When mooncake lovers ask about the “best mooncake to get in Singapore” to usher in the Mid-Autumn Festival, Raffles Hotel Singapore’s signature Champagne Truffle Snow-Skin Mooncake has been a shoo-in year after year.

This year, the choice will get a little harder with two new Snow-skin Mooncakes: Apricot and Sour Plum Snow-Skin Mooncake and Yuzu and Osmanthus Truffle Snow-Skin Mooncake.

These handcrafted creations maintain the good “Raffles Hotel Quality” along with interesting, fruity twists of flavours.

Available only till 1 October 2020, the artisanal mooncakes are gorgeously packaged in an ivory-coloured box, decorated with gold lotus flowers and palm leaves.

Nothing overly fanciful, just oozing with classiness.

Inspired by the immaculate shades of white of Raffles Hotel Singapore and its rich foliage, it is the ideal gift box to honour tradition – and make someone happy with delicious treats.

Undecided at which Raffles Hotel Singapore mooncakes to get? Here’s more:

Apricot and Sourplum Snow-skin Mooncake ($76 nett for 8 pcs)
This decadent pink-tinged snow-skin mooncake is a unison of fruit and white chocolate flavours.

Fresh apricot puree combined with sourplum creates that perky sweet and sour taste.

When I popped in a piece, there was an element of refreshing-tarty surprise that may just keep you awake. There is something about the slight-sourness that complements the sweet and also make you salivate.

Fun-fact: This flavour blend is actually inspired by 藝 yì by Jereme Leung’s Chef Jereme Leung’s signature creation Plum-pickled Tomatoes with Crunchy Turnip and Sweet Vinegar.

Yuzu and Osmanthus Truffle Snow-skin Mooncake ($76 nett for 8 pcs)
The aromatic yuzu takes center stage in this happy pastel yellow-coloured snow-skin mooncake, showcasing its tart and floral flavours.

As perhaps the most exquisite member of the citrus family, yuzu is complemented with a blend of Osmanthus tea leaves.

I would have personally liked the floral flavour to be more pronounced, but this would be great for those who enjoy the distinct citrusy flavour of yuzu.

Their natural sweetness has a slight honey flavour to it, with floral and slightly fruity notes.

Champagne Truffle Snow-Skin Mooncake ($76 nett for 8 pcs)
Still my absolute favourite of all, and I am sure to many.

First created in the 1990s, the hand-crafted Champagne Truffle Snow-Skin Mooncake features delicate truffles made with white chocolate shells filled with champagne-infused cream.

Each truffle is sheathed with an exceptional white lotus seed paste, then encapsulated in an ivory-toned glutinous rice skin.

Since it first launched, this East-meets-West mooncake has symbolized luxury and elegance.

A signature mooncake that deserves a chink of your champagne flutes. If you have not tried it before, you may not know what you are missing out.

Earl Grey Tea and Pearl Snow-Skin Mooncake ($76 nett for 8 pcs)
Indulgently filled with milk chocolate ganache infused with premium Earl Grey tea, this snow-skin mooncake is also studded with puff cereal pearls.

These dark chocolate-coated pearls add a mild crunch to contrast the velvety smooth white lotus seed paste.

The other mooncake that has made a return this year is the Cognac Truffle Snow-Skin Mooncake ($76 nett for 8 pcs) which features a delicate blend of brandy and dark chocolate ganache.

Classic Baked Mooncakes ($76 nett for 4 pcs)
Three classic mooncakes to celebrate this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival.

Get the satisfying Mother-of-Pearl with Single Yolk and White Lotus Paste Mooncake, or go double with the all-time fave Double Yolk with Macadamia Nuts and White Lotus Paste Mooncake.

What I liked was that the white lotus paste was velvety-smooth and light, without being overly sweet; and those golden-yellow yolks added that delightful salty contrast.

If you enjoy the soft crunch of nuts, you will love the Pine Nuts, Macadamia Nuts and White Lotus Paste Mooncake.

Purists will love these classic baked mooncakes, impeccably paired a cup of fragrant Chinese tea.

The Raffles Mooncakes are available for orders at https://rafflescelebrations.com.sg.

Purchase and collection is at the Raffles Mooncake Booth, available daily from 9am to 8pm at the North Bridge Road Atrium of Raffles Arcade.

Early Bird Privileges
20% OFF all online mooncake purchases with selected bank partners, till 25 Sep 2020.

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

Not “Sour Candy” but “Soi Candy”.

While Phua Chu Kang is singing songs for Shopee ads, wife Rosie Phua has been keeping herself busy with opening another restaurant.

Soi Candy is a new modern Thai noodle bar opened by local actress-host Irene Ang, who also owns talent agency FLY entertainment, F&B businesses FRY Bistro and Bar Naked.

Located at 20 Tanjong Pagar, the first thing you notice is the bright sunshine yellow signboard with fuchsia pink words, then the interior painted with colourful graffiti art.

I liked that touch of fun – quite in line with the boss’s on-screen personality, which differentiates this from the other more predictable-looking Thai eateries of late.

The name of the chef is Candy, who used to own an eatery in Thailand and cook at Tamarind Hill.

I went during lunch and the menu included affordably-priced set items of Signature Khao Soi Gai ($9.90), Signature 2-Tone Noodles, Homemade Thai Hor Mok ($12.90) and Softbone Pork or Beef Longan Stew ($8.90 / $9.90).

Each set includes an appetiser of Green Curry Chicken Stick, Deep Fried Crispy Wanton Skin, or Thai Fishcake, so it is considered value for its money.

There were other items of Tom Yum Seafood Soup ($8.90), Green Curry Chicken ($8.90), Basil Minced Pork with Sunny Side Up ($7.90), Green Curry ($7.90) and Pineapple Fried Rice with Mango Tofu Salad ($8.90).

I suspected that the Signature 2-Tone Noodles would be similar to Bak Mee Moo Daeng Thai Wanton Noodles, except that this came with a twist.

You get two noodles – jade noodles and wholegrain egg noodles in a bowl, included with minced pork, pork balls, roasted char siew, and topped with fried wanton.

Other than the colour factor, I couldn’t tell how the dual noodles added a taste variant. BUT this was a decent bowl.

The noodles were cooked with a satisfying springy bite, with that distinct fragrance coming from the pork lard oil.

While the sauce was kept minimal, give it a good toss and you would find that it was nonetheless flavourful.

I wished there was an additional bowl of soup, and that the combination of sauces could be a tad less salty.

Surprisingly, the Beef Longan Stew managed to capture that Thai essence that I dearly missed.

The interesting component was the addition of sweet longan, commonly found in Chiang Rai where Chef Candy is from.

Serving piping hot, the double-boiled broth was hearty and robust with a tinge of sweetness.

The thin rice noodles were slippery smooth matched with melt-in-the-mouth beef pieces. However (again), it would have been better if the salt level could be reduced. (I would assume people around the CBD would be more health conscious as well.)

The Homemade Thai Hor Mok ($12.90) is the Thai rendition of our Otah Otah.

Steamed in intricately folded banana leaves, dig into the juicy block on cabbage, and you could find chunks of salmon within – a pleasant surprise.

To be honest, I was initially expecting the food to taste ‘safe’ like several of the mass market Thai eateries out there.

There is this element of unpredictability and fun with authenticity here.

Soi Candy Thai Noodle Bar
20 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 088443
Tel: +65 8875 3095
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 3pm, 5pm – 10:30pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

Other Related Entries
KinMoo (Tan Quee Lan)
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Kra Pow (Chinatown Point)
87 Just Thai (Pasir Panjang Rd)

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

As MasterChef Singapore is coming back with a Season 2, some viewers may be wondering what happened to its Season 1 alumni.

Winner Zander Ng has hosted “On The Red Dot: Chef’s Mission”, conducted cooking workshops and collaborated on a few pop-up cooking events; while runner-up Genevieve Lee has started her online bakery Sourbombe Baker selling Italian-styled doughnuts.

And it is Aaron Wong who first opened up a hawker stall.

Jiak Song Mee Hoon Kway at Blk 11 Telok Blangah Crescent Food Centre gained some buzz due to the MasterChef Singapore factor. Ex-contestant Aaron is known for his “neighbourhood Ah Beng” persona and always seen with a trucker cap.

By the way, Telok Blangah Crescent Food Centre is located opposite SAFRA Mount Faber, and do not confuse this with the other Telok Blangah Food Centre.

While you are there, other famous stalls in the same hawker centre include Soon Heng Fishball Noodles, Fei Lou Porridge, Uncle Lee’s Hong Kong Noodle & Rice, Su Yuan Vegetarian, Teochew Hand Made Squid Ball and Hai Kee Teochew Cha Kuay Teow (though this is opened later afternoon onwards).

Note that at Jiak Song, as every bowl is made-to-order and the line is very long, orders may take up to more than an hour’s wait. Food can also get sold out by lunch time.

I counted about slightly more than 10 customers in front of me, but I only got my food came unexpectedly slightly after an hour.

Aaron revealed that the average time needed to prepare each bowl would be about 2 minutes (dough hand-rolled upon order), but there may be a couple of customers who ‘bulk buys’ above 10 bowls.

Wait till the buzz comes down, or have a lot of patience. (Don’t buay song before you jiak song.)

There may be another reason so for its popularity: a bowl of Mee Hoon Kway in soup or dry version goes for an inexpensive $3.50.

For more liao, there is an All-in Combo with pork slices, pork ball and shrimp ball at $5.00. You can also opt for a Ban Mian option.

While the dry Mee Hoon Kway gets tossed in little sauce, it was the texture that was appealing – doughy-soft, smooth and chewy and quite unlike the typical styles.

While portion of the noodles may not be too far, it was adequately filling.

I liked the addition of pork and shrimp balls – almost Beauty in The Pot style, though would have preferred if there was a juicier bite.

The soup version was clean-tasting yet flavourful, with an obvious fragrance from the shallot oil.

With the texture of Ban Mian on the softer side, I suspect this bowl may work better when dined-there rather than da-bao.

Jiak Song Mee Hoon Kway
11 Telok Blangah Crescent Food Centre, #01-108, Singapore 090011
Opening Hours: 9am – 1pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon (or till sold out)

Other Relates Entries
10 Must-Try BAN MIAN In Singapore
10 Delicious DRY BAN MIAN In Singapore
Mian Zhuang 麵荘 (Hong Lim Food Centre)
China Whampoa Ban Mian (Whampoa)
Uncle KKM, Hai Xian Zhu Zhou 海鲜煮粥 (Bukit Panjang)

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

Here’s another good reason to visit Jewel Changi Airport.

% Arabica has opened a new outlet at this popular destination, a stone’s throw away from the iconic Rain Vortex.

The design and look should appeal to many, in that signature clean and minimalist looking, complete with white-washed furnishing.

Here are 10 things about % Arabica:

1. The Jewel outlet of % Arabica is its first-ever outlet in an airport.

2. This is % Arabica’s 4th outlet in Singapore. The other branches are at Arab Street, 313@somerset and Holland Village.

3. The store is once again designed by Tokyo-based No.10 of Nomurakougeisha, who is responsible for the look of several of the brand’s other stores.

4. Its founder and owner, Kenneth Shoji, established the brand on March 11, 2011 (He first started work for a trading company.) The brand’s mission is to grow % Arabica across unique land and cultures of the world, so that young baristas can “See The World Through Coffee”.

5. It grew further under the coffee leadership of Global Head Baristas Junichi Yamaguchi and Shu Konishi.

6. % Arabica’s very first flagship store actually started in Discovery Bay, Hong Kong in February 2013.

7. To reach a wider base, the store then moved to Higashiyama, Kyoto in February 2014 and became recognised as a coffee brand internationally. Therefore, it has always been thought as a Japanese brand.

8. It takes pride in using beans from its own coffee farm in Hawaii, and from around the world. (Kenneth also started trading green beans from around the world and became the sole-exporter of a Japanese roasting machine.)

9. The company strives to source all its beans directly from the origins. Depending on the season and availability, you can find coffees from Japan, Guatemala, Brazil, El Salvador, Ethiopia and Panama.

10. The outlet in Holland Village is the first to have a full food menu serving Beef Katsu Sando, Croque Madame, and Fedelini with Shiso Pasta.

The price of % Arabica’s drinks are generally to the higher side – Caffe Latte is priced at $7 for short, $8 for tall, while the iced version is priced at $8.

Other items include America ($6 for hot, $6.60 for iced), Spanish Latte ($7.80 for hot, $9. for iced tall), Matcha Latte ($8.60 for hot, $9.60 for iced tall).

If you like a little sweetness to your coffee, you can try the Spanish Latte ($9 for iced) which was first created by % Arabica Kuwait, and includes sweetened condensed milk. But yes, $9.

What I personally enjoy is the Iced Caffe Latte, with smooth milky feeling, aromatic coffee, and balanced robustness.

Nothing fanciful here when it comes to food, with generally 3 pastries available – the Almond Croissant ($4.20), Pain Au Chocolat ($3.50), and Croissant ($3.20).

Decent coffee, slightly pricey, but cool ambience. Expected to be crowded, so remember to maintain your social distancing.

% Arabica – Jewel Changi Airport
Jewel Changi Airport, #01-K208 78 Airport Boulevard, Singapore, 819666
Opening Hours: 10am – 8pm (Mon – Sun)

%Arabica Singapore – Arab Street
56 Arab Street Singapore 199753
Opening Hours: 8am – 6pm (Mon – Fri), 8am – 8pm (Sat – Sun)

%Arabica Singapore – 313@somerset
313 Orchard Road #01-14/15 313@somerset Singapore 238895
Opening Hours: 10am – 8pm (Mon – Sun)

%Arabica Singapore – Holland Village
44 Jalan Merah Saga #01-58 Singapore 278116
Opening hours: 8am – 6pm (Mon – Fri), 8am – 8pm (Sat – Sun)

Other Related Entries
%Arabica Singapore (Arab Street)
Homeground Coffee Roasters (Joo Chiat)
Jimmy Monkey (Paya Lebar Quarter)
Stamping Ground Coffee (Upper East Coast Road)
Little Farms Café (Valley Point)

* Written by Daniel Ang @DanielFoodDiary and Nicholas Tan @stormscape.

A concept born out of pandemic situation, Nozomi refers to “Hope” in Japanese and serves quality Japanese Claypot Rice (Donabe), Donburi & Bento Set at affordable price.

Inconspicuously located at the far end of Millenia Walk’s Nihon Food Street , this is one store which you could possibly walk by unnoticed, or even not pass by at all.

Other Japanese restaurants along the same Japanese-themed food street include Gochi-So Shokudo, Kurama Robatayaki, Chabuton, Gyu Jin Shabu Shabu, Miyako Teppanyaki & Grill, Sushi Murasaki and Saboten.

Nozomi by Yoshi replaced Uma Uma Ramen, and is situated nearer to the Pan Pacific Hotel and Marina Square side technically.

For the record, their sister restaurant Yoshi Restaurant at Forum The Shopping Mall offers Kyoto Kaiseki Fine Dining Omakase from $258 onwards.

Plus I remember Michelle Chong recommending Yoshi.

Leveraging on its former strength, Nozomi imports seasonal and quality ingredients straight from Tokyo Toyosu Market.

After which the food will be prepared “Kaiseki Ryori” style – by adopting various cooking methodologies to allow true essence of the ingredients to speak for itself.

I was particularly curious about their take on Japanese Claypot Rice, and how it would differ from the rest.

Available in Salmon & Ikura ($30) and Bamboo Shoot & Mountain Greens ($28), I went for the Sakura Ebi ($30) option.

I was slightly surprised it was served with a bowl of white rice (loaded with Sakura Ebi nevertheless) rather than an actual claypot. (By the way, I did check with the staff and they assured me that it was prepared in a claypot before serving in a bowl.)

Given its plain outlook, I honestly had some reservations.

Went for my first bite and I was pleasantly surprised.

While it did not bear mind-blowing flavours, the fluffy white rice steamed in dashi stock, savoury crispy sakura ebi and its light seasoning miraculously blended together to produce a harmonious refined flavour.

From the Donburi section, there are the familiar favourites such as Barachirashi Don ($28), Wagyu Beef Shigureni Don ($28), Ebi Tempura Don ($24) and Oyako Don ($16).

While the Pork Kakuni Don ($28) sounded promising, I thought it could do with a heartier portion and more-tender mouthfeel for greater satisfaction.

My comfort bet went to Salmon Trio & Ikura Don ($24) which came neatly plated with a trio of salmon sashimi, aburi salmon and salmon mentaiyaki. To diners who love all things salmon, this is the bowl for you.

Point to note, unlike regular sushi rice that we usually come across, their rice is prepared using red vinegar.

This gave the grains a lighter sourish note that didn’t overwhelm the accompanying fresh ingredients.

Even though not extensive, they also serve ala carte sides like Unagi Kabayaki (Half $26), Oden ($20), Nankotsu Karaage ($9) and Mentaiko Cheese Balls ($11).

I took a liking to their Pork Kakuni ($28) which they braised pork belly in their house-concocted sauce.

While it tasted rich with umami flavours, my only qualm was the pork belly which could use a little more fats to derive that melt-in-your-mouth texture.

If you have been a fan of Yoshi, you may want to try out Nozomi which has a friendlier price-point to cater to changing market demands.

At the same time, their delicate flavours and level of commitment to offer fresh seasonal produces without compromising on quality is what I would return for.

Nozomi by Yoshi
9 Raffles Boulevard #02-06, Millenia Walk, Singapore 039596
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 2:30pm, 5pm – 9:30pm (Mon – Sun)

Other Related Entries
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* Written by Lewis Tan @juicyfingers, a self-proclaimed coffee addict. Additional input by Daniel Ang @DanielFoodDiary, DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

Crank n’ Chain is the newest addition to Quayside Isle in Sentosa, located right next to the drop-off point.

That being said, getting to Quayside Isle may not seem as convenient as it is, since it is not located near the Sentosa Express monorail station unless you Grab or drive there.

Alternatively, public transport is available via Sentosa Bus B at Beach Station in Sentosa or Sentosa Cove Shuttle Bus at Harbourfront Bus Interchange.

With multiple dining destinations at Quayside Isle, what makes Crank n’ Chain different is that it is both a bicycle shop at Level 2 and a cafe and on the ground floor.

With a total of 3 tables, Crank n’ Chain focuses more on gluten-free takeaway bites such as Orange Almond Cake ($6), Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake, Salted Chocolate Cake and Banana Vanilla Bean Cake from The Whole Kitchen.

Definitely not on the cheaper side as a small slice of moist and flavourful Orange Almond Cake is priced at $6, packed with orange slices, almonds, honey, sea salt, sprinkled with black sesame seeds.

I had the Laugenbrezen ($2.90), a German-styled pretzel that is gluten-free and organic, supplied by Haubis.

I could imagine the Laugenbrezen taste better if it’s served warm, as the one I had was slightly cold and dry.

For a cup of joe, the menu offers Espresso ($4.50), Long Black (5oz $4.50/ 8oz $5.50), iced Black ($6.50), Flat White (5oz $5.50/ 8oz $6.50), Iced White ($7.50) with optional Almond Milk (additional $1).

Just a simple cup of coffee without latte art, with beans sourced and roasted from a micro-roastery in Bali, Indonesia.

My cup of Flat White Flat White (5oz $5.50) was well-balanced and not too acidic.

Crank n’ Chain serves as a meeting point for fellow bicycle enthusiasts to catch up over a cup of coffee, discussing the latest bikes and checking out the latest products on their 2nd floor.

Crank N’ Chain
31 Ocean Way, #01-22, Singapore, Singapore 098375
Opening Hours: 6.30am – 8pm (Tue – Fri, Sun), 6am – 8pm (Sat), Closed Mon

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

If you are looking at getting cakes of a different kind with a touch of nostalgia, such as Pandan Coconut Cake and Coffee Cake with Maple Glazed Walnuts, consider this new-to-market brand Flourfields.

Flourfields is an online bakery and patisserie featuring nostalgic bakes using everyday ingredients, and crafted for the next generation.

How it works is cakes are ordered online (no physical store) at www.flourfields.sg, with a flat islandwide delivery fee of $7 ($15 for specific time delivery) – all at the convenience of your fingertips.

The good news: FREE Delivery with minimum $65 spent.

It is about bakes that are familiar, non-occasional and comforting to Singaporean palette and beyond.

At the core of its brand (derived from a play on “flower fields”) lies the concepts of serenity and comfort.

Cakes are inspired more by traditions and less of fancy techniques and trends.

For its official launch, Flourfields is introducing 5 bakes as part of the brand-new Home-Baked Series.

They all come in a single size of 16 cm which is estimated to feed about 5 to 7 people. While they are generally sold as a whole cake ($47 – $49), there is the option to pick half-half of 2 flavours ($52), or quarters of 4 flavours ($57).

Made with modern twists, more premium and higher quality ingredients, these 5 cakes are inspired from wildflowers and potentially nostalgia-inducing. Here’s more:

Sweet Dandelion – Pandan Coconut Cake ($47)
Inspired by the wild flower dandelion – a symbol of gift for loved ones, Sweet Dandelion is a green and fluffy sponge cake made with pandan leaves and pure coconut milk.

It has a unique sweet-savoury frosting thanks to the added brown sugar and sea salt.

As a finishing touch, the cake is covered with lightly toasted coconut flakes and topped with a crisp dehydrated pandan sponge.

I would say this was a tad denser than chiffon, and the light coconut butter cream added a varied wet texture in the middle. Beautiful pandan-perfumed fragrance as well.

Of all the newly introduced cakes, this is my personal favourite.

Marigold Bloom – Orange Chocolate Cake ($45)
This bundt cake combines the allure of dark chocolate, the zesty flavour of fresh orange juice.

Inspired by Marigold, a symbol of beauty and warmth of the rising sun, Marigold Bloom is a soft, creamy and buttery cake radiating with a coating of dark chocolate.

A sprinkling of orange zest livens up its look and flavour.

Crimson Brambles – Raspberry Chocolate Cake ($49)
Berry-meet-chocolate in this layered sponge cake named after the raspberry ramble.

Like the rough and thorny bramble that unexpectedly yields crimson-hued raspberries, this cake reveals home-cooked raspberry compote in the centre.

Bite into a slice of Crimson Brambles Cake and taste its refreshing, slightly tangy filling in between layers of dark chocolate sponge.

Coated entirely in choco frosting, this dark chocolatey cake is extra moist thanks to the yoghurt in mixture.

Mellow Snowdrop – Banana Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting ($47)
Mellow Snowdrop takes inspiration from the legendary snowdrop flower, the courier of spring.

This two-layer banana-flavoured cake is made rich and moist with butter and cream cheese.

Of all the cakes, this tasted the most ‘old-school’ but there was a twist with the slathering of brown-sugar frosting.

Forget-Me-Not – Coffee Cake with Maple Glazed Walnuts ($49)
Highly-recommended for coffee lovers, Coffee Maple Walnut Cake is inspired by forget-me-not, a wildflower symbolising long-lasting connections.

Traditional cake ingredients blended with coffee, maple syrup, and cream cheese in an unforgettable combination.

An ideal accompaniment for coffee and tea, Forget-Me-Not’s aroma and flavour may bring back memories of childhood.

My favourite part was the crunchy walnuts glazed in sweet maple – I wished there was more.

Cakes Care Tips:
– Cakes can be stored up to 3 days for optimum quality, max 5 days for consumption.
– Do transfer the cakes to an airtight container and keep them refrigerated.
– Recommended to leave the cakes out in room temperature for at least 20 – 30 minutes before consuming.

Flourfields Gooey Centre Cookies ($15 for 2 pieces)
If large and molten-centred cookies are your thing, look out for Flourfields’ thick fist-sized cookie with crisped golden-brown outer with a soft and gooey centre.

The cookies come in seasonal flavours, and the current ones are Pecan & Walnut Cookies, or Strawberry with Lotus Biscuit Cookies.

Special promotion for DFD readers
Get 2 x Flourfields Gooey Centre Cookies with promo code “DFDGifts” with every online order from Flourfields.

Just add 1 X Pecan & Walnut and 1 X Strawberry Speculoos to cart and enter the promo code DFDGIFTS. Limited to first 200 orders.

Flourfields
Islandwide Delivery at $7 via Website: www.flourfields.sg
Facebook: www.facebook.com/flourfields.sg
– Fill up google form (Link on website) or simply DM them on Facebook or Instagram @flourfields.sg
– Only delivery; no self pick-up

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

Lobster Rolls which was once trending in Singapore when Pince and Pints and the likes opened in 2015, will probably get renewed interest when Luke’s Lobster opens by end of this month.

The Lobster Roll is said to have originated as a hot dish in Connecticut as early as 1929 (the cold version is called Lobster Salad Roll).

It became really popular in Maine during the 1970s, where lobster meat was served in butter on hot dog buns at various road stands.

Back to Singapore, here are 8 places where you can enjoy rich and buttery Lobster Rolls:

Burger & Lobster Singapore
#05-203, Jewel 78 Airport Boulevard Singapore 819663
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

There was quite a bit of buzz when Burger & Lobster opened in JEWEL Changi Airport. After all, the chain which originated in the UK chain has been “wild and live” since 2011 (and I know of those who would plan a trip to Genting to try the famed B&L roll).

The Original Roll ($40) contains lobster with Japanese mayo & lemon in a toasted brioche bun, served with fries and salad.

Diners should appreciate the contrast between the crispy and fragrantly-warm brioche bun, with the colder sweet lobster chunks.

This tasted as good as what I remembered I had in London.

With chunks of sweet and fresh lobster meat and that soft brioche, this should be one of the best Lobster Rolls you can get in Singapore.

However, I thought it may be wasted opportunity since there is already a Singapore Chilli Lobster Roll in London, yet not sold at Singapore’s outlet. Burger & Lobster Singapore (Jewel Changi Airport)

The Market Grill
208 Telok Ayer Street Singapore 068642
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 2:30pm, 6pm – 10pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun

While The Market Grill is inspired by traditional old-style butcheries and diners and is best known for its burgers and steak, celebrated dishes include its signature flown-in live Boston Lobsters and other fresh seafood offerings.

You can observe live Atlantic lobsters, specially flown in from Maine and Boston, in the 1.5 meter long live lobster tank.

The Lobster Roll ($48, $8 with salmon roe, also subject to market price fluctuations) includes whole lobster deshelled with herbed pommery mayo mounted on a toasted brioche roll. Served with salad and fries.

While this seems pricier than most other restaurants, they are using the WHOLE lobster not chopped into smaller pieces, and guests can see the lobster tail halves. I thought this was almost a perfect roll, bread beautifully crispy contrasted with tender bites of the lobster meat.

Pince & Pints
32 Duxton Road Singapore 089496
Opening Hours: 12pm – 2:30pm, 5:30pm – 11pm (Mon – Fri), 12pm – 10pm (Sat – Sun)

Homegrown Pince and Pints is known for its wild caught lobsters, directly imported from fisheries that practice sustainable fishing methods along the Atlantic Coast.

Lobster dishes you can indulge in include Live Whole Lobster grilled or steamed, Chilli Lobster with homemade tomato & chilli sauce and fried mantou, Lobster Mac & Cheese, and Lobster Thermidor.

There are three styles of Lobster Rolls here – the Classic ($58), Nonya Chillli ($58) and The Truffle Roll ($68).

The classic Lobster Roll is stuffed with chunks of sweet lobster and seasoned with a house speciality mix of condiments.

The bread roll sourced from a local traditional bakery had this buttery-fragrance, a slight crisp after being pan-fried and was still soft and fluffy. Pince and Pints (Duxton)

Burger Labo
Blk 41 Malan Road, Gillman Barracks, Singapore 109454
Tel: +65 6694 0807
Opening Hours: 6pm – 10:30pm (Tues – Sat), Closed Mon, Sun

Burger Labo serves up Lobster Rolls using American ($35) or European ($45) lobsters meat (90g of it) grilled on cast-iron griddle with unsalted butter.

The European lobsters is accordingly delicately-sweeter and more tender.

Customers also have a choice of crème fraiche or house-made shio kombu mayonnaise. To me, the house-made mayo that beautifully coated the lobster chunks was the star of the roll.

Note that it is served on a crispy toasted baguette, which would need some getting used to for those who were expecting something softer.

Served with shoestring truffle fries topped with grated parmesan cheese, which made the dish all more satisfyingly complete. BurgerLabo (Gillman Barracks)

Dancing Crab
1 HarbourFront Walk, #03-10 VivoCity, Singapore 098585
Tel: +65 6222 7377
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 3pm, 5:30pm – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

Dancing Crab has a couple of outlets – The Grandstand, Orchard Central, and Vivocity; and their lobsters are air-flown daily from Boston.

The Lobster Roll ($38) comes with fresh tender and juicy lobsters drenched in creamy choron sauce, sandwiched within lightly pan-grilled butter brioche.

Comes with Cajun fries, or top up $1 for either Truffle Fries or Sweet Potato Fries. The benefit? With two rolls, this is easier to share.

D’Good Café – Orchard
391 Orchard Road #B1-56 Takashimaya S.C., Ngee Ann City Singapore 238872
Tel: +65 6694 1411
Opening Hours: 11am – 9pm (Mon – Thurs), 10am – 10pm (Fri – Sun)

Founded by Mike Chin and established in 2012, d’Good Café takes on a whimsical and cosy feel and has two outlets – Holland Village and Ngee Ann City.

They serve up a reasonably priced D’Lobster Roll at $26.

I wished that the bread of the D’Lobster Roll could be softer and more buttery, but overall still an mouth-watering item. I topped up to change the fries into onion rings for an additional $2, and probably the best decision of the meal.

Chunky Lobsters
200 Victoria Street #B1-K10 Bugis Junction Singapore 188021
Opening Hours: 11am – 9pm (Mon – Thurs), 11am – 9:30pm (Fri – Sat)

Chunky Lobsters gained a reputation for serving inexpensive Lobster Rolls, with lobster chunks sandwiched between soft, buttered brioche buns.

The Lobster Roll priced from $16, are probably one of the most affordable you can find in Singapore.

Their items include Chunky’s Original Canadian Lobster ($16), Chunky’s Cheezy Lobster Rolls ($16), and Chunky’s Connecticut Lobster Rolls ($16). There are also newly introduced Mentaiko, Bonito and Chilli Crab Rolls ($18).

You can also top up with a bowl of Lobster Bisque at an additional $3.90.

The Chunky’s Connecticut, served with a rich coating of melted butter, comes with a side of addictive cassava chips. One may wish for sweeter and juicier lobster pieces, but I guess one cannot ask for too much for this price.

And oh, as this is served in a kiosk, finding somewhere to eat this may be cumbersome.

Luke’s Lobster Singapore
350 Orchard Road #01-K4, Shaw House, Isetan Scotts, Singapore 238868
Tel: +65 6592 7642
Opening Hours: 10am – 9pm Last Order 8:30pm (Mon – Sun)
(Opening 23 Sep, 1pm)

For fans of Luke’s Lobster from New York City, yes… The famous Lobster Roll shop will be opening in Singapore on the 23rd of September 2020 at 1pm.

The location is at the ground floor of Shaw House Isetan Scotts, next to another new-to-Singapore brand Danish pastry shop Leckerbaer.

Luke’s Maine-style lobster rolls are just ‘simple’ stuff – toasted buttered split top bun, with some mayo, lemon butter, secret spices and PURE LOBSTER.

Accordingly, each lobster roll requires 5 or 6 claws to make.

If you ask me what I really think about Luke’s Lobster, since I tried both the New York City
Omotesando, Tokyo outlets (a couple of times) – I liked the freshness and sweetness of the lobster chunks, though I wished the buns were warmer and overall more buttery. Luke’s Lobster Singapore (Orchard Road)

Other Related Entries
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10 Best Fish and Chips In Singapore
10 Affordable Bara Chirashi & Kaisendon In Singapore
9 Chilli Crab Pasta In Singapore

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

Happy Birthday R&B Tea Singapore. There is something for its fans too.

For its 3rd anniversary special, look out for promotions such as a birthday drink launch of Unicorn Dream – Cheesy Strawberry Smoothie (special price of $3 for September babies); $3 OFF specially-created R&B Tea-inspired nail stickers; and $3 Brown Sugar Boba Milk w/ Cheese Brûlée.

A summary of its brand story: R&B Tea is a tea concept founded by a Taiwanese named Bruce, who ventured into the tea business way back in 2005.

When he was working in Suzhou, China, he realised there weren’t many high-quality Taiwanese-style milk tea, and took the plunge to establish R&B Tea.

The drinks became popular as many found the feeling of comfort in them. From China, R&B Tea expanded to Singapore, Macau, Malaysia, and recently Indonesia.

This month, the brand celebrates its 3rd year of “Sharing a Cup of Happiness” with all tea lovers in Singapore.

To prepare a perfect tea blend, R&B Tea uses all-natural ingredients and quality oolong tea leaves imported from Taiwan.

Not only did they develop their own unique brown sugar recipe, they are also the only tea joint in town offering tea cream.

Explore their wide selection of drinks which includes their signature brown sugar series, fruit teas, milk teas, macchiato teas, yogi series and more. Here’s more about R&B Tea’s signature drinks:

Unicorn Dream – Cheesy Strawberry Smoothie ($5.90, $3 for Sep Babies)
Celebrate with a dreamy cup of ice-blended cheesy strawberry smoothie, launched exclusively for the month of September to celebrate R&B Tea’s 3rd birthday in Singapore.

Made creamier with fresh milk and cheese cream, this unicorn hues-inspired drink is born-ready for IG and your tummy.

The colourful heap of fruity pebbles completes the look and add a layer of crunch.

R&B Tea 3rd Birthday Bonus: September babies can enjoy the Unicorn Dream at a special price of $3 only (remember to bring a form of identification card during purchase).

Brown Sugar Boba Milk w/ Cheese Brûlée ($4.80)
A harmonious concoction of brown sugar pearls, fresh milk, cheese cream and caramelised brown sugar, this drink is an indulgent treat for its flavours and textures.

It starts with soft and chewy pearls slow-cooked in R&B Tea’s signature brown sugar.

Inside, the cup is coated with the same brown sugar syrup before pouring chilled fresh milk.

For a savoury topping, it spreads a velvety layer of cheese cream dusted with brown sugar bits. The torched sugar creates a crisp, caramelised crust.

There is no ‘correct’ way to drink this. A recommended method is to take a sip of the pearls first, to appreciate the softness and chewiness.

This is followed by sipping the cheese cream to appreciate the sweet-savoury flavours, then mix it up with the drink eventually.

R&B Tea 3rd Birthday Bonus: Never before, enjoy the Brown Sugar Boba Milk w/ Cheese Brûlée for only $3 from 19 – 21 Sep.

Roasted Oolong Macchiato Tea – Choice of Cheese or Tea Cream ($3.80 Reg, $4.50 Lrg)
As the only milk tea joint in town offering tea cream, R&B Tea offers roasted oolong tea topped with this silky tea-infused dollop of oolong tea cream.

The tea base is made from the finest oolong leaves from Dong Ding Mountain, Taiwan’s original oolong tea growing area.

Loving that fragrant aroma? That’s because of the hours of roasting-over-charcoal process that releases the leaves’ sweet smokiness.

A sprinkling of crumbled Oreos adds a playful finish.

Other than Roasted Oolong, Ceylon Red Tea and Peach Oolong, my other recommendation would be the No. 23 Oolong which is R&B Tea’s specialty tea blend of Minnan Oolong and Qing Xin Oolong grown on Taiwan’s Dong Ding Mountain.

Brown Sugar Boba Milk ($3.80 Reg, $4.50 Lrg)
Taste R&B Tea’s in-house brown sugar recipe, trend worthy for its aromatic, caramel flavour.

The pearls cooked for hours in this signature brown sugar syrup, transforms into a pile of sweet, soft, QQ chewy spheres of happiness.

Finally, chilled fresh milk is poured over to add creaminess to the cup.

Baby Luffy or Mighty Luffy ($5.80 Lrg, $6.80 XL)
As Singapore’s weather can be blazing hot especially during noontimes, you can take a break from the summer heat and refresh with this tea made with a mix of tropical fruits.

Using all-natural ingredients and fresh fruits, the hot weather-friendly Mighty Luffy is concocted with a litre (yes, ONE LITRE) of Hawaiian Red Tea with generous watermelon chunks and lime and lemon slices, infused with freshly-squeezed orange juice.

The citrus and fruity-sweet notes balance the natural taste of this full-bodied tea.

Peachy Crystal ($4.00)
Made with Peach Oolong as its base, this fruity tea drink is bejewelled with chewy crystal balls (white pearls) and sparkling tea jellies.

The natural sweetness of peaches shines through with peach puree swirled into the cup.

Devil’s Booster ($4.20)
This consists of fresh pineapple chunks and oranges, included with Peach Oolong which makes it a great ‘boost’ for the day.

All-In Milk Tea ($4.80 Lrg, $5.80 XL)
This is best for those who like to bao-ka-liao (have it all) and love to experience the different textures while having a drink.

The mega-cup is included with 4 toppings of golden pearls, pudding, aloe vera and crystal balls.

Fruit Yogi – Grape, Mango or Strawberry ($4.90)
R&B Tea’s Fruit Yogi Series come in three sweet and fruity flavours: Grape, Mango and Strawberry.

Whichever you fancy, each is an invigorating blend of fragrant tea, fruit juices, and creamy yogurt elegantly swirled together, with added chewy “crystal balls” which are like white pearls.

R&B Tea 3rd Birthday Promotions
– Unicorn Dream – Cheesy Strawberry Smoothie Birthday Drink (1 – 30 Sep)
– $3 Birthday Drink for Sep babies (1 – 30 Sep)
– $3 OFF Nail Stickers with purchase of any drink (11 Sep onwards). R&B Tea has collaborated with EMMEZING NAILS to sell 3 nail sticker designs in-store
– $3 Brown Sugar Boba Milk w/ Cheese Brûlée (19 – 21 Sep) in-store promotion

For those who love to get their glam on with your besties, get your hands on R&B Tea 3 exclusive EMMEZING NAILS special collaboration merchandise. These are R&B Tea inspired Nail Stickers which are pretty in design with top-coat inclusive material.

Enjoy $3 OFF the Nail Stickers (U.P. $13.90) with purchase of any drink. Available from 11 Sep onwards.

R&B Tea Singapore Outlets
100AM (Amara): 100 Tras Street #01-07, Singapore 079027
Buangkok Square: 991 Buangkok Link #01-27, Singapore 530991
Clementi Mall: 3155 Commonwealth Avenue West #04-K4, Singapore 129588
Eastpoint Mall: 3 Simei Street 6 #01-04 Singapore 528833
Far East Square: 135 Amoy Street #01-02 Singapore 049964 (Temporarily closed due to COVID-19)
Great World: 1 Kim Seng Promenade #B1-K104 Singapore 237994
HarbourFront Centre: 1 Maritime Square #01-K9, Singapore 099253
JEM: 50 Jurong Gateway Road #B1-15, Singapore 608549
Kinex: 11 Tanjong Katong Road #B1-30, Singapore 437157
Marina Bay Sands: 2 Bayfront Avenue #B2-50 (in Rasapura Masters), Singapore 018972
Millenia Walk: 9 Raffles Blvd #01-75/K15 Singapore 039596
Oasis Terraces: 681 Punggol Drive #B1-03, Singapore 820681
Parkway Parade: 80 Marine Parade Road #03-30A, Singapore 449269
Rivervale Plaza: Blk 118 Rivervale Drive #01-K16, Singapore 540118
Singapore Management University: 90 Stamford Road, #01-71 School of Economics & Social Sciences, Singapore 178903
Singapore Polytechnic: 500 Dover Road (Kiosk 4 Aero Hub), Singapore 139651 (Temporarily closed due to COVID-19)
SingPost Centre: 10 Eunos Road 8 #01-133, Singapore 408600
Tampines MRT: Tampines MRT #01-18, Singapore 529538
The Seletar Mall: 33 Sengkang West Avenue, #03-K3, Singapore 797653
Thomson Plaza: 301 Upper Thomson Road #01-106, Singapore 574408
Toa Payoh Hub: Blk 470 Toa Payoh Lorong 6 Level 1 Kiosk Singapore 310470
United Square: 101 Thomson Road #02-K1, Singapore 307591
VivoCity: 1 Harbourfront Walk #B2-23 (in FairPrice Xtra), Singapore 098585
White Sands: 1 Pasir Ris Central Street 3, #02-K5/K6, Singapore 518457
Wisma Atria: 435 Orchard Road #B1-02, Singapore 238877
YewTee Point: 21 Choa Chu Kang North 6 #01-49/50, Singapore 689578

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with R&B Tea.

Not many people have heard about The Corner Grill, which is a grill-house at Ann Siang Hill specialising in artisanal burgers, grilled seafood and meat.

The chef helming the kitchen is Chef Colin West, who used to work at Market Grill, Les Amis, and Huber’s Butchery.

Thus, you can expect a certain quality (and more) when it comes to the offerings.

However due to COVID-19, Ann Siang Hill may have lost some of its shine as a stretch of lively dining places and drinking holes.

When I took a look at the pricing of the menu, I thought that not every diner may be comfortable with its pricing. Especially with a restaurant with that lack of marketing, media fanfare and untested-reputation since it is new.

In terms of burgers, the ‘cheapest’ would be the Grilled Chicken Burger at $26. Get what I mean?

However, the burger offerings did sound enticing from Bleu Burger ($29), BBQ Burger ($28), Portobello Burger ($28), Fried Chicken Burger ($28), and Grilled Fished Burger ($30).

Each burger is made from Chef Colin West’s original recipe, with patty hand-formed by Chef himself. Attention is paid from the buns, condiments and homemade pickles for maximum flavour.

Each burger bun is made specially to pair with our homemade burger patties. For example, the Blue Cheese burger is served in a walnut & dried fruit bun to complement the melted Gorgonzola.

One of the recommended is the Grilled Fish Burger ($30), a pommery-marinated Patagonian toothfish with baby roma tomatoes, romaine lettuce, a dash of lemon-herbed mayo, and sandwiched between parmesan buns. Served with lemon capers potatoes and salad.

I had the Breakfast Burger ($28) as it sounded the most interesting of the lot, with pork patty and Ogleshield cheese – a beautifully rich washed-rind cheese.

A sunny side up, bacon, romaine lettuce, gherkins, German mustard and sesame bun complete the burger.

While pricey, the burger was substantial in size, plus it came with thick-cut fries and some greens.

The beauty was in that juiciness and flavours of the pork patty – maintaining that moisture all the way through.

I only thought that the sesame bun could have been a notch softer to the touch. I was indifferent to the fries, though appreciate the house-made tabasco and green chilli sauces.

Some of the other favourites from the menu are the homemade Pickled Beetroot, tender Char-grilled Octopus Salad ($23), Garlic Butter Frog Legs ($28), Crispy Pigs’ Ears ($16) and Seafood Bisque Sheng Mian ($30).

I am keen to try out more from here, but my friends may probably need some convincing due to the price-point.

The Corner Grill
1 Ann Siang Hill, Singapore 069784 (Chinatown MRT Exit A)
Tel: +65 6223 3188
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 2:30pm, 6pm – 10pm (Tue – Sat), Closed Mon, Sun

Other Related Entries
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Burger+ (Wisma Atria)
Three Buns Quayside (Robertson Quay)
Five Guys Singapore (Plaza Singapura)
BurgerLabo (Gillman Barracks)

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

As the world continues to experience the impact of the COVID-19, the F&B industry is most affected with fewer people dining out.

As social distancing becomes the new norm, some restaurant operators continue to serve its diners while adapting to the change.

You can do your share during these trying times by supporting the restaurants you have always loved – by practicing off-peak dining.

With less diners and more space, there is minimal human contact. Waiting time is reduced, and service becomes more personalised. Each bite will help support these F&B businesses, which continue to struggle through these challenging times.

Take advantage of ChopeDeals and save up to 50% when you dine during off-peak timings at these restaurants, which include Blu Kouzina, Chatterbox, Saveur (Purvis), Folklore, Nassim Hill Bakery Bistro Bar, Chicken Up (Tanjong Pagar, Buangkok), Full of Luck Restaurant, Wine & Chef, Ippudo (Guoco Tower) and more.

Here are 10 restaurants you can enjoy Off-Peak Dining Deals in Singapore:

Sum Dim Sum
161 Jalan Besar Singapore 208876
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 12am (Mon – Sun)

Sum Dim Sum 心点心 is a relatively new dim sum eatery at the bustling Jalan Besar stretch, but it has been getting quite a bit of traction due to its variety of items and comfortable environment with tiffany-blue accents.

The menu is extensive, ranging from steamed dim sum items, to pan-fried, baked, deep-fried, rice, noodles, porridge to desserts.

Chef’s recommendations include the Classic Siew Mai topped with wolfberry ($4.50), Pan-Fried Carrot Cake ($4.50), Shanghai Xiao Long Bao ($5.50), Golden Custard Bun ($4.50), Beef Noodle ($7.80), Crispy Prawn Rice Roll with deep-fried prawn sticks wrapped within smooth rice noodle sheets aka cheong fun.

The one eye-catching dim sum item is the newly introduced Tiffany Blue Har Gow, a plump prawn dumpling with blue-skin which gets its colour naturally from butterfly pea flowers.

Go for the Pandan Crispy Char Siew Bun
The Pandan Crispy Char Siew Bun is the signature of Sum Dim Sum ($6) of crispy pandan exterior dish filled with moist honey pork char siew. You would notice the light green colour and delicate aroma of pandan as you take a bite, which sets this apart from the average versions.

ChopeDeals: Save with 30% OFF $30 or $50 Cash Voucher

Swee Choon Tim Sum Restaurant
183-191 Jalan Besar Singapore 208882
Opening Hours: 11am – 2:30pm, 6pm – 2am (Mon, Wed – Fri)
10am – 3pm, 6pm – 3am (Sat), 10am – 3pm, 6pm – 2am (Sun)

Swee Choon needs little introduction for dim sum lovers, established since 1962 and popular for its wallet-friendly prices.

A reason is due to its extensive menu of Hong Kong, Shanghai dim sum, and even zi char dishes.

If you do not know what to choose, its best-selling items include Siew Mai with generous filling of ground pork and shrimp; Har Kow with fresh shrimps encased in thin skin; Sichuan Chilli Oil Wanton soused in spicy mix of chilli oil and vinegar; and Salted Egg Yolk Custard Bun with golden salted egg yolk lava centre.

Go for the Swee Choon Mee-Suah Kueh
This Swee Choon exclusive is developed by second-generation owner Joyce Ting, the founder’s eldest daughter. While wheat vermicelli is often used in soups or stir-fries, the mee suah appears in a pan-fried kueh form.

The mee suah is first stir-fried with preserved sausages, chicken, char siew, chilled in a mould for it to set, then fried again. This results in a crispy exterior, with the inside soft and flavourful.

ChopeDeals: Save with 10% OFF $50 or $100 Cash Voucher ChopeDeals
Book a seat here: Swee Choon Tim Sum Restaurant

Mouth Restaurant
38 Maxwell Road #01-01 Air View Building Singapore 069116
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm (Mon – Fri), 10am – 4pm, 6pm – 10pm (Sat – Sun)

Mouth Restaurant at Maxwell Road had humble beginnings as a teahouse serving up handcrafted dim sum and Cantonese dishes,.

Diners can get a wide range of choices of Chinese dishes from Roasted Suckling Pig, Peking Duck, Black Char Siew, Phoenix Soon Hock Fish, to Chilli & Black Pepper Crab.

For some dim-sum during the off-peak hours, recommended choices are the Rainbow Har Gao, Squid Ink Char Siew Bao and Liu Sha Bao with baked crust.

Go for the Baked Liu Sha Bao
While most restaurants are popular for their Steamed Custard Buns, the ones served at Mouth Restaurant are baked. First savour the crispy exterior; then bite into it for the creamy liquid-gold fillings with grainy bits of the salty egg.

ChopeDeals: Save with 30% OFF $50 or $100 Cash Voucher
Book a seat here: Mouth Restaurant

Yàn
1 St. Andrew’s Road #05-02 National Gallery Singapore, Singapore 178957
Off-Peak Timing: 1:30pm – 2:30pm, 8:30pm – 10:30pm (Mon – Fri)
1:30pm – 2:30pm, 8:30pm – 10:30pm (Sat – Sun)

Take this time to discover Yan and its impressive spectrum of Cantonese dishes helmed by Head Chef Ng Sen Tio.

Other than specially designed set menus, try the Chef’s Signature Creations of Crispy Roast Suckling Pig served 3 ways – crispy skin, carved shoulder, and oven-baked fillet with lemongrass.

If you are craving for seafood, order the Bi Feng Tang Crab and have it deep-fried with fragrant garlic, black beans and chili. The Fried Live Prawn with Crispy Noodle Ball is also recommended.

Not sure what to order on the dim sum menu?

The Steamed Prawns Bamboo Charcoal Dumplings with Black Garlic, packed with rich umami flavours is a chef’s recommendation. Juicy, naturally-sweet prawns are rolled in a charcoal bamboo skin, and the black garlic adds an interesting element to this far-from-ordinary dumpling.

Go for the Golden Pumpkin Broth with Seafood and Chicken Paste Beancurd
More importantly, boost your nutrition with a comforting Golden Pumpkin Broth with Seafood and Chicken Paste Beancurd.

This healthy soup combines steamed Golden pumpkin purée with a blend of pork and chicken consommé. Complement its creaminess with the silkiness of the steamed beancurd, made in-house from a paste of scallops, prawn, and chicken.

ChopeDeals: Save with 30% OFF $50 or $100 Cash Voucher
Book a seat here: Yàn

Uncle Leong Seafood – Anchorpoint
368 Alexandra Road Anchorpoint Shopping Centre Singapore 159952
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 2:30pm, 5pm – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

First founded in a neighbourhood coffeeshop in Ang Mo Kio, Uncle Leong Seafood has expanded and that includes a full-fledged seafood restaurant at Anchorpoint.

The family-style concept is known for its Shimmering Sand Crab, Salted Egg Crab, Hong Kong Style Typhoon Shelter Crab, Claypot Crab Bee Hoon Soup, Golden Pumpkin Prawns, and Salted Egg Prawns.

For other zi char style dishes, recommended signatures are the Gold Coast Prawn in a spiced mix of golden, crispy topping; and Guinness Pork Ribs boasting caramelised flavour from the distinctive beer.

Go for the Claypot Crab Bee Hoon Soup
Its Claypot Crab Bee Hoon Soup (seasonal price) contains broth which is simmered for hours, flavourful and sweet with natural goodness from the crustaceans.

ChopeDeals: Save with 30% OFF $50, $100 or $200 Cash Voucher
Book a seat here: Book a seat here: Uncle Leong Seafood (Anchor Point)

Chug Chug
114 Tanjong Pagar Road Singapore 088529
Opening Hours: 5:30pm – 10:30pm (Mon – Sun)

Chug Chug at Tanjong Pagar offers you a selection of Chinese-Western fusion foods in a homey atmosphere.

Discover their selection of signature dishes like Fiery Mala Pasta ($18), made with spaghetti and Szechuan mala spices, mushrooms, baby corn, crab stick and pork; and Scallop Mentaiko Pasta ($20) with USA scallops.

If you are a fan of burgers, opt for the filling Chug’s Wasabi Prime Beef Burger ($18.90) with USA prime beef patty, or Chug’s Buttermilk Chicken Burger ($18) in a brioche bun cradling a fried buttermilk chicken thigh, dressed with pepper jack sweet coleslaw and curry cream aioli. Enjoy with accompanying crispy fries.

Try their new finger food Chug’s Style Sambal Stingray ($18), featuring their in-house sambal and served with fried onion fritters.

Go for the King Prawn Chug’s Tom Yum Pasta
The best-selling is the King Prawn Chug’s Tom Yum Pasta ($20), prepared with linguine in a tom yum cream sauce with XL King prawns, squid, and fried Sakura shrimps.

I thought that balance of rich-creaminess and the tanginess-slight-spiciness is managed just right. Plus, this was a rather saucy version so the pasta didn’t clump up even when left there for a while.

ChopeDeals: Save with 30% OFF $50 or $100 Cash Voucher
Book a seat here: Chug Chug (Tanjong Pagar)

Burger+ – Wisma Atria
435 Orchard Rd Wisma Atria #01-37/38 Singapore 238877
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

Burger+ – Clarke Quay Central
6 Eu Tong Sen Street #01-07 Clarke Quay Central Singapore 059817
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

Burger+ got you covered with more than 10 different burgers with juicy, premium US-imported beef patties.

Chef’s recommended burgers include the classic Cheeseburger, the decadent Truffle Burger, and Korean Bulgogi Burger with sizzled in special Bulgogi glaze, and topped with caramelised onions and double-dose mayo.

As for the Korean Fried Chicken, they are available in Mix Parts, Drumsticks, or Wingettes & Drumettes – using chicken that is always fresh, never frozen.

The all-time favourite is the Honey Chicken glazed with the candy sweet honey sauce; while the Yangnyeom Chicken would be sticky-sweet and just slightly-spicy.

Go for the Egg Toast Beef Bulgogi
This is a new introduction from Burger+ available from 8am till 5pm – good for those heading down during off-peak period.

What was appealing was the fluffy brioche that was pan-grilled till they are slightly crisp on the outside; contrasting with the fillings of fresh minced beef, fragrant fried onions pan-fried with signature bulgogi sauce

The highlight to some would be the runny yolk atop, which you can break apart and let it ooze down to the meat fillings. Warning: it can get slightly messy.

ChopeDeals: Save with 30% OFF $20 or $40 Cash Voucher (Burger+ Wisma Atria)
ChopeDeals: Save with 30% OFF $20 or $40 Cash Voucher (Burger+ Clarke Quay)

Brotzeit (Multiple outlets)
Including Vivocity (#01-149), Katong (126 East Coast Road), Westgate (#01-04), and Raffles City (#01-17)

When it comes to German cuisine, Brotzeit is a popular choice among diners who want authentic Bavarian food & drink. They’re crafted from the best ingredients, and everything is 100% German imports.

It is hard to miss the various types of wursts in the menu, like the Currywurst, a pork curry sausage served with chili-curry sauce and potato wedges; and Huhnerwurst, a spicy chicken sausage with potato salad and sauerkraut.

Among the melange of sausages, try the Bauernwurst or Farmer’s Sausage, a flavourful pork sausage with a coarse texture for a meaty bite. Served with roasted potatoes and braised red cabbage, you can have this as a complete meal in itself.

Make it a truly German meal with what else but beer. Pick from Brotzeit’s impressive line-up of beer cocktails and draft beers to complement your dish.

Go for the Crispy Oven-Roasted Pork Knuckle
Must-try here is the signature dish Schweinshaxn aka Crispy Oven-Roasted Pork Knuckle. It is prepared using pork hind shank marinated for 24 hours in premium draught beer and massaged with a proprietary spice mix.

Oven-roasted until the skin is crispy crackling but the meat still juicy, the pork is accompanied with traditional sides, sauerkraut and potato salad.

ChopeDeals: Save with 25% OFF $50 Cash Voucher
Book a seat here: Brotzeit (Katong)
Brotzeit (Raffles City)
Brotzeit (VivoCity)
Brotzeit (Westgate)

SMÖÖbar
44A Prinsep Street Singapore 188674
Opening Hours: 11am – 10:30pm (Mon – Sun)

SMÖÖbar is a stylish cafe that emphasises food and fun, located along Prinsep Street.

Love mentaiko? Then you will be lost for choices with offerings of Mentaiko Fries, Mentaiko Chicken Mantou, and Mentaiko Seafood Pizza – with chunks of prawns, squids, cheddar and mozzarella placed atop a mentaiko crust base.

Mentaiko fans can just go for the large Mentaiko Platter which consists of SMÖÖbar’s specialty mentaiko dishes.

Go for the Bakwa Carbonara
For something unique, the Bakwa Carbonara blends together spaghetti and cream sauce, along with strips of bak kwa which adds a sweet-salty touch.

ChopeDeals: Save with 50% OFF $40 Cash Voucher
Book a seat here: SMÖÖbar (Prinsep Street)

Niku Katsumata 肉勝又
47 Duxton Road, Singapore 089511
Opening Hours: 12pm – 2pm, 5:30pm – 11pm (Mon – Fri), 5:30pm – 11pm (Sat – Sun)

Niku Katsumata is the go-to Japanese restaurant for Japanese yakiniku – experience grilled quality beef that is both juicy and tender.

As the beef used is premium, minimal garnishing or seasoning is required so that diners can savour the original flavours and juices of the meat.

Do you know that the beef is also grilled on a crystal plate?

By using the crystal plate, heat is kept low and evenly spread out. This retains the natural flavours of the meats and keeps them tender at the same time

Go for the Wagyu Yakiniki, Donburi and Sashimi
Diners can go for the satisfying 7-dishes Katsumata Course ($98) starting with Simmered Wagyu Beef Tendon and Assorted Homemade Kimchi and Marinated Vegetables; also included with three types of premium meat for Yakiniku – Assorted A4 Wagyu Beef, Kurobuta Pork Loin, and A4 Wagyu Beef Fillet.

If not, there is also an ala carte selection of Katsumata Premium A4 Wagyu Donburi ($48); and wagyu sashimi items such as Wagyu Tartare ($22), Wagyu Sushi with Sea urchin and Ikura ($20), and Kagoshima Wagyu Beef Sashimi ($22).

ChopeDeals: Save with up to 30% OFF $50 or $100 Cash Voucher
Book a seat here: Niku Katsumata 肉勝又

Here’s how you can enjoy massive savings with ChopeDeals in 4 simple steps:
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I made a random trip to Golden Mile Food Centre (or Beach Road Hawker Centre) some time back for Chung Cheng Chilli Mee and Zhao An Granny Grass Jelly, and couldn’t help noticing YouFu Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle along the same row.

The line wasn’t very long. And so I ordered a plate, noticed that the hawker was very young, even thought it was a decently-good plate even worthy of comparison with Hainan Hokkien Mee downstairs.

Funny how the ‘power’ of social media works, and this Hokkien Mee stall has been appearing on my feed frequently of late. Maybe because I am always searching for Hokkien Mee any way.

YouFu Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle is manned by 21-year old Andre and his father.

Andre started learning how to fry the noodles during his teenage years, when his dad was helping out at Changi Village Fried Hokkien Mee at Toa Payoh Lor 8 Food Centre.

The boyish hawker also maintains an IG account called @cookingwith_andre and it seems like noodles are his most frequently presented dishes. He also hopes to get a “Michelin Star” one day.

The Hokkien Mee comes in four pricings – $4, $5; while the $6 and $8 portions are served on orh peh leaf.

The style is closer to the dry side with slight stickiness, and so customers may just relate this to the other dry Hokkien Mee downstairs.

Andre described the texture as “carbonara” style, which is just in between wet and ry.

I am opened to both, and loved how the strands of noodles ‘captured’ the distinct essence of the prawn stock. As though you get that rich seafood flavour every mouthful you take.

Though I would think some may find this a notch salty overall.

Portion is considered generous with crispy pork lard, and you would find good wok-hei within.

Some famous Hokkien Mee in Singapore may be considered ‘over-rated’ but I think You Fu does have that ‘magic’.

While I think this is a 7 or 7.5 out of a 10, it is heartening to know that Andre takes in constructive feedback and seeks to improve every time.

So I am looking forward to trying this again say months down the road.

However, I hope that I don’t sound like a wet blanket here but I do have my concerns.

Not sure if you remember some of the viral stalls by young hawkers at Golden Mile Food Centre which includes YaLoh Herbal Roast Duck, Three Good Guys with Salted Egg Xiang Guo (think they moved to Kim Tian?), Vegetarian Dry Ban Mian by Sudouku, Illuwa Korean Food and more.

They all enjoyed positive reviews, a string of customers, but there is a part of me wondering, “Where did they go?”

There are a lot of Hokkien Mee fans rooting behind Andre and his dad, and I am definitely one of them.

YouFu Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle
505 Beach Road, Golden Mile Food Centre #01-57, Singapore 199583
Tel: +65 9825 7449
Opening Hours: 10am – 8:30pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

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10 Must-Try Food Stalls at Golden Mile Food Centre
Chung Cheng Chilli Mee (Golden Mile Food Centre)
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Tiong Bahru Yi Sheng Fried Hokkien Mee (ABC Food Centre)

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

Looks like donuts are getting some fanfare in Singapore of late, with the opening of shops such as City Donut at Telok Ayer Arts Club, Korio at Far East Square, and Haritts Donuts at Havelock Road.

There are also online donut retail shops such as Sourbombe Artisanal Bakery and Burnt Ends Bakery.

Just a stone’s throw away from Common Man Stan, LUNA Patisserie and NOA Singapore, this newest kid on the stretch City Donut seems to be getting attention so much so that their donuts are often sold out.

Unlike most donuts-specialty kiosks in Singapore, City Donut has a seating capacity of 40 pax and retain some of the layouts from the previous Telok Ayers Arts Club – which has an art gallery space.

The menu focuses only on donuts, with local flavours ranging from Original ($1.30), Coffee ($1.80), Pandan Kaya ($2.20), Pulut Hitam ($2.20), Milo Dinosaur ($2.20), Wholemeal Yogurt ($2.20), Pandan Ondeh Ondeh ($2.80), Orh Nee ($2.50) to Citrus Yuzu ($2.50).

Each donut is about the size of a palm.

As some flavours are more popular than the others, not all flavours are available at my time of visit.

Their bestseller is the Pandan Ondeh Ondeh Donut ($2.80) that is not in the usual shape of a ring donut.

Instead, palm sugar or gula melaka is mixed with grated coconut to fill up the core of the Pandan Ondeh Ondeh Donut before sprinkling more desiccated coconut on the surface.

The green pandan infused ball-shaped donut was soft, fluffy and fragrant even though I personally felt that the Pandan Ondeh Onden Donut had a texture more similar to a bun.

While sounding carb-rich, my favourite happened to be the Orh Nee Donut ($2.50), generously piped with smooth and fragrant yam paste.

The yam paste was not as sweet, and complemented the soft and fluffy texture.

For those who prefer a light and refreshing treat, the Citrus Yuzu donut ($2.50) comes with a sugar coating to balance with the sour punch from the citrus fruit.

The sweet treat has lemon infused, which explains those strong tangy-citrus notes.

So instead of a drink, our local Milo Dinosaur now comes in the form of a donut, piped with milo cream and dusted with more milo powder.

Apart from the fillings being infused with different flavours, the various flavours are also incorporated within the donut buns to make it more flavourful.

City Donut
2 McCallum Street, Singapore 069043
Opening Hours: 8am – 5pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun

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

Not to be confused with Dim Sum Haus at Jalan Besar, Dim Sum House is a relatively new store at Yio Chu Kang Road.

The humble-looking eatery serves items reasonably priced around the $4 to $5 range.

Of course ’affordable’ dim sum is subjective as there are always other places such as Kuai San Dian Xin 块三点心.

That same ulu stretch of Yio Chu Kang Road seems to be bustling with activities.

If you need your coffee and cakes, relatively recent café additions include Urban Table, Amber Ember and Two Bakery – all within a short walking distance.

The location used to be occupied by another Chinese eatery, which unfortunately did not survive the low footfall of this area.

Let’s have better faith for Dim Sum House.

What caught my attention were the adorable animal buns which usually require effort to craft.

While the names are not clearly stated on the menu, there is the “Porcupine” Red Bean Paste Bun ($4.50) and “Chick” Lotus Paste Bun ($4.50).

Though the yellow-chick bao appearance may remind some of Crystal Jade’s version.

“Aiyo, why so cute.” (Took me awhile to ‘play’ around with it and snapped tons of photos before I reluctantly popped it into my mouth.)

The buns were steamed soft and fluffy, generously stuffed with red bean or lotus paste filing.

I liked that their paste filling was not so cloyingly sweet, which made it very much enjoyable.

There was also the Deep-Fried Dumplings with Mushroom ($4), molded into the shape of a carrot then embedded with a stem of coriander leaf.

Plus points for the presentation and creativity.

It had a chewy sweet rice cake exterior, filled with savoury mushroom bits.

While their menu is not that extensive, you can still find regular dim sum suspects such as Siew Mai ($4.50), Har Kau ($4.50), Pan-fried Carrot Cake ($4.50), BBQ Pork Cheong Fun ($4.80), Century Egg Congee ($4.80) and Lotus Leaf Glutinous Rice ($4.50).

I would say most of them tasted quite decent and above average, with most hits and minor misses.

Worthy of mention would be the Pan-fried Shredded Yam with Golden Pumpkin ($4).

I liked how they sandwiched soft pumpkin fillings using firm yam layer for the differential in bite texture, before being pan-fried till golden brown for the crispy exterior.

Their Shanghai Xiao Long Bao ($8.80) was also memorable, with thin dumpling skin encasing marinated minced pork swimming in a pool of “zhup” (gravy). *Slurps*

I found their premises quite small for a dim sum place; it has only space for 4 tables on upper storey and 3 more on the ground floor.

So be warned of the waiting time due to limited capacity.

They do offer reservations on weekday, but strictly for walk-ins on weekends and public holiday.

Dim Sum House
1G Yio Chu Kang Road, Singapore 545513
Tel: +65 8328 3369
Opening Hours: 11am – 2pm, 6pm – 10pm (Mon – Thurs), 10am – 2pm, 6pm – 10pm (Fri – Sun)

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

If you are adventurous in food, the variety of dishes at Noosh Noodle Bar & Grill located at Esplanade Mall may delight you.

Here they offer an amalgam of cuisines, with some unique Halal fusion dishes to tease your taste buds.

You can relax and unwind in its cosy ambiance as you choose your craving for the day. After that, can lepak one corner near the Esplanade with a view of Marina Bay Sands.

First things first, their menu is extensive and there is a likelihood you may not know what to choose at first glance.

There are various sections from starters, salads, soups, fusion specialties, noodles, to desserts.

You don’t get any of the ‘normal’ noodles here, as the offerings range from Spicy Beef Ramyeon, Szechuan Beef Ribs Noodles, Niboshi Ramen with Sliced Beef, Soft Shell Crab Spaghettini, Noosh Style Char Kuay Teow, Creamy Tuscan Salmon, Tortellini Pasta, Laksam Kelantan, to Beef Carbonara with Truffle.

Get what I mean? With plenty of choices, how about some Noosh Dry Sambal Udon or Balinese Crispy Ayam Satay Pasta?

The Noosh Dry Sambal Udon was actually not too bad, with thick udon noodles tossed in rich and decadent sambal sauce, added with tenderly sliced beef.

While udon noodles are generally paired with soup, I think that as long as you come with the mindset “I am game to try anything” and you shall be okay.

You can go Korean and have some Baked Cheese Ddeoboki. Or maybe you’re in the mood for Japanese-inspired Clam Vongole Udon?

What I would recommend is the Jjajangmyeon Noodle ($22.90) – which is not quite like the typical Korean style. Actually, there are not many similarities at all.

This dish takes stir-fried noodles tossed in a sweet bean paste sauce, and pairs them with striploin steak on a sizzling hot plate (Get your cameras ready).

Served with steamed seasoned veggies and fried egg.

If you are expecting “Korean”, you would be disappointed. But if you are in for some hot, comforting hot-plate noodles, the sweet-savoury style may interest you.

Feel like indulging in seafood? They have Noosh Lobster Thermidor ($44.90, good for 2), a full 400-500g lobster baked with the melty goodness of cheese.

Steak lovers can try Noosh’ signature Noosh Dome Filet Mignon Surf And Turf ($38.90).

Featuring a premium cut tenderloin, this steak is served on a creamy bed of potato salad. Flanking the turf is a surf of grilled tiger prawns, plus grilled asparagus. As a finale, it is served with brown mushroom sauce drizzled with béarnaise.

I generally thought that their noodle dishes fared better than the Western fusion fare – which to me was either closer to the standard fare, or that some fusion components did not seem to work.

You can end off with a dessert of Ondeh Ondeh Cake – too much on the sweet side for me, but still fluffy and moist.

ChopeDeals: $25.50 for $30 cash voucher; $51 for $60 cash voucher

Noosh Noodle Bar & Grill
8 Raffles Avenue #01-13B, Esplanade Mall, Singapore 039802
Opening Hours: 12pm – 10pm (Mon – Sun)
Book a seat here: Noosh Noodle Bar & Grill

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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. This was written after a tasting for ChopeDeals.

River Valley which is an area popular with the expat community, has been bustling with cafes of late such as Little Farms Café, Grace Espresso, Kura, and Starter Lab which is a short walk away at Havelock Road.

While much has been written about cafes at nearby Tiong Bahru, I thought of compiling a cafe guide listing coffee places from Valley Point, Great World to UE Square – all in the River Valley area.

Note: There are also Common Man Coffee Roasters, Grounded by CMCR and PS. Cafe along Martin Road, which is also a short walk away.

LR Boulangerie
491 River Valley Road, Valley Point #01-02, Singapore 248371
Opening Hours: 9am – 5:30pm (Mon – Sun)

Under-The-Radar Bakery Cafe With Crispy Croissants
For those craving for some fresh bakes of Buttery Croissants, Baguettes and Basque Burnt Cheesecake, you will be thrilled to know that there is a new and unknown (for now) French bakery LR Boulangerie at Valley Point (right next to Little Farms Café).

Besides serving their own coffee beans that are roasted in-house by Coffee Plus, LR Boulangerie offers a selection of bakes, mainly French-style breads and pastries, including cute and Instagram-worthy ones.

Sweet treats include Burnt Cheesecake ($12.80), Tiramisu ($9.80), New York Cheese Cake ($7.80) and Croque ($4.20) piped with vanilla custard, though they rotate depending on the time of the day.

It is worthy to wait for their freshly-baked Croissants, who would probably be snapped out not long after they are out from the oven.

Compared to some others which are generally either fluffy or dense, these were light and crisp, of buttery layers and remarkably flaky texture. (However, online reviews seem to be fairly mixed, though I did have good ones after two anonymous visits.)

Little Farms Café
491 River Valley Road, Valley Point #01-25, Singapore 248371
Tel: +65 6262 0619
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 8pm (Mon – Sun)

Wholesome Brunch Place With Fresh Produce
Little Farms has gained a little reputation since opening in 2016, known to offer fresh produce, meats, seafood, dairy, and groceries, source directly from suppliers in Australia and Europe.

It has recently expanded with a café and brunch concept at Valley Point, replacing where Greenwood Fish Market used to occupy.

The brand has typically been associated with fresh, wholesome and nutritious foods.

Ingredients are sourced directly from their suppliers over Australia and Europe, supposedly arriving within 2 days from the market floors to the shelves of their store.

Their breakfast and brunch items is available from 7:30am (considered quite early in Singapore’s context) to 3pm, offering Gluten-Free Crumpets, Bacon & Egg Roll ($14), Eggs Benedict ($22), Buttermilk Pancakes ($18), to Buttermilk Pancakes ($18).

I had the Smashed Avocado on Toast ($17), feeling a slight pinch in terms of price, though I must say that the mashed avocado was more creamy and luxurious than most of the average avo-toasts around. Little Farms Café (Valley Point)

Thong Aik Coffee
78 Indus Road #01-495 Singapore 161078 (15 min walk from Tiong Bahru MRT Station)
Tel: +65 8901 7155
Opening Hours: 8am – 8pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun, PH

Nanyang Coffee & Authentic Thai Cuisine In One Café
People do not head over to Indus Road for food on an ordinary day, though it is of walking distance to Valley Point and Beo Crescent Food Centre.

Thong Aik Coffee is considered a well-hidden find within this older estate near River Valley Road Bukit Ho Swee.

Thong Aik serves up Nanyang coffee in the morning, and Thai food from lunch (11am) to dinner as it is a collaboration with Ying Thai (not to be confused with Yhingthai Palace Restaurant).

Starting with the morning offering from 8am to 11am, there are items of Lu Rou Fan aka Braised Pork Rice Bowl ($3.90), Century Egg Porridge ($2.90), and Green Bean Soup with Gula Melaka ($2).

Moving ahead to Lunch, you can expect something totally different with Basil Minced Pork Rice ($6), Thai Fried Rice ($5.50), Tang Hoon with Pork or Chicken ($5.50), Green Curry Chicken with Rice ($6), Pineapple Fried Rice Chicken ($5.50), Phad Thai ($7) and Tom Yum Fried Rice ($5.50).

I was initially quite surprised at the quality of the Green Curry when I first tried – rich and deliciously creamy, not losing out on the heat factor.

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

Hidden Cafe With Good Coffee, Opens From 7:30AM
This hidden café along River Valley is done up simply with medium-blue walls, with most of the customers seated outside on the wooden bench.

The tables are ‘tree logs’ and I enjoyed its easy-going vibes.

While there is no air-con, I still think it is a rather comfortable space to watch the world go by.

The menu is quite rather lean, Loaded Avo Toast ($12), Crunchy Peanut Butter Banana Toast ($8), Grace Benedict ($12), Turkey Bacon Avo Melt ($12) and Roast Beef & Portobello Mushrooms Sandwich ($14).

For Pescatarians (people who eat fish but not meat), available is a Big Breakfast ($15.50) with smoked salmon, portobello mushrooms, scrambled eggs, cherry tomatoes on sourdough.

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)

Mavrx Coffee Bar
1 Kim Seng Promenade, #01-129 Great World Office Lobby, Singapore 237994
Opening Hours: 8am – 5:30pm (Mon – Fri), 8am – 4:30pm (Sat – Sun)

Hipster Coffee Place Moved From Duxton To Great World Office Tower
First and foremost, “Mavrx” is pronounced as “Mavericks”, just in case.

As the owners believe the best ideas are brewed over a great cup of coffee, the name is a celebration of “mavericks” – individuals doing things from works of originality, creativity, to experimentation.

The menu has been expanded to include a selection of coffee, aromatic teas, and special lattes such as Genmaicha and a Seven spice chai.

Mavrx Coffee Bar serves up cups of Espresso ($3.50), Flat White ($5), Latte ($5), Cappuccino ($5), Mocha ($5.50), and the not-so-common Genmaicha Latte ($5.50) and Yuzu Cooler ($5.50).

It also offers options of House Blend and Single Origin – a Kenya Rianjagi with blackcurrent, lemonade sweetness, and juicy finish.

The MAVRX house blend is a medium roasted coffee blend using the Allpress Espresso Blend made from 4 origins- Brazil, Sumatra, Colombia & Guatemala, with primary flavours of caramel and cocoa and clean, crisp apple acidity. Mavrx Coffee Bar (Great World)

The Dark Gallery – Great World
Great World #01-117/118, 1 Kim Seng Promenade, Singapore 237994
Tel: +65 6235 4582
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

Dark Chocolate Heaven With All-Day High Tea, Dessert Dégustation And Brunch
Salon by The Dark Gallery is an expansion on the brand’s philosophy, and the new concept combines dedicated dine-in salon, café, retail.

What’s welcomed is that there is spacious dining space for a relaxing day out, a takeaway counter and sit-down cafe area for a quick coffee or ice cream, and retail section for Ice Cream Cakes, Single Origin Chocolate Tablets, Bonbons and Macarons.

Also included is a new dine-in menu crafted by Brand Chef Kimberly Tan, with exclusive plated desserts and savoury dishes – after customers have requested for more brunch food.

The French Toast ($18 for ala carte order, $39 as part of Dessert Dégustation Set) is served a la mode with a scoop of sea salt butterscotch-flavoured ice cream.

The freshly baked brioche is fluffy and slightly custardy, paired with a medley of fresh fruits to balance out the richness. The Dark Gallery (Great World)

Plentyfull Bakery & Deli – Great World
1 Kim Seng Promenade #B1-K119, Great World, Singapore 237994
Tel: +65 6721 9952
Opening Hours: 9am – 8pm (Mon – Sun)

Freshly Baked Breads And Brunch At Great World
Plentyfull Bakery & Deli has a more casual, sunnier vibe and different menu (compared to the Millenia Walk outlet which has now closed) .

Other than fresh baked breads and cakes, bright salads, hearty hot mains like the Westside braised meatballs, customers can look forward to a Bubur Ayam dish first launched at this outlet.

At Plentyfull, food items are made from scratch whenever possible, preservative-free and sourced from farmers and artisans locally and internationally.

The menu includes offerings such as Plentyfull’s OG Avocado Toast ($13.90, +5 for Norwegian smoked salmon, +2 for sous-vide organic eggs), Plentyfull’s Wagyu Burger ($18.90), Grilled Cheese Toastie ($10.90), Westside Braised Meatball Spaghetti ($17.90), Truffle Cheese Fries ($11.90), Hand Stacked Potato Tots ($11.90), Sourdough Prawn Toast ($14.90), Oma’s Bubur Ayam ($12.90) and Bacon & Kimchi Fried Rice ($16.90).

KURA Singapore
46 Kim Yam Road, The Herencia #01-07 Singapore 239351
Tel: +65 9722 2996
Opening Hours: 11am – 6pm (Mon – Sun)

Well-Hidden Cake Café With Pretty & Delicious Black Forest Tart
Kura is a patisserie-café found at The Herencia, a commercial development located at Kim Yam Road (near River Valley Road), where Nan Chiau High School used to be situated at.

KURA 蔵 in Japanese stands for a “storehouse”, a place where the owners would ‘store’ treasured pastries for customers.

Some of their signature offerings include the Key Lime Tart ($4, $7.5), Earl Grey Tart ($8), Dark Black Forest ($8.50), Uji Triple Matcha Tart ($4.60, $8.50), Kopi Gao Tiramisu ($8), Hojicha Tiramisu ($8) and even a Mango Pomelo Tart ($9).

The Dark Black Forest ($6.50) which is a contemporary twist on nostalgic flavours comes recommended.

While it didn’t look like a black forest cake at all, it kept its ‘cherried’ essence within, and I enjoyed the soft chocolatey mousse-like texture. Kura (Kim Yam Road)

Dutch Colony Coffee Co. – UE Square
UE Square #01-21, 81 Clemenceau Avenue, Singapore 239917
Tel: +65 6904 4522
Opening Hours: 8am – 6pm (Mon – Sun)

Coffee Bar With Breakfast, Toasts And Cakes At UE Square
Not many may know that Dutch Colony Coffee Co. which has a popular outlet at Frankel Avenue, has another at UE Square (just adjacent to River Valley Road).

The coffee selection includes a rotating selection of single origins – Finca La Loma (Colombia), Yirgacheffe Aricha (Ethiopia) and Fazenda Santa Clara (Brazil).

If not, an Espresso ($3.50) or Latte ($5.00) made from the signature “Dutch Blends” which has tasting notes of milk chocolate and strawberries (on white) should be a good choice.

In terms of food, there are breakfast items of Granola Bowl ($9.80), Ham & Cheese Croissant ($8.50), Guacamole & Egg Toast ($10), and Toast with Butter & Jam ($4).

Or get a Tex Mex Beef Wrap ($8.50), Thai Chicken Wrap ($8.50), Beef Pastrami Sandwich ($9.50), Smoked Salmon Sandwich ($9.50) or Baked Beef Pie ($9.50). Dutch Colony Coffee Co. (UE Square)

Fine Dining Bakery
207 River Valley Road, 01-59 UE Square, Singapore 238275
Opening Hours: 9am – 3pm (Mon, Thurs – Sun), Closed Tues, Wed

French-Trained Baker with Quality European-style Breads
You would find many Japanese expats and ladies hanging around the café, and find that some of the recommended breads are quickly snapped up.

The head baker Chef Maekochi’s or “Akira” used to work at La Boutique de Joël Robuchon in Roppongi, Joël Robuchon at Resorts World Sentosa, and béni Singapore. That’s why the name of “fine dining bakery” due to his experience.

The bakery café specialises in handcrafted breads using Hokkaido flours, and baked throughout the day in small quantities so that the goods stay fresh.

Its signature is the Shokupan White Bread – deliciously soft and fluffy that may just transport you to Japan. You would also find the bread used for sandwiches such as the Fluffy Egg Salad Sandwich ($8.50).

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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.

Dalgona Coffee is known as the “Quarantine Drink” during the Covid-19 outbreak as we see this viral drink trending on various social media platforms.

In fact, the original “Dalgona” or “Ppopgi” in Korean actually refers to the honeycomb-like, crunchy toffee street snack that is popular in South Korea in the 1970s.

This preparation method and recipe of Dalgona Coffee was first created in 2004 at Hon Kee Cafe in Macau.

It is also known as 400 Times Coffee (because it is whipped 400 times), popularised by South Koreans after it was featured on one of their TV shows.

Even though Dalgona Coffee is created by whipping equal volumes of instant coffee powder, sugar, and hot water and does not contain the original “Dalgona”, it has a similar taste profile as the toffee snack and hence the name.

Specialising in Korean Dalgona Coffee, O’Brew Culture has a small seating area with 3 tables and is located on the 2nd storey of Tampines 1 (beside The Alley).

Service is swift and prompt considering that it is solely managed by a single staff from taking orders to drinks preparation.

(As the friendly Korean barista has hearing impairment, simply smile and point to the items on the menu to make your orders.)

Their menu focuses on artisanal coffee with the usual selection such as Espresso ($3), Long Black ($4) and White ($5), and interesting options such as Rose/ Vanilla/ Hazelnut Coffee ($5.50), Rose Chocolate ($6), Vanilla Pistachio ($5.50) and Dalgona ($5.90).

Iced versions are available at an additional $1.

Instead of the usual Dalgona Coffee ($5.90), interesting flavours include Matcha, Chocolate and Rose Milk, topped with the traditional Dalgona snack.

The Dalgona snack is first created by mixing sugar and baking soda until it becomes brown and crunchy before breaking it into smaller pieces as a topping here.

I ordered both the Dalgona Matcha ($5.90) and Dalgona Rose Milk ($5.90) that come in pretty shades of green and pink respectively.

Sprinkled with Dalgona pieces on top, the Dalgona Matcha was the preferred drink, adding some malted, caramelised sweetness to the underly bitter matcha drink, prepared using Uji Matcha powder.

The floral-scented Dalgona Rose Milk, on the other hand tasted like a Korean version of our local Bandung, which is a little on the sweeter side.

Desserts such as Butter Croissant ($3.90), Chocolate Danish ($3.90), Brownies ($6.90) and Cakes ($6.90 – $7.90) are also available.

Low carb and flourless? I was sold.

The Low-carb, flourless Japanese-style Cheesecake ($6.90) is made using cream, cheese, grated cheese, unsalted butter, eggs, pink salt, lemon juice and vanilla extract.

The guilt-free dessert was light and fluffy like most Japanese desserts, with a tinge of citrus-ness from the lemon.

It complemented well with the more flavourful Dalgona drinks on their menu.

Give the original Dalgona Coffee a try, who knows you might prefer this to the one you had been preparing at home all these while?

O’Brew Culture
Tampines 1, 10 Tampines Central 1, #02-K2, Singapore 529536
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

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

Other than Xin Tekka Food Hall, one other space to look out for at the revamped (and somewhat quiet) Tekka Place is TRYna Café.

“TRYna” located on the 2nd storey of the mall does appear to be an unconventional name, which implies “trying to”.

It was set up by three friends who conceptualised the idea, gathered the funds, designed and built the set-up all within 10 days.

10 days.

Interesting point to note that all of their furniture was designed and made from scratch by Alexis Interior Pte Ltd, specifically for this cafe.

It was meant for a pop-up concept, therefore the light wood furniture can be easily dismantled and transported.

In terms of food and drinks, they partner with various local start-ups such as bakeries and cold brew businesses. (On a side note, I really hoped the owners did some proper calculations on food costing, profit margins and such.)

Desserts available on a rotational basis include Matcha Crepe Cake ($8), Baileys Crepe Cake ($8), Lychee Rose Cheesecake ($7.50) and various Tartlets ($6.50) in flavours of dark chocolate, matcha, mango, lemon meringue, classic fruits and cheese brulee.

The cakes are supplied from Taira Pastry, the pastry arm of 7th Heaven KTV and Café at Tampines.

The Lychee Rose Cheesecake ($7.50) came expectedly with a delicate floral fragrance, and people may like the contrast between the pink-jelly top contrasted with the richer cheesecake bottom – somewhat like Jelly Hearts.

I much preferred the 8-cm Mango Tartlet ($6.50), which had light creamy custard topped with fresh mango arranged to look like petals on a flower.

They managed to get the sweetness just right, though I wished that the tart base was more buttery and less dry – perhaps storage issues.

There is also a selection of cold brew coffees and tea supplied by Candour Coffee and Made Cold, with choices from Earl Grey Latte, Matcha Latte, Peach Oolong, Lychee Oolong, Japanese Sencha, Ruby Tuesday, Hojicha and Black Coffee.

To value-add the experience, TRYna Cafe offers free paint and canvas set-up for customers with minimum spending of $20 to paint (with an air purifying paint) and unleash their artistic talents at the space.

Whether a café that ‘gathers’ from various suppliers will work out or not, let’s not comment about for now. I think we got to give some credit to three young people for wanting to try it out, and hopefully gain some valuable working and life experiences.

TRYna Cafe
Tekka Place, 2 Serangoon Road, #02-36/37, Singapore 218227 (Rochor MRT Station Exit B)
Opening Hours: 11.30am – 7pm (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.

The Korean spicy noodle soup dish of Jjamppong 짬뽕 seems to be gaining popularity in Singapore.

Served in a spicy seafood or pork broth usually flavoured with gochutgaru chilli powder, you would typically find Jjamppong in Korean-Chinese restaurants.

Known for “Junghwa Yori” 中華料理, other signature dishes include Jajangmyeon and Tangsuyuk.

Some history: The dish is derived from the Shandong-style of “chao ma mian”, while its name comes from “chanpon” – a Japanese Chinese noodle dish.

Other than Korean-Chinese restaurants serving Jjamppong in Singapore, there is also a Jjamppong specialty eatery Nipong Naepong at JEM and 313@somerset.

Here are 12 places to get your Jjamppong Fix in Singapore:

Hwang Sil Korean-Chinese Restaurant
38 Maxwell Road, Singapore 069116
Tel: +65 6224 4371
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 2:30pm, 5:30pm – 11pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun

Hwang Sil is considered one of the few authentic Korean-Chinese restaurant in Singapore.

They serve up two portions of Jjam Bong, in $14 and big $17 version. Also available is the Samseon Jjamppong ($18, $21) which indicates the addition of three different types of seafood including prawns and squid.

Many Korean vouch for the authenticity of this place, and it is common to find it packed with Koreans.

The Jjamppong noodles are handmade with a deliciously soft and chewy texture; and what seals the deal for me was it rich and robust soup with depth of flavour. Easily one of the tastiest you can find on this island.

Nipong Naepong
JEM #01-16, 50 Jurong Gateway Road, Singapore 608549 (Jurong East MRT)
Tel: +65 6262 4078
Opening Hours: 11am – 9:30pm (Sun – Thurs), 11am – 10pm (Fri – Sat)
https://www.facebook.com/NipongNaepongSingapore
Another outlet at 313@somerset

Nipong Naepong which loosely translates to “your ppong, my ppong”, is Singapore’s first “ppong” specialty restaurant.

Classic Jjamppong, Vongole Jjamppong, Alfredo-Jjamppong, Thai Jjamppong, Tomato Jjamppong, and even Salad Jjamppong… you get this dish transformed in 9 different renditions inspired by flavours from around the world.

Their Cha Ppong is the Classic Jjamppong noodles, a bowl which came loaded with fried cabbage, mussels, squid, prawn, and quail eggs.

There are two levels of spiciness you can choose from. I went for the Level 1, and liked that there was already this fiery kick in the piping hot broth, yet not over.

The soup was actually quite addictive, of richly flavoured seafood broth, balanced with the sweetness of the broth.

Cooked in high heat, it imparted some wok-hei and drinking the deep-spicy soup could result in some tissue-worth of head sweat. Quite shiok, I must say. Nipong Naepong (JEM)

Twins Korean Restaurant
7 Craig Rd Singapore 089667 (Tanjong Pagar MRT)
Tel: +65 6221 5205
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 3pm, 5pm – 11pm (Tues – Sat), 5pm – 11pm (Sun), Closed Mon

Twins Korean Restaurant’s Jjambbong Soup ($28) is served almost like an Army Stew, in a pot on fire so that the soup stays warm throughout.

The soup was cooked in stock for rich flavour, with subtle seafood-y sweetness.

It was also pleasantly spicy and not sharp, and most Singaporeans should be able to take.

Ingredients were first fried in wok-fire before the soup was added, adding that light smokiness and char. Possibly my favourite soup base among all those tried.

Or you can have the Woojae’s Spicy Seafood Crab Noodle Soup ($13.90 for lunch, $16.90 for dinner).

This is named after one of the twins, and the creation also represents his pride and joy. At $13.90 with so much seafood (plus crab claws), this makes a delicious value-for-money lunch. Twins Restaurant (Craig Road)

Goobne Chicken
1 Kim Seng Promenade, #01-115, Great World City, Singapore 237994
Tel: +65 8879 5898
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

Goobne Chicken 굽네치킨 is one of the most popular oven-roasted chicken brand in Korea, and has opened in Singapore at the revamped Great World.

Worthy of mention is the Seafood Jjamppong Noodles ($14) that comes in a red hot soup base. That packs in all the spiciness.

This was not toned down at all the first time I tried it, and possible one of the shiok Jjamppong I had in Singapore.

Hong Jjajang 홍짜장
Tel: +65 6909 5171
93 Tanjong Pagar Road Singapore 088514
Opening Hours: 12pm – 11pm (Mon – Sun)

Hong Jjajang 홍짜장 which signature dishes include Jajangmyeon is located at 93 Tanjong Pagar (next to Hokkaido Izakaya).

To make things easier, I ordered a Jajangmyun, Jjamppong and Tangsuyuk set ($42) at Hong Jjajang. Considering the portion, this is considered value for its money (Plus there was free steamed egg during opening specials.)

The Jjamppong was my favourite, because the soup base was fiery hot and addictive, brimming with flavours of seafood.

On a scale on 1 to 10, I would say it was around 6-7 in terms of spiciness. Not enough for you to break out in big sweat, but sufficient for you to feel the kick and reach for more water. Hong Jjajang 홍짜장 (Tanjong Pagar Road)

O.BBa Jjajang
77 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 088484
Opening Hours: 11.30am – 3am, 5pm – 10:30pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

Apart from the Jjajangmyeon, the Jjamppong is another top favourite dish in this Chinese-Korean restaurant.

The seafood is first fried with the vegetables before putting everything into the soup with the noodles.

The Jjamppong paled in comparison to the Jjajangmyeon ($12) as the soup was a tad watered down, unable to bring out the freshness of the seafood. O.BBa Jjajang (Tanjong Pagar Road)

Dong Fang Hong Restaurant
92 Telok Ayer Street #01-01, Far East Square, Singapore 048472
Tel: +65 6327 9036
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 3pm, 5:30pm – 10pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun

Dong Fang Hong is quite a well-known Korean-Chinese restaurant in Singapore.

There are two styles of Jjamppong here – the Traditional ($13) included with more cabbage, and Seafood Jjamppong ($15) with pieces of squid, prawns and pork.

The portion of the Jjamppong is quite huge (carb heavy) and has a rustic meets traditional taste. The base soup was flavourful and not too spicy at all, and could be better with more warmth and richness.

Ajumma’s
2 Handy Rd, B1-23 Cathay Branch, Singapore 229233
Tel: +65 9780 3772
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 9:30pm
Another outlet at Funan.

Ajumma’s Jjamppong ($17.90) has a smoky aroma because the vegetables, seafood and aromatics are tossed into a hot wok before being simmered in a thick broth.

Even though I did a takeaway, I could feel that wok-hei within.

In addition to squid and mussels, they use flower crabs and prawn which contribute to a toasty seafood aroma to the broth.

This is accompanied with fresh hand-made noodles and finished with roasted sesame oil. Note: huge portion too.

Mukjja Korean Chinese Restaurant
275 Thomson Road, #01-07, Singapore 307645
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 2:30pm, 4:30pm – 9:30pm (Mon, Wed – Sun), Closed Tues

The original owners of Tae Woo Restaurant (used to be from Clarke Quay Central) are back in action and have set up Mukjja Korean Chinese Restaurant at Novena.

From their noodles menu, some of the familiar items including Jajangmyeon ($11), Jjamppong ($14), Seafood Udon Soup ($18) and Spicy Oyster Noodle Soup ($20) make a return.

I remembered every time opting for their Jjamjameyon ($19), which comes with half black bean paste noodles and half spicy seafood noodle soup.

Their Jjamppong while not as memorable, was still generally decent. Though I felt that the spicy seafood soup could use a little more depth in flavour. MukJja (Novena)

Joah Korean Restaurant
One Raffles Place #03-21/22, Singapore 048616
Tel: +65 6438 6484
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 3:30pm (Mon – Sat), 5:30pm – 9pm (Mon – Fri), Closed Sun

Customers at Joah Korean Restaurant can experience traditional Korean food with classic flavours cooked in the most authentic way.

Taste popular Korean fare such as DakGalbi, Korean BBQ, Army Stew, Korean Pancakes, and Ginseng Chicken Soup.

To add more variety in its customers’ choice, it also offers Chinese dishes made Korean-style, such as JjaJangMyeon or Black Soybean Sauce Noodles ($13), JjamPong or Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup ($17), Lemon TangSuYuk ($15); and other Korean dishes of Claypot Beef Bulgogi with Glass Noodles ($15), and Marinated Chicken with/without Cheese ($21/$19).

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* Compiled by Daniel Ang @DanielFoodDiary, Nicholas Tan @stormscape and Lewis Tan @juicyfingers .

The rainy weather these days make me crave for Sundubu Jjigae 순두부찌개 or Korean Soft Tofu Stew so much.

The popular Korean dish consist of soft tofu submerged in a deep-red spicy stew in a hot-piping bowl with ingredients such as seafood, sometimes meat, mushrooms, onions, and vegetables.

A raw egg can be put in the jjigae just before serving, to be cooked by the hot temperature of the vigorously-bubbling stew.

Accordingly, the dish gained even more popularity back in Korea after Hee-sook Lee’s successful chain BCD Tofu House which first opened in Los Angeles.

Nobody wrote a listicle on Sundubu Jjigae in Singapore yet, so here are 10 you can go for:

SBCD Korean Tofu House
Guoco Tower #B1-01/02, 7 Wallich Street, Singapore 078884
Te: +65 6386 6441
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 3pm, 5pm – 10pm (Mon – Fri), 11:30am – 10pm (Sat – Sun)

Known for its traditional Korean stewed tofu or Soontofu, SBCD Korean Tofu House offers a bevy of wholesome dishes and an organic tofu centric-menu.

As the brand’s flagship in Singapore, it is the first Korean restaurant on the island specialising in Soontofu.

While many other Korean restaurants serve Soontofu as part of an extensive menu, SBCD specialises in just that. I respect the amount of resources and effort taken to make the tofu fresh in-house daily, from using some of the best beans.

Hand-made fresh daily in the morning, SBCD tofu uses mature white soybeans specially imported from Paju, South Korea.

Fun fact: Due to its proximity to Korea’s Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), Paju produces the freshest-tasting produce due to the untouched nature.

The broth is made using a 10-ingredient secret recipe, put to boil, then left to set for a couple of days to bring out the full flavours of the ingredients without having to add artificial flavouring.

Choices include Original Beef ($21.90), Original Pork ($21.90), Seafood ($21.90), Oyster ($21.90), Abalone ($29.90), Intestines ($21.90), Dumpling ($21.90), Fishcake ($21.90) and a non-spicy sesame ($19.90).

The Assorted ($21.90) is one of the best sellers, which provide a variety of ingredients of beef, clams, crab, shrimp, and squid.

O.BBa BBQ Tanjong Pagar
63 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 088484
Tel: +65 6222 0840
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 4pm, 5pm – 11:30pm (Mon, Wed – Sun), Closed Tues

While O.BBa BBQ is known for its selection of Korean BBQ dishes, do have a go at its Sundubu Jjigae if you manage to get a seat here (because very popular and long wait).

The Sundubu Jjigae ($13) is prepared completely in-house using the head chef’s secret recipe (no off the shelf sauces). The ingredients are also freshly prepared daily for the day’s order.

The stock used to make the soup base was flavourful, as it uses quite a variety of seafood from prawns to squid.

I found the bowl chockful of ingredients, base rich and robust, just mildly spicy, with that alluring seafood sweetness.

Plus, it arrived sizzling hot, and remained quite warm throughout.

Bonus: All six banchan I had were delicious in their own right.

Hansang Korean Family Restaurant
10 Sinaran Drive, #03-33 Novena Square 2, Singapore 307506
Tel: +65 6397 6752
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

There are many Korean dishes served at Hansang, but one of their defining dishes is the Sundubu Jjigae ($18.80).

The stew of soft tofu is comforting and nutritious-tasting, and has good reasons why it is so popular here.

The recipe has been passed down generations, and what makes it different is the home-made tofu that is made fresh weekly using one of the best types of beans specially imported from Korea.

I found that the silken tofu had that curd-creamy and melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Versions available include Kimchi, Pork & Cheese, Spicy Pork, Spicy Seafood, and a Non-Spicy Seafood Sunbudu. Plus this comes with stone pot rice, a daily fish, and banchan. (Though I wished that the banchan was present before the food rather than together, as we waited quite a long while for any food to come.)

Tokyo Sundubu – Raffles City
252 North Bridge Road, #B1-16 Raffles City Singapore 179103 (City Hall MRT)
Tel: +65 6252 2425
Opening Hours: 11am – 9pm (Mon – Sun)

Tokyo Sundubu – Suntec City
3 Temasek Boulevard, #03-312, Suntec City Mall Tower 1, Eat At Seven, Singapore 038983 (Promenade MRT)
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 2:30pm, 5:30pm – 9:30pm (Mon – Sun)

Before you go “These are Korean stews in a Japanese restaurant?” feeling immaterially confused, Tokyo Sundubu is a chain from Japan opened at Suntec’s City Eat At Seven.

There are more than 20 Sundubu types offered here, from Japanese Oyster, 5-Vege, Kimchi, Seafood, Asari Clam, Kuro-Buta, Miso Butter, Cheese to Curry. Each Sundubu bowl comes with ingredients of house-made Tofu, Egg, Spring Onions, Asari Clam,

The price ranges from $15 to $30, which is complemented with a bowl of rice and namuru (vegetable side dish).

Three bases are available, of which the Japanese Miso and Salt & Ginger are spicy.

For a start, I would recommend a Level 2 “Japan Standard” of spiciness. This goes up to Level 4 of “Extra Spicy”.

I got a Health and Beauty Sundubu Level 3 “Singapore Standard” with a miso base. This comes with extra pieces of chicken and a glob of “collagen” which you mix in while sizzling hot.

Anyway, the gochujang and miso base probably covered up the collagen taste, but the house-made tofu which contained soy milk was incredibly tasty and smooth. This was the highlight of the entire bowl.

Compared to a usual jjigae which could have that one-dimensional taste at times, this Sundubu had many layers, and felt more comforting and heartening. Even a friend who usually refrain from gochujang-added dishes, gave this a thumbs up.

The spiciness was also more subtle instead of straight-on-fiery, such that the natural tastes of the ingredients still managed to shine through.

Daebak Korean Restaurant
8 Wilkie Road, Wilkie Edge #01-18, Singapore 228095
Opening Hours: 10am – 9pm (Mon – Sat), 11am – 9pm (Sun)

The one thing that will catch your attention at Daebak Korean Restaurant is that their Spicy Seafood Tofu Soup is priced affordably at $8.

The broth is made up of 26 over ingredients including garlic, ginger, chilli and more. Accordingly, the special recipe formulated helps them bring out the more traditional Korean taste.

Even at its pricing, there are quite a number of seafood and vegetables within including prawns, cuttlefish, mushrooms, complete with tofu, egg and glass noodles.

Compared to other Sundubu which I felt are generally richer, this has a cleaner taste and not so thick in terms of the base. So depends on what styles you like. Yi-yeol-chi-yeol!”

Three Meals A Day
12 Chun Tin Road, Singapore 599599
Tel: +65 6463 2346
Opening Hours: 12pm – 3:30pm, 6pm – 10:30pm (Tues – Sat), 12:30pm – 3:30pm, 6pm – 9:30pm (Sun), Closed Mon

Three Meals A Day is a popular Korean reality cooking show, and also the name of an under-the-radar Korean restaurant at Chun Tin Road (5 minutes’ walk from Beauty World).

The Korean family restaurant may not have much social media presence, but was almost full-house during a weekday dinner. The customer base looked like Korean business people after work, and families who stay in the Bukit Timah vicinity.

The Sundubu Jjigae ($10) arrived piping hot, filled with ingredients of tofu, seafood, vegetables and egg.

There is something particularly comforting and ‘home-style’ in terms of the presentation and taste.

You may find the texture to be on the light side, somewhat closer to soup rather than a thick stew, nothing too fanciful or heavy, but still slurp-worthy tasty.

Bigmama Korean Restaurant
2 Kim Tian Road, Singapore 169244
Tel: +65 6270 7704
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 3pm, 5:30pm – 10:30pm

Former tutor and caretaker, Ji-young Nam Gung nick-named as “Big Mama” (looks like “Cooking Mama” in the Nintendo game), has set up a homely Korean eatery at Tiong Bahru after cooking for Korean students in Singapore for years.

Her Korean dishes are in between authentic and creative, because half are inspired by her own mama’s recipes while others have been fine tuned to suit Singaporean taste-buds.

The interesting thing about Bigmama’s Sundubu is that it comes in a “simple” size ($15) and Jeongol Hotpot style ($35) which is good for 2-3 diners to share.

The seafood soft bean curd soup with rice came with prawns (with shells) and had a pleasant seafood sweetness.

This spicy food is for 1 person. And we have #Sundubu Jeongol also which is for 2-3 people to share.

While I wished that the tofu could have been more silky, this was a belly-warming version, just right in terms of spiciness.

Seorae Korean Charcoal BBQ
Plaza Singapura #02-01 68 Orchard Road Singapore 238839
Tel: +65 9181 2709
Opening Hours: 11.30am – 10pm Last Order 9.30pm (Sun – Thu), 11.30am – 11pm Last Order 10.30pm (Fri, Sat, Eve of PH)

This vibrant and colourful Sundubu Jjigae aka Spicy Tofu Stew with Clams and Minced Pork ($14.90) from Seorae is served in a traditional Korean ddukbaegi (hot pot) and filled to the brim.

The star of this stew is the sundubu (silken tofu) that’s velvety soft on the tongue.

It is accompanied with other ingredients like clams and minced pork, plus some enoki mushrooms and an egg yolk to make it hearty and flavourful.

The clams give it a sweet, briny flavour that balances out the gochujang (fermented paprika paste) added to the stew.

Kimchi Korean Restaurant
Suntec City Convention Tower, 3 Temasek Boulavard #02-387, Singapore 038983
Tel: +65 6337 7811
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

‘There are four types of Soft Tofu Soup available at Kimchi Korean Restaurant – Haemul (assorted seafood), Daeji Gogi (pork), Dak Gogi (chicken) and Basirak (clam).

Kimchi’s version of Daeji Gogi Sundubu Jjigae ($14.90) comes with seafood-based broth, soft tofu, pork collar, vegetables and egg, served with rice.

Between all the stews, I actually liked this best. Perhaps because the taste was cleaner, with not that much going on.

The portion’s good for individual, suitable for ordering if you are dining alone or in a small group.

Hongdae Oppa
68 Orchard Road, Plaza Singapura, #B2, 47, Singapore 238839
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10pm (Sun – Thurs), 11:30am – 11pm (Fri – Sat)

For those craving for a hearty Sundubu Jiggae ($13.90), then the Tofu Clam at Hongdae Oppa should appeal – a soft tofu stew cooked with minced pork, onions, zucchini, enoki mushrooms, clams and egg.

The other popular favourite is the comforting stew of Pork Kimchi, made hearty with pork belly, soft slices of tofu, shredded white onions, fresh enoki mushrooms, and the iconic Korean cabbage kimchi.

Non-spice lovers can order the Beef Bean Paste Jjigae instead, included with US beef shortplate which is soft and tender.

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