The group behind Birds Of A Feather at Amoy Street and Halcyon & Crane at Orchard Paragon has opened another new dining venue, 51 Soho at Telok Ayer.

It is located on 51 Telok Ayer, thus the name. (Though I personally thought the name neither gels with its personality, nor provide an indication on what it may sell.)

imilar to the other two concepts, attention is spent on the décor.

There is strong emphasis on usual natural materials such as brick and wood, a custom-built bar that runs the length of the space, and details on the decorations and utensils.

And oh, there is complimentary wifi as well.

It is hard to pin-point the direction of the menu though. I sense a 40% Birds Of A Feather; with the other 60% what the CBD crowd might have liked.

For breakfast between 8am to 11pm, you get wholesome items such as The Breakfast Overnight Oats ($9.90), Croissant with Ham and Cheese and Scrambled Eggs ($10.90), and Big Breakfast platter ($14.90) with sausage, hash browns, pan-fried tomatoes, sunny side-ups and an English muffin with marmalade.

One-bowl meals are offered during lunch for the calorie conscious, such as Pan Seared Chicken Breast ($15.90), Smoked Duck Breast ($18.90), Pan Seared Wagyu Shoulder Tender ($29.90) or even Pan Roasted Half Lobster ($29.90).

Price range, is on the higher side.

If you head between lunch and dinner and need some nibbles, recommended are the Fish Finger served with the house original 51 Chilli Mayo ($11.90), Chicken Winglets ($10.90), and the Shaky Fries ($7.90) dusted with house blend of spices.

While the deep-fried fish pieces might have been more or less ordinary, it was the part-sweet-mildly-spicy chilli mayo that elevated the taste.

There were some peripherals such as bonito flakes, which were more of a good-to-have though no necessary.

I appreciated that there were chopped French beans that went along with the Winglets – they provided that crunch; but would have worked better if they were not that oily.

During dinner time, the focus seems to be on the skewers, inspired by those served in Sichuan drinking houses.

There are sticks of beef, pork belly, pork soft bone, duck gizzard, chicken heart and more, grilled over charcoal and dusted with an original spice blend.

The touch of mala trickles the palate, and I particularly enjoyed the Chicken ($7.50) which was nicely-grilled, not overly charred and chunky.

However, my friend commented that the burner it was placed on seemed more for decorative purposes, as they did not help to keep the skewers warm.

There are also mains Spice de Canard ($30) – Asian braised duck; Lobster Rice Stew ($38), and Our Spicy Pasta ($24) with a side of tiger prawns and crab meat, and spaghetti cooked hot and sour (it was mala).

I was admittedly most disappointed with the desserts though, mostly priced $10.90 or $12.90 (crazy high for a slice of cake if you think about it).

Won’t have minded that much as they were of reasonable quality, but the Black Velvet Cake ($10.90) I had was a mere chocolate cake (unfortunately with cheap tasting cream) beautifully plated.

I would rather they skip that plate, and price it more affordably.

Attentive service, beautiful décor, though uneven menu and weird choice of music (Aqua and Vengaboys… that wave of ‘nostalgia’).

51 Soho
51 Telok Ayer Street #01-01
Tel: +65 9755 1058
Opening Hours: 8am – 11pm (Mon – Sun)

Other Related Entries
Chengdu Restaurant (Amoy Street)
Birds Of A Feather (Amoy Street)
Halcyon & Crane (Orchard Paragon)
Fook Kin 福劲 (Killiney Road)
Dumpling Darlings (Amoy Street)

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

The post 51 Soho – For Sichuan Style Spicy Skewers And “Mala Pasta”, Beautiful Dining Space At Telok Ayer appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

If you love your Japanese curry rice and Shibuya toasts, the good news is Monster Curry has opened two more outlets – at Punggol Waterway Point (#02-25) and 100AM Mall (#02-17).

The size of their curry size is indeed living up to its name.

Monster Curry serves Japanese style curry rice meals in humongous 41-cm plates, featuring its signature “demi-glace” curry sauce, perhaps the only one of its kind in Singapore.

Made with up to 14 different spices and vegetables, this gourmet curry sauce is slow-cooked close to boiling point for 48 hours to fully bring out its umami flavour.

What follows is a 24-hour period where the sauce “rests” and acids evaporate to achieve a smooth consistency.

Its deep brown colour, rich texture and balanced salty-bitter taste make it the canvas for Monster Curry’s variety of ingredient pairings.

Choose from a selection of golden-fried pork, chicken or seafood paired with rice, egg, and of course, the famed curry sauce.

Not to be missed is their in-house hot sauce that melds the flavours of chili padi, garlic, ginger and celery, a recommended complement to their trademark curry sauce. (Tip: Look out for the heart shaped icon on the curry – that’s the hot sauce. Recommended to mix thoroughly, and please do not eat it on its own. You have been warned.)

You can also set your desired level for all Monster Curry dishes: normal, extra, very, super and monster hot.

Signature dishes include the Monster Combo Curry in an outrageous portion that can serve up to 2 or even 3 persons. Composed of sliced crisp-fried pork katsu, pork shabu shabu, crunchy shrimp tempura, and fried fish fillet on top of the rice and sauce. Comes with grated cheese for that extra salty creamy taste in your meal.

Their latest menu offerings focus on Hokkaido, Japan’s largest and northernmost prefecture and its deep, cold oceans.

Known for its abundant fresh seafood, Hokkaido’s best ingredients – scallops, salmon and jumbo oysters – find their way to Monster Curry’s dishes. These are 3 NEW seasonal Hokkaido Curry dishes to look forward to:

Hokkaido Jumbo Oyster Omelette Curry ($16.80++)
Featuring just Hokkaido jumbo oysters, this dish caters to those who prefer to relish a singular, specialised taste.

You get 4 pieces of these jumbo oysters laden on a bed of omelette, rice, and a pool of Japanese curry.

What’s special with these oysters is how they are bred in low temperature waters due to Hokkaido’s extremely cold climate.

Rather than breeding them for the usual 1 year, Hokkaido oysters go beyond and are bred for 2 years.

So what you’ll see on your plates are jumbo oysters that are 1.5x the size of the usual oysters.

Pop one into your mouth (be careful when it’s HOT), and you would be surprised to feel the sensation of crunchy batter contrasted with plump, juicy interior. Oishii.

Hokkaido Seafood & Jumbo Ebi Omelette Combo Curry ($28.80++)
This mega curry meal is a seafood lover’s dream as it has everything from the Hokkaido oysters, scallops, fried salmon to the jumbo tempura prawns, served with steamed white rice, fluffy omelette, and its signature Japanese curry.

A serving includes 2 pieces of each, all deep-fried to a wonderful crunch: Hokkaido scallops, Hokkaido salmon fillets, Hokkaido jumbo oysters, and jumbo prawns.

Those who are concerned about the ‘seafood-y’ taste of oysters, need not worry. Let the sweet, rich taste of Hokkaido oysters spread in your mouth.

You could also dip the tempura seafood pieces into some of the curry, which is thicker in texture, mildly sweet and full of flavour.

Hokkaido Scallop & Salmon Omelette Curry ($16.80++)
This seafood curry version combines the highly sought-after Hokkaido sea scallops, one of the most recognized scallops in the world for its distinct quality and sweetness, with the equally famous Hokkaido salmon.

A tandem that scores high in succulence and healthy fats.

Order this and get 3 pieces of Hokkaido scallops, 2 pieces off fried Hokkaido salmon fillets with the rice-omelette-Japanese curry combo.

Matcha with Azuki Beans Honey Toast ($10.80++)
Also look out for the desserts here, as not many customers may know that they actually offer Shibuya Toasts.

Monster Curry’s Shibuya-style Honey Toast is a snack/dessert item served a la mode with Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream, fresh fruits and sauce, and available in 5 variants.

Try the new Matcha with Azuki Beans Honey Toast, combining sweet blocks of buttery crisp French toast with fresh strawberry halves and Azuki beans, then topped with a scoop of premium vanilla-flavoured ice cream drizzled with matcha green tea sauce.

Available 2pm onwards, the Honey Toasts are also available in smaller takeaway portions for only $6.50/$5.80.

Other fruity choices include Mixed Berries ($10.80++), a duo of strawberries and blueberries; Tangy Mango ($10.80++), using fresh mango cubes and a sweet tart mango sauce; and Chocolaty Banana ($9.80++), with sliced bananas and a classic chocolate fudge.

A non-fruit option is Caramel with Marshmallows ($9.80++), a fun blend of marshmallows, walnuts and luscious caramel sauce.

With a monster-sized appetite, you might need some extras. Don’t worry, Monster Curry offers 11 items in its menu as sides.

Popular ones to try are Sausages ($4.50 for 3 pieces), Tori Karaage ($4.50 for 3 pieces), and Fried Shrimps ($4.50 for 3 pieces). All sides are served with finely shredded fresh cabbage.

Monster Curry
100AM Mall #02-17, 100 Tras Street Singapore 079027
Tel: +54 64420 3988
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Mon – Fri)

Other Monster Curry outlets:
OUE Downtown Gallery: Downtown Gallery #01-03, 6A Shenton Way, Singapore 068815
Tel: +65 6221 3933

ION Orchard: 2 Orchard Turn #B4-52, Singapore 238801
Tel: +65 6509 4555

NEX Serangoon: 23 Serangoon Central #B1-08, Singapore 556083
Tel: +65 6634 2168

VivoCity: 1 Harbourfront Walk, #02-126/127/129, Singapore 098585
Tel: +65 6221 3308

Jurong Point 2: 63 Jurong West Central 3, Jurong Point 2 #03-57, Singapore 648331
Tel: +65 6316 6319

Tampines 1: 10 Tampines Central 1, #02-09/10, Singapore 529526
Tel: +65 6509 9968

Suntec City: 3 Temasek Boulevard #02-377/378, Singapore 038983
Tel: +65 6358 2377

JEM: 50 Jurong Gateway Road, #02-06, Singapore 608549
Tel: +65 6734 2123

Bugis Junction: 200 Victoria Street #B1-04, Singapore 188021
Tel: +65 6266 1708

Northpoint City: 1 Northpoint Drive #B1-102, Singapore 768019
Tel: +65 6778 1102

Velocity@Novena Square 238 Thomson Road, #02-78/79, Singapore 307683
Tel: +65 6250 8235

Waterway Point 83 Punggol Central #02-25 Waterway Point Singapore 828761
Tel: +65 6245 8879

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Monster Curry.

The post Monster Curry – 1st Hokkaido Jumbo Oyster Omelette Japanese Curry In Singapore, NEW Outlets At 100AM & Waterway Point appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

To be honest, Pig’s Organ Soup 猪杂汤 is not the kind of hawker food that is on constant-radar, but when I need something comforting during colder weathers.

My usual default choice is Cheng Mun Chee Kee Pig Organ Soup 正文志记猪什汤大王 at Foch Road, Lavender area; and Koh Brother Pig’s Organ Soup at Tiong Bahru Food Centre.

Koh Brother Pig’s Organ Soup stall began in 1955 by a pioneer hawker named Koh Kee with a secret recipe and a push cart.

Now, his son and grandson run the business.

Since they started in Tiong Bahru Market and Food Centre, they have garnered quite a lot of the supporters judging from the queue during peak hours.

Even though the closing time for lunch states 3:30pm, the food is usually sold out before that, say by 3pm.

The stall is also recommended under the Michelin Guide Singapore with a “Michelin Plate”.

It specialises in Teochew-style clear soup, freshly made daily from pig bones and offal and salted preserved mustard vegetables.

The Pig’s Organ Soup ($4.00, $5.00) comes with that special soup along with cut pieces of pig organs, such as pig liver, tripe, intestines, as well as pork belly and pork balls, lean meat.

The special element about this stall is their soup is a natural sweetness from the pig bones imparted to the stock, accentuated with slight saltiness from the vegetables.

It is not as peppery as some of the other stalls in Singapore. With that said, I wished that it was hotter in terms of temperature.

The offal is meticulously prepared, with the intestines even split open and scraped for absolute cleanliness.

As a result, the ingredients typically do not give off a funky smell and cooked to the right texture.

Overall, the soup base is rather light, though I think some customers may prefer a version which is richer and more robust.

Aside from the signature Pig’s Organ Soup, the stall serves Glutinous Rice with Stuffed Chestnuts Wrapped in Pig Intestine, another specialty.

The glutinous rice is cooked just right and soaks up the savoury flavours of the pig intestines and the sweetness of the chestnuts.

Looking like a sausage, the sensation reminded me of Teochew Peng Kueh especially when dipped into the dark sauce and chili.

Koh Brother Pig’s Organ Soup 许兄弟猪什汤
30 Seng Poh Road #02-29 Tiong Bahru Market and Food Centre, Singapore 168898
Tel: +65 8113 7218
Opening Hours: 8:30am-3:30pm (Tue – Sun), 6pm – 8:30pm (Tue – Sat), Closed Mon

Other Related Entries
10 Favourite Stalls From Tiong Bahru Food Centre

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

The post Koh Brother Pig’s Organ Soup – Famous “Zhu Za Tang” With Glutinous Rice Rolls At Tiong Bahru, With Michelin Recommendation appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

There is something about Prawn Noodles (Hae Mee) with umami-rich broth made of prawn shells and pork ribs, that can be both comforting and satisfying.

With that said, I found many famous prawn noodle stalls slightly inconsistent, or that the broths have gone more diluted over the years. Unfortunately.

Fresh Taste Big Prawn Noodle at Zion Road is possibly still my personal favourite; but I also enjoy those from River South (Hoe Nam), Wah Kee Big Prawn Noodles, Prawn Village (Ghim Moh Food Centre), and Noo Cheng Adam Road Big Prawn Mee.

Another friend recommended Da Dong Prawn Noodles which I will try soon.

Through the years, Whitley Road Prawn Noodles has been known to be one of the best prawn noodles stalls in Singapore, cooking their dishes only upon order.

They have 3 other outlets (Old Airport Road, 273 Thomson Road, 36 Circular Road) in Singapore gathering a long line of loyal followers especially during lunch hour.

I went to the Old Airport Road stall as it was the one recommended by the Michelin Guide (with a Michelin Plate).

Whitley Road Big Prawn Noodles offers Hae Mee in both the dry and soup versions, with options which also comes with pork ribs and pork liver.

Most people seem to go for the Big Prawn Pork Rib Noodles ($5.50, $8, $10, $12) or the Three In One ($8, $10, $15) with pork ribs, liver and tail.

The good thing is you do not have to wait around the stall (especially when it is congested and can get very warm) as you would be given a buzzer.

I reckon that the wait was about 15 to 20 minutes when I went both times, plus auntie was quite friendly.

The stall serves a smaller portion compared to others, but what it lacks in portion makes it up in flavour.

The prawns were chunky and tasted fresh – could be sweeter though; while the pork ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender.

Interestingly, I preferred the dry version. The noodles were coated in a spicy-savoury and home-made chili paste with some zing.

Fried shallots and pork lard added provided that light crunch and aroma.

Choose the soup version if you prefer something warm and soothing. The prawn broth was vividly orange with reasonably strong prawn flavours.

I thought that while the soup was slightly flavourful and sweet, it lacked the depth that I would have preferred. Also, I thought that it could be hotter.

Whitley Road Big Prawn Noodles (威利大蝦麵)
Blk 51 Old Airport Road, #01-98 Old Airport Road Food Centre, Singapore 390051
Opening Hours: 9am – 8pm (Tue – Fri), 9am – 9pm (Sat – Sun), Closed Mon

Other Related Entries
Fresh Taste Big Prawn Noodle (Zion Road)
Wah Kee Big Prawn Noodles (Beach Road)
Da Shi Jia 大食家大大大虾面 (Killiney 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.

The post Whitley Road Prawn Noodles – Famous Hae Mee At Old Airport Road Food Centre, With Michelin Recommendation appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

[Seoul] What a strange name for a café. I wonder if it means a lot of its customers wear high-waisted skirts?

There is no lack of pretty and instagrammable cafes in Seoul, especially at Yeonnam-dong near Hongik University.

Throw a stone and you will find another coffee place where the Korean youths and universities can spend an afternoon hanging out (and taking loads of #OOTD).

Café Highwaist 카페하이웨이스트 was recommended by @Crystal_wee, DFD’s café correspondent as she was also having her exchange programme in South Korea.

This cafe hasn’t gotten popular with tourists (yet), still a secret known to Korean cafe hoppers.

Without a map (use Naver), you may never quite expect to find a café here, as you may just walk past the building thinking it is someone’s residence.

A tell-tale sign is the sight of fashionable Koreans waiting outside, or striking a pose at the door.

The inside is a different world all together, with scent of the bakes, charming vintage European style furnishing, and laid-back vibes.

Even though I would say that the décor is rather “Korean-girly”, there is an impeccable homely feel about this place.

One of the key features is the display of cakes and dessert right next to the counter. The attention to details is amazing.

I have never seen cakes out on display in such a manner back home (the closest is Carpenter & Cook), peppered with bouquet of white roses.

You can take your pick of the signature Fresh Cream Shortcake (6,500 Won), Red Velvet Cake (7,000 Won), Tiramisu Short Cake (7,000 Won), Basil Strawberry Toast (8,400 Won) to Classic Butter Scones (4,500).

Of course, I had to order the very cute doggie-style Ryogle Cookie (5,000 Won).

While I won’t say that the cakes are anything out-of-this-world, there are of decent quality.

What keeps people coming would be its vibes, and I can just imagine friends spending a whole afternoon here just chatting.

No laptop-work allowed here though, it’s really for coffee, food and conversations.

Cafe Highwaist 카페하이웨이스트
223-80 Yeonnam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea (Hongik University Station, Exit 3)
서울시 마포구 연남동 223-80
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 9pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun
Google Maps – Cafe Highwaist

Other Related Entries
Stylenanda Pink Pool Café (Mapo-gu, Seoul)
Nocturne No. 5 (Mapo-gu, Seoul)
UNAS 우나스 (Gangnam, Seoul)
CAFE 연남동 239-20 (Hongdae, Seoul)
Zapangi 자판기 (Mapo-gu, Seoul)

Click HERE for other SEOUL Food Entries

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

The post Cafe Highwaist – Hidden Pretty Cafe In Seoul With Vintage European Charm, Near Hongik University appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Singaporeans love a good buffet deal, now here are 10 of them all priced less than $49.

These deals include 1-for-1 buffets and up to 50% OFF discounts to the Top Buffet Spots in Singapore, with buffet prices starting from $22.25 nett for 2 diners.

All you need to do is to visit ChopeDeals’ website or use the Chope app to purchase e-vouchers and redeem them instantly at these popular buffet restaurants.

Step 1: Choose an offer from the list of buffet restaurants here.
Step 2: Get Deal by purchasing the discounted vouchers, and receive them via email or the Chope app.
Step 3: Present your voucher at the restaurant to enjoy the savings.

Read till the end to see how you can get an extra $8 OFF these buffet deals. Here’s more on what you can expect:

Tenkaichi Japanese BBQ Restaurant
Marina Square #03-129 6 Raffles Boulevard, Singapore 039594
Opening Hours: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 5.30pm – 10.00pm (Mon – Fri)
11:30am – 10:00pm (Sat, Sun, PH)

Cineleisure Orchard #02-11, 8 Grange Road, Singapore 239695
Opening Hours: 12.00pm – 3.00pm, 5.00pm – 10.00pm (Mon – Thurs)
12:00pm – 3:00pm, 5:00pm – 11:00pm (Fri, Eve of PH)
12.00pm – 11.00pm (Sat)
12.00pm – 10.00pm (Sun, PH)

Renowned for its premium grilled Wagyu Beef and value-for-money buffets, Tenkaichi Japanese BBQ Restaurant offers an authentic Japanese yakiniku experience.

At Tenkaichi’s Deluxe and Premium Yakiniku Buffets, you get free flow of Wagyu beef sourced from different parts of the world: Kagoshima, Hokkaido, US, and Australia.

It offers high-quality premium Japan Kagoshima Wagyu, and you can be assured that the Wagyu is graded no less than a marbling score of 7+.

Aside from the famed Kagoshima and Hokkaido Wagyu, it offers a range of sashimi (octopus, tuna, sea bream, salmon, yellowtail, mackerel, Wagyu beef), beef (ox tongue, beef belly, striploin), pork (cheek fillet, smoked belly, collar, loin, belly), chicken (boneless leg, wing), seafood (local spicy fish cake, salmon, prawn, squid, capelin fish, sea bream, mackerel).

Go for the Premium Buffet with Wagyu Beef to also enjoy premium seafood like Hokkaido Jumbo Oyster, Giant Scallop, and White Tuna.

It also includes the famed Kuro Buta Kaburi (Black Pork Belly) known for its tenderness, Lamb Nakaochi (lamb intercostal), and special cuts of Wagyu (ox tongue, short rib, beef rib intercostal, beef rib eye cap, and mixed beef & pork patty).

Good news if you are near town: Tenkaichi has just opened a new outlet at Orchard Cineleisure. Time to head over!

Buffet-licious Deal: Get 1-for-1 All Day Buffet at Tenkaichi Japanese BBQ Restaurant with ChopeDeals.

Deluxe Buffet
Free flow Ben & Jerry’s Ice cream & drinks
Mondays to Thursdays
$83.20 nett for 2 adults

Premium Buffet
Free flow Ben & Jerry’s Ice cream & drinks
Mondays to Thursdays
$147.40 nett for 2 adults

Deluxe Buffet
Free flow Ben & Jerry’s Ice cream & drinks
Fridays to Sundays
$89.62 nett for 2 adults

Premium Buffet
Free flow Ben & Jerry’s Ice cream & drinks
Fridays to Sundays
$153.82 nett for 2 adults

Buy Vouchers via ChopeDeals: Tenkaichi Japanese BBQ Restaurant

Suki-Ya
Various locations including Marina Square, Heartland Mall, Tampines Mall, Bukit Panjang Plaza, Kallang Wave Mall, Toa Payoh Safra, Bugis+, i12 Katong

Go to Suki-ya if you want an extremely reasonably-priced eat-all-you-can sukiyaki a.k.a. Japanese steamboat, and shabu shabu.

Known for its five unique soup bases (Shabu Shabu, Sukiyaki, Tonyu Miso, Butaniku, and Kimuchi), Suki-Ya gives you options whether you want something wildly spicy (Kimuchi) or healthy & nutritious (Tonyu Miso).

Its signature Shabu Shabu soup base is made from healthy kombu stock and simmered kelp and is low in calories and light on the palate. A Japanese favourite, the Sukiyaki broth, is a combination of soy sauce, sugar and mirin.

For your meat selections, this “House of Pot” offers unlimited, top-quality chilled paper-thin slices of beef, pork, and farmed chicken. Dip your meats in available sauces like ponzu (shoyu with vinegar), goma tare (sesame sauce), spicy miso tare (soybean paste sauce), which you complement with grated radish, chopped chillies, chopped spring onion, or mala spice.

Explore Suki-Ya’s vegetable bar, stocked with a mix of fresh greens and assorted vegetables, best for cleansing your palate after all the richness you’ve taken in.

Buffet-licious Deal: Enjoy 1-for-1 Lunch Buffet or get up to 25% off Dinner Buffet by purchasing vouchers from ChopeDeals.

1-for-1 Suki-Ya All-You-Can-Eat Lunch Buffet (60 Mins) – 2 pax
Mondays – Thursdays, 11:30am – 3:30pm
$22.25 nett for 2 adults

25% off Suki-Ya All-You-Can-Eat Dinner Buffet (80 Mins) – 1 pax
Mondays – Sundays, 4pm – 8:30pm
$21.98 nett for 1 adult

Buy Vouchers via ChopeDeals: Suki-Ya

Food Exchange
28 Stevens Road, Novotel Singapore on Stevens, Singapore 257878
Opening Hours: 6:30am – 10:00pm (Mon – Sun)

Located at 2nd level of Novotel Singapore on Stevens, Food Exchange is a modern chic restaurant where you can enjoy an international buffet for brunch, lunch or dinner.

You can dine amidst a lush, leafy backdrop, or go al fresco by the hotel’s infinity pool.

It offers a wide variety of hot and cold regional and international specialties, including stations for salad, sushi and sashimi, Western and roasts, Indian tandoori, European cold cuts, European cheese, and desserts. Some dishes are prepared before you at the “live” stations, such as eggs, foie gras, risotto, and noodles.

Don’t miss the “Seafood on Ice” station which has the freshest snow crabs, clams, mussels, and jumbo prawns.

In the evening, “The Charm of Singapore” Dinner Buffet offers you a fusion of Asian, European and Indian cuisine. Local specialty offerings may vary but watch out for their Hokkien Sotong Mee and the live noodle station.

An international wine list and a variety of beverages like champagne, beer, and soft drinks are available to complement your meal.

Buffet-licious Deal: Purchase vouchers from ChopeDeals for Food Exchange at 30% off.

30% Off International Lunch Buffet
Monday – Saturday, 12:00pm – 2:30pm
$34.60 nett for 1 pax

30% Off The Charm Of Singapore Dinner Buffet
Monday – Thursday, 6:00pm – 10:00pm
$47.79 nett for 1 pax

30% Off Oyster Dinner Buffet
Friday – Sunday, 6:00pm – 10:00pm
$56.03 nett for 1 pax

30% Off Oyster Sunday Brunch Buffet
Sunday, 12:00pm – 03:00pm
$72.50 nett for 1 pax

Buy Vouchers via ChopeDeals: Food Exchange

Marriott Café
320 Orchard Rd, Level One, Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel Singapore 238865
Opening Hours: Breakfast 6.00am – 11.00am (Mon – Sun)
Lunch 12.00pm – 2.30pm (Mon – Sun)
High Tea 3.00pm – 5:30pm (Mon – Sun)
Dinner 6.30pm – 10:00pm (Mon – Sun)

Marriott Café is a popular destination for its High Tea Buffet, as well as its multi-cuisine buffet for lunch and dinner.

Specially curated delicacies, such as the signature Laksa, are cooked a la minute at the live stations where chefs are always on standby.

The buffet spread is brimming with fresh seafood on ice, sushi & sashimi, charcuterie & cheese, gourmet roasts, Western and Asian delights, and desserts. The Seafood Station has a steady supply of freshly shucked plump oysters, crayfish, prawns, snow crabs, and Boston lobsters.

Premium meats are cooked at the Beech Oven Station like the Australian Roast Beef Sirloin and Roast Prime Ribs, and the signature items Crispy Pork Saddle with Prunes and Pancetta & Mixed Herbs.

If you’re craving for Western and Asian dishes, these are highly recommended: Spiced Maple Glaze Pork Ribs, Braised Duck with Cherries & Roasted Pear, Seafood Stew, Thai Duck Curry, and Chicken Kung Pao with Peanut & Chilli, Nasi Lemak, Chicken Rice, Hokkien Mee, Sambal Stingray, Rojak, Dim Sum, and Chicken Masala.

The Singapore Chilli Crab, Seafood Paella and Sticky Date Pudding are Marriot Café specialities you shouldn’t miss.

Buffet-licious Deal: Purchase vouchers from ChopeDeals for Marriott Café at 50% off.

50% off Lunch Buffet
Monday – Saturday, 12.00pm – 2.30pm
$34.72 nett per adult

50% off High Tea Buffet
Monday – Friday, 3.00pm – 5.30pm
$26.48 nett per adult

Saturday & Sunday, 3.00pm – 5.30pm
$28.25 nett per adult

50% off Dinner Buffet
Sunday – Wednesday, 6.30pm – 10.00pm
$45.90 nett per adult

Friday & Saturday, 6.30pm – 10.00pm
$51.79 nett per adult

Buy Vouchers via ChopeDeals: Marriott Cafe

Spice Brasserie
PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road, 181 Kitchener Road, Singapore 208533
Opening Hours: Breakfast 6.00am – 10.30am, Lunch 12.00pm – 2.30pm, Dinner 6.00pm – 10.00pm

Spice Brasserie at the PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road is an all-day dining restaurant offering a smorgasbord of local and Asian favourites.

It’s an enticing venue for buffet fans who want both specialty and variety, with a spectrum of specialties from Asian to Western.

Known to specialise in flavourful seafood, particularly crabs, Spice Brasserie’s “Battle of the Crabs” buffet has been the talk of the town for its variety of crab dishes including the signature Singapore Chili Crab, Salted Egg Yolk and Butter Crab, Steamed Marinated Spicy Crab, and Stewed Kimchi Crab.

Try something different and experience their all-new local flavour themed buffet. Expect unlimited servings of your local favourites, available for a limited time for lunch and dinner.

The Local Food Fare Buffet includes Bak Kut Teh Mee Sua, Masala Thosai, Oyster Omelette, Stir-fried Slipper Lobster in Black Pepper Sauce, Stir Fried Mud Crab in Chili and Peanut Sauce, and Durian Pengat, served with Sticky Rice.

Other recommended items include Nonya Laksa with Boston Lobster, Udang Masak Lemak Nenas, Assam Padas Ikan Pari, and Wok Fried Bee Hoon with Lala.

Buffet-licious Deal: Purchase vouchers from ChopeDeals for Spice Brasserie at 30% off.

Monday – Sunday Lunch Buffet, 12.00pm – 2.30pm
$26.36 nett for 1 pax

Sunday – Thursday Dinner Buffet, 6:00pm – 10:00pm
$34.60 nett for 1 pax

Friday and Saturday Dinner Buffet (Applicable for use on eve of PH and PH), 6:00pm – 10:00pm
$39.55 nett for 1 pax

Buy Vouchers via ChopeDeals: Spice Brasserie

Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant (Kitchener Road)
181 Kitchener Road, Singapore 208533
Opening Hours: Lunch 11:30am – 2:30pm, Dinner 6:30pm – 10:30pm (Mon – Sun)

Si Chuan Dou Hua pioneered authentic Sichuan cuisine in Singapore. Since 1996, it has been serving the true flavours of Sichuan through its experienced native chefs.

Alongside its classic Sichuan cuisine, it also serves Cantonese delicacies done the traditional way.

Here, you can enjoy its signature Dinner Buffet in an exquisite setting.

The buffet features a medley of these authentic Sichuan and Cantonese specialties, including Sichuan Dan Dan Noodles and the Marinated Black Fungus and Turnip with Preserved Chilli, a cold appetiser.

Buffet-licious Deal: Purchase vouchers from ChopeDeals for Si Chuan Dou Hua (Kitchener Road) at 30% off.

30% off Si Chuan Dou Hua Dinner Buffet
Monday – Sunday, 6.30pm – 9.30pm
$47.79 nett for 1 pax

Buy Vouchers via ChopeDeals: Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant (Kitchener Road)

Royale
Mercure Singapore Bugis Level 3, 122 Middle Road Singapore 188973
Opening Hours: 6am-11pm (Mon – Sun)

Located at the 3rd level of Mercure Singapore Bugis, Royale lives up to its name as an elegant setting for all-day dining, complemented with creamy leather seats, black marble floors and a Baroque-inspired décor.

The food at Royale, its flavour and presentation, are in sync with the elegance of the ambiance. Royale’s menu includes a variety of international dishes, inspired by global flavours, ranging from freshly shucked oysters and sashimi, to Lok Loks dipped in Mala, Thai Tom Yum or Herbal Chicken Broth.

The International Lunch Buffet features a selection of fresh Seafood on Ice, local and international favourites, and a Sensational Desserts Bar. For dinner, a live BBQ station serving the best of grilled specialties is added to the setup.

Buffet-licious Deal: Get 1-for-1 International Buffet and Weekend High Tea Buffet at Royale with ChopeDeals

International Lunch Buffet
Monday – Friday, 12:00pm – 2.30pm
$41.19 nett for 2 adults

Weekend High Tea Buffet
Saturday & Sunday, 12:00pm – 3:00pm
$56.49 nett for 2 adults

International Dinner Buffet
Sunday – Thursday, 6:00pm – 10:00pm
$64.73 nett for 2 adults

Friday & Saturday, 6:00pm – 10:00pm
$88.27 nett for 2 adults

Buy Vouchers via ChopeDeals: Royale

Ginger
PARKROYAL on Beach Road, 7500 Beach Road, Singapore 199591
Opening Hours: Lunch 12:00pm – 2:30pm, 6:00pm – 10:00pm (Mon – Sun)

Famed for its stellar seafood spread, Ginger is a melting pot of local and international cuisines on the buffet line. You get to taste different cultures in one go.

Its spread has made fans of its long-time popular favourites, such as the crabs cooked in different ways.

The Black Pepper Crab is definitely a show stopper, with its aromatic wok hei and prominent peppery zing.

Another crab dish, the much-loved Chili Crab, is drenched in a sweet, savoury and spicy gravy mixed with strands of silky egg.

Aside from its crab series, Ginger provides you sizzling meats cooked a la minute at the live grilling stations.

Try the all-new Claypot Rock Lobster with Fish Maw Soup is the latest addition to Ginger’s collection of crustacean dishes. It’s the first time they’re using Rock Lobster, cooking them a la minute in a claypot of clear fish maw soup. The soup is flavoured with fish maw and fresh broth, and Chinese cooking wine.

The DIY Kueh Pie Tee station is also a must-visit, where you can taste this famous one-biter Peranakan snack. Fill the kueh (a thin and crispy tart shell) with the pie tee (a sweet mix of finely diced veggies), and top it with a bit of sambal, sweet sauce or some coriander leaves.

Buffet-licious Deal: Purchase vouchers from ChopeDeals for Ginger at 15% off.

15% off Lunch Buffet
Monday – Friday, 12:00pm – 2:30pm
$35.02 nett for 1 pax

15% off Lunch Buffet
Saturday & Sunday, 12:00pm – 2:30pm
$58.03 nett for 1 pax

15% off Dinner Buffet
Monday – Thursday, 6:00pm – 10:00pm
$58.03 nett for 1 pax

15% off Dinner Buffet
Friday – Sunday, 6:00pm – 10:00pm
$68.03 nett for 1 pax

Buy Vouchers via ChopeDeals: Ginger

TungLok Seafood at The Arena Country Club
The Arena Country Club, 511 Upper Jurong Road, Singapore 638366
A La Carte Buffet Dinner: 5.30pm – 10:00pm (Mon – Sun)

Specialising in Singapore-style seafood using quality standards, TungLok Seafood welcomes seafood lovers from all over to offer the TungLok brand experience.

The all-time family favourite TungLok Chilli Crab is highly recommended. Its unique gravy is a blend of tomato sauce and fresh hand-squeezed orange juice with thin slices of orange.

Served with piping hot steamed buns to soak up that delectable sauce, this dish is limited to one portion per table.

Pick these buffet dishes when you can: Salmon Sashimi, Mini ‘Buddha Jumps Over the Wall’, Scallop with Broccoli in X.O. Sauce, and Herbal Soup with Prawn.

Other delicacies include Deep-Fried Prawn with Crispy Oats, Deep-Fried Sea Bass with Soya Sauce, Deep-fried Baby Squid, Steamed Red Tilapia with Spicy Meat Platter, and Steamed Red Tilapia with Spicy Bean Sauce.

Buffet-licious Deal: Purchase vouchers from ChopeDeals for TungLok Seafood’s Ala Carte Buffet for 4 pax at 26% off.

Lunch (Mon-Fri) – $93.22 for 4 pax
Dinner (Mon-Fri) – $126.17 for 4 pax, Deluxe – $220.33 for 4 pax

Buy Vouchers via ChopeDeals: TungLok Seafood at The Arena Country Club

The Three Peacocks @ Labrador Park
8 Port Road Singapore 117540
Opening Hours: 5.30pm – 1am (Mon – Sun)

Located at a secluded spot next to Labrador Park, The Three Peacocks is a casual BBQ and seafood restaurant and cocktail bar.

A place to experience live seafood with a view.

The Three Peacocks Dinner Buffet is an international buffet spread consisting of over a hundred dishes and food items, including fresh live seafood, barbecued seafood and meats, and drinks.

Seafood lovers will enjoy “catching” their own live oysters, live mud crab, and live prawns from the tank. There’s also a seafood on ice section with baby lobsters, crayfish, etc. There are 8 choices of meat with 3 kinds of Wagyu beef for meat gourmands out there, who should also watch out for its upcoming promotion featuring the premium Iberico pork.

The Grilled Oysters with Garlic Sauce and Grilled Wagyu Beef are recommended signature dishes. You may also dip your meats or seafood in their free-flow melted cheese.

Buffet-licious Deal: Purchase vouchers from ChopeDeals for The Three Peacocks at 10% off.

10% off The Three Peacocks Dinner Buffet
Sundays – Thursdays, 5pm – 1am
$40.59 nett per adult

Buy Vouchers via ChopeDeals: The Three Peacocks

On top these existing attractive buffet offers, you can now get extra $8 OFF (with a minimum spend of $80) these vouchers. Use the code <BUFFET8> when you checkout on ChopeDeals to enjoy the discount!

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

The post 10 Best Buffet Deals In Singapore All Less Than $49, Including Hotpot Buffet At $22.25 for 2 Pax appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Currently a member of a Mandopop-duo The Freshmen 插班生 (Cha Ban Sheng), owner Chen Diya was the runner-up for Project SuperStar Season 2, a Singapore reality talent show in 2007. (Has it been 12 years?!)

Her newest venture into the coffee industry, is also known as her daily dose of sanity.

It is said keep her recharged, refreshed and peaceful amidst her hectic schedule.

Often or not, you might catch her in the cafe preparing your cup of caffeine, but definitely not singing at the same time.

Tucked in the extreme corner of level 2 of Esplanade Mall is Sanity Coffee Bar, an event space by the name of Room2F and a recording studio all in the same compound.

While Esplanade Mall may not be that big, it does take some effort (and sanity) to locate this space.

Seating area is quite limited with only 2 tables and a coffee bar table with 3 high stools.

But fear not, as you can grab a cup of coffee from Sanity Coffee Bar and head towards the event space next door at Room2F.

All at a nominal fee of $6 per pax per day.

There, the interior is decorated to look exactly like a cozy living room, with book shelves, sofa seats, board games, old-school arcade machine and game consoles.

It is quite heartening to witness the community spirit when Room2F is transformed into a space for music performances, providing a venue for singers and musicians to perform their works to their audience.

This reminds me of Timbre, but instead of singing covers, the singers will be performing their very own compositions and pieces.

Back at Sanity Coffee Bar, their menu is short and concise with espresso-based coffee: Black ($3.50) and White ($4.50) using single origin Columbia beans, C.W. Ice Lemon Tea ($4) from defunct Crazy World (CW) Cafe which is now known as Room2F and Sani Tea ($4).

Each cup of coffee is prepared into takeaways cups, be it dine-in or takeaways, with their cute are artistic cartoon mascot on it.

A good cup of coffee with smooth, medium body with a slight acidic finish will definitely keep me sane, just as their name promises.

Piakssant also known as “piak” or flattened croissants will be available on their menus in the future.

Definitely a place to drop by to enjoy a cup of good coffee at Sanity Coffee Bar, and some local indie music occasionally.

Sanity Coffee Bar
8 Raffles Avenue, Esplanade Mall #02-19, Singapore 039802 (Esplanade MRT)
Opening Hours: 10.30am – 6.30pm (Mon, Wed, Thu), 10.30am – 8pm (Fri-Sat), 10.30am – 6.30pm (Sun), Closed Tue
https://www.facebook.com/SanityCoffeeBar/

Other Related Entries
Nexus Coffee (International Plaza)
Microbakery Bakery & Kitchen (Bukit Timah)
Little Oasis (Everton Park)
Wild Wood Café (Yishun)
Micro Bakery & Kitchen (Bukit Timah)

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

The post Sanity Coffee Bar – Singapore Singer Chen Diya Opens A Cafe At Esplanade appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

A ‘healthy’ plate of Char Kway Teow? Why not?

Named after the stall’s number at the Golden Mile Food Centre, 91 Fried Kway Teow Mee 91翠绿炒粿條面 is known for its healthier version of Char Kway Teow – no pork, no lard, added with toppings of chye sim.

The stall is easily spotted as it is located near the entrance of the “Beach Road Army Market” food centre. There is a sign that states that the stall is Michelin Recommended – it has a “Michelin Plate”.

However, even as its opening hours states till 7pm (8pm on Google), it seems to be always closed.

I have tried visiting the stall at least 5 or 6 times (probably one of the highest futile attempts) before I finally saw it open (Maybe they went for a holiday or something.)

Their rendition of Fried Kway Teow Mee ($3.00, $4.00, $5.00) caters to health-conscious diners watching their calories and fat intake.

Portion seems to be relatively small, compared to the average stall (Mine’s the $4 version.)

Mr Tan, the stall owner, fries his kway teow mee with a special broth that takes about 10 hours to prepare and uses vegetable oil.

You also know you’re in for a healthier version of Char Kway Teow when you see it topped with so much green leafy vegetables.

The chye sim are not oily as they are not stir-fried, blanched and topped only before serving.

Aside from the absence of pork lard, this kway teow also doesn’t have lup cheong (Chinese sausage). The see-hum (blood cockles) are thoroughly cooked.

Bland when eaten alone, it is best to request for some chilli upon ordering.

To add a nice, crunchy texture, they sprinkle some fried whitebait on the top. Mix them up with the kway teow before eating.

Overall, the Char Kway Teow is the dry-type with no excess sauce nor oil at the bottom of your plate.

Flavours are still balanced, despite the non-traditional omission of certain ingredients.

However, I think some Char Kway Teow lovers may frown upon this version as it just lacked that dark soy sauce flavour, greasiness and aroma.

In case you wonder about the wok hei, it is not that strong but it is there.

91 Fried Kway Teow Mee 91翠绿炒粿條面
507 Beach Road #01-91 Golden Mile Food Centre, Singapore 199583
Opening Hours: 10am – 7pm (Tue – Sun), Closed Mon

Other Related Entries
Lao Fu Zi Fried Kway Teow (Old Airport Road Food Centre)
Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee (Hong Lim Food Centre)
No. 18 Zion Road Fried Kway Teow (Zion Road Food Centre)

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

The post 91 Fried Kway Teow Mee – ‘Healthier’ Char Kway Teow With Loads Of Greens, At Golden Mile Food Centre appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Hold your breath, cheeseoholics!

The 1st-ever “Mega Cheese Festival” has arrived at Kushikatsu Tanaka, tempting you with all things cheesy.

Did you know that out of the 221 Kushikatsu Tanaka outlets worldwide, only the Singapore outlet at Clarke Quay will have the special “Mega Cheese Festival” menu?

Kushikatsu Tanaka is a renowned Japanese food chain famous for its Osaka-style kushikatsu (fried cutlet skewers) and signature dipping sauce.

Not to be confused with Yakitori, Kushikatsu, combining kushi (skewers) and katsu (deep-fried meat cutlet), is a street food-style delicacy made of lightly breaded skewered meats or vegetable deep-fried to a crisp.

Made from a secret family recipe using Japan-sourced ingredients, the Kushikatsu uses fine homemade panko crumbs, fried in a way that doesn’t leave an overly greasy taste.

A mix of corn oil and beef fat blend is used, giving these fried cutlets a light, clean taste.

Expect Kushikatsu Tanaka’s already lively atmosphere to be twice as fun when cheesiness invades its menu, offering you brand-new cheese kushikatsu skewers, mains, bentos, and bar snacks.

Here’s what to expect at Kushikatsu Tanaka’s “Mega Cheese Festival”:

Mega Cheese Chikuwa Kushikatsu ($6)
Making its debut at Kushikatsu Tanaka, this giant skewer (read: 15-cm!) is made with savoury chikuwa (bamboo-shaped surimi or Japanese fish paste) filled with mozzarella cheese, and coated with fine panko crumbs.

Once deep-fried, the mozzarella melts and turn gooey, giving you that trademark cheese-pull once you bite into it when it is hot.

It is prepared in limited quantities every day. Promo available for dinner only.

Unagi Kushikatsu ($2.50)
After its appearance in a limited-edition menu, the Unagi Kushikatsu became so popular it’s now back in the line-up.

A rectangular piece of skewered grilled eel is basted in a traditional sweet soy sauce, then dredged in the signature breading.

Once fried, the hot and crisp outer shell will encase the fatty and sweet fish meat.

Believed by the Japanese to impart a cooling effect on the body, unagi is best eaten during summer. But when it’s transformed into Kushikatsu, eat it whenever you want.

Hanpen Kushikatsu ($1.50)
Another fish in the Kushikatsu range of skewers is the soft and fluffy triangular-shaped steamed fishcake made with white fish.

Its delicate flesh is given more body once coated in the signature batter and deep-fried until lightly crispy outside.

Inside, the fish remains tender.

Mini Taiyaki Kushikatsu ($2)
This mini traditional taiyaki (literally “baked sea bream”) is a Japanese fish-shaped pancake stuffed with a sweet red bean filling made from sweetened Azuki beans.

Cute and too adorable to eat, this Kushikatsu is great as a sweet snack or dessert.

New Kushikatsu Dipping Sauces (Comes in a set of 3 for $4, or $2 for each sauce)
Try the new flavours of their dipping sauces and have fun pairing them with your favourite golden-friend skewers.

For a local-inspired taste, you can’t go wrong with the Chili Crab flavoured dipping sauce, which complements seafood skewers.

The Japanese Curry flavour is a classic and can mingle just fine with any of your preferred Kushikatsu.

Lastly, the creamy Nacho Cheese dipping sauce is the probably the sexiest of the 3.

Ketchup and mustard are also available upon request at no extra cost.

Cheesy Chiritori Nabe ($18) – Choice of Beef, Pork or Chicken
Introducing the Chiritori Cheese Nabe, one of the highlights of the Mega Cheese Festival menu.

Give in to your cheese cravings and try this dish, which comes with your choice of beef, pork or chicken, a special stock and grated mozzarella cheese.

Served on a hot square pan over a table-top stove, the magic begins once the cheese melts into a rich, creamy sauce.

Stir in into marinated meats until each juicy piece is coated in the luscious sauce.

You can also dip your kushikatsu into the cheese sauce if you like.

DIY Takoyaki ($10, $11, additional $3 with cheese)
Fancy making Takoyaki balls yourself?

A popular choice in the menu especially among couples and groups, the DIY Takoyaki Set lets you become a Takoyaki-master-in-the-making as you make your own Takoyaki.

It is not as difficult as it seems, but to make perfect round ones… practice makes perfect.

Your choice of toppings (or should I say, filling) includes ebi (prawns) ($10), tako (octopus) ($10) and unagi (eel) ($11).

Here’s the best part, though. For $3.00, get an extra topping of mozzarella cheese for the ultimate cheesy Takoyaki.

Tip: You can also enjoy a 2-hour free-flow Takoyaki with accompanying side dishes and Kushikatsu sticks for only $25. Reservation required.

Cheese Peiyaki ($8)
Osaka-style pan-fried eggs filled with mozzarella cheese, topped with spring onions, sweet sauce mayonnaise. If you enjoy the unique Okonomiyaki sauce, you can’t wrong with this.

Aside from the cheese-ccentric dishes, Kushikatsu Tanaka offers these new additions to the menu…

Tonkatsu Bento ($17)
A newcomer in the bento line up is Tonkatsu Bento, crisp deep-fried pork cutlet skewer served with a mini signature sliced beef soup, marinated egg, daikon zuke and Japanese rice.

Other value bento sets include Chicken Teriyaki Bento ($15), made with bite-sized chicken thigh in a sweet, smoky soy glaze and Buta Kimuchi Bento ($18), featuring sliced pan-fried pork with kimchi.

You have the option to change the rice to beef udon for only $4.

Kushikatsu Tanaka Singapore
3A River Valley Road, Merchants’ Court Clarke Quay Block A #01-01B Singapore 179020
Tel: +65 6258 3789
Operating Hours: 12pm – 2:30pm, 5pm – 12am (Mon – Thurs), 12pm – 2:30pm, 5pm – 2am (Fri, Eve of PH),
12pm – 1am (Sat), 12pm – 11pm (Sun), 12pm – 12am (PH)

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Kushikatsu Tanaka Singapore.

The post Kushikatsu Tanaka – Japan’s No.1 Kushikatsu Chain In Singapore, With DIY Takoyaki And “Mega Cheese Festival” appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

You read that right, a NEW café in the wild wild West. Am kidding about the “wild” part.

Lee’s Confectionery has recently attracted a lot of attention on social media, and it certainly has grabbed mine with its visually satisfying in-house made pastries.

As a Westie myself, I am excited because recently we have been seeing more cafes opening at West Coast and Jurong, such as Pobo Gelato.

Located near Chinese Garden MRT, the confectionery serves roughly 6 to 7 different types of tarts, with some varieties available on a rotational basis.

This is a one-man-show operation.

The owner-baker Lee Yin Quan holds a Diploma in Intensive Professional Program in French Pastry from one of Europe’s most prestigious culinary institute, Ferrandi Paris.

He also had internships with Michelin Star chef, Jean-François Piège and Pastry Chef Nina Métayer and Jean-François Perret of Hôtel Ritz Paris.

Gosh. This is probably one of the best lime tarts I had so far, the Tart ($8) managed to achieve that balance of flavours.

Some lime tarts can end up tasting either too sour or muted, but this had just the right amount of tang, with a citrus burst of flavours.

Also, can we talk about the plating?

Most average cake cafes in Singapore merely serves their bakes on a plate, and that’s about it.

Lee makes that effort in the presentation, and it changes up the entire dining experience.

I loved how detailed the owner is, making sure everything looked perfect before serving it.

Nothing more attractive than someone’s dedication to a craft.

The Puff ($7) is probably one of the more local flavoured pastries here.

It is a take at our Kaya Toast, and I have to say, I didn’t expect Earl Grey to work that well with the local coconuty-kaya.

The puff was crispy, with a slightly burnt aftertaste, and even though it took me awhile, there was that alluring tinge of both earl grey and kaya aroma.

The best-seller here is the Dale ($8), which includes matcha included 4 ways – in a sponge, as crumble, matcha mousse, passionfruit compote with seeds on a tart sprinkled with… matcha powder.

A refined and polished version with multiple different textures.

Soft sponge cake, crispy crumble, creamy mousse, crunchy passionfruit seeds and sturdy tart base.

As Lee’s Confectionery a small neighbourhood café, there are only about 14 seats, packed even though I was there on a late weekday afternoon.

The pastries are also available in Medium and Large sizes, but you’ll have to order 1 day in advance.

A very nice minimalist café located in the West, with quality pastries.

There are people who come all the way here to try their pastries and not regretted it.

They have takeaway options available as well, so if you can’t get a seat, you can enjoy it from the comfort of your home (fancy plating not included though)

Lee’s Confectionery
343 Jurong East Street 31, #01-59, Singapore 600343
Tel: +65 9183 8447
Opening Hours: 12:00pm – 10:00pm (Thurs – Tues), 11:00am – 10:00pm (Sat – Sun), Closed Wed
https://www.facebook.com/leesconfectionery/

Other Related Entries
A Summer In Paris (Vivocity)
Sugar Thieves (Kreta Ayer Road)
Voyage Patisserie (Outram Road)
Tarte by Cheryl Koh (Shaw Centre)
Purist Patisserie (Jalan Pelikat)

* Written by DFD’s Café Correspondent @__sy_g. Songyu is a food and travel blogger whose hobby is uncovering hidden hipster cafes. Additional text and photos from * Written by Nicholas Tan @stormscape. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post Lee’s Confectionery – Patisserie With Delicious Matcha Cake And Lime Tart, Found At Jurong East appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

[Jakarta] While many of us familiar with the term “Padang Cuisine” and “Sundanese Cuisine”, the same cannot be said for “Manadonese Cuisine”.

Manadonese cuisines (sometimes known as “Manado cuisine” or “Minahasan cuisine” is known for its daring uses of spices and lots of chilis, giving it the reputation of being one the spiciest in the nation.

The cuisine originated from Northern part of Sulawesi island. Due to its geographical location, its signature dishes often revolve around seafood.

Due to their cultural and tradition beliefs of the Minahasan (Manadonese), it is common to see “exotic” dishes in the menu (in case you are curious, it ranges anything from wild boars, field rats… to many others.)

Another unique fact about Manado cuisine are the European-influenced cakes and pastries, most notables one are the Klappertaart (Dutch) and Panada/Empanadas (Portuguese).

Sarang Oci is one of few Manadonese chain restaurants in town, but fear not, they do not serve “exotic” meats here. Thankfully.

I went during lunch hour, and it was jam packed.

A majority of the dishes here are cooked in either bumbu rica-rica or woku, which is a “warning” it will be spicy.

Dabu-dabu is Manado specialty sambal, made from raw sliced ingredients such as green tomatoes, shallots, chili padi and a pinch of salt.

Many called it the “salsa” of Manado.

Rica-rica is another specialty sambal from Manado, it consists of grounded red and green chili peppers, chili padi, shallots, ginger and garlic and usually cooked in coconut oil along with lemongrass & kaffir lime leaves to boost the aroma.

To start off, each of us were given some sambal dabu-dabu and rica-rica. Think of ‘palate cleanser’?

I started off with the Kuah Asam Sayur Polos (IDR 30k, SGD3.00) which turned out to be really sour, so much so that I was still unable to finish a small bowl despite numerous attempts.

Well, it is worth trying, just to awaken your taste buds. A way to start the feast, I guess.

The famous Sarang Oci’s Perkedel Jagung Crispy (IDR 40k, SGD4.00) was one that appeared on every single table in the restaurant.

Huge and crispy, yet fluffy and not greasy.

I can see why this is one of the most favourite dish here. Maknyuss!

The Cakalang Fufu Rabe Rica (IDR 60k, SGD6.00),which is cured and smoked skipjack tuna, is considered Manado “official” fish

The fish was shredded and sautéed with sambal rica, giving it that mild smoky (or wok-hei) and spicy aroma.

As for the Ayam Bakar Rica (IDR 45k, SGD4.50), while the chicken was well marinated and juicy.

However, the spiciness was quite overwhelming, and may not be everyone’s type of dish.

The Nasi Goreng Cakalang (IDR 35k, SGD3.50) is not the typical kecap manis Nasi Goreng, but mixed with spices and cakalang filling instead.

It had aromatic flavour, with a pretty unique taste.

Another Sarang Oci’s speciality dish, the Oci Goreng Rica (IDR 25k, SGD2.50/pieces) is one of the most popular fish dishes in Manado (Also called Ikan kembung/tude or bloated fish.)

Usually served deep fried along with sambal rica.

To end our “spicy” meal, some sweets are needed to balance the course.

The Kue Panada (IDR8k, SGD0.80) reminded me of pastel (curry puffs) with bread crust, filled with cakalang.

Loved the texture, which was a combination of soft and chewy.

The Kue Lalampa (IDR8k, SGD0.80) is Manado’s version of lemper – sticky rice, wrapped in banana leaf, but thinner and longer.

The sweetness of the sticky rice complemented the saltiness of the cakalang filling.

Strange but true, Manado are famous for their Klappertaart (IDR15k, SGD1.50), a Dutch specialty dessert.

Covered with loads of cinnamon powder, added with a slight rum essence, the texture reminded me of Japanese custard with young coconut flesh.

Manadonese cuisine may not be everyone cup of tea, including myself. It is bold, spicy, different, and you can say adventurous.

It may take loads of visit to actually appreciate the taste of this particular cuisine.

Sarang Oci
Jl. Bulungan no. 24, Jakarta Selatan 12130
Tel: +6221 739 9941
Opening Hours: 10am – 9:30pm (Mon-Sun)
Google Maps – Sarang Oci

Other Related Entries
Kashiwa (Jl. Melawai VIII, Jakarta)
Dodee Paidang (Mal Puri Indah, Jakarta)
Devon Cafe (Jakarta)
Nasi Uduk Ibu Amah
Ropang Plus Plus (Jakarta)

Click HERE for other JAKARTA Food Entries

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

The post Sarang Oci – Manadonese Cuisine Specialty Restaurant In Jakarta, Known For Daring Amount Of Spices appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Creamier, the popular ice cream café located at Toa Payoh Lor 1, has announced its impending closure.

It will end operations on the 30th of June, 2019.

The café is probably one of those which started a new wave of ice cream shops opening up in HDB estates many years ago back in 2011.

Known for its creamy, rich and larger than average scoops of ice cream on crispy waffles, it done well enough to open up branches at Gillman Barracks and Tiong Bahru; along with is sister-café Sunday Folks at Holland Village.

Popular flavours they have been selling include Thai Milk Tea, Black Glutinous Rice aka Pulut Hitam, Black Charcoal Sesame, Earl Grey Lavender and Sea Salt Gula Melaka.

While no reason was given, it would be a decision from the landlady.

Creamier will also create a special flavour to commemorate the shop.

From Creamier’s Facebook:
It is with a heavy heart that we write this note to announce the closure of our Creamier Toa Payoh shop on 30 June 2019. We still remember that funny, tingly feeling of trepidation and excitement on the morning of 19 November 2011 as we hung our shop’s welcome sign for the very first time.

This is our first Creamier café located at Blk 128 Toa Payoh Lorong 1. We opened this tiny ice cream café in 2011 with a vision of creating a cosy space to enjoy moments of happiness. Our café has been part of the bustling Toa Payoh Market since, and we have been so fortunate to be part of such a vibrant community for almost eight years.

Our gratitude goes to our landlady, who has given us this opportunity to fulfil a dream to spread happiness through ice creams, to our market neighbours who have shared their fresh produce with us, and to everyone who has passed through our tiny doorway over the last 88 months.

We thank our many staff members—both past and present. We couldn’t be prouder to witness their journey from learning to deliver the best experience in our café, to now making their mark in their respective industries.

The effort spent learning to scoop the perfect scoop of ice cream, to bake fresh waffles on irons heated to a searing 200°C, to pull a delicious shot of espresso—all the while trying be efficient and providing genuine hospitality.

Many times, we may miss the mark, but we never give up on trying to improve ourselves and deliver the Creamier experience we want you to enjoy.

We do not know yet whether Toa Payoh will still have a place for Creamier (any leads for a good space will be much appreciated—you can drop us an email at info@creamier.com.sg).

As a farewell gift, we will be creating a special flavour to commemorate our little heartland shop. What we will definitely miss the most is the community—from the kids running around, the friendly faces of our neighbours, and our regulars whose favourite ice cream flavours we know by heart.

When you are craving our handcrafted ice creams and waffles, you can still find us at Gillman Barracks and Tiong Bahru. We hope Creamier continues to bring you many more moments of happiness and joy in the years to come.

Creamier Handcrafted Ice Cream and Coffee
Blk 128 Lor 1 Toa Payoh Singapore 310128
Opening Hours: 12pm – 10pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

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What is Little Slope 小坡?

Ask the younger generation, and I guessed many may not be able to answer this question accurately.

Singapore was divided into Big Slope (大坡) and Little Slope (小坡) in the past by the Singapore River.

Big Slope (大坡) is on the north of the Singapore River and consisted of areas in Chinatown and Telok Ayer; whereas Little Slope (小坡) is the area in between Bugis and City Hall.

Little Po 小坡 is located in Haji Lane, right next to North Bridge Road, one of the seven parallel roads in Little Slope (小坡) and thus its name.

Little Po is easy to spot with an entrance in the shade of Tiffany blue, strategically located along Haji Lane, known as one of the popular tourist attractions in Singapore.

Here, the menu is mainly focused on their selection of bubble tea (yes another one that offers brown sugar pearls).

Categorised into Milk Tea ($4.90), Coffee ($4.90 – $7.90) and Special ($5.80 – $7.90) that incorporates fruits in it, the prices leaned towards the higher side with a starting price of $4.90 for the smallest cup (or should I say the only size there).

I ordered the Japanese Matcha Strawberry ($7.90) which was the most visually eye-catching drink on the menu that comes in 3 different layers: green matcha, white fresh milk and red strawberry jam.

Give it a stir before drinking to mix all three different layers evenly and the result is a murky pale green drink.

Unfortunately, the matcha is not distinct and the overall taste is more like strawberry milk.

But I do appreciate the bits of strawberry at the bottom of the cup for the additional texture, but for a price tag of $7.90, I would have expected more from it.

Since brown sugar drinks are trending at the moment, I decided to give their signature Lapsang Souchong Milk Tea ($4.90) with Brown Sugar Bubble ($0.60) a try.

Other toppings available include Crystal Jelly ($1.10), Brown Sugar Jelly ($1.20), Egg Pudding ($1.40) and Mashed Yam ($1.60).

Interesting but expensive.

So what is Lapsang Souchong（正山小种）?

It’s a type of black tea commonly referred to as smoked tea from Fujian, China.

My first time coming across a Lapsang Souchong Milk Tea ($4.90), which tasted “interesting” but familiar at the same time, similar to Ovaltine with mild cereal taste.

The Brown Sugar Bubble ($0.60) was decent with a chewy texture and slight fragrance.

Since their name is representing Singapore at a tourist attraction site, we hope to see more locally inspired bubble tea drinks at Little Po in the future at a more affordable price.

Little Po 小坡
67 Haji Lane, Singapore 189260
Opening Hours: 10am – 5.30pm (Mon – Fri), 10am – 6.30pm (Sat – Sun)

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* 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 are many Japanese donburi shops in Singapore, but this promises a variety of interesting bowls at prices that are wallet-friendly.

Sora Boru is a brand-new Japanese dining concept serving a variety of wholesome one-bowl meals to hungry diners at 313@somerset.

Its name “sora boru” is a tongue-in-cheek adaptation of how Japanese people pronounce ‘bowl’. (Okay, admit it. You did say boru out loud a la Japanese, didn’t you?)

Operating as a quick-service restaurant, it allows you to order and quick pay for your meal over the counter fast-food style, or via its self-service ordering kiosk.

It specialises in DonBoru (rice bowls), CurryBoru (curry rice bowls), ChirashiBoru (sashimi bowls) and Noodles, sold at price points that won’t dent your budget.

Almost all the mains here are available in two sizes: Regular and Mini.

The Regular is good for a standard lunch or dinner, while the Mini is recommended if you are in the mood to sample many different dishes at once.

If you have kids in tow, likewise get them the Mini bowls (starts at $4.90) as these are kid-friendly in portion.

Also look out for the Sora Boru x DFD exclusive promo at the end of the post, to get a FREE Mini Bowl with every purchase of a Regular Bowl)

Here are some of the recommended dishes at brand-new Japanese fast-casual restaurant Sora Boru:

Volcano Beef Don ($7.50 for Mini, $11.90 for Regular)
A dish with the word ‘volcano’ inevitably conjures excitement.

Sora Boru’s Volcano Beef Don will tease you with spicy “lava” running down its sides.

These come with a serving of steamed Japanese rice, your choice of either stewed cabbage or seasoned bean sprouts, and a heap of succulent flame-grilled slices of beef.

As for the “lava”, this is an in-house concocted sauce that reminded me of the Korean gochujang with its complex, earthy flavours – though the chefs said they were not quite the same.

For spicy-food lovers, this might be a walk in the park; but for others it would add that tinkling bit of shiokness.

Snow Beef Don ($7.50 for Mini, $11.90 for Regular)
You may have tried Snow Deep Fried Chicken before, and this is a one-of-a-kind Beef Donburi.

The Snow Beef Don is dressed with grated parmesan and a special sweet-savoury sauce made from whipping cream.

It is hard to decide which I prefer between the two, but the sweetish-creamy sauce comes across as more unexpected, and surprisingly works enjoyably well together as an entire bowl.

On an additional note, if you love your bean sprouts (or stewed cabbage), this has heaps of it – working like the Korean banchan for that refreshing crunch and fibre.

Other rice bowls to get include Salmon Teriyaki Toji Don (Mini $7.50, Regular $13.90), Chicken Teriyaki Toji Don (Mini $4.90, Regular $8.50) and Ebi Vegetable Tendon (Mini $4.90, Regular $9.50).

CurryBoru (Curry Rice Bowls)
Each bowl of curry rice features Sora Boru’s signature homemade Japanese curry, made using a secret recipe that has been tweaked and perfected for several months.

The curry’s spice level is on mild but you can switch it up a notch or two upon request. I think even a Level 2 is still quite manageable.

With its subtle fruity taste, the rich curry won’t give you I-can’t-take-it-anymore feels.

Taste this special curry with either the deep-fried breaded Chicken Katsu (Mini $6.50/Regular $10.90) or the Breaded Ebi (Mini $6.50/Regular $10.90).

Both provide a wonderful textural crunch to contrast and complement the creamy curry sauce and soft fluffy rice.

Breaded Ebi with Shabu Beef ($12.90, available in Regular size only)
Upgrade your CurryBoru meal and go for the two-protein-combos, which is not that commonly found in Singapore.

The Breaded Ebi with Shabu Beef is your surf n’ turf style curry rice, mixing seafood and beef together. So you get a bit of crispiness from the tempura prawns, and juiciness from the thinly sliced meat.

Another option is to pair your Shabu Beef with the heart-friendly salmon instead of the prawn.

The Breaded Salmon with Shabu Beef (Regular only $11.90) is equally filling and satisfying.

ChirashiBoru (Sashimi Bowls) ($6.50 Mini, $11.90 Regular, $16.90 Large)
Unleash your creativity as you prepare a design-your-own Chirashi bowl in 6 steps. You are in control as get to select your preferred size, base, raw fish, add-ons, sauce, and garnishes.

The Chirashiboru comes in 3 sizes and priced accordingly. Each size comes with its own number of base, raw fish, add-ons, sauce, and garnish.

As for dressing, decide whether you want a light and creamy dressing like the Sesame Sauce, something spicy, or the recommended house blend Shoyu Sauce. Note the Spicy Sauce is for rice-based ChirashiBoru only.

I liked that there is a Salad option, for days when you would just want something more guilt-free and yet substantial enough.

Bara Chirashi Ebimayo Aburi Don ($9.50 for Mini, $16.90 for Regular)
Another recommended ChirashiBoru is the Bara Chirashi Ebimayo Aburi Don a rice bowl topped with assorted fish and seafood cubes of salmon, tuna and baby scallops; tamagoyaki and cucumber blanketed in blow-torched shrimp roe mayonnaise.

Cha Soba
Don’t limit your one-bowl meals to just rice as Sora Boru also offers noodles like Cha Soba.

Can’t decide if you want some hot or cold? Worry not.

The Cha Soba is good whether served chilled or in a bowl of hot soup. Relish it with sides like Ebi Vegetable Tempura (Regular – $12.90; Mini – $7.50) and Chicken Karaage (Regular -$10.90; Mini – $6.50).

Soba with Vegetable Tempura ($6.50 for Mini, $10.90 for Regular)
Another noodle dish is Soba with Vegetable Tempura, tailor-made for vegan and vegetarians as the soba noodles come with an assortment of vegetables.

Lightly-battered pieces of eggplant, carrot, sweet potato, and shiitake mushroom are prepared tempura style.

Side Dishes
To complete your meal or fill-in those hunger gaps, choose from a bevy of side dishes like the Yasai Corn Tempura with Tartar Sauce ($5.50), a crunchy way to snack on sweet corn kernels clustered in a light batter and deep-fried ‘til crisp.

Other choice picks include Salmon Sashimi ($5.50 for 5 slices), Chicken Gyoza ($8.50 for 6 pieces), and Crispy Salmon Skin with Egg Mayo Dip ($8.50).

Add bells and whistles by adding a Chawanmushi, Miso Soup and Drink to your main.

Pay an extra $2.90 for the Japanese steamed egg custard with either miso soup or a drink; or $3.90 for all three items.

Sora Boru X DanielFoodDiary.com (DFD) Exclusive Promotion
Buy 1 Regular Bowl, and Get 1 Mini FREE. From 21 March (Thurs) to 3 April 2019 (Wed).
Terms & Conditions
– Valid for dine-in only
– Orders and redemptions must be made at the cashier
– Promotion is valid for any Regular and any Mini ChirashiBoru / DonBoru / CurryBoru / Noodles
– This offer cannot be stacked with any other promotions or discounts
– Flash DanielFoodDiary’s corresponding Facebook / Instagram / or this blog post to redeem

Sora Boru
313@somerset #B3-19/20, 313 Orchard Road, Singapore 238895
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Mon – Fri), 11am – 11pm (Sat – Sun)
https://www.facebook.com/SoraBoruSingapore/

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Sora Boru.

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[Hong Kong] The Internet is going gaga over “white rabbit candy” flavoured ice cream that turned up over the Chinese New Year period at a scoop shop in Los Angeles, US.

In case you have never heard or tried this candy before, the White Rabbit Candy is the stuff of Asian nostalgic childhoods.

Creamy milk toffee wrapped with a thin edible rice paper, this retro candy with its iconic wrapper has been around since the 1940s and originated from Shanghai.

So when I heard about a gelato shop in Hong Kong serving scoops of white rabbit candy, I knew I had to go try.

Apparently, this is the current trending flavour at Igloo Dessert Bar, with them making and selling many fresh batches of it each day.

Huge batches of the creamy milk candies (along with the thin rice paper wrapper) are being melted down and mixed into the gelato mixture.

It is estimated that 2 whole pieces of candies go into 1 scoop of gelato.

The White Rabbit Candy Gelato (HKD34, SGD5.90) with Waffle Cone (additional HKD8, SGD1.40) was served drizzled with streaks of melted candy.

The white rabbit candy flavour wasn’t as distinct as I had expected it to be.

It did taste like a nice fluffy scoop of vanilla ice cream though. Would’ve loved to have more of the gooey candy fudge to help elevate the taste a bit more.

Also, in case you are there for the “gram”, the gelato isn’t served in a “white rabbit cone sleeve” due to copyright issues but you can borrow it as a prop for photo taking, which I did.

I also ordered the Crème Brulee Gelato (HKD34, SGD5.90) served in a Cookie Bowl (HKD14, SGD2.40).

The flavour of the crème brulee was quite pleasant, with every lick tasting like caramel pudding.

Igloo Dessert Bar is tucked away at the lower deck of the Star Ferry Pier in Central.

Despite its slightly obscure location, many foodies seem to have hunted down this little gelato shop to try their white rabbit candy flavour icy treat.

The gelato at Igloo was average-tasting for me, but I believe there could be an even nicer version of it somewhere out there, hopefully not all the way out at Los Angeles.

The quest for “white rabbit candy” gelato continues as we await the rest of the world to catch on to this yummy candy flavour.

Igloo Dessert Bar
Shop C, Lower Deck, Pier 7 Star Ferry, Central Hong Kong (Central MTR Station, Exit A2)
中環中環7號碼頭地下C舖
Tel: +852 2656 3318
Opening Hours: 11:00am – 10:30pm (Mon – Thurs), 11:30pm – 10:30pm (Fri), 10:30am – 10.30pm (Sat – Sun)
Google Maps – Igloo Dessert Bar

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

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It seems like openings in Jewel Changi Airport are getting more and more exciting.

Other than heavy weights Shake Shack, Burger and Lobster and A&W, you can also look forward to bubble tea cafe The Alley 斜角巷 and ice cream shop Emack and Bolio’s.

In Singapore, Ben & Jerry’s and Häagen-Dazs are some of our go-to ice cream shops for a sugar rush.

Emack & Bolio’s is already known for its “instagrammable” quality and outrageous flavours.

The Korean drama series A Korean Odyssey (or Hwayugi 화유기) further intensified my cravings when the lead characters Son Oh-gong and Samjang (acted by Lee Seung-gi and Oh Yeon-seo) kept up having them.

Birthed in Boston, USA, Emack & Bolio’s was started in 1975 by a music lawyer/self-declared hippie as a place that musicians could go to after their gigs to satisfy their munchies.

Fast forward to this day, the chain currently has outlets all over the US and plenty more all across Asia, from Hong Kong, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, China, to Korea.

Famed for their outrageous ice cream flavour combinations, you literally have to leave your diet and calorie count at the door.

Just let your cravings guide you to choose from two dozen different available flavours.

Besides the ice cream looking really fun, Emack & Bolio’s promises to use ingredients of the highest quality – they don’t add dyes or use milk from genetically hormone-induced cows.

Peace, Love, Rock and Roll – that is the thematic inspiration behind their shops, paying tribute to their Boston roots of being at the heart of the 70s music scene.

To me, ice cream parlours are happy places and their funky ice cream cones on display at the front of the shop call out to you like a child looking into a candy shop.

From the same window, you can watch batches of their cones being dipped into melted chocolate and dunked into a pool of sprinkles.

Other than ice cream, they also have many different sweet offerings on the menu like smoothies, milkshakes and some homemade chocolate bars and chocolate-coated treats like cashew turtles, Oreo cups, cosmic brownie.

By the way, it is a common sight to see people snap pictures of their Emack & Bolio’s ice cream.

I highly suspect it is their photo-worthy cones that are keeping them in the popularity game.

Personally, I find them way too sweet for the local palate. Also, they seemed to be more trending a couple of years back (at least in Hong Kong), compared to now.

So as to how they would fare when they enter the Singapore market, time will tell.

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* Written by @DanielFoodDiary and @kara_the_explorer .

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[Hong Kong] The following is a review of Milksha in Hong Kong at Causeway Bay.

Milksha which is located right next to Jenjudan, specialises in using fresh milk from its own pastures in Taiwan.

Its stores in Taiwan is called “Milk Shop 迷客夏”.

While it is also relatively popular in Hong Kong, the line is much shorter than the rest, possibly because it has been around for a while and specialises in other drinks such as Cheese Milk Tea, Fresh Milk Tea, Fresh Milk Specials and and Tea.

Some of their Fresh Milk Specialty Drinks include Taro Milk (HK32), Izumo Matcha Milk (HK30), Red Bean Milk (HK26), While Gourd Milk (HK26) and Red Bean Sesame Milk (HK30).

For special drinks, get your hands on the White Gourd & Light Roasted Oolong Tea (HK20), Grapefruit Juice & Jasmine Tea (HK24) and even Yakult with Jasmine Tea (HK24).

They do also offer a Bubble Brown Sugar Fresh Milk (HK26, SGD4.56), which has delicate, smooth milk texture though the brown sugar is not as pronounced and sweet as the rest.

Perhaps it is also because all the drinks are covered with its opaque cup, and thus loses some of that ‘instagrammable’ factor.

And yes, Milksha 迷客夏 has announced that it will be opening up in Singapore, even though the location has yet to be disclosed.

This allows hot on the heels of other high profile bubble tea and cheese tea shop openings such as HEYTEA 喜茶, Tiger Sugar, Nayuki 奈雪の茶, Jenjudan 珍煮丹, and The Alley 斜角巷.

All the big boys are here. We are just left with Xing Fu Tang 幸福堂 – which should be here really soon.

Milksha 迷客夏
G/F, 17 Lee Garden Road, Causeway Bay Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2361 8328
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

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Tearapy 茶聊 (Mongkok, Hong Kong)

Click HERE for other HONG KONG Food Entries

* 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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[Closing] Dong Po Colonial Café has announced their impending closure of their shop at 56 Kandahar Street.

Their last day of business will be this Sunday, 24 March 2019 due to the end of the lease.

The owners will be taking a break, and have not made any immediate plans after this in terms of the business.

This marks the closure of yet any nostalgic bakery café in Singapore, and there are not many of such heritage bakeries and shops left in Singapore.

Owner Kelvin Soh shared that he was born to a family of bakers who came to Singapore in the 1960s.

The family’s first bakery kopitiam was called “Dong Like Wee”, and he grew up on a diet of old-school pastries which his family made and sold.

He shared that there was an incident which affected him quite a bit, in which he overheard a mother telling her child that a mass-produced cake (sold by a chain) was the taste of the old.

”What happens if the younger generation grow up thinking that homogeneous cake they had was indeed all there is to Singapore’s very rich food heritage?”

”Did you how Singapore often won international food competitions back in the past? The same values and creativity are what brought us our local chicken pies, custard puffs, kaya butter toasts.”

Therefore, Dong Po Colonial Café made it a point to introduce cakes and pastries done as traditionally as possible.

Their best seller is the Bostock – an almond frangipane toast.

Kelvin’s grandfather used to prepare these as a special treat for visiting friends and family as they were quick to whip up.

However, they didn’t sell these because almonds were very costly then.

One of their best-selling cakes is the Rum Slice Cake.

This was not originally on the menu but was added in due to numerous requests from customers and friends.

It is made of dark chocolate blended with butter cake and rum which form the core, then covered with a layer of sponge cake, buttercream and toasted almonds.

Many older folks should also identify with several of their bakes, such as the butterfly cupcakes which were often used as their wedding invite gifts.

Many of us grew up eating such cakes along with Hainanese kopi.

With the closure of Dong Po Colonial Café, some Singaporeans will feel that sense of loss.

Thank you for the memories.

Dong Po Colonial Café
56 Kandahar Street, Singapore 198904
Opening Hours: 8am – 6pm (Mon – Thurs), 8am – 10pm (Fri – Sat), 8am – 8pm
(Ending Operations: 24 March 2019)

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(Photo credit: Dong Po Colonial Cafe)

Amoy Street Food Centre is easily the most popular and crowded hawker centre (just try coming during peak hour lunch time) in the CBD area.

People who work in the CBD are known to have quite picky tastebuds, and you can sometimes tell the food quality from the length of queue.

It is also known to house a number of “Michelin” stalls, such as A Noodle Story, J2 Famous Crispy Curry Puff,
Hong Kee Beef Noodle, Hoo Kee Rice Dumplings, and Ah Ter Teochew Fishball Balls.

There is also Yuan Chun Famous Lor Mee 驰名源春卤面 which is listed in the “Michelin Plate”, and appears to be the most under-the-radar, located on the second floor.

The stall was originally from Boon Tat Street, and there appears to be a change in ownership. They used to occupy two stalls (now one), and has a far shorter queue from what I remembered.

When I did some checks, it has a 1.9 Google rating out of 20 plus reviews, with most giving reasons such as ”the standard dropped”, ”rude and nasty”, and charging of additional $1 for providing an extra empty bowl.

Not that sure about the last part. I won’t say that the hawker was rude – he was okay, but perhaps appeared slightly nonchalant, with a look that you probably shouldn’t get into his bad books.

Lor Mee is a Singaporean hawker dish of Hokkien heritage, though there appears to be less and less stalls offering it.

The lor or gravy is simmered for many hours with spices, meat stock, egg whites and corn starch to give it a viscous consistency.

The key mee used is the flat yellow noodles, though some stalls will do their own variations and customers can choose kway teow, bee hoom, or a mixture.

Yuan Chun only serves Lor Mee ($4, $5, $6) and nothing else.

The $4 is the very basic bowl, but you can pay more if you want additional toppings such as the deep-fried meat balls.

I would usually go for a mixture of thin white bee hoon and yellow flat noodle, and it would be quickly assembled with ngoh hiang (meat roll), braised pork belly, bean sprouts, and fried crispy fritters.

Its differentiating factor is probably the lor, viscous but not starchy, and does not easily separate and turn watery over time unlike in other stalls.

The fish used is not the fried-type but steamed fish with the meat hauled out.

Note that they do not incorporate any spicy sambal paste, and gives out cut chili instead of chili paste so it may not be spicy enough.

My take is, it used to taste much better, but if you are craving for a lighter version of Lor Mee that doesn’t feel too rich, this could be it.

Yuan Chun Famous Lor Mee 驰名源春卤面
7 Maxwell Road #02-80, Amoy Street Food Centre, Singapore 069111
Tel: +65 6291 1439
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 2:30pm (Wed – Sun), Closed Thurs, Fri

Amoy Street Food Centre Hawker Guide
A Noodle Story (Amoy Street Food Centre)
J2 Famous Crispy Curry Puff (Amoy Street Food Centre)
Hong Kee Beef Noodle (Amoy Street Food Centre)
Hoo Kee Rice Dumplings (Amoy Street Food Centre)

* 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 their first outlet at Haji Lane gaining popularity within a year, Moose has expanded to the East at Our Tampines Hub.

This is mainly a takeaway kiosk concept located at the basement level, with a small dine-in area of 12 seats.

But no worries about searching for a place to rest within Our Tampines Hub, because there are a couple of communal areas in which students can be found studying (or mobile-surfing).

The menu offering is somewhat similar to their outlet at Haji Lane, using 100% Halal-certified ingredients in their softserve and toppings.

Outlet-exclusive items include Softserve with Molten Lava Pancake ($8 – $8.50) and soon-to-launch Kurtos Cone ($9 – $9.50).

What I find slightly perplexing is that the more expensive items, namely Molten Lava Pancake and Kurtos Cone, are exclusive to Our Tampines Hub with many young student customers, and not at Haji Lane where the café-hoppers and tourists can have higher spending power.

In terms of soft serve flavours, you can expect Strawberry, Blueberry, Nutella Brownie Cheesecake, Smores, Apple Crumble and bestseller Ondeh-Ondeh.

I decided to go with Strawberry Cheesecake with a single Molten Lava Pancake ($8).

The Strawberry Cheesecake Softserve comes with toppings such as Marie biscuit crumbs and strawberry sauce.

Any additional sauce or toppings is available at a top-up of $1.

Compared to Softserve Cup I had at Haji Lane, I find that the amount of toppings has decreased significantly and the flavour of the softserve is less distinct this time round.

My favourite is still the Ondeh Ondeh SoftServe (Regular $4.50/ Large $6) that comes with fixed toppings such as desiccated coconut and coconut flakes, with green pandan sauce drizzled on the walls of the cup and on the surface of the softserve.

Made with gula melaka (brown sugar) as the base of the Ondeh Ondeh soft serve, the sweetness level was just right and I could finish a large sized cup on my own without feeling too jelak (rich).

The Molten Lava Pancake comes in 2 different flavours: Nutella and Chocolate Peanut Crunch and is available for top-up at $4.50 per piece.

There is an estimated 15 minutes waiting time as each molten pancake is prepared upon order.

However, do not expect the pancake to be soft and fluffy, or the fillings within the Molten Lava Pancake to flow out like a Lava Cake.

Each pancake is piped with either Nutella or Chocolate sauce for indulgence and in addition, the Nutella Molten Lava Pancake comes with condensed milk for the extra sweetness

Kurtos Cone (short form for Kürtőskalács) which is also known as Chimney Cake will be available in the future here.

The European pastry is made using layers of dough and shaped like the rooftop structure which Santa Claus uses to deliver his gifts on Christmas Day.

Moosh
Our Tampines Hub, #B1-53,1 Tampines Walk, Singapore 528523 (Tampines MRT)
Opening Hours: 12pm – 9.30pm (Mon – Sun)

Other Related Entries
Aqua S (Orchard Xchange)
Dopa Dopa (South Bridge Road)
Naganuma Ice (Gopeng Street)
Camaca (King Albert Park)
Pobo Gelato (West Coast)

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