced.

(Funan Centre is reopening on the 28th of June.)

After having so many different types of tonkotsu ramen in Japan, Afuri’s 阿夫利 lighter chicken based stock with citrusy yuzu may add that blossoming in your mouth, and spring in your step.

Even while I am typically a fan of the rich, creamy tonkotsu based broth, I found Afuri’s soup light and refreshing, with the yuzu adding the delicate-tangy-bitterness to the fresh chicken broth.

While Afuri also serves salt-based Shio and soya based Shoyu variants, you should really try versions with yuzu.

All the ramen dishes come with a sliced for grilled pork barbecued over charcoal, half a seasoned ajitama egg, bamboo shoots, mizuna leaves and seaweed.

The water used is said to be from the wells of Mount Afuri in Kanagawa, thus the name of the shop.

Over in Japan, you would be asked if you want your soup to be ‘tanrei’ or ‘maro’.

The ‘tanrei’ is the Afuri classic base, a full flavoured chicken-based soup infused with various seafood, konbu seaweed and vegetables.

I preferred the ‘maro’ which had more chicken and vegetable oil added, and also more robust tasting.

The “Hoso Men” thin noodles used is a blend of premium Hokkaido whole grain wheat “Haru yo Koi” and rye.

Some of my friends (just some) are not keen on the usual Japanese tonkotsu or miso ramens. The usual gripes are: too rich, too thick, too fat, too much oil.

The additional of yuzu peel added another dimension to Afuri’s soup.

The amount of garnish used might have been little, but it added that layer of part sweet, part zesty subtle taste which was refreshing.

During summer time, you can opt for Tsukemen which comes with a yuzu citrus soy sauce-based dip.

Welcome to Singapore, Afuri! (Look out for DanielFoodDiary.com for more details in time to come.)

Afuri Ramen Singapore
Funan Centre #B1-29 107 North Bridge Road Singapore 179105

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Ichikokudo Hokkaido Ramen (Suntec City)
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Ramen Champion (Bugis+)
Shiki Hototogisu Ramen (Jewel Changi Airport)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

With the upcoming remake of “The Little Nyonya”, perhaps there will be a rekindled love for Peranakan food especially for the younger generation.

Speaking of which, when I was at True Blue Cuisine, the pianist was playing that drama’s theme song in the corner.

With other oldies on the piano in the background, it made the entire experience a lot more special, and I guess you can say ‘old-school’?

Accompanied with the historical artefacts and décor, the meal felt like I was dining in a museum.

Operating since November 2003, True Blue Cuisine pays a homage to traditional Peranakan cuisine, combining food with retail, history and culture in a unique setting.

In 2008, it moved to its current location just beside the Peranakan Museum.

The restaurant has also earned the Michelin Bib Gourmand distinction consecutively for a number of years.

Just FYI: Its holding company, Saint Francis Enterprise, also owns True Blue Shoppe, True Blue Pantry and Peranakan Siblings. It is essentially a one-stop shop for anything Peranakan.

You can buy Peranakan pastries such as pineapple tarts and Nyonya kueh kueh as well as Nyonya spices like curry powder and coriander powder.

Behind the company is owner-chef Benjamin Seck, better known as Ben, a florist-turned-entrepreneur who has a passion for this Peranakan heritage. An avid collector of all things Peranakan, he is esteemed as an expert in fashion and jewellery.

The interior is decorated with traditional Nyonya furniture, with traditional features such as the chim chae area or airwell which is a very important feature of a Peranakan home. (The air-well is traditionally used for collecting rain water and sunning preserved foods like belachan achar.)

The restaurant also has a collection of pictures and antiques which visitors can peruse.

Apart from the main hall which can seat up to 60 people, the restaurant also has 3 private dining rooms.

On the ground level, the Manek Room holds a 16-seater tok panjang or long table, and showcases the owner’s best collection of beadwork and a pair of Peranakan wedding lanterns.

Therefore, you can spend your free time during your meal to talk a walk around, and maybe a friendly staff will explain the significance and stories behind some of the photos and decorations.

Just a note that the server is likely to present with you with some savouries to start off your meal, such as Keropok Udang or Prawn Crackers ($4.00), or Achar ($4.00), or Ikan Bijik Gajus ($4.00) which are fried anchovies with cashew nuts.

Do not assume they are free or a dollar or two. Will be good to check with the updated prices.

I would recommend accompanying the food with some refreshing Longan & Red Date Tea ($3 per pax).

Dishes are often good enough for 2 or 3 to share, and you won’t find any pork or lard-based dishes.

So some diners may find that using chicken instead of pork loses some of that authenticity, especially if they grew up eating pork-based Peranakan dishes such as the Babi Pongteh or Babi Buah Keluak (“Babi” means “pork”, while “ayam” refers to “chicken”.)

Their tasty and crispy Ngor Hiang ($12) also uses minced chicken instead of pork.

The standouts include their Beef Rendang ($16) which was rich and spicy with fork-tender texture, and Udang Kuah Nanas ($20), prawns cooked in a spicy-sweet-sour pineapple sauce.

I was recommended an off-menu item of Oyster Omelette ($25) which turned out to be quite a satisfying order of Orh Luak.

There was a home-style savour to it, compared to the hawker centre versions which could be on the greasier side. While you may not find those crisp eggy edges, the portion had a good balance of egg and starch, accompanied with fresh and juicy oysters.

The other side dishes ordered such as Otak Otak ($10) – spicy fish paste wrapped in banana leaf; Chap Chye ($16) – cabbage stewed with glass vermicelli and mushrooms; and Bakwan Kepiting ($10) – crab and chicken meat balls in soup, with flavourful and tasted quite authentic.

However, I did feel that the servers could get persuasive in making you order more, ”Is this enough?” Why not get this as well?”, when we cleared indicated a number of times that what was ordered was much more than enough.

Some people may question about the high price-tag along with small portion. I guess this is because Peranakan food is generally labour-intensive to prepare, especially the rempah (base spice paste) which requires lots of time and effort.

True Blue Cuisine
47/49 Armenian St. Fort Canning Park, Singapore
Tel: +65 6440 0449
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 2:30pm, 5:30pm – 10pm (Mon – Fri), 11:30am – 10pm (Sat – Sun)

Other Related Entries
The Peranakan (Orchard)
Tok Panjang (East Coast Road)
Baba Chews (East Coast Road)
Candlenut (Dempsey)
Tingkat PeraMakan (Owen Road)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

Sauce, shake, and let’s bibim. That is how you will enjoy the popular Korean rice dish Bibimbap at Dosirak.

Dosirak is a modern bibimbap concept that is newly opened at 313@Somerset basement 2 (next to Popeyes) that you shouldn’t miss.

This fast-casual eatery grew from the passion project of Korean-Singaporean brothers Eugene and Edward. So they understand both cultures quite well to best cater to their customers.

It was the visits to the family farm in the Korean countryside during their childhood years, that inspired them to create the brand – to share Korean food traditions with the old recipes handed down through generations.

The goal is to serve up healthy, filling and convenient Bibimbap with crave-able and satisfying Korean flavours.

Mark your calendars as Dosirak will open officially at 313@Somerset on the 7th of June 2019 (Fri) with more seats, a bigger menu, and a special promo you won’t resist.

For 3 consecutive days (June 7 – 9, Fri – Sun), be one of the first 50 guests daily and you can get the Bibimbap for only $1.00. Plus, 1-for-1 all day!

The ‘Shake Bibimbap’
Dosirak, which refers to the traditional Korean lunchbox, is part of the product concept. Here, they serve the Bibimbap and all its ingredients inside your “lunchbox’, in this case, a capped pint.

The colourful pints which may remind you of those which store ice cream, making it easy for takeaways as well.

The fun part happens when you add the sauce and shake the Bibimbap until all the ingredients mix up and come together.

Their Bibimbap veers away from tradition, mixed by shaking, inspired by the traditional Korean lunchbox.

But how they balance the dish with the right ingredients, nutrition, and flavour remains true to Korean food philosophy.

Expect home-made quality for food ingredients, including kimchi and condiments.

The Gochujang, that seasoned red pepper paste that’s mixed in the bibimbap, is made from scratch. Dosirak’s recipes use natural flavours, so you won’t find MSG, corn oil, or excess oil in their dishes.

To be honest, I was initially wondering how different the Gochujang would taste, since most I experienced (at least in Singapore) were more or less similar.

These Gochujang sauces were indeed different. In fact, they tasted quite home-made, also because they came from the secret recipe of the owners’ Omma (Their mother used to own a Korean restaurant, that’s why.)

How to order at Dosirak
Ordering starts with choosing a main, which is either a meat, fish or vegan item.

Then, pick 5 sides. Can’t decide? Pick the option “Let Omma decide”. Next, select a base for your Bibimbap – by default this is white rice, but you can upgrade to brown rice, buckwheat noodles, 5-grain rice, tofu, cabbage, cauliflower rice, or have no base at all.

Continue by choose desired add-ons like tofu, onsen egg, braised mushroom, edamame, and avocado.

Finally, choose your sauce. This is the final ingredient before you shake up your bibimbap.

The 3 available sauces include the Dosirak signature Omma’s Gochujang, a traditional, spicy Korean chili paste; the tangy and mildly spicy Apple Cider Gochujang; and the addictively savoury Soy Garlic Jang.

To help you narrow down your choices, here are all the available recommended mains at Dosirak:

Beef Bulgogi ($9.90)
The number 1 best seller at Dosirak is the Beef Bulgogi, the classic Korean beef dish made from a family recipe using a traditional marinade.

There was a lovely sweet tinge to the tender beef, because the slices have been sweetened with homemade Korean pear purée, made fresh daily.

I would also recommend drizzling some of that Omma’s Gochujang, which adds that bold and spicy flavours to the overall combination.

Spicy Chicken ($8.90)
Another meat main is the Spicy Chicken, prepared using free-range chicken. As such, the diced chicken meat is tender and the flavour is amped up by adding some heat into it.

Mellow down the heat with pairing this with some cucumbers or bean sprouts as part of your sides.

You can choose to add additional Apple Cider Gochujang sauce over before shaking.

Apple Cider? Rice vinegar is typically used for cho-jang (vinegar-ed gochujang) in Korea, but the Dosirak team chose apple cider would provider a tangier, sweeter, and rounded-fruity flavour profile. (This sauce is said to be most popular among the foreign expats for their Shenton Way outlet.)

Soy Sesame Chicken ($8.90)
For a non-spicy chicken main, go for the Soy Sesame Chicken which also uses free-range chicken. (Featured in the photo is a half-and-half pint.)

The boneless chicken cubes are really tender and goes well in texture with the rest of the sides like the crunchy bean sprouts, carrots, and cabbage.

You could observe that the meats are further sauced in these mini Onggi, which are traditional earthenware vessel and gives that Korean touch.

Cured Salmon ($11.90)
The next set of mains includes 3 types of fish – Cured Salmon, Seared Tuna and Soy Citrus Salmon/Tuna; and the Cured Salmon is highly recommended.

Dosirak has specially prepared their salmon by curing it in-house while using Korean sea salt. With meltingly tender texture of the fish, this would go well with refreshing and crunchy sides like corn, chickpeas, cabbage, carrots, and cucumbers.

Seared Tuna ($11.90)
The second fish main is Seared Tuna, which are fresh cubes of tuna prepared via quick cooking. Using a flame torch, the exterior is seared to produce a faint crust.

You can possibly pair this up with some soba noodles as a base, drizzled over with some of that addictive Soy Garlic Jang.

Soy Citrus Salmon/Tuna ($12.90)
This features cubes of either salmon or tuna flavoured with soy sauce and a citrus juice. This is Dosirak’s ceviche-like take on the Korean sushi bowl called hwedupbap or hoedeopbap.

What’s special in this dish is that they are flame-finished to order by torch, providing that alluring smokiness.

Kimchi Tofu (VV) ($7.90)
Vegans and vegetarians alike can choose this main composed of house-made kimchi served with cubes of special tofu.

Something interesting to note is the kimchi used is both vegan and Muslim-friendly, which is quite unusual in the market as some of them may not be able to consume fermented products (such as fermented shrimps).

As they found that many commercially-produced tofu may disintegrate upon shaking, the tofu is calibrated and produced by a specially-appointed tofu provider to get that right texture and firmness.

And so no, you cannot buy this tofu in the market.

Avocado Sweet Potato ($9.90)
A vegan-friendly option, expect a pint-full of colours and flavours when you choose this main. It combines slices of fresh avocados and large cuts of soft sweet potato.

A powerful combination that provides you with loads of Vitamin A and protein, plus a wonderful burst of textures in your Bimbimbap.

Make your dosirak a complete meal with tea and soup by adding only $4.00. Choose from Korean Buckwheat Tea, Korean Barley Tea, or Citron Tea.

These teas are available both hot and cold, except for the Citron Tea which is only available cold. For your soup, choose the Kimchi Soup if you want something spicy, or either the Seaweed Soup or Doenjang (Soybean Paste) Soup if you want something vegan.

If you have a penchant for fast, health Korean food, Dosirak has something for you. Plus, they are pretty affordable, with a Bibimbap starting from $7.90 and most options below $10.

In case you’re a health geek and counting calories, all of Dosirak’s Bibimbap dishes are under 500kcal.

The culinary team behind Dosirak carefully developed the recipes and even made them nutritionist-approved. No wonder they have earned a following from health buffs like yoga practitioners and gym goers.

The Somerset outlet will operate daily – including Sunday and even on public holidays. That means you’ll have more days in a week to shake up your own Bibimbap.

Dosirak 313@Somerset Opening Promotion
Contest (7th to 16th June)
Post a photo of Dosirak’s Bibimbap on Instagram, and stand a chance to win a Dosirak VIP Card, each card worth 10 complimentary Bibimbap (10 Winners)

Remember to POST and TAG @DosirakSG on Instagram.

Promotion 1 (7th to 9th June)
$1 Bibimbap for FIRST 50 customers per day
1-FOR-1 Bibimbaps for all day

Promotion 2 (10th to 16th June)
FREE drinks with any Bibimbap purchased

Dosirak – Somerset
313@Somerset #B2-15 Singapore 238895
Opening hours: 10am – 10pm (Mon – Sun, including PH)
https://www.facebook.com/DosirakSG

Dosirak – Shenton Way
OUE Downtown Gallery, 6A Shenton Way #01-44 Singapore 068815
Tel: +65 6536 6034
Opening Hours: 11am – 8pm (Mon – Fri), 11am – 3pm (Sat), Closed Sun, PH

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Dosirak.

Put “blue” and “Peranakan food” in the same vein, and my heart would beat a little faster.

It is after all my favourite colour (well, just look at this website), and I am one of those fortunate ones growing up with a staple of my grandma’s Nonya cooking (which I fondly miss).

Indigo Blue Kitchen is a heritage project by the Chairman of Les Amis Mr Desmond Lim, who considers himself a true-blue Peranakan.

The restaurant is a way of ensuring the culinary legacy of his family, as well as paying tribute to his grandmother. Recipes used are from the family, with consultation of cousin Gloria Teo.

During my visit, there is an “Indigo Blue Dinner” set priced at $55 per person, while there are also ala carte orders that has been introduced after.

They include Ngoh Hiang ($15 for 2 rolls), Chicken Satay ($11 for 3 sticks), Hee Peoh Tng aka Fish Maw Soup ($16), Sambal Prawns ($18), Curry Chicken ($22), Chicken Buah Keluak ($25), Beef Rendang ($26), Crab Meat Omelette ($15), Nonya Chap Chye ($15) to Chendol with Durian ($12).

It seems more value-for-money to order the sets.

We all loved the décor, as it paid some tribute to the Peranakan culture in terms of the tiles used, yet there was a modern element which felt beautifully-romantic.

However, the starter of the Indigo Platter was a mixture of hits and misses.

The Kueh Pie Tee had rather soft, almost soggy shells, lacking of the thin crisp that you would expect.

I enjoyed the Otah Otah for the chunks of fish within, though my dining partners thought it was a tad fishy.

The Chicken Satay ($11 for 3 sticks) came without ketupat, which the server explained was a “typo error”. Otherwise, a not bad rendition.

The Bakwan Kepiting ($22 for ala carte order) is a soup of chicken, pork and crustacean, with the highlight being the two handmade meatballs of mud crabs, prawns and minced pork.

This was tasty broth with some sweetness, highlighted with soft strips of bamboo shoots.

The crabmeat balls were fresh and flavourful, but one may feel underwhelmed looking at the price tag.

I must say I was looking forward to the Poh Piah ($18 for one roll, for ala carte order) as it was a highlight and made using a traditional recipe.

The “fresh handmade egg skin” made me anticipate a lot more, especially when it is so hard to find even in hawker centres and other Peranakan restaurants.

To be fair, the bang guang fillings consisting of turnips, bamboo shoot, pork belly and fried bean curd – braised in a rich prawn, pork, fermented bean paste and garlic sauce, was considered flavourful.

However, it would be better if served warmer with some steam coming out.

The weakest link unfortunately, happened to be the egg skin which was way too thick (we thought it almost had the same thickness as the napkin) which foiled the overall enjoyment.

The dessert of Apom with Three Pengats (6 pieces for $12) is served with three pengats (Banana, Jackfruit and D24 Durian) cooked in a mixture of coconut milk and gula melaka.

The Apom is made with a mix of flour that is left to ferment over three to four hours which gives it a slightly sour-ish taste that pairs better with the sweet and rich pengats.

Beautiful place, falling short in terms of execution.

Indigo Blue Kitchen
1 Scotts Road, Shaw Centre, #03-09/10/11 Singapore 228208
Tel: +65 6235 3218
Opening Hours: Lunch 12pm – 3pm Last Order 2pm, Dinner 6:30pm – 10pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

Other Related Entries
Candlenut (Dempsey)
True Blue Cuisine (Armenian Street)
The Peranakan (Orchard)
Tok Panjang (East Coast Road)
Baba Chews (East Coast Road)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

Taking a flight out, or intending to dine at Changi Airport Terminal 1?

ANA Airlines has a new outlet of Japan Gourmet Hall SORA at T1, modelled after a business class lounge.

Remember its first outlet at Terminal 2? This time it will showcase the best Japanese dishes from three prefectures: Fukuoka, Hokkaido, and Kanagawa.

The new 116-seater SORA at Terminal 1 will feature classic favourites and exclusive dishes from three renowned Japanese restaurants: Ikkousha (ramen), Yoshimi (tonkatsu and curry) and Megumi Maru (maze don).

If you value the convenience of getting some Yatai-style ramen, katsu curry and maze don, all in one place, then you’ll love the concept of SORA.

Plus, you have easy access to wonderful desserts like Hokkaido soft-serve ice cream and pancakes to mellow those sweet cravings.

Ikkousha
Popular Japanese ramen which offers traditional Yatai-style ramen
You should have heard of Ikkousha, that popular ramen restaurant in Japan that attracts long queues, founded and operated by Chef Yoshimura Kousuke.

Named after 3 characters: ichi (one), ko (happy), and sha (place), this one happy place has 62 outlets around the world, including Japan, Indonesia, China, Taiwan, Australia, Hong Kong, and USA.

The SORA outlet is its 3rd location in Singapore.

What really clicks with the diners is the signature Tonkotsu Ramen, a specialty of Hakata-ku Fukuoka.

Traditionally, this ramen is crafted and served by vendors of open-air food stands aka Yatai. Hakata is also the place in Japan where Ikkousha originated so their ramen is often called “Hakata ramen”.

You will find a thick, creamy and bubbly tonkotsu made by boiling carefully cleaned pork bones for over 12 hours every day. The long and thin noodles are made in-house to match the soup, while the chashu is thinly sliced and well-seasoned to achieve that balance between ramen and toppings.

Special Tonkotsu Ramen ($18.70)
This special ramen features Ikkousha’s signature tonkotsu with its mild flavour not overpowered by the pork bones’ umami and sweet notes.

The collagen-rich broth is served with a balance of thin ramen noodles and toppings, including thin slices of tender cha-shu, flavoured egg, black fungus, and spring onions.

This is the first time Ikkousha has launched Yatai-style ramen in Singapore, exclusively available at SORA. As I tried the other 2 branches before, the difference is that this broth has a lighter and milder flavour, with sweetness coming from the pork bones (the usual Ikkousha Tonkotsu has a creamier texture and bolder flavour.)

Special Red Chili Ramen ($20.90)
Another exclusive ramen, this genuine Yatai-style uses the same signature thick and creamy tonkotsu broth but made red because of a secret ingredient, Ikkousha’s secret brand of “Spicy Fire”.

It also has thin ramen noodles, topped with slices of tender pork cha-shu, black fungus, spring onions, plus some dried seaweed.

Special Black Garlic Ramen ($20.90)
What makes this ramen different is the addition of a special house-made fried garlic paste. Not only does it impart an intense biting flavour but also turns the original tonkotsu soup dark-coloured.

Yoshimi
Katsu curry specialist Yoshimi opens 1st overseas outlet in Singapore
Hokkaido is the second of three Japanese prefectures featured in SORA, and represented by Yoshimi a katsu curry specialty restaurant from Sapporo, Hokkaido.

If you love dishes like Katsu rice, Katsu Curry Rice, Omurice Curry and Katsu Sandwich, you’re in luck as these are specials of the house.

Named after its creator Chef Yoshimi Katsuyama, Yoshimi is a product of the chef’s travels in the United States. He had this philosophy that “having fun is delicious” and so he wanted to create a place where he could serve dishes that please both palate and eyes.

Yoshimi grew and became popular, and now has more than 19 outlets across Japan.

Some of the menu mainstays include Pork Loin Katsu Set ($23.80), Mille-feuille Katsu Set ($26.80), Omurice Curry ($16), Beef Curry Rice ($17.90), along with Hokkaido-style desserts.

Mille-feuille Katsu Set ($26.80)
Mille-feuille literally means “thousand-sheets”, and this time you’ll find the multiple layers in a savoury katsu set.

Enjoy the crunchy exterior of the deep-fried katsu as you marvel at all the tender layers inside. Served with finely shredded cabbage and classic katsu sauces.

Omurice Curry ($16.00)
This contemporary Japanese omelette rice is served with a brown curry sauce that goes well with the rest of the ingredients.

A spoonful of that runny omelette, fluffy Japanese rice and curry sauce all come together in one big bite.

I particularly enjoyed the curry which was rich and bold, with just a tinge of spice.

Mixed Berry Pancake ($19.80)
This beautifully dressed up dessert pancake is almost a prize for reaching the finish line of your meal.

Pillow-soft and fluffy pancakes are topped with assorted types of berries, a cream sauce, and zigzagged drizzles of strawberry syrup.

But if you’re more of a chocolate person, you’d probably like the Chocolate & Banana Pancake ($18.00) even more. And just for today, skip your diet regimen and add their Hokkaido Soft-Serve Ice Cream ($6.90).

Megumi Maru
Singapore’s first-ever Maze Don concept created by Misaki Megumi Suisan
The healthy and delicious maze don shop by Megumi Maru is Singapore’s first-ever maze don concept.

It is created by Misaki Megumi Suisan, a wholesaler of fresh and top-quality maguro and sashimi in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.

Before the fresh maguro and sashimi reaches your bowl, the fish undergo super freezing (minus 60 degrees Celsius) on-board the fishing vessels at Misaki Port. Megumi Maru then imports the fish directly to Singapore via ANA Airlines’ air freight service.

This means you’re getting the freshest fish from the seas of Japan. Sashimi lovers, read on for a preview of what you should order at SORA.

Aburitoro Maze Don ($35.10)
The Aburitoro Maze Don is a jumble of torched otoro (tuna belly) and vegetables atop a bed of sushi rice.

The colourful veggies include purple cabbage and ladyfinger, making this a pretty mix of ingredients in a bowl. You also get an onsen tamago that adds another layer of flavour and silky texture.

There are other versions of this using different kinds of seafood, such as Unagi Maze Don ($20.10) with eel, Ebi Mentai Maze Don ($17.90) with prawns, and Maguro and Salmon Maze Don ($17.30) with a duo of tuna and salmon.

Kaisen Maze Don ($18.80)
The Kaisen Maze Don combines sashimi cubes of akami, salmon, boiled prawn, unagi, takuan, and onsen tamago on top of Japanese sushi rice.

The individual ingredients are fresh and tasty on their own but the dressing helps draw them together as a unified dish. Made with sea urchin and shoyu, the dressing imparts that desired umami flavour to the naturally sweet taste of seafood.

Those who want to add healthy fats in their meal should consider the Spicy Maguro Maze Don ($16.90) which has avocado paired up with tuna. Sidekicks include purple cabbage, cucumber, and onsen tamago served with spicy sauce made with tobiko and shichimi.

Or consider the Otoro Maze Don ($35.10) which uses otoro, the most desirable part of the tuna belly, the fattiest part that simply melts in your mouth. Dab some of the sauce, a mixture of sugar, sesame and soya sauce. Oishii!

Maguro Mentai Roll ($15.90)
To help fill you up, rolls are the way to go. Go for the Maguro Mentai Roll ($15.90) which includes tuna sashimi, pollock roe sauce, fish roe with cucumber, and crabstick mayo sauce.

Try the Salmon Cheese Roll ($16.90), Caterpillar Roll ($13.70), or Anago Roll ($17.90). Maki rolls are crowd-favourites, and do get some friends to share.

Japan Gourmet Hall SORA @ Terminal 1
Changi Airport Terminal 1, #03-21, Singapore 819642
Tel: +65 6242 9087
Opening Hours: 10am – 11pm, Last Order 10:15pm (Mon – Sun)

Japan Gourmet Hall SORA @ Terminal 2
Changi Airport Terminal 2 Level 3, Airport Blvd, #036-058, Singapore 819643
Tel: +65 6386 7005
Opening Hours: 10am – 11pm, Last order 10.15pm (Mon – Sun)

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Japan Gourmet Hall SORA.