Unleash your inner foodie with ChopeDeals Foodie Paradise Sale.

ChopeDeals is bringing over 180 deals around Singapore, with some crazy steals that are going for as low as $3.

Here’s what you need to do first: Mark 28 March 2019 (Thursday) on your calendar. The flash sale is for one-day only on 28 March 2019, and will start at 12 midnight.

The 180 dining deals available include:
– 65 1-for-1 deals (from restaurants and cafes such as Lawry’s The Prime Rib Singapore, Grub Burger + Noodle Bar, Udders, Oporto, Crab in Da Bag)
– Up to 50% off cash vouchers – Pay $25 for $50 cash vouchers; $50 for $100 cash vouchers for selected restaurants (Pince & Pints, Clinton Street Baking Company, Duckland, Gudetama Café, California Pizza Kitchen, Marche Movenpick)
– Up to 60% off set deals and signature items (Tenkaichi Japanese BBQ Restaurant, Pizza Express, Hans Im Gluck Burgergrill, Tanuki Raw, Cosmo Restaurant & Wine Bar)

Also look out for Flash Deals happening at 10am, 12pm and 6pm, with deals that are as low as $1.

Enjoy ChopeDeals in 4 steps:
Step 1: Choose an offer from the list of curated restaurants available on ChopeDeals’ website and app (Check out the 10 below)
Step 2: Get the voucher on your email or retrieve it via the Chope app
Step 3: Dine – inform the staff that you will be using your voucher prior to ordering.
Step 4: Redeem – Present your voucher at the restaurant to offset the bill and enjoy your savings

Here are 10 restaurants in Singapore to indulge in your piece of Foodie Paradise:

Plentyfull
9 Raffles Boulevard, Millenia Walk, #01-79/80, Singapore 039596
Opening Hours: 10am – 10:30pm (Mon – Sun)

Plentyfull strives to serve honest, hearty and homemade food, using the freshest ingredients.

All the food at Plentyfull is made from scratch, preservative-free and sourced from farmers and artisans locally and internationally.

Head over during brunch (which lasts till 5pm) for applauded items such as Avocado Toast with Haloumi Cheese & Marinated Tomato ($22) – complete with thick and creamy mash; Plentyfull’s Granola Bowl ($15) with house granola, poached fruits, fresh fruits, buttermilk yoghurt topped with honey comb; and The Brunch Plate ($26) included with scrambled, house-smoked bacon, Kurobuta pork sausage, plum tomatoes, charred broccoli and sourdough bread.

In terms of their All-Day Dining food, the Evan’s Chicken Salad ($20) is said to be the favourite of the owner’s husband, thus the name “Evan”. Said to be inspired by his favourite Chinese foods from Los Angeles, this massive plate includes iceberg lettuce, crispy chicken strips (like “Bang Bang Chicken”), crispy glass noodles, and interesting topping of wonton skin chips, all tossed in a mustard soy vinaigrette.

A popular main is the Borrowdale Pork Chop ($33), cooked using Australian free-range pork rack with potato puree, red pepper confit, fennel salad and maple jus.

Signature Dish: Crème Brûlée French Toast ($15)
The decadent brunch item for any occasion. Plentyfull’s Crème Brûlée French Toast combines fluffy thick slices of Brioche bread with a slight-crusty outer layer after being torched, with sweet and creamy custard oozing out.

A beautiful plate with seasonal fruits and fresh cream. Do order it first as it requires at least 15 to 20 minutes’ preparation time.

On 28 March: 30% OFF All Day Vouchers
Buy Vouchers via ChopeDeals HERE! (Plentyfull)

Nanjing Impressions
68 Orchard Road, Plaza Singapura, #04-46, Singapore 238839
Opening Hours: Lunch 11:30am – 2:30pm, Dinner 5:00pm – 10:00 (Mon – Fri)
11:00am – 10:00pm (Sat – Sun)

Founded in 1994, Nanjing Impressions is lauded as one of the must-visit restaurants in China, with about 40 outlets in Nanjing, Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Wuxi, Hefei and Qingdao, often positively reviewed in China.

Once you enter the restaurant, you may understand why. The interior was over-the-top, designed like an olden tea house with hundreds of hanging lanterns, which may take you back to the olden China a hundred years ago.

If you are at loss on what to order, the Nanjing Impression recommendations include Jinling Signature Salted Duck ($16.80 for small), Jinling Roast Duck ($16.80 for small), Chilled Drunken Virgin Red Crayfish (small) ($19.80 for small), Poached “Lion’s Head” Meatball ($13.80), Honey-glazed Stuffed Lotus Root ($12.80) and Celestial Roast Duck Dumplings ($5.80 for 3 pieces) which look like a basket of Xiao Long Bao.

Signature Dish: Madam Chiang’s Nutritious Beauty Porridge ($6.80)
The dish, named after Madam Chiang Kai-shek (Soong Mei-Ling) is a healthy and nutritious porridge. Madam Chiang, known for both her beauty and longevity, often had this dish.

This particular porridge uses traditional ingredients known for their whitening and beneficial effects on the complexion, such as glutinous rice, soy milk, fresh Chinese yam, lily bulbs and rock sugar.

Therefore interestingly, you may feel it is like a dessert due to its slightly sweetish finish reminding you of soybean milk.

On 28 March: Up to 50% OFF All Day Vouchers
Buy Vouchers via ChopeDeals HERE! (Nanjing Impressions)

Riders Cafe
51 Fairways Drive Singapore 286965
Opening Hours: 8am – 9pm (Tues – Thurs, Sun), 8am – 10pm (Fri – Sat), Closed Mon
Breakfast 8am – 3pm, Lunch 11am – 3pm, Afternoon Tea 3pm – 5pm, Dinner 5pm – 9pm / 10pm

Riders Café is nestled among the lush greenery in the heart of Bukit Timah, and the building exudes an old-world charm as it was built right after WW2.

Check out its interior with a high ceiling, large windows and balcony doors, antiqued iron gates. You will feel a sense of openness and character the moment you step into the restaurant.

Customers love the view of horses from the balcony, as well as the delicious, comfort food.

Being a popular brunch hotspot, recommended items include The Green Bowl ($19, good for vegans), Watermelon and Crab Salad ($18), Beer Battered Fish & Chips ($23), Crab Melt Sandwich ($18), and Bone-in Pork Chop ($35, dinner only) served with shaved brussels sprouts and garlic mashed potatoes

Signature Dish: Brioche French Toast ($17, add bacon for additional $3)
A marriage of sweet and savoury, comprising cinnamon brioche bread, burnt bananas, honeycomb butter, chopped pecans, coconut caramel; along with crispy bacon.

On 28 March: Up to 50% OFF All Day Vouchers
Buy Vouchers via ChopeDeals HERE! (Riders Café)

Lokkee
Plaza Singapura, #03-01 68 Orchard Road Singapore 238839
Opening Hours: Lunch 11:00am – 3:00pm Last Order 2:30pm, Dinner 5.30pm – 10.00pm Last Order 9.30pm

‘Lokkee (pronounced as ‘Lucky’) is probably one of the wackiest Modern Chinese restaurants in Singapore, located at Plaza Singapura.

The restaurant celebrates the style of cuisine commonly found in Chinatowns dotted across major cities such as Los Angeles, New York, London and Sydney.

Expect innovative dishes that have a cheeky tweak on favourite Chinese recipes, such as ‘Bakkwa’ Bacon Salad ($32), The Mermaid – a collagen rich dish with Fresh Fish Maw ($128), and Dragon Phoenix Pot ($30) of prawn and chicken in a double-boiled broth.

You may have seen photos of the instagrammable dish of Awesome Flaming Pineapple Beef ($34) with gravy braised beef served in the fruit set on FIRE making its way on social media.

Did I not mention the Fried Durian ($16) with coconut flakes and popping candy as well?

Signature Dish: Wagyu Truffle ‘Hor Fun’ ($60)
The familiar ‘zi char’ fare of beef horfun with a luxe twist – inclusion of premium A4 grade Wagyu Beef.

When I took bites, I wonder about the crunchy bits and thought that they resembled pork lard. They turned out to be rice noodle strips, deep-fried till crispy. So you can call this horfun prepared two-ways.

On 28 March: 30% OFF All Day Vouchers
Buy Vouchers via ChopeDeals HERE! (Lokkee)

Shin Yeh
177 River Valley Road Liang Court Shopping Centre, #02-19 Singapore 179030
Tel: +65 6338 7337
Opening Hours: Lunch 11:30am – 3:00pm, Dinner 6pm – 10pm (Mon – Sat)
Lunch 11am – 2:30pm, Dinner 6pm – 10pm (Sun)

Shin Yeh is probably one of Taiwan’s most known Chinese restaurant, serving a repertoire of familiar Taiwanese homestyle dishes.

The Singapore restaurant is a joint-venture between TungLok Group and Taiwan’s Shin Yeh Group, with a dedicated menu that serves once-forgotten traditional Taiwanese fare.

Expect the likes of Steamed Pork Patty topped with Egg Yolk ($12), Wok-seared Pig’s Liver with Coriander ($16), Pan-friend Turnip Cake ($14), Braised Sea Cucumber, Fish Maw, Mushroom, Prawn and Scallop served in Claypot ($55), Pan-fried Pomfret with Garlic ($48), and Deep-fried Prawn with Pineapple ($26).

Signature Dish: Steamed Crab with Glutinous Rice Cake ($38)
A dish of steamed fresh live crab with succulent flesh and creamy-orange roe, steamed on top of a bed of savoury sticky glutinous rice.

This is accompanied by ingredients of shiitake mushroom, shrimps, and sausages. Savour the taste of freshness of the crab, and when the sweet juices get absorbed into the rice.

On 28 March: 30% OFF All Day Vouchers
Buy Vouchers via ChopeDeals HERE! (Shin Yeh)

TungLok Teahouse
10 Sinaran Drive #01-73, Singapore 307506
Tel: +65 6893 1123
Opening Hours: Lunch 11:00am – 3:00pm Last Order 2:30pm,
Dinner 5:30pm – 10:00pm Last Order 9:30pm,
Hi-Tea 3:00pm – 5:00pm Last Order 4:30pm

Do you know that TungLok Teahouse at Novena Square 2 is the first Chinese Restaurant to launch an automated tray delivery system?

What you can order include handmade dim sum, such as the Teahouse Signature Rice Rolls ‘Cheong Fun’ ($7.80) and Baked BBQ Pork Buns ($5.80) made on the spot, steamed to order.

There is also a wide selection of Chinese dishes such as Braised House Special Beancurd with Conpoy Crisps, Fried Assorted Vegetables served in Yam Ring, and Sautéed Scallops with X.O. Sauce.

Signature Dish: TungLok Soya Chicken ($16 for half chicken, $30 for whole chicken)
A classic dish by the Cantonese, TungLok’s Soya Chicken is prepared with fragrant soya sauce along with other spices to give it the essence.

After braising for hours, savour the slippery smooth skin with tender meat beneath.

On 28 March: 30% OFF All Day Vouchers
Buy Vouchers via ChopeDeals HERE! (TungLok Teahouse)

Slappy Cakes
Plaza Singapura, #03-02, 68 Orchard Road Singapore 238839
Tel: +65 6884 4566
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Mon – Fri), 9:30am – 10pm (Sat, Sun, PH)
Other branches at The Grandstand and Resorts World Sentosa

For the pancakes and brunch food lovers, Slappy Cakes has become one of the most popular breakfast spots in Singapore.

Part of the reason is due to its one-of-a-kind dining experience in a fun and interactive setting.

You can make your own pancakes for a hands-on experience and bonding session with family and friends.

Or if you are ‘lazy’, get a meal from the menu of all-day breakfast, pasta, steak, soups, and salads from offerings such as Seafood Aglio Olio ($16), DIY Okonomiyaki (Full Set $18), and Beef Goulash ($18).

Signature Dish: Slappy Benedict ($15)
The benedict(s) are the best seller here. Choose between the signature Slappy Benedict ($15) with wilted spinach, bacon, homemade sun-dried tomato purée and poached egg; or Smoked Salmon Benedict ($20) included with avocado, poached egg, smoked salmon, fresh roasted vine tomato and caper for a hearty meal.

On 28 March: 30% OFF All Day Vouchers
Buy Vouchers via ChopeDeals HERE! – Slappy Cakes (Plaza Singapura)
Buy Vouchers via ChopeDeals HERE! – Slappy Cakes (RWS)
Buy Vouchers via ChopeDeals HERE! – Slappy Cakes (The Grandstand)

Wheeler’s Yard
28 Lorong Ampas Singapore 328781
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Tues – Fri), 10:30am – 10pm (Sat, Sun), Closed Mon

Wheeler’s Yard is the ‘world’ where bicycles, coffee, food and all things vintage meet.

Located right along the Whampoa park connector, this is the ‘hidden’ cafe cum bicycle workshop, known for the entrance where almost every visitor would take that token #OOTD shot.

Housed within a massive industrial warehouse, soak up the atmosphere with a good mix of classic dishes and unique dishes such as the 60°C Chicken Breast ($17.90), Suki Beef Rice Bowl ($19.90), Chilli Crab Pasta ($18.90), Iced Espresso Ball ($9), and Rasa Singapura ($7) – an iced bandung drink with a twist.

The Chilli Crab Pasta which was introduced as a National Day special became a big hit with customers, and was subsequently added permanently into the menu. Using real crab meat and egg, the sauce was cooked with the right amount of sweetness and spiciness, served with a whole softshell crab.

Signature Dish: 60deg Chicken Breast ($17.90)
The chefs managed to create a soft and moist texture to the chicken breast, a part that is usually avoided by people due to its drier nature.

It may come as a surprise that this dish does not come with any fancy sauce, because the whole idea is to enjoy the natural flavours of the chicken.

The chicken meat is simply accompanied with a serving of smooth buttery mash potato that is made from scratch (emphasized NOT from powder), grilled corn and hazelnut.

On 28 March: 50% OFF All Day Vouchers
Buy Vouchers via ChopeDeals HERE! (Wheeler’s Yard)

Mad Nest
378/380 East Coast Road Singapore 428986
Opening Hours: 4pm – 1am (Mon – Fri), 12pm – 1am (Sat, Sun)

Mad Nest is a restobar which offers an eclectic and colourful array of cuisines, from Japanese, Thai-Chinese, Western to North Indian.

Each cuisine is helmed by individual head chefs with years of experience.

With such an interesting mix of backgrounds, look forward to tapas items from Gambas Al Ajiilo ($14), Mini Chicken Quesadillas ($8), Chicken & Mushroom with Black Truffles Vol Au Vent ($12), Beef Sliders ($13), to Truffle Fries with Parmesan ($13).

Signature Dish: Tortilla chips “Mad Nest” ($14)
Crispy tortilla chips topped with spicy minced beef with melted cheese, tomato salsa, avocado salsa, cheese sauce, mayonnaise and fresh herbs.

On 28 March: 1-for-1 Tapas @ $11 (U.P $26)
Buy Vouchers via ChopeDeals HERE! (Mad Nest)

Scaled by Ah Hua Kelong
55 Haji Lane, Singapore 189248
Opening Hours: 5pm – 11pm (Tues – Thurs), 5pm – 12am (Fri – Sun), Closed Mon

If you haven’t heard, Scaled By Ah Hua Kelong is a farm-to-table seafood dining concept in Haji Lane.

A bit of introduction: Ah Hua Kelong is a local fish farm that eschews shortcuts for traditional farming techniques. By that, they mean no hormone booster shots, and using only live feed to allow the fish to grow naturally.

Plus, the seafood is harvested in the morning, and delivered to the restaurant daily, ensuring diners the ultimate freshness.

You get to taste the diversity of local seafood, cooked with modern dishes such as Pearl Grouper ($28), Roasted Prawns ($16) and Smoked Seabass Pate ($14).

Another component of its menu to look forward to are the pasta dishes, with offerings such as Curry Mussels Pasta ($18) – fresh local green lip mussels cooked with home-made curry rempah.

Signature Dish: Seabass Pasta ($20)
A dish of brined then pan seared seabass, alongside tagliatelle pasta cooked with dashi then finished with nori puree, pickled radish and tobiko for some crunch.

The radish helps to balance some of the strong flavours coming from the home-made seaweed puree.

On 28 March: 1-for-1 Signature Pasta @ $20 (U.P $40)
Buy Vouchers via ChopeDeals HERE! (Scaled by Ah Hua Kelong)

On 28 March, there will also be an Exclusive Storewide Discount with DBS PayLah!

Diners just need to pay with PayLah! to enjoy an extra $10 off, with a minimum spend of $50 storewide. Do note that you’ll need to ensure there’s sufficient funds in your DBS PayLah! wallet by topping up your funds manually or enabling the Auto Debit function.

Purchases can be made on the Chope app and website, and upon keying in the discount code , $10 will be deducted from the total amount.

Take note, it is limited to the first 1500 redemption only.

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

Chocolate lovers will be thrilled to know find an OCD Café at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10.

Not Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, but Obsessive Chocolat Desire – for the love of both chocolates and ice cream.

It seems like ice cream cafes within HDB residential estates is a-thing now, with Denzy at Bishan and Double Scoops at Ang Mo Kio. (Wait, anything else at Toa Payoh since Creamier is closing?)

OCD Cafe is located just a few units away from old-school bakery Pine Garden, and Galettes that specialises in crepe suzette and crepe cakes. Galettes has also started serving ice cream and waffles.

Competition, competition.

It has cosy interior with cushions and stools to tables that resembles a classroom setting, contrasted with striking neon lights on a black signboard.

(Well, this may just drive the real OCD people nuts.)

The pricing is wallet-friendly, plus their ice creams are not categorised into normal and premium flavours like many other ice cream parlours.

Ice cream is priced at $3.60 for a single scoop, $7 for double scoops, additional $1 for cone and $4 for a normal or sesame waffle.

16 flavours are available at any one time ranging from their signature chocolate flavours (as their name implies) to classic ones such as Vanilla and Strawberry Cheesecake.

The highlight is definitely their five choices of chocolate ice cream from different origins: Madagascar 33% Milk, Ecuador 40% Milk, Belgium Dark 60%, Brazil 72% Dark, Africa 85% Dark.

The percentage refers to the amount of cacao in a chocolate bar.

Both milk and dark chocolate are made similarly from cocoa solids/ cocoa liquor except that the former contains less cocoa but with milk products within.

After sampling the different percentages, I decided to settle with the most intense Africa 85% Dark and Pistachio Ice Cream ($7 for double scoops) with Sesame Waffle ($4).

This is served with 65% dark chocolate sauce by its side for the extra oomph.

The Africa 85% Dark had a stickier texture that is similar to a gelato, and was strong, robust, and chocolatey all at the same time without any lingering bitterness.

The intensity was manageable for me even though I am not considered a die-hard chocolate fan.

Perhaps purists would expect more from a 85% cocoa ice cream.

The Sesame Waffle ($4) was an interesting find since it is not common to find one in Singapore.

Made with a crispy exterior contrasted with fluffy interior, the sesame waffle was fragrant on its own and complemented well with the richer ice cream flavours.

Even you are NOT a chocolate person, you can still venture here as they serve up flavours including Coconut & Yam, Passionfruit Raspberry Sorbet, Speculoos Butter Cookies, MSW Durian and Cotton Candy Bubble Gum.

Surprisingly, the Cotton Candy Bubble Gum doesn’t taste as gimmicky as it looked with the pastel-like colours.

The soft and chewy bits of marshmallow added an ingenious twist to the mundane bubble gum, making it more memorable.

Other chocolate items on the menu include Gateau au Chocolat ($5), Chocolat Strawberry Tart ($8), Triple Hot Chocolat ($6) and White/ Dark Hot Chocolat ($5).

Sounds like a chocolate paradise.

Eating chocolates are known to release endorphins (happy hormones) into the brain.

Perhaps you will feel really happy after a visit to this OCD Café.

Obsessive Chocolat Desire (OCD) Cafe
529 Ang Mo Kio Ave 10, #01-2353, Singapore 560529
Opening Hours: 12pm – 10pm (Sun – Thu), 12pm – 1am (Fri – Sat)

Other Related Entries
Denzy (Bishan)
Pobo Gelato (West Coast)
Double Scoops (Ang Mo Kio)
Galettes (Ang Mo Kio)
Creamier (Toa Payoh)

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

Rich and Good Cake Shop, is known for its incredible old-school Swiss Rolls, shaped like a rolled-up towel and is soft and fluffy.

It will be opening its 2nd branch (can hear the East people scream) at Jewel Changi Airport.

Wah, like everything is opening there.

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 & Bolio’s.

Run by Mdm Lily Liu, fans swear by its fluffy and soft swiss rolls, with a variety of fillings such as kaya, durian, mango, coffee, green tea, strawberry and blueberry.

The Swiss Rolls are currently priced at $9.00 for the standard flavours of chocolate, coffee, strawberry, blueberry; and $10 for premium flavours of red velvet, kaya, durian, mango, orange and green tea.

Kaya is my usual favourite, paired with kopi-c-kosong.

You will find the shop hidden at Kampong Glam (known as the Arab Quarters), with a rather ethnic and elegant architectural design.

Basically, you join in a queue, go into the bakery, make your orders, and walk out with long peach coloured boxes containing swiss rolls best enjoyed with a cup of teh tarik.

The opening at Jewel Changi Airport is likely a good-move, as this provides flyers another cake alternative (other than Bengawan Solo’s Pandan Cake) to bring to relative and friends overseas.

Let’s hope the queue and supply (”this flavour don’t have, that one sold out”) is not as erratic.

Rich and Good Cake Shop
24 Kandahar St, Singapore 198887 (Bugis MRT)
Tel: +65 6294 3324
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 5pm (Mon), 9am – 5pm (Tues – Sat), Closed Sun

Other Related Entries
Jewel Changi Airport – 10 Restaurants To Savour
Shake Shack (Jewel Changi Airport)
Burger and Lobster Singapore (Jewel Changi Airport)
Emack & Bolio’s (Jewel Changi Airport)

This is slightly unbelievable. Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant 2019 is Odette from Singapore.

Gaggan from Bangkok, Thailand which was previously crowned champions for four consecutive times, drops a spot to Number 2.

Odette helmed by Chef Julien Royer was Number 5 the previous year, rising up four places to clinch the coveted Number 1 spot.

Singapore is also represented by Burnt Ends (No.10), JAAN (No.32), Les Amis (No.33), Nouri (No. 39), Waku Ghin (No. 40), and Corner House (No.49).

Whitegrass which previously debuted at No. 50 has ended operations end of 2018.

Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019 – The Full List
1. Odette, Singapore
2. Gaggan, Bangkok, Thailand
3. Den, Tokyo, Japan
4. Sühring, Bangkok, Thailand
5. Florilège, Tokyo, Japan
6. Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet, Shanghai, China
7. Mume, Taipei, Taiwan
8. Les Créations de Narisawa, Tokyo, Japan
9. Nihonryori Ryugin, Tokyo, Japan
10. Burnt Ends, Singapore
11. The Chairman, Hong Kong, China
12. 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana, Hong Kong, China
13. Mingles, Seoul, South Korea
14. La Cime, Osaka, Japan
15. Belon, Hong Kong, China
16. Gaa, Bangkok, Thailand
17. Indian Accent, New Delhi, India
18. II Risorante Luca Fantin, Tokyo, Japan
19. Bo.lan, Bangkok, Thailand
20. Le Du, Bangkok, Thailand
21. Amber, Hong Kong, China
22. Nahm, Bangkok, Thailand
23. Sazenka, Tokyo
24. La Maison de la Nature Goh, Fukuoka, Japan
25. Sushi Saito, Tokyo, Japan
26. L’Effervescene, Tokyo
27. Jade Dragon, Macao, China
28. Paste, Bangkok, Thailand
29. Fu He Hui, Shanghai, China
30. RAW, Taipei, Taiwan
31. Shoun Ryugin, Taipei, Taiwan
32. Jaan, Singapore
33. Les Amis, Singapore
34. Vea, Hong Kong, China
35. Ministry of Crab, Colombo, Sri Lanka
36. Wing Lei Palace, Macao, China
37. Neighbourhood, Hong Kong, China
38. Lung King Heen, Hong Kong, China
39. Nouri, Singapore
40. Waku Ghin, Singapore
41. Toc Toc, Seoul, South Korea
42. Locavore, Bali, Indonesia
43. Toyo Eatery, Manila, The Philippines
44. Seventh Son, Hong Kong, China
45. Quintessence, Tokyo, Japan
46. Dewakan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
47. Sugalabo, Tokyo, Japan
48. Sorn, Bangkok, Thailand
49. Corner House, Singapore
50. Ta Vie, Hong Kong

How Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list is compiled
The list is created from the votes of the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, an influential group of over 300 leaders in the restaurant industry across Asia, each selected for their expert opinion of Asia’s restaurant scene.

The panel in each region is made up of food writers and critics, chefs, restaurateurs and highly regarded ‘gastronomes’. Members list their choices in order of preference, based on their best restaurant experiences of the previous 18 months. There is no pre-determined check-list of criteria, but there are strict voting rules.

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

Make family time even sweeter with these 10 family-friendly restaurants in Singapore.

Whether it’s a café, bistro, or a full-scale buffet restaurant, these dining establishments will give you a good reason to take your family out for a good meal.

Kids can be fussy and choosy, so it is best to pick a place where you can truly relax and everybody in the family gets their own happiness points.

With the variety of cuisines available, both in local and international flavour, travel the world through your plate.

Plus, kids enjoy a FREE meal as you bond over your choice of hearty dishes and value-for-money brunch, lunch and dinner (Some of these offers are limited till end of April, so act fast!). Here are 10 family-friendly restaurants where kids can dine FREE:

Swensen’s
24 Outlets Islandwide (https://swensens.com.sg/singapore)
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 10:30pm ((Mon – Fri)
8am – 11am [breakfast menu] 11am -10:30pm [a la carte menu] (Sat, Sun & PH)
Breakfast menu valid at all Swensen’s outlets excl. Bukit Panjang Plaza, City Square Mall & Plaza Singapura

Though synonymous with ice cream and sweet memories, Swensen’s has grown through the years to become a casual-dining restaurant chain and a household name in Singapore.

It offers a wide selection of hearty food, desserts, beverages, ice cream cakes and takeaway novelties.

Try Battered Fish & Chips, a new dish and an ode to Swensen’s signature Fish & Chips. This slightly different version features a lightly seasoned battered fish fillets, fried to a crisp golden brown and served with creamy green pea puree.

If you prefer the original, the signature Fish & Chips (Swensen’s most popular main apparently) comes with their signature tartar sauce, Idaho potato fries and tangy coleslaw.

Other new pasta dishes to try out are Crayfish Pasta, included with fresh crayfish, tender crabsticks, succulent fish fillet with al dente spaghetti tossed in a tangy tomato sauce; and Thai Curry Pasta, a mix of spaghetti, Thai curry sauce, and plump fried king prawns.

If you fancy a rice dish, go for Fisherman’s Catch Baked Rice, a medley of plump fish fillets, blue mussels and shrimps baked with lemongrass-infused wild rice, spicy tomato sauce and gooey melted cheese.

Remember the Crispy Cornflake Chicken? It’s back by popular demand.

For the young ones, treat them to Pas-Ta Sausage and Cheese Omelette.

HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card Promotion:
1 kid dines free (Kid’s meal) with minimum order of 2 mains

T&C:
– Exclusively for HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Cards
– Kid refers to child aged 4 to 12 years old
– Offer is valid from 1 November 2018 to 31 December 2019, or when 5,000 Kid’s meals are redeemed, whichever earlier
– Valid for one redemption per bill/table. No splitting of bill/table allowed.
– Not valid in conjunction with HSBC 10% year-long offer, other discounts, promotions and vouchers in the same bill
– Not valid on eve of/on public holidays and on special occasions including Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Youth Day, Teacher’s Day and Children’s Day
– Cardholder must quote the offer and pay with an HSBC Visa Platinum Card only
– Only valid at Swensen’s outlets, excluding Earle Swensen’s
– The Merchant and HSBC reserve the right to vary any of these terms and conditions, or to withdraw this Promotion, at any time in their discretion without prior notice
– HSBC is not the supplier of and accepts no liability for the goods and services provided by the Merchant involved in this Promotion

Greenwood Fish Market (Bukit Timah)
34/38 Greenwood Avenue Singapore 289236
Tel: +65 6467 4950
Opening Hours: 12pm –10.30pm (Mon – Sun)

Greenwood Fish Market (Quayside Isle)
31 Ocean Way, 01-04/05, 098375
Tel: +65 6262 0450
Opening Hours: 5pm – 10pm (Mon), 12pm –10pm (Tues – Fri), 11am – 10pm (Sat – Sun)

Established in 2003, Greenwood Fish Market has become the go-to neighbourhood destination for a seafood fix.

Expect a wide selection of the freshest catch of the day – up to 30 varieties to choose from.

Both a retailer and family-run restaurant, it also serves Western-style seafood-based starters, pastas & risotto, soups & salads, burger & rolls, pizzas, and mains.

Want to have a taste of everything?

Recommended are their signature platters like the Cold Seafood Platter ($99, serves 2 as a main course, 3-4 as an appetiser), a combination of steamed ½ Boston Lobster, swordfish belly sashimi, freshly-shucked oysters, New Zealand green-lipped mussels and littleneck clams, cooked live Tiger prawns, and in-house Applewood cold-smoked salmon with Spanish onions.

Kids Menu includes Fish and Chips ($11.95), Burger ($11.95), Pasta ($11.95), Crumbed Fish Burger ($11.95) and Grilled Fish of Snapper or Barramundi ($12.95).

HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card Promotion:
1 kid dines free from kids menu with every paying adult main course

T&C:
– Exclusively for HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Cards
– Valid only from 1 November 2018 to 30 April 2019
– Valid only at Bukit Timah and Quayside Isle outlets
– Where kids menu is not available, 1 kid dines free for every two main courses ordered (lower priced item will be complimentary)
– Promotion is valid from Mondays to Sundays
– Kid refers to child aged 12 and below
– Valid for dine-in only
– Not valid with other discounts, promotions, privileges and/or offers
– To utilize the offer, please present an HSBC Visa Platinum credit card upon payment and full payment must be made with an HSBC Visa Platinum credit card only
– Offer is not valid on eve and day of public holidays as well as festive occasions such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day and Easter Day
– The Merchant and HSBC reserve the right to vary any of these terms and conditions, or to withdraw this Promotion, at any time in their discretion without prior notice
– HSBC is not the supplier of and accepts no liability for the goods and services provided by the Merchant involved in this Promotion

Lawry’s The Prime Rib
333A Orchard Rd, #04-01 Mandarin Gallery, Singapore 238897
Tel: +65 6836 3333
Opening Hours: Lunch 11:30am – 5:00pm Last order 4pm (Mon – Sun)
Dinner 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm (Sun – Thurs), 5:00 pm – 10:30 pm (Fri, Sat, Eve of PH)

Located in the heart of Orchard Road, the 170-seater Lawry’s The Prime Rib Singapore is a multi-awarded restaurant with a luxurious ambiance.

Its 4-metre high floor-to-ceiling windows affords its guests an overlooking view of the vibrant city scene.

Recognised for its exceptional American cuisine, Lawry’s The Prime Rib offers its signature dish, which the restaurant is named after.

The signature Prime Rib of Beef is aged for up to 28 days to fully tenderise its meat fibre, then slow-roasted on beds of rock salt. This method forces the meat juices inward, not oozing out, to ensure a uniformly juicy and flavourful meat.

Children 12 and below can avail of Lawry’s Kids Meal, which comes with a special gift.

It includes a starter, main, and dessert. Even kids are offered the house special Signature Roasted Prime Rib of Beef, with a side choice of creamed corn, creamed spinach or buttered peas, as one of the mains.

Other mains include King Salmon with US Idaho Mashed Potatoes, Seafood Pasta in Tomato Sauce, and Fish and Chips.

HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card Promotion:
1 kid dines free from kids menu with every paying adult main course

T&C:
– Exclusively for HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Cards
– Valid only from 1 November 2018 to 30 April 2019
– Promotion is valid from Mondays to Sundays
– Kid refers to child aged 12 and below
– Complimentary meal offered is limited to Lawry’s kid set menu (priced at $38++)
– Valid for dine-in only
– Not valid with other discounts, promotions, privileges and/or offers
– To utilize the offer, please present an HSBC Visa Platinum credit card upon payment and full payment must be made with an HSBC Visa Platinum credit card only
– Kid dines free from kids menu with every paying adult main course. Where kids menu is not available, kid dines free for every two main courses ordered (lower priced item will be complimentary)
– Up to maximum of 2 free kid meals per table/per bill
– Offer is not valid on eve and day of public holidays as well as festive occasions such as Easter Day (20-21 April 2019)
– The Merchant and HSBC reserve the right to vary any of these terms and conditions, or to withdraw this Promotion, at any time in their discretion without prior notice
– HSBC is not the supplier of and accepts no liability for the goods and services provided by the Merchant involved in this Promotion

AquaMarine, Marina Mandarin Singapore
Level 4, 6 Raffles Boulevard Marina Square, Singapore 039594
Tel: +65 6845 1111
Opening Hours: Breakfast 6.30am – 10.30am (Mon – Sun)
Lunch 12pm – 2.30pm (Mon – Fri), 12pm – 3pm (Sat, Sun, PH)
Dinner 6.30pm – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

AquaMarine is a celebration of diverse cuisines from around the world, featuring a Halal-certified buffet spread of Asian and international favourites.

With a capacity of 320, this restaurant is a spacious venue for gatherings of large families and clans.

Showcasing a glass-enclosed kitchen, it allows guests to watch the culinary team show off their skills.

Seafood lovers, this one is for you! AquaMarine’s extensive seafood-on-ice offers endless servings of steamed live prawns, juicy black mussels, succulent crabs and fresh clams.

And if that’s not enough, there’s a Japanese counter filled with sushi and fine cuts of salmon, tuna and swordfish sashimi. THIS is seafood paradise.

Other signature local dishes, still in line with its aquatic theme, include Chilli Crab and Lobster Laksa.

The dessert station is not to be missed, with its wide selections of Nonya kueh, ice cream, mousses, cakes and pastries. AquaMarine’s signature Durian Pengat is a must-try.

HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card Promotion:
1 Kid dines free with 1 paying adult (valid for buffet lunch only)

T&C:
– Exclusively for HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Cards
– Valid only from 1 November 2018 to 30 April 2019
– Promotion for buffet lunch only
– Promotion is valid from Sundays to Wednesdays
– Kid refers to child aged 12 and below
– Valid for dine-in only
– Not valid with other discounts, promotions, privileges and/or offers
– To utilize the offer, please present an HSBC Visa Platinum credit card upon payment and full payment must be made with an HSBC Visa Platinum credit card only
– Offer is not valid on eve and day of public holidays as well as festive occasions such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day and Easter Day
– Up to maximum of 2 free kid meals per table/per bill
– The Merchant and HSBC reserve the right to vary any of these terms and conditions, or to withdraw this Promotion, at any time in their discretion without prior notice
– HSBC is not the supplier of and accepts no liability for the goods and services provided by the Merchant involved in this Promotion

Asian Market Café, Fairmont Singapore
Level 2, Fairmont Singapore, 80 Bras Basah Road, Singapore 186590
Tel: +65 6431 6156
Opening Hours: Lunch 12:00pm – 2:30pm (Mon – Fri),
Weekend Lunch 12.00pm – 4.00pm (Sat – Sun)
Dinner 6:00pm – 10:00pm (Sun – Thurs); 6:00pm – 10:30pm (Fri, Sat)

Asian Market Café is located at the 2nd level of Fairmont Singapore, a Halal-friendly hotel awarded the 5-Star Crescent Rating.

Similarly, this casual restaurant is one of the few Halal-certified hotel restaurants in Singapore offering buffet service of authentic pan-Asian cuisine.

From now till 1st of May 2019, there will be a “Hawkers’ Delights” special.

It features local favourites and contemporary regional delicacies at the Traditional Hawker Asian Corner, including Traditional Seafood Fried Rice and Singapore Chili Crab.

Head off to the live stations and enjoy their version of Honey Glaze Chicken Wings, served with Garlic Dip, at the Live Grill Station, or the Marinated Sotong (squid) served with Sambal. There’s also a Live Station for Asam Fish Head, serving you Red Snapper with Eggplant and Ladyfingers in Assam Sauce.

HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card Promotion:
2 kids dine free with 2 paying adults for daily lunch/ dinner buffet

T&C:
– Exclusively for HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Cards
– Call +65 6431 6156 to make a reservation
– Kid refers to child aged 12 and below
– Valid from 1 November 2018 to 31 October 2019
– Offer is not valid on eve of Public Holidays, Public Holidays, blackout dates and special occasions determined by the hotel
– The Offers are not valid in conjunction with other promotions, privileges and vouchers
– Reservation is mandatory
– Cardholder must quote “HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card” prior to ordering
– Cardholder must pay with HSBC Visa Platinum credit card only
– The Merchant and HSBC reserve the right to vary any of these terms and conditions, or to withdraw this Promotion, at any time in their discretion without prior notice
– HSBC is not the supplier of and accepts no liability for the goods and services provided by the Merchant involved in this Promotion

Prego
Level 1, Fairmont Singapore, 80 Bras Basah Road, Singapore 189560
Tel: +65 6431 6156
Opening Hours: Lunch 12pm – 2.30pm, Dinner 6pm – 10:30pm (Mon – Sun)

Talk about the classic favourite Italian restaurant, and Prego at Fairmont Singapore would come to the minds of many.

It is one of the recommended Italian restaurants in Singapore that offers an authentic Italian family style dining experience, known for its decadent variety of offerings, especially the pastas and pizzas.

Conceptualised by Chef de Cuisine Antonio Facchinetti and team, it showcases a live pasta crafting and risotto bar; meat and seafood grill selection; loads of fresh seafood; various seasonal stations; Italian farm cheeses; and some of the most amazing Italian desserts.

Get the Prego’s Signature authentic wood fried pizza with that light, crispy pizza base, available in toppings from Margherita, Parma, Hawaiian, Funghi Misti, to Marinara Delux.

HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card Promotion:
2 kids dine free with 2 paying adults for Sunday Set Lunch

T&C:
– Exclusively for HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Cards
– Call +65 6431 6156 to make a reservation
– Kid refers to child aged 12 and below
– Valid till 31 October 2019
– Offer is not valid on eve of Public Holidays, Public Holidays, blackout dates and special occasions determined by the hotel
– The Offers are not valid in conjunction with other promotions, privileges and vouchers
– Reservation is mandatory
– Cardholder must quote “HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card” prior to ordering
– Cardholder must pay with HSBC Visa Platinum credit card only
– The Merchant and HSBC reserve the right to vary any of these terms and conditions, or to withdraw this Promotion, at any time in their discretion without prior notice
– HSBC is not the supplier of and accepts no liability for the goods and services provided by the Merchant involved in this Promotion

Pool Grill, Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel
320 Orchard Road, Level 5, Singapore 238865
Tel: +65 6831 4605
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Sun – Thurs), 11am – 11pm (Fri – Sat)

The Pool Grill is an all-day dining restaurant offering guests al fresco dining setting right next to a pool.

Experience a serene resort-style ambiance with your family amidst the lush greenery while you delight in their signature salad, perfectly grilled meals, Western mains, and many more.

Prepared and served tableside, the Pool Grill Caesar Salad ($19) is a signature dish, a mix of Romaine lettuce, Parmesan, white anchovies, and garlic-herb croutons.

Don’t be surprised if the dressing is made from scratch right in front of you. Price varies depending on the protein added: bacon ($24), grilled chicken breast ($25), smoked salmon ($27), and grilled prawns ($31).

The Seared Lamb Loin ($48) is another signature main, inspired by a traditional steak Wellington.

From the grill, taste the Westholme 400-day grain-fed Wagyu Beef, specially sourced from Queensland, Australia and served with roast bone marrow. Available in different cuts, the beef is served with a selection of homemade sauces and butter, and sides.

End the meal with a sweet dessert Bombe Alaska ($17), a meringue topped with fruits and ice cream and flambéed with rum.

HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card Promotion:
1 kid dines free and gets free pool access with minimum order of 2 mains

T&C:
– Exclusively for HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Cards
– Kid refers to child aged 12 and below
– Kids have to select from the kids menu
– Valid for dine-in only from Mon to Sun
– Not valid on eve of and on Public Holidays including special occasions determined by the hotel
– Not valid with any other on-going promotions, privileges and vouchers
– Payment must be made with an HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card only
– Reservations must be made via 6831 4605
– The Merchant and HSBC reserve the right to vary any of these terms and conditions, or to withdraw this Promotion, at any time in their discretion without prior notice
– HSBC is not the supplier of and accepts no liability for the goods and services provided by the Merchant involved in this Promotion

Melt Café, Mandarin Oriental Singapore
5 Raffles Avenue, Marina Square, Singapore 039797
Tel: +65 6885 3500
Opening Hours: Breakfast 6.30am – 10.30am (Mon – Sun)
Lunch 12pm – 2:30pm (Mon – Sat), Brunch 12pm – 3pm (Sun)
Dinner 6.30pm – 9:30pm (Mon – Sun)

Melt Café is Mandarin Oriental Singapore’s stylish all-day-dining restaurant, exuding modern sophistication in both its interior and menu.

Taking centre stage is an award-winning patisserie and extensive dessert counter that will make any sweet tooth smile.

Known for its extensive international buffet, Melt Café tempts its guests with ultimate indulgence, offering a spread of Japanese, Indian and European cuisines.

The gourmet lunch and dinner buffets highlight specials like oysters and premium seafood, a Royal Tandoori selection and Herbal Drunken Prawns. Buffets during Friday and Saturday offer Japanese sushi & sashimi, and outdoor barbecue grill station, and the Melt Signature Cake.

You may opt to dine al fresco during dinner amidst lush greenery, while enjoying a delicious barbecue and traditional roasts from the rotisserie.

Kids will love the chocolate fountain at the dessert counter, flowing with melted Valrhona chocolate to playfully dunk your sliced fruits, berries, marshmallows, waffles and cookies into.

Come Sunday, enjoy family time over Melt Café’s Brunch also featuring oysters and premium seafood, plus roasted Wagyu cuts and sabayon in liquid nitrogen.

HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card Promotion:
1 kid dines free with every 2 paying adults

T&C:
– Exclusively for HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Cards
– Valid till 31 May 2019
– Kid refers to child aged 12 and below
– Offer is not valid on eve of and Public Holidays in Singapore, blackout dates and special occasions as determined by the Merchant such as 20 and 21 April 2019
– Not valid with other discounts, privileges, promotions, set menus, special menus, vouchers, membership privileges, VIP cards
– Discount is not valid on service charge and taxes
– Payment must be made with an HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card only
– The Merchant and HSBC reserve the right to vary any of these terms and conditions, or to withdraw this Promotion, at any time in their discretion without prior notice
– HSBC is not the supplier of and accepts no liability for the goods and services provided by the Merchant involved in this Promotion

21 on Rajah, Days Hotel Singapore
1 Jalan Rajah, Singapore 329133
Tel: +65 6808 6847
Opening Hours: 6am – 10.30pm (Mon – Sun)

Treat your family to something different this week and visit 21 on Rajah at Days Hotel Singapore. Go Mediterranean in this all-day dining Halal-certified restaurant overlooking the verdant Zhongshan Park.

If you’re celebrating a private event, they offer a private dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows so you can dine with a view.

Head off to the buffet carving station and partake of the Roasted Beef Rib-Eye, served with 21 of Rajah homemade, beef bone-infused sauces. The prime NZ-sourced boneless steak is cooked tender and juicy, and has a rich flavour.

If you prefer something light, the Whole Baked Sea Salt Marinade Salmon should satisfy you. Served alongside lemon wedges, tomatoes and herbs, this Norwegian salmon is baked to perfection to create a beautifully moist flesh that’s full of flavour.

Rajah’s Paella, a house special, is made from Arborio rice originating from Valencia, Spain. Its main protein are chicken and fresh seafood. Another signature dish, the 21 Basmati is a refreshing twist to the homemade rice dish. Cooked with 21 different spice and herbs (hence the name 21 Basmati), these rice grains are simply bursting with flavours.

For the little ones, give them the Ocean’s Catch (battered fish, fries and coleslaw) or Chicken Nuggets, also served with fries and coleslaw.

HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card Promotion:
1 kid dines free with every paying adult for buffet

T&C:
– Exclusively for HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Cards
– Valid from 1 February 2019 to 30 April 2019
– Valid for dine-in and buffet only
– Promotion is valid from Mondays to Sundays, except on eve and day of public holidays as well as special occasions
– Kid refers to child aged 12 and below
– Up to maximum of 2 free child meals per table/per bill
– Not valid with other discounts, promotions, privileges and/or offers.
– The management reserves the right to alter any terms & conditions without prior notice.
– To utilize the offer, payment must be made with an HSBC Platinum credit card only
– The Merchant and HSBC reserve the right to vary any of these terms and conditions, or to withdraw this Promotion, at any time in their discretion without prior notice
– HSBC is not the supplier of and accepts no liability for the goods and services provided by the Merchant involved in this Promotion

Botanico at The Garage
50 Cluny Park Road, Level 2, Singapore Botanic Gardens, Singapore 257488
Tel: +65 9831 1106
Opening Hours: 6pm – 10pm Last Order 9:30pm (Wed – Fri)
11am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm Last Order 9:30pm (Sat – Sun)

Known as a garden restaurant and bar set within the lush surrounds of the botanic gardens, Botanico offers Asian-inspired modern European cuisine.

Spend a hearty weekend brunch with your family in a secret garden within a garden.

If you’re scouting for a venue for garden-themed weddings or events, check them out as they’re equipped with an indoor dining hall, a verdant outdoor terrace, and a bar.

Highly recommended is the “Assam Laksa” Ceviche ($17), a Chef’s interpretation of Assam laksa. This appetiser is a ceviche of seabass with green chilli, pomegranate and shaved ginger flower, presented with tamarind-dressed glass noodles and shrimp paste ice cream.

Botanico signature items include Asparagus Tempura ($14), a deep-fried appetiser served on miso hollandaise and topped with scallions and sesame powder; and Red Bass ($30), a nori-crusted Mauritius-sourced farmed red bass main dish served with couscous and grilled savoy cabbage. Available only during dinner is Iberico Char Siew ($34), smoked and chargrilled top loin (pluma) with carrot noodles, carrot puree and honey pork jus.

Cool down with Jalapeno Ice Cream ($11), a sweet and savoury dessert of Jalapeño cream cheese ice cream, charred Sarawak pineapple, dehydrated bacon financier, and micro coriander.

HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card Promotion:
1 kid dines free from kids menu with every paying adult main course

T&C:
– Exclusively for HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Cards
– Valid till 30 April 2019
– Not valid with other discounts, promotions, privileges and/or offers
– Management reserves the right to alter any terms & conditions without prior notice
– To utilize the offer, please present a HSBC Platinum credit card upon payment and full payment must be made with an HSBC Platinum credit card only
– Valid for dine-in customers only
– Offer is not valid on eve and day of public holidays as well as festive occasions such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day and Easter Day
– Promotion is valid from Wednesday to Sundays
– Kid refers to child aged 12 and below
– Child free meal from kids menu
– Up to maximum of 2 free child meals per table/per bill
– Where kids menu is not available, 1 kid dines free for every two main courses ordered (lower priced item will be complimentary)
– The Merchant and HSBC reserve the right to vary any of these terms and conditions, or to withdraw this Promotion, at any time in their discretion without prior notice
– HSBC is not the supplier of and accepts no liability for the goods and services provided by the Merchant involved in this Promotion

Make family time more fulfilling with HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card
Benefits of the HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card include:
– 5% cash rebate on dining
– 5% cash rebate on fuel spend at Caltex and Shell stations – Plus up to 16% instant discount
– 5% cash rebate on groceries
– 1 Rewards point for every S$1 spent
– Kids enjoy free movies, meals and trips, on top of other family offers
– Over 1,000 amazing 1-for-1 dining, travel and lifestyle deals on “ENTERTAINER with HSBC” app

For more details on the latest HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card promotions, head over to www.hsbc.com.sg/familyoffers

Don’t have the HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card? SMS HSCARD<space>DFD<space>Name to 74722 to apply.

Terms and conditions apply for all card benefits and offers. For full terms and conditions, please visit www.hsbc.com.sg/familytime

*This post is brought to you in partnership with HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card.

Hola Amigos! We have another new discovery in the West, a 25-storey office tower called Vision Exchange at Jurong Gateway, supposedly to house more than 40 restaurants.

There are still many unoccupied shops for now.

Out of the couple of new openings, the casual Tex-Mex eatery Spaceout is the one that stands out most.

Casual Mexican eateries are still slowly gaining momentum in Singapore, with shops such as Barrio by Mex Out, Muchachos and Guzman Y Gomez pathing the way.

Boosting a bright neon signboard and eye-catching interior, it is difficult to miss Spaceout.

With that said, they are still slightly disadvantaged since they are located the more ’ulu’ Vision Exchange, which isn’t one of the more frequently-visited or publicised places in the Jurong East area.

They are also NOT that active on social media (2 likes so far on their Facebook).

Well, good to know that everything here is said to be handmade from scratch, from the nacho chips, salsa and guacamole.

To add to the authentic Mexican dining experience, you can find Jarritos here – Mexico’s 1st national soda, coming in flavours such as Sandía (watermelon), Toronja (grapefruit) and Limón (lime).

They have a simple menu of 4 different tacos.

An interesting choice would be Breaky Wakey ($5.90), a breakfast inspired taco with scrambled eggs, turkey bacon, potato puffs and cheese.

When you order, they would ask if you want a corn tortilla or a normal flour tortilla, I would say the difference isn’t huge taste wise.

But for health-conscious people, the availability of this option is a definitely plus point.

The Chicky Taco ($6.90) had sauté chicken in home blend seasoning, which was spicy, but nothing too extreme.

Their in-house “Gua Gua Guacamole” as an additional topping for the tacos at $1. I would recommend adding that scoop because the creaminess blends well with the entire taco, and makes it more substantial and complete.

The Tangy Chicken ($7.90), containing chunks of grilled chicken mixed, pico de gallo and lettuce served in a taco, had a delicioso marinate for the meat.

The Tortilla Chips ($4.50) come with one choice of dips, where you can choose between Pico de Gallo, Gua Gua Guacamole or Queso – basically cheese dip.

The chips could be slightly too thick if you are the sort who love them light and crisp.

For my dip, the Pico de Gallo was a great choice, especially now that I know they make it themselves daily.

You could taste that this is homemade due to its freshness.

Since there aren’t much Mexican food options nearby in the West, Spaceout could attract the younger customers working around the area.

Its quirky interior, an entire wall plastered with pages of Archie comics – making it an Instagram-worthy backdrop, adds to the energetic vibes.

Spaceout 闊
2 Venture Drive #02-48 Vision Exchange Singapore 608526
Tel: +65 8792 4005
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 8:00pm (Mon – Fri), Closed Sat – Sun

Other Related Entries
Barrio by Mex Out (Vivocity)

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

Looking for a suitable caterer for the office or home-parties can be either an enjoyable or stressful affair. Pick the former.

I guess some of the factors people are looking for: the process must be fuss-free, cost within the budget, and of course offer delicious food.

Stamford Catering has been the preferred caterer of choice for my previous company, and I know families and several organisations (whether corporate or government) also go to it as the default caterer.

(Plus, you can enjoy FREE DELIVERY with any orders for events from now till 31 May 2019. Use promo code “DFD19” to enjoy promotion.)

One of the key reasons is that it can provide a one-stop catering solution, and it is Halal-certified.

Plus, pricing is quite affordable as well.

A reason why it can keep costs lower for consumers is that it sources ingredients from the best authorised suppliers at wholesale pricing. As a result, customers get quality food and value for their money.

Its extensive menu includes a variety of buffet packages, party sets, mini sets, high tea, cocktail, live station and even wedding packages.

Catering for the modern companies and families is no longer like in the past, where we would be satisfied with staples of fried bee hoon and curry chicken.

I think many caterers have all upped their game, paying more attention from the menu to the table preparations.

Stamford Catering has therefore launched 2 new International Buffet specials, offering Italian, French, American and Asian cuisines in each menu.

The Chef Recommended include the International Buffet A ($20+, $21.40 with GST) with 10+1 Courses, for a minimum of 25 persons.

This menu includes some unexpected choices such as Pan-Roasted Louisiana Chicken with Mushroom Ragout; Roasted Butternut Pumpkin Pilaf Rice with Almond OR Classic Italian Aglio Olio with Bell Pepper Trio; and Wasabi Prawn with Summer Fruit Salad.

I recently tried the International Buffet B with 11+1 Courses ($25.00+, $25.75 with GST) for a minimum of 25 persons.

You get an appetiser, soup, a poultry dish, a seafood dish, an ocean catch dish, a meat dish, a vegetable dish, an international delight, a choice of main, a dessert, and a drink.

Quite value-for-money for all the food you will be getting. Here are the items included in International Buffet Menu B:

Seafood Wakame Salad with Wafu Dressing
Start off with this refreshing Japanese-inspired appetiser, a salad made with a dark, green, leafy seaweed called wakame, also known as sea mustard or sea fern.

It has a subtle sweetness but a distinct and strong flavour and texture. Prepared with wafu (literally, “Japanese-style”) dressing, a vinaigrette-type of dressing consisting of Japanese soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, and vegetable oil.

Prawns were fresh and given in generous portion. Easily the most popular dish among the ladies in the office.

Chicken and Corn Chowder
Warm your tummy with this hearty and thick soup, with a base of milk and cream.

A variety of the popular England clam chowder (popular in the North American regions of New England and Atlantic Canada), this version uses corn instead of clams and adds diced chicken as its protein. Comforting.

Roasted Old Bay Chicken with Mushroom Ragout
For your poultry dish, you get chicken breasts seasoned with the popular Old Bay, a unique blend of 18 herbs and spices born along the Chesapeake Bay in USA over 75 years ago.

The roasting keeps the chicken tender with all the flavours locked in the juices.

Served with a ragout of mushroom, this dish takes its inspiration from French cuisine, as a highly seasoned dish of meat cut into small pieces and stewed with vegetables.

Sautéed Garlic Butter Prawn with Chilli
There’s a mix of Asian and European feels in this seafood dish, featuring fresh and juicy prawns quick-cooked in sizzling butter infused with minced garlic.

The brief but intense heat sautéing makes sure the prawns are not overcooked, and you get them succulent not dry and chewy.

Included with chili pepper flakes, it’s a dish that will open up your appetite for more.

Roasted Salmon Fillet with Miso Butter Sauce
A seafood dish that specifically highlights an ocean catch fish, it uses the versatile and heart-friendly salmon.

Seasoned in salt and pepper, seared skin-down then baked until cooked through, the salmon comes out moist and flaky.

Dressed with a sauce that marries creamy butter and umami miso.

Wintertime Beef Casserole with Vegetables
Ready for the meat? This beef casserole has all the goodness of a hearty, filling meal – tender chunks of boneless beef, roughly diced potatoes, carrots, onions, and a whole slew of wintertime vegetables.

For some, this is the taste of home, where the beef is mixed with mom-selected seasonings, dredged in flour, and then cooked ‘til brown and ready to mingle with the veggies.

Roasted Idaho Potato with Turkey Bacon
The buffet menu also comes with a much-needed vegetable dish, highlighting the authentic top-quality US-sourced Idaho potato.

Known for being a superfood, with white interior and more potato flavour, Idaho potatoes produce fluffier baked and roasted potatoes.

Accompanied with a turkey bacon, a Halal and lower-fat alternative to the usual pork bacon.

Signature Deluxe Sushi Platter
Perhaps the highlight of this international menu is the Signature Deluxe Sushi Platter, a medley of well-loved sushi using a variety of ingredients and styles, such as Kani Kama Maki (crabstick), Shinko Maki (pickled vegetables), Kappa Maki (cucumber), Tamago Maki (egg sushi), California Maki, Ebi Sushi, Unagi Sushi, and Ebiko Gunkan.

These cold appetisers are good even as a main dish.

Succulent Seafood Spaghetti Aglio Olio OR Cheesy Mushroom Baked Rice
Choose between these 2 chefs’ picks for your main. It is a battle between pasta and rice and it boils down to your personal preference.

Go for the pasta prepared with al dente spaghetti aglio olio style with juicy pieces of prawns and squid.

Rice lovers will enjoy this baked cheesy dish that’s packed with the savoury flavoured mushrooms. If you are fond of cheese, rest assured there is A LOT of it.

Bobo Cha Cha
The popular Peranakan Nonya dessert, includes different coloured sweet potatoes, taro (yam), tapioca cubes.

Served in a sweet coconut milk-based soup flavoured with pandan leaves.

This dish is served chilled at the international buffet. If customers like it hot, they may request for it and Stamford Catering can customise for them.

Petit Four
You do not just get “Petit Four” at European restaurants, but at this caterer as well.

This comes with an assortment of 4 different kinds of cakes for a sweet ending, such as Mini Carrot Cake with Cream cheese, Mini Matcha Cheese Cake, Mini Chocolate Brownie, and Mini Red Velvet. (Cakes change seasonally).

Also included is a drink of Nestea Iced Lemon Tea for a refreshing beverage.

The International Buffet also includes the following complimentary:
– Table setting with skirting
– Full sets of disposable dining wares and serviettes
– Condiments such as chilli and ketchup

Stamford Catering X DanielFoodDiary.com Promo
Enjoy FREE DELIVERY with any orders for events from now till 31 May 2019. Use promo code “DFD19” to enjoy promotion.

For more information, head over to https://www.stamfordcs.com.sg,
Email sales@stamfordcs.com.sg or
Call +65 6852 3338

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Stamford Catering.

Opus Bar & Grill at Hilton Singapore, known to be one of the best steakhouses in Singapore, has delivered some exciting menu changes.

While the signature Opus Premium Sharing Cuts are the crème-de-la-crème, there is a whole new entourage of dishes, including new steak cut, grilled seafood, and recommended starters, main, and side dishes to explore.

This menu revamp is done as part of its 4th year birthday celebration.

The other good news is, from 1 to 30 April (valid from Sundays to Thursdays), quote “DFDOpus4” to get a complimentary bottle of premium red wine (worth $90++) with any order of Opus sharing steaks from $128++. (More details at the end of the post.)

Opus’s signature Premium Sharing Cuts and Platters are famous for their variety of textures and flavours.

Each premium steak is handpicked and dry-aged in a specially commissioned Himalayan salt tile cabinet to develop an intense taste.

Cooked over an open-flame grill using charcoals and sustainable Jarrah wood, these steaks are grilled in utmost perfection. What you get are masterfully charred meats with smoky, caramelised flavours.

Choices of Opus Premium Sharing Cuts and Platters that serve two include:
– Signature 1kg U.S. Black Angus bone-in rib eye, dry-aged, marble score 4
– 1kg Australian Black Angus Porterhouse, marble score 4
– Wagyu & Lobster of 500g Australian Wagyu Sirloin and MSC-certified Boston lobster
– 1kg whiskey-aged Australian F1 Wagyu Tomahawk, 300 days grain-fed, marble score 5
– Premium Butcher’s Platter of 600g U.S. Black Angus bone-in rib eye, 150g Wagyu rump cap, braised grain-fed Wagyu beef short rib and gourmet beef sausages
– 600g New Zealand roasted tenderloin

Here’s more on the NEW standout specialties from Opus Bar & Grill:

600g New Zealand Roasted Tenderloin Steak ($128)
For the main, try this first-rate steak – a chateaubriand, prepared using the center-cut section of beef tenderloin, the tenderest cut of beef.

Steak devotees will love how this thick meat cut is roasted carefully to ensure proper cooking, with its centre still moist and reddish pink.

Due to its heft, this dish is offered as a sharing cut. As for the taste, let the quality meat speak for itself.

Even while it is good sans any back up sides nor sauce, sharing cuts come with choice of two sauces.

Pick from the selection from Bearnaise, Black Truffle & Wild Mushroom, Red Wine & Bone Marrow, Opus Smoky Barbeque sauce, or Smoked Chili Glaze. There are more – just naming some of my favourites.

Crab Cake ($18)
A chef-suggested starter, this signature crab cake has a crisp, golden-brown crumb that easily breaks to reveal a well-seasoned premium lump crabmeat filling.

This standout specialty dish is topped with celeriac remoulade, a French-inspired salad made with thin strips of celeriac tossed in a mayo-mustard dressing.

Cleanse your palate with the sweet citrusy flavour of pink grapefruit wedges served as accompaniment.

Watermelon & Feta Salad ($15)
Another starter that is suitable for vegetarians, this light salad is a refreshing mix of cubed red and yellow watermelons.

Tossed into it are small blocks of crumbly feta cheese, its briny taste and grainy texture complementing the juicy sweet chunks of fruit.

Finished off with a white balsamic dressing and garnished with mint leaves for extra freshness. Order this if you would like to balance out the heaviness of the grilled meats.

Hand-cut 160g Steak Tartare ($44)
This steak tartare is another chef-suggested main, served with traditional garnishes and French fries on the side.

What’s noteworthy is that it’s made from raw meat, hand-cut into small pieces.

An alternative way to enjoy your steak, not the usual seared-grilled way, but as a succulent blend of minced meat, an egg yolk in the middle, and seasonings.

600g Grilled Butterflied Spring Chicken ($38)
Those who want a non-beef grilled main can order this poultry dish, using a special Malaysian-sourced chicken.

Like the other premium beef cuts, this house specialty is cooked in Opus’ signature open-flame grill over white hot coals.

This well-seasoned 600g spring chicken, presented as a butterflied cut, carries a deep smoky flavour and a tender, moist meat.

Two new seafood mains appear in the menu at Opus, the first restaurant in Singapore to be certified and awarded the prestigious Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) ecolabel. You’re assured that the seafood in your plate comes from a fishery with sustainable practices.

Seared Atlantic Scallops ($22)
Die-hard scallop fans will love this new dish, served using MSC-certified sustainably-caught Atlantic Sea Scallops.

The searing process locks in these fresh scallops’ naturally-sweet juices making them a delightful starter before you head on to your main.

A serving includes 3 plump pieces laden on a smear of butternut squash puree, adding a hint of sweetness to the sea-salty scallops.

Topped with pumpkin seeds for a bit of crunch, and garnished with basil leaves as a finishing touch.

MSC New Zealand Rock Ling Fish ($38)
The second new seafood main, likewise bearing the MSC seal, features a New Zealand-sourced rock ling fish.

This fish, also known as beardy, kingclip and ling, is an eel-like species with long, tapering bodies and a mottled dark grey and white skin.

Its medium firm flesh holds its shape whether as steak or fillet even after cooking.

With its mild flavour and low oiliness, this grilled fish comes with saffron-marinated seasonal vegetables, a bed of Japanese purple sweet potato mash, and an aromatic sauce.

Rounding up the list of new menu items are premium sides you can order to complement your grilled mains. These include Grilled Fat Green Asparagus, Tempura Onion Rings, Portobello Mushrooms, and the signature Opus Over-The-Top Fries.

Opus Over-The-Top Fries ($15)
This potentially-addictive signature side dish is made with crisp-fried thick-cut Idaho potatoes, drizzled with foie gras fat and black truffle puree for sheer decadence.

And that’s not all.

These fries come with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan for that over-the-top umami flavour.

A must-have no matter what you are ordering above.

Grilled Fat Green Asparagus ($10)
A classic pairing with steaks, these fresh asparagus spears will provide the much-needed reboot to your palate as you indulge in the sometimes fatty-good meats.

Simply grilled to preserve its natural taste, these fat green veggies are crunchy accompaniments to your meal.

Tempura Onion Rings ($10)
This premium side dish uses authentic Vidalia onions (apparently accidentally discovered in the 1930s in Georgia, USA).

Known for being hand-cultivated, this onion has a distinctive taste derived from the weather, water and soil unique to Southern Georgia.

It found its way to Opus menu as onion rings, dipped in a light tempura batter and deep-fried ‘til crisp.

Portobello Mushrooms ($6)
Another guilt-free side you can throw into your spread are these large, brown mushrooms, simply seasoned and grilled on each side to release earthy notes.

Portobello mushrooms are good accompaniments to dry-aged steaks for their depths of flavour.

Opus Bar & Grill X DanielFoodDiary.com Promotion For April 2019
From 1 to 30 April 2019, quote “DFDOpus4” to get a complimentary bottle of premium red wine (worth $90++) with any order of Opus sharing steaks from $128++.

T&C:
– Valid from Sunday to Thursday only.
– Limited to 10 redemptions per day. 1 redemption per table.
– Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offers and discount benefits.
– Reservations recommend. Email Opus@hilton.com, or call +65 6730 3390.

Opus Bar & Grill
Lobby Level, Hilton Singapore, 581 Orchard Road Singapore 238883
Tel: +65 6730 3390
Opening Hours: Dinner 6:30pm – 10:30pm (Mon – Sun)
Bar 10am – 12am Midnight (Mon – Sun)
Email: Opus@hilton.com
Website: https://www.hiltonsingaporerestaurants.com/opus-bar-grill

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

Braised duck rice is not on my radar, but the relatively long queue for Ah Heng Duck Rice 同济前阿兴鸭饭 at Hong Lim Food Centre got me curious enough.

Word has it that the hawker behind Ah Heng used to be the owner of Heng Gi Goose & Duck Rice in Tekka Market, therefore there are quite similar-tasting.

Both stalls are recommended under the “Michelin Plate” in the Singapore Michelin Guide by the way.

Ah Heng is best known for its traditional Teochew-style braised duck, not overly marinated nor too herbal.

You can order the duck as a whole or half ($40, $4) or with rice ($5.50).

A number of other accompaniments can also be added, such as braised egg, tau kua, tau pok, pig skin, pork belly, big intestines, and preserved vegetables ($0.50 to $4).

Unlike other duck-centric stalls serving duck rice with braised rice, Ah Heng serves plain steamed white rice drizzled with their tasty black sauce.

Served chopped and bone-in, the duck meat was leaner and dryer than what I had expected, but still moderately tender. It has a signature old-school taste, quite unlike the modern versions found in most hawker centres and food courts.

The lor is on the saltier side, so it works well by having it with plain rice.

The duck-rice combo is accompanied with a small serving of chilli sauce, a watery type with a strong vinegary taste that pairs well with the duck meat.

Ah Heng also sells Kway Chap ($4 for one pax) with pig intestines.

The “kway” – the broad, flat rice sheets were smooth though nothing to shout about, in a bowl full of the dark soy sauce gravy “chap”.

What’s the draw was all its ingredient, from the greasy pork belly, soft and tender intestines without a strong smell, and the braised egg, all drenched in this dark sauce.

I worried a little about my cholesterol levels, but the soft pig skin was totally appealing.

The stall closes as soon as the whole braised ducks are sold out.

Ah Heng Duck Rice 同济前阿兴鸭饭
531A Upper Cross Street, #02-64 Hong Lim Market & Food Centre, Singapore 051531
Tel: +65 9023 9420
Opening Hours: 6:30am – 4pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

Other Related Entries
Hong Lim Food Centre Hawker Guide
Chuan Kee Boneless Braised Duck (Ghim Moh)
Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee (Hong Lim Food Centre)
High Street Tai Wah Pork Noodle (Hong Lim Food Centre)
Famous Sungei Road Trishaw Laksa (Hong Lim 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 taste of Fengshan is heavenly – this, many will know. Ask anyone where to find the best soup version of Bak Chor Mee, and many will say Bedok 85 Market.

Located at 85 Bedok North Street 4, Fengshan Market & Food Centre is better known as “Bedok 85”.

The hawker centre is a go-to place for supper, bustling with Singaporeans from all walks of life as the stalls open till late.

Supper-goers typically travel for Xi Ji Rou Cuo Mian or Seng Hiang Bak Chor Mee, known for their soup version of the local Bak Chor Mee added with minced pork, meatballs and sliced chills.

Shi Wei Da awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand, Chan BBQ, Chong Pang Huat, and Bedok 85 Fried Oyster Omelette are some of the other famous stalls.

However, there are actually several good stalls that are opened during the day, and we thought you know about them.

Xing Ji Rou Cuo Mian
#01–07, 85 Bedok North Street 4, Singapore 460085
Phone: +65 9486 8126
Opening Hours: 12:30pm – 12:30am (Fri – Wed), Closed Thurs

You do not get many stalls selling this particular soup-style of Bak Chor Mee aka Minced Pork Noodles in other parts of Singapore, but only around Bedok.

The OG of it all is Xing Ji Rou Cuo Mian 兴记肉脞面 at Bedok 85 Fengshan Market & Food Centre.

Look at the stall on the left, with white bowls and floral patterns, orange chopsticks.

The noodles had a pleasurable, springy QQ texture with an al-dente-like bite, that would go so well with the soup. Well, there was a mild alkaline taste that I wasn’t too bothered at all.

The draw to me was the clear soup – it looked deceivingly light but was really flavoursome. It had that interesting sweet tinge.

You would find finely-grinded minced meat floating around or hidden beneath the noodles.

They do not come in big clumps, but ‘blended’ within the broth, with crunches of pork lard and fried garlic adding light fragrance. Xing Ji Rou Cuo Mian 兴记肉脞面 (Bedok 85)

Seng Hiang Bak Chor Mee 成香肉脞麵
#01–08, 85 Bedok North Street 4, Singapore 460085
Phone: +65 9018 9846
Opening Hours: 5pm – 1am (Mon – Sun)

Seng Hiang Bak Chor Mee stall, which is on the right side on Xing Ji Rou Cuo Mian, also stands out for its delectably divine, soupy bowl of Bak Chor Mee.

This is another great stall to visit when you are craving for a hot bowl of satisfying comfort food at the late hours of night.

The difference is, they have both the dry and soupy version of the dish.

Their Soup Bak Chor Mee ($2.50, $3) had well-cooked noodles without a strong alkaline taste of the usual egg noodles.

The broth had balanced seasoning and with fatty minced pork and lard to provide quite a pleasant dining experience.

This had a stronger garlic taste. Between the two stalls, I think Xing Ji had a more layered broth, but of course both stalls have their fans.

Ah Poh Minced Meat Noodle
#01–18, 85 Bedok North Street 4, Singapore 460085
Opening Hours: 6pm – 3am (Tues – Sat), 6pm – 12am (Sun), Closed Mon

Ah Poh Minced Meat Noodle stall is where you can get your late night Bak Chor Mee fix. I hear they are also set up by the family of Seng Hiang Bak Chor Mee.

Their Bak Chor Mee ($3, $4) is simple and minimalistic, prepared with the standard seasoning and ingredients.

The sweet pork stock works as a light base for the springy egg noodles and tender, fatty minced pork. The bowl is topped off with fried garlic, pork lard and spring onions.

Between the 3 bowls, this is a personally a less impressionable choice in terms of the soup – though I think it still has its fans. I enjoyed how delightfully soft the meatballs were.

Shi Wei Da 食为大
#01-41, 85 Bedok North Street 4, Singapore 460085
Opening Hours: 5pm – 12am (Mon – Sun)

Shi Wei Da 食为大 was recently awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand in Singapore.

This stall serves up Teochew Porridge in the daytime, and the famed Satay Beehoon from 5pm till midnight.

Price is very affordable, at $3 and $4, so it is not difficult finding a long line here even before the stall opens.

This was one of the best Satay Beehoon sauces I had, which was rich, unique and tasty – with layered flavours of savoury, sweet and only a tinge of spiciness.

The pork slices and liver were tender and almost melted in the mouth, especially shiok when mixed with the hot sauce. Shi Wei Da (Bedok 85)

Chan BBQ
#01–24, 85 Bedok North Street 4, Singapore 460085
Opening Hours: 5pm – 1am (Mon – Sun)

Chan BBQ is supposedly famous for its Sambal Stingray. Although the stall has quite a wide variety of options such as Crayfish ($18) and Sambal Lala ($12), a hot plate of their signature dish is the recommended for first-timers.

The Sambal Stingray ($12) is served on banana leaf which enhances the aroma, topped with generous amounts of chili served sizzling hot.

The chilli had a good balance of sweet-tangy-spiciness, though I wasn’t THAT impressed with the stingray and wished it was moister and juicier.

Lin Yuan Satay
#01–11, 85 Bedok North Street 4, Singapore 460085
Opening Hours: 4:30pm – 2am (Mon – Sun)

Enjoy char-licious meat satay. Lin Yuan Satay serves up chicken, mutton and pork satay, all priced at 60 cents per stick. Rice (ketupat) is also priced at 60 sec.

The service is quite decent and considered the sticks are grilled on the spot, the plate arrived quite fast.

The pork satay was nicely grilled with a good meat to fats proportion, packed with flavors with honeyed marinating sauce. The meat was tender, towards the sweetish side, best dipped in the thick peanut sauce.

85 Bedok North Fried Oyster
#01–49, 85 Bedok North Street 4, Singapore 460085
Phone: +65 81807751
Opening Hours: 4pm – 2am (Mon – Sun)

One of the busiest stalls at Fengshan Market and Food Centre, this fried oyster place gets never-ending orders up till late at night.

The Orh Luak or Fried Oysters ($5.00 for a medium) is visually rich in colours, featuring plump oysters and eggs that are part crisp and part fluffy, and topped with some fresh Chinese parsley.

The stall is awarded a “Michelin Plate”, but to be honest, I think there are better Orh Luak stalls around.

Although the stall is known for their fried oysters, they also serve Char Kway Teow with fresh cockles ($3, $4), Carrot Cake ($2.50, $3) and Fried Hokkien Noodles ($3.50, $4, $5).

I had the Hokkien Mee which was decent, but could do with more wok-hei and tastier flavours overall.

75 Ah Balling Peanut Soup
#01–25, 85 Bedok North Street 4, Singapore 460085
Tel: +65 96870508
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10:30pm (Sun – Thurs), 11:30am – 11:30pm (Fri, Sat)

Nothing beats the traditional glutinous rice balls in rich soup after a long day.

This is a famous dessert in Singapore, and this stall is quite noteworthy. It offers peanut, almond milk and ginger soup bases, with glutinous rice balls filled with peanut, red bean, yam, green tea and black sesame.

For dessert we ordered Sesame Paste Ah Balling in Ginger Soup ($2.40 for 4 pcs). I felt there wasn’t enough sesame paste in the Ah Balling, and while the skin was bouncy and soft, it was slightly thick.

However, the ginger soup was refreshing, and overall still a refreshing bowl of dessert.

Chai Chee Pork Porridge
#01-23, 85 Bedok North Street 4, Singapore 460085
Opening Hours: 5:30am – 3:30pm, Closed on alternate Wednesdays
(An alternate stall at the front will open during evening times till late)

Pork Porridge is real comfort food for me, and I would crave for a bowl once in a while.

Chai Chee Pork Porridge is one of those stalls that you would usually find people queuing at the market.

In fact, they are so popular that they have 2 stalls – one which they open in the day, and the other at night till late. The earlier stall becomes a preparation stall for the night stall.

The Pork Porridge ($3.00) was cooked until it is thick and smooth with an almost gluey texture filled with yummy minced pork and lean pork meat, topped with you tiao and spring onions. Such a bowl of happiness.

Swatow Wanton Noodle 汕头云吞面
#01-50 85 Bedok North Street 4, Singapore 460085
Opening Hours: 6:30am – 8:30pm, Closed Wed

I was pleasantly surprised by the Swatow Wanton Mee ($3.00), established since 1970 and cooked by Teochews.

The mee was springy with a nice chilli paste sauce that gave the noodle a real kick. The barbecued char siew was serviceable; and I just wished they had given a few more pieces.

The real winner was the wonton as the filling had little pieces of salted fish mixed into the pork, which turned the dumplings into little umami bombs when you bite into them.

85 Fengshan Market and Food Centre “Bedok 85”
Block 85 Bedok North Street 4, Singapore 460085

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Tanjong Pagar Food Centre Hawker Guide
ABC Brickworks Food Centre Hawker Guide
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* Written by Benjamin Chia and Daniel Ang @DanielFoodDiary. Benjamin has been using a wheelchair since young. Despite the challenges, he has never let it stopped him from enjoying life. One of the most enjoyable things to him is to eat and share about GOOD FOOD.

Food ‘wars’ and rivalry seem common.

Just look at ENG’s Wantan Noodle and Eng’s Char Siew Wantan Mee, and all the various “Katong Laksa”. Opps.

In such cases, there is usually the XXX Stall, and The Original XXX Stall is somewhere around.

I was a fan of Ah Hoe Mee Pok 阿和麵薄, then quite widely-covered as there was an intriguing story of Japanese man and daughter cooking up the local fare of Bak Chor Mee. That branched out into another stall “Ah Li Mee Pok”.

Now, Ah Hoe Mee Pok has become a full-fledged eatery at 297 Tanjong Katong Road (near both Engs).

Then, there is also an “Original Ah Hoe Mee Pok” at Food Loft Coffee Shop, 501 W Coast Drive. Jeng, jeng, jeng. I shall leave it to the Ah Hoe, Ah Li and Original AH Hoe Mee Pok fans to enlighten me on the back-story and drama.

The current Ah Hoe Mee Pok at Tanjong Katong serves up Signature Mee Pok ($6, $8, $10), Special Crayfish Noodle ($15, $20), and Handmade Dish Ball Noodles ($6).

There are some other side dishes available such as Handmade Deep Fried Tofu ($6), Deep Fried Pig Trotter ($25), Hong Kong Kailan ($6), and Bean Sprouts ($6).

Empty eatery when I visited Sunday evening. Hmm… Anyway…

I ordered the Signature Mee Pok ($6) and Mee Kia.

Starting off with the positive note first. For the price, I think it is ‘value for money’ with its generous ingredients of a prawn, minced meat, and canned abalone slices.

Loads of crispy pork lard as well.

Portion of noodles may seem lower in comparison, but I am not that fussy over it.

The moment of truth. In terms of taste, it was heaven and earth when compared to the earlier versions I tried.

This was mostly lukewarm, noodles not that well-cooked, and the balance of sauces seemed off.

It wasn’t very much different from what you get, say from an average food court. Unfortunately.

The only consolation was that the soup was relatively tasty, possibly cooked with both pork bones and prawns.

I felt kinda disappointed as I had fond memories of Ah Hoe Mee Pok – that hot piping bowl tossed in sauces which those umami flavours, and wondered what happened along the way. You feel… sad?

Perhaps this makes up a decent meal if you are in the vicinity, but I won’t come all the way to Katong for this. To be honest.

Then again, skip the horrid coffee.

Ah Hoe Mee Pok 阿和麵薄
297 Tanjong Katong Road, Singapore 437080
Opening Hours: 11am – 11pm (Mon – Sun)

Other Related Entries
ENG’s Wantan Noodle (Tanjong Katong)
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Ah Ter Teochew Fishball Noodle Bar (Lor Telok)
Ji Ji Wanton Noodle Specialist 基记面家 (Kreta Ayer)
Yan Kee Noodle House (Circular 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.

Come to People’s Park Food Centre during the weekends and you may be in for a shock.

The hawker centre gets ridiculously packed packed packed, as customers go for staples of classic Sichuan dishes, Chongqing Grilled Fish (kao yu), dumplings, hand-pulled La Mian, and Mala Xiang Guo – especially from Ri Ri Hong.

You can just imagine the sights and smells, which literally reeks of mala in the air. (Don’t come here in your Sunday best, as it can get quite ‘sweatingly’ hot.)

Somewhere within this massive hawker place in the Chinatown district, is a Michelin-recommended stall serving up La Mian and Xiao Long Bao. (Note: While the Michelin website indicated the stall as #01-1016B, it should be #01-1064.)

Looking for relatively-good and affordable Chinese food? Hong Peng La Mian Xiao Long Bao 洪鹏拉面小笼包 has them.
It is known for its Chinese La Mian (hand-pulled noodles) and Xiao Long Bao (soup-filled dumplings).

However, there are loads of other items sold from Shredded Chicken Congee ($3.50), Pig’s Organ Soup ($3.50), Sliced Fish Bee Hoon ($4.00), Mee Hoon Kway Soup ($4.00), Chicken Cutlet Noodle ($3.50), Wanton Noodles ($3.50) and much more.

Let’s just say these are items that are typically sold by say 10 different stalls, but you can find them all here. Not sure if it is a case of Jack of all trades.

The handmade Shanghai Xiao Long Bao ($4 for 6 pieces), filled with minced pork and chives, were chewy and juicy.

The skin was not too thick, so you won’t feel too stuffed after a few pieces.

Freshly made on the spot and steamed, they were served with accompanying condiments chopped chili and ginger strips soaked in black vinegar.

I won’t say they are the best around in Singapore, and perhaps lacked of the fine-delicate touches, but probably above the average with their juicy fillings.

The Shan Dong Guo Tie ($5, $8, $10) turned out to be quite a pleasant surprise, with slightly moist fillings of pork and chives, flavourful with moderately thin skin.

As for the La Mian, you can try choices such as their flavoured Beef Shank Noodles ($4), Chicken Cutlet Noodles ($3.50), Spicy Shredded Chicken ($3.50), and Sweet and Sour Soup Noodles ($3.50).

The plus point is noodles are hand-pulled on the spot, and the hawker was quite skillful at ‘reducing’ the flour dough into thin, long strands.

I ordered the Zha Jiang Mian Noodles with Bean Paste ($3.50) which was a MASSIVE portion for its price. Perhaps 2 or more people can share one bowl.

The sauce was thick and fragrant, noodles smooth and not too thick.

Hong Peng La Mian Xiao Long Bao may not serve the best of these dishes, but certainly hits the spot with its generous servings at good pricing.

Hong Peng La Mian Xiao Long Bao 洪鹏拉面小笼包
33 New Market Road, #01-1064 People’s Park Food Centre, Singapore 050032
Tel: +65 9083 5166
Opening Hours: 9:30am – 9:00pm (Mon – Sun)

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Song Fa Bak Kut Teh (New Bridge 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.

First and foremost, I didn’t know the Michelin Guide Singapore actually recommended an ice cream café in its listing. MICHELIN ICE CREAM?

So one of my favourite gelato shops in Singapore, Birds Of Paradise at East Coast Road was listed as a “Michelin Plate”.

The “Michelin Plate” or L’Assiette Michelin is a new designation used worldwide that indicates “restaurants where the inspectors have discovered quality food.”

Now, many of the most anticipated restaurant and café openings are going to be at Jewel Changi Airport, which includes Shake Shack, Burger and Lobster, The Alley 斜角巷, Emack & Bolio’s, and Rich and Good Cake Shop.

Birds Of Paradise will also open its 2nd outlet at Jewel Changi Airport, collaborated with local fashion label In Good Company.

You get clothing and accessories on one side, gelato on the other.

Birds of Paradise is so named because the shop creates gelato inspired by the botanical flavours of nature.

That means fruits, flowers, pods, herbs, and spices.

The owner was inspired to make ice cream since more than a decade ago, experimenting with all types of flavours, till he wanted to settle for something more natural, unique and healthy at the same time.

The group of us became fans of varied flavours, from the creamy tarty-sweet Mango, floral-flavoured White Chrysanthemum with bits of cacao nibs, and delicate Lychee Raspberry.

Other interesting flavours include Pandan, Lemongrass Ginger, Earl Grey and Lemongrass, Midnight Gianduja, Spiced Pear to Basil.

The latest addition is the Peach & Rose Sorbet – a refreshing, and sight sweet-tangy sorbet with fragrant rose aroma.

For those who are less tolerant to overly-sweet desserts, the gelato should appeal to you because they are less-sweet without that artificial twang and colourings.

Therefore, you would observe that the colours of the gelato are in light-pastel colours.

Oh yes, between a cup and cone, I would recommend the cone in a heart-beat.

The Thyme Cone are made fresh on-the-spot, with that fragrance and light crunch – best accompaniment to the creamy gelato.

Birds Of Paradise X In Good Company
Jewel Changi Airport, 78 Airport Boulevard Singapore 819666

Birds Of Paradise Gelato Boutique – East Cost
63 East Coast Road #01-05, Singapore 428776
Tel: +65 9678 6092
Opening Hours: 12:00pm – 10pm (Tues – Fri), 12pm – 10:30pm (Sat- Sun), Closed Mon

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12 Must-Try Ice Cream Cafes In Singapore
Aqua S (Orchard Xchange)
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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The ‘custom’ of afternoon tea has been enthusiastically adopted by Singaporeans, who have taken its practice to new heights.

The list of options offered in the hotels all over Singapore is a testament to the growing interest in high teas – to many it is an event in itself.

The traditional afternoon tea formula of tea + scones, savouries, and desserts has been tried-and-tested and proven successful, but some hotels do go beyond and offer something more.

Some hotels offer alternatives like an Asian-inspired set such as a Hanami-inspired “Spring in Tokyo” hightea, while others focus on a theme like floral or seafood.

Here are 10 Afternoon Tea & Weekend Brunch Places in Singapore, for you to enjoy tea and its delicious accompaniments:

The Orchard Cafe, Orchard Hotel
442 Orchard Road Singapore, Singapore 238879
Tel: +65 6739 6565
Afternoon Tea Timings: 3pm – 5pm (Sat – Sun)

The Orchard Cafe at Orchard Hotel, which reopened in late 2018, is known as a legendary icon of local dining. It offers its signature hotel buffet showcasing heritage-inspired local creations and chef-curated cuisines from around the world.

Re-designed using a “Food Garden” concept, it features a nature-themed interior and food displays. The bamboo-patterned counters depict handcrafted ingenuity. Its ceiling-to-floor window allows natural lighting to its indoor bar, and the al fresco seating section is a cosy spot to enjoy an afternoon tea.

Savour The Orchard Cafe’s signature Porridge, or seek comfort in a local favourite, lemak Singapore Laksa with cockles, prawns, fish cakes and quail eggs served with noodles in rich fragrant spicy coconut gravy.

For dessert, recommended items are Green Tea Tiramisu and Durian Pengat, a mousse-like durian dessert that’s smooth, creamy and luxurious.

HSBC Credit Cards Promotion:
50% off 2nd Diner Afternoon High Tea Buffet

Original Pricing of Afternoon Tea per pax: $42++

T&C:
– All promotions are not valid with other ongoing promotions, offers, vouchers, discounts, promotional set menus, privilege card(s), loyalty programs unless otherwise stated
– Offer is only valid on Weekends.
– Prior reservations highly recommended and subject to availability
– Not valid on eve of and on Public Holidays and special occasions, unless otherwise stated.
– Events which fall under the category of special occasions are determined by the Hotel and are subject to change without notice.
– Valid for dine-in only. Not valid for functions, banquets or catering functions.
– Prices quoted are subject to service charge and prevailing government taxes
– Payment must be made with an HSBC credit card to enjoy this privilege
– Limited to one card per bill per table. No Splitting of bill and table allowed.
– Discount, vouchers and privileges are not exchangeable for cash, kind or other goods and services.
– The hotel reserves the right to revise the governing terms and conditions without giving prior notice
– Prevailing restaurant terms and conditions apply

The Landing Point, The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore
80 Collyer Quay, Singapore 049326
Tel: +65 6877 8911 / 8912
Afternoon Tea Timings: 3pm – 5:30pm (Mon – Fri),
1st seating 12pm – 2pm or 2nd seating 3pm – 5pm (Sat, Sun, PH)

The Landing Point at The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore boasts a memorable dining experience with its gourmet food, impeccable service and resplendent waterfront views of Marina Bay.

A popular choice for executives, it’s the perfect venue to see and be seen.

Soak up the lush setting decorated with marble mosaics and gold hues, as you sit back and enjoy a sumptuous afternoon tea.

The “Afternoon Tea Affair By The Bay” is a delightful selection of traditional afternoon tea staples such as freshly baked scones alongside delicious savouries and sweets, and 10 varieties of TWG teas.

For the savouries, highly recommended are the Boston Lobster Cornet A L’Oriental, Duck Rillettes in Sesame Bun, Smoked Salmon Mille-Feuille with Caviar, Mini Prosciutto on Bagel. For the sweets, try the Graham Cracker Key Lime Pie, Ondeh-Ondeh Macaroons, Fullerton Fruit Cake, and Pecan Maple Tart.

As for your choice of tea, try the signature Fullerton Express Tea, white tea with crystalline infusion of aromatic wildflowers. If you prefer green teas, go for the Silver Moon that’s scented with berry, vanilla and a hint of spice, or the classic Moroccan Mint tea.

HSBC Credit Cards Promotion:
1 dines free with every 3 paying adults on Weekday Afternoon Tea

Weekdays 3.00 pm – 5.30pm
$50 per adult; $25 per child

Weekends and Public Holidays 12.00pm – 2.00pm (first seating), 3.00pm – 5.00 pm (second seating)
$55 per adult; $28 per child

T&C:
– Offer is valid from 1 April to 30 April 2019
– Offer is not valid on eve of and on public holidays, as well as special occasions such as Easter Weekend and may include other blackout dates determined by the merchant, unless stated otherwise.
– Valid for dine-in only and limited to eight diners per bill.
– Prior reservation is recommended.
– Not valid in conjunction with other discounts, membership, privileges, promotion, set menus or vouchers

The Courtyard, The Fullerton Hotel Singapore
1 Fullerton Square, Singapore 049178
Tel: +65 6877 8911 / 8912
Afternoon Tea Timings: 3pm – 6pm (Mon – Fri),
1st seating 2pm – 4pm or 2nd seating 4:30pm – 6pm (Sat, Sun, PH)

Bask in the sunlit atrium lobby of the Fullerton Hotel Singapore and have a leisurely afternoon tea at The Courtyard.

Relax in their plush sofas as you enjoy a tête-à-tête with friends. On weekends, a harpist serenades you with relaxing melodies to further complement your dining experience.

Your Traditional English Afternoon Tea at The Courtyard comes with unlimited replenishment of your tiered tea accompaniments (with vegetarian and gluten-free sets available) and free-flowing tea and coffee. You can choose from a selection of 15 TWG teas and 6 coffees.

Try the Sencha Meicha, a delicate green tea with grassy notes from the Shizouka region of Japan.

Celebrating a birthday? Make it extra memorable and get the Happy Birthday Tea, a mild black tea with a festive blend of sweet red berries and a hint of vanilla.

Watch the world go by as you sip your selected teas or coffees and savour freshly-baked English scones, served with clotted cream and berry jam, and savoury finger sandwiches. Gluten-free options include Tiger Prawn with Avruga Caviar, Smoked Duck Mango Salsa with Brown Bread, and Poached Beetroot with Avocado Mousse.

Other irresistible treats include the Chocolate Cake Barolo Red Wine Pear and Panna Cotta with Raspberries.

HSBC Credit Cards Promotion:
1 dines free with every 3 paying adults on Daily Afternoon Tea

Afternoon Tea, unlimited replenishment of tiered contents and free-flowing coffee and tea
Monday to Friday: 3.00pm – 6.00pm
$49 per adult; $24 per child
Add $10 for a glass of house wine, and $20 for a glass of champagne.

Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays:
2.00pm – 4.00pm (1st seating)
4.30pm – 6.00pm (2nd seating)
$55 per adult; $27 per child
Add $10 for a glass of house wine, and $20 for a glass of champagne.

Additional Promotion:
1 dines free with every 3 paying adults for Local High Tea Buffet at Town Restaurant

T&C:
– Offer is valid from 1 April to 30 April 2019
– Offer is not valid on eve of and on public holidays, as well as special occasions such as Easter Weekend and may include other blackout dates determined by the merchant, unless stated otherwise.
– Valid for dine-in only and limited to eight diners per bill.
– Prior reservations is recommended.
– Not valid in conjunction with other discounts, membership, privileges, promotion, set menus or vouchers

Crossroads Bar, Swissôtel Merchant Court, Singapore
20 Merchant Road, Singapore 058281
Tel: +65 6239 1847/1848
Afternoon Tea Timing: 3pm – 5pm (Mon – Sun)

Catch up with friends at the chic Crossroads Bar, the latest addition to Singapore’s riverside bar scene, and discover its line-up of its charming afternoon tea.

Its grand ceiling-to-floor windows and sophisticated vibe make it an ideal venue to meet up and unwind.

Their daily Afternoon Tea Set gives you a choice of English, Nyonya, or ‘Spring in Tokyo’ and a delightful assortment of savoury treats and dainty sweet confections. Seven kinds of TWG teas are available including English Breakfast, French Earl Grey, Jasmine, Vanilla Bourbon, Moroccan Mint, Emperor Sencha and Chamomile.

The seasonal special of ‘Spring in Tokyo’ Afternoon Tea Set highlights Japanese-inspired savouries such as the Truffle Sōmen Noodles with Scallop and Ikura, using the thinnest of all Japanese dried noodles. The inclusion of truffle and Japanese salmon caviar (ikura) make this an extra special accompaniment to your tea.

Other savouries include Unagi Kabayaki Open Face Sandwich, Fried Shrimp Sandwich with Wasabi Tartare, Buta no Kakuni (Japanese Braised Pork Belly), and Black Pepper Cod Teriyaki. On the sweeter side of the spectrum are the Japanese Sponge Cake, Black Sesame Tiramisu, Japanese Style Matcha “Swiss Roll”, and Strawberry Éclairs.

HSBC Credit Cards Promotion:
1-for-1 for Afternoon Tea set at Crossroads Bar on Monday to Sunday, valid from 1 Mar – 30 Apr and 1 Sep – 30 Nov

$42++ per person (minimum of two diners per order)
Includes a pot of speciality tea by TWG or freshly brewed coffee

T&C:
– Valid from 1 March 2019 to 30 April 2019, and 1 September 2019 to 30 November 2019.
– Valid for Afternoon Tea Set for up to 8 diners (4 paying, 4 complimentary)
– Offer is for food only (alcohol is excluded)

Tea Room, Amara Singapore
Level 1, Amara Singapore, 165 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 088539
Tel: +65 6879 2599
Afternoon Tea Timings: 2pm – 5pm (Mon – Fri), 12pm – 5pm (Sat – Sun)

The next time you plan to cosy up for an afternoon of tea, try the Tea Room at Amara Singapore, your quick escape from the bustling neighbourhood.

Their Afternoon High Tea menu includes a three-tiered tea set filled with savoury bites and a delightful selection of sweet mini cakes, pastries and scones. You get a freshly brewed pot of TWG premium tea of your choice, good for sharing with your tea partner.

You’re given two choices for its Afternoon High Tea: English and Japanese.

Choose the English High Tea Set if you enjoy Western treats like Brioche Toast with Foie Gras Mousse and Green Grape, Cucumber Crabmeat Cannoli with Salmon Roe and Spring Onion Spear, Mushroom Ragout Truffle Tart with Fresh Thyme Leaves, Rye Bread with Caviar and Dill, Smoked Salmon Rosette. Of course, you also get traditional scones with clotted cream and assorted jam.

Other sweet inclusions are Berries Fruit Tartlet, Cheesecake, Chocolate Tart, Coconut Macaron, Cream Puff, Panna Cotta in Shooter Glass, and Pistachio Financier.

For a more Asian feel, go for the Japanese High Tea Set that comes with assorted sushi (prawn, scallop, and octopus), sashimi (salmon, tuna), Unagi Canape, Soft Shell Crab Roll, Cold Soba, Edamame, and Spicy Tuna with a 63-degree poached egg.

Japanese desserts like matcha Swiss rolls, matcha macarons, Azuki mocha, and Japanese cheesecake complete the set.

For your pot of tea, try Kona Sencha, a green tea with a special sharpness and a touch of astringency best paired with fish and sushi.

HSBC Credit Cards Promotion:
1 dines free with every 2 paying adults (available daily)

English High Tea Set: $56 for two persons (includes a pot of TWG tea)
Japanese High Tea Set: $60 for two persons (includes a pot of TWG tea)

T&C:
– Not valid with other promotions, privileges, discount cards and promotional vouchers, whichever is applicable.
– Not applicable during eve of and public holidays; and special / festive periods.
– All prices quoted are in Singapore dollars and subject to service charge and prevailing government taxes.
– Amara Singapore reserves the right to change the Terms and Conditions without prior notice.

MO BAR, Mandarin Oriental, Singapore
5 Raffles Avenue, Marina Square, Singapore 039797
Tel: +65 6885 3500
Afternoon Tea Timings: 3pm – 5pm (Mon – Fri), 12:30pm – 2:30pm OR 3pm – 5pm (Sat, Sun, PH)

Formerly known as Axis Bar & Lounge, MO BAR is all about curated cocktails, eclectic bar snacks, and an afternoon high tea. Located at the 4th level of Mandarin Oriental, Singapore MO BAR is designed with floor to ceiling windows that allows magnificent view of Marina Bay and the city skyline.

As you enter, you’re welcomed by a display of TWG Tea products which you can whiff to sample. There are 19 options available – unless you already have a favourite, you could have a hard time picking one.

The popular Afternoon Tea menu features artisan pastries and other tea accompaniments in a modern chic ambiance. The menu is seasonal and changes bi-monthly, although there are staples like the freshly-baked scones served with clotted cream and homemade jams. You could catch these scones flavoured with ingredients in sync with the season.

Relax as you sink into its plush pink couches, with your hot cup of tea served in elegant white porcelain cups made by Legle, a renowned French heritage brand of tableware.

For drinks to unwind in the evening, try The Roaring City, a fizzy mix of Sparkling Pineapple Tapache and Vermouth Jelly. For something comforting, try Tea Time with Javanese Bourbon Tea with Arrack Cashew Cake. A zesty option would be 7000 Leagues Ahead, made with Super Sonic Gin and Kaffir Lime Leaf Oil.

HSBC Credit Cards Promotion:
1 dines free with every 2 paying adults for Afternoon Tea (Mon – Fri)

$48++ per person or $88++ for two
$65++ per person, inclusive of one cocktail or mocktail
$68++ per person, inclusive of one glass of “R” de Ruinart Champagne

T&C:
– Valid for dine in only
– Valid from 1 – 30 April 2019
– Offers not valid on eve of and on Public Holidays and as well as Eves of and on other special occasions including Christmas Day, Secretaries’ Week, New Year’s Day, Chinese New Year and 15 days of Chinese New Year, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, unless otherwise stated.
– Not valid with other discounts, privileges, promotions, set menus, special menus, vouchers, membership privileges, VIP cards
– Discount is not valid on service charge and taxes

Lobby Lounge, Crowne Plaza Changi Airport
75 Airport Boulevard, Singapore 819664
Tel: +65 6823 5367
Afternoon Tea Timing: 2pm to 5pm (Mon – Sun)

The Lobby Lounge of Crowne Plaza Changi Airport is another recommended venue for a stylish afternoon tea while overlooking a greenery-lined patio any day of the week.

During the day, the hotel’s ceiling-to-floor windows allow natural lighting to fill the Lobby Lounge, setting a wonderful ambiance for your meet up with family, friends or business colleagues.

Discover what they offer in their high tea stand, a combination of classic confections and savoury snacks.

Good for 2, the Floral Fantasy High Tea stand includes sweets like Lavender Honey Crème Brûlée (served with Lavender shortbread), Rose Macaron, Roselle-infused Cheese Tart, Sunflower-filled Praline Éclair, Pansy Green Tea Waffle Cone, and slices of Jasmine sponge.

Savouries, like the Quiche of the Day, Smoked Salmon Wrap, and Ham & Cheese Sandwich, are there to balance off the flavours.

The set also comes with the traditional scones with clotted cream and jam.

For your beverage, you can have either tea (they use the gourmet Dilmah t-series) or coffee.

HSBC Credit Cards Promotion:
1-for-1 high tea stand

$76++ per high tea stand (serves two persons)

T&C:
– Reservation is required.
– Not valid in conjunction with other discounts, promotions, vouchers and privileges.

1864, Sofitel Singapore City Centre
Level 5, 9 Wallich Street, Singapore 078885
Tel: +65 6428 5000
Afternoon Tea Timing: 3pm – 5:30pm (Mon – Sun)

Sofitel Singapore City Centre offers a daily mid-afternoon tea in 1864, their stylish tea lounge on the 5th floor.

With a range of seating options that can cater to a couple or a group of 10, 1864 is an ideal venue for casual or business meetings.

Discover fine tea blends from around the world. Highly recommended is the Singapour Je T’aime Tea, a TWG green tea blend exclusively crafted for and served at Sofitel Singapore City Centre. It’s a symbolic tea to represent the cultural ties between Singapore and France. Made with sweet notes of lavender and rose, this cup of tea brings an elegant floral bouquet on the palate.

Pair your tea with 1864’s signature bite-sized snacks and desserts served on a four-tier stand, including the Smoked Atlantic Salmon Sandwich with Buckwheat Blinis, Citrus Crème Fraîche and Caviar; Homemade Gougère with Béchamel of Emmental Cheese; and Smoked Quail Eggs with Truffled Aioli Tartine.

Sweet tooths will love the Quenelle of Valrhona Chocolate Ganache on Brioche, a signature dessert. Their mini scones are freshly-baked and served with berry marmalade, mascarpone and berry coulis.

The High Tea Stand comes with your choice of a pot of tea or two cups of Nespresso coffee.

HSBC Credit Cards Promotion:
1-for-1 High Tea Stand

$88++ for a stand (Serves 2 persons)

T&C:
– Valid till 15 August 2019
– Cannot be combined with other discounts and special promotions.
– Not valid on public holidays, eve of public holidays and blackout dates as determined by the hotel
– Payment must be made with a HSBC Credit Card.
– Offer is subject to prior reservation and availability.
– HSBC and 1864 reserve the right to vary or withdraw any of these terms at any time without prior notice.

Lobby Lounge, The Westin Singapore
The Westin Singapore, Level 32, 12 Marina View, Asia Square Tower 2, Singapore 018961
Tel: +65 6922 6988
High Tea Timing: 2:30pm – 5:00pm (Mon – Fri)

While other hotels offer a more traditional version of the English tea, the Lobby Lounge at The Westin Singapore gives it a twist by focusing on something atypical. It offers not only a plate, but a wide array of seafood-inspired treats.

Known for its extensive menu of fine wines, beers, champagne and expertly mixed cocktails, the Lobby Lounge is also your High Tea place, complete with comfy sofas and breath taking views of the city.

The three-course Seafood Afternoon Tea set includes Starters, Mains and Desserts.

For starters, expect a medley of savoury seafood in their three-tier tray, in form of rolls, salad, and grilled items. Highlights include Mini Lobster Roll, Seared Scallop Waldorf Salad, and Grilled Marinated Prawn.

On a slate, they’ll serve the mains, a whole Lobster Thermidor, wonderfully rich and cheesy, and two freshly-shucked oysters served with three sauces – champagne dressing, lychee bourbon and shallot vinaigrette.

For desserts, revel in their colourful platter of delectable pastries and baked munchies like cookies, mini cakes, and tarts.

Make your afternoon tea extra special with a glass of Italian sparkling wine.

HSBC Credit Cards Promotion:
50% off second diner for weekday Seafood Afternoon Tea with Prosecco

$55++ per person inclusive of a glass of Prosecco

T&C:
– Valid from 1 to 30 April 2019
– Advance reservation is required and subject to availability upon confirmation
– For reservations, please call +65 6922 6988 or email lobbylounge.singapore@westin.com and quote ‘HSBC dining privileges’
– The offer is not valid on eve of and on Public Holidays as well as blackout dates and special occasions.
– The offer is not valid in conjunction with other discounts, membership privileges, offers, promotions and vouchers.

Beast & Butterflies, M Social Singapore
90 Robertson Quay Singapore 238259
Tel: +65 6657 0018
Weekend Brunch Timings: 1130am to 6pm (Sat – Sun)

Beast & Butterflies is M Social Singapore’s main dining hall, a flamboyant social space offering Modern Asian cuisine with Eastern and Western influences.

It’s big on communal dining, believing that food and drinks bring people together. Their 13-meter bar counter is where the social interaction happens over artisanal cocktails prepared by their In-house mixologists.

Aside from the drinks, Beast & Butterflies offers a Weekend Brunch. Experience their signature starters with modern Asian flavours such as the Roasted Duck Chawanmushi – made of steamed egg with roasted duck, Ikura and spring onion; and Thai Pie Tee made of Thai minced chicken salad served in pie tee shell.

For mains, sink your teeth into their Focaccia Sandwich – grilled chicken with avocado, sunny side egg, cheese, lettuce and tomato in focaccia bread; Crispy Pork Knuckle served with sesame oil scented Asian sauerkraut; or Lobster Ramen in rich kani miso broth.

HSBC Credit Cards Promotion:
50% off 2nd diner for Weekend Brunch Set Menu (2 – 5pm only)

Pricing of Weekend Brunch: $39++ (Before offer)

T&C:
– All promotions are not valid with other ongoing promotions, offers, vouchers, discounts, promotional set menus, privilege card(s), loyalty programs unless otherwise stated.
– Offer is only valid on Weekends i.e. Saturdays and Sundays.
– 50% off 2nd diner is only applicable to the Weekend Brunch Set Menu and available from 2pm to 5pm only.
– Prior reservations highly recommended and subject to availability.
– Not valid on eve of and on Public Holidays and special occasions, unless otherwise stated.
– Events which fall under the category of special occasions are determined by the Hotel and are subject to change without notice.
– Valid for dine-in only. Not valid for functions, banquets or catering functions.
– Prices quoted are subject to service charge and prevailing government taxes
– Payment must be made with an HSBC credit card to enjoy this privilege
– Limited to one card per bill per table. No Splitting of bill and table allowed.
– Discount, vouchers and privileges are not exchangeable for cash, kind or other goods and services.
– Prevailing restaurant terms and conditions apply.
– The hotel reserves the right to revise the governing terms and conditions without giving prior notice.

For more details on the latest #HSBCDining promotions, hop on over to www.hsbc.com.sg/dining. Terms and conditions apply for all promotions herein.

*This post was brought to you in partnership with HSBC Credit Cards.

NEW café and restaurant openings in Singapore during the month of April will probably revolve around Jewel Changi Airport.

It will be officially opened on the 17th of April with 280 shops and F&B outlets.

Places to look forward there include Shake Shack, Burger and Lobster, The Alley 斜角巷, Emack & Bolio’s, Rich and Good Cake Shop, and Birds Of Paradise.

More on those for next month’s compilation.

The Alley Luxe
Cineleisure Orchard, 8 Grange Rd, Singapore 239695
(Opening in April 2019)

The Alley Luxe @ Cineleisure is the first premium lifestyle café concept of the brand, featuring an array of exquisite European baked treats such as Croissants, Cruffins and Kouign-amann.

Customers can opt for take-away, or dine-in to savour signature beverages and baked pastries while enjoying the scenic view of Orchard Road.

The Alley first started from Taichung, Taiwan, and has one main outlet in central Taipei. They are strong in their social media marketing, which really aided in their popularity.

The brand’s concept is considered more modern and trendy, with other very photo-worthy ombre drinks on the menu like matcha latte, all served in their unique rounded base cups.

Their menu is divided into “series”, from Milk Tea, Tea Latte, Original Brewed Tea, Brown Sugar Deerioca, Blended to the photogenic Aurora Series – appropriately named Morning Dawn and Northern Lights.

If you are looking out for their top drinks, they are the Brown Sugar Deerioca Milk, No. 3 Alley Milk Tea, Lemon Guava Juice, Royal No.9 Series and Lemon Milk.

Molten Diners
246 Upper Thomson Road Singapore 574370
Opening Hours: 11am – 11pm Last Order 10pm (Sun – Thurs), 11am – 2am Last Order 1am (Fri – Sat)

Western Delights With Unexpected Sauces
This is an under-the-radar café-eatery found along the Upper Thomson “foodie” stretch.

Molten Diners includes a wide selection of appetisers, pasta, and desserts on its menu.

For a start, go for the House Special Chicken Wings ($7.90 for 5 pcs) which are like Har Cheong (prawn paste) Chicken with the crisp skin, juicy meat and signature aroma.

The mains come with choices of two sides, and recommendations include Karala Creamy White Pepper Beef ($26.90), Harissa Chilli Salsa Chicken ($13.90), Katsu Curry Chicken Schnitzel ($13.90), Yuzu Butter Char Grilled Salmon ($21.90) and an intriguing Twisties Lava Fish Fillet ($14.90).

End the meal with a 3 layered Molten Specialty Chocolate Lava Mud Pie ($12.90).

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

Patisserie With Delicious Matcha Cake And Lime Tart
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.

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

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. Lee’s Confectionery (Jurong East)

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

Lava Pancakes & Ondeh Ondeh Softserves
With their first outlet at Haji Lane gaining popularity within a year, Moose has expanded to the East to Our Tampines Hub.

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

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).

In terms of soft serve flavours, you can expect Strawberry, Blueberry, Nutella Brownie Cheesecake, Smores, Apple Crumble and bestseller Ondeh-Ondeh. Moosh (Our Tampines Hub)

Obsessive Chocolat Desire (OCD) Cafe
529 Ang Mo Kio Ave 10, #01-2353, Singapore 560529
Opening Hours: 12pm – 10pm (Sun – Thu), 12pm – 1am (Fri – Sat)

Obsessive Chocolat Desire Café Found At Ang Mo Kio
Chocolate lovers will be thrilled to know find an OCD Café at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10. Not Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, but Obsessive Chocolat Desire – for the love of both chocolates and ice cream.

Ice cream is priced at $3.60 for a single scoop, $7 for double scoops, additional $1 for cone and $4 for a normal or sesame waffle.

16 flavours are available at any one time ranging from their signature chocolate flavours (as their name implies) to classic ones such as Vanilla and Strawberry Cheesecake.

The highlight is definitely their five choices of chocolate ice cream from different origins: Madagascar 33% Milk, Ecuador 40% Milk, Belgium Dark 60%, Brazil 72% Dark, Africa 85% Dark. OCD Café (Ang Mo Kio)

Denzy
506 Bishan Street 11, #01-404, Singapore 570506 (Bishan MRT)
Opening Hours: 11.30am – 10.30pm (Mon – Sun)

Gelato Cafe Found At Bishan Bus Interchange
Located in the Bishan heartland right beside the bus interchange, Denzy offers a cozy and fuss-free space with about 20 seats.

All gelato is churned in-house, with ingredients made from scratch.

For example, the almond and macadamia nut pastes are created by stone grinding for 10 hours; while the yoghurt is sous-vide to make yoghurt based gelato.

What makes them different from other ice cream places is the variety of flavours here, some of which are quite less-commonly-seen and interesting.

Instead of classic flavours such as Vanilla, Thai Milk Tea and Rum & Raisin, signature flavours include Persian Prince made from almond and saffron; Blondie Beach using white chocolate, lime & salt; and Elderflower Mojito Sorbet which is actually non-alcoholic.

Belle-Ville Pancake Café – Tanjong Pagar
100AM Mall 01-14b, 100 Tras Street, Singapore 079027
Opening Hours: 8:30am – 9pm Last Order 8.30pm (Mon – Sun)

Fluffy Stacks Of Japanese Pancakes Found At Tanjong Pagar
The pancake café is known for its meringue made-to-order mille-feuille (French for “thousand layers”) pancakes, included with homemade whipped Hokkaido cream, stacked from 2 to 8 layers.

Offerings include Strawberry and Mixed Berry Pancake, Mango Pancake, Grilled Apple with Homemade Caramel Pancake, Matcha with Rice Ball and Red Bean Pancake, and Chocolate with Grilled Banana Pancake, priced from $11.90 to $16.20.

What makes their pancakes so fluffy include the usage of fresh milk, and they are made fresh-to-order.

These pancakes were indeed moist and soft, with bananas blended into the batter, the interesting part was a half-cooked centre. Belle-Ville Pancake Café (100AM)

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

Singapore Singer Chen Diya Opens A Cafe At Esplanade
Singapore Chen Diya who is a member of a Mandopop-duo The Freshman 插班生 (Cha Ban Sheng), has opened a coffee place at The Esplanade.

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. Sanity Coffee Bar (Esplanade)

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

Tiffany Blue Bubble Tea Shop With Brown Sugar Milk Tea
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).

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. Little Po 小坡 (Haji Lane)

BCC Tea Studio
Fengshan Market, Blk 84, Bedok North Street 4, #01-29, Singapore 460048
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Sun – Thu), 10am – 11pm (Fri – Sat)

Affordable and Instagram-Worthy Bubble Tea Found At Bedok 85
BCC Tea Studio is located beside Bedok 85 Fengshan Market & Food Centre which is known for its steady stream of evening and supper crowd.

Their menu is categorised into Pure Tea (Small $2.10/ Large $2.90), Milk Tea (Small $2.60/ Large $3.40), Fantasies with layered coloured drinks ($4.20), Fizzies ($3.50), Slushies ($3.90) and Hot drinks ($3.90).

I was recommended to try their bestselling Brown Sugar Boba with Fresh Milk ($3.50), which is the current trending drink.

Available in one size, there is a sense of familiarity in the first sip.

Unlike the usual brown sugar milk drinks trending in the market, this tasted so sweet, so familiar, so old-school… just like Sweet Talk? BCC Tea Studio (Bedok)

Other Related Entries
10 NEW Cafes In Singapore March 2019
10 NEW Cafes In Singapore February 2019
10 NEW Cafes In Singapore January 2019
10 NEW Restaurants Singapore January 2019

Compiled by * Compiled by Daniel Ang @DanielFoodDiary, Nicholas Tan @stormscape, and Song Yu @__sy_g.

On a search for some of Singapore’s best prawn noodles, I was recommended to Jalan Sultan Prawn Mee 惹蘭蘇丹蝦麺.

With over 70 years of history, Jalan Sultan Prawn Mee is also listed in the Singapore Michelin Guide with a “Michelin Plate”.

The famous noodle stall is located just off Geylang Lorong 1, a walking distance from Kallang MRT Station.

Within the same coffeeshop, there is also a stall selling ngoh hiang (which seems to be the case for many famous prawn noodle shops.)

Just an interesting note, several prawn noodles shops are located away from where their shop name suggests. For example, this Jalan Sultan Prawn Mee is at Geylang, Beach Road Prawn Mee is at East Coast, while Albert Street Prawn Noodle is at Old Airport Road Food Centre.

If you are driving, there isn’t much parking space outside the shop, and your best bet could be the HDB carparks near Lorong 3.

Its menu is straightforward – different combinations of prawns, king prawns, pork ribs and noodles.

All prawn noodles are available as soup or dry, which comes with chili on the side and a small bowl of broth.

The fresh, sweet prawns come in 2 sizes – regular and “King”. The basic bowl starts at $6 for Prawn Mee, while it is recommended to get the King Prawn Pork Ribs Noodle ($8, $10).

There is also a Pig Thai Pork Ribs Soup ($5, $8, $10) offered.

The King Prawn Pork Rib Prawn Mee ($5) is quite popular, cooked with tender pieces of pork rib and prawns of different sizes.

While my personal preference is typically the dry version, I say get the soup version for its broth, as it sets this apart from other stalls, mildly sweet and has a robust flavour.

Compared to some of the famous stalls around, the soup base was lighter, more diluted, not as hot-hot, but still considered appetizing. It was ”qing” and thus not too heavy.

Prawns were fresh and sweet, coming off the shells easily.

As for the dry noodles, you can opt to combine the yellow noodle and bee hoon, served with a mild savoury sauce and shallots.

The dry version had a less impressionable sauce and chilli, and I could imagine the average diner preferring something more saucy or aromatic.

This is a not-bad bowl, quite satisfying, though I suspect it used to be much better in the past.

Jalan Sultan Prawn Mee 惹蘭蘇丹蝦麺
2 Jalan Ayer (Lorong 1 Geylang), Singapore 389141
Tel: +65 6748 2488
Opening Hours: 8am – 3:30pm (Wed – Mon), Closed on Tues

Other Related Entries
Whitley Road Prawn Noodles (Old Airport Road Food Centre)
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.

Imagine your favourite all-day-breakfast, brunch food and mains from your favourite cafes in Singapore… with 1-for-1 deals.

Well, dream come true.

HSBC Credit Cards has partnered with ENTERTAINER to bring you more than 1000 specially curated deals, with 1-for-1 offers on dining, travel, entertainment and more, including these 10 popular cafes featured below.

Other than those, you can also enjoy 1-for-1 deals at favourite dining establishments such as Da Paolo (HQ / Pizza Bar), Firebake, FYR, Dan Ryan’s Chicago Grill, Burger Joint NY, Mischief, Pollen, The Stamford Brasserie, SOI 47, Wanna Cuppa, &Sons, Hard Rock Café, Wafuken, and Jewel Café and Bar. Just to name a few.

What’s more, the ENTERTAINER with HSBC App is now complimentary for all main HSBC Credit Cardholders.

All these deals are available in a brand new, easy-to-use app. So all you need to do is search, check the offers, and redeem.

The 10 Popular Cafes in Singapore with 1-For-1 Mains include: (Prices quoted are before 1-for-1, subject to prevailing taxes.)

Sarnies
136 Telok Ayer Street Singapore 068601
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 10:30pm (Mon – Tues), 7:30am – 12:00am (Wed – Fri), 8:30am – 4:00pm (Sat – Sun)

Sarnies, named after a slang for sandwich ‘sarnies’, is a bustling café in the CBD serving hearty breakfasts, massive salads, homemade bakery treats, coffee, and of course, sandwiches.

Using grass-fed beef and chicken free from hormones and antibiotics, the café promises only fresh, quality ingredients in all its dishes. Even its bacon is cured in-house.

Popular favourites include the Mexican Salad ($16) comprising of pulled pork, brown rice, spice corn, mesclun, red cabbage coleslaw, guacamole, chimichurri, corn tortilla chips, vinaigrette; and Chicken Parmigiana ($16) made with breaded chicken cutlet and cheeses – Grana Padano and Cheddar.

If you head over during weekend, The Breakfast burger ($19) available on the Brunch Menu should satisfy both your breakfast and burger cravings.

Composed of crispy strips of bacon, a fried egg, and potato rosti, and dressed with guacamole, and a tomato relish. Served in a toasted black sesame seeded bun. Warning: Potentially messy to eat in one bite.

Benjamin Barker Café
8 Grange Road, Cineleisure #01-01/02, Singapore 239695
Tel: +65 6732 2123
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm, last order for kitchen at 9pm, bar at 9.30pm (Mon – Thurs)
11:00am – 10.30pm, last order for kitchen at 9.30pm, bar at 10pm (Fri)
10am – 10.30pm (Sat), 10am – 10pm (Sun)

Set as the brand’s Asian debut combining Fashion and F&B, Benjamin Barker Cafe is all about specialty coffee using Papa Palheta beans, classic comfort fare, all-day breakfast, and weekend brunches.

Known as a famous brand of menswear, Benjamin Barker imparts style and sense to its café dishes by combining time-tested flavours and a modern, homey ambiance.

Go for the Laksa Pizza ($24) or Kam Heong Seafood Pizza ($23).

Capturing the flavours of the iconic Singaporean laksa, the chef-recommended Laksa Pizza is included with traditional laksa ingredients such as prawns, squids, clams, quail eggs, and fish cake.

An ingenious way to enjoy your laksa as a finger food.

As a sequel to its popular Laksa Pizza, the new Kam Heong Seafood Pizza is topped with prawns, squids, clams and their signature house-made Kam Heong Sauce.

The aromatic sauce (“Kam Heong” literally “golden fragrance” in Cantonese) is a savoury concoction made with curry powder and leaves, or oyster sauce, light soy sauce, rice wine, garlic, shallots and dried shrimps.

Other popular favourites include the Rotisserie Chicken ($20), Salmon with Almond Crust ($22), Grilled Iberico Pork Loin ($23), Chilli Lime Seafood Aglio Olio ($18).

Gallery & Co. Cafeteria
1 St. Andrew’s Road, National Gallery Singapore, #01-17 Singapore 178957
Tel: 6385 6683
Opening Hours: 10 am – 7pm (Mon – Thurs, Sat – Sun), 10am – 9pm (Fri)

Gallery & Co. is the official museum store and cafeteria at National Gallery Singapore.

A casual, all-day dining venue, the 120-seater cafeteria offers museum goers an affordable spread of hearty salads and mains inspired by local Singaporean flavours and Southeast Asian influences.

The all-day dining menu is created by ex-Cocotte head chef Anthony Yeoh.

Experience a mash-up of classic favourites and new dishes inspired by the Gallery’s exhibitions are served, alongside craft beers, wines and locally-inspired cocktails.

Start off your food exploration with the signature Buttermilk Crispy Chicken Burger ($20), a juxtaposition of savoury and spicy flavours.

The buttermilk-soaked chicken is deep-fried until crispy. Assembled with the piquant kimchi that’s neutralised with a runny fried egg. Served with fries on the side.

As for the Grilled Otah Taco ($17), this main dish features otah, a steamed parcel of minced seasoned fish wrapped in coconut leaves and flame grilled.

The grilled fish cake finds its way into a taco, served with tomato salsa and chili mayo for a spicy finish.

Get the Laksa Pesto Crab Linguine ($18) and Steam Halibut & Rice ($18) if you are hungry for more.

This offer is available for Premium VIP key holders only

Toby’s Estate
8 Rodyk Street, Singapore 238216
Tel: +65 6636 7629
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 6pm (Sun – Thurs), 7:30am – 7pm (Fri – Sat)

Classic Australian café menu, relaxed chill out vibes, and a view of the Singapore River (if you sit choose the al fresco dining).

A popular breakfast and lunch spot, hang out with your family and friends for some Single Origin Coffee, all-day breakfast, and mains.

Have your Eggs Benedict done in Toby’s Estate signature Brooklyn, Woolly or Rodyk style ($2); or get the Brekkie of Champions ($25) – a sumptuous plate of eggs done any style, espresso maple bacon, tomato, mushrooms, beans, harissa sausage and brioche.

Salads, burgers and sandwiches are served from 12pm onwards.

Favourites include Pulled Pork Burger ($22), Confit Chicken Burger ($22), and Roast Beef Sandwich ($16), all served with Toby’s rainbow fries.

Morettino Italian Cafè & Bistro
100AM #01-04, 100 Tras Street, Singapore 079027
Tel: +65 62440424
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

Enjoy the good life at Morettino Italian Café & Bistro, where you can experience traditional Italian Espresso & artisanal slow coffees, salad, paninis, pasta, and pizzas, thanks to its passionate in-house Italian chef.

All in the heart of the CBD at Tanjong Pagar’s 100AM.

Served in an atmosphere of family hospitality, the dishes at Morettino revolve on the flavours from the Italian region of Sicily.

Come for lunch or dinner and tease your palate with its artisanal tastes.

Highly recommended is the Pizza Parma Ham ($28.00), a Morettino Chef’s Special. It is specially prepared the traditional way originating in Naples, Italy. This signature item is made with prosciutto, tomato, Mozzarella, and mixed greens.

Order this classic Italian pasta of Spaghetti Amatriciana with Burrata ($22.00) made with traditional roma tomato sauce. Adding an intense flavour to the sauce are chopped pieces of bacon, while the sheep cheese topping and burrata make this extra creamy.

Likewise, a good pairing is Truffle Carbonara ($24.00), a rich and creamy dish made with spaghetti noodles and smoked bacon.

The truffle and olive sauce makes all the difference, making it heady good.

KARA Cafe & Dessert Bar
617 Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 269718 (Tan Kah Kee MRT)
Tel: +65 4688940
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

From the people behind Sogurt comes KARA Café & Dessert Bar, an upscale independent café serving LA-inspired all-day comfort food dining.

The imaginative yet welcoming pastel-coloured space offers savoury and sweet creations, and sometimes unusual taste pairings, from hot savoury grain bowls to decadent Mochi waffles, pasta and grilled cheesy toasties.

KARA’s signature dish of Pork Belly Miso Grain Bowl ($16) is ramen-inspired, made with fork-tender Japanese-style kakuni braised pork belly, soft egg, cucumber edamame salad, and miso mayonnaise.

Served atop either Japanese rice or quinoa, and garnished with generous amounts of nori seaweed and ramen crisps for that textural mouthfeel crunch.

This crowd-favourite Tempura Fish Kimchi Grain Bowl ($16), is a fusion of Japanese and Korean flavours.

This spicy and tangy bowl comes with a crispy and juicy tempura fish fillet on a bed of fresh diced cucumber, avocado and edamame. Finally, it is topped with a piquant kimchi mayo, barbecue sauce and sprinkled with furikake.

Plentyfull
9 Raffles Boulevard #01-79/80 Millenia Walk, Singapore 039596
Opening Hours: 10am – 10:30pm

Founded by foodie and restaurateur Claudia Sondakh, Plentyfull is a casual all-day dual concept restaurant that features a brasserie, a patisserie, and a local gourmet grocer.

This 4,000-sq ft. 132-seater serves a range of region-free cuisine in a nature-inspired social space, where lines between the kitchen and diners are in a blur.

If you want honest, hearty homemade meals away from home, try Plentyfull where everything is made from scratch using fresh seasonal produce from here and abroad – even their bacon is made from scratch.

Try their famous House Bacon when you order The Carbonara ($22), a classic Italian pasta dish given life at Plentyfull using the standard egg yolk and traditional spaghetti noodles.

Seasoned with freshly cracked pepper and topped with grated Pecorino Romano, this creamy dish is a light yet filling main.

If you’re a fan of burgers, go for their signature dish The Plentyfull Burger ($26), specially made with an aged beef patty combined with a slice of smoked cheddar and simply flavoured with onion marmalade and pickles. Everything is sandwiched in a soft, milky brioche bun and served with crisp potato fries on the side.

Kindred Folk
9 King Albert Park, #01-09, Singapore 598332
Opening Hours: 12pm – 10pm (Tues – Thurs, Sun), 12pm – 11pm (Fri – Sat)

Kindred Folk is a specialty handmade ice cream shop that goes beyond cold treats.

Pet owners will love how they can dine with their furry babies in the al fresco dining area over ice cream and other sweet treats.

Other than ice cream and waffles, you can expect mains such as pastas and pizzas.

Their popular choices include Spice It Up ($15) of tom yum aglio olio linguine with sautéed prawns; Mi-So-Sexy ($15) in which you get miso-sesame capellini with shimeiji mushrooms and onsen egg; and tomato cream penne called Asian Flush ($15).

The 3-Cheese Pizza ($13) likewise uses Kindred Folk’s signature tomato-based sauce. Add something savoury with this cheesy pizza, topped with a trio of classic cheeses: Cheddar (coloured and white), Parmesan & Mozzarella.

This offer is available for Premium VIP key holders only

Oriole Coffee + Bar
96 Somerset Road #01-01, Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Orchard Singapore 238163 (next to 313@somerset),
Tel: +65 6238 8348
Opening Hours: 8am – 11pm (Sun – Thu & PH), 8am -12am (Fri, Sat, Eve of PH)

The Oriole experience is all about serving specialty coffee by day and transforming into a bar by dusk complete with live music, house pour, wine, beer and cocktails.

In between gourmet coffee and drinks, its serves global fare daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner making it an all-day, every day café destination in the city.

Begin your day with a java-inspired dish, Espresso Hotcakes ($14) that is also vegetarian-friendly. These vanilla pancakes are topped with fresh strawberries and blueberries, a sprinkling of black and white sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds, and maple syrup.

Instead of the usual butter, you’ll get a homemade whipped espresso-orange butter to make your breakfast something different.

The signature Oriole Truffle Burger ($22), responsibly made with grain-fed beef patty mixed with sautéed mushrooms, caramelised onion, and melted cheese. What makes this extra special is the truffle-infused aioli dressing that elevates the flavour.

Also recommended main is the St. Louis Pork Ribs ($30) with sweet-soy marinated pork ribs barbecued ‘til fall-off-the-bone tender. Served with a medley of sides to complement the umami pork flavour including chilli relish, purple cabbage slaw, and crisp sweet potato fries.

The Marmalade Pantry Downtown
#01-01, Oasia Hotel Downtown. 100 Peck Seah Street, Singapore 079333
Tel: +65 6385 0741
Opening Hours: 11.30am – 10.30pm (Mon – Sun)

Known for its weekend brunches and artisanal high tea and cakes, The Marmalade Party is a home-grown bistro serving modern comfort food in a charming ambiance.

If you haven’t tried The Marmalade Mac & Cheese ($24) now is the perfect time.

This much-loved signature pasta is served on a skillet, in a portion large enough to be shared between two. This gooey dish with a kiss of bleu cheese and made special with parmesan truffle butter will delight any genuine cheese lover.

Rushing to work? A good ole sandwich will save your day. Try The Marmalade Club ($24) is served on a toasted multi-grain bread, and comes with sweet honey-baked ham, chicken salad, egg, gem lettuce and sliced roma tomatoes. You can request and switch to a gluten-free bread, if you like. Comes with sweet potato fries.

The Marmalade also serves luxurious pastas, such as the Spicy Crabmeat Pasta ($26) with generous portions of quality jumbo and lump crabmeat. Al dente cooked linguini pasta are blended in an umami-packed tomato sauce, with pine nuts that add a buttery nutty taste to contrast the spiciness.

You may replace the regular linguini with gluten-free spaghetti or penne if you prefer.

The ENTERTAINER with HSBC app is not just for dining deals, as it offers access to over a thousand 1-for-1 deals across 525 merchants and 150 hotels worldwide from Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Bali, UAE to London.

Plus, it is complimentary to all main HSBC Credit Cardholders.

Other benefits and T&C:
– HSBC credit cardholders stand to save up to S$10,000 using ENTERTAINER with HSBC
– The ENTERTAINER with HSBC app is available on both Appstore and Google Play
– ENTERTAINER with HSBC is Offers are valid 7 days a week, except on the eve of Public Holidays (after 5pm), Public Holidays, and such special occasions as may be determined by the relevant merchant.
– T&C apply for all promotions herein.

For more details on the latest #HSBCDining promotions, hop on over to www.hsbc.com.sg/entertainer

*This post was brought to you in partnership with HSBC Credit Cards.

Peking Duck with Black Caviar, Lobster with Truffle Sauce, Rib Eye Fillet with Red Wine Sauce, Double-boiled Chicken Soup with Abalone… these are just some of the new dishes that can be found at Hai Tien Lo 海天楼.

Famed for its authentic and masterfully prepared Cantonese dishes, Hai Tien Lo at Pan Pacific Singapore takes on a fresh perspective on its dishes, and offers new options to its loyal patrons.

The restaurant’s new Executive Chef Ben Zeng brings his own modern twists to classic Cantonese fare, a product of more than 25 years of culinary experience.

His philosophy is all about enhancing traditional flavours with innovative ingredient combinations and a mix of Asian and Western cooking techniques.

One thing I noticed about Hai Tien Lo’s new dishes is its plating as well, beautifully presented in a minimalist manner, using a balance of colours, textures, and flavours.

The refreshed menu specialties are available as ala carte orders, or in the four set lunch menus, prices starting from $58++ per diner and six set dinner menus, prices starting from $88++ per diner.

For you to discover its different seafood specialties, delicious roasts, signature double-boiled soups, and flavoursome dim sum using top quality ingredients. Here are 12 Hai Tien Lo new dishes and revitalised renditions of old favourites.

Hai Tien Lo Style Classic Sliced Beijing Duck with Black Caviar, Avocado and Vegetarian Beancurd Skin served with Homemade Chinese Pancakes 海天楼特色片皮鸭 ($58, $108)
Peking duck is eaten with various condiments and wraps. While other restaurants serve the typical crepe skin, cucumber and hoisin sauce, Hai Tien Lo offers additional ingredients of avocado, vegetarian beancurd skin, and… black caviar, giving the dish an added luxurious element.

The avocado provides a layer of creaminess while the beancurd skin a crisp crunch.

The duck is presented at your table, then carved table-side. The chef would deftly cuts the meat into thin slices, and elegantly layers them on a plate with the skin.

The duck is generally is crispy yet light, melts in your mouth with a thin layer of juicy fat.

Hai Tien Lo Chef’s Specialty Combination 海天厨师拼盘（百花乳猪件、清酒蟹肉、红桑酱脆虾球 ($26)
Begin your exploration with this 3-part specialty dish combining the flavours of pork, crab, and prawn. Representing pork is a slice of crispy barbecued suckling pig stuffed with a prawn paste.

For the crab, taste it chilled and uniquely marinated in Japanese Sake sauce instead of the conventional ginger and vinegar, its natural sweetness complementing the rice based wine.

Completing the trio is a deep-fried fresh prawn paired with a sweet-tart sauce made with a mix raspberries and cherries.

Combination of Pan-fried Scallop and Sliced Crispy Barbecued Suckling Pig stuffed with Prawn Paste in Thai Sauce 香煎玉带伴百花乳猪件佐西施汁 ($22)
Combining two dishes this time, you can savour Australian-sourced scallops and the chef-specialty suckling pork.

The fresh scallops are dried, seasoned, and seared in a hot pan.

The result are tender, slight golden-brown scallops on the outside, free from overcooking.

Paired with them is the deep-fried slice of barbecued suckling pig, stuffed with a sweet prawn paste with crunchy bits of water chestnuts.

The crisp pork is served with a drizzling of Thai sauce to further add moisture, aroma and flavour.

Double-boiled Chicken Soup with Abalone, Dried Scallops, Fresh Prawn and Chinese Mushrooms served in Young Coconut 椰皇干贝生虾花菇鲍鱼炖鸡汤 ($38)
Inspired by the flavours of the sea, this new dish is brimming with premium seafood such as dried Japanese scallops, South African abalone, and fresh prawn.

Equally important is the broth where everything comes together, a special double-boiled chicken soup made by simmering chicken bones for up to 6 hours.

Together with Chinese mushrooms and goji berries, the hearty soup is double-boiled in a fresh young coconut shell for at least 1-1/2 hours to allow the sweet coconut taste to infuse into the broth. A comforting treat for the belly.

Australian Abalone with Japanese Mushroom and Black Truffles 黑松露红烧澳洲三头鲜鲍日本花菇 ($68)
This East-meets-West rendition of a revered delicacy is one dish you shouldn’t miss.

A whole Australian-sourced abalone takes the center stage, backed up with a Japanese mushroom and sliced black truffles.

The abalone’s naturally buttery and salty taste is enhanced with the mushroom’s umami and the truffle’s strong earthy and meaty taste. A simple yet luxurious dish.

Deep-fried Crispy Sea Cucumber stuffed with Minced Pork and Shrimps accompanied with Preserved Vegetables 脆炸酿海参伴惠州梅菜 ($24)
Sea cucumbers, traditionally a Cantonese delicacy, are the star of this dish and is a rendition I have never seen before.

Each braised sea cucumber is stuffed with a flavourful paste that blends together prawns, minced pork and diced mushrooms, then deep-fried to achieve a crisp exterior.

Yes, deep-fried.

It tastes lightly salty, dons a fragrant aroma, and bears an exterior crunch and interior softness. Accompanying these specialty sea cucumbers are sweet and sour preserved vegetables, braised in ginger, garlic and onions.

Stir-fried Lobster with Truffle Sauce served in Whole Pumpkin 松露酱金盅炒龙虾球 ($34)
Artfully presented in a pumpkin bowl are treasures to be found – chunks of fresh Boston Lobster meat stir-fried and mixed with a luxurious truffle sauce.

This Western-inspired sauce combines sliced mushrooms with fresh truffles to amplify its earthy flavour and aroma.

Baked Sea Perch Fillet with Kumquat Chilli Sauce 金桔辣酱银鲈鱼 ($24)
This seafood main starts with a fresh fillet of Chilean Cod, marinated in a sauce blending the sweetness of kumquat and the heat of chillies for up to two hours.

Once it has soaked up the flavours, the cod is baked with orange peel that adds a citrusy freshness and aroma.

The baked fish is served alongside sliced radishes to balance out your palate and, if needed, neutralise the spiciness.

Wok-fried Rib Eye Fillet with Red Wine Sauce 红酒汁香煎雪花牛柳 ($42)
Although Hai Tien Lo is a Chinese restaurant, you may find more European takes on some of the new dishes.

This is a robust steak dish with a red wine sauce, featuring succulent rib-eye fillet cooked in two steps: braising and frying.

It is first braised in melted butter, garlic, spring onions and seasoning, then quick fried in a wok. To achieve a more fragrant and sweeter taste, only the white parts of the spring onions are used.

As for the sauce, it is a rich blend of foie gras, red wine, and flavour-rich pan drippings, and served separately from the steak.

An order of this steak also comes with mushrooms, asparagus, and fried onion rings on the side.

Chilled Lemongrass Jelly and Lime Sorbet 香茅冻青柠雪吧 ($12)
This cool dessert highlights the herb lemongrass, popular for its unique taste and invigorating aroma.

Along with lemon leaves, the lemongrass is double-boiled in water until it achieves full infusion.

This imbued liquid is combined with Taiwan specialty Aiyu powder to create a natural soft jelly.

Served with lime sorbet and finished off with squeeze of lemon juice. A refreshing dessert for the hot day and a fitting ending to your meal.

Weekday and Weekend Dim Sum Buffet Experience
Imagine more than 50 delicate handmade dim sums and signature a la carte delicacies in one buffet.

That’s what you get in Hai Tien Lo’s refreshed Weekday and Weekend dim sum buffet, best enjoyed with the company of your fellow dim sum-loving friends.

Look forward to tasting authentic Cantonese flavours with their new offerings such as the Steamed Charcoal Barbecue Pork Bun with Black Truffles (松露金炭叉烧包) and Steamed Pork and Prawns Dumplings with Fish Roe (魚籽燒賣皇).

Hai Tien Lo 海天楼 Dim Sum Lunch Buffet Experience
Time: 11:30am – 2:30pm

Weekday Pricing:
– $60.80 per adult, $33.80 per child (6 to 11 years old, children above 12 to be charged adult rates)
(More details on Weekday Dim Sum Buffet available here.)

Weekend Pricing:
– $128.80 per adult inclusive of unlimited house pour champagne, house wines, beers, juices and soft drinks
– $98.80 per adult inclusive of unlimited house wines, beers, juices and soft drinks
– $68.80 per adult, and $38.80 per child (6 to 11 years old)
(More details on Weekend Dim Sum Buffet available here.)

Hai Tien Lo X DanielFoodDiary.com Exclusive Promotion
Receive 25% OFF the total bill, applicable to Hai Tien Lo’s A la Carte items, Set Menu, and Weekday Dim Sum Buffet.

Terms and conditions
– Applicable only to A la Carte items, Set Menu, and Weekday Dim Sum Buffet (Buffet available Mon – Fri).
– 25% OFF total bill, excluding Fine Wines
– Promotion valid from 2nd April 2019 (Tues) to 30th June 2019 (Sun). Offer excludes eve of PH, PH, Father’s Day and Mother’s Day.
– Please quote “DanielFoodDiary” upon reservation to enjoy the promotion.
– Reservation via Email dining.ppsin@panpacific.com, OR Tel +65 6826 8240
– The set lunch is available from 11:30am to 2:30pm, and set dinner from 6:30pm to 10:30pm.
– Not valid in conjunction with other promotions, discount cards, promotional vouchers and in-house offer discount cards
– Prices quoted are subject to 10% service charge and prevailing Goods & Services tax, unless otherwise stated.

Hai Tien Lo 海天楼
Pan Pacific Singapore, Level 3, 7 Raffles Boulevard, Singapore 039595
Tel: +65 6826 8240
Opening Hours: Lunch 11:30am – 2:30pm, Dinner 6:30pm – 10:30pm (Mon – Sun)
Email: dining.ppsin@panpacific.com
Website: www.panpacific.com/singapore

* This post is brought to you in partnership with Pan Pacific Singapore.

It is slightly unfortunate that Wah Kee Big Prawn Noodle at Pek Kio Market and Food Centre has become more ‘famed’ for a temperament owner, rather than its goods.

Just have a scroll through various review websites, and you would find countless feedback on the auntie’s attitude, especially if you do not queue behind a red line or ordered the cheapest bowl.

(Anyway, while there you can also have some Pin Wei Hong Kong Style Chee Cheong Fun, which is also Michelin-recommendation under the “Michelin Plate”.)

One fine day recently, I decided to head over to Pek Kio to have Wah Kee again, only to find ZERO queue (observed for a while, and it was still mostly short.)

Instead, Lai Hiang Pork Rib Prawn Mee in the same hawker centre had a much longer line – which was not quite the same in the past (say 5-10 years ago).

I went towards the stall, slightly cautious, and was definite in my orders without hesitation.

”Prawn noodles, beehoon + mee, $10, having here, want chilli.” (虾面，米粉面，十块，这里吃，要辣椒)

To my very surprise, auntie was all-smiles and told me to sit down because it would be tired standing up. (Just in case you are wondering, I wasn’t holding a camera then. Could be because I ordered a $10 bowl?) I thought I should buy 4D that day then.

Wah Kee Big Prawn Noodles offers bowls of $5, $10, $15, $20, to $25. For first-timers, it is recommended to try at least the $10 option.

If I were to recommend, get the mee kia (thin noodles) dry.

The noodles are specially made for Wah Kee, and all base sauces such as the sambal chilli sauce and special spicy sauce are made in-house daily, using Wah Kee’s 65-year recipe.

I enjoyed it for its texture, but remembered that it had a better mixture of sauces, more greasy with oomph.

Interesting to note that they do not use pork in cooking the soup, and therefore the broth is lighter with an unique orange colour.

The prawns were large and fresh, soup was tasty and moderately robust in flavours – more intense than the average stall, but didn’t seem to be as rich and gao-gao (ie more diluted) as in the past.

Personal preference, I am a mee kia person, and so Wah Kee is one of the few that offers a decent rendition of dry prawn noodles with mee kia. Many stalls do not even have this option.

As to whether customers can bear auntie’s mood or not, I guess just smile at her, be polite, and see how it goes.

Wah Kee Big Prawn Noodles
41A Cambridge Road, #01-15, Pek Kio Market and Food Centre, Singapore 210041
Opening Hours: 8:30am – 2pm (Wed – Sun), Closed Mon – Tues

Wah Kee Big Prawn Noodle and Bistro
8 Raffles Avenue Esplanade Mall #01-13C Singapore 039802
Tel: +65 63279187
Opening Hours: 11am – 2pm, 5pm – 10:30pm (Mon – Fri), 11am – 11pm (Sat), 11am – 10pm (Sun)

Other Related Entries
Jalan Sultan Prawn Mee (Geylang)
Whitley Road Prawn Noodles (Old Airport Road Food Centre)
Fresh Taste Big Prawn Noodle (Zion Road)
Da Shi Jia 大食家大大大虾面 (Killiney Road)

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[Tokyo] I share a similar liking with Doraemon, that we both enjoy Dorayaki – the small pancake made from castella, wrapped around fillings of sweet azuki red bean paste.

Yes, it is actually all about red bean paste, also known as “anko” in Japanese.

Imagine my delight when I found a red-bean paste dedicated café in the heart of Shinjuku, located on the 2nd floor of NeWOMAN complex.

Toraya Cafe An Stand is operated by Toraya, best known for its “wagashi” (Japanese confectionary) with history dating back to the late sixteenth century in the Muromachi Period.

The business first started in Kyoto, and now has branched out to shops and cafes serving a range of sweet products and fresh confectionary.

The outlet at Shinjuku is a small but beautiful and primary-white space, with a tiger-mosaic taking centre stage – created by graphic designer Masayoshi Nakajo.

There is limited seating area though, but if you come during off-peak hours, you can enjoy some peace and quietness.

The Shinjuku shop’s menu features anko red bean paste in various forms, but the specialities are the four products of An Coupé (¥432, SGD5.26), An Toast (¥486, SGD5.92), An Sandwich (¥864, SGD10.50) and An Matcha Bolo (¥270, SGD3.30).

The An Coupé (¥432) looking like a “hotdog bun”, contained puréed azuki bean and cream cheese sandwiched inside a coupé bread.

Needless to say, the paste was delicately smooth and not too sweet, and would send an azuki-fan to a high.

The bread though looking simple, was soft and fluffy.

In terms of proportion, they got it just right so that you could not feel heavy or cloying sweet even if you finished the entire bun.

Another must have is the An Toast (¥486) with two types of treatment – whole azuki bean and pureed azuki beans and butter spread on top of toast.

Such bliss.

Instead of pure smootch jam, you get a mixture of textures on lightly toasted bread. Lovely.

The An Matcha Bolo (¥270) looking like an ordinary cookie, turned up to be a pleasant surprise.

But as you break the chewy texture into two, you would find azuki bean paste contained within.

Did I not mention there is Azuki Bean Tea served? That completes the entire picture.

Toraya Café – An Stand Shinjuku Shop
Japan, 〒151-0051 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Sendagaya, 5 Chome−24−５５ NEWoMan新宿 ２階
Tel: +81 3 6273 1073
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Mon – Fri), 10am – 9:30pm (Sat – Sun)

Toraya Akasaka Flagship Store
4-9-22 Akasaka, Minato City, Tokyo (Exit A of Akasaka-mitsuke Station Tokyo Metro)
Opening Hours: 11am – 9pm (Mon – Sun)

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Gomaya Kuki (Omotesando, Tokyo)

Click HERE for other Tokyo Food Entries

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