The idea of an Afternoon Tea is typically consists of a meal or stand of sandwiches, finger food, scones with clotted cream and jam, sweet pastries and cakes.

I must say that the hotels in Singapore are becoming more creative, with varied offerings from Laksa Quiche, Lobster Croissant, Lobster Thermidor (yes, the entire piece), Unagi Sandwich, Green Tea Tiramisu, Lavender Swiss Roll, to Ondeh-Ondeh Macarons.

If this is already whetting your appetite, good to know that there are several restaurants are offering all-you-can-eat buffet high tea concepts.

Time to gather your squad. Here are some of the 10 Must-Try Afternoon Tea Places in Singapore, all of them with attractive dining promotions, some made even better with 1-for-1 offers.

Atrium Bar, Pan Pacific Singapore
7 Raffles Boulevard Singapore 039595
Tel: +65 6826 8240
High Tea Buffet Timings: 2:30pm – 5:30pm (Sat – Sun)

Atrium’s popular Nostalgic Weekend High Tea Buffet is upgraded with interesting twists to the classics. Get unlimited servings of English and Peranakan weekend high tea delights on Atrium’s 44-metre bar

You won’t help but reminisce childhood memories as you partake of authentic Peranakan dishes, such as Nyonya Curry Chicken, served with home-made French Baguette, Popiah with Braised Sweet Turnips, and Kecap Manis Chicken Skewers.

Don’t miss the live stations featuring DIY Kueh Pie Tee, Singapore Rojak, and their signature Prawn Laksa.

Diners who prefer a quintessential English afternoon tea can go for the savoury specialties including Tuna Mushroom Feuilleté, Foie Gras Terrine, Fig Marmalade on Brioche Crostini, juicy Mini Wagyu Beef Sliders with Cheese and Caramelised Onions as well as Zucchini and Emmental Quiche.

As for those with sweet cravings, you can indulge in the colourful Nyonya Kueh and Kueh Lapis, Pandan Scones with Kaya and Strawberry Jam, and the hotel’s signature Pandan Gula Melaka Chiffon Cake.

With a capacity of 227, Atrium is large enough to bring the entire clan or your office for a high tea buffet. Don’t forget to reserve in advance.

HSBC Credit Cards Promotion:
One dines free with every 3 paying adults for Afternoon Tea

T&C:
– Valid till 30 Nov 2019
– Valid for weekday afternoon tea sets and weekend afternoon tea buffet
– Valid for dine-in only, and not applicable for takeaways, unless otherwise stated
– Advance reservation is required

Alley on 25, Andaz Singapore
Level 25, 5 Fraser Street, Singapore 189354
Tel: +65 6408 1288
High Tea Timing: 3pm – 5pm (Mon – Fri)

Make your humdrum weekdays extra special with a High Tea reservation at Alley on 25, a “street dining in the sky” concept at Andaz Singapore. Bask amidst stunning views of the city from floor-to-ceiling windows at the 25th level of Andaz.

Better yet, treat yourself and your friends to their Afternoon Tea Picnic Set ($38++ per person). You can upgrade it to include free-flow of wines, beer, and prosecco for a top of $40++ per person.

This quirky picnic set basket comes with two tiffin carriers filled with sweet and savoury tea treats. Popular ones include the Smoked Salmon Tartine, Lobster Croissant, Impossible cheese balls, scones, and Valrhona chocolate bonbons.

While your time away by slowly enjoying local delicacies like Kueh Pie Tee, Kueh Lapis and the Andaz specialty Pandan Chiffon cake. A reinvention of the classic pandan cake, Andaz’s version comes with layers of flavoured mousse a vibrant green glaze.

What better way to end your afternoon tea picnic than with a cool and creamy soft serve ice cream. Whether you pick chocolate or vanilla, you and your pals are bound to enjoy your mid-week break here at the Alley on 25.

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

T&C:
– Valid till 29 Nov 2019
– Valid only from Monday to Friday, 3pm to 5pm
– Not valid on Public Holidays.
– Advance reservation is required

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

Steal some moments from your busy day and relax your weary mind at the Lobby Lounge of the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport.

Have your stylish afternoon tea (they use gourmet Dilmah t-series) as you overlook the hotel’s lush patio through its ceiling-to-floor windows. The natural lighting will perk you up, or better yet, meet up with family and friends and let them join you for tea.

Reserve your slots for their Floral Fantasy High Tea ($76++), good for 2, offering a stand filled with classic confections and savoury snacks.

It’ll be hard to pick your fave from among the array of Lavender Honey Crème Brulee (served with lavender shortbread), Rose Macaron, Roselle-infused Cheese Tart, Sunflower-filled Praline Éclair, Pansy Green Tea Waffle Cone, and slices of Jasmine sponge.

To balance off all that saccharine indulgence, bite into savouries like the Quiche of the Day, Smoked Salmon Wrap, and Ham & Cheese Sandwich.

The set won’t be complete without the traditional scones, clotted cream and jam.

And if tea is not your thing, you can always go for coffee – they pair quite well with all those food to nibble.

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

T&C:
– Valid till 30 Nov 2019
– Advance reservation is required

Le Meridien Singapore, Sentosa – Latest Recipe
Imbiah Station, Le Meridien Singapore, Sentosa, 23 Beach View, Singapore 098679
Tel: +65 6818 3305
Afternoon Tea Timing: 2pm to 5pm (Mon – Sun)

Stimulate your curiosity at Latest Recipe, Le Meridien Singapore’s bustling all-day dining restaurant.

Get their Discovery High Tea Set, offering a selection of TWG tea or freshly brewed coffee.

Prepare to drool over the line-up of treats of savoury and sweet flavours inspired by French culture and Singapore local delights.

You will get a good balance of classic treats such as the Smoked Salmon Sandwich with Avruga Caviar Pearls and Dill, Lemon Meringue Tartlet, Cranberry Scones with Strawberry Jam, and Truffle Deviled Egg Tartine; and local-flavoured savouries like Chili Crab Brioche.

Complete the high tea with a cup of aromatic Illy Coffee or TWG tea.

HSBC Credit Cards Promotion:
1-for-1 High Tea (U.P $69++ per pax)

T&C:
– Valid till 30 Dec 2019
– Not valid on the eve of Public Holidays in Singapore, Public Holidays in Singapore and special occasions such as Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve
– Advance reservation is required

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)

Too early for their famous curated cocktails? Then go for the afternoon tea, accompanied with stunning views of Marina Bay.

Experience their new Black and Gold Afternoon Tea, available for a limited time till 31 October. No doubt, this specially-designed menu is inspired by MO BAR’s stylishly modern interior.

The exclusive selection showcases rare teas sourced from Asia’s famous tea-growing regions.

Try the delicate black tea Malacca Gold BOP from Malaysia, or the White Knight Tea from Laos, made with Formosa Oolong & White Tea.

Can’t decide from the 16 teas? Go for the Mandarin Oriental, Singapore Exclusive Blend.

For the food selection, they have Coffee and Shinko Pear Textures, made in the way of molecular gastronomy, i.e. caviar-like coffee spheres with a velvety pear puree.

Appreciate the flavours of Asia with the Japanese-inspired Wagyu Pastrami with Japanese Pickle, or the Cured and Smoked Hamachi with seaweed rice and yuzu.

Decadent sweets include Chocolate Pâte Sablée, Dulcey Puff Rice, Yuzu Cream, Black Sesame Sponge, freshly baked scones (Black Sesame & Vanilla), Muscat Grape, and Chocolate Pralines. The Chocolate Pâte Sabléeis specially made with Co-Ka-Me 68.5% chocolate and caramelised peanuts.

$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

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

T&C
– Valid till 30 Nov 2019
– Not valid with other discounts, privileges, promotions, set menus, special menus, vouchers, membership privileges, VIP cards
– Advance reservation is required

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

It’s not every day you can have an Afternoon High Tea ($42++) at The Orchard Cafe, so save it for that special weekend with a couple of your family or friends.

Did you know one dines free with every 2 paying adults for High Tea? With your HSBC Credit Card, you can enjoy this great deal.

Redesigned with a food-garden concept, The Orchard Cafe takes pride in its Asian-style high tea offering a good selection of local delights. Don’t miss two of their signature items – the wok-fried Carrot Cake, and the Orchard Cafe Porridge.

Alternatively, you can dive deeper into local flavours with the Nasi emak Singapore Laksa complete with prawns, cockles, fish cakes, quail eggs in a rich & spicy coconut gravy.

Satisfy those salty cravings with freshly-grilled satays served with peanut-pineapple sauce, crispy rota prata dipped into aromatic curries, and a selection of dim sum.

For dessert, recommended items are Signature Mango Cake and Durian Pengat.

HSBC Credit Cards Promotion:
One dines free with every 2 paying adults for High Tea

T&C:
– Valid till 30 Nov 2019
– Valid up to a maximum of 8 paying diners
– Not valid on the eve of Public Holidays in Singapore, Public Holidays in Singapore and special occasions, unless otherwise stated
– Advance reservation is required

Marriott Cafe, Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel
320 Orchard Road Singapore, Singapore 238865
Tel: +65 6831 4605
Afternoon Tea Timings: 3pm – 5:30pm (Mon – Sun)

What if you can enjoy Marriott Cafe’s High Tea Buffet for half the price? Grab this special HSBC promo and indulge in unlimited servings of your favourite local delicacies

Available daily, the High Tea Buffet is priced $45++/$48++ for adults, and $27++/$30++ for kids aged 5-12 years old.

Start off with the seafood section where they offer gratinated oysters on weekends, and poached prawns daily. The Salmon Station features Norwegian Smoked Salmon and Gravlax Salmon, served with sour cream, lemon, dill mustard dressing, capers, cornichons, and cocktail onions.

Give in to your sweet cravings at the Live Crepes Station. Choose between Sweet Crepes with assorted toppings and flavourings or the simpler French Toast.

More local flavours abound at the Nasi Lemak Station (available on rotation) with the likes of Chicken & Pork Satay, Mackerel Otak Otak, Beef Rendang, Sayur Lodeh, Coconut Rice, and Ikan Bilis, Peanuts, Cucumber, and of course, Chili Sambal.

Hope you’re hungry as there are more options at the Dim Sum Station, Noodles, Indian, Local and Western Delights Stations.

With their fresh-baked in-house artisan breads and house-made desserts, what more can you ask more?

HSBC Credit Cards Promotion:
50% off Buffet High Tea

T&C:
– Valid till 30 Nov 2019
– Discount is valid for food bill only
– Maximum of 6 pax per reservation, limited to the first 50 pax per day
– Not valid on the eve of Public Holidays in Singapore, Public Holidays in Singapore and special occasions
– Minimum 2 days advance reservation is required via 6831 4605

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

Escape Singapore and experience an ‘Autumn in Hokkaido’ Afternoon Tea at the Crossroads Bar for only $42++ per person.

Till 30 November 2019, you can delight in specially curated tea snacks prepared from Japan-sourced ingredients.

Nibble appetising seafood-centric sandwiches like the Hokkaido Unagi Open-Faced Sandwich, Fried Shrimp Sandwich with Wasabi Tartare; and Pulled Salmon Teriyaki Sandwich with Avocado.

Want a heavier sandwich? They have the Seared melt-in-your-mouth Wagyu Beef Sandwich served with Fried Garlic and Miso Mustard Sauce.

The Sōmen Noodle Salad comes with succulently-sweet Hokkaido scallop and juicy ikura.

Daintily crafted pastries like the Japanese-style Lavender Swiss Roll (Hokkaido is also famous for lavender), Yuzu Citrus Scones with clotted cream and preserves, fluffy Hokkaido chiffon cupcakes, and pancakes with Azuki beans, will surely induce Japan feels.

Warm your mildly chilly autumn afternoon with speciality TWG teas or some freshly brewed coffee.

HSBC Credit Cards Promotion:
1-for-1 Daily Afternoon Tea Set

T&C:
– Valid till 30 Nov 2019
– Valid for daily Afternoon Tea Set
– Valid for food only, and not valid for alcohol
– Valid up to a maximum of 8 diners (4 paying diners and 4 complimentary diners)
– Advance reservation is required at least one day in advance

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)

If you and your colleagues find yourselves at The Landing Point, why not join a delicious rendezvous – the “Afternoon Tea Affair by The Bay”.

Not only will you treat yourself to an afternoon filled with gourmet food, lush setting, and impeccable service, but also impressive waterfront views of Marina Bay.

Make The Fullerton Bay Hotel your choice for High Tea (Weekdays at $50++ per adult, $25++ per child; Weekends and PH at $55++ per adult, $28++ per child), showcasing 10 varieties of TWG teas, freshly baked scones, and scrumptious sweets and savouries in a refillable three-tiered tray.

For first timers, try the signature Fullerton Express Tea, a white tea infused with aromatic wildflowers. The Silver Moon (scented with berry, vanilla and spice) and Moroccan Mint Tea are recommended for those who love green teas.

Any of these teas would perfectly go well with desserts like Graham Cracker Key Lime Pie, Ondeh-Ondeh Macarons, Pecan Maple Tart, and the signature Fullerton Fruit Cake.

Add layers of saltiness in varying textures with savouries like Boston Lobster Cornet A L’Oriental, Duck Rillettes in Sesame Bun, Smoked Salmon Mille-Feuille with Caviar, and Mini Prosciutto on Bagel.

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

T&C:
– Valid till 30 Nov 2019
– Valid up to a maximum of 8 diners
– Not valid on the eve of Public Holidays in Singapore, Public Holidays in Singapore and special occasions including Thanksgiving
– Advance reservation is required

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

The lobby lounge at The Westin Singapore is known for its not-your-typical high tea, offering not only a plate but a wide array of seafood-inspired treats. Like a complete meal, this three-course Seafood Afternoon Tea Set includes Starters, Mains, and Desserts.

Relax in their comfy sofas as you try out the medley of savoury starters – seafood items decked on the three-tiered tray.

For variety, they come grilled, as rolls, and as a salad, like the Grilled Marinated Prawn, Mini Lobster Roll, and Seared Scallop Waldorf Salad.

Wait, there’s more! Ready for the mains? Prepare for an entire Lobster Thermidor, served extra cheesy in two halves, and a couple of large, plump oysters. Flavour up these freshly-shucked molluscs with any of the 3 dressings, i.e. champagne, lychee bourbon, and shallot vinaigrette.

Desserts, the last course, are served in a platter of their own. End on a sweet note with Lobby Lounge’s baked goods like cookies, mini cakes, and tarts.

There’s always a reason to celebrate, so feel free to add a glass of Prosecco, an Italian sparkling wine. Cheers!

HSBC Credit Cards Promotion 1:
50% off second diner for the Seafood Afternoon High Tea with Prosecco (U.P $55++ per person)

T&C:
– Valid till 29 Nov 2019
– Valid only on Monday to Friday
– Not valid on the eve of Public Holidays in Singapore, Public Holidays in Singapore and special occasions
– Advance reservation is required

HSBC Credit Cards Promotion 2:
15% off Seafood Afternoon High Tea with Prosecco (U.P $55++ per person)

T&C:
– Valid till 30 Nov 2019
– Valid on Saturday and Sunday
– Not valid on the eve of Public Holidays in Singapore, Public Holidays in Singapore and special occasions
– Advance reservation is required

For more details on the latest #HSBCDining promotions, head on over to https://cardpromotions.hsbc.com.sg/dining#high-tea. Terms and conditions apply for all promotions herein.

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with HSBC Credit Cards.

[Seoul, South Korea] Founded by an elderly Gaeseong native, Gaeseong Mandu Koong is a dumpling speciality store which has been operating since 1970, now managed by their third generation.

Like the store name suggests, they specialize in Gaeseong-style dumpling which are handmade daily to shape like a crescent moon and filled with generous amount of ingredients.

Just like how the owner’s late grandmother used to do it with love, dedication and commitment to taste quality. Accordingly, the founders fled south during the Korean War, and ran this restaurant subsequently.

Some of their loyal fans even endorse that their dumplings taste exactly the same as how it was since the olden days.

They are also awarded with Michelin Bib Gourmand for offering high-quality meals at wallet-friendly price point.

Located in one of the inconspicuous alleys along Insadong Shopping Street, I had a hard time locating the place.

Thankfully for the ahjumma who was skillfully wrapping dumplings at the entrance which caught my attention and led me to the store.

Nested in a Korean Hanok, the rustic charm from the traditional architecture complements the food with its own heritage.

While the place was not exactly spacious and filled with people, the dining experience was pretty chill and there was hardly any loud conversation from neighbouring diners.

There are a few ways to enjoy Gaeseong mandu.

One can choose from having it cooked in sharing hotpot, eaten together with rice cake soup, or just simply have it steamed.

I started with a bowl of Choraengi Rice Cake Soup with Dumplings (KRW12,000, SGD13.90) and was served with four dumplings of half my palm size topped with petite rice cakes shaped like our usual tang yuan.

The plump, juicy mandu was generously stuffed with fillings such as pork, napa cabbage, leek and tofu.

While the dish looks plain on its own, it was hearty and packed with flavours coming from the beef soup, pork meat and assorted vegetables.

The Dumplings with Bossam Set (KRW 18,000, SGD20.80) came with slices of braised steamed pork, seasoned radish and pickled cabbage.

Wrap the ingredients together and have it with a mouthful of mandu will create another set of bursting flavour that can please any taste buds.

Being an avid fan of mandu, I decided to also order the Steamed Kimchi Dumplings (KRW13,000, SGD15.00) which has kimchi mixed into the pork fillings.

Contrary to the original, this has a slight sourish and spicy kick which would probably cater to those who prefer stronger flavour.

They also serve a range of Jeon (Pancakes) with options such as Seafood & Green Onion, Kimchi, Pepper & Chives, Mung Bean Jeon and Potato.

For those who cannot make up their mind on which to choose, there is a Jeon Platter (KRW27,000, SGD31.20) which serves a miniature version of each flavour.

There were a few hits and misses, I find their Jeon slightly starchy to my liking as I prefer Korean pancakes with crispy exterior.

Overall, I was quite impressed with the consistency of their food quality despite they are all being handmade.

The flavours of the food, while not exceptionally mind-blowing at first, resonated well like gentle ripples on water and left a lasting impression of its mellow delicate flavour.

For those who love the mandu from Myeongdong Kyoja, this would be a mandu variation you wouldn’t want to miss.

Gaeseong Mandu Koong 개성만두 궁
11-3 Insadong 10-gil, Gwanhun-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
서울 종로구 인사동 10길 11-3
Opening Hours: 11.30am – 9.30pm (Mon – Sat), 11.30am – 8pm (Sun)

https://www.facebook.com/koong9240/
Google Maps – Gaeseong Mandu Koong

Other Related Entries
Myeongdong Kyoja (Myeongdong, Seoul)
Korea Samgyetang (Jung-gu, Seoul)
MiGaBon 味加本 (Myeongdong, Seoul)
Grandmother’s Recipe (Seongsu-dong, Seoul)
Yukjeon Hoekwan 역전회관 (Mapo-gu, Seoul)

* Written by Lewis Tan @juicyfingers, a self-proclaimed coffee addict. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

As a food blogger, part of the thrill comes from discovering some hidden places and letting you know about them.

Recently I found myself travelling to quite extreme ends of Singapore, but at least got rewarded with some surprises.

Over at East Coast, there is the pretty-looking Mod Café serving cakes from the famed The Cheesecake Factory and Petit Pain baking up some of the best croissants in Singapore.

Head over to the west and there is Connect 71 within NTU (I miss school days sometimes); an interesting Acoustic Café at Ang Mo Kio; and somewhere more central there is Grace Espresso at River Valley.

Have a read and check out where you would like to head down.

Milksha – Paya Lebar Quarter
10 Paya Lebar Road #03-25 Paya Lebar Quarter Singapore 409057
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

Ice Kachang Inspired Red Bean Ice Blend, NEW Outlet At Paya Lebar Quarter
Milksha has opened a new outlet at the latest trending mall in Singapore – Paya Lebar Quarter PLQ, offering exclusive personalised summer drinks.

For first timers and not quite sure what to order, the five signatures include Azuki Matcha Milk, Fresh Taro Milk, Valrhona 100% Cocoa Milk, Refreshing Orange Green Tea and Earl Grey Latte with Honey Pearl.

What you can look forward to is the Red Bean Ice Blend ($5.40). Initially launched as a seasonal drink during Singapore’s National Day, it got many positive feedback that they decided to make it a permanent item.

This is an ice kachang-inspired drink. Instead of the usual red beans, special Taiwanese azuki beans are included, said to have less ‘beany’ flavour with natural sweetness. Milksha (Paya Lebar Quarter)

Morphine Coffee
10 Paya Lebar Road, #01-K5, PLQ Plaza, Paya Lebar Quarter, Singapore 409057
Tel: +65 6802 2321
Opening Hours: 9am – 9:30pm (Mon – Fri), 10am – 10pm (Sat – Sun) (Soft launch opening hours)

Specialising In Cold Brew Coffee With Prices From $2.10
Also at Paya Lebar Quarter is Morphine. You probably won’t miss it if you walk in from the MRT station side.

This may look like another next-door coffee place, but how they brew their coffee is varied from the usual typical practices. Their drinks could therefore taste different from the norm.

First things first, they are leaving out the sugar, margarine, corn etc. in the roasting, so as to bring out a more natural coffee flavour and taste in the traditional local coffee.

They also use a higher-graded Robusta beans, which can be matched with the evaporated or condensed milk.

However, they recommend drinking the items straight black so that customers can appreciate them at its most natural state.

Even though there is an espresso machine in their store, their method of brewing is from filter and cold brew, so you won’t get that strong bitter coffee extraction flavour in any of their products. So, depends on what you are looking out for. Morphine Coffee (Paya Lebar Quarter)

Teabrary 小茶識
Esplanade Xchange B1-12 1 Raffles Blvd, Singapore 039593
Opening Hours: 10am – 8.30pm (Mon – Sun)

Bubble Tea Shop Opened By MediaCorp Host Vivian Lai
For those who watched MediaCorp Channel 8 variety shows, Vivian Lai is no stranger. She is now co-owner of Teabrary 小茶識, a takeaway tea kiosk at Esplanade Xchange – apparently quite popular with the lunchtime crowd already.

“Teabrary” is a combination of the words “tea” and “library”, to represent the brand’s emphasis on the different types of quality tea used in the making.

Raw materials are processed in plants and facilities in Taiwan, then imported to Singapore.

My personal favourite happened to be the Premium Taiwan Jin Xuan ($3.80) cold-brew tea served in a convenient take-away bottle.

This tea is sometimes known as “milk oolong” (or nai xiang) because the taste is light, flowery and yet also subtlety creamy.

If you are the type who loves kosong and crave for something healthier, then this is for you. Teabrary 小茶識 (Esplanade Xchange)

Mod Cafe
1A Kuo Chuan Avenue Singapore 426888
Tel: +65 9816 1877
Opening Hours: 9am – 7pm (Mon – Sun)

Cafe In The East Serving Cakes From The Cheesecake Factory
This is one cafe which is quite hidden. Mod Café is situated in refurnished pink-coloured single storey detached house (with ample outdoor parking space), right next to a hair salon.

The food menu at Mod Café is kept lean, with items of All Day Breakfast ($14.90), Eggs & Mushrooms ($10.90), French Toast ($8.90), Broccoli Soup ($6.90), Mushroom Soup ($6.90), Chicken Pie ($5.50), and Shitake Mushroom Pie ($5.50).

A highlight is that they also serve up Cheesecakes ($7.90, $8.90 a slice) from The Cheesecake Factory, in flavours of original, key lime and caramel.

The Caramel Cheesecake had a delightful soft creamy texture, dollop of slightly sweetened whipped cream, and a blonde brownie base. Take note, the space is quite small and so try to avoid peak hours. Mod Café (East Coast)

The Forage Café
30 Jalan Pari Burong, Singapore 488696
Tel: +65 8869 7131
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Tues- Sun), Closed Mon

Honey-Themed Cafe With Waffles Sandwiches
The Forage Café incorporates food items in the menu with honey, with the honey sourced straight from their own farm in Malaysia.

What you can expect is an All-Day Menu serving Waffle Sandwiches, and Donburi bowls added with apple vinegar honey sauce.

Pasta dishes and mains are available from 5pm to 9:30pm, which includes Halibut Mentaiko ($26), Panko-Crusted Truffle Chicken ($20), and Baby Back Ribs ($25).

Dessert-wise, you can go for Waffles with Ice Cream ($10), Tiramisu ($8), Salted Caramel Cheesecake ($8), Crème Brulee ($5.50) and Yuzu Blossom Jelly with Passionfruit Pops ($3).

To be consistent with the theme, I had a Honey Cheesecake ($8), a typical New York style cheesecake with subtle sweetness of honey. Not bad. The Forage Café (Jalan Pari Burong)

Petit Pain
315 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427566
Opening Hours: 11am – 7pm (Tues – Fri), 10am – 8pm (Sat – Sun), Closed Mon

Humble Artisanal Bakery Found At Joo Chiat
A small, humble bakery has been making wave with the Katong community, with several of their bakes sold out before 2pm.

Breads and pastries are only available in small batches, free of improvers, preservatives and artificial flavours.

The Classic Croissant ($3) requires a 3-day process to produce.

I decided to have it fresh because the buttery fragrance was just too alluring. And there was that ”wow” moment upon taking that first bite.

Must say that Petit Pain’s take probably ranks top as the crispiest version I had in Singapore. Note: Many of the items are sold out by about 2pm – maybe even earlier now. Petit Pain (Joo Chiat)

Connect 71 Cafe
71 Nanyang Drive #03-23 NTU Innovation Centre Singapore 638075
Opening Hours: 9am – 9pm (Mon – Fri), By Reservations Only (Sat – Sun)

Legit Café Opens In NTU Selling Rice Bowls and Coffee
We now head to the far west. Good news for NTU students, there is a new Connect 71 Café or C71 located within Innovation Centre (previously SIMTech Tower Block).

The café is already packed with students and staff during its opening days, which can make you convinced that NTU is finally hip.

The interior felt really cosy, and doesn’t lose out to the cafes you would find outside.

Connect 71 currently serves four different bowls as mains, including Mazesoba ($8), Lor Bak Bowl ($8), Yakitori Bowl ($8), and Gyu Don ($9).

Plus a FREE drink, and NTU Students and Staff enjoy a further 10% discount. Connect 71 (NTU)

Acoustic Cafe
421 Ang Mo Kio Ave 10 #01-1159 Singapore 560421
Opening Hours: 10am – 7pm (Mon – Sun)

Music-Centred Café At Ang Mo Kio Selling Brookie
Residents of Ang Mo Kio may not even know there is an Acoustic Café at Avenue 10. The name would suggest a café that is passionate about music as much as coffee.

The menu here at Acoustic Café is relatively simple, drinks you would find at typical cafes and some simple cakes.

Their recommended food and drinks include Brownie ($3.50), Brookie ($4.00, $1 more for Vanilla Ice Cream), Mocha ($4.70), Lavender Tea Latte ($4.50), and Acoustic Milk Latte ($3.00).

The signature Brookie ($4) is a 2-in-1 combination of a classic Brownie and Cookie.

The brownie part was chocolatey and crispy on the outside, while soft on the inside. This could do with an ice-cream pairing for that extra oomph. Acoustic Café (Ang Mo Kio)

Grace Espresso
428 River Valley Road #01-14 Loft@Nathan Singapore 248327
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 5pm (Mon – Wed, Fri, Sun), 7:30pm – 6:30pm (Sat), Closed Thurs

Hidden Cafe At River Valley With Good Coffee, Opens From 7:30AM
The name and logos of “Grace Espresso” may draw some topic for discussion with its biblical connotations.

The interior is done up simply with medium-blue walls, with most of the customers seated outside on the wooden bench.

The menu is quite rather lean for now, with items of Garlic Butter Baguette ($6), Avo Sourdough Melt ($12), Grapefruit Breakfast Bowl ($13), Queen’s Toast with Strawberries ($11), and Home-made Hokkaido Milk Tea ($7).

For drinks, they offer up the usual Flat White, Latte, Cappuccino ($5.50 each), Mocha ($6), Matcha Latte ($6) and option of Ceremonial Grade Matcha Latte ($7.50).

I enjoyed the coffee which was balanced and slightly rich due to the usage of Hokkaido milk. Grace Espresso (River Valley)

Sesame Street Pop-Up Café
Kumoya @ 8 Jalan Klapa, Singapore 199320
Opening Hours: 12pm – 9:30pm (Tues – Thurs, Sun), 12pm – 10:30pm (Fri – Sat)
Pop-up from 26 Sep to 29 Dec 2019

1st Sesame Street Café In Singapore
Ah, childhood memories. Who’s your favourite? Elmo. Big Bird. Oscar the Grouch. Cookie Monster?

In celebration of Sesame Street’s 50th anniversary, Singapore has welcomed the 1st Sesame Street pop-up café at Kumoya Cafe – which is no stranger to character pop-up concepts.

The food is designed by the Kumoya team and the talented Shirley Wong of @littlemissbento fame, highlights include ABCD and E for Elmo Japanese seafood curry rice ($26), Cookie Monster’s OM NOM NOM Japanese Croquette Rice with cream sauce ($22.90), Oscar’s Teriyaki Chicken Katsu Burger ($24.90), and Big Bird Happy Slurpy-licious Udon Soup with Ebi.

Note: In order to create a better dining experience during this pop-up collaboration, dining time may be limited to 90 minutes. Enjoy!

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* Compiled by Daniel Ang @DanielFoodDiary and Song Yu @__sy_g.

Oh. Croquant Zakuzaku is FINALLY coming to Singapore, replacing the used-to-be-very-popular Bake Cheese Tart at ION Orchard Mall basement 4.

The brand will debut in Singapore on the 30th of November.

It also reminded me of the times (3+ years ago) when these cheese tarts were so popular in Singapore, long lines were formed, and many lookalike brands started sprouting out.

Seems like the shelf-life of trendy food is getting shorter, and we are just always on the lookout for the next instagrammable food.

To be honest, I was surprised it took this long for Croquant Zaku Zaku to reach Singapore, which already has overseas branches in Taiwan, South Korea and Thailand.

While it did open to much anticipation in many cities, queues have already dwindled as the novelty factor has worn off.

The Croquant Chou ($2.80 for one in Singapore, $10.50 for set of 4) is a stick-type cream puff that is filled with fresh cream, complete with unique crunchy texture.

It is made of almonds coated with sugar and egg white, as well as a blend of flour with its custard cream filling made from fine milk.

There are 3 “principles” on where they are so delicious: they are baked fresh in store (in fact you can smell them a distance away); milk from free range cattle raised in the stress free environment of Hokkaido is used; and the fine custard cream used is made with the high speed vacuum cooker.

You can see them as the plumper ‘cousin’ of churros, or familiar choux cream pastry taking another form.

Part of the ‘fun’ is also watching the staff bake and pipe them on the spot, while the buttery caramelised aroma hits your nose.

The Singapore outlet will also served up Soft Serve Ice Cream ($6), made with Hokkaido Milk and coated with croquant chunks; and Hiyazaku ($3.80) which are crispy puffs containing soft-ice cream.

I reckon Zakuzaku will attract some attention (because we love new things and foreign brands), but the local outlet probably has to continually introduce seasonal products to keep customers interested.

Zaku Zaku Singapore ザクザク
ION Orchard #B4-33, 2 Orchard Turn Singapore 238801
(Opening 30th November 2019)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights.

[Seoul] One of the hottest new cafés opening in South Korea should be Blue Bottle Coffee, which in a span of few months has set its foot at Seongsu, Samcheong, Apugujeong, and Yeoksam.

More to come I suppose.

So what’s the fuss? Blue Bottle Coffee was founded by James Freeman in Oakland, California. And while it has expanded within many cities in the States, Asians really got to knew about it with its first international outlet in Tokyo.

There is something about its clean-cut branding, Scandinavian design and interior, and not-bad coffee. Its service is said to be “inspired by the hospitality of traditional Japanese kissaten (coffee house) culture”.

In fact, when I been to both to the US and Tokyo outlets, their vibes are almost entirely different – one energetic (like another coffee joint), the other modern yet calming.

I visited the Blue Bottle Coffee Korea outlets in the Samcheong and Apgujeong neighbourhoods, and Samcheong was quite easily the tourist favourite (while the other appealed to office executives nearby).

Its proximity to the cultural and historic Bukchon Hanok Village and Gyeongbokgung Palace, and standalone three-storey café also make this space highly instagrammable.

To find it, head over to the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA), the café is just opposite.

For orientation, customers order at the ground floor, collect drinks on the second floor, but the third floor is where you would be rewarded with the best views of the palace and faraway hills.

A selection of blend and single origin drip coffees, iced coffees, and espresso drinks are available, ranging from 5,000 Won to 6,500 Won (SGD5.74 to SGD7.46). Well, not the cheapest around.

Many come for their drip coffee (5,200 Won for blend, 6,400 Won for single origin), while I found its latte to be quite balanced in terms of acidity, slightly on the milkier side.

Light pastries can be ordered to pair with your coffee, which includes Prune & Almond Scone (3,800 Won), Red Berries Muffin (4,500 Won), Brownie Cake (4,600 Won), Financier (2,900 Won) and Cream Cheese Orange Madeleine (3,500 Won).

Quite the standard pastry fare that does not depart far from the average Seoul quality.

Tip: You can reserve an exclusive coffee tasting menu at the reservation-only Samcheong Hanok section, which also offers dessert pairing.

Blue Bottle Coffee – Samcheong
76 Bukchon-ro 5-gil, Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Opening Hours: 10am – 8pm (Mon – Sun), Closed Lunar New Year, Chuseok

Blue Bottle Coffee – Seongsu
Achasan-ro 7, Seongdong-gu, Seoul (Ttukseom station Exit 1)
Opening Hours: 8am – 8pm (Mon – Sun), Closed Lunar New Year, Chuseok

Blue Bottle Coffee – Apgujeong
854 Nonhyeon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 8:30pm (Mon – Fri), 9am – 7pm (Sat – Sun), Closed Lunar New Year, Chuseok

Blue Bottle Coffee – Yeoksam
129, Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 8:30pm (Mon – Fri), 10am – 8pm (Sat – Sun), Closed Lunar New Year, Chuseok

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Jean Frigo 장프리고 (Jung-gu, Seoul)

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

Other than Bedok 85 (Fengshan Food Centre), Bedok Interchange Food Centre is the other well-known food sanctuary for those who lives in the east side.

Its proximity to Bedok Mall and the bus interchange, and refurbishment of the food centre, makes this a popular location for affordable and good hawker food.

Though Bedok is not my usual area, my vocal class is nearby so I made it a point to try one different stall after lesson.

Safe to say Meeting Point Coffee is my usual go-to place for my early kopi fix, and there are other worthy stalls to check out such as the Ma La Xiang Guo stall (with perpetual queue), Lee Kee Goreng Pisang, Hai Fa Kway Chap, Poh Kee Traditional Wanton Mee, Yong Hua Handmade Fishball and Meatball Noodles, and Gim Chew Fried Hokkien Mee.

Here are 10 other Bedok Interchange Food Centre hawker stalls that stand out and offer delicious fare amidst a swarm of options:

Bedok Chwee Kueh 勿洛水粿
208 New Upper Changi Road, #01-19 Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre, Singapore 460207
Opening Hours: 6:30am – 6:30pm (Mon – Sun)

Famous Wobbly Chwee Kueh with Michelin Bib Gourmand
Bedok Chwee Kueh is a popular stall with branches island-wide but this is the main outlet, famed for its soft, light and supple chwee kuehs.

The stall has been listed in Michelin Bib Gourmand Singapore 2019, the first Chwee Kueh stall to be awarded! Queues have also gotten much longer than pre-award days.

Often eaten as breakfast fare, the Chwee Kueh ($0.50 per piece, buy in 2, 3, or 4 pieces) is mainly rice flour and water.

One thing you would note is Bedok’s version looks bigger and has a softer, more wobbly, almost melt-in-mouth texture.

The chai poh has a light crunch, and the toasted sesame seeds add a nice aroma and flavour. Add a bit of the sambal chili with a pronounced dried shrimp taste for some gentle heat. Bedok Chwee Kueh (Bedok Interchange Food Centre)

Hock Hai (Hong Lim) Curry Chicken Noodle 福海(芳林)咖喱鸡米粉面
208 New Upper Changi Road, #01-58 Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre, Singapore 462208
Opening Hours: 9:30am – 10:30pm (Mon – Sun)

Curry Chicken Noodle with Michelin Bib Gourmand
Hock Hai (Hong Lim) Curry Chicken Noodle has also been awarded with a Michelin Bib Gourmand in the Singapore Guide 2019.

Though it also sells Satay Bee Hoon ($4/$5/$6), Hock Hai’s house special is the Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee ($4, $5, $6), the signature dish that people flock here for.

The Curry Chicken Noodle was served in piping hot curry soup that was fragrant, medium-bodied and mildly spicy.

Prepared home-style ala grandma’s way of cooking, the soup tasted mildly sweet, savoury and spicy from the blend of different spices and coconut milk.

After trying out a number of Curry Chicken Noodles in Singapore, this came across as milder and not that overpowering. I can imagine some people would prefer curries that are more flavourful and aromatic. Hock Hai (Hong Lim) Curry Chicken Noodle (Bedok Interchange Food Centre)

Mei Xiang Lor Mee
208 New Upper Changi Road, #01-10 Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre, Singapore 462208
Opening Hours: 6am – 2pm (Mon – Wed, Fri – Sun), Closed Thurs

Popular For Lor Mee and Prawn Noodles Made With Passion
This stall that serves up both Lor Mee and Prawn Noodles and faces the main road, has one of the longest queues in the morning.

The stall opens 6am in the morning, and reaching early is the only way to avoid long queues.

A single bowl of Lor Mee cost $3, though you can get the $4 or $5 version.

The dish had a nice, tempting aroma, mostly from the black vinegar used; and braised meat was fatty and melt in your mouth tender.

But what was really distinct about it was the gooey gravy, which was quite flavourful and didn’t come across as cloying rich. I would say possibly one of the top 10 Lor Mee in Singapore.

Pin Xiang Chicken Rice
208 New Upper Changi Road, #01-03 Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre, Singapore 462208
Opening Hours: 9:30am – 9:30pm (Mon – Sun)

Simple-Looking But Flavourful Chicken Rice
It is not difficult to find a long queue at Pin Xiang as well. I won’t say you would find anything extraordinary about it, but it has a delicious traditional flavour for the rice which is quite comforting.

There are different varieties of chicken rice you can try here, the most popular being the Poached Chicken Rice ($3, $3.50), Roasted Chicken Rice ($3, $3.50), Lemon Chicken Rice ($3.50), Salad Chicken Rice ($3.50), Thai Chicken Rice ($3.50) along with sides of Crispy Bean Curd ($3.50) and Bean Sprouts ($2).

I got the regular serving size with Roasted Chicken and Rice ($3) and found that the rice was fragrant and fluffy.

The chicken was slippery smooth, and in good portion for its price as well, especially when it comes with a bowl of sweet cabbage soup and some salted vegetables.

Teo’s Noodle
208 New Upper Changi Road, #01-26 Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre, Singapore 462208
Opening Hours: 6am – 1:30pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun

Old-school Meepok with Bouncy Fish Balls
Another stall which is a favourite among Bedok residents, Teo’s Noodle stall serves up affordable and rather taste fish ball noodles in both soup and dry versions starting from $3.

Interesting note is that you can also add of those canned clams to add more seafood flavours in your dish.

The vinegar, the mixture of the sauces, and those orange fishcakes scream ”old school”. The noodles (I ordered mee pok) were quite delightfully springy and had a nice bite.

Fishballs were not the best (there is another stall nearby with juicy fishballs), but I would say the combination of everything made it quite appetizing – a nostalgic taste which is fast-disappearing.

Song Zhou Fried Carrot Cake
208 New Upper Changi Road, #01-37 Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre, Singapore 462208
Opening Hours: 7am – 8pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun

Soft and Fragrant Black Carrot Cake
While Song Zhou gets their carrot cake from a supplier and quality may not be consistent depending on who’s frying it, their Black Carrot Cake probably still ranks as one of the tops you can find in Singapore.

Accordingly, they have a secret which makes their carrot cake cubes softer and therefore delicious.

The pieces are fried with fresh chai poh and garlic, and later with egg batter, fish sauce and black sweet sauce.

Most people would order the Black ($3, $3.50, extra egg $0.50) in which each piece would be coated with the sweetness from the sauce, and slightly charred eggs.

A good balance of savoury and sweet. Get the extra eggs version.

Inspirasi
208 New Upper Changi Road, #01-11 Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre, Singapore 462208
Tel: +65 65898494
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 9:30pm (Mon – Sat), 9:30am – 11pm (Sun)

Scrumptious and Mouthwatering Mee Rebus
Okay, I LOVE the Mee Rebus here. Top-notch. Thick gravy, lots of flavours going on from savoury, sweet to spicy, added with fresh cut chopped green chillies for that refreshing kick.

Inspirasi is known for its Mee Rebus, Soto Ayam, Mee Soto and Chicken Porridge, all super affordably priced at $2.50. These are hard to find prices.

While the queue may be long, the stall clears the line quite fast. Order the Mee Rebus and Mee Soto and you would love them for the delicious gravy and portion. Add bergedil (fried potato) for extra 50 cents.

Jefri The Original Botak Chicken Rice
208 New Upper Changi Road, #01-07 Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre, Singapore 462208
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Mon – Fri), 10:30am – 9pm (Sat), Closed Sun

Halal “The Original Botak Chicken Rice”
Operated since 1995, Jefri is known for its Nasi Goreng Ayam ($3.50) with chopped-up roast chicken on top of this orange rice.

I wonder who goes into the rice as it is mildly spicy and very addictive (I actually finished up to the last grain). It is not as greasy and oily as I imagined – good for most who are calorie conscious, but I think some people will feel it lacks the fragrance. I thought it achieved a good balance and was almost bursting with flavours.

The stall also serves up a variety of dishes from Nasi Goreng Seafood ($3.50), Nasi Ayam ($3), Mee Soup ($3), Mee Goreng ($3.50), Mee Hong Kong ($3), Mee Hokkien ($3.50), Chap Chai ($3, $4), Mui Fan ($3.50) to Mee Bandung ($3.50). Your Halal chicken rice + zi-char stall.

New World Mutton Soup
208 New Upper Changi Road, #01-55 Bedok Interchange Food Centre, Singapore 460207
Opening Hours: 9:30am – 10pm (Mon, Wed – Sun), Closed Tues

Teochew-Style Mutton Soup Kway Teow
New World Mutton Soup stall found at Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre specialises in Teochew-style mutton soup, and offers a few variations of it.

It is also listed under the Michelin Guide Singapore with a “Michelin Plate”.

Start with the basic Mixture ($6, $8, $10) which uses their regular mutton, or the signature Mutton Soup ($6, $8, $10) which includes some better mutton.

Prepared after hours of boiling, the soup has a defined light herbal taste and captures the flavour essence of the mutton.

Most of the fats are cut off before cooking, so the soup will come across rather ‘clean-tasting’ and not too oily or rich.

Note its taste may be a tad too sweet for some diners. New World Mutton Soup (Bedok Interchange Food Centre)

99 Dessert in Cup
208 New Upper Changi Road, #01-60 Bedok Interchange Food Centre, Singapore 460207
Opening Hours: Varies

Chendol with Home-Made Recipe
This stall at Bedok Interchange Food Centre serves up a variety of desserts, but it is their “Homemade Chendol” ($2.50) which catches your eye, said to be made with a secret recipe with different ingredients.

The serving size is generous, and you could find quite a bit of ingredients buried under the Gula Melaka and ice shavings. You find your ‘treasure’ from red bean, sweet corn, attap chee to glass jelly.

The surprise is from the pandan ‘green worms’ which are thicker and fatter than the usual, with real pandan taste which isn’t very common. The Gula Melaka was also thick and sticky.

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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.

Singapore’s Gudetama Café at Suntec City has announced its impending closure, the last date of operation to be on the 17th of November (Sun).

Neighbouring My Melody Café Singapore will also close on the same date.

This is due to the end of a partnership license agreement with Japanese company Sanrio Co.

However, this doesn’t come as too big of a surprise as many character cafes in Singapore seem to have a relatively short-lifespan, with Hello Kitty Cafe and Pompompurin Cafe exiting the Singapore market despite opening to big fanfare.

Perhaps embracing the kawaii culture is not really in us Singaporeans, when compared to cities such as Tokyo, Seoul and Taipei – in which character cafes are still relatively popular.

Also, to be honest, Gudetama Café has been quite off-the-radar after its opening 3 years ago, and not that aggressive in terms of promoting new menus. With pun intended, it seems to be sleeping for way too long.

Another character cafe Kumoya’s strategy is to update every with a new character and menu every quarterly – that is A LOT of effort, but it seems to pay off. They are currently having a Sesame Street special.

Gudetama Café Singapore will offer a 33% discount off merchandise from 10th of October onwards; as well as a 33% off orders of three items on the menu (2 mains and 1 dessert minimum, or 3 mains).

Gudetama Cafe Singapore
Suntec City Mall #01-361/362/363/364 (West Wing), 3 Temasek Boulevard Singapore 038983
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Mon – Sun) Last Order 9:30pm
Reserve Online Now – Gudetama Cafe Singapore

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One surprise entry in the 2019’s “Michelin Plate” recommendation should be New Rong Liang Ge Cantonese Roast Duck Double Boiled Soup.

Heard of it before?

While the stall is relatively popular with the Bugis crowd with a constant line during peak hour line time, it is not considered that known in the league of Cantonese roasts. (Wouldn’t there be better roast duck and pork stalls out there?)

Still, it could be worth paying New Rong Liang Ge stall a visit especially when you are in the vicinity.

It is conveniently located in a coffeeshop along Queen Street, next to Albert Food Centre and opposite Bugis Plus Shopping Mall. (There are other not bad stalls in the row such as Ah Heng Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee and Ri Ji Porridge.)

The menu is extensive and inexpensive, with a basic plate of Char Siew Rice priced at $2.50.

Other items sold include Roasted Duck Rice ($3), Char Siew and Roasted Pork Rice ($3), Pork Ribs Rice ($3), and Roasted Pork Rice ($2.50).

Since I am a noodle person, I went for the non-rice option. The skin-crisp duck had rather tender and moist meat.

All that flavour is created by using more than 10 kinds of spices.

Though tasty by itself, you can dip it in any of their other different sauces. Go for the sambal chili sauce, mildly spicy yet fragrantly smoky, to further enhance the meat.

The duck size is carefully chosen (a whole duck is just about 3kg of meat) to maintain the optimal tenderness of the meat.

While I won’t say this is the best duck meat available in Singapore, the price of $3 makes it very attractive.

Add on some Roast Pork with a crackling crispy skin and a firm, moist meat.

Not a fan of duck? The stall also offers the usual smoky tender Char Siew, more on the lean side with its very little fat, but well-coated with a sweet braising sauce.

However, it may be chopped to too small pieces for my liking.

I suspect what customers really like about this stall is the special braising sauce, which is mildly thick and sticky, quite appetising when it nicely coats the noodles.

I have yet to try their Double Boiled Soup yet, but there is quite a selection from Ginseng Chicken ($4), Old Cucumber ($2.50), Herbal Black Chicken ($5), Salted Vegetable Duck ($3), Watercress Soup ($2.50) and Sze Chuan Soup ($2.50).

$2.50 soup? Wow.

Should be an affordable comforting treat for the chilly or rainy day.

Prepare to queue during lunch time as it attracts diners from nearby offices, as meals are reasonably priced at $3 – $6.

New Rong Liang Ge Cantonese Roast Duck Double Boiled Soup (新榮亮閣港式燒臘炖湯)
3838 Eating Place, 269B Queen Street, #01-235, Singapore 182269
Tel: +65 9099 9489
Opening Hours: 7am – 8pm (Mon – Sun)

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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.

[Seoul] Café Bora known for its Purple Sweet Potato Bingsoo has always been in my to-go list, especially when it is located within the cultural Bukchon Hanok Village. (I only managed to make it there recently, as after I found some stomach space.)

While the café is small and serves up only a couple of items – namely Bingsoo Iceflakes, Softserve and Tiramisu, its desserts have made it big enough for both locals and tourists to take note.

The instagrammability factor definitely plays a part, and it has even opened an overseas outlet at Bangkok’s Siam Paragon Level 4.

You can include this in your itinerary if you already plan to visit Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village – an area where you can dress in Korean traditional costumes and explore hanok – buildings that date back to the Joseon Dynasty.

Take note that Café Bora requires some finding, hidden within a normal alley way with no conspicuous sign except a menu board and a white sign with its purple blob logo.

The space is also small, and I can reckon it can sit 12-15 customers thereabout. Otherwise, just buy a takeaway Soft Serve ice cream.

Its specialty bingsoo (7,400 Won, SGD8.60) comes in flavours of Purple Sweet Potato, Matcha, and Redbean & Milk.

Just get the Purple Sweet Potato if this is your first time visiting.

The portion is good for 1-2, and was actually better than what imagined it to be. The paste topping was creamy yet smoothly-light that you do not get a rich-cloying feeling.

The sweet potato flavour was delightful and distinct, not overly sweet, said to be made from sweet potatoes from the seaside city of Boryeong.

The ice flakes were also shaved smoothly and melt-in-your-mouth.

An order of the bingsoo also comes with extra portion of sweet potato paste and purple potato chips to add that crunch.

You can mix them in, or have them separate, ie take a spoonful and linger in that joy.

While I imagined that the Purple Sweet Potato Latte (5,300 Won, SGD6.10) would be carb heavy and rich, it was manageable and smooth.

There are many cafes in Seoul serving up Bingsoo dessert, and Café Bora has managed to find a niche. Proof that you do not need to serve too many items or have too big a space to get attention.

Café Bora 카페 보라
75-3 Yulgok-ro 3-gil, Sogyeok-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea (Anguk Station)
서울특별시 종로구 율곡로3길 75-3
Opening Hours: 12pm – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

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Click HERE for other SEOUL Food Entries

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

[Seoul] Watching Netflix’s highly raved “Street Food” would give you that insatiable appetite to want to explore more of Asia’s hidden spots.

That was also part of the reason why I wanted to visit Seoul again, for Cho Yonsoon’s hand-cut noodle stall located within Gwangjang Market.

The stall was also recommended by Daniel Gray – the food writer of @seouleats fame.

Cho Yonsoon set up this kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) stall to support her family which was once deeply in debt, with recipe perfected from her very own mother’s.

Gwangjang Market which is one of Korea’s largest traditional markets, is not hard to get to (walking distance from Jongno Station).

Do also remember to leave some space for other street food such as the famed Mung Bean Pancakes, Tteokbokki (Korean rice cake), and Gimbap (seaweed rice rolls).

The market is also near Dongdaemun Market and Cheonggyecheon Stream, if you are planning your itinerary.

Gohyang Kalguksu is located somewhat near the middle of the cooked food section of the market.

Look out for the Netflix sign, a crowd of people, or Cho Yonsoon herself most likely wearing her signature bright pink attire (what she also wore for the show).

The stall starts operation at 9am, and while there wasn’t a long waiting line when I visited, the seats were almost always constantly occupied.

Cho Yonsoon’s smile was infectious. Despite the fame, she remained humble, asking customer what they wanted, where they were from, or how to eat certain dishes.

While I was dining there, I could hear her say “Hello” and “Thank you” in quite a number of languages.

If she dropped her smile, she was most likely serious at work, doughing up flour and knife-cutting them into noodles.

True enough, she did all these in an unhurried fashion, eyes not looking at the knife.

The items on the menu are straight-forward, with Hand-made Noodle Soup (5,000 Won), Sujebi – a type of Korean hand-pulled dough in soup (5,000 Won), Dumpling Soup (5,000 Won), Rice Cake and Dumpling Soup (5,000 Won), Steamed Meat or Kimchi Dumplings (5,000 Won) and Chilled Buckwheat Noodles (5,000 Won).

5,000 Won is about SGD5.80 or USD4.20.

While the Kalguksu looked simple, the clear soup was deceptively flavourful with subtle sweetness coming from the vegetables.

It wasn’t overly salty or anything, just a very clean taste that would want to make you having more.

The noodles had a slippery texture that would glide them your throat, and almost reminded me of udon – except that this was not as regular in terms of length.

There were some hand-pulled pieces found within, akin to the Mee Hoon Kway we are familiar with.

Portion is good enough to make you feel full, and I was guilty for not finishing it as I didn’t have space. But I would loved to swipe the bowl clean.

The Chilled Buckwheat Noodles (5,000 Won) aka Naengmyeon were thin and chewy, absolutely appetising and refreshing especially during the hotter summer weather.

The spicy sauce packed a punch, but was still manageable for most.

Between the Meat and Kimchi Mandu (5,000 Won), I preferred the former which appeared to be juicier and more packed.

These were decent dumplings, but I had better ones elsewhere in terms of the thinnest of skin and flavours.

Cho Yoonsun belongs to a generation that works tirelessly for her family and customers, and that alone deserves our respect.

I think one aspect people don’t see is, she is at her stall EVERYDAY, from morning till late night at 11pm without fail.

Such spirit and passion makes trying our her food all the more worthwhile.

Gohyang Kalguksu by Cho Yoonsun
Gwangjang Market, 88 Changgyeonggung-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul (Jongno Station 7 or Euljiro Station Exit 4)
Opening Hours: 9am – 11pm (Mon – Sun)

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

The word “best” is subjective, but when we are looking at noteworthy new cafes in Singapore, the entire package is considered – from coffee, interior, consistency to service. (Food is not key primary in this list as cafes should be coffee-focused.)

It is fair enough to say that new café openings have slowed down this year, and many are foreign brands setting up an overseas post in Singapore.

% Arabica Singapore
56 Arab Street Singapore 199753
Opening Hours: 8am – 8pm (Mon – Sun)

Famous Kyoto Cafe At Arab Street
%Arabica which opened at 56 Arab Street, is still going on strong with constant crowd with both locals and tourists heading over.

The Arab Street branch is a small 20-seater, designed in minimalist white similar to many of the other stores world-wide. So if you are looking for comfort, perhaps this is not the place.

Caffe Latte is priced here at $7 for short, $8 for tall, while the iced version is priced at $8. On the pricy set.

If you prefer something sweeter, also available is the Spanish Latte ($7.80. $9.00) which is included with condensed milk.

I enjoyed the Iced Caffe Latte, it was as pleasurable as how I remembered it to be – the smooth milky feeling, aromatic coffee, and balanced robustness.

% Arabica Singapore should be opening up more branches, locations set to be at Holland Village and 313@somerset. %Arabica Singapore (Arab Street)

Starter Lab Bakery
721 Havelock Road Singapore 169645 (Tiong Bahru Station)
Tel: +65 9839 0408
Opening Hours: 8:30am – 5pm (Mon – Sun)

Famous Bakery From Bali Opens In Singapore
From hipster area of Canggu in Bali to Havelock Road, Starter Lab Bakery has opened its 2nd outpost (in the world) right here in Singapore.

Baker-consultant Emerson Manibo has worked at New York’s Per Se, trained at famed Tartine and Della Fattoria bakeries in California.

The bakery café essentially offers a wholesome menu of posh toast (so much so they have been reviewed to serve the “Gucci Of Bread”), sandwiches and build your own bread boards.

All the loaves and pastries served (other than the scones) contain sourdough/starter, and loaves are fermented over 36 hours before being baked.

If you are lost at what to order, some recommendations include House-Made Mascarpone, sustainable honey, bee pollen and crushed walnuts ($14); Salmon, pickle, house-made creme fraiche on Danish Rye ($14), Country Loaf ($11 for half, $18 for whole, estimated 1.2kg), and Miso Baguette.

Breads are top-notch quality, while coffee is with partnership with Glasshouse. Starter Lab (Havelock Road)

Alchemist
2 MacTaggart Road, #01-01 Khong Guan Building, Singapore 368078
Opening Hours: 8am – 5pm Last Order 4:30pm (Mon – Fri); 9pm – 6pm Last Order 5:30pm (Sat), Closed Sun

Hipster Cafe Within The Heritage Khong Guan Building
You may not have expected to find a hipster café within this interesting and nostalgic building located where MacTaggart Road and Burn Road meets.

As you look up to the top and read from right to left, you would notice the words 康元 which means Khong Guan.

Alchemist started out as small takeaway coffee outpost in the CBD. This 3rd outlet is their flagship store where they house the coffee roasters at the back, and an island-open concept coffee bar at the front.

They continue to source for their own coffee, roast them, and then focus on making it simple and approachable to our customers.

I also liked the environment, not as echoey as expected, with various seating arrangements, and decorative traces of the old heritage building. Just look at the flooring. Alchemist (MacTaggart Road)

Kafe Utu
12 Jiak Chuan Road Singapore 089265 (Outram/Chinatown MRT)
Tel: +65 6996 3937
Opening Hours: 8am – 5pm (Wed – Sun), 6pm – 11pm (Wed, Thurs, Sun), 6pm – 1am (Fri, Sat) Closed Mon, Tues

1st African Themed Café In Singapore
Kafe Utu is listed first because it dares to be bold, different, and sticks true to its theme. How many African themed places in Singapore can you find?

The attention to details… from the menu design, sofa, cushions, decorations, paintings, doors to even the panels, you know a lot of thought has been put into the collection and planning of the space.

Many of the furniture (even the doors) used are specially imported.

Kafe Utu serves up brunch items, East and West African food, as well as specialty coffee. Owner Kurt Wagner grew up in Kenya and wanted to bring a piece of home to Singapore.

Food items on the menu include Swahili Fish Curry ($29) with red snapper, tamarind, coconut milk, house curry paste, habenero and coconut rice; Liberian Peanut Chicken Stew ($28); West African Spicy Greens ($28) with chicken thigh and smoked fish; and Caribbean Goat Curry ($28).

If you would prefer something safer and more familiar, go for the more ‘brunchy’ items such as Curried Avocado with Raw Garlic and Toast ($16) and Ricotta Hotcakes ($23).

Kafe Utu has really been on the radar, but its attention to details makes it a name to be mentioned. Kafe Utu (Jiak Chuan Road)

Glyph Supply Co
111 Somerset Road, #01-06, Singapore 238164
Opening Hours: 8:30am – 8:30pm (Mon – Fri), 10am – 8:30pm (Sat – Sun)

Minimalist White Café Found At Somerset
Glyph Supply Co. has been attracting quite a fair bit of customers, because it is an artisanal café with quite an “instagrammable” interior.

Coffee is priced at $4.50 for the black, $5.50 for the white, Coldbrew at $6.00, while iced versions cost $1 extra. For non-coffee drinkers, there is also offering of Matcha ($6.00) and Chocolate ($6.00).

This is slightly pricier than what you find in other hipster cafes in the neighbourhoods, but I suppose they have high rentals to pay.

Bakes are from Carpenter & Cook, and you get a rotational selection from Lemon Tart, Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel Tart, Passionfruit Meringue Tart, Almond Croissant, Pain Au Chocolat, to savoury bites of Mushroom Quiche, and Ham and Cheese Croissant.

Quality coffee you can find at this part of town, plus it is considered slightly hidden. Glyph Supply Co. (TripleOne Somerset)

PPP Coffee by Papa Palheta
Funan #02-19, 107 North Bridge Road Singapore 179105
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

Papa Palehta rebrands to PPP Coffee
We have not heard from specialty coffee roaster Papa Palheta in a while. The group who is also behind the famous hipster coffee place Chye Seng Huat Hardware, launched Singapore’s first employee-store PPP Coffee. That means a portion of the profits will go to the staff.

The revamped Funan has quite a number of coffee places, but PPP Coffee stands up for its quality control and modern outlook.

A highlight of the space is an experiential brew bar for customers to have a go at brewing and interacting with coffee apparatus

The selection also incorporates some local Nonya Kuehs (applied by One Kueh At A Time), and you can look out for the Ondeh Ondeh ($5 for 5 pieces) with coffee infused gula melaka filling. PPP Coffee (Funan)

Cafe De Nicole’s Flower
224 Telok Kurau Rd, #01-01, Singapore 423836
Opening Hours: 8.30am – 8.30pm (Tue – Sun), Closed Mon

Floral-Themed Café With Soufflé Pancakes
While many new cafes in Singapore has gone for a minimalist or industrial concept, Cafe De Nicole’s Flower focuses on a garden theme.

And this is not just about the aesthetical aspect but also through its presentation and scent.

Being a florist shop, an event space, a workshop venue and an animal playground (yes, it’s pets friendly too!), the interior is like a garden with its pleasing floral scent in almost every part of the space.

Something that caught my attention is the addition of flowers, be it dried or fresh flowers, in all the desserts and drinks that I ordered.

Even though the souffle pancakes may not seem as tall, wobbly or bouncy (worthy for a Boomerang shot), this plate of soufflé pancakes is a piece of art on its own, with sauces, fruits and flowers used for plating. Cafe De Nicole’s Flower (Telok Kurau Road)

Baristart Coffee Singapore
65 Tras Street Singapore 079004 (Tanjong Pagar MRT)
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

Hokkaido Cafe With Delicious Cream Puff
It is the first café here to offer coffee using the popular Brown Jersey Milk from Biei, a small town in Hokkaido, Japan.

This is matched with beautiful latte art; its food and desserts.

The desserts, all made in-house, are designed by the talented pastry Chef Emi Sasaki with the support of local chefs whom had spent several weeks of intensive training in Japan.

Most would head for the Shiro Kuma ($9.80). Shaped like a bear, Shiro Kuma is a shaved ice dessert is too adorable to destroy and eat. This much-talked about item is served with a glass of Hokkaido BIEI Jersey Milk, so you can drizzle a little or pour as much as you like.

You can also opt for other homemade syrups instead of the milk, i.e. Coffee, Strawberry, Mango, and Green tea for your preferred flavour.

Also, can I add that its Cream Puff is one of the best I tried in Singapore? Baristart Coffee (Tras Street)

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.

Its space may not be considered insta-worthy as it is small, but the bakes certainly are.

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)

JW360° (Japan Way Three Sixty)
78 Airport Boulevard, #01-223/224/225, Jewel Changi Airport (Nearest Terminal T1)
Tel: (Retail) +65 6242 8377 I (Restaurant) +65 6243 2466
Opening Hours: 9am – 11pm (Mon – Sun)

Legit Matcha Desserts At Jewel Changi Airport
If you are a sweet tooth or just needing a tea break while walking around Jewel Changi Airport, the JW360° café corner is for you.

They have a range of cakes and gelato, with matcha and sakura specials, using Japanese ingredients like matcha, adzuki bean, and wasanbon, an expensive fine-grained Japanese sugar made from Shikoku sugarcane.

The must-get is the Japanese Gelato ($7.50) with 2 flavours topped with sweet potato. Flavours include Japanese Whiskey, Caramel Walnut, Soba-Cha (interesting), Matcha Milk, Sweet Potato, Hoji-cha and Black Sesame.

The Goma I dare say with its rich and intense flavour, is possibly THE BEST black sesame gelato I had in Singapore.

The picturesque Matcha Mont Blanc ($9.00) with Japanese chestnut paste is my personal favourite; while Matcha Mille Feuille ($9.00) with matcha butter, custard and sweet chestnut are both art-on-a-plate. JW360° (JEWEL Changi Airport)

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

[Bangkok] When in Yaowarat in Bangkok for a street food adventure, include Nai Mong Hoi Thod in your itinerary.

This is the one of the best places (and the best in Chinatown) to find a really good hoi thod (Teochews call this dish ”Orh Luak”), which literally means “fried oyster”.

Owned by a certain Mr. Mong, this Chinatown eatery has been in operation for more than 30 years.

His recipe has never changed throughout the decades, though he has passed the cooking to an apprentice who maintains his standards.

Even until Michelin Guide took notice and awarded it the Bib Gourmand distinction.

This specialty of the house is made with fresh oysters fried ‘til crisp with egg and a sticky batter. But in case you don’t want oysters, opt for the mussels instead.

Nai Mong Hoi Thod is a humble-looking eatery located within walking distance Wat Mangkon MRT.

It is so inconspicuous-looking that you may walk past without noticing, except that it does have quite a crowd of customers within.

A visit here won’t dent your wallet that much. A small plate of the Fried Omelette goes for 100 baht (SGD4.50), up to 200 baht and 300 baht for a medium and large size respectively. (Used to be 70 baht though not too long ago.)

You get options of Crispy Oysters Omelette, Plain Oysters Omelette, Crispy Musssel Omelette, and Fried Oysters with Oysters Sauce.

Get a seat where you can watch some of the frying over a charcoal stove, and you would realise it is quite a meticulous (and oily) process to get the eggs that crispy, and oyster cooked yet plump and fresh tasting.

Though I had Crispy Oysters Omelette in Thailand before, this was even crispier or should I say cruncher than many other versions.

What was appealing was the contrast with the juicy oysters coated with sticky sweet sauce. Enhance the flavours with a dip on the mild-spicy wet chilli sauce.

The main drawback is some customers may find this too greasy if you finish up a plate on your own.

I only had intention to order one dish here, but went on to order the Plain Oysters Omelette. Live life without (food) regrets.

It was closer than what I was familiar with, and this was possibly the best version of Orh Luak I had.

The balance of starch and eggs was perfect, neither overly gooey nor floury.

Complete your meal by pairing it with their Crab Fried Rice, which is also a popular item here. At 100 baht with those pieces of crab meat, this is indeed value for its money.

If I got to choose just one dish again, this would be Plain Oysters Omelette. Oh… the flavours, the soft consistency and the wok heat. So aroy.

Nai Mong Hoi Thod 蚵仔煎
539 Phlap Phla Chai Rd, Khwaeng Pom Prap, Khet Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10100, Thailand (Wat Mangkon MRT, Blue Line)
Tel: +66 89 773 3133
Opening Hours: 11am – 8:30pm (Tue – Sun), Closed Mon
Google Maps – Nai Mong Hoi Thod

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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.

Once upon a time (perhaps this will reveal my age), foodies go to Geylang for three reasons – Frog Leg’s Porridge, Tau Hway, and Beef Horfun.

The mix of shops and culture of Geylang has just quite a bit during the years, and perhaps some shops have lost their charm along the way.

The “Lor 9 Beef Kway Teow” better known as the “Geylang Famous Beef Kway Teow” used to be our go-to place for Beef Horfun in the ‘good old days’. Back then, it was for its ultra-tender beef slices in generous portions and gooey delicious sauce.

The stall has always made it to the lists of top Beef Horfuns in Singapore, and subsequently listed by the Singapore Michelin Guide with a Michelin Plate.

Views of this shop can be divided. On one hand people who tried it in the pasts would remark how much the consistency has fallen; on the other there are diners who still consider it a not-bad rendition (when compared to many others in Singapore.)

Priced at $7, $12, $18, $22 and $28, the plate was known for its generous portion of tenderer-than-tender beef slices (suspected too much tenderiser), cooked in thick gravy.

This was once considered THE Beef Hor Fun. I remembered the very first time I had it, it was as though this was one of the most wonderful thing that I had ever eaten. (Okay, would say this was about 20 years ago.)

People remember it for the plateful of tender cooked slices of beef drenched in a thick, dark-coloured gravy and combined with silky smooth kway teow.

The well-marinated hor fun was soft to the bite; while the soya sauce-based gravy was flavourful and carries the taste of bean paste, black pepper and chili.

While I still enjoyed it, the quality has dropped throughout the years.

The wok-hei was not as strong as before, and sauce thinner as compared to the past. It could be because the rice noodles and sauces were pre-cooked, so lacking in that ‘oomph’ and wok-heat.

If you want some variety, they also offer zi char dishes and other noodles like the Seafood Crispy Noodle, Hokkien Mee, Yangzhou Fried Rice, and Sweet & Sour Pork.

Open ‘til late, this is where you can catch a late dinner. Or just when a Beef Hor Fun craving strikes.

Lor 9 Beef Kway Teow (芽龙著名牛河) – Geylang Famous Beef Kway Teow
237 Geylang Rd, Singapore 389296
Tel: +65 9388 0723
Opening Hours: 12pm – 2:30am (Tue – Sun), 4pm – 2:30am (Mon)

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The premise of having hawker food cooked by robots will likely leave people divided.

On one hand, isn’t hawker food all about the skills and human touch; but with the younger generation not taking up this role, machinery and technology may be the way to go.

I was curious enough to try out Hawkee located on Level 2 of Frasers Tower, in which robotic cooking and artificial intelligence are used to prepare a selection of hawker fare.

There were quite a number of online articles on this initiative, but few actually wrote about the actual taste of the food.

The automated machines in this eatery is called “DIANA”.

Before trying, I was on the fence for this as I believe the cooking hawker food requires the human element, especially with the frying for the wok-hei; while technology could be used to replace certain processes to make life easier for the hawkers.

In my mind I was imaging a certain type of place, though the reality can be slightly off.

First things first, while vending machines are already in place in many parts of Singapore from food courts, fast food restaurants and bubble tea shops, I was surprised to see a physical human taking orders and collecting cash.

Maybe the ordering kiosks were down. Ah, technology.

I was presented with a receipt number, though wasn’t entirely sure if I had to collect the food on my own or the food would be sent to the table. After observing a couple of tables, it was a combination of both. Strange.

Maybe the queue numbering system was down as well.

The hawker food selection includes Hokkien Mee ($6, $8, $10), Crayfish White Bee Hoon ($8, $12), Mala Xiang Guo ($8.90, $12.90, $18.90), Seafood Hor Fun ($7.90), Special Fried Bee Hoon ($7.90), Fried Rice ($7.90), and Fu Zhou Noodles ($7.90).

There are also other rice dishes such as Stir Fry Black Pepper Pork / Beef with Rice ($6.90), Gong Bao Chicken with Rice ($6.90) and Sambal Chilli Prawn with Rice ($8.90).

Interestingly, mostly of the above would require a step of wok-frying if ordered at the hawker centre.

After reading a couple of online reviews, I thought that the Hokkien Mee would have the standard close to a food court. But unfortunately, it was not even there (sorry).

The essence of a good plate of Hokkien Mee – the rich prawn stock, the fragrance, the stickiness of the noodles, were all not quite there. The dish was hot but the wok-hei was missing.

As for consolation, the portion was good, prawns were considered fresh, and the sambal chilli was delicious – which definitely came in useful.

The Seafood Hor Fun ($7.90) fared slightly better (but that is not saying much), and there was weird sweetish aftertaste and just that something missing.

Office workers may choose to come to Hawkee for the convenience, novelty or the air-conditioned environment. But to be honest I think the food has to be further fine-tuned because really… Amoy Street Food Centre which is full of hawker gems, is just opposite.

Hawkee
Frasers Tower, 182 Cecil Street, #02-01/02, Singapore 069547
Opening Hours: 11am – 8pm (Mon – Fri), 11am – 2:30pm (Sat), Closed Sun

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Funny how little Albert Food Centre (or Albert Centre Food Centre) is talked about online considered how near it is to Bugis MRT Station, and right opposite Bugis Plus.

Come here during the weekends, and it would be extremely packed. And so I would recommend weekdays as the preferred time to head down.

Bai Nian Niang Dou Fu is easily the most well-known stall there, and it has branched out to several outlets around Singapore.

There are other stalls that I would recommend, such as Hock Lee Fishball Noodles for the most awesome juicy fishballs, and Pondok Makan Indonesian for their Halal Mutton Satay.

Bai Nian Niang Dou Fu
270 Queen Street, Albert Food Centre, #01-106, Singapore 180270
Tel: +65 9692 6921
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 9pm (Mon – Sun)

Best Known For Its Yong Tau Foo and Prawn Paste
Bian Nian Niang Dou Foo easily has the longest queue in this food centre. It used to be semi-popular, but line wasn’t this long. Well, this was largely to food bloggers and instagrammers who raved about this ‘hidden’ place a few years back.

Now, it has a couple of branches in Singapore, and perhaps standard has not been as consistent as before.

Unless most other Yong Tau Foo stalls where you can pick and this, the bowl here ($4.50 – 5.50) comes with more or less fixed choices from bitter gourd, prawn paste, pork paste, beancurd, and a combination of “gold, white and black” rolls.

What draws customers would be its clean-tasting clear soup that is both light and flavourful, and said not to contain added MSG. My favourite item is the prawn paste pieces (like prawn balls), which have that sweet taste and succulent bite.

Hock Lee Fishball Noodles
270 Queen Street, Albert Food Centre, #01-102, Singapore 180270
Opening Hours: 6:30am – 12pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

Bouncy and Delicious Fish Balls, One Of Singapore’s Best
You must come here early enough, or the fishballs generally get sold out early. This is a great place to stop by for breakfast as the stall opens bright and early at 6:30am.

They serve freshly made fish ball noodles with or without soup and your choice of noodle such as mee kia and mee pok.

The dry Mee Pok ($4) are cooked quite al dente with a delightful springy texture, tossed with vinegar and chilli.

But it is those fishablls that steal the show as they are quite divine – very juicy and bouncy. I also enjoy the clear soup garnished with fresh coriander and spring onions.

Ah Seng Bak Chor Mee 亚成潮州肉脞面
270 Queen Street, Albert Food Centre, #01-77, Singapore 180270
Tel: +65 83990220
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 4:30pm (Sun – Fri), Closed Sat

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

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

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

The mee pok was cooked to a softer consistency, but still quite springy.

Here, two types of meatballs are served. The regular fish balls and pork balls supplied by his mentor, and a special in-house meatball made with a mix of fish and meat. Ah Seng Bak Chor Mee (Albert Food Centre)

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

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

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

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

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

The accompanying deep-fried youtiao is more chewy than crispy, which some may find delightful while others would frown upon. The crunch and complex sweet-spicy flavours make this a worthy Rojak to try out. Singapore Famous Rojak (Albert Food Centre)

Angel Horse Teochew Fish Soup 仙马潮州鱼汤
270 Queen Street, Albert Food Centre, #01-95, Singapore 180270
Opening Hours: 11am – 10:30pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

Piping Hot Bowls of Batang Fish Soup
No matter what time you stop by this stall, you will always find it swarming with hungry customers. This is largely because their serving sizes of fish soup are huge and could leave you satisfied.

The Teochew-style Sliced Fish Soup ($5) was delightfully light and clear with a refreshing blend of spices, added with rather thick and juicy chunks of fish slices.

While it wasn’t as flavourful as I wished, the bowl was still a simple, tasty bowl of soup which as quite comforting.

I also enjoyed the accompanying fermented bean sauce with chilli padi, enhancing the ‘Teochew-flavours’ to the dish.

Guan Kee Black Carrot Cake
270 Queen Street, Albert Food Centre, #01-59, Singapore 180270
Opening Hours: 7am – 6pm (Tues, Wed, Fri, Sat), Closed Mon, Thurs, Sun

Possibly One Of The Top 10 Fried Black Carrot Cake In Singapore
This stall only opens a few days per week, and so do get a chance to try it while you are there.

You can choose between white (salty) or black (more sweetish), though more would go for the black.

The Black Carrot Cake ($3) had a smooth and soft texture. The uncle was quite skillful and experienced in manning those flames to get the chunks just right with crispy edge wok hei along with plentiful pieces of egg.

Say Seng Cooked Food
270 Queen Street, Albert Food Centre, #01-92, Singapore 180270
Opening Hours: 2pm – 8pm (Tues – Wed, Sat – Sun), Closed Mon, Thurs, Fri

Known For Braised Pork Belly
I am slightly divided on this one, though it does have a long line and often sold out way before its closing hour of 8pm.

The Say Seng Cooked Food gained their reputation back when they served braised wild boar, but their main entrée now serves regular pork in place of wild boar.

Nonetheless, they are able to keep the original flavors and texture intact with tender and succulent pork. I thought that it was slightly on the tough side.

However, the draw would be the flavours of their braising sauce, and the rich-tasting soup made more appetizing with the addition of salted vegetables.

Pondok Makan Indonesian
270 Queen Street, Albert Food Centre, #01-123, Singapore 180270
Tel: +65 9155 6623
Opening Hours: 8am – 8pm (Mon – Sun)

One Of The Few Michelin-Recommended Halal Stalls
It is worth noting that Pondok Makan Indonesia is one of the few Michelin-listed halal eateries in Singapore.

Offering a variety of Indonesian hawker fare, including Mee Rebus ($3), Mee Siam ($3), Gado Gado ($3), Tahu Goreng ($3), Soto Ayam ($3), Nasi Soto ($3.50, $4), Lontong ($3), Satay ($0.60 per stick, minimum 10 sticks).

Most of their food item are about $3, making it very affordable fare.

Its Satay seems to be the most popular choice, the skewered chicken well-marinated with a touch of sweetness and turmeric-spices.

You may note that even the Mutton Satay (which is recommend) are not overly charred and in fact rather ‘fair’, retaining the juiciness and not tough. Pondok Makan Indonesia (Albert Food Centre)

Siraj Famous Waterloo St Indian Rojak
270 Queen Street, Albert Food Centre, #01-120, Singapore 180270
Tel: +65 8139 5647
Opening Hours: 10am – 7pm (Mon, Wed – Sun), Closed Tues

Original Waterloo Street Rojak Since The 1980s
I remember having this as a kid at the old Waterloo Food Centre, and it was really quite famous back then. However, you don’t hear people craving for Indian Rojak that often anymore (perhaps because it is usually quite oily and carb heavy).

Choose from ingredients such as Potato, Tahu, Hot Dog, Tempeh, Fried Sotong, Small or Big Prawns, and Fish Cake. Every item cost about $0.80 to $1.50, so do your Maths before you over-order.

The Indian Rajok I had quite a rich-sweet sauce that was thickened with sweet potatoes to give it a creamy, wholesome flavor.

I really enjoyed the prawn fitters that were quite crispy on the outside and tender from inside.

Li Fang Porridge 丽芳粥品
270 Queen Street, Albert Food Centre, #01-78, Singapore 180270
Tel: +65 9634 8383
Opening Hours: 7am – 9pm (Mon – Sun)

Li Fang Porridge has a number of shops around Singapore. The main outlet is at Queen Street Albert Centre, with other branches at 20 Ghim Moh Road, ABC Market, 115 Bukit Merah View, 407 Ang Mo Kio Ave 10, 293 Yishun Ring Road, 207 New Upper Changi Road and 208D New Upper Changi Road.

They have a number of seafood-based choices, such as Seafood Congee ($20 – no typo), La La Congee ($5), Mixed Scallop Congee ($5.50), Prawn Congee ($5), Sliced Fish with Cuttlefish Congee ($4.50).

I chose the standard Lean Meat with Century Egg ($3.50), and appealed with its richer taste and creamy texture. Youtiao was also quite crisp.

However, the bowl of congee did leave me with some thirst.

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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.

While there are many overseas bubble brands which descended upon Singapore, there are some home-grown ones which we should be proud of.

Artisanal bubble tea brand Bober Tea 御波坊, though a relatively new comer in the growing bubble tea industry in Singapore, has gained quite positive reputation and reviews.

Founded by entrepreneur friends Joseph Oh and Eugene Yap, the brand incorporates the flavours of Taiwan, China and Japan into creative beverages with beautiful packaging.

Bober Tea’s first outlet is conveniently located at Bishan MRT Station, and they have just opened at Bukit Panjang Plaza and an Express outlet at Boon Keng so that residents in the West and Northeast can have a go at their drinks.

They have also successfully secured overseas franchise to Manila, Philippines and California, USA, and so you will probably be hearing more about them.

Though they are loved for their Brown Sugar Crème Brûlée Milk with boba pearls, they have a plethora of other creative drinks.

Other must-try original creations are Brown Sugar Roasted Oolong Milk, Salted Caramel Milk Tea, Hokkaido Chizu Matcha to Black Sugar Konjac Jelly Milk Tea.

Good news for softserve lovers, Bober Tea has also introduced two softserve flavours exclusively available at the Bukit Panjang Plaza outlet.

Starting at $1.80, this makes an inexpensive dessert treat (especially for the hot weather).

Coming in two exciting milk and milk tea based flavours, you get to choose the Brown Sugar Milk or Charcoal Milk Tea in cone or a cup – cone for the more unadulterated taste, and cup for more elaborate toppings.

Brown Sugar Milk Soft Serve ($1.80 for cone, $3.70 for cup)
The creamy, swirled creation tastes just like the milk, drizzled with brown sugar for caramelised sweetness and boba pearls for textural effect.

Charcoal Milk Tea Soft Serve ($1.90 for cone, $3.90 for cup).
Between the two, I generally prefer this better as it is not as sweet with a pleasant earthy taste. Sprinkled with gold dust to add that luxe factor.

As for the drinks, affordably priced from $2.80 to $6.80, Bober Tea prides itself in using only premium grade ingredients like pure matcha powder, Okinawa Black Sugar, and Hokkaido milk. Here are 8 recommended Bober drinks to choose from on your next visit:

Brown Sugar Crème Brûlée Milk ($4.30, $5.60)
Part of the Brown Sugar series, this dessert-inspired drink provides options of the classic flavour Brown Sugar Boba Fresh Milk, to more fanciful ones added with Oreo, Matcha, to Roasted Oolong.

Love their QQ tapioca pearls?

These chewy bobas are freshly made at their outlets. That QQ-texture chewiness is a result of cooking at 65°C for optimal chewiness and soaking for two hours to absorb all the brown sugar goodness.

If you enjoy pearls with a texture just in between, theirs are both soft and chewy.

8 Days Magazine ranked Bober Tea’s Brown Sugar Boba Fresh Milk as Number 2 in the whole of Singapore, adoring its ”extra creaminess and gao-ness” and robust brown sugar flavour.

Brown Sugar Boba Matcha Latte ($5.50, $6.80)
This drink uses one of their prized ingredients – pure, premium matcha powder.

Combining the trend-setting popularity of the brown sugar flavour with Japanese-sourced green tea, this latte is a strong contender for the next best-selling drink at Bober Tea.

You get that lingering caramel flavour and earthy matcha both in a single cup. Sip slowly to appreciate the nuances.

Supreme Fruit Burst Green Tea ($5.20, $6.50)
For something cooling for the hot Singapore weather, the “Fruit Series” includes Supreme Mango Green Tea, Lemon Lime Green Tea with Plum, Ruby Grapefruit Yakult, Fresh Passionfruit Yakult, and Lemon Yakult.

For fruit lovers, the Supreme Fruit Burst Green Tea is indeed the ultimate drink.

Imagine combining sliced oranges, limes, watermelon, and strawberries, plus passionfruit bits swimming in a refreshing tea base. Visually stunning for its interplay of colours and shapes.

Dong Ding Oolong Milk Tea ($3.50, $4.70)
Purists tend to order the most basic milk tea in the menu. But for a change, try Dong Ding Oolong Milk Tea, made with a premium light-coloured oolong tea from Taiwan.

Also spelled Tung Ting, Dong Ding (literally, “frozen summit”) is the name of the mountain where this tea is planted.

Taste its distinctive honey taste and aroma with roasted notes, and a unique lingering sweet aftertaste.

Choose from one of the 20 (!) of your fave toppings, such as brown sugar pearls, white jelly pearls, brown sugar jelly pearls, coconut jelly, black sugar konjac, aloe vera cubes, or passion fruit pop boba.

Matcha Strawberry Latte ($3.90, $4.90)
The Matcha Strawberry Latte is a good showcase of interplay of flavours, and when you add Hokkaido milk it earns that delightful creaminess.

Fragrant Taro Latte ($3.20, $4.30)
One of the Bober Specials, the Fragrant Taro Latte is a pretty lavender-hued beverage that is rich, creamy, and smells really good.

Goes perfect with the chewy QQ honey golden pearls.

Ruby Grapefruit Green Tea ($3.70, $4.90)
Another must-try Bober Special is the green-tea based drink with ruby grapefruit. For those who love the freshness of green tea along with the flavour of sweet and tarty grapefruit.

Good to know that there is also generous amount of grapefruit pulps in the drink, for those who love your antioxidants and fiber.

On a sweltering day, a small cup may not be enough.

Hokkaido Chizu Mango ($5.50, $6.70)
Finally, cheese lovers will enjoy this one, filled with a delicious whitish colour cream floating on top of your drink – choose from options of oolong, green tea, milk tea, matcha or mango.

That bubble tea cap is made with sweet and creamy Hokkaido milk freshly prepared. Slurp and feel that luscious, velvety texture on your lips.

Get the Hokkaido Chizu Mango to enjoy the mango’s sweet, tropical taste blending with the salty-creaminess of cheese cap.

Also check out Bober Tea’s newly introduced tall, slim, Insta-worth “Dabao” bottles that come in 6 psychedelic designs to match your sense of style, your outfit, or your mood.

Order them online, or pick them up from the outlet. Either way, you’ll experience your tea journey at Bober Tea one design at a time.

Bober Tea – Bukit Panjang Plaza
1 Jelebu Road, #01-23, Singapore 677743
Tel: +65 9816 1440
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)
https://www.facebook.com/boberteasg

Bober Tea – Bishan
200 Bishan Road, #01-01, Singapore 579827 (Located at Bishan MRT Station Exit C next to 7-11)
Tel: +65 6262 0407
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

Bober Tea Express – Boon Keng
27 Bendemeer Road #01-665 Singapore 330027
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Bober Tea.

If 1943 was the year White Rabbit Creamy Candy was originated, then 2019 is when it gets trendy again in Singapore.

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

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

For people who love all things “White Rabbit”, time to head over to the pop-up White Rabbit Candy truck at Shenton Way, right outside Singapore Conference Hall next to Farmers and Chef café.

The pop-up found at this vintage Volkswagen truck starts from ”around 11:30pm to 12pm” and ends about ”7:30pm or 8pm”, but that would depend if the items are sold out for the day.

What you can expect are merchandise such as T-shirts, stationaries and lotion; along with White Rabbit Candy Milk drinks in milk packs.

Four drinks are available, which include White Rabbit Milk ($5), Creamy Cloud White Rabbit Milk ($6.50), White Rabbit Rice Milk ($5) and Creamy Cloud White Rabbit Rice Milk ($6.50). “Cloud” would mean whipped cream is added on top.

The calorie-watcher in me decided to go for the White Rabbit Rice Milk ($5) added with White Konjac Jelly Pearls.

Said to be milder, there was an obvious White Rabbit Candy flavour within, though it was overall slightly on the sweet side for me. I could imagine people preferring a thicker and more ice-cold beverage.

The Konjac Jelly Pearls were crunchy with less of the guilt from the usual boba pearls.

Warning: It can get very hot queuing for this in the afternoon, as there are just two staff handling all the drinks plus questions about the merchandise.

The organisers didn’t really say how long would the pop-up last. So I guess, go before it is gone? That’s if you really want it.

White Rabbit Candy Pop-up (Next to Farmers and Chefs)
Singapore Conference Hall, #01-04, 7 Shenton Way, Singapore 068810
Opening Hours: 12pm – 8pm (Mon – Fri) (subject to change)

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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.

For fans of “mala”, you must make your way to Jewel Changi Airport as the largest new-age dry mala bowl chain from Shanghai, Red Lips has arrived in Singapore. The store will open officially on the 12th of October.

Red Lips 红唇串串香 is the latest trendy food (网红) from China, with long queues of customers in line to enjoy the award-winning “mala tang” 麻辣烫. (Essentially, a place to check-in 打卡 as well.)

The brand “Red Lips” is so named due to the tingling sensation that envelops your lips, as well as numbing effect on the tongue.

What is Dry Mala Tang?
While “mala tang” or spicy hotpot soup as we know it has been in the rage for a while, Red Lips serves up “new-age mala tang” (a dry version).

So this is not “mala xiang guo” or the soupy “mala tang” that we are more familiar with, but made up of ingredients first cooked in a special mala soup base, then a secret-recipe mala sauce is poured over.

This is where customers can choose their favourite ingredients from a choice of up to 45 items, including seafood, meat, vegetables, noodles and other speciality offerings. (Imagine Yong Tau Foo with customisable selection.)

The ingredients are then scalded in hot mala soup before being combined in a Special Spicy Sauce which gives the taste of ma (numb) and la (spicy).

While hotpot is typically eaten in a group, the food here is served in individual bowls. However, as the stimulating sensation is akin to having hotpot, this is sometimes referred to as “hotpot-in-a-bowl”.

Here’s how Red Lips works:
Step 1: Select ingredients from categories of Seafood, Meatballs, Meat, and Vegetables. There are up to 45 items, prices range from $0.90 to $3.00 per selection.

Step 2: Complete the bowl with choice of noodles ($1.00). Pick from Thin Bee Hoon, Thick Bee Hoon, or wide Sweet Potato Vermicelli. If not, go carb-free.

Step 3: The chef will drizzle over the Secret Spicy Sauce ($1.00), with optional add-on of Creamy Sesame Sauce ($0.50)

Step 4: Customers can feel free to further customise with complimentary toppings of spring onions, crunchy soybean and own blend of chilli flakes to up the fiery factor.

Recommended ingredients include Seabass Cubes, Prawns, Ling Fish, Pork Belly, Beef Tripe, and Lobster Ball with Roe and more.

For vegetables, you get loads of assorted choices (some you do not commonly see in markets) such as Bamboo Shoot Tips, Asparagus Lettuce, Emperor Sprouts, Oyster king Mushrooms, and Fried Ring Roll and more.

The following are just some of my suggestion, which would all come out to be about $8 to $10 per bowl. Of course, feel free to mix and match.

Bowl 1: DFD Fav ingredients
Spicy base + beef slices + luncheon meat + fried ring roll + enoki mushrooms + bee hoon

Bowl 2: Seafood Lovers
Spicy + sea bass cube + squid + prawn + lobster ball with roe + sweet potato vermicelli

Bowl 3: Carnivores
Creamy sauce + pork belly + beef tripe + fried pork skin + chicken cheese balls

Bowl 4: Go Veggie
Creamy sauce + bamboo shoot + asparagus lettuce + Oyster King mushroom + bamboo sprouts + Potato + thick bee hoon

The Red Lips bowls are best recommended for takeaway, and you would find that the size of the bowls which are specially custom-made just nice to hold in the hands.

The Taste of Red Lips
You would find that Red Lips’s mala-base rendition is perhaps more fragrant than the average mala tang brands.

This is because there is a secret blend of over 20 ingredients and spices; while its peppercorns are harvested in carefully-selected farming regions, then boiled to extract the fragrance.

The mala tang base has a bold, full-bodied and delicious flavour as well as a lingering aftertaste.

I would recommended add the Creamy Sesame Sauce, which provides that smooth texture, fragrance and earthy-nutty taste.

If you are wondering if it is very spicy, I find that the levels are very manageable, probably Level 1.5 or 2 out of 5 in terms of mala-spiciness. Add those chilli flakes if you can handle more.

Red Lips Singapore Opening Special
In celebration of the opening of its first outlet in Singapore, Red Lips has launched a special promotion. Buy 5 items and get 6th item of equal or lesser value for free.

Available on 12 & 13 October 2019 (Sat & Sun) only.

Red Lips 红唇串串香
78 Airport Boulevard Jewel Changi Airport #B2-263 Singapore 819666
Opening Hours: 7am – 12am (Sun – Thurs), 7am – 1am (Fri, Sat, Eve of PH)

* This post is brought to you in partnership with Red Lips.

[Seoul] While Myeongdong is typically known for its shopping, beauty shops and street food (and therefore very touristy), there are actually a number of note-worthy restaurants to pay attention to.

For serious cravings of Gomtang, wander off to a busy Myeongdong side street and look for Ha Dong Kwan 하동관.

Recognized as the leading Gomtang house in Korea, Ha Dong Kwan earned the Bib Gourmand distinction in the Michelin Guide.

Ha Dong Kwan is a 15 minutes’ walk from Exit 5 of Euljiro 1-ga Station or Exits 7 & 8 of Myeong-dong Station. Plan your visit as they are closed every 1st and 3rd Sundays throughout the year.

Gomtang 곰탕? This is a traditional Korean beef bone soup served with sliced meats and rice, which was consumed by the noble class in the past due to its nutritious value.

The soup is cooked by using various parts of the beef – usually brisket, along with radish to boil.

Gomtang is quite similar to Seolleongtang, though Seolleongtang is cooked for long hours using primary bones and therefore look more cloudy.

Ha Dong Kwan has been in business since 1935 and has remained simple and old-fashioned throughout the years.

This family-owned eatery uses quality ingredients, consistently sourcing its beef from the same supplier for decades.

That rich, pure beef broth with a mild sweetness is a result of long and slow hours of boiling of beef parts and radish.

Freshness is key here, since they never use artificial flavours nor leftover soup.

There are four type of bowls to choose from, which includes Normal Beef Soup, Special Beef Soup, Special Plus Beef Soup, and Ultimate Beef Soup.

The regular normal version has 4 slices of meat, while the more expensive has added tripe.

Dishes are priced from 12,000 to 25,000 Won (SGD14 to SGD29), not the cheapest around though.

Served in traditional brass bowls, the Gomtang already holds some rice soaked in it.

If you are the type who loves your food rich and flavourful, you may just find this bowl on the other extreme end.

The soup is clear and actually quite bland.

I chose not to add any seasoning for half the bowl as I wanted to appreciate the nuances – it was quite a warm and comforting meal for the early morning. But I think not everyone would like this.

Most Koreans I observed would season with salt (some A LOT), add chopped green onions for added flavour, and include some kimchi and mix into the soup for tangy-spiciness.

It is best to drink some barley tea after finishing your bowl of Gomtang.

The shop opens at 7am, perfect for early birds. However, don’t arrive too late – they close doors once soup in the pot runs out; or during lunch time when it would be crowded with Koreans working in the vicinity.

Ha Dong Kwan
10-4 Myeong-dong 1-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, Korea
Tel: +82 2 776 5656
Opening Hours: 7am – 4:30pm (Mon – Sun), Closed 1st and 3rd Sun of the month

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Cacao Green (Myeongdong, Seoul)
Myeongdong Sundubu (Myeongdong, Seoul)

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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.

[Seoul] Michelin stars have reached many parts of Asia, and to be honest, it does make the awards a lot less exclusive and sometimes actually quite predictable.

However, I was curious enough to want to try the one Michelin-starred Balwoo Gongyang 발우공양 which specialises in temple cuisine.

Have you ever tried Temple Cuisine?

“Temple cuisine” is a type of cooking that is vegan in nature and does not use pungent aromatics such as garlic, onion, green onion, leeks, and wild chives.

It is run by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, and offers food of practice that shares the history of 1,700 years of Korean Buddhism.

Balwoo Gongyang, founded in 2009, offers “high quality cooking that’s worth a stop”.

Despite the absence of pungent aromatics, the dishes are said to boast of deep flavours from the use of aged temple-made red chili paste, soy bean paste, and soy sauce, with recipes handed down in Korean temples.

While the restaurant is not located within a temple, it is situated right opposite the iconic Jogyesa Temple (조계사) on the 5th storey of Templestay Integrated Information Center.

It is about 200m from No. 6 Exit of Anguk Station of Subway No.3 Line.

Lunch would make a more affordable option, with two timeslots: 11:30am – 1:20pm or 1:30pm-3pm.

In Buddhism, eating is part of the practice to enlightenment and divided into 5 categories: Seon, Won, Maeum, Hee, and Beop.

Start off with the most basic course, Seon (Meditation) for only 30,000 Won. Seon directs a joy of Samadhi, a state of consciousness achieved through meditation.

Won signifies a righteous wish, while Maeum refers to one’s mindfulness. These courses are priced 45,000 Won and 65,000 Won, respectively.

Hee pertains to the bliss of the moment. The Hee (Joy) Course (95,000 won) requires only 1 day reservation.

The Beop Course (150,000 Won) to taste the best temples food as you listen to the chef’s cooking demonstration and food explanation. For a party of 4 or more, order at least 3 days in advance.

Menu is seasonal. All vegetables used are 100% local and organic. You won’t find ingredients with ethyl alcohol, fructose, additives, and preservatives. They also do not use dairy nor egg products in any of their dishes.

I went for the Seon Set for 30,000 Won (SGD34.80, USD25.35).

It is a multi-course meal comprising of Suljuksim(Amuse-bouche), Muhwagwa & Omija-cheong (Fig & omija-berry syrup), Juksang(Porridge), Danhobakjuk & yeongeun-mul-kimchi (Sweet pumpkin porridge & watery lotus root kimchi), Sangmi (Salad or Cold Preparation), Dammi(Starter or Hot Preparation), Youmi (Main Course), and Ipgasim (Dessert).

This may sound like a lot of food, but due to the portion and simplicity of the cooking, you are likely to walk out not feeling overly full.

The meal was a lot more muted than what I had expected (we do get quite a bit of vegetarian meals back home), and you would expect most of the flavours to come in rather subtlety.

I was slightly disappointed that most dishes tasted like pre-cooked food in batches, something you may not expect from a Michelin-starred aside. Well, that aside…

The highlight dish was definitely the Deep-fried Assorted Mushrooms seasoned with chili sauce with juicy mushrooms having a light crisp on the outside, the sauce flavourful and not greasy.

Overall, a good to go once place?

Diners have their meal in private dining rooms in which it is just you (very light music), the food and companion. With that silence all around, you do focus a lot more on food and contemplate about life.

Balwoo Gongyang 발우공양
5F, Templestay Integrated Information Center, 56, Wooguk-gu, Jongno-gu, Seoul
서울시 종로구 견지동 71
Tel: +82 2 733 2081
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 3pm; 6pm – 9:30pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun

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