[Bangkok] Pee Aor (sometimes spelled P’Aor) is a restaurant that is famous for its tom yum soup. They claim they serve the “Best Tom Yum In Bangkok”.

Once you get a glimpse of the giant rock lobster and seafood soup that is their speciality, it is easy to see why.

At 1200 baht (SGD50) this is by no means a typical Thai street food dish, but it is absolutely jam packed with quality seafood which is reflected in the price.

While there is no doubt the soup is very ‘Instagramable’, the bowl is by no means a gimmick.

Other than the whole rock lobster, you get squid, mussels, fish, prawns and in an unbelievably rich, creamy, sour tom yum soup.

The soup also comes with a mound of rice noodles in it which makes it a very filling meal that can easily be shared between four to six people depending on how much you can eat.

If you are heading there alone, or don’t want to pay 1200 baht for a soup, you can try the Tom Yum Koong Sod – spicy, sour soup with fresh river prawns.

You can two pretty large river prawns in the same soup as the lobster version, with your choice of noodles for 60 baht (SGD2.50).

This happens to be my dish of choice when I visited the restaurant by myself as at that price, you will be hard pushed to find a better tom yum in the whole of Bangkok.

Another must try dish at Pee Aor is the Yum Woon Sen Talay – spicy glass noodle salad with mixed seafood.

This is a fantastic version of a classic Thai salad. It was spicy, salty and extremely sour from the large amount of lime juice they use to make it.

With the amount of fresh seafood that came with the salad, the 100 baht (SGD4.60) price tag seems like a steal.

The shop itself is a no frills, classic Thai restaurant, tucked down Soi Petchaburi 5, behind Phaya Thai BTS Station.

The easiest way to access the road is to cut through the carpak at Phaya Thai Plaza which is right next to the BTS station.

P’Aor, Bangkok 冬陰功大龍蝦麵
68/51 Soi Phetchaburi 5, Khwaeng Thung Phaya Thai, Khet Ratchathewi, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400, Thailand
Opening Hours: 10am – 9pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon
Google Maps – P’Aor

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Raan Jay Fai (Mahachai Road, Bangkok)

Click HERE for other BANGKOK Food Entries

* Written by DFD’s Bangkok Correspondent @the_roaming_cook. Gary Butler is a self-taught cook from London currently based in Bangkok. When he is not cooking, he is roaming the streets in search of the Bangkok’s best local food.

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Once in a while, a nostalgic café will open and bring us back to the good old days, appealing to people of a certain generation and above. I guess that’s me.

Good Old Days Bistro is a Western-fusion cafe located along the row of shop houses at Beach Road. Note: This is not to be confused with Good Old Days Restaurant at Sentosa.

The interior is made up of a mish-mash of things that all seemed to work together, from old radios, photos of Singapore in the 1960s and 70s (I recognise some of the buildings!), toys and F&N glass cups.

The owner probably picked up many decorative items from the former Sungei Road Flea Market.

Even the furniture is “re-used” as I recognised them from different restaurants, from a swing in the middle of the bistro, repurposed Harley-Davidson seats, and those cushy deep pink sofa and chairs from Henri Charpentier from Dempsey Hill (that is when I realised it has closed.)

The menu was rather wide-ranging for a small place like this, serving up All Day Breakfast with offerings of Brioche French Toast ($11.90), Fluffy Pancake Stacks ($11.90), Eggs Fungo ($14.50) – poached eggs with Portobello mushroom; Pasta and Risotto dishes such as Creamy Carbonara ($12.90), Crabbie Feast ($16.90); Sandwiches and Burgers; and Main Dishes of St Louis Pork Ribs ($17.90), and Duck Leg Confit ($17.90).

Its Portobello Fritters ($7.50) which were mildly crispy outside and still steamy soft inside, signalled good things to come.

I was intrigued with the Crispy Oatmeal Chicken Burger ($13.90), with buns freshly baked with fruit or vegetable powders for its colour and flavour, with no added preservatives or colourings.

It came interestingly / gimmicky served in a Vintage Box – which I have seen overseas but not quite here in Singapore (my friend was worried about hygiene though due to the inside material.)

While the burger was harder to cut and eat due to the container, I liked its generous portion of chunky chicken contrasted with the soft bun.

There was still that “home-cooked” element though, and I reckon it could be because of the cheese used. I wished the burger could hold together better.

The Truffle Infused Mushroom Pasta ($12.90) could be the weakest link though, lacking in the truffle aroma and creaminess. And thus, the noodles got somewhat clumpy halfway.

Perhaps this is because it is the starting days and they have yet to fine-tune the dishes in such as wide menu, but I can imagine this to be a homely place to chill and catch up with some old friends.

Good Old Days Bistro
Kampong Glam Conservation Area, 337 Beach Road Singapore 199565
Opening Hours: 11:00am – 10:00pm, Closed Sun
Reserve Online Now – Good Old Days Bistro

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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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[London] Dishoom came up quite often when I asked for restaurant recommendations in London.

This is London’s first Bombay café.

It opened in Covent Garden in 2010. Since then, it has been a multi-awarded dining concept with 6 locations in UK: Edinburgh, Kensington, Shoreditch, King’s Cross, Carnaby and Covent Garden.

Diners rave about the food’s unparalleled authenticity, the ambiance, and the service. Yelp users have voted it as the Best Restaurant in UK for 2015 & 2016.

It is a great place to have Indian style meals, especially the breakfast. The Scottish Food Awards named it the Best Breakfast Destination for 2017.

Dishoom is a modern interpretation of Indian cuisine, offering quality food without the fuss. Its tagline “From Bombay with love” encapsulates the experience you are likely to get the moment you step inside the restaurant.

Extremely popular with locals and tourists alike.

Dishoom pays homage to the Irani cafes once part of Bombay culture. In the 1960s, Zoroastrian immigrants from Iran opened almost 400 cafes in Bombay. Today, these old Irani cafes have almost disappeared, with fewer than 30 remain.

The overall design of Dishoom tells the story of the Irani cafes. The vintage décor and the upscale touches all come together to relive the atmosphere.

The monochromatic palette is a backdrop to about 30 tables topped with pearl-smoked Indian marble, matched with Bentwood chairs. The mirrors on the pillars add sparkle to the space. Walls are lined with mahogany trim and adorned with old sepia family portraits. Ceiling fans and white-pendulum lights hang from the ceiling.

You can reach Dishoom via Tube. From Victoria to Embankment takes about 10 minutes. From Embank Place, turn slightly right at Villiers Street, then turn left towards sidewalk. Continue straight on Adelaide Street, then turn left towards William IV Street. Turn right towards St. Martin’s Lane, then continue straight on Upper Saint Martin’s Lane. The walk takes about 11 minutes.

Walk-ins are allowed as they keep most of the tables unreserved. Online reservation is an option if you want a guaranteed table. Booked tables are yours for 2 hours.

However, if you go during nearing peak hour, you likely need to queue a while. So, reserve.

Breakfast is served from 8am to 11.45am on weekdays and from 9am to 11.45am on weekends.

The Big Bombay (£11.90, SGD$22.00) is a must. Your plate will be laden with abundant Akuri, char-striped smoked streaky bacon from The Ginger Pig, peppery Shropshire pork sausages, masala baked beans, grilled field mushroom, grilled tomato and buttered, home-made buns.

At first, I didn’t know how I would take to the food (since I am not that familiar with Indian cuisine), but I loved almost everything ordered. Oh, those explosion of flavours.

The Chicken Berry Britannia Biryani (£9.50, SGD17.19) – slow-cooked, aromatic, and just mildly spicy, had cranberries which added those touches of sweetness.

I don’t even order Daal that often back home. But the serve convinced me to, and there were no regrets at all.

Cooked over 24 hours, the dark stew lentils came creamy, rich, and deeply flavoured.

Pair that up with some of the Garlic Naan (£2.70, SGD4.88), and the combination felt so complete. The naan was baked to order, cooked within seconds in the searing hot tandoori ovens.

By the way, if you are there early enough, you can get the Bacon Naan Roll (£5.90, SGD$10.91) – Dishoom signature dish, perhaps the most instagrammed bacon sandwich in London. It is a bit of Bombay and a bit of London together.

While I was searching for “Butter Chicken” (couldn’t find any), I came across Chicken Ruby (£9.50, SGD) instead, cooked in a silky ‘makhani’ sauce.

The gravy was an aromatic butter based tomato cream base seasoned with spices and herbs, and the entire taste-profile was complex – like there were so many things going on, yet in harmony.

I won’t even say it was spicy, somewhat savoury with some sweetness, luxuriously creamy.

The House Chai (£2.70, SGD5.00) is warming comfort and satisfying spice. Made in the proper way. All who have tried it are swearing by it. Chai is a spiced, milky sweet tea that is India’s national drink.
Special menus are available including Vegan, For Children, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, and Group feasts.

Perhaps it was also the vibes. Dishoom somehow made Indian cuisine hip and accessible. And I would gladly say, make this part of your itinerary if you do head down to the city.

Dishoom (Covent Garden)
12 Upper St. Martin’s Lane, London WC2H 9FB
Tel: +44 020 7420 9320
Opening Hours: 8:00am – 11:00pm (Mon – Thurs); 8:00am – 12:00mn (Fri); 9:00am – 12:00mn (Sat); 9:00am – 11:00pm (Sun); Open as usual on bank holidays except Christmas time
reservations@dishoom.com
https://www.dishoom.com
Google Maps – Dishoom (Covent Garden)

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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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[Kuala Lumpur] While researching on my list of cafes for my KL trip this year, Fancy Breakfast Club came up scoring high on my kind of aesthetics and brunch food.

That more or less warranted the trip there.

FYI, the café is situated in Bangsar Baru where you can spend hours café hopping and visiting hipster boutique stores at.

Located on the second floor above a dessert store, the café was solely lit by natural lighting from the windows and since we were the only customers there on a weekday mid-afternoon, the entire place felt serene.

I can imagine chattering sounds amplifying in that enclosed space on a busy weekend though.

The seating here is mostly communal, and it reminded me of fancy bridal showers and cozy thanksgiving gatherings in the US.

The theme is also dominantly black and white.

The all-day brunch menu is extensive with items ranging from salads, burgers and pasta to eggs, waffles and pancakes.

You can customise your own Breakfast Board (RM30, SGD10) which requires you to pick a minimum of 5 items priced at RM6 each.

The round wooden board arrived on the table with our chosen items (scrambled eggs, smoked chicken sausage, yogurt, hash brown and mixed fruits) arranged and styled prettily. The more memorable items were the hash brown and scrambled eggs, sufficiently moist and creamy.

I also got the Turkey Ham & Cheddar Cheese Waffle (RM18, SGD6), a simple dish that turned out to be too dry for my liking. The honey mustard sauce didn’t help either.

With great expectations, I also ordered the French Toast Bread Pudding (RM27, SGD9), and it did come out looking very Instagram-worthy and oohs and ahhs-inducing.

Alas I were let down by the overly wet sourdough. I did factor in that it was supposedly a “bread pudding”.

If not for the wet toast, the tangy berry compote would work well with the sweet sourdough toast bread pudding.

Fancy Breakfast Club has lots of potential provided the food execution is well tended to.

If you are not so keen on sharing a table, my advice is to come on a weekday afternoon – the undisturbed, laidback setting is great for sipping tea away while on your book or laptop.

Fancy Breakfast Club
6-1 Jalan Telawi 2, Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: +60 03-2202 2020
Opening Hours: 9am – 4pm, Kitchen closes at 3pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon
http://www.fancybreakfastclub.com/

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* Written by Crystal Wee, a “Cafe Pornographer”. More of her cafe gallery on Instagram @Crystal_wee. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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[Beijing] I joked that I wanted to be a ”hao han” (好汉) twice. There is a saying that goes “不到长城非好汉”, which means that you need to get up to the Great Wall to be a Great Man.

The first time I climbed up, and it took a hike from wee hours of the morning till mid noon, and only made it less than half way.

The second time, the older me decided to go straight for the cable car.

Dear friends, great man or not, it is worth to make it up there at least once this lifetime.

(Click PLAY for highlight of Beijing.)

Beijing has changed quite a bit over the years, though not as much as its sister city Shanghai. (You can still pay by cash at many places, cab drivers are still elusive, air is still bad.)

Travellers go for traditional architecture, learn more about Chinese history, visit the one-of-a-kind restaurants, hutong (traditional alleys) and street markets.

The unique culture and landmarks are largely due to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties that laid the groundwork for current-day Beijing.

You will be able to find the influences of both eras all around the city, from the historical storefronts to massive gardens and clusters of Imperial tombs.

So whether you choose to bask in the history or explore new-age shopping centers, here are the 10 must-see places in Beijing:

Forbidden City 紫禁城
4 Jingshan Front St, Dongcheng Qu, Beijing Shi, China, 100006
Tel: +86 10 8500 7421
Opening Hours: 8:30am – 5:00pm (April-October), 8:30am – 4:30pm (November-March), Closed Mondays

The largest ancient palace in the world
China’s Forbidden City, also known as the Palace Museum has been named: one of the world’s top 5 important palaces of all time, the largest ancient palace in the world, a UNESCO heritage site, and one of the world’s largest cultural museums.

It houses 9999 rooms across a total of 980 wooden buildings, which all come together to form the ancient Imperial palace.

9 is an auspicious number for emperors.

All rooms are packed with historical artefacts, from wooden structures to hand-woven rugs and carefully crafted tapestries. However, there is a huge fence around, so you cannot really see anything (even if you manage to squeeze to the front) unless you get super zoom camera.

The palace itself was home to 24 Chinese emperors during the Ming and Qing Dynasty, the last of whom was abdicated in 1912.

The Forbidden City took over 1 million laborers to complete the structure, including the décor and murals dotted around the area. Just be sure to bring your most comfortable walking shoes—the city is twice the size of the Vatican and over three times the size of the Kremlin, coming in at over 180 acres (7.8 million square feet!).

Some of you may have romanticised views of the Forbidden City due to a staple of popular Period Dramas. The Last Emperor was one of the first movies I ever caught on the cinema screen, and I often imagined what it would be like to be here.

Let’s just say it is beautiful, but I wished there was more.

Many of the rooms remain out-of-bounds, and palace can get very touristy (ie noisy, crowded and everything) due peak seasons. If you would really like a bird’s eye view of the Forbidden City, get up to the vantage point of Jingshan Park.

Great Wall of China 万里长城
Mutianyu Road, Huairou District, Beijing, China
Tel: +86 10 6162 6022
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 5:00pm (Mon – Fri), 7:30am – 6:00pm (Sat – Sun)

The longest landmark on Earth
The Great Wall of China is one of the world’s most famous landmarks—and the longest. No, you cannot see it from space. Realised it was an urban legend.

The series of ancient walls and fortifications spans more than 4,000 miles across Northern China. Due to its length, the Great Wall of China is best explored in sections. Juyongguan, Badaling, Mutianyu, Jinshanling, and Simatai are the most popular areas to visit for both tourists and locals due to the various attractions offered.

Consider signing up for one of the many day tours offered online, which would usually include mini-bus transportation with an English-speaking guide for under USD30.

This time round, I visited the Mutianyu – which was a lot less touristy. If you are in luck, you can almost take a photo without any other visitors at a particular section.

Hiking up can take a couple of hours, the return cable car trip would cost you RMB100 – that excludes the admission price of RMB45. The more adventurous tourists may choose to take a Toboggan slide down.

It was a magnificent sight, and you cannot imagine the grandeur till you are here yourself.

Summer Palace 頤和園
19 Xinjiangongmen Rd., Haidian District, Beijing, China
Tel: +86 10 6288 1144
Opening Hours: 6:30am – 8:00pm (April to October), 7:00am – 7:00pm (November to March)

The best preserved Imperial garden in the world
My mind kept going ”Huan Zhu Ge Ge” because the Supper Palace was originally built in 1750 by Emperor Qianlong, and is the largest existing Imperial garden in China.

The palace covers over 70,000 square meters, including 3,000 houses and innumerable garden areas. The landscape is a masterpiece of Chinese architecture, and an unfathomably large man-made lake. It is a certified UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Visitors can explore more than 100 buildings, 3 thousand pavilions, and 20 courtyards. The Seventeen-Arch Bridge stands out across Kunming Lake to connect the eastern shore and South Lake Island.

At the heart of the Summer Palace stands The Tower of Buddhist Incense, which is an ornately decorated religious building open to visitors of all backgrounds. The Long Corridor, Buddhist Fragrance Pavilion, and the Jade Belt Bridge are other popular attractions open year-round.

You can hop on the ferry for under USD5 BUT the queue of tourists is unimaginably long.

I quite enjoyed the walk here, actually spent about 3 hours just doing short strolls around here, watching Chinese families and couples do all kinds of #OOTD shots.

Tourist tip: Getting a cab outside here is near impossible. BUT don’t get up those illegal ones.

Temple of Heaven 天壇
Tiantan Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing 1000050, China
Tel: +86 10 6702 8866
Opening Hours: 6:00am – 8:00pm (April-October), 6:30am – 9:00pm (November to March)

The largest sacrificial site in the world
First built in 1420, the Temple of Heaven has been proclaimed a “masterpiece of architecture and landscape design” by UNESCO.

The landmark is the largest sacrificial site in the entire world, opened to the public in 1988 as a park dedicated to ancient philosophy, religion, and the history of Chinese culture in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

This landmark covers more than 2.7 million square meters, making it larger than the entirety of the Forbidden City.

The temple itself is divided into two sections: the inner and outer sections. Each section houses different buildings, rooms, bridges, and areas for visitors to explore. Some of the most popular attractions are the Circular Mound Altar, Imperial Vault of Heaven, Danbi Bridge, and Palace of Abstinence.

However, if you come here without much knowledge of Chinese history or a knowledgeable tour guide with insights, it can get rather boring as most of the rooms are closed and you can only take peeks into through small windows.

Tiananmen Square 天安门广场
West Changan Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100006, China
Tel: +06 78 745798
Opening Hours: 5:00am – 10:00pm Daily; Individual locations may vary

One of the largest public squares in the world
Built in 1958, Tiananmen Square was constructed for large-scale gatherings and official ceremonies. Since then, it has been expanded to over four times its original size.

The square now covers 440,000 square meters and can hold up to 1 million people—making it one of the largest public squares in the entire world.

Tiananmen Gate stands at the northern end, which doubles as the entrance into the Forbidden City and Palace Museum.

If time allows, you can also explore the National Museum of China, Monument to the People’s Heroes, Great Hall of the People, and the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall.

There are changing of guards ceremonies happening at specific times, but getting a view of these are usually hard due to the sheer number of visitors.

Ming Tombs 明十三陵
Changchi Rd, Changping Qu, China
Tel: +86 10 6076 1422
Opening Hours: 8:00am – 5:30pm Daily

The Thirteen Tombs of the Ming Dynasty
The historical significance of these tombs is quite fascinating. But if you are not that into Ming Dynasty history, then it would be akin to visiting an undergound empty tomb.

The Ming Tombs are the final resting place for 13 Ming emperors, 23 empresses, and countless concubines.

The tombs were added to the UNESCO list of historically important sites in 2003, where they remain to this day.

Currently, visitors can only visit that one tomb, the Ding Ling Tomb. Other mausoleums are closed for historical preservation.

In summary, poor Emperor! He spent a good part of his life planning for this tomb (after they all believe in after lives), but little would he have known it would become a tourist site.

Most of the accompanying artefacts and precious jewels were unfortunately destroyed during the Cultural Revolution; even the Emperor’s remains were burnt. Oh well.

Wangfujing
Wangfujing Main Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100006, China
Tel: +86 158 0153 5506
Opening Hours: 9:30am – 10:00pm Daily

One of the most famous shopping streets in all of China
I somehow landed up at Wangfujing countless times during both my trips, also because the restaurants I wanted to visit were here. (Hello, Hai Di Lao!)

Wangfujing Street, often called the heart of Beijing, was constructed over 700 years ago. It used to be a private area where princes and princesses lived during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Now it is the place to go for snacking, dining, and shopping for local and Western brands. It is called the “Fifth Avenue”. Hmmmmmm…

The area has been blocked off for pedestrian traffic only (no cars, no cabs!), so you can safely take a stroll from one end of the 800-meter street to the other.

Visitors will enjoy shopping at the many different stores, boutiques, and shopping centers.

At night, make your way to Wangfujing Snack Street. You will find a handful of vendors and stands serving everything from traditional Chinese street food such as candied fruits to foreign favorites.

A number of stalls were selling creepy crawlies such as scorpions, cocoons and grasshoppers. Yikes.

Due to a challenge, I had the deep fried scorpions (yucks, but were like prawn crackers), cocoons (mushy) and praying mantis (smelly). No more, ever.

Beijing Olympic Park
Beisihuanzhong Rd, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
Tel: +86 10 96105
Opening Hours: 6:00am – 9:30pm Daily

Bird’s Nest Stadium and Water Cube Aquatics Center
Beijing Olympic Park was repurposed after the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games into a 2,864 acre comprehensive activity center that the public is encouraged to visit.

There are numerous sights to see at this enormous park. Number one on many tourists’ lists of things to see inside the park is the National Stadium, better known as The Bird’s Nest.

It is one of the most well-known attractions to tourists and natives alike in Beijing. I think this place would look much, much better at night though.

There are also the Water Cube Aquatic Center and the China Science and Technology Museum, which are favorites of many Chinese parents and children.

Tourist tip: Please wear a mask at all times. (Air pollution.)

Sanlitun 三里屯
No.46 Jiuba Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100020, China
Tel: +86 10 6415 5812
Opening Hours: 24/7 Daily; Individual shops may vary

Used to be famous bar street, now more for shopping and hipster cafes
Sanlitun used to be an area known for its bar street, though there was a clean-up campaign and many of the bars are now gone.

However, it is still a place for staying out late, upmarket shopping, or exploring international cuisine and hipster cafes.

Taikoo Li is where the young (they look rich) and “fashionable” hang out. Fashionable is subjective lah.

This is also the birth-place of the famed instagrammable dirty buns. Surprise, surprise.

Qianmen Street
Qianmen Main Street, Beijing 100050, China
Tel: +86 10 6511 8110
Opening Hours: 24/7 (Daily); Individual stores may vary

Beijing’s oldest shopping street
Qianmen Street was once a historical staple in Beijing, beginning in 1300 until the entire street was burnt to the ground in the early 1900s.

It was then rebuilt to resemble old Beijing, though the influence of the 1920s and 30s is apparent.

The modern streetcars serve the pedestrian-only area at no cost to visitors. The historically accurate architecture houses everything from modern souvenir shops to traditional Chinese candy and snack stalls.

Many are really here for the famed Peking Duck Restaurant Quanjude Roast Duck 全聚德.

Brands like Zara, H&M, and Sephora are located in the shopping zone. Starbucks, KFC, MCDondalds and Haagen-Daaz are found nestled amongst local eateries. You may also enjoy a visit to the world-famous wax museum, Madame Tussauds, for under USD30.

MUJI Hotel Beijing, will also be at Qianmen. Exciting.

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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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[Bangkok] Known for the many Japanese cafes and eateries in this Japanese neighbourhood, Thonglor is one of the most hipster places to hangout for a cup of coffee.

Adding on to the list of popular places such as theCOMMONS, After You Dessert Cafe and Peace Oriental Teahouse, this Japanese owned Souffle&Souffle Pancakes Cafe is located opposite to the popular Mango sticky Rice Shop, Mae Varee.

Located at the 2nd floor of a shophouse, the cosy interior with a homely touch is decked in wood with hanging lights and potted plants.

Being a soufflé-centric cafe, a selection of savoury and sweet soufflés are available on their menu.

Instead of the usual brunch items such as Egg Benedict and Caesar Salad, soufflé pancakes are substituted to create Egg Soufflé Benedict (THB 350, SGD14.80), Classic Brunch Soufflé (THB 330, SGD14) and Egg Caesar Soufflé (THB 320, SGD13.50).

Using Australian wheat made from grounded whole grains and organic eggs, each soufflé dish is freshly prepared upon order and requires a minimum of 20 minutes waiting time.

I was initially disappointed when I first saw the soufflés, as it was smaller and flatter than the ones I had previously.

But after having the first bite, my impression of it totally changed.

It was as soft as cotton, fluffy like cotton candy and very light on the palate, just like other typical Japanese desserts!

I could easily finish the entire plate on my own without even feeling guilty though.

Evenly cooked on the hot plates and not as starchy as I had imagined, yet it retained its firmness and texture.

“Bo-ing, bo-ing”.

Flavours such as Fuwa Fuwa Soufflé (THB 290, SGD 12.30) Choco-Banana (THB 320, SGD 13.50), Matcha (THB 340, SGD 14.40), Choco/ Fruits (THB 360, SGD 15.20) are available for desserts.

I enjoyed the texture of the Matcha Soufflé (THB 340, SGD 14.40) which came with organic whipped cream (blend of French fermented butter and New Zealand Manuka Honey), Azuki red beans and a scoop of matcha ice cream.

But as a fan of matcha, I wished that the flavours could be slightly stronger.

The texture of the souffles is quite memorable and I will definitely recommend this place to other cafehoppers.

Souffle&Souffle Pancakes Cafe
56/8 Sukhumvit 55 Khwaeng Klongtan Nuea, Bangkok, Thailand
Opening Hours: 10am – 8pm (Mon-Fri), 9am – 9pm (Sat-Sun)
https://www.facebook.com/souffleandsouffle/

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Peace Oriental Teahouse (Ekkamai, Bangkok)

Click HERE for other BANGKOK Food Entries

* Written by Nicholas Tan @stormscape who loves all things [NEW]. Daniel’s Food Diary pays for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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There must be something going on with Club Street of late, with several NEW openings such as Zui Hong Lou, Le Bon Funk, Monte Carlo Boys, Fotia, and Maxi Coffee Bar.

More to come.

Maxi Coffee Bar is a hole-in-the-wall hidden within Emerald Garden. Coffee drinkers may remember Stamping Ground Coffee (they moved to Upper East Coast Road and flamingo-themed Bicky & Brew that both used to be here (not sure where the flamingo ‘flew’ to.)

This is like your friendly neighbourhood joint, with people greeting you with a loud “Hi”, and looks set to have regulars from the CBD district.

The space is small – two counter seats, and two more on the bench at the side, and is more suitable for takeaways.

The menu is lean for now, with coffee offerings of Black ($4), White ($4 – 6), Iced Cereal Milk Latte ($7.50), and Coconut Cold Brew ($7.50).

The Iced Cereal Milk Latte is their version of breakfast-in-a-cup, with malty milk at the bottom soaked for that taste of breakfast, and shots of expresso within.

The expressos change periodically, and I had the Iced White ($6) with a blend of Brazilian and Ethiopian beans, beautifully smooth, thankfully not that acidic (like many other coffees around), and with a pleasant chocolatey finish.

Toasts using locally sourced ingredients (according to them) are available, think Avocado Feta ($8), Miso Peanut Butter ($6), Ricotta Jam ($6) and Vegemite Cheese ($6).

I am not even an avocado-toast person, but enjoyed their creamy rendition with a touch of chilli flakes, on soft chewy sour dough.

Once they get a hang of things around, I think they can afford to expand their menu slightly, and offer say bottled cold brew for easy takeaways.

Small lovely place, good coffee, friendly people.

Maxi Coffee Bar
31 Club Street, #01-02, Emerald Garden, Singapore 069468 (Telok Ayer MRT)
Tel: +65 9831 5760
Opening Hours: 8am – 4.30pm (Mon – Fri), Closed Sat, Sun

Other Related Entries
Clan Café (Bt Pasoh)
Nouveau Cafe (Hong Leong Building)
Alchemist (Hong Leong Building)
Common Man Stan (Stanley Street)
Pickleville (Robinson Road)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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So they said the early bird catches the worm, so I headed down to Earlybird Café during its soft launch phase.

Located at Jalan Pinang (not Jalan Pisang – GRAB driver dropped me at the wrong street even though GPS indicated otherwise), it took over the space which used to be occupied by Artistry (nooooooo…).

Regulars would find the configuration rather similar, especially the communal table in the middle.

Though I must say the small-little inclusion of bird decorations, wall painting and greenery did add to the feel of the space.

Coincidentally (or not), “Pinang” can mean “tropical Asian palm”.

Owned by the team behind Revelry at Lor Kilat, some of the enticing items on the menu included Chicken & Pancakes ($19), King’s Brekkie ($24) – essentially the big breakfast of grilled sausage, scrambled eggs, thick-cut bacon and other stuff, Truffle Shrooms ($17), Crumbed Eggs On Toast ($18), and Steak & Truffle Mash ($24).

Pasta dishes of Tom Yum Prawn ($20) and Truffle Cream ($19), and sweets such as Hotcake Bling ($18) with fairy floss, Going Bananas ($17) – hotcakes with bruleed bananas, and Flower Pot Tiramisu ($8.50) are available.

I generally think prices are a notch on the high side to appeal to the millennials for more regular visits; and diners are more likely to share items than order one or more each.

Who could resist Chicken & Pancakes?

I seriously thought this is one of the most decent renditions I had of late – the chicken came in crisp, chunky, juicy, pieces on top of pancakes with texture I never had before.

There was a light crisp around the perimeters contrasted with the fluffier pancake, and slight savouriness with balanced out the sweetness of the chilli maple sauce. (The other very delicious chicken and waffles place is coincidentally at The Beast, a short walk away.)

The Tom Yum Prawn Pasta ($20) with linguine tossed in Thai-style gravy was an adequate execution, coming out as expected and could satisfy most hungry diners.

The Tom Yum sour-tangy-spicy flavours were more muted on this, but possibly because it could appeal to wider audience.

Generally, I liked the vibes and offerings and am likely to make a return visit, though think prices could be friendlier to appeal to the youths who hang out at this area.

Perhaps I have seen many of those creative Bangkok cafes, there can be liberty to go towards the “bird theme” even more, especially in terms of the little details and menu design.

Earlybird Café
17 Jalan Pinang Singapore 199149 (Bugis MRT)
Tel: +65 9788 6856
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Mon – Fri), 9am – 11pm (Sat), 9am – 10pm (Sun)

Other Related Entries
Revelry (Lor Kilat)
The Beast (Jalan Klapa)
LePak At Rayz (Bussorah Street)
The Wired Monkey (Dunlop Street)
Mother Dough Bakery (North Bridge Road)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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[Hong Kong] Many Singaporeans are no stranger to Tian Tian Chicken Rice at Maxwell Food Centre – the delicious smelling hawker stall in Maxwell Food Centre with that snaking queue after both Anthony Bourdain and Gordan Ramsay ordained this stall and Michelin-fame found them.

What surprised me though, was how they were also THAT well-known in Hong Kong.

Opened less than a week ago, this 3,800 square feet restaurant that sprawls the ground level of Fashion Walk Causeway Bay has a hungry beeline queuing outside in 35 degrees heat waiting to get in.

The brain child of Charles Choi, a chief executive of a public-listed garment company in Hong Kong, Tian Tian Plus is a celebration of three different Michelin Bib Gourmand or listed Singaporean eateries – Tian Tian Chicken Rice, A Noodle Story “Singaporean-style” Ramen and Lao Jie Fang Beef Brisket Noodles (from Mei Ling Food Centre), along with The 1950s Coffee 五十年代咖啡 (from Chinatown Smith Street) offering Singaporean-style beverages.

Despite the long line, the queuing system was surprisingly orderly and priority was given to elderlies and families with younger children.

A round of ice water was served to customers waiting in line under the hot sun. Do I smell some good old Singapore Airlines services there?

My eyebrows lit up when there was actually music playing in the restaurant (albeit a bit too loud) – something usually not so common in Hong Kong.

I was hoping to have a whiff of that chicken rice scent greet me when I entered but the place was scented more like an aspiring fine dining restaurant – oriental accented, fancy lightings, dark romantic ambience with marbled tables but with comfortable seating.

I was shown the set lunch menu that had 7 staple items to pick from, with a drink of iced or hot coffee, tea, lemon tea or barley drink for an additional HK18 (SGD3.10).

A quick glance around and most tables ordered chicken rice. I was curious if anybody queued that long to actually taste the other 2 signature noodle items.

The rice from Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice (HK80, SGD13.80) was aromatic, chicken was tender, smooth and melts in your mouth, just like how Tian Tian tasted in my memory.

The plate of chicken rice was served with a chopstick and a dining spoon – definitely the first time I have eaten chicken rice off a plate that way.

As for A Noodle Story’s Noodles with Deep Fried Shrimp Wanton and Japanese BBQ Pork (HK88, SGD15.20), it was pleasant but it feels like the sauce needed a bit more oomph.

I also tried Lao Jie Fang Noodles with Braised Beef Brisket and Tendon (HK72, SGD12.20).

The flavours were there but the brisket was a little on the dry side and tendon wasn’t as soft as the local Hong Kong versions.

The Iced Lemon Tea from The 1950s Coffee was lackluster, and the Iced Coffee too strong a brew that tasted too bitter for my taste.

With Toastbox having a strong presence in Hong Kong, my money would go to them if I needed my dosage of “kopi” (coffee).

With a restaurant named Tian Tian Plus, it is obvious that the limelight falls on Tian Tian while the other food offerings play second fiddle.

Would I queue again for the chicken rice? Yes.

Would the Hong Kongers stand in the queue for the other items on the menu? This is a challenge for the Motherland of springy noodles, fresh wantons and beef brisket.

Other Related Entries
Tian Tian Chicken Rice (Maxwell Food Centre)
A Noodle Story (Amoy Street Food Centre)

Tian Tian Plus
Shop H2, G/F, 9 Kingston St, Fashion Walk Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: 12:00pm – 3:00pm, 6:00pm – 12:30am Daily

Click HERE for other HONG KONG Food Entries

* Written by DFD’s Hong Kong Correspondent @kara_the_explorer, who is the Singaporean “tai tai” living the foodie dream in Hong Kong. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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[Jeju, South Korea] If it is your first time on Jeju Island, I am sure you have heard from many whom have visited to must, MUST try their abalone porridge.

Wah, using fresh abalone to cook porridge is such a luxury. For the Chinese Singaporeans, we only get to eat canned abalone during Chinese New Year – during good years.

Located on the eastern side of Jeju Island, Myeong Jin Jeon Bok is probably the most well-known eatery to serve not just only abalone porridge, but an abalone feast.

Not only it is popular among Koreans, it has also become the mandatory eatery for tourists to experience dining like a local.

Hence, do expect waiting time of up to an hour.

Here’s how the queue system works: Go to the counter ahjumma and she will hand you a small yellow slip which you have to indicate your order with your phone number.

Meanwhile, there is a waiting room next to the shop, or you can simply roam around the area to enjoy the sun and sea breeze along the coastal road.

The menu with straight forward with only 4 choices – Abalone Porridge, Abalone Stone Pot Rice, Grilled Abalones & Sliced Raw Abalones.

My favourite dish would be their Grilled Abalones (KRW 30,000, SGD37.50) served on a hot plate. For that price, you would get 500g of round, plump abalones grilled till chewy soft.

The hint of smokiness further enhanced its natural freshness.

The Abalone Stone Pot Rice (KRW 15,000, SGD18.75) was also the most commonly ordered dish on every table.

Using pumpkin rice as base, the fresh abalones were sliced and layered on top of the rice and sent for cooking.

Initially, I felt that the rice was a little dry and lacking in flavour. I was then enlightened after observing neighbouring tables poured water into the stone pot and allowed it to further sizzle for a while.

The rice turned out moister, and soaked with an immense amount of charred fragrance.

While Abalone Porridge (KRW 12,000, SGD15) was rated as one of the “must-eat” food in Jeju, it fell slightly short of my expectation.

Perhaps I am not too used to seeing my porridge brown, I also found it slightly bland for my heavy taste buds that I had to mix in some salt and sesame oil for seasoning.

I also attempted the Sliced Raw Abalones (KRW 30,000, SGD37.50) out of curiously on how abalone sashimi would taste like.

It was hard, tough and overly crunchy that I had a hard time chewing on the sliced raw abalones. Definitely not what I had expected.

The sliced raw abalones also came with a portion of their innards. Not very sure if it was meant to be eaten and I wasn’t too adventurous to try it.

By the way, they also served a serving of Grilled Mackerel as part of their ban chan (side dish) which tasted extremely fresh with tender juicy meat and exterior grilled till golden crisp.

The meal was very much value-for-money.

Myeong Jin Jeon Bok 명진전복
1282 Haemajihaean-ro, Gujwa-eup, Cheju, Jeju-do, South Korea
제주특별자치도, 제주시, 구좌읍, 해맞이해안로 1282
Opening Hours: 9.30am – 9.30pm (Wed to Mon), Tue Closed
https://store.naver.com/restaurants/detail?id=17032617/
Google Maps – Myeong Jin Jeon Bok

* Written by Lewis Tan @juicyfingers, a self-proclaimed coffee addict. Daniel’s Food Diary pays for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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Has it been a year? I know that LOBSTER fans do wait for the ever-popular “Lobsterfest” aka that major Lobster Buffet from Lime Restaurant at PARKROYAL on Pickering for all-you-can-eat lobsters.

This is where you can find lobsters cooked in various different ways… from au natural chilled, wok-fried, grilled to local renditions such as Lobster Laksa, all at a single place.

Come in a group of 4 adults and more, and you can enjoy 15% savings off the bill valid from Sundays to Thursdays.

The ‘ever-green’ favourites of Lobster Chilli Crab Sauce served with Golden Man Tou, Lobster in Black Pepper Sauce, and the Lobster in Golden Egg Yolk Lemon Butter Sauce make their return with updated flavours.

There is a surprise right outside the door at the back of the restaurant in the form of an outdoor barbeque for freshly grilled lobsters topped with your choice of favourite sauces.

The one NEW item to look forward to is the newly launched Lobster Roll. There is NO limit on the amount you can take (but I won’t encourage food wastage).

Want to be part of the lobster frenzy? Here are 10 recommended Lobster items from PARKROYAL on Pickering’s Lobsterfest:

1. Lobster Roll
If you have cravings for this indulgent and traditional New England food, then you are at the right place.

Considering the price of Lobster Rolls out in the restaurants out there, introducing this to a buffet does make it more value-for-money to customers.

Lime’s version contains generous chunks of lobster meat doused in mayonnaise, served on freshly toasted and lightly buttered warm Ciabatta.

This departs from the usual hot-dog style bun for a different rendition, and diners can actually get to savour more of that lobster flesh.

2. Whole Maine Lobster On Ice
Maine Lobster are known to be one of the sweetest, and most flavourful lobster type in the world, and a great way to appreciate their succulent chunks of flesh is having them chilled on ice.

Appreciate them au natural with the whole lobster, or in dishes such as the refreshing Lobster Salad.

3. Lobster with Chilli Crab Sauce
The best of both worlds – fresh Rock lobsters wok-fried with sweet, mildly spicy chilli crab sauce. Do not forget to pick up some of those petite Golden Man Tou to go with the eggy sauce.

4. Lobster in Black Pepper Sauce
While 2 years ago I thought that the black pepper rendition was kind of average, the kitchen somehow managed to fine-tune the flavours to the right balance of sweetness versus peppery savoury.

Plus, this came smoking-hot with wok-hei, making it one of my favourites.

5. Lobster in Golden Egg Yolk Lemon Butter Sauce
Last year’s Salted Egg Lobsters were a crowd-favourite. To keep things refreshed for returning dinners, the Golden Egg Lobsters are cooked with a creamier and sweeter sauce, almost like fillings of a liu-sha custard bun.

There was also a touch of lemon in the butter which added some tanginess.

6. Lobster Laksa Noodles
There is something about lobster flesh soaking up some of their lemak coconut-y rich gravy though. It was not as spicy as imagine, but enough bring out the flavours of the accompanying ingredients.
My only ‘complaint’ – the bowl is too small for the lobster.

Outdoor Barbeque with 7. Grilled Lobster with Sambal Belacan,
8. Grilled Lobster with Garlic Butter,
9. Grilled Lobster with Thai Sweet and Spicy Chill, and
10. Grilled Lobster with Truffle Hollandaise

While a lot of the main focus is typically on the buffet spread and dessert section, do not miss the outdoor BBQ already where freshly grilled lobsters take centre-stage.

The BBQ area added to some of that outdoorsy vibes, plus it keeps the restaurant interior from smelling smoky.

The grilled lobsters can be paired with a number of mouth-watering sauces to choose from, such as Sambal Belacan, Garlic Butter, Truffle Hollandaise, Roasted Sesame Sauce and Thai Sweet and Spicy Chilli.

After trying a bit of everything, I loved the Thai Sweet and Spicy Chilli Lobsters most, due to the combination of elements and flavours of sweet, spicy and zest.

I suspect that the crowd favourite would be the Truffle Hollandaise, as creamy rich sauces such as hollandaise work well with the flavours of truffle, for that ‘magical’ boost and whiff just before the spoonful enters the mouth.

Without exaggerating, this was perhaps the one time I had the most number of lobsters in a single sitting, and turned up to be satisfying without feeling queasy. Do pace yourself and just enjoy the spread.

Additional note: Complimentary signature Limenade helped, like a refreshing summer quencher.

Diners can also choose to take their gastronomic experience at Lobsterfest up a notch with free-flow draft Tiger Beer at a top-up of $30 per adult, available from 6:30pm to 9:30pm.

‘Lobsterfest’ is available from 26 May to 30 June 2018, between 6:30pm and 10:30pm.

Pricing
$99 per adult (Sun – Thurs) | $108 per adult (Fri, Sat)
Includes unlimited chilled juices, soft drinks, specialty coffee and tea and a glass of the signature Limenade

$49.50 per child (Sun – Thurs) | $54 per child (Fri, Sat)
Includes unlimited chilled juices and soft drinks
Child price is applicable to children between the age of four and 12

Promotion for Groups of 4
Dine in groups of 4 paying adults and above to enjoy 15% savings off the bill Only valid from Sundays to Thursdays.

Bottomless Beer option is available at a top-up of $30 per adult, available from 6:30pm – 9:30pm.

Lime Restaurant
PARKROYAL on Pickering, 3 Upper Pickering Street, Singapore 058289
Tel: +65 6809 8899
Email: lime.prsps@parkroyalhotels.com
“Lobsterfest” is available from 26 May to 30 June 2018, between 6:30pm and 10:30pm

For more information: https://www.parkroyalhotels.com/lobsterfest

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

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Wait, I realised nobody ever really wrote about Killiney Road. But why?

It is one of the nearest places to Orchard with a wide selection of food, at more affordable pricing. Just a 5 minute walk away from Somerset MRT Station – go out from the other side (away from Orchard), and walk towards SingTel.

This is also the ‘birthplace’ of one of Singapore’s most known kopitiam – Killiney Kopitiam.

So other than SingTel (to pay your bills), cool residences, this is also where you can find bakeries, bars, steamboat, curry puff (also famous), ramen and chicken rice.

Here are some of the 10 Best Eateries found on Killiney Road:

Killiney Kopitiam
67 Killiney Rd, Singapore 239525
Tel: +65 6734 3910
Opening Hours: 6 am – 11 pm (Mon-Sat), 6am – 6 pm (Sun)>

1st shop of the Hainanese coffee shop chain
Originally founded back in 1919, this place was a small humble shop where you could buy warm beverages and bread toast, as well as well-brewed tea and coffee.

In 1993, Mr. Woon who was a regular customer decided to buy the shop and rename it to Killiney Kopitiam. Today, this has branches all over Singapore and dozens of outlets overseas.

Killiney Kopitiam has many branches, but the main outlet at at Killiney Road remains as one of the best, if not the best in taste and quality. Some of the other branches are questionable.

They have expanded their menu and serve a wide range of local delicacies and of course the signature Hainanese style coffee.

Their freshly homemade kaya and rich kopi concocted from Columbian Arabica coffee beans remain their main selling point. My other personal favourite dish is the fragrant curry chicken with crispy prata.

Warung M. Nasir
69 Killiney Rd, Singapore 239526
Tel: +65 6734 6228
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm Daily

Popular Nasi Padang eatery
Warung M. Nasir’s main focus is on Padang foods like fried chicken, fish curry, sayur lodeh, sambal goreng, and many more.

For those who don’t know, Nasi Padang is practically steamed rice that comes with a variety of pre-cooked dishes to choose from.

One portion of Nasi Padang costs around $7.00 (or more depending on what you order) and some of the favourites include braised eggplant, beef rendang, and the tahu telur. Although these dishes are quite far from what people consider as healthy, at the same time they can be quite tasty.

They have received the popular Excellent Food Award and attract a large number of both tourists and locals.

Marutama Ramen
75 Killiney Road, Singapore 239529
Tel: +65 6352 6369
Opening Hours: Lunch 11:30 am – 3:30pm, Dinner 5:30pm – 10pm Daily

Chicken based broth with thin Hakata ramen noodles
I have visited their branch at Central on several occasions, but this time I wanted to check out their joint on Killiney Road.

This branch of Marutama Ramen is a bit brighter and attracts more tourists. Besides locations in Saitama, Tokyo, and Singapore, they also have restaurants in Malaysia, Canada, and Indonesia.

Marutama’s selection is simple with four types to choose from – Non-spicy chicken soup ($12), Nama Karashi spicy chicken soup ($12), Aka ramen with 7 kinds of ground nuts mixture ($15) and Tan-men chicken soup ramen with vegetable toppings ($13).

What attracts me most is the thin-curly homemade Hakata-styled ramen noodle. It is one of the first stores which serve pure Toripaitan broth (milky chicken broth), which needs to be cooked and prepared about 5 hours daily.

Da Shi Jia Big Prawn Mee
89 Killiney Rd, Singapore 239534
Tel: +65 6732 1085
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 10pm Daily

White bee hoon with big prawns
Da Shi Jia Big Prawn Mee is a newly opened eatery on Killiney Road in Singapore. Although the early reviews were indifferent, it seems that this restaurant has managed to improve the quality of their dishes.

The signature food here is definitely the wok-fried big prawn white bee hoon ($16.80). The Prawn Noodle Soup ($5.80) is a good option and comes with fresh pieces of prawns, some lean pork slices, and fishcake slices.

The dish I would recommend would be the Wok-Fried Big Prawn White Bee Hoon ($16.80) which combines firm bee hoon, umami-rich prawn stock, and wok-hei.

Artisan Boulangerie Co.
239555, 118 Killiney Rd, Singapore 239555
Tel: +65 6444 8130
Opening Hours: 8am – 10pm Daily

Bakery with expanded brunch menu
Opened in 2013 right at Killiney Road, Artisan Boulangerie Co (otherwise known as ABC) used to be a small neighbourhood bakery close to Orchard Road that offered a nice selection of morning treats, breads, and pastries.

As their popularity grew, they decided to expand the menu and besides fresh pastries include signature entrees and some café classics. Today, Artisan Boulangerie Co is considered quite a well-known bakery in Singapore.

The award-winning baker, Eran Mayer is in charge of the recipes of the delicious bread and pastries in the kitchen, from baguettes and croissants to sourdoughs and pretzels.

Some may still have the impression ABC serves only bread, pastries and coffee, but they have expanded to serve brunch items such as Eggs Benedict, Brioche French Toast, and Big Breakfast.

Freshly Baked by Le Bijoux
57 Killiney Rd, Singapore 239520
Tel: +65 6735 3298
Opening Hours: 8am – 8pm (Mon – Fri), 8am – 6pm (Sat), 8am- 3pm (Sun)

Delicious breads and affordable brunch sets
Freshly Baked by Le Bijoux is a simply decorated French-Style café that offers a variety of baked goods, sandwiches, and desserts.

Opened in 2007, this Killiney Road café has stood the test of time, and has been a regular place for many in the neighbourhood to have breakfast or brunch.

There are three brunch sets available and range from $9.90 to $12.90, from Soft Scrambled Eggs to Smoked Salmon served with cheese.

One of the most popular dishes is the Deli Corned Beef which comes with burger bread and baked beans. As for cakes and desserts, the favourite seems to be the Cranberry Scone ($2.80) with salted butter and tangy cranberries.

Whampoa Keng Fish Head Steamboat
110 Killiney Rd, Singapore 239549
Tel: +65 6884 6884
Opening Hours: Lunch 11am – 3pm, Dinner 5 pm – 11 pm (Mon-Fri), 11am – 11pm (Sat, Sun)

Famous fish head steamboat opens branch at Killiney
Few people actually known that this famous fish head steamboat place has opened a branch in Killiney.

The story of Whampoa Keng Fish Head Steam Boat began back in 1990 when Mr. Keng decided to get into the food business. Today, Fish Head Steam Boat is a successful restaurant with several branches in Singapore.

Besides the obvious fish head steamboat, the signature orders here are the Prawn Paste Chicken and the Specialty Tofu which comes with eggs and seafood sauce, and Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs.
 

The Chicken Rice Ex-press
107 Killiney Rd, Singapore 239547
Tel: +65 6736 1928
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm Daily

Chicken Rice for just $4.20
The truth is that no visit to Singapore is complete without trying Hainanese Chicken Rice. There are many famous brands in Singapore, and actually this eatery serves up quite a decent rendition.

At Chicken Rice Ex-press, the chicken rice set that is meant for two pax comes with lime juice or barley, rice, greens, broth, and chicken will set you back around $9. Pretty affordable.

The Chicken Rice is $4.20, while a Drumstick Rice is at $4.70.

While I thought that the noodles need some work as they are typically soggy, the Chicken Rice served here was fragrant and flavourful, matched up with the smooth, tender chicken pieces.

Killiney Curry Puff
93 Killiney Rd, Singapore 239536
Tel: +65 6736 2011
Opening Hours: 9am – 8pm Daily

Famous Malay-style curry puff
Killiney Curry Puff is a Malay coffee shop that serves up familiar local cuisine, such as Nasi Lemak, Mee Rebus, Ayam Penyet, Mee Siam, Mee Soto and Tahu Goreng.

You can have a filling meal with drink at $6.50.

I used to really like their Curry Puffs ($1.40, or have they increased price again) – used to be handmade and filled with chunky pieces of chicken. They have shrunk in size after rebranding, but well, still a good enough street snack.

Jew Kit Restaurant
105 Killiney Road, Singapore 239546
Tel: +65 6733 5578
Opening Hours: 10:30 am – 12am Daily

Zhi Char place good for Hainanese chicken rice
Founded by Mr. Teo, Jew Kit Restaurant specialises in Hainanese chicken rice and boasts a lovely décor with cool furnishings and posters on the walls. The vibes are like a coffee shop from the 1960s.

Everything on the menu here is reasonably priced. For instance, the Dumpling Noodle Soup costs just $5, while the Jew Kit Special Chicken Wing Rice will set you back $6. There is also no additional service charge.

The menu is really quite extensive, offering items from Thai Style Chicken Chop Rice ($6.50), Black Pepper Pork Rice ($6.00), Beef Hor Fun with Special Sauce ($6.50), Xin Zhou Bee Hoon ($5.50), Crispy Noodle with Seafood ($5.50), Sweet & Sour Pork ($8), to Sweet & Sour Pork ($8, $12).

What I liked about this zhi char place is that it opens late enough for supper with friends.

And one bonus place…

Comcentre Canteen
31 Exeter Road B1-10 Singtel Comcentre Singapore 239732

The SingTel basement canteen
The *secret* place. This is also where you can find the HungryGoWhere people. LOL. The Comcentre Centre is hidden from street level, but you can need to take the stairs down for your food.

Generally opened from morning till mid-noon, the stalls serve up anything from Economical Beehoon, Chicken Salad, Ayam Penyet, to Western Food.

Other Related Entries
5 NEW Clarke Quay Restaurants
Tiong Bahru Plaza Food Guide
10 Best Inexpensive Thai Restaurants In Singapore
Clarke Quay Food Guide (Lunch)
10 Best Brunch Spots In Singapore

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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Despite the rather hot weather, Singaporeans just cannot get enough of hotpots. Spice World Hot Pot, also known as “香天下” has arrived from China to Clarke Quay.

It is known as one of China’s top global hotpot brands, with no artificial flavours, MSG or flavour enhanced used. Soup bases are first prepared in Sichuan China, then air-flown to Singapore.

You can choose from 7 different soup bases. Most would go for the signature Mala which comes in three varying degrees of spiciness (mild, medium, hot), pork belly and chicken, three-delicacies (pork, chicken, duck), wild mushroom, tomato, tom-yam, and curry.

The Teddy Bear Mala Hotpot (additional $8) is one of the most fun (and strangest hotpot) I ever had, with mala soup shaped into a teddy bear (or Hello Kitty). Watch the cute bear slowly melt into a pool of appetizing broth to cook your meats and handmade balls.

The only thing to take note it: there are only 10 bears and 10 kitties per day. Remember to reserve them as they are limited.

Most will also order the Australian M8 Wagyu beef ($38.90), draped like a meat dress over a doll. Lady Gaga will approve.

Spice World also offers a $15 4-Course Set Lunch available daily from 10:30am to 3pm.

The main course includes Chongqing Noodles, Chinese Sauerkraut Instant Fried Rice, Yangzhou-style Fried Rice, Pork with Cabbage Dumplings, or Pork with Leek Dumplings.

The set also offers FREE FLOW appetizer, sauce, snacks, fruits; Choice of Beverage (free flow): San Zha & Plum Drink, Herbal Tea or Longan Drink; and Dessert of the Day.

Spice World Hot Pot (香天下火锅)
Clarke Quay Block B #01-06/07 River Valley Road Singapore 179021
Tel: +65 6265 9777
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 4am (Sun – Thurs), 10:30am – 6am (Fri – Sat)
Reserve Online Now – Spice World Hot Pot

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[Jakarta] It is known widely that whenever we talk about “Indonesian food”, we are actually referring to the traditional home-cooked dishes and varieties of the regional cuisines.

These are found at eateries or street vendors rather than the typical hipster cafes.

When visiting Jakarta, one must eat ‘Nasi Uduk’ which you can find easily throughout the city.

“Nasi Uduk” literally means “mixed rice”, a type of Betawi (native Jakartans) style rice cooked in coconut milk and mixtures of herbs and spices.

It is often served with different side dishes such as fried chicken, tofu, tempeh (fermented soybean cake) and lastly, served with sambel kacang (spicy peanut sauce).

To simplify, meet the Nasi Lemak of Jakarta.

Personally I think that Nasi Uduk & Nasi Lemak are like Luke and Princess Lea they came from the same family but was raised in different part of the region.

Nasi Lemak tends to be on the mild and lighter, while Nasi Uduk is on the strong and heavier side.

I always love finding hole-in-a-wall restaurants. ‘Nasi Uduk Ibu Amah’ is tucked away in a remote alley away from the hustle & bustle of the city life.

The alley is so small and obscure that you need to leave your car and walk a good distance throughout the narrow passageways to get there.

Truly a hidden gem. So hidden that barely local bloggers knew about the existence of this Nasi Uduk stall.

What makes Ibu Amah stall stand out from the rest?

Firstly, there are no regular operating hours, but the stall is usually opened from around 4 to 7pm. You know exactly Ibu Amah opens her stall when the aroma of fried chicken filled in the narrow alley.

Secondly, there is no ‘dine-in’ option as there are no tables and chairs to accommodate customers.

On top of that, she does not serves any extra for dine in, as all portions are already pre-ordered a day before.

The best chance to taste Ibu Amah famous Nasi Uduk is to call and ‘reserve’ your portions a day or few hours before she open.

Lastly, unlike most Nasi Uduk stalls, who serves tons of side dishes, Ibu Amah only have 3 side dishes items which consists of: Tahu goreng (fried tofu) IDR 5k (SGD0.50), Tempeh (soybean cake) IDR 5k (SGD0.50) and Ayam Goreng
(fried chicken) IDR 25k (SGD 2.50).

A plate of Nasi Uduk is sold at IDR 10k (SGD1.00).

Keep in mind that the average cost of food street full meal is about IDR 12-15K (SGD1.20-1.50).

By setting ‘atas’ price for her side dishes, is this worth it?

The first bite, took me straight to heaven.

The Nasi Uduk was aromatic, and you could smell the aroma of thick and creamy coconut milk that was absorbed with the rice. Not mentioning how ‘pulen’ (the softness) the rice grains were.

So good that I could just eat the rice only with the spicy peanut sauce by itself.

The fried chicken was blackened with tons of herbs and spices – tender and juicy with a hint of sweetness.

Oh! Don’t forget that ‘kremes’ (crunch flakes). The fried chicken truly complemented the Nasi Uduk.

By cooking limited portions of Nasi Uduk and side dishes, using fresh and good quality ingredients, you can be assured that the taste is very consistent.

In fact I had been patronizing her for almost 5 years now and trust me, I am never disappointed with her Nasi Uduk.

Compared to the rest of Nasi Uduk, Ibu Amah’s version is a few notches above the rest and definitely one of the best or should I say the best in the city?

(PS: If you need more food, walk inside to the back alley and buy Bihun Goreng (fried bee hoon) from her sister-in-law. Recommended as well, especially the spicy peanut sauce which is probably even tastier than Ibu Amah’s.)

Nasi Uduk Ibu Amah
Jl. Pengukiran II No. 6I, Pekojan, Jakarta Barat 11240, Indonesia
Tel: +6221 691 4356
Opening Hours: 4:00pm – 7:00pm (Mon-Sat)
Google Maps – Nasi Uduk Ibu Amah

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Kashiwa (Jl. Melawai VIII, Jakarta)
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Holy Smokes (PIK Avenue Mall, Jakarta)
Lucky Cat Coffee & Kitchen (Jakarta)

Click HERE for other JAKARTA Food Entries

* Written by DFD͛s Jakarta Food Correspondent Wilson Wangsawinata @iknowhowtoeat who loves exploring NEW food places in both Indonesia and Singapore. Daniel’s Food Diary pays for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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Artbox Singapore is back this year from 25 to 27 May and 1 to 3 June (Fri to Sun), with its location at Bayfront Event Space, Marina Bay (the space next to Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre).

It is over 140,000 square feet, set to be Singapore’s largest creative market, comprising of over 400 regional and local partners.

So I just came back from Artbox Singapore 2018. The GOOD news: More space to walk, more food stalls, more organised.

There is enough for you to slowly look around the stalls, and it appears to be a lot better ventilated as the food and clothing stalls are better segmented.

In terms of food choices, I find that there is a bigger variety including many new players, other than the usual pop-up suspects. I was expecting to find MANY Thai Milk Tea stalls, but only counted a couple.

The theme for the year is Oasis, which promises “endless variety of eateries and retail to great music and interactive entertainment”.

Other than the usual suspects – some can also be found at the Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar 2018 happening at the same time, here are 20+ food and drink stalls you can look forward to at Artbox Singapore :

GOShot – 24K Gold Flakes Chocolate Charcoal Softserve ($5.90). Said to be inspired by Bruno Mars. I found the price reasonable for ArtBox standard, and was smooth enough without being watery.

Soi 47 – Fried Mama Pork Balls ($6). Never seen before, as Soi 47 is first-timers to bazaars like this.

What you get are meatballs covered with mama noodles, deep fried, then coated with pork floss and mayo. Time-consuming to make, and they are selling it here. Win!

Soi 47 also serves up Iced Lychee Thai Milk Tea ($4) and Iced Lychee Thai Tea ($4).

WaWa – Fried Wantons ($5) with cheese mayo sauce, salted egg sauce or super spicy sambal. Sauces are house-made, and salted egg sauce was actually not too bad.

3 Broke Girls – Myeongdong-inspired Topokki Rice Cakes with toppings of condensed milk, chocolate or Gula Melaka. (They told me they were broke… please support them.)

Carrot Cubes – The suppliers of carrot cake are serving their own rendition at $5, $6 or $7. Other thn the Traditional White Carrot Cake, you can go for the more funky bacon with carrot cake.

The Raclette Factory – Raclette Cheese on Swiss Rosti and Chicken Sausages. The owner mentioned that he went to Switzerland to learn how to make and cook rosti. Not bad, please eat this hot, hot.

MoMo – Pretty pink Sakura Drink ($6). ‘Hidden’ stall as I didn’t observe many people around, but highly instagrammable. Might just become this year’s silent hit.

Cereal Citizen – Crododo & Milkshake Combo with honey stars and rainbow rice. I saw a Cha Yen Milkshake.

Also available is the XL Rainbow Cotton Candy – be prepared to wait as it takes time to get the colours in. And who knows, you may spot famous bloggers Bong Qiu Qiu and Rachell Tan here as they co-own the stall.

The Butcher’s Kitchen – The Suntec Restaurant known for its flaming Hokkaido Wagyu Beef Bowl is out to sell some of their signatures such as Sausage Ragu ($8), Wagyu Beef Dice ($10), Truffle Wagyu Beef Dice ($12) and Meat-Overload flamed with a Cognac Concoction.

Home Pao Pao – Cute buns with different fillings and animal faces.

Cakerholic – Fancy cakes and desserts, such as Ondeh Ondeh Cupcakes, Lemon Meringue and Chocolate Salted Caramels Tarts.

Coyoro – Dragon’s Breath snack. For the Instagram. Available in original Coco, Didi (fruity cereal) and Sweet Meringue Cookies.

ChaMakMak – Ruby Booby Deluxe ($6.00) which is a cup of traditional hand-made Thai red rubies (they have blue as well) added with mochi, topped with vanilla ice cream.

Hyde & Co – Signature Chili Crab Pasta, all time favourite Truffle Fries with shaved Parmigiano and the newly launched Handcrafted Swedish Meatballs under its new brand Island Hydeaway.

Rio – Cocktails in pretty pastel colours such as Fruit Punch with Vodka, Peach with Brandy, Rose with Whiskey.

Say Chiizu – Famous Hokkaido Cheese Toast from Bangkok ($3.80) available in original, chocolate, charcoal and matcha. For the cheese pull.

Softnade – Meatballs in a bucket, including the famed Chicken Satay Meatballs in a bucket ($10). Super long queue at Geylang Serai. No queue here. Come, come.

Dirrty Fries by 52 Sandwich Shack – Fries with kimchi chicken, mushroom poutine, mac & cheese, beef rendang ($10).

Dumpling Darlings – Gyoza with minced pork collar, napa cabbage and black vinaigrette ($9 for 6 pieces)

Easy Eggs – Selection of egg dishes. The signature is Mentaiko with Grilled Egg Balls ($6.90), topped up with Mentaiko (Fish Roe sauce) and a touch of flame.

Saiko Takoyaki – Japanese street snacks (Saikō is a Japanese slang that loosely translates to “the best” or “awesome”. )

Twenty-One – Food at the top of the cup, and a drink at the bottom ($12). There are choices or Ribeye Beef, Mozzarella, and Ebi with drink choices of pomegranate, passionfruit, green apple and mango soda.

The Wicked Cream – Pink Salt Hokkaido Milk Softserve with Matcha Cookie ($6).

Purist Patisserie – Fleur Cake layered with thin waffle biscuit base, raspberry mousse and white chocolate.

555 Thai Tea – Available in 700ml and 1L cups priced at $3 or $4, while their Thai Iced Milk Tea were not the thickest, theirs were the more inexpensive thirst-quenchers.

Tiew Mai – Thai food stall serving up Thai Basil Stir Fry Chicken with Rice, Thai Fish Cake, Gyoza and Grilled Skewers.

Loco Loco – The usual suspect at pasar malam. How to not miss them? Expect Original Churros, Oreo Churros and Ondeh Ondeh Churros ($5.50).

Markozar – Their Martabak Manis ($6.50) is the Indonesian sweet pancakes similar with the Apam Balik. Available flavours include Original, Nutella Falls, Good Ol’ Peanut and Choco Rush.

Artbox Singapore 2018
Date: 25 – 27 May 2018 & 01 – 03 June 2018 (Friday to Sunday)
Venue: Bayfront Event Space (beside Marina Bay Sands)
Time: 3:00pm – 11:00pm

Getting there:
By Train – Bayfront MRT Station Exit E (Circle Line or Downtown Line)
By Bus – 97, 106, 133, 502, or 518 and alight opposite Marina Bay Sands MICE Bus Stop
Parking – URA Bayfront Open-air carpark (most affordable, limited space), Marina Bay Financial Centre, The Shoppes @ Marina Bay Sands (Priciest)

Other Related Entries
Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar 2018
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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights.

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Llaollao (pronounced “Yao Yao”) will be making its return to Singapore in June 2018, location to be at Changi Airport Terminal 2 Level 2.

Singaporeans were shocked late last year when all its 29 branches were rebranded to Yole in a manner of a few days.

Yole was reported to be a European chain though I couldn’t find any information of its European existence online.

Llaollao then published on its Facebook “we are far from finished in Singapore”, announcing its intent to return.

Its come-back store is reported by The Straits Times to be at Changi Airport Terminal 2, next to American doughnut chain Krispy Kreme.

This area is the Departure Check-in Hall opened to public.

The frozen yogurt brand was founded in Spain during 2009, and expanded at an amazing rate to great popularity.

Made from skimmed milk, its Sanum which is a yogurt parfait topped with fresh fruits, crunchy bits such as cereal, and drizzled with sauces, is one of its ever-favourite product.

My only little surprise is that other competitor brands did not make use of this absence to intensify their marketing efforts and improve branding. Opportunity missed?

(This so reminds me of Gong Cha which left and came back again). See you again in June, llaollao.

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The post Llao Llao – Popular Frozen Yogurt Brand Returning To Singapore In June, At Changi Airport appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

The flagship store of Island Creamery has moved from Serene Centre Bukit Timah, to Lor Liput Holland Village.

While my friend said that this is his childhood-ice cream, I joked that this is probably my ‘youth-hood’ place.

Many days were spent at Serene Centre after schooling, subsequently after work for gatherings over ice cream. Fun times.

Island Creamery was opened by “Uncle Stanley”, known for its freshly made ice cream on site, incorporating local flavours of Teh Tarik, Pulut Hitam and Chendol.

This was before all the more fanciful ice cream cafes appeared in Singapore.

How it started was a good friend gave me two tubs of ice cream during my birthday. It was the Pineapple Tart ice cream in a cute white little tub that was life changing experience.

Crunchy butter bits with sweet strips of pineapple danced a waltz with vanilla ice cream, and this new year goodie never tasted the same again.

Pineapple Tart, Fresh Banana, Horlicks, Tiger Sorbet, Apple Crumble, Reverse-O and Cookies & Cream are some of the usual popular flavours.

But, to be honest, I have not been back in a while. There are just too many other choices available in Singapore.

I headed back to the newly opened shop at Holland Village, just to relive some of the old memories. The same familiar flavours were there.

I never ordered Waffles from Island Creamery before, and decided to just give it a try.

Let’s just say that many other ice cream cafes are stepping up their game, especially in terms of waffles selection, and they may just need to still work on perfecting the batter and getting the ‘correct’ shape.

The ice cream – I ordered Pulau Hitam and Chendol, were unfortunately slightly icy and somewhat ‘brittle’.

The old spot was a good location for many to pick up a sweet treat after school. This current space with its offerings, may be slightly tricky considering all the other temptations around.

Island Creamery – Holland Village
19 Lorong Liput Singapore 277732 (Holland Village MRT)
Tel: +65 6468 8859
Opening Hours: 11:00am – 10:00pm (Mon – Thurs, Sun), 11am – 11pm (Fri, Sat, Eve PH, PH_

Island Creamery – Katong
452 Joo Chiat Road Singapore 427665
Opening Hours: 12pm – 10pm (Mon, Wed – Sun), Closed Tues

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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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[Jakarta] The idea of dining at an eatery or restaurant for instant noodles may sound weird to many foreigners, but it is considered a norm for Indonesians.

Somehow, the taste of that same packet of instant noodles tends to be “better” compared to when cooked at home.

There is a rumor circulating around that some places uses “dukun” (a traditional healer) or in Malay, “Bomoh” to elevate the taste. That is of course, just hearsay.

Despite all the spirituals rumors, nothing would stop the love of Indonesian towards the nation’s favorite instant noodle, Indomie.

For those unfamiliar with the brand, Indomie is popular Indonesian instant noodle brand, manufactured by PT INDOFOOD – the largest noodle manufacturer in the world.

It is widely popular that Indonesian refers every instant noodles as “Indomie”.

Unofficially declared as one of the national dishes, many considered Indomie as the world’s tastiest instant noodle.

Indomie is easily available nationwide as well as internationally. In the recent years, even cafes in Australia begin serving Indomie as part of their menu, ranging from Indomie burger, burrito, pizza and even Indomie donuts.

On top of that, many Youtubers frequently review Indomie in their “Mukbang” eating videos.

Warung “Ropang Plus Plus” which literally translated to “Grilled Toast Plus Plus”, serves up Indomie Mie Goreng in various forms.

This newly revamped warung is located in Pluit area, North Jakarta.

Opened from 6pm till late, you will be surprised how enthusiastic Indonesians are with instant noodles, to the point you need to be on a waiting list.

The Indomie Goreng served here is somehow different from other warungs. This is possibly due to their own seasoning and secret recipe.

I ordered the Indomie Plus Plus Goreng (IDR 16k, SGD 1.60) with additional corned beef (IDR 5k, SGD 0.50) & fried egg (IDR 5k, SGD0.50).

The noodles were cooked perfectly, neither too soggy nor clumped up.

The Salted Egg version (IDR 23k, SGD2.30) came with an additional salted egg sauce. Personally not a big fan of this dish, as it was too greasy for my liking.

The Indomie Creamy Milk (IDR 15k, SGD1.50) with additional Mozzarella cheese (IDR 10k, SGD1.00) reminded me of carbonara.

Not too bad to be honest, but the noodle were slightly clumped up and cold.

Besides Indomie, they do offer other dish varieties such as the classic Roti Panggang, Sate Taichan, Pisang Goreng, options of rice bowls and other fingers foods as well.

The Sate Taichan (IDR 25k, SGD2.5k) consisted of grilled plain chicken meat, served with hot chili sauce, salt and lime as condiments.

Not that worth the hype, I guess?

If there is Indomie, there is always Roti Panggang, this duo seems inseparable.

The Grilled Toast is actually a Dutch influenced dish consist of a plain toast, spread with plain butter and topped with chocolate sprinkles.

Sometimes, it is topped with cheese, drizzled with condensed milk then grilled for a few minutes.

Call me old fashion, despite the tempting ‘modern’ toppings such as Nutella, Ovomaltine, Oreo, and fruit jams, I prefer something more classic likethe Chocolate & Cheese (IDR 20k, SGD 2.00).

The “Badak” (IDR 12k, SGD1.20) which translate to “Rhino”is the Indonesian version of Coca-Cola. It is especially famous in the city of Medan, North Sumatra, found in Medanese owned stores.

The Soda Gembira (IDR 12k, SGD 1.20) which translate to “Happy Soda” is a mixture red Fanta (usually) and sweet condensed milk.

This is one classic drink here in Indonesia, said to be inspired by Italian Soda. Could be too sweet for many.

Traditionally, Indomie served only in “warung(s)” or street vendors but with the growing populations of “millennials”, shop owners tend to find a way to introduce the “Jaman Now” a.k.a “New” trend of Indomie.

Ropang Plus Plus is probably one of the best and most popular ones around.

Ropang Plus Plus
Jalan Pluit Sakti Raya no. 21 A, Penjaringan, Pluit, Penjaringan, Jakarta Utara 14450
Tel: +62 218 1688 8297
Opening Hours: 5:00pm – 1:00am (Mon – Sun)
Google Maps – Ropang Plus Plus Jakarta

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Holy Smokes (PIK Avenue Mall, Jakarta)

Click HERE for other JAKARTA Food Entries

* Written by DFD͛s Jakarta Food Correspondent Wilson Wangsawinata @iknowhowtoeat who loves exploring NEW food places in both Indonesia and Singapore. Daniel’s Food Diary pays for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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The folks behind Hatter Street Bakehouse and Café have opened yet another dessert café in the heartlands.

The concept at Sir Stamford Waffles mimics that of Hatter Street and their now-defunct café Oh My Tian – carnival-like colours and theme and all things whimsical.

The lot of Signature Waffles mostly come with fixed ice cream flavours and toppings, but
to customize your ice cream flavours, you can opt for the Sir Stamford Waffles ($12.50) which comes with a choice of 2 scoops of ice cream and a sauce.

The most Instagram-worthy of their lot of Signature Waffles would most probably be the Pulau Unikorn ($14), added with unicorn accessories.

The lavender blackberry ice cream stood out with distinct tones of lavender, while the toasted marshmallow ice cream was just alright and not that memorable.

As for the waffles, consistency could be a problem.

Some reviews online have praised them, but the texture of my waffles was a tad doughy and not as crisp and fluffy as I remembered how they were like back at Hatter Street.

Some other signature waffles you can find on the menu are Badang the Bold ($15.90), Kopi Kusu ($15.90), The Miraculous Merlion ($15.90) and Minah & Linah ($15.90).

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to try any coffee as the coffee machine was down that day.

It was hard to decide amongst their collection of homemade cakes and tarts, including a peanut butter cheesecake, brownies with ice cream and a smores tart.

If you are a fan of thick, dark chocolate, the Smores Tart ($3.50) encases exactly that beneath the gooey marshmallow layer.

And if you still feeling hungry after this, Bedok 85 Fengshan Market is just a few doors down.

Sir Stamford Waffles
Blk 89, Bedok North Street 4, #01-91, Singapore 460089
Tel: +65 9742 8895
Opening Hours: 1pm – 10pm (Mon – Thur), 1pm – 12am (Fri – Sun)
http://www.facebook.com/sirstamfordwaffles

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* Written by Crystal Wee, a “Cafe Pornographer”. More of her cafe gallery on Instagram @Crystal_wee. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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Fans of My Melody マイメロディ will be ecstatic to know that their favourite good-natured white rabbit will be having its own café in Singapore.

Sanrio’s beloved pink-hooded rabbit My Melody, known for portraying the Little Red Riding Hood, has enjoyed unwavering popularity since 1976 (oh, she is older than me.)

Spanning over 665.22 square feet, the 38-seater My Melody Café is set to open in Suntec City early June 2018.

Themed as the “Strawberry Paradise”, My Melody Café Singapore will have a garden themed interior, with heavy use of strawberries.

The curated menu is designed by food stylist @littlemissbento, who is also the menu consultant over at Gudetama Café Singapore.

You can expect 5 mains, 6 desserts and 7 exquisitely My Melody-inspired beverages. Key signature dishes include:

Princess Bunny ($18.90)
Japanese Curry Rice featuring pink-tinted My Melody shaped rice made with beetroot, included with crispy chicken karaage, creamy mashed potatoes, brussels sprouts and carrots.

Treasures of Maryland ($19.50)
Brioche toast adorned with strawberries, vanilla soft serve, strawberry sticks, and specially customized macarons bearing My Melody and her furry friend, shy squirrel Risu.

Other dishes to expect include Little Pink Riding Hood ($23.80) of poached eggs drizzled with pink hollandaise sauce; Hola Taco ($25.00) with crunchy taco shells with Bulgogi beef wrapped within; and dessert of Play Time Fondue ($22.50) – creamy rich pink chocolate fondue.

There will also be several #OOTD photo opportunities from My Melody Cafe Singapore with its floral arch, a garden-themed wall and a cottage house. Look out for updates here.

My Melody Cafe Singapore
3 Temasek Boulevard, Suntec City Mall #01-361 Singapore 038983
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)
Anticipated Opening: Early June 2018

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(Photo credit: My Melody Café Singapore)

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