My café hopping friends and I are compiling a list of new cafes in Singapore, and were startled at the sheer number of new openings just this year alone. Here are 20 recent ones, and there are very very new.

For those planning to be café owners, 3 quick tips for you: Have a strong different theme to stand out from the local competition, and keep the theme running from the menu, décor to all finer details. Eggs ben alone isn’t going to save you. Not anymore.

The first two months are very crucial. This is when the media, bloggers and cafe hoppers would come searching for you. A foul-up and the name may be swept under the carpet. Be at least 90% ready even before you open. (I went to a new café and its ‘barista’ wasn’t sure how to prepare coffee. Would you go back again?)

Build your café identity early in the game. Never never never save on marketing. A facebook page alone doesn’t count. But at least there is something. If you start inviting the media 6 months after you are in the business, even though you still think it’s very new, chances of them featuring you prominently is close to nil.

While most of my posts are targeted at readers, here is my part of giving you – new café owners, the publicity that you may need. Presenting 20 new cafes in Singapore…

The Cafes Rise In The EAST

Coast & Company
54 Siglap Drive Singapore 456176, Tel: +65 64487608
Opening Hours: 9am – 7pm (Tues-Thurs), 9am – 10pm (Fri-Sun)

This is bicycle shop, workshop, and café rolled into one – a collaboration between Coast Cycles and Papa Palheta. Coffee will remind you of Chye Seng Huat’s. Local celebrity chef Willin Low acts as food consultant, offering creations such as Beef Rendang Hotdog ($14), Almond Peanut Butter Toast ($7) and Green Curry Stew ($15).

NOM Bistro & Bakery – No Other Meaning
Macpherson Community Club Level 1 – 400 Paya Lebar Way, Singapore 379131
Tel: +65 67373839
Opening Hours: 11:00 am – 11:00 pm

NOM is most known for their rainbow cake ($7.90). It is one of the prettiest and most photogenic around, coming with outer layers of chocolate, oreo or salted caramel. The sponge is moist and soft, probably better than half of the rainbow cakes out there. Very sweet. (NOM No Other Meaning)

Carvers & Co
43 East Coast Road Singapore 428764, Tel: +65 6348 0448
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm

A new bistro at Katong featuring meat dishes, sandwiches and craft coffee. Food is quite substantial here, from Chicken liver with red wine reduction, 63 degree egg and brioche to Bacon and Thyme roasted turkey.

Comestivel Desserts
55 Siglap Road, Siglap Centre, B1-11/12, Tel: +65 98596214

If cakes are your thing, Comestivel (it means ‘edible’) does it differently – with strawberry balsamic basil and lychee rose scented Pavolova Rolls (already sound so good), peanut butter jelly cheesecakes, and kinder pies. The thing is, many of their signatures come in very limited quantity, so it is first come first serve.

Craftsmen Speciality Coffee
2 First Street Siglap V, #01-01 Singapore 258278
Opening Hours: 8:30am – 8pm Daily

The retail arm of Dutch Colony Coffee Co, this café at Siglap V specialises in different types of brewing method from V-60, Chemex to Siphon.

Percolate
136 Bedok North Avenue 3, #01-152B Singapore 46013, Tel: +65 82590316
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 9:30am (Mon), 10:30am – 9:30pm (Wed-Fri), 9:00am-9:30pm (Sat-Sun)

Percolate feels like an honest, unpretentious, cosy café, and certainly sets to bring more life to the Bedok neighbourhood. Try their Red Velvet Cake, that does not taste artificial, and interestingly taste fruity and feels slightly wet. (Read: Percolate)

Journey To The WEST

Miss Molly’s
2 Craig Road, Singapore 089662 (Tanjong Pagar MRT), Tel: +65 62222671
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 11:00pm

Miss Molly’s at Tanjong Pagar puts a twists on favourite Singapore food classics, with home-styl Western cuisines and local favoured sandwiches. Expect “Har Jiong Gai Sandwich”, “Sambal Belachan Shrimp Pasta” and “Kiam Chye Aglio Olio”.

Two Loaves
46-3 Commonwealth Drive #01-388 Singapore 140463 (former Tanglin Halt 10 Storey), Tel: +65 92311400
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 8:30pm (Tues-Sat), 12:30pm-8:30pm (Sun), Closed Mon

More known for their cakes and pastries than coffee, this bakery café offers fresh loaf cakes, cheese cake, lava cakes, brownies, cookies and cinnamon rolls.

Curbside Cafe & Wine Bar
21 Biopolis Drive, Nucleos, #01-21 Singapore 138567 (15 min walk from Buona Vista MRT)
Tel: +65 81811805
Opening Hours: 8am – 10pm Daily

Curbside Cafe & Wine Bar joins in the One-North neighbourhood which makes this ‘ulu’ research and development district kind of cool. Their Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownie ($8) was awesome, the type of dessert that can single-handledly define a café and make people return for more. (Read: Curbside Café & Winebar)

Envy Coffee
1 Fusionopolis Link, #01-04, Nexus@one-north, Singapore 138542 (5min walk from One North MRT), Tel: +65 67104005
Opening Hours: 7.30am to 6pm (Mon-Fri, closed weekends & PH)

For those seeking a respite away from office, Envy Coffee provides free WiFi and a few power points. Try their Smoked Duck Miso Spaghetti ($12.90 nett), handcrafted coffee and their signature mocktail Cloudy Twist series ($3.50 – $6.50 nett).

Brew Maison
383 Bukit Timah Road #01-98, Alocassia Apartments, Singapore 259727
Opening Hours: 7am – 10pm (Mon-Fri), 8am – 10pm (Sat-Sun)

This café, located opposite Singapore Chinese Girls Schools (teachers, parents know where to go for your caffeine) said to be inspired by both Japanese and Korean cafes, therefore the cutesy kawaii 3D animals (or Disney characters) on their drinks. Mix and match your rice, pasta, wraps and breads with different meats and sauces.

Three Hands Coffee
17 Binjai Park Singapore 589825
Opening Hours: 9am – 5pm

Three Hands Coffee work on a joint-sharing arrangement with Taberna Wine Academy. The café opens from 9am till 5pm, while the wine company takes over after. The other meaning for Three Hands – it means one hand for coffee, one hand for pastries and one hand for wine. Oh, there are 3 owners. (Read: Three Hands Coffee)

The Café Hotspots Arab Street and Jalan Besar

7th Cylinder
1 Jalan Pisang #01-01 Singapore 199069 (Just next to Haji Lane, 10 min walk from Bugis MRT), Tel: +65 6299 5681
Opening Hours: 12:00 pm – 9:00 pm (Sun, Mon, Wed & Thurs), 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm (Fri & Sat), Closed Tues

7th Cylinder is all about – food, coffee and motorcycles! The cafe aims to provide a welcoming space for both bikers and café-goers. Their specialties include a Class 2A breakfast ($15.90) and Red Velvet Drink. Who says familiar red velvet can’t be a drink?

Rouse
36 Dunlop Street Singapore 209364, Tel: +65 62922642
Opening Hours: 11am-9pm (Mon, Wed-Thurs), 11am-11pm (Fri-Sat), 10am-7pm (Sun), Closed Tues

Housed in a tall, dark grey three-storey shophouse, and one of the hottest new cafes at Jalan Besar, this has all the qualities of ‘hipster café’ ticked – industrial look, converted from electrical shop, cakes (from faithiscakes) and coffee (beans from Dutch Colony) and brunch items such as Beef Wrapped Asparagus on pumpkin mash with poached egg. Food is also halal.

Abite
46 Owen Road #01-277 Singapore 210046. (Farrer Park MRT Exit D)
Opening hours: 12pm – 8pm (Tues-Thurs), 12pm-11pm (Fri-Sat), Closed Mon

aBite specialises in customised celebration cakes, home made whole cakes and tarts at affordable prices. Their signatures include Tofu Cheese Cake ($4.90/slice), Carrot Cake ($5.80/slice), Chocolate Cake ($5.50/slice) & Earl Grey Loaf ($3.50/slice).

Flee Away
70 Dunlop Street Singapore 209398 (Little India MRT), Tel: +65 63417843
Opening Hours: 11am to 9pm (Tues to Thurs ), 11am to 11pm (Fri-Sat), 10am-5pm (Sun), Closed Mon

Flee Away is both a café and ‘flee market’ shop. You can rent box displays to sell merchandises, and customers can shop around with a mini flee mart. Other than coffee, food consist of local traditional bites with a twist such as Beef Hash Pie Tee and “Le Char Kuey” Baguette.

Way Up North

Shrove Tuesday
Blk 94 Toa Payoh Lor 4 #01-32 Singapore 310094 Tel: 62582254
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Sun-Thurs), 10am – 11pm (Fri-Sat)

There was Creamier, and now there is Shrove Tuesday at Toa Payoh. Waffle lovers will know where to head. Shrove Tuesday offer handcrafted gelatos, pastries, frozen desserts, and their signature waffles are the light and crispy kind. Coffee beans are organic and air flown from Italy.

Sunday Market
22 Lim Tua Tow Road Singapore 547772 (Btw Kovan station & Serangoon station. Take bus 136 to Lim Tua Tow Road if alight at Kovan station. Talk a 8 mins walk to Lim Tua Tow road if alight at Serangoon station.) Tel: +65 6287 8880
Opening hours: 3pm – 11pm (Mon – Thurs), 1pm – 11pm (Fri), 11am – 11pm (Sat – Sun)

Sunday Market wants to be not merely a café but a lifestyle, with emphasis in selection of music. Their menu can be said to comprise of Asian style comfort food which are not quite the same as elsewhere. Expect Roasted Duck with Garlic Hoisin Crispy Eggs ($12.90), Sirloin Rendang Toast ($15.90) and Bangkok Toast ($10.90) served with Thai milk tea ice cream.

Back In Town

Dulce and Sucre
#B1-01 Orchard Gateway, 218 & 277 Orchard Road (Somerset MRT), Tel: +65 65091255

Dulce & Sucre by the Twelve Cupcake couple – Daniel Ong and Jaime Teo, can be said to be a dessert café. Opened at Orchard Gateway, it sells a variety of items such as puddings, crunchies, whoopies, parfaits, tarts, and granola cups. (Read: Dulce & Sucre (Orchard))

Belgaufre
POMO 1 Selegie Road #01-22 Singapore 188306 (Dhoby Gaut, Bras Basah MRT)
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 9:30pm

Offering Belgian waffles, with choices of waffles: Liege, Brussels and American waffles. Wafflewiches are also available (cheesy ham, carbonara tuna and egg mayo) with sets at reasonably priced $6.90.

I may have left out some as I have limited resources. (Also apologies to owners who have extended their invitations, I do get multiple tastings per day and have to decline.)

If you know of any new cafes to recommend that were opened in the last 1-2 months, leave a comment here. Good food is meant to be shared!

* Special thank you to fellow foodies for recommendations and instagrammer @ElaineGirlGirl for a number of the photos.

Other Related Entries
Tolido’s Espresso Nook (Crawford Lane)
Three Hands Coffee (Bt Timah)
NOM No Other Meaning (MacPherson)
Percolate (Bedok)
Dulce & Sucre (Orchard)

The post 20 New Cafes In Singapore – Wake Up and Smell The Coffee! appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Taiwan has always been known for being vegetarian friendly for its variety of vegetarian food available. Therefore the anticipation when Sufood, a new meat-free dining concept hailing from Taiwan, opens at L2 of Raffles City.

The 140-seat veggie diner is Sufood’s first outlet outside of Taiwan, a collaboration with local Heng Hwa restaurant Putien.

While some may come expecting Chinese cuisine or even mock ‘meat’ dishes, you will find none of those.

The menu follows very closely to Taiwan’s offerings, having mainly Italian-inspired set menus at $25++ for a full 8-course meal. (Sets in Taiwan are at NT$438, SGD$18.30). Express set lunch is at $18++ per person.

This is a very good deal considering this is prime location Raffles City, and the full-serviced restaurant doesn’t look cheap at all. Décor comes in an elegant classy white, the type that you may expect high-tea to be served.

A la carte dishes are also available at your preference, $12.80 for an extra main course; a starter or soup at $5.80; a salad at $7.80; and a dessert or drink is priced at $4.80 per item. Again, very reasonable considered most salad bars are selling greens at more than $10 per bowl.

Some of the signature mains are the golden baked Star Pizza, Baked Potato Al Funghi, and Porchini Pasta. Other choices include a vegetable Calzone, Pita Pockets, Macaroni Alfredo Casserole and Spaghetti Pesto.

My main consisting of both Baked Potato and Al Funghi was decent and rather filling. Chef explained that having two components add variety, allows diners to fell full and satisfied. I like the potato portion, baked yet covered with a layer of mashed potatoes, with fillings of sautéed tomatoes and mushrooms (which may feel meaty.)

Most of the food dishes healthy, or too healthy of those who are used to heavy-tasting foods in Singapore. No artificial flavourings or MSG – therefore all very plain and light.

Another on the table was looking for salt, there was none on the table. You have to specifically ask for it. From a health point of view, a good move.

My main gripe is the dishes need variety and dimension in taste. After a mushroom salad, baked mushroom, mushroom pasta, I got funghi-ed. “Mushrooms again?” I wondered what would happen if I am a vegetarian who am not that fond of fungi?

Similarly, the person next to me probably got cheesed-out (in another way) because the casserole proved to be too greasy and cheesy.

With the pricing, chic decor and sincere Taiwanese style of service, Sufood is possible to check out, even if you may be used to meat dishes. Just pick the right dishes, with a variety, and share.

SUFOOD
#02-19 Raffles City (City Hall MRT)
Opening Hours: 11.30am to 3.30pm; 5.50pm – 10.00pm Daily

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[Jakarta Indonesia] Betawi literally means ‘native Jakarta’, and to have some of the most delicious and authentic Indonesian street food in a comfortable restaurant setting, you can make your way to Kafe Betawi – one of the most successful chains in Indonesia opened since 1992.

I feel I can literally spend an entire day at Plaza Indonesia where Kafe Betawi is located at, with a mixture of F&B establishments from international brands, indie cafes, to local delicacies.

Our table of 5 had quite a feast, considering each dish was less than RP20,000 to 50,000 (SGD$2-5), filling our tummies with Rujak Beubek (chopped fruit spicy salad), Mie Rebus, Ketoprak and a range of desserts and beverages. Oh, I am so raving for fresh thick Avocado juice right now.

Here are 5 of the recommend dishes we had:

Nasi Goreng (RP 48,000)
The simple fried rice dish has been called the national dish of Indonesia, once chosen as the 2nd most delicious food in the world by CNN International in 2011. While some may see this as similar to the Chinese style of fried rice, Nasi Goreng is generally sweeter due to a sweet soy sauce added, and crispier with keropok, fried shallots and onions. Usually I would include a meat dish on the side to spice up the taste, such as kambing (lamb), ayam (chicken) or sate (grilled skewers)

Soto Betawi (RP 42,000)
Jakarta is said to be the birthplace of Soto Betawai, a dish commonly found in side street stalls. Traditional Betawi style soup cooked in whitish coconut milk (or cow’s milk), and has ingredients such as thinly cut beef or shank, fried potato, tomato and keropok added. I admit it requires some getting used to because this is light yet cloudy, and somewhat has a sweetish after taste.

Kue Rangi (RP 21,000)
You get the most authentic Rangi cakes in Jakarta. If you haven’t seen or eaten before, Kue Rangi is grilled in a mould with a mixture of tapioca flour with grated coconut. When it is served piping hot, you pour brown melted sugar over, and it instantaneously becomes a pleasurable treat. Crunchy on the outside, and chewy on the inside.

Es Campur (RP 21,000)
Never leave Jakarta without trying one of its iced desserts, from Es Teler, Es Doger, Cendol, Es Kacang and Es Campur. Es Campur is literally ‘mixed iced’, usually added with fruits and syrups, tasting part sweet part sour at the same time.

Sekoteng (RP 21,000)
One thing about Indonesian desserts is that you have to get used to savouries being added to sweet items. Case in point, the Sekoteng which is a ginger infused warm soup which can have bread, peanuts, green beans, barley and rice added. Having it feels rather comforting, and the roasted peanuts adds an interesting crunch. But of course, Indonesian peanuts are the best.

Which is your favourite food from Jakarta Indonesia?

Kafe Betawi
Plaza Indonesia, Jalan M H Thamrin Kav 28-30, Thamrin, Jakarta 10350, Central Jakarta, Tel: 021 319 09337
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm Daily

Other branches include Pondok Indah Mall, Cilandak Town Square, Senayan City, Pacific Place, Setiabudi One, Grand Indonesia, Pluit Village, Emporium Pluit, Mall of Indonesia, Mall Kelapa Gading, Central Park, Teras Kota, Epicentrum Walk, Gandaria City, Living World, Kuningan City, Kota Kasablanka, Kemang Village

Other Related Entries
Sari Bundo (Jakarta)
Grand Hyatt Indonesia (Jakarta)

*This entry is brought to you by Jakarta Tourism Office. Thank you Russell Cheong of Winsemius Consulting for organising this trip.

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[Victoria, Australia] For any of my friends traveling to Melbourne, I would tell them to leave at least a day or two aside for the Great Ocean Road. A magnificent sight and a must-visit.

A self-drive or day trip from Melbourne city to the Great Ocean Road will promise you a scenic drive of gorgeous coastal scenery and beautiful landscapes of the legendary formations of the Twelve Apostles.

Let’s not forget about the food and wine – from the freshest seafood, award winning ice creams, cheese, chocolates and pastries, all found in the different restaurants and cafes you will drive past. If you are looking for a gourmet trail.

A possible one-day drive itinerary can include
- A leisure drive of about an hour from Melbourne to Torquay, known for its surf beaches.
- May stop at nearby Anglesea and take a detour to the golf course, famous for kangaroos roaming around.
- Or stop at Bells Beach, which is home to the world’s longest running surfing competition.
- Coastal town of Apollo Bay (or Lorne) for a delicious lunch of fresh Fish and Chips (Melbourne to Apollo Bay takes about 3 hours).
- Visit iconic Cape Otway Lighthouse, mainland Australia’s oldest surviving lighthouse.
- Upon reaching the 12 Apostles, explore the Port Campbell National Park to view the famous rock stacks.
- Loch Ard Gorge for a stroll along this historic beach known as the ‘Shipwreck Coast’.
- Seaside village of Port Campbell to stop for an afternoon coffee.

Offshore Café – Anglesea Shopping Village
Shop 16, 87-89 Great Ocean Road, Anglesea, Victoria Australia , Tel: +61 3 5263 3644

The seaside town of Anglesea is between the coastal towns of Torquay and Aireys Inlet. This was a short stop at the Anglesea Shopping Village where there were about 7 to 8 shops, some selling surf wear and souvenirs. Had a chicken pie at Offshore Café. Never really had a bad pie in Australia, really.

Apollo Bay Seafood Café
119 Great Ocean Road, Apollo Bay, Victoria Australia, Tel: +61 3 5237 6008

Apollo Bay is a major stop for many on a Great Ocean Road Tour, renowned for beaches and water adventure activities. Many of the restaurants such as The Vista Seafood Restaurant, The Apollo Bay Fishermen’s Co-Op, Sandy Feet Cafe, Chill @ the Bay, are known for their fish and crustaceans caught by area fisherman.

I chose to dine at Apollo Bay Seafood Café, a no-fuss no-frills restaurant famous for their fish and chips.

Price is inexpensive (at least to me) and portions are big, with varieties such as Butterfish (AUD$6.00), Barramundi (AUD $8.00), Prawns (AUD $2.00) and Scallops (AUD $1.80). A Fish and Chip Pack with 2 Blue Grenadier, potato cakes and crab sticks is quite a value at AUD $18.00.

You can have your seafood grilled (all fish is dusted in rice flour only) or batter-fried on the spot. Loved the Fish and Chips and Scallops, lightly battered, crispy yet non-greasy, all fresh and tasty.

Dooleys Ice Cream – The Ice Cream Tub
89 Great Ocean Road Apollo Bay Australia Victoria 3233 Tel: +61 3 5237 7581

The weather was cold and I was craving for ice cream. (Ice cream during autumns and winters are fab.) When I walked into this Ice Cream Tub shop, I was astonished to see the number of awards framed up and hanging on the wall.

Turned out that this Dooley’s Licorice Ice Cream was named Champion Ice Cream at Dairy Australia’s 2013 Australian Grand Dairy Awards (AGDA), and also received the inaugural Premier’s Trophy at the 2010 Royal Melbourne Fine Food Awards.

This ice cream is made daily on the premises by Dooley Milner and his daughter, churning out 300 litres of ice cream every 24 hours. It was one of the best ice cream I ever had in my life! Get the Premium Honey Malt Ice Cream, rich in flavours, smooth in texture, with creaminess that would leave you lingering for more.

If you are up for some vineyard life, two wine regions are situated at either end of the Great Ocean Road – the Geelong and the Henty wine regions.

The Great Ocean Road self-drive is indeed one of world’s great coastal road trips, with breath-taking views and mouth-watering local delicacies.

*This entry is brought to you by Tourism Australia. Celebrating Australian Food with Tourism Australia

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A friend said that the coffee of Coast and Company’s reminded her of Chye Seng Huat’s, or even better. It’s won’t be surprising as the café is a collaboration between Papa Palheta and cycle workshop retail Coast Cycles. (Read: 20 New Cafes In Singapore)

So this new café in east is café meets bike shop and workshop.

Bicycle café? While you may not get the Premium Rush type of guys (ie Joseph Gordon-Levitt) riding in, the vibes are laid-back, easy going, with a ‘natural’ industrial look. (Been seeing so many bicycles in different cafes!)

No typical café food (no eggs ben and waffle) here, as the menu is specially crafted by Wild Rocket’s Willin Low, who did this “out of friendship”. He made sure he did a good job out of it since quote-unquote – His name is on it.

For breakfast-type food, there are the Sour Cream Cheese Toast ($8), Almond Peanut Butter Toast ($7), and Coast Breakfast ($12) with scrambled eggs.

More filling portions would include localised Western food such as Beef Rendang Hotdog ($14), Green Curry Stew ($15) and Chapalang Salad ($15). ‘Chapalang’ (mixed) because there are cherry tomatoes, bak kwa, and sakura ebi added, drizzled with goma dressing.

Food wise, I thoroughly enjoyed the Almond Peanut Butter Toast ($7), with peanut butter hand-made and added with almonds for that extra crunch. It felt crunchy and real, healthier and not too sweet.

The Sour Cream Cheese version though, was slightly marred by burnt honey comb crumble.

Willin’s signature style is delivered through a not-too-spicy and juicy Beef Rendang Hotdog in a soft bun. I wondered about the chips though (the couch potato in me is guessing Honey Dijon), as it seem clashing with the overall taste.

Coast and Company probably makes one of the more promising recent cafe openings due to its attention to coffee, aesthetic values and food. With successes in Loysel’s Toy, Chye Seng Huat, looks like Papa Palheta can perform that café hat-trick.

Coast and Company
54 Siglap Drive Singapore 456176 (MRT Kembangan then Bus 42)
Tel: +65 64487608 +65 66816681
Opening Hours: 10am-7pm (Tues-Fri), 9am-10pm (Sat-Sun), Closed Mon

Other Related Entries
20 New Cafes In Singapore
Tolido’s Espresso Nook (Crawford Lane)
Three Hands Coffee (Bt Timah)
NOM No Other Meaning (MacPherson)
Percolate (Bedok)

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It is astonishing to see the number of Italian restaurants in Singapore, and this is not including Western-styled casual restaurants and cafes selling pastas and pizzas.

But the newest kid at Tras Street shophouses, Buttero offers something different up its plate.

When I entered Buttero I thought “This doesn’t feel Italian…”. In Singapore, ‘Italian’ may give the connotation of mid-fine dining, romantic, and classy. The irony is that the restaurants in Italy is a different story all together.

Buttero has an open-kitchen at the back of the restaurant, presenting an edgy ambience with the strong use of stainless steel, ply wood and street art. Black and white photographs of Executive Chef Logan Campbell’s family members and relatives hang on the raw brick walls.

This feels Sydney. Or maybe New York.

My starter was the Pulled Pork and Waffle Fries ($15), doused in an oh-so-good three cheese sauce. Seriously, if you crave for comfort food, nothing can go quite wrong with cheese on fries, but with tender strips of pulled pork… This box sealed the deal. Can I bring some more back home?

Chef’s Logan’s (this reminds me of Wolverine) handmade gnocchi ($21) is one of the best versions I tried here. While most others are overly chewy and someone gummy, his was melt-in-your-mouth, and the simple sauce of honey, lemon and sage provided a delightfully delicate sweet and tangy aftertaste. Absolutely a winner.

Note: mine came with asparagus because they ran out of brussel sprouts. All the more better for me, but my dining partner who tried the original version said it was a better complement.

There were some dishes that went under the mark though, such as the rotisserie Porchetta with braised beans ($32) supposedly the signature. It was unfortunately tough on its crackling exterior and needed more than the average strength to cut through. The Paccheri & Eggplant Ragu ($22) felt safe.

At least the desserts, namely the Cannoli filled with whipped ricotta, lemon and strawberry salad ($12), and creamy indulgent Milk chocolate rosemary pot ($12) compensated for that.

Tras Street is fast transforming into a diners’ row, and Buttero adds to its vibrancy with its hearty Italian grub. Not really a place for quiet dates, but somewhere you can let your hair down with a bunch of cool friends.

Oh yes, there are no pizzas here. Told you it is different.

Buttero
54 Tras Street Singapore 078993 (8-10 min walk from Tanjong Pagar MRT)
Opening Hours: 12pm-3pm, 6pm-late (Mon – Sat), 6pm till late, Closed Sundays

Other Related Entries
Concetto by Saveur (The Cathay)
il Cielo (Hilton Hotel Singapore)
Jamie’s Italian Singapore (Vivocity)
Zafferano (Ocean Financial Centre)
Osteria Mozza (Marina Bay Sands)

The post Buttero – Italian Grub Presents A Different Experience appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

the many cafes popping up all around Singapore, some are bringing it to the next level – with 3D latte art, all cutesy and delightfully delicious. Time to whip out your cameras. (Read: 20 New Cafes In Singapore )

Brew Maison is such a pretty little place, said to be inspired by both Japanese and Korean cafes. Kawaii ne! Gwi yeo weo! Perhaps we have been seeing so many cafes with similar industrial grey walls and hanging bicycles, this girly space looks set to attract a different crowd.

This café, located opposite Singapore Chinese Girls Schools at Alocassia Apartments may be hard to find, but at least there is free complimentary parking for the first hour. SCGS teachers, you now know where to get more caffeine for your grading.

The kitchen serves affordable breakfast, hot food, cakes and drinks that introduce Japanese and Korean flavours using fresh ingredients.

Other items on menu: mix and match your rice, pasta, wraps and breads with options of meats and sauces. Prices are pretty affordable, with most of the mains below $10.

My Pork Pasta tasted suspiciously Korean. It’s so weird that I liked it. Imagine one of those spicy red ‘gochujang’ sauce over spaghetti, becoming part savoury and part sweetish. The dish won’t blow you away, but at least it’s interesting enough. (Warning: if you sit near the kitchen, you DO smell the sauce or like the sauce.)

I questioned about the Tori Bites ($6), which the cashier explained was “chicken nuggets. And we make them ourselves.” All right, score points for home-made nuggets. Turned out to be not bad, tender bites tipped in what it seems like Japanese-curry sauce.

Some of the people obviously come for their 3D coffee art. Sometimes you get a Disney character. But the artist may not be in all the time, so check their facebook for updates.

Coffee is on the lighter side. For those caffeine intolerant, their Taro Latte ($4.50) is a warm-your-heart drink. It’s cliché, but I am going to say it anyway… SO CUTE!

Brew Maison
383 Bukit Timah Road #01-98, Alocassia Apartments, Singapore 259727
Tel:+65 6836 2948, +65 6735 5068
Opening Hours: 7am – 10pm (Mon-Fri), 8am – 10pm (Sat-Sun)

Other Cafe Entries
20 New Cafes In Singapore
Coast and Company (Siglap Drive)
NOM No Other Meaning (MacPherson)
Percolate (Bedok)
Dulce & Sucre (Orchard)

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Funny that Orchard Gateway has opened, but nobody is actually talking about it. This is Singapore, where every new mall is a new attraction, where shopping is our favourite pastime (Sad, but true). So where’s the buzz? Hmm.

Orchard Gateway is the new development with the only overhead bridge along Orchard Road, connecting two buildings across. It is convenient to visit with direct access to the Somerset MRT, and connected to both 313@Somerset and Orchard Central.

If you are thinking it may just another mall with the usual line-up… Yes and No. It has an entire floor dedicated to men’s fashion, and Orchard library will be re-opening there.

To facilitate your dining plans, here are 10 food and restaurant places available at Orchard Gateway (Note: not all are officially opened yet.)

Outback Steakhouse #04-01
Fans go to Outback Steakhouse for big portions of steak, ribs and lamb chops. Don’t forget about the Chocolate Thunder from Down Under, a dessert of fresh-baked pecan brownie crowned with ice cream drizzled with warm chocolate sauce. Indulgent!

Lenas #04-19
Lenas has such an extensive menu that you can order almost anything and everything casual American and Italian – from thin-crust pizzas, made to order pasta, to grilled chicken pork ribs, salads, and sundaes.

Dae Ssik Sin #03-17
The brand was the former Ssikkek – popular for their value-for-money Korean barbecues. Dae Ssik Sin looks set to be a gathering place for youths for a hearty affordable Korean buffet.

Supply & Demand #02-13/14
With the original outlet at Esplanade, Supply & Demand serves up signature Peruvian dishes such as Ceviche Mixto, a refreshing seafood appetizer, as well as popular Italian cuisine. Sunday brunch has also just been offered.

Joe & Dough #01-10
Before the new wave of cafes, there was already Joe & Dough founded in 2009, serving respectable coffee, sarnies, and good old fashioned bakes such as carrot cake and brownies.

Noodle Place #01-17
Fans were lost when Noodle Place Restaurant closed at Centrepoint after decades in business. After all, it is known to serve one of the most authentic Hong Kong style noodles, with Chef Chui Chuen Lai being a former executive chef of the famous Mak’s Noodle. Well, their signature noodle and congee are back!

Shin-Sapporo Ramen #B2-04A/05
A home-grown ramen brand, Shin-Sapporo Ramen is featuring Sake Ramen available exclusively at Orchard Gateway for a limited period. This Sake Ramen features a thick broth complimented by grilled cha-shu and Hakata-styled noodles. Good for those loving thick miso based broths with a twist.

Dulce & Sucre #B1-01
Dulce & Sucre can be said to be a dessert café, selling a variety of items such as puddings, crunchies, whoopies, parfaits, tarts, and granola cups. The force behind them? Daniel Ong and Jaime Teo of Twelve Cupcakes fame. (Read: Dulce & Sucre)

Artisan Alfero Gelato #B2-06
Their gelato is creamy, rich, thick, smooth, heavenly. If you are a pistachio lover, their gelato is made from pistachios from Bronte Sicily which makes this flavour delicate and naturally green. Lovely experience to just hang out here, with a cup, and indulge in gelato spoon by spoon.

Saizeriya #B2-11
Saizeriy is a Japanese chain of family-style Italian restaurant, who gained quite a bit of popularity with the youths and families for its very affordable food. A Chicken Bolognese Spaghetti for $3.90 (all prices nett!), Carbonara Spaghetti $5.90, Pepper Chicken Steak $6.90, Margherita Pizza $7.90 and Salmon Salad for $5.90. And there is free flow drinks at $2.80. (Read: Saizeriya)

The other food places available at Orchard Gateway include Glacier Yoghurt, Heavenly Wang, Munch, Starbucks, Theobroma Chocolate, Tori Q and Twelve Cupcakes.

What do you think about the new Orchard Gateway?

Orchard Gateway
218 & 277 Orchard Road, Singapore 238858 (Somerset MRT)

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[Sydney, Australia] Surry Hills is THE place to find some of Sydney’s best cafes, also a melting pot of restaurants, galleries and vibrant cultures. When in Sydney, you got to try at least two or three cafes, or more. For my case, it was at least one every single day.

We are talking about coffee-crazed Australia, home to several third-wave cafes which consider coffee as artisanal, where mega-giant Starbucks couldn’t even survive. So at Surry Hills, you know you are in for a specialty coffee treat. If you do not take coffee…Warning, you may be converted.

One of my favourite cafes at Surry Hills is Bangbang Espresso Bar and Café. I dragged a group of friends over early in the morning to search for it first simply because it sounded like my nickname ‘Banban’.

Of those who are curious and may have made an accurate guess, the name was inspired from Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill song, “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” by Nancy Sinatra.

There is a strong music influence behind this café which was opened in 2009, as the owner Alan Thomson is a former professional DJ of over 20 years of experience. Thus the mural of a headphone on the café’s wall and the use of silver drum stools as chairs.

The café is laid-back with a relaxing easy-going vibe, fitting right in place with Surry Hills’ old bohemian charm that speaks of much character every corner. We obviously took the opportunity to sit outside to enjoy the 15 degree cool weather and savour the moment.

Brunch was unforgettable, and nobody in our table had anything close to bad.

As Alan is British, there are some of his favourite childhood dishes like Fish Finger Sarnie (AUD$14.50, SGD$16.90), which is breaded flathead fillets on sourdough with house made tartar sauce, and Classic Cheeseburger (AUD$15.90, SGD$18.55) made with wagyu minced meat.

Or get an English Breakfast (AUD$19.50. SGD$22.75), a filling awesome plate of bacon, sausage, fried eggs and sourdough toast.

The show-stopper was the Bangbang Breakfast Stack (AUD$16.90, SGD$19.70). Listen out, this has crispy potato rosti topped with wilted spinach, free range poached eggs, crispy pancetta and topped with hollandaise sauce. (It already sounds good printed on the menu.)

As I slit the egg open, its yolk oozed out in a hue of orangey-yellow sunflower, covering crisp potato with meltingly-soft inside. The taste was spectacular, and may jolly well put the eggs ben I just had back home to shame.

The coffee, plus its latte art is almost faultless. Bangbang’s hot chocolate with mint (AUD$3.90, SGD$4.55) made me feel that Christmas came early in June.

Bangbang uses a local coffee roaster by the name of “The Golden Cobra” based in Alexandria as they feel it is important to use and support locally sourced produce.

The milk comes from Riverina Dairy farm in New South Wales which has won many awards for its milk.

Fruits and vegetables are also sourced within New South Wales ensuring that the produce has travelled as short a distance as possible to reach their tables.

Some of the ingredients used are also free ranged, sourced from local farms, such as eggs and pork sausage. Thus their food always tastes fresh and wholesome.

Alan thinks Australia has a strong cafe culture because they have such great local produce no matter where they are in Australia. The weather in Sydney certainly helps for that outdoor cafe experience – to meet up with friends over coffee and breakfast.

Bangbang Espresso Bar and Café
113 Reservoir Street, Surry Hills, NSW Australia 2010
Tel: +61 2 9281 0018
Opening Hours: Mon-Friday (Breakfast & Lunch) 8am-4pm; Sat (All day breakfast) 8am-3pm; Sun (All day breakfast) 9am-2pm

Need more satisfying food and a morning brew from Surry Hills? Here are 10 more cafes you can check out.

Single Origin Roasters
Said to serve the best coffee on Surry Hills, thus the long queues for takeaways, especially during morning rush hours
60 Reservoir Street, Surry Hills (Read: Single Origin Roasters)

Bills
Owned by celebrity chef Bill Granger, famous of breakfast items such as ricotta hotcakes
359 Crown Street, Surry Hills

Bourke Street Bakery
Serves some of the best pain au chcolat and sweet cakes. Queue is expectedly long though during the weekends.
633 Bourke Street, Surry Hills

Reuben Hills
Café, coffee roaster and retailer with rustic cool ambience. Menu includes culinary inspirations from Honduras and El Salvador. Try the Baked Eggs.
61 Albion Street, Surry Hills

Brooklyn Hide
Bringing a little touch of New York to Australia, with daily fresh authentic bagels.
226 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills

Café Mint
Cool menu bursting with North African and Middle Eastern flavours.
579 Crown Street, Surry Hills

The Sandwich Shop
Lovely minimalist sandwich shop, with items packed with freshness and wholesomeness, such as the Original New York Reuben.
44 Reservoir Street, Surry Hills

Devon
Cafe with resting quality dining. Eggs sous-vide and citrus-cured salmon anyone?
76 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills

Gnome Café
Other than coffee, this serves lunch menu and wine. Opens till late 9:30pm from Tuesday to Friday.
536 Crown Street, Surry Hills

Toast Café
Dedication to using quality and organic ingredients, includes organic free-range eggs; organic bread, pulses & mueslis.
45 Reservoir Street, Surry Hills

Directions: Surry Hills is located at the southern end of Sydney’s CDB, 5 minutes away from Central Station, 10 min walk from Chinatown.
Regular buses: 339, 352, 355, 374, 376, 391

*This entry is brought to you by Tourism Australia. Celebrating Australian Food with Tourism Australia. To find out more, check out the best of Australian road trips.

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Cupcakes, pancakes, waffles… the next IT food could very well be churros, the fried-dough pastry Spanish doughnut. While it hasn’t exactly taken over Singapore by storm yet, you can now find them beyond theme parks, and in specialty cafes and occasional Spanish tapas bar dessert menu.

There is a sudden crowd at Orchard Central’s Level 5 as well, intrigued by the popularity of the Spanish Doughnuts brand which finally made its way to Singapore.

This is from that same Spanish Doughnuts from Melbourne’s Flinders Street Station. Hooray!

Would it taste the same, or at least similar? And afterall, churros are best eaten during the cold weather freshly fried and dipped in a cup of thick hot chocolate.

It took about 15 minutes for the hot churros to be served. At least you know they are freshly made and fried to order

The Choco Churritos ($9.90 for a conical container) original versions were agreeably crispy and light, and you could even eat on its own without any sugar dipping. Though I wished they were more piping hot.

You can pair them with dark, milk or white chocolate dips (recommended get all 3). Being quite sugar-intolerable recently, the dark chocolate cup almost quickly swept clean, while the other two proved to be opulently sweet.

For something unlike the usual, the Premium Churros ($4.30 each, $21.60 for pack of 6) with flavours such as Chocolate Bombon, Strawberry Cream, Triple Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Black Forest and Coconut Bombon may give the local Krispy Kreme a run for their money.

The thick cold ones come completely coated, and comes with (I hate to use this word again) sweet fillings. You may find yourself needing to visit the gym more than necessary. So I would say: Emm, you may want to save some calories.

As they are new franchisees and first-time F&B business operators, service can be unpolished and may appear tactless, especially when faced with a huge crowd. (Note: there were no plates, no utensils, no water when we asked. And were also ‘politely’ asked to clear the table when we were done.) Okay lah, cut them some slack.

Spanish Doughnuts Singapore
181 Orchard Road, #05-51/52 Orchard Central, Singapore 238896 (Somerset MRT)
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm Daily

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Hipster alert! Potato Head Folk has opened its door at Keong Saik Road, housed in the most iconic building along that stretch – at the former Tong Ah Kopitiam.

Bali’s Potato Head Beach Club is already known for its fantastic vibes with amazing casual food, and Singapore’s version looks like it got its magic formula put right all together.

Usually when a famous imported F&B brand arrives in Singapore, I am prepared to give a ‘discount’ – maybe the food won’t be as good, service may be comprised (plus new opening jitters), or the price would be exorbitant. Well, something’s gonna give.

First impressions wise, Potato Head Club seems to defy all that to embrace the entire package. There is actually good food, good vibes, good service, with good looking people around (you decide on the last point). And the prices won’t break your bank.

Both the exterior and interior design are top-notch (at least in Singapore’s context), collaborated with renowned Australian artist David Bromley.

There is a dreamlike quirky atmosphere. Walls are painted with birds, butterflies and flowers, figurines of children add a whimsical touch, colourful banner flags hang from the ceiling for a party mood. This is selfie + instagram heaven.

The flipside? The obvious smell of paint can be nauseating, and the type of crowd it attracts is a mixed bag. My ears are bombarded with accents of all types of English – both real and fake. Never knew this many existed.

The ground floor of Potato Head Folk offers outdoor seating with the kitchen inside. No service charge is included at this level, but the weather will melt you away. Pay the 10% more to go upstairs.

On its second level lies the Three Buns restaurant, a living room of sorts to people-watch. The menu includes homemade mouth-watering burgers, sides, sodas and cocktails.

Three Bun’s signature Baby Huey Burger ($20) while small in portion, is bun soft and deliciously moist with prime 150 beef patty, pickles, spicy mayo and ‘Notorious T.O.M Sauce’. Their version can give Omakase Burger a run for the ‘Best Burger’ award.

The Naughty Fries ($9) are thick hand-cut potatoes with spiced béarnaise, hot beef chilli, crispy shallots, parmesan and sesame seed. This is comfort food at its best, richly sinful and deserves a detention right in the tummy.

Food overall seems inclined to the heavy in sauces and rich side – more of the ‘guy’ kind of grub food.

Desserts are limited to individual dessert pots of Rich Chocolate or Zesty Lemon (both $6). The choice is obvious. The small cup of chocolate may send thrills down the spine (like eating half a box of soft nama chocolates at a go), or make you give up trying after 2 bites. The other could be too sour.

Studio 1939 on the third floor is Potato Head Folk’s intimate bar, while the rooftop is a chill-out garden.

Not without its minor flaws, Potato Head Folk is still beautiful and serves good food – contains the package which will definitely make it the next place to go to in Singapore. And I would say, Congratulations to the team.

Potato Head Folk
36 Keong Saik Road Singapore 089143 (Chinatown MRT)
Tel: +65 6327 1939
Opening Hours: 11am – 12am

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There are some Japanese restaurants in Singapore that exhibits the best in traditional Japanese fine dining with extraordinary omakase meals. Ki-sho is one of them.

It is of no surprise. Ki-sho is helmed by an affable Chef Kazuhiro Hamamoto, bringing with him a wealth of experience and creativity amassed from his apprenticeship days in Kyoto’s top culinary restaurants and one of Singapore’s top restaurants Waku Ghin.

The beautiful Ki-sho is housed in a grand colonial bungalow along Scotts Road, containing a main dining room of an intimate 10-seater sushi bar, and several other VIP rooms all furnished with distinctly artistic Japanese elements such as hand-laid flooring and gold leaf wallpaper.

The outstanding Japanese restaurant offers a selection of two different Omakase set menus priced at $280++ and $400++ per person.

I had the more expensive menu. The difference between the two is the inclusion of dishes such as Char-grilled Hokkaido King Crab, a Wagyu dish, and 5 extra pieces of Nigiri Sushi.

This may not be the most affordable pricing around. But in comparison with the other top-tier Japanese restaurants available locally, we can see why it stands out.

These are some of the stand-out dishes.

The most aesthetically pleasing and perhaps indulgent dish was the Uni and Cavier – a beautiful ensemble of creamy Hokkaido sea urchin, luxurious Italian caviar, shiso flower and corn on a wasabi leaf, resembling the jubilant blossoming of flowers in Japan during spring time.

We were recommended to take a cross-section of all the ingredients sans the leaf in one spoonful, and that sent bursts of umami goodness that gave a high. This reminded me of a similar dish at Waku Ghin, except that Chef Hamamoto’s version has a delicate slant.

Another impressionable dish was the Jyoshu Wagyu Sukiyaki, with grade A5 wagyu from the Gunma prefecture simply dipped in egg yolk and light sukiyaki sauce. Every slice was robed in amazing fat marbling, slippery tender which melted in the mouth.

The Nigiri Sushi was almost every piece of exceptional quality, gleaming with freshness. My personal favourites being the Ebi, Ootoro and a pièce de résistance of Chopped Tuna with lightly salted egg yolk.

The entire omakase meal took about three and a half hours, more if you decide to indulge in a bottle of their prized sake collection. Pacing was also impeccable.

As there is an area to find fault with, the overall mood may be solemn and uptight in the beginning. Conversations of the other diners are easily heard. But Chef’s sociable nature helped break the ice and uplifted the aura.

The question I have been getting – so is Ki-sho th best Singapore can offer. It is a tough fight. Waku Ghin wows with its extravagant use of ingredients while Shinji’s sushi is first-rate. I would say Ki-sho’s offering, taste and quality fits in broadly between the two.

Ki-sho
29 Scotts Road Singapore 228224,
Tel: +65 67335251 resevation@ki-sho.com.sg
Opening Hours: 6:30pm – 10:30pm

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Chef Keisuke Takeda opens his fifth ramen outlet in Singapore at Suntec City Mall. Technically, it is his first – as it is a move from his original Tokyo-styled branch at Millenia Walk. Fans craving for his crab stock ramen must be relieved it is back.

For those of you unfamiliar with Keisuke’s style, every store must have a different concept and is experimental, from the authentic style at Tonkotsu King (Orchid Hotel), ramen topped with fleshy drumstick at Tori King (Amara Hotel), diverse 5 different bowls at Four Seasons (Bugis Village) and Gyoza King (Orchid Hotel).

It is possible to love one, and not so much the other.

Ramen Dining Keisuke Tokyo is totally unlike his most popular Tonkotsu King. It is restaurant style, spacious with comfortable seats, more contemporary than rustic, and has quite a diverse menu. (The music is horrid though, think 90s radio ads jingle on constant replay.)

The size dish is not just about gyoza anymore! There is a Ramen Dog ($3.50) – Japanese style hotdog topped with chashu, fried noodles and teriyaki sauce, crab stock flavoured Ramen Gartin ($8.00), Deep Fried Prawn with mayonnaise ($8.00), Teriyaki Chicken ($8.00) and Deep Fried Chicken with Spicy sauce and mixed leek ($8.00).

The waitress described that Singaporeans would like the Menchi Cutlet ($9.00), “Got pork, got chicken, and cut open the sauce will flow out. Juicy, Singaporeans will like.” True that.

I think most come for the Crab Stock Ramen ($13.90, $15.90 with egg, $18.90 with all toppings), The thick aromatic seafoody kani-flavoured stock makes it quite distinctive from any other ramen stocks in the local market, yet the broth is not too oily or heavy. The ajitama egg is deliciously flavourful, though noodles are of the thick kind, not exactly my personal type of pairing.

My take is Chef could be taking a lighter slant on its broth this time, perhaps due to customers’ feedback. Personally, I would have preferred the soup to be more intense.

Whenever I go to Japan, I try all means to look for a fish-stock ramen, because it is not readily available in Singapore, or just not done well enough. To my surprise, a fried fish stock Niboshi Ramen ($13.90) is on Keisuke’s menu.

This version may please fans who enjoy a fish-based stock, but with a milder take. Still delicious in many ways, tender char siew with a balanced-tasting soup.

Keisuke has always been on the forefront for introducing ingredients not typically used in ramen – shrimp and crab are already good examples. Risk-taking and experimental. The new Ramen Dining Keisuke Tokyo threads somewhere in the middle, being family and masses-friendly, but compromising the boldness that some of the other branches present.

Ramen Dining Keisuke Tokyo
Suntec City Mall Level 2 (above H&M)
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10:00pm

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When Singapore’s very own Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was seen queuing at Redhill Food Centre to buy fried chicken wings … we all went like “Seriously?”

It is not all the time that our Prime Minister would queue for 30 minutes just to buy fried chicken wings, not in a hawker stall, not without an entourage, not in the staggering Singapore heat.

Nobody knows exactly what his real reason for doing so was. Afterall, he could have sent his body guard to tabao for him.

PR stunt? Doing a David Cameron? He was bored? Wanted to feel what being ordinary would be like? A treat for Mdm Ho? Or maybe he read a food blog and was curious. Nah!

(Photo circulating around FaceBook)

Back to the fried chicken wing stall. It is one of my favourite supper haunts, with a usual 10-15 minutes wait at night. Darn, the queue is just going to get longer, at least for this period of time.

What is so special about this stall: The beehoon at this stall cost just 60 cent. 60c! Ridiculously cheap. Owned by a Mr Hu, the price hasn’t changed in decades – the owner wanted to keep the price low for the older citizens staying in the area.

He picked up cooking while managing a zhi char stall in the 80s, therefore his beehoon reeks of strong ‘wok hei’ and is tasty, not overly rubbery.

The name of the stall is one of a kind. There actually isn’t such a word in the Chinese dictionary – 3 fires with water waves below. The 3 fires of the word ‘yan’ 焱 came from the owner’s name 火榮，balanced with 3 blue water waves. It is all about ‘feng shui’ as he believes to cook well, both fire and water are needed.

Some of the side items are fish cake, fried egg, luncheon meat, ngoh hiang, sausage (between 50 cents and $1), but nothing can beat the popularity of his famed chicken wings ($1.20).

Deep fried in high heat, the chicken wings are indeed one of the best in Singapore, delightfully crispy and juice may squirt out as you take bites. Dip into the spicy-sweet chili sauce for a perfect combination.

There was once a customer in front of me who ordered 20 pieces (quite normal), and the owner took pains to arrange the wings properly in the packet – drumlette on side and mid-joint on the other, demonstrating how much pride he has in his work and food. (Of course he had to be ridiculed by the customer for wasting time! Sigh.)

At least PM Lee chose to queue at a good stall and not waste his calories on lousy food.

Dear PM Sir, if you are going to queue for food next time, bring me along. I can show you how to take better food pictures and instavideos.

Yan Fried Bee Hoon 焱
Redhill Lane Blk 85, Redhill Food Centre #01-09
Opening Hours: 3pm-10pm (Tues-Sun), Closed Monday

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This list of 10 best pizza delivery places in Singapore is dedicated to my class. True story: My students wanted to find a place to dine in Singapore which can hold large groups, sells Halal-certified food, and serves affordable okay-tasting food.

After tons of recommendations from the lecturer cum food blogger, they ended up ordering pizzas in school. Serious. They called the D brand because they didn’t know what else there was. I got exasperated and told them “I will do something about it.”

This list includes pizza delivery numbers, websites, operating hours (if indicated), whether it is Halal, delivery charges and other terms & conditions. Hope it will be helpful for those who need more food for your parties, company pantry parties, teachers who want to treat your classes something, and soccer fans staying up late with buddies to watch the World Cup.

The 10 Best Pizza Delivery Shops In Singapore, and more.

Spizza
Delivery Hotline: +65 63777773
Website: http://www.spizza.sg/pages/delivery
Operating Hours 12:30pm – 2:30pm, 6:30pm – 1030pm (Mon-Fri); 12:30pm – 10:30pm (Sat-Sun)

Known for serving authentic thin-crusted pizzas, baked in specially-sourced wood ovens. For delivery, all pizzas are in 12 inches and cost $22-$24. Can cause slight confusion because pizzas are named after females such as Anna, Barbara, Claudia and Donna. A Hawaiian would have been a Juliana.

Orders below $30 are subject to $8 delivery charge; above $30 but below $60 $4 (call-in order) & $3 (online order); $60 and above enjoy free delivery. Additional $5 for public holidays. Friends in Tuas, a minimum order of $100 is required. (Read: Spizza)

Domino’s
Delivery Hotline: +65 62226333
Website: http://www.dominos.com.sg
Operating Hours: 10:30am – 11:00pm

Domino’s pizzas come with 5 different crusts such as crunchy thin, New York, cheese burst and cheese crust. They are known for their classic hand tossed (a large 12 inch is $29.80). I personally quite like the brand for their generous toppings and interesting sauces. And they are Halal-certified.

They are the only pizza company that guarantees your order will arrive within 30 minutes or they will give you a free regular pizza voucher. BUT… it requires a purchase to be used. I ordered twice, and both times I received the vouchers. In fact, the delivery guy who was late by 45 minutes passed me a stack.

Saprino’s Pizzeria
Delivery Hotline: +65 66363636
Website: http://www.sarpinos.sg

Many fans vow by their taste and generous toppings, with the popular flavours being aloha, teriyaki chicken, and pepperoni pizza. I like that their crust is not overly thick. An Aloha Turkey bacon and sweet pineapples topped with mozzarella cheese cost $23.80 for 1 large 14 inch pizza, $35.00 for 2. Delivery charge of $3 will be applicable per order. Minimum order of $20 for delivery. Halal-certified.

Canadian Pizza
Delivery Hotline: +65 62410241
Website: http://www.canadian-pizza.com
Operating Hours: 11am-10:30pm (Sun-Fri), 11am-11pm (Sat, eve of PH)

Known for their “2 for 1 pizza”, buy 1 get 1 free always. For the budget conscious, say a BBQ Chicken Standard Pizza is $37.90 for two 14 inched ones. I personally feel that their taste is most family-friendly safe, good for ordering for class gatherings.

Currently has 28 delivery outlets in Singapore. Free drink for every $45 purchase. $3 surcharge applies for every order. Halal-certified.

Pizza Hut
Delivery Hotline: +65 62353535
Website: http://www.phdelivery.com.sg
Operating Hours: 10:30am – 11:00pm Daily

Pizza Hut probably scores in brand recall. I mean, who can’t remember their phone numbers. Tip is to look out for their online specials: Currently, they are promoting 3 large pizzas for $48, a Big Box combo with regular pan pizza, wings, hash brown and pasta for a wallet-friendly $29.90. Halal-certified.

Minimum order is $12. $4 delivery surcharge applies for orders via phone and S$3.5 applies for online orders. For orders above $200, please call 2 hours in advance. The flipside is limited delivery areas, and delivery services may be temporarily unavailable in selected areas due to bad weather or unforeseen circumstances. Payment by cash, Visa and MasterCard credit cards only. (Read: Pizza Hut)

Pezzo Pizza
Delivery Hotline: +65 66656565
Website: http://pezzo.com.sg/delivery
Operating Hours: 10am – 10pm

Pezzo Pizzas are popular among the youths, with quite exciting flavours such as Meat Sicilian, BBQ Bonanza, Hola Hawaiian and Italian Chicken. I loved the toppings but the crust could be too thick for my liking. Pezzo is also the pricier mass-market pizza comparatively due to more ingredients. A large 14 inch pizza is about $36.00.

Delivery charge of SGD$3 applicable per order. Orders above or equal to $100 has to be placed a day in advance. Additional condiments: Parmesan cheese at 40c, chili flakes at 20c per sachet. Limited delivery areas. Payment by cash only. Halal-certified. (Read Pezzo Pizza)

Rocky’s Pizza & Pasta
Delivery Hotline: +65 64689188 / +65 63446868
Website: http://www.rockyspizza.sg

Rocky’s Pizza has been at Sunset Way for more than 20 years, and their American style large sized pizzas have been popular among families. You customize pizzas to your liking, and choose any of the toppings in the menu including pepperoni, ham, beef, sausage, chicken, tuna, egg, anchovy, tomato and mushroom. $25.00 for X-large 16 inch Deluxe Cheese.

$3 delivery surcharge applicable. Other specialities such as calzoni, lasagne, wings, salads and submarines available.

Peperoni Pizza
Delivery Hotline: +65 68996899
Website: http://www.peperoni.com.sg
Operating Hours: 1pm – 9:30pm

One of my favourite pizza brands in terms of taste and cheesy-ness. After all, it’s by the Les Amis group. Their wood-fired pizzas can go up to 21 inch which feeds 4-6 people, but is also pricier at $50. A large 12 inch is at $24.

Delivery service is available mainly around its three outlets at Binjai Park, Zion Road and Frankel Avenue. Delivery usually takes 40-50 minutes at non-peak times and 60-90 minutes at peak times like weekends or public holidays. It is always recommended ordering early. Minimum order of $30. $4 delivery charge applies for orders below S$60. Free delivery for orders above S$60. Extra charge of $2 for deliveries on weekends and public holidays. (Read: Peperoni Pizzeria)

Napolizz Pizza
Delivery Hotline: +65 62808220
Website: http://www.napolizz.sg/pizza
Operating Hours: 12pm-10.30pm

This is a solo shop at Upper Paya Lebar. The owner is a chef who had worked at various Italian restaurants before venturing out to come out with his own 12 inch pizza. An American pizza with mozzarella, tomato, cooked ham and pineapple is at $22.00.

Delivery covers the North, East, North-East and Town areas of Singapore. For delivery to areas not covered, a minimum spending of $80 is required, otherwise, a delivery charge of $8 will be applied. Orders below $50.00 are subjected to a delivery charge of $4.00.

Tony’s Pizza
Delivery Hotline: +65 67773992
Website: http://tonyspizza.sg/menus
Operating Hours: 11am – 11pm

Tony’s Pizza New York-style pizzas are known to be large, wide, thin, doughy and hand-tossed. They are also quite pricey, an 18 inch plain cheese at $42, and Hawaiian at $48.

Orders below $30 are subject to $8 delivery charge. Orders that are $30 and above but below $60 are subject to $4 delivery charge. Orders that are $60 and above enjoy free delivery. Delivery charges are based on total bill and subject to GST. Acceptable payment modes include cash and credit cards (Visa/Mastercard) (Read: Tony’s Pizza)

Crosta Pizza
Delivery Hotline: +65 62955505 (Crawford Lane)
Website: http://crostapizza.sg

Crust Gourmet Pizza Bar
Delivery Hotline: +65 64672224 (Holland Village), +65 64442488 (Katong), +65 66367666 (Serangoon Gardens), +65 64561555 (Upper Thomson)
Website: http://www.crustpizza.com.sg

Extra Virgin Pizza
Delivery Hotline: +65 62475757 (Novena United Square), +65 62475757 (Asia Square)
Website: http://extravirginpizza.com/evp

Haven Gourmet Pizza
Delivery Hotline: +65 63655411 (Woodlands), +65 67791155 (Clementi)
Website: http://www.havenpizza.com

Pasta Mania
Delivery Hotline: +65 62757555
Website: http://pastamaniadelivery.sg

Pizza4u
Delivery Hotline: +65 67778998
Website: http://www.pizza4u.sg

Disclaimer: The ‘best’ is really there for SEO. While I did try the pizzas listed here, do share with me your pizza ordering experiences – I know some can be smooth-sailing while others extremely frustrating talking to the other person over the phone. Tell us which to go for, and which to avoid.

The post 10 Best Pizza Delivery Shops In Singapore appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Every time I want to feel like I am on a holiday, I will take a short journey to Quayside Isle at Sentosa Cove. Although it is in Singapore, it doesn’t exactly feel like it with the relaxing atmosphere and slower-pace of life.

During the weekends, you can also see families and groups of friends taking leisure walks by the marina, children playing with their pets, and subsequently heading off to a dinner, and after-dinner drinks at some of the 16 popular restaurants there.

The weekdays can also feel like weekends at Quayside Isle.

Entering Sentosa for a meal costs only $2 extra (from 12pm to 2pm and after 5pm on weekdays), and many restaurants are offering wallet-friendly lunch sets. I say this is a great opportunity for casual corporate meet-ups and the occasional lunchtime celebrations with colleagues.

Sabio By The Sea, Tapas Bar & Grill
#01-02 Quayside Isle Tel: +65 66907568
www.sabio.sg/bythesea
Opening Hours: 12pm-10pm (Mon-Thurs), 12pm-12am (Fri-Sat), 10:30am-10pm (Sun)

Sabio By The Sea, Tapas Bar & Grill is already known for offering a Spanish gastronomical experience with a huge variety of tapas, grilled meats and seafood. It has now become more attractive to spend the weekday afternoon just relaxing and savouring Spanish cuisine.

The weekday set lunch is priced at a value-for-money $23++. Starters include a Spanish pumpkin soup or cold cuts platter, main of a Salad (choose among grilled chicken, chorizo, spinach and goat cheese or vegetarian), or a Grilled Chicken with Roasted Garlic and Melted Manchego Cheese.

The must-have… their signature dessert of Churros dipped in hot chocolate, easily one of the best available in Singapore. If Churros isn’t your thing, you can always try their Crema Catalan! The weekday set lunch also comes with coffee or tea.

Also, wine lovers do take note. You can get an add on of their signature glass of red/white sangria at just $5++. In fact, this fruity refreshing drink has been very popular with many diners at Sabio By The Sea, Tapas Bar & Grill, especially in the Singaporean heat.

Quayside Fish Bar & Bistro
#01-11 Quayside Isle Tel: +65 62688633
www.qsfishbar.com
Opening Hours: 9am-12am (Tues, Sun), 12pm-12am (Wed-Thurs), 12pm-1am (Fri), 9am-1am (Sat)

The experience of dining at Quayside Fish Bar & Bistro is quite beyond comparison, offering an exciting menu of the freshest fish and seafood air-flown from around the world, with an impressive view of the marina.

Our jaws dropped in amazement when we saw a rather generous portion of the set lunch served to our table – a Lobster Pasta cooked perfectly with al dente penne and a Tiger Beef-Battered Halibut with white truffle scented shoestring fries.

The 2-course lunch is priced at $29++, and the 3-course at $39++. Both are available on Tuesdays – Fridays from 12pm – 2.30pm. What sealed the deal was the Zesty Panna Cotta with Dehydrated Lychee in Raspberry Sauce dessert, delicately sweet and smooth that you will want a second helping.

Earl of Hindh
#01-16 Quayside Isle Tel: +65 66816694
www.earlofhindh.com
Opening Hours: 12pm-10:30pm (Tues-Sun)

Stepping into Earl of Hindh made me feel that I am transported elsewhere with its colonial style décor, traditional patterned flooring and grand portraits of Maharajas hanging on the walls. I must admit that I am not familiar with Indian fine dining establishments, and was pleasantly surprised at its offerings.

The restaurant aims to present food like to the royalty, with an appetising range of Indian kebabs, curries, naan, breads and long grained basmati rice. We thoroughly enjoyed the starters, especially the Jhinga Jaan-E-Dum ($38++), a jumbo prawn dish marinated in Chef’s secret spices. The Rampuri Parantha ($8++), which means multi-layered cooked dough, when stuffed with red chilli flakes and dipped in Chicken Tikka ($34++) gravy, is sheer exotic indulgence.

They now offer a 4-course executive set lunch at $30++. That’s fine dining at affordable rates.

Miska Café
#01-07 Quayside Isle Tel: +65 63390903
www.miska.sg
Opening Hours: 12pm-10pm (Mon-Fri), 10am-11pm (Sat-Sun)

It is hard to pinpoint a particular charm about Miska Café, I would like to call it ‘modern-Mediterranean’ with a touch of fun.

You get a fair share of Mediterranean influenced dishes such as Baked Halloumi cheese slices from Cyprus ($13++), Hummus ($10++), Kebab Wraps ($21++), to more western dishes from pizzas, pastas and burgers.

What I appreciate about their pastas is that it combines a familiar comfort food with kebab-style meat slices. Have a cooling drink to complement your meals, with a selection of cold draught beer, wines, margaritas, cocktails and interesting specialty drinks such as Kiwi Sparkle, Passion Fruit Sparkle and Virgin Pina Colada (between $8-$10++). A 3-course set lunch is at an inexpensive price of $25++.

Paradiso Restaurant & Bar
#01-03 Quayside Isle Tel: +65 66945428
www.paradiso.com.sg
Opening Hours: 5pm-11pm (Mon), 3pm-11pm (Tues-Thurs), 3pm-1am (Fri), 11am-1am (Sat), 11am-11pm (Sun). Last order for food at 9:30pm; last food order for Paella is 9:00pm.
There is also no service charge

Sometimes I will miss Spain so much, and the best way to alleviate that is to indulge at Paradiso Restaurant & Bar which serves some of the best of Mediterranean and Spanish cuisine.

Some of my favourites are the flavourful Classic Seafood Paella Valenciana ($34+) of generous seafood cooked in prawn stock with Arborio rice, Baked King Prawns ($26+), Homemade Beef Cheddar Burger ($22+), tapas such as Stuffed Baked Mushroom ($14+), Chargrilled Squid in Cuban Sofrito sauce ($14+), and an interesting creation called the Mojito Chicken ($24+).

Yes, Mojito Chicken served with patatas bravas. Delicioso. It’s a feast with an amazing view!

More good news to share!

Quayside Isle is also offering FREE Weekday Lunch Time Parking (between 12pm and 2.30pm) with no minimum spending needed. (This offer does not extend to public holidays!)

You just need to present the original same-day receipt of ANY amount with time spending between 12pm – 2:30pm at the Quayside Isle Management Office, located at Basement 1 for redemption of a complimentary carpark coupon. Refer to this website for more information: http://www.quaysideisle.com/happening.php?id=1

There is also a Weekday Promotion Lucky Draw that will be ongoing until 31 October 2014.

Simply spend more than $120 in a maximum 2 same-day combined receipts on weekdays, and you will be entitled to join with one chance!

Prizes include:
Grand Prize: 2D1N Away Wow Suite Stay at W Singapore-Sentosa Cove Hotel (including 2 breakfasts, and pick-up and drop-off in a Porsche Cayenne), and $300 worth of Quayside Isle vouchers!

We are also giving away 4 sets of Quayside Isle vouchers worth $300 each!

Instagram Contest
Simply take a photo at Quayside Isle, upload on Instagram with the hashtags #QuaysideIsle and #DanielFoodDiary and stand a chance to win $200 worth of vouchers! Looking forward to see your delicious pictures!

Contest ends on Thursday, 31 July 2014, and 2 winners will be chosen!

*This post is brought to you by Quayside Isle. For more information, head over to www.quaysideisle.com

The post Quayside Isle – Weekdays Feel Like Weekends With Exciting Dining Choices appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

My mum’s a Teochew and that meant lots of fishball soups during dinner while growing up. Our consumption supply came from two main sources – Tiong Bahru market, or the packaged ones from the supermarkets. The balls were either from BoBo or Dodo.

BoBo also reminded us of Zoe Tay (for those who grew up in my era). Making this ‘study trip’ to Ha Li Fa’s factory to see how BoBo fishballs were made was an eye-opener.

I imagined the maker to be a small factory with say 20-30 aunties in a row conveyor line squeezing, shaping and arranging fishballs (or chit-chatting). I must have watched too many drama series.

There were a few huge machines, with an occasional worker at each station calibrating, scooping, deep-frying, sorting, and operating.

When I casually asked how many fishballs BoBo produced a month, my answers were, “We do not have the exact numbers, but it can probably fill up 6 Olympic sized swimming pools.”

My eyes went slightly bigger (though not yet bigger than their fishballs), surprised at how a home-grown outfit has grown this big despite the smaller local demand, tighter manpower supply and global challenges.

Their secrets to success? Here are 5 of them.

You Can’t Just Sell One Thing
Selling just one product in the past may be sufficient to survive. In today’s markets where customers crave for variety, product innovation is the way to go. Other than an extensive variety of fishballs and fishcakes, Bobo went on to deep fried bean curd rolls, prawn, crab & cuttlefish balls, fish dumplings and other recent innovations such as cheese seafood tofu and thai fishcake snacks.

It’s true. I think the kids nowadays don’t just eat fishball. They love their cheese meatballs more.

Learn From Others
The company will look at product offerings at overseas markets, especially in countries such as Japan and South Korea to get inspired. So they looked at German sausages, wondered and came up with a line of ready-to-eat sausages. You just need to twist the sausage packaging open, and pop into the mouth. Stored at room temperature, no cooking needed.

Getting The Right Machines
Machines are costly – yes. But it is about finding the right machinery, and getting the right resources. Some of their R&D required a 6-figure sum which was partially funded by e2i’s Inclusive Growth Programme (IGP) and Spring Singapore.

Ha Li Fa purchased 6 machines over the last few years, and productivity also multiplied. One of their best buys is a multi-head weigher, a fast, accurate and reliable weighing machine. The worker can calibrate a ‘target weight’ (say 100 grams) and the machine will dispense accordingly, which integrates with the packing machinery.

In the past, workers have to manually weight portion by portion. Imagine the effort needed!

While manual weighing and packing used to take 10-14 days for a batch of products, using the machine takes maximum of 3 days. This ensures product freshness, and workers can be deployed to do ‘more valuable jobs’ such as overseeing of product safety and operational management.

The Workers Are Priority
Being an SME, Ha Li Fa found it a challenge to attract blue-collared workers, because factory jobs weren’t the most glamorous ones to do. Yah, most Singaporeans would choose to work in a comfortable air-conditioned office rather than in sweltering fishball factory.

As NTUC low wage worker advocate Mr Zainal Sapari once said that it is important to professionalise as many jobs as possible to make them more respectable.

Providing their workers with more sense of ownership and additional incentives helped reduced turnover. Workers who were able to meet certain targets set were also be rewarded with extra cash on top of their basic salaries.

Listen to The Workers
(Okay, note for bosses.) On a related note, the management also said “You must listen to the workers.” Some of the workers suggested having a conveyor belt. The old practice was that they had to accumulate products in batches and physically push the goods to another part of the factory.

For the workers, they got what they wanted and working hours were effectively shortened per day (they literally worked less). For the company, the process improvement led to cost savings, “We can also save on 2-3 hours of aircon and electricity everyday!”

If I can add one more, it would be listening to the customers and the trends. Since ‘health’ is all in the rage, Ha Li Fa has produced a range of healthier fishballs and fishcakes with low salt and no MSG under the Sakura brand.

The next time I have a BoBo fishball at the dinner table, I will tell my mum this fishball is made by a machine, and also with lots of study, research and heart.

The post BoBo Fishballs – The Fishball Makers Share Their 5 Ways To Success appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

June presents another exciting month for café hopping enthusiasts, with no less than 10 new cafes opening up around our sunny island. That many! Of all the newbies, The Lokal Café looks set to be one that would pack in both hipsters and executives. (Read: 20 New Cafes In Singapore)

Walking in, I can’t help feeling “This place is so Aussie.” The vibes, the music, the open set-up, and then I realised the food as well.

The Lokal (right next to Goethe-Institut Singapore) is about wholesome Western style comfort food made from scratch using fresh ingredients, served up in a friendly chilled out atmosphere. Their coffee uses Sarnies coffee beans (down at Telok Ayer), satisfying caffeine cravings using a custom built Slayer espresso machine.

Chef owner Darren Farr (more affectionately known as fuzzychef) is one of the founding chefs at the original Tetsuya in Sydney, and mentioned that The Lokal is in fact inspired by Pope Joan in Melbourne. Ah, that’s why this cafe cannot help feeling “Aussie”.

The to-order dish is the signature Veal Schnitzel Burger ($28), a whooping combination of red slaw, grilled pineapple, emmenthal cheese, lettuce, anchovy mayo on a sesame seed bun. Served with chunky chips.

Darren makes his own pickles, sauces and even butter. And you know that is going to be some hearty awesome stuff.

I had the Roast Beef on Rye ($17), and this had a taste that brought me back to The Sandwich Shop in Sydney all over again. The beef was roasted impeccably, sandwiched in drool-worthy caramelised onions, watercress and grain mustard crème fraiche.

The bread had a doughy chewy texture, which I found quite out of the ordinary. I learnt that the breads are from Nick Vina, known to making artisanal breads using organic French flour and no preservatives, with dough moulded by hand.

Coffee was suitably to my taste, smooth yet a mild kick – $4 for espresso, $5.5 for latte, cappuccino and $6 for mocha and hot chocolate.

The iced version (additional $1) was a refreshing, topped with lovely latte art. My coffee-addict friend commented that it was too milky though, and would have tasted better over at Sarnies.

Other items include Smashed avocado, pomelo, our own ricotta, almonds on sourdough toast ($18), Breakfast burger with pork belly, broken omelette, spinach & chilli jam ($23) and Smoked mackerel & salmon, potato salad, pickled beet root & greens ($22).

Good news for late night hoppers, The Lokal will be opened till midnight come end July. Better go, because I am quite sure this place is going to be packed really soon.

The Lokal
136 Neil Rd Singapore 64239918 (Nearest MRT is Outram Park. Take Teo Hong Rd exit and walk 3min up Bukit Pasoh Road)
Tel: +65 6423 9918
Opening Hours:
Monday-Friday: Breakfast & Lunch menu served 8am – 3:30pm. Coffees, snacks etc served from 3:30 – 6pm.
Saturday & Sunday: All day brunch 10am-4pm

Other Related Entries
20 New Cafes In Singapore
Coast and Company (Siglap Drive)
NOM No Other Meaning (MacPherson)
Percolate (Bedok)
Buttero (Tras Street)

The post The Lokal – Aussie-Inspired Cafe Is Going To Pack In The Crowd appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

There are cafes. And there are cafes with stories.

Tian Kee & Co. was a 54 years old provision shop, situated in one of Singapore’s oldest estate Dakota Crescent, and has now been converted to a café with a nostalgic touch.

This was an old-school provision shop in a 2-storey block, fitted with rusty spring-loaded metal gates and grilled windows. The day after previous owner Uncle Lim wanted to give up the shop due to old age, the current owner Vincent (some call him C.K.) went up to him and said, “I want this shop.”

It was supposedly a present for the wife, who dreamt about opening a café called “Black Rose”. However, to retain the integrity and heritage of the shop, they kept its original name, and the iconic blue signboard.

Many nostalgic elements still remain, from an old Milo tin which was used to collect money in the beginning of days, childhood toys, coffee-shop tables, to a 20-cent dolphin kiddy ride outside which is still in operation!

Even the cups used are those commonly used to serve ‘kopi-o’, exactly the same ones used in Chin Mee Chin.

Coffee beans are sourced from Dutch Colony, and the Latte ($5) I had was medium-bodied and delicate, only slightly acidic without a sour aftertaste. While some may find the coffee lacking the intensity, I figure that those who wants an easy-going cuppa can appreciate this.

For something more ‘girly’ with caffeine, Tian Kee also offers a SNAG ($5.50 – espresso and rose syrup with steamed fresh milk.

The café is still in the works of delivering their brunch sets and homemade gelato. For cake lovers, go for their Japanese Cupcake ($3.50), a soft and light chiffon cake where the spoon can go easily through, and a Yuan Yang Cheesecake ($6.50) made with both espresso and Hong Kong-styled milk tea.

Their pies ($7.90) are homemade, though both are quite spicy – one has chicken simmered with Korean pepper paste and the other has it in black pepper.

Though the cafe is non-airconditioned (tough in the staggering Singapore heat), it was a breeze sitting in and absorbing the nostalgic air, perhaps reminiscing the good old days of Singapore.

Tian Kee & Co. would work well in a quiet reflective afternoon, but I wonder if its charm would still remain when the people come in packs.

Tian Kee & Co.
Blk 12 Dakota Crescent, #01-48, Singapore 390012
(Mountbatten MRT CC7 – 3 mins from Exit B, Dakota MRT C8 – 5 mins from Exit A)
Opening Hours: 10am – 7pm, 10am – 9pm (Fri-Sun)

Other Cafe Entries
20 New Cafes In Singapore
Coast and Company (Siglap Drive)
The Lokal (Neil Road)
Brew Maison (Bt Timah)
Percolate (Bedok)

The post Tian Kee & Co – Old Provision Shop Turned Into Nostalgic Styled Café appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

The Somerset area of Orchard is getting exciting with many new openings. With the latest connection of Orchard Central to the other malls, that area is going to appeal to diners who are looking for variety, ambience and affordability.

Being a Japanese food lover, I am not kidding when I say I have tried every Japanese restaurant at Orchard Central. When I did a last count, there are 9 Japanese restaurants in total, and 1 new Japanese snack shop where I happily stocked up on my supply of Tokyo Bananas.

Orchard Central is the must-go destination in Orchard for Japanese foodies. Here are 10 Favourite Japanese Food Places at Orchard Central.

Sumiya #12-02
Tel: +65 6509 9618
http://sumiya.com.sg

When the sashimi plate from Sumiya first arrived, we were amazed at how beautiful, how fresh and how wallet-friendly this is. Sashimi of 7 Kinds at $60! What you get would depend on the seasonal fish caught on that day in various parts of Japan to ensure freshness.

We had the Hamachi (Yellowtail), Maguro (Tuna) , Ama-Ebi (Sweet Prawn), Masu (Trount), Hotate (Scallop) and Uni (Sea Urchin) from Hokkaido and Tokimeki, a local fish from Kochi prefecture in Shikoku Island of Japan. All melt-in-your-mouth goodness, in a charming restaurant with an old school Japanese touch and fantastic 12th storey view of Orchard Road. Their Omakase Skewers ($25 for 6) are also evenly grilled and delicious.

Tanuki by Standing Sushi Bar #02-03
Tel: +65 6636 5949
http://www.tanukibar.com

Tanuki opened by restaurateur Howard Lo (also behind Standing Sushi Bar and Shinkansen) is a Japanese-inspired raw bar, the place where executives hang out for fresh oysters (slurp), classic cocktails and happy hour drinks – $10 per martini, $9 pints of Heineken and free light bites from 5-8pm.

Their Tanuki rolls are somewhat like sushi, all with a twist. My favourite was an American Roll maki sushi inspired by a cheeseburger, with cheddar cheese, sliced beef and pickles deep-fried (I may want to rename this as ‘guilty sushi’), and a Shrimptastic fried ebi roll sprinkled with sakura ebi and drizzled with spicy sauce. Hey, sushi can be fun!

Tonkichi #07-06
Tel: +65 6238 7976
http://www.sapporolionsg.com.sg/tonkichi

One of my favourite Japanese comfort food is the ‘Tonkatsu’ – fried pork cutlet which Tonkichi is known to serve one of the best in Singapore. Their Hire Katsu Set is popular among weekday lunch goers, with deep fried fillet, prawn and vegetable katsu all in with sashimi, rice, appetizer and chwanmushi. At $22, that’s a steal.

The outlet at Orchard Central also boasts a wider menu variety, with a selection of sashimi and side dishes, and I almost always go for the Japanese Tonkatsu Curry Rice.

Maccha House #B1-39
Tel: +65 6636 5830
http://www.facebook.com/macchahouse.sg

Maccha House specialises in traditional Maccha beverages and desserts created from this fine green tea powder, all sourced from Kyoto Japan.

While they also serve hot food items, most are really here for their desserts, such as the Maccha Soft Serve Anmitsu with Rice-flour Dumplings, and Maccha Parfaits which come with rice flour, chocolate or soy milk pudding. They even serve the Hot Maccha drink the traditional way – self-concocted out of a bowl.

Kiseki Japanese Buffet Restaurant #08-01/02/03
Tel: +65 6736 1216
http://www.kisekirestaurant.com.sg

On a Monday weekday afternoon at Kiseki, the restaurant was almost packed full. Years after it is opened, the Japanese buffet restaurant continues to have long lines and pack the crowds. (You can call to make reservations yah?)

Weekday meals are at $19.80++ and $31.80++ for lunch and dinner, and weekends at $27.80++ and $34.80++ respectively. There are over 200 buffet items. Since I have been there a few times, my favourite stuff are the Yakitori skewers, Nabemeno hot pots, Agemono deep fried snacks, cold crab claws (during dinners only I think) and waffle with ice cream. What’s yours?

Genki Sushi #03-32
Tel: +65 6238 0900
http://www.genkisushi.com.sg

Conveyer belt sushi restaurant at Orchard Central was just newly re-furbished late last year. As customers, what we are usually concerned about conveyer belt restaurants are the freshness of the ingredients and quality of rice. Genki Sushi actually uses premium quality Koshihikari rice, which is more refined and superior to other grades of ordinary rice.

Ootoya Japanese Restaurant #08-12
Tel: +65 6884 8901
http://www.ootoya.com

Whenever I feel like eating affordable home-styled Japanese cuisine, Ootoya seems to be the default choice. Most of its dishes and even sets are priced below $20. Their food, made without added preservatives and flavourings, also taste healthier and lighter on the palate. Try their Pozu Burger or home-made Soba made fresh daily in-house using buckwheat imported from Hokkaido.

Shabu Sai #08-09/10/11
Tel: +65 6884 6760
https://www.facebook.com/shabusai.sg

For all-you-can-eat Shabu-Shabu and Sukiyaki buffet, Shabu Sai serves up to seven types of soup bases with occasional monthly specials such as Tonkotsu Kimchi and Yuzu & Salt Beauty Pot. Buffet lunch price is at $16.99++ and $9.99++ for child.

Nantsuttei #07-12/13 (Opening Soon)
http://www.nantsu.com/sg

Ramen lovers are all waiting for Nantsuttei to open. If you have yet to try, look out for their rich and creamy tonkotsu pork bone soup with a layer of ‘black ma-yu’ – roast garlic oil which further brings out the flavour of the thick broth. Absolutely one of my favourite ramen in Singapore.

ShiokJapan! #B1-03
http://www.shiokjapan.com

Every time this particular colleague of mine goes to Japan, she will bring back a luggage of Tokyo Banana. Yes, and it is not even cabin-sized. Well, she does not have to travel that far anymore. If you have instant cravings for Japanese speciality snacks from Tokyo Banana, Ishiya Shiroi Kobito 白い恋人 (love these), Ginza Cheesecake, Meiji snacks and KitKat of unique flavours, ShiokJapan! has specially brought them in. Tokyo Banana fans may just spot a flavour they have never tried before.

* This post is brought to you by Orchard Central. For more information about Orchard Central, head on to http://www.orchardcentral.com.sg and https://www.facebook.com/oc

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