[Taipei] I visited Taipei’s Rilakkuma Café 拉拉熊咖啡廳 on Valentine’s Day. Not that it was planned, but it was surprisingly not as crowded as I imagined (I read that reservation was A MUST). Despite not making a reservation, I could get seats easily.

Thought this is something interesting: Rilakkuma’s name is a combination of リラックス ‘rirakkusu’, a Japanese transliteration of the English word “relax”, and クマ ‘kuma’, the Japanese word for ‘bear’.

Getting here wasn’t that difficult, a short walk from Zhongxiao Dunhua Station Exit 3, where you should spot young couples and tourists posing with a Rilakkuma mascot outside from a distance.

For character café lovers, you would love the full kawaii-ness of the décor.

I thought that the Taiwanese did up the café pretty well. A merchandise section at the front with quite an extension selection of soft toys and accessories, seating spaces with occasional Rilakkuma and Korilakkuma cushions, and a photo area at the back. Watch out for selfie stick accidents.

Even the toilet signs have Rilakkuma cartoons on them.

You know when Taiwanese girls speak in the higher-pitch cutesy voices, your heart would just melt a little, and tend to order more food than needed.

A minimal expenditure of at least a drink or food item per person is required.

The ”ren qi”, meaning popular items include Rilakkuma Cheese Onigiri with Chicken and Crea Sauce (NT$340), Rosemary Fried Chicken Thigh Pasta (NT$360) , Kiirotori Spices Pork Rice (NT$340), Rilakkuma Cheese Pork Chop with Curry Rice (NT$360), and Seafood Risotto with Tomato Sauce (NT$340).

That is about SGD$15.60 (USD$11.00) to SGD$16.50 (USD$11.60).

Some food items have just bread cut-outs in a bear shape, while others such as the Cheese Onigiri would be more instagrammable.

After bombarded with so many photos of Rilakkuma sleeping peacefully under egg omelette, I just had to order the Omurice with Pork Meatball (NT$340).

The thing about character cafes is, food is seldom spectacular. You know that, and shouldn’t come expecting taste-buds to be wowed.

With that said, the Omurice was a possibly decent dish in terms of the egg – fluffy, moist, ‘photogenically’ wrapped. There were two types of rice used – one for the head, a more flavoured for the body. Tasted slightly cold though.

The Rilakkuma Cheese Cake (NT$200, SGD$9.10) wasn’t just a good-looker, considered soft and light in texture, with a apparent cheese flavour at the base layer.

Again not fabulous, but at least you won’t feel like you would be wasting your calories.

This Rilakkuma Café’s main appeal to me was its cutesy and comfortable ambience, and its food and surroundings certainly looked good for photos.

Rilakkuma Café Taipei 拉拉熊咖啡廳
No. 3, Lane 248, Section 4, Zhongxiao East Rd, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan 106 (Zhongxiao Dunhua Station, Exit 3)
忠孝東路四段248巷3號
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10:00pm Daily
Google Maps – Rilakkuma Café Taipei

Other Related Entries
Starbucks Taipei 101 (Taipei)
Modern Toilet Restaurant (Taipei)
Fujin Tree 353 富錦樹咖啡 (Taipei)
Smoothie House 思慕昔 (Taipei)
Dazzling Cafe (Taipei)

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

The post Rilakkuma Café Taipei – Cuteness Overload, Food Actually Not That Bad appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

What? All the pasta dishes at PocoLoco are $12 or less?

We are talking about restaurant quality Italian dishes, with the chef having prior experience at several higher-end Italian establishments.

For those searching for affordable, enjoyable Italian fare, you can find it right at PocoLoco, with locations at the heartlands of Jurong Snow City Level 2, and Ang Mo Kio Blk 408 Avenue 10. Truly a hidden find. Snow City?

(A NEW PocoLoco Pizzeria is in the works, so look out here for updates.)

When I asked the co-owner how they managed to serve prices that value-for-money, it was a combination of location (lower rentals compared to the city area and malls), finding suppliers on long working relationship, fine-tuning of kitchen processes, and fuss-free service.

Therefore, instead of dishes being served course by course, food items may be served “more casually”. Well, suitable for sharing then.

I glanced through the menu. You can have a Lasagne for $8, Aglio Olio for $9, Vongole for $10, Squid Ink Pasta for $12, Beef Carpaccio for $12, and even a Beef Tenderloin at $20 with truffle cream sauce, which are all considered wallet-friendly.

In addition, portions are hardly considered small, and reasonably quality ingredients are used.

Accordingly, many ingredients are imported from Italy itself, and components such as sauces, stock bases and dressings are cooked from scratch. I can attest to that. The cheese used, for example, are not pre-packed flakes but shaved back in the kitchen.

This was also my first time venturing to Jurong Snow City. While getting there might require some effort (could be a 10 – 15 minutes walk with sweat from Jurong East MRT Station), the ambience of PocoLoco Microbrewery was welcoming.

It looked suitable for big groups of friends and family to have a chillaxing day’s out, or dinner with food and wine in an informal environment.

The outlet at Jurong is also a Microbrewy, so you can have unique home-brewed beers ($7 – $8 per glass) to go along with your fare.

Here are some of the 10 signature food items I tried at PocoLoco Jurong:

Granchio – Crabmeat In Pink Sauce ($12)
My favourite pasta of the lot. The Crabmeat Pasta came al dente, with generous portion of sweet crab meat swimming within, all tossed in a creamy sauce added with tomatoes.

PocoLoco managed to strike a balance for the sauce, otherwise it could have been too rich and heavy, or diluted.

Close your eyes, and you could imagine having this at another restaurant, easily double the price.

Manzo – Pasta With Beef In Truffle Cream Sauce ($12)
Another popular value-for-money dish, cooked using long-flat soft ribbons of Tagliatelle.

The beef slices here were sautéed in white wine and flavoured with parsley and truffle essence. My feedback was, the bite of the meat could have been tenderer, then it would be perfect for its price.

Zafferano – Seafood Pasta With Saffron Sauce ($12)
This was the co-owner’s favourite. He commented that you won’t find Saffron Sauced Pastas in more mass market restaurants.

Having worked in several Italian restaurants before, he insisted on including this in the menu as he wanted customers in the heartlands to experience “more authentic Italian flavours”.

The addition of saffron gave this pasta a characteristic flavour and brighter yellow colour – which could get some getting used to some.

Fegato d’oca – Risotto With Foie Gras ($15)
Medium-grained Carnaroli rice was used. The risotto was cooked by boiling the grains with home-made broth in a low flame – such that it would become slightly creamy with the right bite.

If you love creamy, cheesy food, this is for you.

Funghi – Sautéed Mushroom ($6)
Simple things done well. Just Portobello mushrooms cooked in garlic, olive oil, parsley, and then sautéed in white wine. But so inexpensive, so good.

Capesante – Baked Scallops With Capsicum Puree & Flavoured Butter ($12)
If you are looking for a starter to order, GET THIS.

Baked scallops accompanied with capsicum puree and flavoured butter, as capsicum creates a pleasant contrast between its spicy savour and the plump sweetness of the scallops.

According to the Chef, only sashimi grade Hokkaido scallops are used because they are sweet, succulent, yet firm to the bite.

Gamberi – Sautéed Prawn With Butter, Garlic And Lemon ($7)
I liked that the sautéed prawns had a touch of lemon juice, as the slight tanginess added this lift to the taste.

Pollo Alla Millanese – Breaded Chicken With Arrabiata Sauce ($15)
The mains here include Chicken Tender with Masala Wine ($15), Beef Tenderloin with Rucola Salad ($20), Beef Tenderloin with Gorgonzola or Truffle Cream Sauce ($20).

There will be seasonal special and fresh catch of the day written on the blackboard at the side, so you can look out for those if you are a regular here looking for something new.

Tiramisu ($6)
This was seriously not bad, surprisingly. The signature Italian dessert was served in a cup, garnished with thin layer of cacao powder, with soft and smooth texture.

The trace of the Italian sweet liqueur was distinct, yet not overpowering, making this a satisfying way the meal.

Lava Cake With Vanilla Ice Cream ($10)
If you are one of those who likes to video (or ‘boomerang’ your lava cakes), get your cameras very ready. The FLOW came fast and furious for this home-made lava cake, which had a thinner than usual ‘skin’, and lava-gush like a river.

There are both chocolate and a seasonal special Matcha option. The choice was obvious for me.

If you love some drinks with friends, all the beer here are brewed in-house with exclusive flavours. Look out for the particular green Verde ($7), a light-bodied lager brewed with seaweed barley malt.

Did I add that if you choose to sit outdoors, you would be presented with a view of vast greenery? As though that you are having a Italian meal picnic in the midst of it all.

PocoLoco Microbrewery – Jurong
Snow City Level 2, 21 Jurong Town Hall Road Singapore 609433
(Alight at Jurong East Station on the East West Line and walk 10-15 min or transfer to Bus No. 335 or 66.)
Tel: +65 8438 3833
Opening Hours: 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm Daily
https://www.facebook.com/PocoLocoSG
Reservation Online – PocoLoco Jurong

PocoLoco – Ang Mo Kio
408 Ang Mo Kio Ave 10 #01-779 Singapore 560408
Opening Hours: 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Tel: +65 8436 3363
Reservation Online – PocoLoco Ang Mo Kio

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Poco Loco.

The post PocoLoco – Quality Pasta For $12 Or Less At Jurong & Ang Mo Kio. Hidden Find appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Remember Sushiro at Thomson Plaza?

We were thrilled last year to find a satisfying bowl of Bara-Chirashi Don at $12.80, wrote about the humble Japanese eatery, and the crowd flooded in. Oh well, had to queue already after going back, but good for them.

Sushiro has just expanded to Thomson Plaza #01-22/30, next to the main entrance and atrium. In place of the previous store space of #01-113F is another concept, Takumi by Sushiro which is more focused on Gyuniku Donburi.

Compared to Sushiro, Takumi’s queue was much, much shorter. I went with the intention to queue for at least half an hour, but was surprised when I was the next in line during peak hours.

The menu at Takumi is also streamlined and straightforward, with a meatier-take of beef and chicken rice bowls.

If you prefer curry, Takumi also serve Chicken Katsu Curry ($12) and Gyuniku Curry ($14) rice bowls. Both come with the option of udon as well.

I opted for the Tokyo Gyuniku Don ($12). If you like a bigger serving, you can go for their Mount Gyuniku Don ($22). (However from observation, the larger size that looked like a mini-hill filled with more rice, but not with a proportionally substantial increase in meat portion.)

When I first tasted a few spoonfuls, I felt the meats were juicy enough. Compared to the usual donburis which are typically drier, their version was more soupy.

The bowl was also overloaded with onions and rice, and I wished that they mixed in more beef instead.

Another friend thought that the meat was over-blanched, and the sauce tasted diluted by the time it seeped into the rice. He said, ”Like Yoshinoya?” You decide if it is a good or bad thing.

I assumed the bowl was prepared on the go, but the beef and onions were precooked in a big pot, and was topped on the rice by the chef when serving.

Nonetheless, Takumi is still a good option to go for if you happen to be in the Upper Thomson vicinity and have mad cravings for a beef donburi.

Or if need dinner, but is too lazy to queue at Sushiro.

Sushiro Takumi
301 Upper Thomson Road, #01-113F Thomson Plaza, Singapore 574408 (Near Marymount MRT) Opening Hours: 11:45am – 2:15pm, 5:45pm – 9:15pm (Tue – Sun)>

Other Related Entries
Omotenashi Dining Gosso (Boat Quay)
Ginza Kushi Katsu (Paragon Orchard)
Waa Cow (Kent Ridge Drive)
Sandaime Bunji (Millenia Walk)
Haru Haru (Ang Mo Kio)

* Written by Kayla Chew @kaylacys with a passion for both food and travel. Daniel’s Food Diary pays for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post Takumi by Sushiro – Affordable Chirashi Don Shop At Thomson Plaza Opens Gyudon Concept. $12 Per Bowl appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

New-to-market restaurant Meet Dining at City Square Mall is inspired by French and Japanese cuisine.

It carries a wide range of lunch selections, premium beef cuts, tapas and artisan beer, with space suitable for communal dining with family and friends.

You may be surprised at its pricing, not as expensive as I would have imagined, with most of the mains below $20.

Meet is situated in good location (and you see the restaurant as you take the escalator up), has seating areas suitable for groups, some seats with a view, quite stylish décor, and a welcoming price point.

Yet, we do not hear about it much as expected. So what is missing?

This is my initial sense, and I attribute to 3 main factors: The name, lack of publicity and signature dishes.

While the name “Meet” is easy to recall, it will probably drown in Google (and other searches) and doesn’t allow potential customers to have a sense of what it is selling. Took me a while to search some information on Facebook as well.

Many new restaurants typically wait till they ‘settle down’ before publicity. That is understandable, but they need to bear in mind that food news moves faster than say, 5 years ago. Moreover, the media tends to lose interest in ‘older’ places, as some places are taking too long to ‘settle down’.

Meet is supposed to have a meat-centric menu, so you can expect Braised Pork Trotter with Angel Hair Pasta ($12), 6 Hours Braised Beef Cheek with Somen, Ginger and Roasted Sesame Seed ($15), Pulled Beef Bourguignon Gratin ($16), Caramelised Miso Pork Belly ($15), and Salmon Fricassee ($15).

Look out for the dish of Mussel. Prawn. Garlic In A Pan ($20, 2 To Share) which is a generous pan of mussels and prawns cooked with garlic, served with creamy mushroom risotto cooked with beef stock.

The risotto could have been cooked slightly softer though.

The other recommended was the Braised Pork Trotter with Angel Hair Pasta, that provided this European dish with a refreshing Asian-Taiwanese slant with richer flavours.

The good thing about Meet is they keep introducing new dishes, BUT I do think they need a few strong highlights to attract potential customers from further away over.

They do have the potential.

Meet
City Square Mall #02-37/38, 180 Kitchener Road Singapore 208539
Tel: +65 6909 0568
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 9:30pm (Mon – Fri), 11:00am – 9:30pm (Sat – Sun)

Other Related Entries
9 MUST TRY Restaurants And Food Places At City Square Mall
Meat N Chill (6th Avenue)
Otto Deli Fresh (Holland Village)
Coo Bistro (Outram Road)
Fat Lulu’s (River Valley)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. This was a hosted meal.

The post Meet Dining Singapore – French Cuisine With Asian Twist, Most Mains Below $20 appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

[Taipei] Commonly known to be “The best restaurant in Taipei”, RAW has an impossibly long waiting list to get a reservation.

Chef Andre Chiang told me there are 4000 – 6000 requests every day, and “reservations per day are gone in 3 seconds”.

3 seconds.

Here’s why. The team behind RAW include acclaimed Taiwanese-born Chef Andre Chiang, who helms ”Singapore’s Best Restaurant” Restaurant Andre (which has 2 Michelin stars, Chef Zor Tan and Chef Alain Huang.

For the longest time, Taipei has been known for its street food, but few or almost no restaurants come to the radar when you talk about European style fine dining.

RAW is impressive, a restaurant where food meets art, serving innovative dishes that blend Taiwanese ingredients with modern international influences.

I will start with the reservation policies. The restaurant is only available for booking for lunch and dinner from Wednesday to Sunday.

For a party below 8 people, reservations have to be done online, and are accepted with a maximum of two weeks in advance. (For example, a Jan 14th request can be made on Jan 1st the earliest.)

The 60-seat lifestyle restaurant serves up ‘bistronomy’ (blend of bistro +‎ gastronomy) cuisine. That means fine dining food, casual setting.

While ‘bistronomy’ is branded as ‘casual’, the interior is anything but that. Designed by Weijenberg Architects, the primarily wooden design aesthetic, fluid-looking furnishing, with an intentionally borderless appearance goes hand-in-hand with the theme of ‘RAW’.

Lighting is specially designed such that it will shine almost on the dishes only, creating a more intimate experience with the food.

Cutlery is kept within a drawer in the table, dispensing with fine-dining protocols.

The menu (the card is a piece of art itself) is an 8-course meal which changes seasonally, priced at NT$1850 (SGD$85.00, USD$60).

Costing a fraction of what you would pay at some fine dining restaurant, RAW’s meal could be worth that EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR with its food quality.

My personal favourites happened to be both soups. There was a dish of green strawberry emulsion matched with green curry in a sorbet like texture, with green tomatoes.

You would have expected the green curry to ‘steal’ the flavours away, but the spiciness was frothy and undemanding, staying as gentle notes while letting the natural sweetness of the other ingredients surface through.

The corn soup was a balanced blend of both savoury and sweet, perfect in terms of its creaminess, added with a fun element of popcorn providing some crisp every spoonful.

I liked how you could see traces of Taiwan here and there, making this restaurant more culturally relevant, for example the dish of ‘sausage’ which reminded me of the Taiwanese street food of glutinous rice sausage.

As a diner, you get to ‘interact’ with the dish with being over gimmicky, in this case tearing the covering apart and dipping the ‘sausage’ in a uniquely spicy Taiwanese ‘Magao’ sauce.

Dessert was a highlight in itself – a sweet beancurd encapsulated in a buttery tart (we call this ‘tau hway’ here), topped with alternating soft peanuts and black beans. This itself, was a clever combination of at least 3 familiar Taiwanese style desserts.

While I were to nit-pick, there were a couple of forgettable items within the eight I was presented with. The “wow” moments were less, if compared to Restaurant Andre.

Service crew was generally made up of young, energetic and knowledge people. However, I couldn’t help filling rushed throughout the meal, both in terms of the speed the dishes were presented, and explanations were done.

The entire meal took about an hour and 40 minutes or so, and that included wine-pairing. With that said, I must keep reminding myself that “this isn’t a fine dining restaurant” at the end of the day. But I could imagine some diners expecting more intricate service quality.

A tiny regret was also that my birthday meal date was changed (not entirely sure of the reason), and therefore no birthday cake too. Okay lah, I shouldn’t complain since at least I got the reservation.

RAW
No. 301, Lequn 3rd Rd, Zhongshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 104
Tel: +886 2 8501 5800
Opening Hours: Lunch 11:30 am – 2:30 pm, Dinner 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm (Wed – Sun), Closed Mon, Tues
Reservation Online – RAW Taipei
Google Maps

Other Related Entries
The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2016
Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2016

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

The post RAW – Best Restaurant In Taipei, Super Difficult To Get A Reservation appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant for 2017 is Gaggan from Bangkok, Thailand again! This is Chef Gaggan Anand’s 3rd win in a row.

Singapore’s Restaurant Andre helmed by Chef Andre Chiang narrowly misses out at No 2.

Now in its fifth year, the 2017 list boosts a number of NEW entries, with the highest NEW Entry coming from Singapore’s very own Odette helmed by Chef Julien Royer. Not suprising though.

Asia’s Best Pastry Chef is Chef Kazutoshi Narita from Esquisse Cinq Japan. Singapore’s Dave Pynt from Burnt Ends Singapore received the Chef’s Choice Award, voted by fellow peers.

Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2017 (Click on blue link for more detailed review)
1. Gaggan, Bangkok, Thailand (1)
2. Restaurant Andre, Singapore (3)
3. Amber, Hong Kong, China (4)
4. 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana, Hong Kong, China (13)
5. Nahm, Bangkok, Thailand (8)
6. Les Créations de Narisawa, Tokyo, Japan (2)
7. Nihonryori Ryugin, Tokyo, Japan (5)
8. Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet, Shanghai, China (7)
9. Odette, Singapore (New entry)
10. Burnt Ends, Singapore (14)
11. Den, Tokyo, Japan (37)
12. L’Effervescence, Tokyo, Japan (16)
13. Sühring Bangkok, Thailand (New entry)
14. Florilège, Tokyo, Japan (New entry)
15. Mingles, Seoul, Korea (15)
16. Les Amis, Singapore (12)
17. Lung King Heen, Hong Kong, China (10)
18. Quintessence, Tokyo, Japan (20)
19. Bo.lan, Bangkok, Thailand (Re-entry)
20. Waku Ghin, Singapore (6)
21. Issaya Siamese Club, Bangkok, Thailand (19)
22. Locavore, Bali, Indonesia (49, Highest Climber Award)
23. Corner House, Singapore (17)
24. RAW, Taipei, Taiwan (46)
25. Jungsik, Seoul, South Korea (22)
26. Sushi Saito, Tokyo, Japan (26)
27. Tippling Club, Singapore (31)
28. Le Mout, Tai Chung, Taiwan (30)
29. Ministry of Crab, Colombo, Sri Lanka (25)
30. Indian Accent, New Delhi, India (9)
31. Eat Me, Bangkok, Thailand (23)
31. Jade Dragon 譽瓏軒, Macau, China (New entry)
33. Ta Vie, Hong Kong, China (48)
34. Hajime, Osaka, Japan (11)
35. Gallery Vask, The Philippines (39)
36. The Dining Room at The House on Sathorn, Bangkok, Thailand (New entry)
37. Le Du, Bangkok, Thailand (New entry)
38. La Yeon, Seoul, South Korea (50)
39. The Tasting Room, Macau, China (New entry)
40. L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, Bangkok, Thailand (New entry)
41. L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, Hong Kong, China (40)
42. JAAN, Singapore (29)
43. Mume, Taipei, Taiwan (New entry)
44. Shinji by Kanesaka, Singapore (21)
45. Ronin, Hong Kong, China (New entry)
46. Wasabi By Morimoto, Mumbai India (44)
47. The Chairman, Hong Kong, China (27)
48. Fu He Hui, Shanghai, China (18)
49. Nihonbashi, Colombo, Sri Lanka (47)
50. Takazawa, Tokyo, Japan (24)

Other Major award recipients include:
– May Chow (Little Bao, Hong Kongand Bangkok), winner of Best Female Chef 2017;
– Umberto Bombana (8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana, Hong Kong), awarded The Lifetime Achievement Award – Asia 2017; and
– Kim Dae-chun’s TocToc of Seoul, Korea with the One to Watch Award – Asia 2017.

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

The panel in each region is made up of food writers and critics, chefs, restaurateurs and highly regarded ‘gastronomes’. Members list their choices in order of preference, based on their best restaurant experiences of the previous 18 months.

There is no pre-determined check-list of criteria, but there are strict voting rules.

Other Related Entries
Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2016
Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2015
The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2016
World’s 100 Best Restaurants 2015
10 Best Restaurants In Singapore 2016

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

The post Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2017 – Bangkok’s Gaggan At No 1, Singapore’s Restaurant Andre At No 2 appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

[Bangkok] The highly anticipated PABLO Cheese Tart from Osaka has opened in Bangkok at the ground floor of Siam Paragon (nearer the food court side).

Just FYI, the cheese tarts are also available in Kuala Lumpur at 1 Utama Shopping Centre Old Wing Level 2; and Jakarta at Gandaria City Mall UG floor.

With multiple outlets outside Japan across Asia such as South Korea, Philippines, Indonesia (but not in Singapore yet), we can easily get our hands on the original Pablo Cheese Tart… IF we travel to these countries.

The popular tart, like a piece of art, derived its name from artist Pablo Picasso.

In Japan, the modern-day desserts emphasize more on odorokashi, a play on words that means “desserts with an element of surprise”.

Pablo reflects that notion, and just like choosing the doneness of a steak, there is an option of “Medium or Rare” for the filling.

The latter is more molten and flowy, but is unavailable in outlets outside Japan. Sad!

The menu of Pablo at the Bangkok outlet features their iconic big Cheese Tart in flavours such as Cheese (THB 415, SGD$16.60), Matcha/ Chocolate (THB 475, SGD 19) and Seasonal (V Day Special) Choco Marshmallow Tart (THB 495, SGD 19.80).

For an upgraded atas version, the Premium Cheese Tart (THB 780, SGD 31.20), is made using 2 different types of cream cheese with a creme brûlée layer on top, priced at almost double of their signature Cheese Tart.

For something lighter, Pablo Mini Tart (THB 75, SGD$3) and Pablo Mini Matcha Tart (THB90, SGD$3.60), Matcha Softserve (THB 95, SGD$3.80) and Cheese Softserve (THB 90, SGD$3.60) are available.

Packed into individual gift-worthy boxes, my favourite was the Matcha Cheese Tart (THB 475, SGD 19).

Think this will make matcha fans go cray cray. Encased within the golden, flaky crust and filled to the brim is the matcha filling that eluded a fragrant tea aroma.

What was more surprising were the ingredients hidden within the fillings.

Azuki red beans to elevate the sweetness and Shiratama Dango (glutinous rice dumplings) for a chewy texture that complemented well with the slight bitterness in the wobbly matcha fillings.

So oishii!

The visit to Pablo was not complete without trying out their signature Original Cheese Tart (THB 415, SGD$16.60), with a mousse-like cheese filling, glazed with apricot jam.

Since there was only one option – “Medium” for Pablo outlets outside Japan, the custard, mousse-like fillings were disappointingly ordinary and predictable.

The only interesting element was the layer of apricot jam on the top of the cheese tart, which gave it a fruity taste, but could be slightly overpowering.

More than just cheese tarts, cheese soft serve was also available in both Original Cheese (THB 90, SGD$3.60) and Matcha (THB 95, SGD$3.80).

My favourite was the Cheese Softserve (THB 90, SGD$3.60) which had a thick but smooth and creamy texture.

The cheese taste was subtle but detectable, and not too heavy and overpowering.

Fans of matcha (including me) would probably get the Matcha Softserve (THB 95, SGD$3.80), strong in both matcha and cheese taste.

The two overpowered each another. The result? Neither flavour stood out.

While the pricing of the Cheese Tarts is almost consistent throughout the outlets in Asia and could be slightly on the high side (THB 415 – 780, SGD$16.60 – 31.20), I am not too sure if I will queue up for it again.

It was a pity I didn’t get to try the highly-raved “Rare” version of the cheese tart, unique with molten fillings oozing out of the tart.

Probably only the outlets in Japan where I can get to try the highly-raved “Rare” version.

Pablo Cheese Tart Thailand
Pablo, G/F, Siam Paragon, Bangkok, Thailand
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)
https://www.facebook.com/PABLOCheesetartThailand/

Other Related Entries
Kiss The Tiramisu (Central World, Bangkok)
Greyhound Café (Bangkok)
Maygori (Bangkok)
CODE Café Of Dessert Enthusiasts (Bangkok)
After You (Central World)

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

The post PABLO Cheese Tart – Famous Osaka Cheese Tart Oozes At Bangkok’s Siam Paragon appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Fans of Vietnamese food would be thrilled to hear about the opening of Mrs Pho House along Rangoon Road, and you can look forward to dishes like Claypot La La and Gong Gong. Not just PHO.

Established since 2014, Mrs Pho has been serving their rendition of hearty beef pho at Beach Road, which is a hot favorite among office executives nearby.

This is despite the long waiting time during lunch hours, due to the limited seating capacity.

Taking over the location of the defunct Grub Noodle Bar, this ‘house’ is more spacious, and makes it more conducive for bigger group dining.

So why Mrs Pho HOUSE?

Like inviting you to their house, their staff mentioned that they wanted to provide a comfortable dining environment which serves up various casual home-cook Vietnamese dishes, and not just limited to pho.

I cannot help but to agree, as many people’s idea of Vietnamese food is limited to just Pho and Bánh mì.

If you are a frequent diner with Mrs Pho, you should be aware of their other signature dish, Mrs Pho Cockles ($10.90) which is stir fried “see-hum” tossed with garlic and pork lard.

Over here, the cockles are cooked in a clay pot to provide an enhanced smoky fragrance.

Probably due to popularity of cockles, there is now an extended seafood menu.

Additions include ‘House’ Crab ($32), Saigon Chili Prawns ($12.90), Long live ‘Gong-Gong’ ($10.90) and Love You Long Time ‘Lala’ ($10.90).

The conch, or commonly known as ‘Lala’, was slowly simmered with lemongrass to give a clear subtle sweet broth.

The ‘Lala’ was fresh and tender, but I preferred to drink the “zhup” (sauce) more than eating the flesh of the shellfish.

The usual starters from Mrs Pho also made their appearance, such as Spring Roll ($6.90), Grilled Beef ‘La Lot’ ($7.90) and ‘Lucky’ Meatballs ($6.50).

Another dish worth a mention would be the Wingman ($6.90), where fried chicken wings were coated with savory fish sauce and topped with loads of garlic.

I could probably kill a vampire after this.

Okay lah, any dish with tons of garlic and pork lard can win me over more easily.

This dish was definitely new to me. Bánh Xèo ($12.90) is a Vietnamese style crepe served with minced pork, prawn and bean sprouts, eaten together with leafy vegetables and sweet chili sauce. Almost reminded me of Korean BBQ.

My first impression? Very refreshing, healthy but lacking in the X-factor.

The other main that caught my attention was Cá Kho ($13.90), stewed catfish simmered with soy sauce and stir fried with tons of pork lard.

I liked the savory dark sauce which could probably go well with plain rice. While the fish is tender, it had quite a strong muddy taste, a common trait of fresh water fish.

The pork lard managed to mask the taste a little. Not sure if changing the type of fish used would improve on the dish.

For the not-so-adventurous, rest assured you are also able to satisfy your craving over a bowl of hearty Sliced Beef Pho ($8.90) or Beef Combo Pho ($9.90).

Mrs Pho House
221 Rangoon Road, Singapore 218459
Tel: +65 9173 1083
Opening Hours: 6:00pm – 10.30pm (Wed – Fri), 12:00pm – 10.30pm (Sat & Sun), Close Mon & Tue
https://www.facebook.com/mrsphohouse/

* Written by Lewis Tan @juicyfingers, a self-proclaimed coffee addict. Daniel’s Food Diary pays for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post Mrs Pho House – Popular Pho Shop Opens Restaurant Serving Authentic Vietnamese Cuisine appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

[London] Tale as old as time, true as it can be. There is a Beauty and The Beast pop-up themed café in London, which will take you on a whole new world.

The Town House at The Kensington is offered a special Afternoon Tea with a magical twist, in celebration of the upcoming release of the Beauty and the Beast film.

Loved the name of the Afternoon Tea, aptly named “Tale As Old As Time” where you will be served tea in Mrs. Potts and Chip Potts tea and dishware.

Priced at £35 (SGD$61) per person or £45 (SGD$79) with a glass of champagne, the various sweets and savouries featured in this whimsical afternoon tea are inspired by the characters and scenes of the film.

Savouries include bite-sized Venison Pie, Beef Ragu & Saffron Arancini Lemon Crème Fraiche, and a selection of sandwiches.

The sweets should promise a magical treat, with Vanilla & Gold Jelly, Chocolate Clock Tart Chocolate Ganache and Spiced Snowball Macaron Coconut & Chocolate.

The Tale as Old as Time Afternoon Tea Menu has been extended till November 30th 2017. You can try your luck or cast a magical spell, because they are almost (unfortunately for us) fully booked.

The Kensington 109 -113
Queen’s Gate London,SW7 5LR, United Kingdom (South Kensington, District and Piccadilly Line)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Photo credit: The Kensington London

The post Beauty And The Beast Café – Tale As Old As Time At The Kensington London appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

This list of Best Restaurants in Singapore is derived from the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2017. (Note: The panel has a different selection process with the Singapore Michelin Guide for Michelin star restaurants, though there will be some repeated names.)

The selected restaurants are picked by a panel of “an influential group of over 300 leaders in the restaurant industry across Asia” and they must have eaten at their chosen restaurants within a time period of 18 months.

Good to know, Singapore ties with China, Japan and Thailand with nine restaurants on the list.

Chef André Chiang’s Restaurant André rises one place to No.2 and retains the title of The Best Restaurant in Singapore.

Chef-owner Julien Royer’s Odette at the iconic National Gallery Singapore has claimed the Highest New Entry Award. Debuting at No.9, Odette is the highest new entry in the list’s five-year history.

Dave Pynt from Burnt Ends (No.10) in Singapore is the 2017 recipient of the Chefs’ Choice Award.

Other Singapore entries include Les Amis (No.16), Waku Ghin (No.20), Corner House (No.23), Tippling Club (No.27), JAAN (No.42) and Shinji by Kanesak (No.44).

Unfortunately, both Wild Rocket and Iggy’s have fallen out of the list, though I think this could be more of a case of lack of continual exposure.

The 9 Best Restaurants In Singapore 2017 are:
Restaurant Andre (Bt Pasoh Road)
Odette (National Gallery)
Burnt Ends (Teck Lim Road)
Les Amis (Shaw Centre)
Waku Ghin (Marina Bay Sands)
Corner House (Botanic Gardens)
Tippling Club (Tanjong Pagar)
JAAN (Swissotel the Stamford)
Shinji by Kanesaka (Raffles Hotel)

The short write-up below contains some key information you would like to know, such as reservation details, signature dish, price of the tasting menus and my one-liner take. Note that those listed here typically require reservations. For Andre, it is recommended to be at least 6-8 weeks in advance.

Restaurant Andre
41 Bukit Pasoh Road Singapore 089855 (Outram Park MRT)
Tel: +65 6534 8880
reserve@restaurantandre.com
http://restaurantandre.com/booking.php
Opening Hours: 12:00 – 2:00pm, 7:00 – 11:00pm (Tues – Sun, Closed Mon, PH)

Chef-Owner Andre Chiang, Executive Chef Johnny Jiang, Pastry Chef Mohamed Al-Matin Bin Mohamed Hussain
Style: Southern French nouvelle cuisine reinterpreted
Dish: Octaphilosophy of eight dishes
Price: $198++ for lunch (Wed & Fri only), $350++ for dinner (Tues-Sun)

Chef Andre Chiang is going places, with Restaurant Andre being commonly known as Singapore’s best restaurant. Not excluding the successful Burnt Ends (Singapore), Porte 12 (Paris), RAW (Taipei) which are all under his care.

Restaurant Andre’s philosophical menu ($350++ per person sans wine) is based on an “Octaphilosophy” theme of eight dishes, representing Pure, Salt, Artisan, South, Texture, Unique, Memory and Terrior.

There is no signature dish per se, the only constant is “Memory”. Even if it is on the same day, guests may be offered different dishes for the same theme. Read: Restaurant Andre Bt Pasoh Road)

I say: My dining experience was subtle and dreamy (in a good way). You need to appreciate Restaurant Andre’s food in its entirely, as a symphony of sorts, because some single items may well, throw you off.

My friends say: Quoting RubbishEatRubbishGrow, “…uniqueness monotonous, without variation, without surprises after 8 courses.”

Odette
1 St. Andrew’s Road #01-04 National Gallery Museum Singapore, Singapore 178957 (City Hall MRT)
Tel: +65 6385 0498
Reservation Hours: 12:00pm – 1:45pm Lunch, 6:00pm – 9:45pm Dinner, Mon Dinner Only and Closed Sun

Chef Julien Royer
Style: Modern French
Dish: Seared foie gras, miso caramel, lemon quinoa and Japanese strawberries
Price: A 4-course menu for lunch is at $88++, 6-course $128++, while the 8-course tasting menu is priced $188++. Vegetarian option is available. For dinner, a 6-course is at $208++, 8-course $268++.

Odette is a fine dining restaurant at the National Gallery with its menu and concept inspired by Chef Julien Royer’s (previously from JAAN) grandmother. No prizes for guessing what her name is. This is also a collaboration with The Lo & Behold Group.

Some of the signature favourites from JAAN have resurfaced at Odette, such as the 55’ Smoked Organic Egg, though not without modifications.

Chef Julien Royer’s style has become more distinctive in Odette, with an interplay of textures, balanced subtlety, with use top quality ingredients to create pieces of culinary art. Service was top-notch, nothing was overly gimmicky. Odette (National Gallery Singapore)

I say: Was my favourite new restaurant in Singapore for 2015.
My friends say: It is so difficult to get a reservation at Odette.

Burnt Ends
20 Teck Lim Road Singapore 088391
Tel: +65 6224 3933
http://www.burntends.com.sg
Opening Hours: 11:45am – 2pm(Wed-Sat), 6pm to Late (Tues-Sat), Closed Sun, Mon

Chef Dave Pynt
Style: Barbecue
Dish: Leek, hazelnut and brown butter
Price Tag: Varies, no degustation menu

The most unconventional restaurant in this list. More casual than fine. A modern Australian barbecue restaurant which offers counter seats and open kitchen.

This is no ordinary barbecue. Chef Dave Pynt (backed by Loh Lip Peng and Chef Andre Chiang) customised these machines, ovens and grills where food can be smoked, roasted, or even cooked directly on coals to 700 degree Celsius. The heat is up, and flavours are enhanced.

Do not miss the Burnt Ends’ Sanger ($20) – one of the best brioche burgers ever, and King Crab and Garlic ($65). The taste of that crab was so intense, it is pretty unforgettable. (Read: Burnt Ends Teck Lim Road)

I say: I would recommend Burnt Ends in a heartbeat, for its uniqueness and its take on barbecue that is probably not available anywhere else in the region.
My friends say: Intense. Bu-zhua! (meaning ‘heaty’)

Les Amis
1 Scotts Road, #02-16 Shaw Centre, Singapore 228208 (Opposite HSBC Bank, Tanglin Branch)
Tel: +65 67332225
lesamis@lesamis.com.sg
Opening Hours: Lunch 12.00pm (Last seating at 2.00pm), Dinner 7.00pm (Last seating at 9.30pm), Opened Daily

Chef Sebastian Lepinoy, Pastry Chef Cheryl Koh
Style: Contemporary French
Dish: Caviar on Potato Salad – Kristal caviar surrounded with petals of Roseval potatoes with capers, smoked salmon and fresh herbs
Price: $155 for lunch tasting menu (Lunch express is also available at $65), $295 for dinner tasting menu

Les Amis filled the void of fine-dining French restaurants in Singapore during the 1990s, and quickly became one of the most recognisable names in the industry. However, the group seemed to have shifted focus to their mid-tier restaurants such as Aoki, La Strada and Bistro Du Vin and casual dining concepts of Nam Nam and Pepperoni Pizza.

Chef de Cuisine Sebastien Lepinoy, who is protégé of Joël Robuchon, joined the restaurant in 2013. The Dinner Degustation Menu ($295) includes Oscietra Caviar from Kaviari with Cold Angel Hair and Sherry Vinegar, and Pan Seared Foie Gras and French River Eel accompanied by Cherry Fruits. A more affordable Lunch Express ($65) which can be served within 45 min is available. (Read: Les Amis Shaw Centre)

I say: I must say the desserts were quite impressive.
My friends say: A must try but forgettable.

Waku Ghin
The Shoppes Atrium 2, Marina Bay Sands #02-02 (via escalator opposite Artbox Level 2), 10 Bayfront Avenue Singapore.
Tel: +65 6688 8507
wakughinreservation@marinabaysands.com
Opening Hours: 6:00pm and 8:30pm (Two seatings)

Chef-Owner Tetsuya Wakuda, Executive Sous Chef Mosahiko Inoue, Pastry Chef Yasushi Ishino
Style: Modern Japanese
Dish: Marinated botan shrimp with sea urchin and oscietra caviar
Price: $400 for 10-course degustation menu

Opened by Celebrity Chef Tetsuya Wakuda, ‘Waku’ is to ‘spring forth’ and ‘ghin’ means silver which happens to be his favourite colour.

Waku Ghin at Marina Bay Sands can be considered Chef Tetsuya’s dream ‘playground’, a 10,000 square feet expensive space, meant to serve maximum of 25 customers at one time. Interesting, Waku Ghin received better reviews during recent times compared to the original Tetsuya’s in Sydney. I ate both – I agree Waku Ghin feels more exciting.

The 10-course degustation menu has very hefty price tag of $400++ per person, noting that most of the ingredients used – trout, lobster, wagyu, caviar, the expensive luxurious types.

My recommendation is to get the later seating of 8pm, it should feel less hurried, and you can slowly have desserts and coffee overlooking the Singapore skyline. (Read: Waku Ghin at Marina Bay Sands)

I say: One of my favourite meals ever, but I am not sure if I am willing to part with that much money for a meal again.
My friends say: It’s freaking $400++. With just a glass of wine, it is over $500!

Corner House
1 Cluny Road, Singapore Botanic Gardens, EJH Corner House, Singapore 259569
(Drive in from Nassim Gate, Park at Carpark A or B)
http://www.cornerhouse.com.sg
Opening Hours: 12-2:30pm, 6:30-10:30pm (Tue-Sat), 11:30am-3pm, 6:30-10:30pm (Sun & PH), Closed Mon

Chef Jason Tan
Style: Modern French
Dish: Carabinero prawn: varieties of best season tomato, vintage sherry, Kristal de Chine caviar
Price: Lunch Discovery 5 courses at $98++, Menu Gastronomic $178++, Discovery Menu at $248++

The Gastro-Botanica cuisine created by Chef Jason Tan would a shoo-in for one of the best fine dining meals I had in Singapore. I won’t deny that there is this element of support for a young and talented Singaporean chef.

Located in the black-and-white bungalow EJH Corner House within the Singapore Botanic Gardens, Chef Jason’s cuisine could be described as French with some twists inspired from food from his growing up years and travels. There was also inclusion of strong botanical elements – sustainably-sourced seasonal produce and vegetables, due to its unique location. (Read: Corner House Botanic Gardens)

I say: A beautiful experience.
My friends say: Worth a Michelin star.

Tippling Club
38 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 08846
Tel: +65 6475 2217
Opening Hours: Lunch 12-3pm (Mon-Fri), Dinner 6pm-11pm (Mon-Sat), Bar 12pm-12am (Mon-Sat), Closed Sun
Tippling Club Tanjong Pagar)

I say: The food can be well, interesting?
My friends say: Gimmicky, but in a good way.

JAAN
2 Stamford Road, Level 70, Equinox complex, Swissotel the Stamford, Singapore 178882 (City Hall MRT)
Tel: +65 9199 9008
reservations@equinoxcomplex.com
http://www.jaan.com.sg
Opening Hours: 12pm – 2pm (Lunch Mon-Sat), 7pm – 10pm (Dinner Daily except PH)

Chef Kirk Westaway
Style: Modern French
Dish: Tomato Collection
Price: Lunch 3 Course $78 (including coffee). 5 Course Menu $198 (Wine Pairing $130); 7 Course Menu $238 (Wine Pairing $190), Krug Dinner Pairing Artisanal Cuisine $498

The word ‘Jaan’ is derived from the ancient Sanskrit word for ‘bowl’. Its 5 course degustation menu is at $198 (wine pairing $130), 7 course artisanal menu at $238 (wine pairing $180). Do not miss the signature Soft Organic Hen’s Egg with purple artichoke, chorizo iberico and buckwheat.

With the departure of Chef Julian Royer, JAAN did have a void and big shoes to fill, but Chef Kirk Westaway managed to helm his own with a modern take on French cuisine. (Read: Jaan Swissotel the Stamford)

I say: Have yet to try the food under the new chef.
My friends say: Chef looks like Tom Cruise (forgive the frivolity).

Shinji by Kanesaka
Raffles Hotel #02-20 1 Beach Road (via Seah Street lobby) Singapore 189673. Branch at St Regis Singapore
Tel: +65 6338 6131
reservations@shinjibykanesaka.com
Opening Hours: 12pm – 3pm (Lunch), 6pm -10.30pm (Dinner), Closed Sundays

Chef Koichiro Oshino
Style: Japanese sushi
Dish: Uni Gohan
Price: $250 for Omakase lunch; $220/$300/$450 for Omakase dinner

Watching the skilled Japanese chefs at work feels like an art, orchestra, and performance at the same time.

Tucked away at the iconic Raffles Hotel, Shinji by Michelin-starred Chef Shinji Kanesaka is an Edo-style sushi restaurant, serving sashimi and sushi at the most superior quality at an intimate setting. Probably one of the best you can get outside Japan at this part of the world.

The Omakase Wa ($300) includes appetiser, assorted sashimi, assorted cooked dishes, sushi, soup and Japanese fruit while the upper tier is at $450. I specially requested for Master Chef Koichiro Oshino, which is both serious at work, and humorous as he does his explanation in the most candid manner. (Read: Shinji by Kanesaka Raffles Hotel)

I say: Less intimidating than Jiro.
My friends say: I will come here for sushi ALL THE TIME if I have the money.

Have you tried any of these restaurants, and what is your take?

Other Related Entries
A-Z List Of Where To Eat, Where To Go Around Singapore
Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2017
29 Singapore Michelin Starred Restaurants & Stalls
10 Singapore Heritage Bakeries and Shops
10 Best Hotel Buffets & Sunday Brunches In Singapore

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

The post 9 Best Restaurants In Singapore 2017 – Restaurant André, Odette And Burnt Ends Are The Top Restaurants In Singapore appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

To be honest, I wasn’t familiar with The Assumption Restaurant for Training, also known as The ART, prior to this meal there.

Some background information: The training restaurant was launched in April 2011 within the premises of Assumption Pathway School (APS).

Assumption Pathway School is a Catholic educational institution aimed to transform and empower students who are unable to access or complete mainstream secondary education.

It is one of two specialised schools (the other being Northlight School) in Singapore for students who have failed their Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) at least once. APS also takes in students who have dropped out of secondary schools.

It provides the young who may have challenges academically or attending school, with an opportunity in life.

For The ART, it provides a realistic working environment for APS students in Hospitality Services to put their skills and knowledge to practice.

Getting to The ART can be slightly tricky. From the Bukit Timah Road entrance, you navigate your way from the guardhouse, through the canteen, up a flight of stairs and you will be presented with this view.

On typical weekdays, The ART serves up a 3-course Set Lunch ($13.50 Nett), High Tea Set Menu from 3 – 5pm ($4.00 Nett) and beverages.

As an additional note, the restaurant does not serve pork and lard on any occasion.

To allow students to be trained to serve in different settings, The ART has expanded its evening dining options.

On Fridays (during school term), Set Dinners or a Porridge Buffet (priced at $12 Nett, $9 Nett for children 5-12, Senior Citizens above 62) will be presented.

Good initiative, so students learn to cook more Asian-style dishes, and in bulk.

So perhaps some of you may be wondering… is the food ‘student-quality’? Actually, I was pleasantly surprised with both the variety and quality of the dishes.

There was a respectable line-up of dishes from Braised Duck, Steamed Sotong, Curry Chicken, Fried Ikan Selar, Chye Por Neng, Stewed Beancurd, Sambal Long Bean and others.

The Stir-Fried Sesame Chicken, Brinjal with Minced Meat and Sambal Long Bean stood out for me with their homely flavours. Most of the dishes were also not overly oily, such as the fried omelette and chicken, and therefore you could have your second or thirds without that greasy feeling.

The Porridge Buffet is happening the last Friday of every month.

Porridge lovers can show the students your support by making reservations at the.art.aps@gmail.com, also to get them better prepared (on numbers), or just in case they would be fully subscribed. By the way, kudos to the administrators and teachers who put this together. Appreciate your work.

The ART
30 Cashew Road, Singapore 679697
Tel: +65 6892 6187 (During The ART operating hours)
Email: the.art.aps@gmail.com
Opening Hours: 12:00pm – 5:00pm (Mon – Fri*)
*Special Porridge Buffet dinner on last Friday of each month, Set dinner on other Fridays
https://www.facebook.com/APStheART

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. This was a hosted meal by The ART.

The post The ART Assumption Restaurant for Training – $12 Porridge Buffet On Last Friday Of The Month appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Do not be surprised if you spot popular MediaCorp actor Shane Pow scooping a protein bowl for you during lunch.

The down-to-earth good-looker has taken a plunge to set up Mojo at 204 Telok Ayer Street (short walk from Amoy Food Centre) which serves protein bowls and juices by day; yakitori, tapas and cocktails by night.

Though he is worried, he is in good hands, with co-owner Sean from Sin Lee Foods as business partner. The two met during filming of Channel U’s Style Check-In.

Sean maintains that both businesses will have different focuses, with no repeat dishes. Except glimpses of the popular Broccoli Salad from the café at Bukit Ho Swee, but with a slight variations.

The Protein Bowls ($14, or $15 for Beef Protein Bowls) are catered to the CBD workers around the Tanjong Pagar area.

But seriously, there are already many similar salads places and poké bowl shops going around.

Mojo attempts to differentiate from its nearby competitors by providing quality food, reasonably substantial portions at affordable prices. Each protein bowl contains a protein, carb base, topping, sauce and three choices of vegetables.

I found that there was an oriental slant to some of the ingredients, which I enjoyed. The mushrooms for example, were sautéed soft and flavoursome in oyster sauce.

The chicken pieces were brined, pan seared then roasted to provide that crisp outer layer with moist meat.

Overall, I liked that there was a good variety of ingredients and toppings such that you won’t feel ‘bored’ or hungry having your greens.

Shane candidly added that he would typically go for a high-protein, low carb combination of Norwegian Salmon, Baby Spinach and Charred Corn with Garlic Confit.

”Not sure of the calorie count, but I can tell you it is very low, perfect if you want to stay slim. Like me, I am trying to lose weight!”

Okay, tough life being an actor. The moment you get a tad chubby, people will talk about your weight issues.

Mojo transform during evening times, serving a selection of Yakitori such as Mid Wings, Chicken Thigh, Liver, Foie Gras, Tsukune, Marbled Beef Striploin and Pork Belly with Leek. Prices range from $2 to $14 per stick.

If not, get the sharing plates of Fried Squid ($15), Chicken Kaarage ($15), Mentaiko Salmon ($14) and Hotate Crudo ($18).

The owners noticed that people around the area start drinking really early, and therefore the Happy Hours with one-for-one beer, wine and tap beers start from 12pm all the way till 9pm. 3pm – 9pm on Saturdays.

Mojo
204 Telok Ayer St, Singapore 068640 (Tanjong Pagar MRT)
Tel: +65 6220 0723
Opening Hours: 11am – 12am (Mon – Fri), 5pm – 12am (Sat), Last orders 11:30pm, Closed Sun

Other Related Entries
Sin Lee Foods (Bt Ho Swee)
My Awesome Café (Telok Ayer)
Pantler (Telok Ayer)
Shop Wonderland Café (Telok Ayer)
Chong Wen Ge (Telok Ayer)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. The meal was a treat from Sean and Shane.

The post Mojo – Actor Shane Pow And Sin Lee Foods Open Rice Bowl & Yakitori Restaurant appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

”Isn’t this Bak Chor Mee, but Japanese style?” Well, technically, you can say that.

Mazesoba can be explained as dry Japanese ramen (or Japanese gan mian), in which “maze” means “to mix”, and “soba” means “noodles”.

Kajiken at Orchid Hotel is the first shop dedicated to selling just Mazesoba in Singapore, and has opened its 2nd outlet at Novena Square 2.

Its signature dish is Mazesoba Nagoya Style ($12.80), in which dry ramen noodles is mixed with spicy minced pork, soft boiled egg, seafood and chopped vegetables.

No wonder people call this the Bak Chor Mee, which essentially means “minced pork noodles”.

There is a “20 seconds rule” in eating the Mazesoba:
1. Mix the ingredients for 20 seconds.
2. Want more kick? Add vinegar or chili oil!
3. Finish eating? Ask for “Oimeshi” and the staff will give you a small portion of rice to mix with the remaining sauce.

The mix of sauce reminded me of the Taiwanese style of Dan Dan Mian, with a mild level of spiciness that doesn’t overpower the other ingredients. Yet added with that umami mouth-feel as you take bites.

I liked the addition of chopped vegetables and egg – one provided the occasional crunch and refreshness; the other a layer of stickiness between the noodles.

Even though the wheat noodles seemed moderately thick, the combination was well-balanced and didn’t feel too heavy.

If you would like a variety of ingredients, you can have the Mazesoba with all toppings ($15.80) which would include char siew, soft boiled egg, deep fried chicken and bamboo shoot.

I wished there was some of that signature spicy minced pork there to add a lift.

If this is your first time to Kajiken, go for the Nagoya style if you can take spiciness because this is not commonly found in Singapore.

Kajiken 油そば専門店 歌志軒 – Novena
10 Sinaran Drive #02-03 Square Two Singapore 307506 (Novena MRT)
Tel: +65 6904 4714
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10:00pm Daily

Kajiken – Tanjong Pagar
Orchid Hotel #01-07, 1 Tras Link Singapore 078867 (Tanjong Pagar MRT)
Tel: +65 82260199
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 3:30pm, 6:00pm – 9:30pm (Mon – Fri), 11:30am – 9:30pm (Sat – Sun)

Other Related Entries
Kajiken (Orchid Hotel)
Nantsuttei Ramen (Orchard Central)
Tsuta Singapore (Pacific Plaza)
Kanshoku Ramen Bar (ION Orchard)
Keisuke Kani King (Orchard Cineleisure)

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

The post Kajiken – Dry Japanese Ramen At Novena Square 2, Something Like “Bak Chor Mee” appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

“The cheapest Michelin meal in the world” Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle has gone on to open its 2nd restaurant.

The humble hawker stall at Chinatown literally received stardom when it was awarded one Michelin star in the Singapore Michelin Guide 2016.

This time, “Hawker Chan” can be found at 18 Tai Seng Street, a few steps away from Tsuta Ramen, opposite Tim Ho Wan. You can literally eat 3 different stars a day, in a way.

Prices still remain very affordable, with most items $5.00 and below, making it a suitable place for the family for a casual meal out.

The signature Soya Sauce Chicken Rice is priced at $3.80. Other offerings include Soya Sauce Chicken Noodle ($4.50), Soya Sauce Chicken Hor Fun ($4.50), Roasted Pork Rice ($4.50), Char Siew Rice ($4.00) and Pork Ribs Rice ($4.00).

A whole Soya Sauce Chicken is priced at $25.00, while half cost $13.00.

I add the disclaimer that perhaps you shouldn’t come here expecting “Michelin” quality food. After all, it was the hawker stall at Smith Street that received the star, not the air-conditioned eateries.

Ordering works on a self-service electronic system, and I thought the placement of tables made the space cramped, and hard for walking at certain sections. Do not sit near the entrance if you have the chance.

While I was blown away by the food at the hawker stall, mass production and diversification might have affected quality here.

The Soya Sauce Chicken Rice $3.00 (I added char siew for $3.00) wasn’t as tasty, lacked that aromatic oily scent, and rice was cooked slightly wet.

I read some reviews commenting that the Soya Sauce Chicken Noodle ($4.50) was too salty, and I had to agree with them. Like, what happened?

To be fair, the meats still retained about 60 – 70% of the quality I experienced last year, with the chicken still being slippery on its skin, with a tender yet firm bite.

Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle – Tai Seng
18 Tai Seng Street #01-02 Singapore 539775
Opening Hours: 11:00am – 9:00pm

Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle – Smith Street
78 Smith Street Singapore 059872
Opening Hours: 11:00am – 9:00pm

Hawker Stall: Blk 335, Smith Street #02-126, Chinatown Food Complex, Singapore 050335
Opening Hours: 10:30am to 7:00pm (Mon – Tues, Thurs – Fri), 8:30am to 7:00pm (Sat – Sun), Closed Wed

Other Related Entries
Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle (Smith Street)
Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle (Chinatown Food Complex)
Tsuta Ramen (Tai Seng)
Char Restaurant (Jalan Besar)
Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles (Crawford Lane)

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

The post Hawker Chan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle – NEW Outlet At Tai Seng appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Singapore has quite a few Japanese ramen shops that originated from our country itself – Michelin Bib Gourmand A Noodle Story, Brothers Ramen. Buta Ramen, Kanshoku Ramen, Xin Hao Ramen and Ramen Atelier.

Local start-ups, local chefs.

While the ramen purists may not have a favourable take, I am open to see some interesting synergies, that can well reflect our local culture and tastebuds.

Here are 7 Ramen Restaurants / Stalls That Originated From Singapore. Time to support local

Kanshoku Ramen Bar
ION Orchard #B3-18, 2 Orchard Turn Singapore 238801
Tel: +65 6509 8221
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm, Last Order 9:30pm (Mon – Sun)

Kanshoku Ramen Bar
Orchard Central, 277 Orchard Road #01-06, Singapore 238858
Tel: +65 6384 4770
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm Daily

Truffle Dry & Truffle Broth Ramen Going Strong
Kanshoku Ramen means “to finish eating every last bit of your food’ in Japanese”.

Some may not know this is a locally developed brand. Their broth boiled eight hours with filtered water, no added salt or preservatives, pork marinated for four hours, and Hakata style ramen made in house.

The Truffle Ramen ($16.90) is THE ramen that propelled Kanshoku to further fame. Some friends liked it precisely because the dish of hot, straight, thin noodles reminded them of Truffle Angel Hair Pasta (of this famous French restaurant), except that this is hot.

There is a balanced combination of kombu, shaved black truffle and truffle oil – when tossed would emit that light alluring aroma.

The current incarnation also included an onsen egg and torched caramelized charshu marinated in a slight sweetish sauce. Wonderful additions. Kanshoku Ramen Bar (ION Orchard)

A Noodle Story
Amoy Street Food Centre #01-39 7 Maxwell Road Singapore 069111 (Tanjong Pagar MRT Exit G)
Opening Hours: 11:15am – 2:30pm, 5:30pm – 7:30pm (Mon – Fri), 10:30am – 1:30pm (Sat) , Closed Sun, PH

Michelin Bib Gourmand Singapore Ramen
Opened by young hawkerpreneurs, A Noodle Story serves “Singapore-style ramen” ($7.00, $9.00) that was listed in the Singapore Michelin Bib Gourmand Guide. So proud of these guys.

A bowl with Japanese style charshu, soy-flavoured braised egg, Hong Kong style wontons, potato wrapper prawn fritter for that crunch.

Aesthetically pleasing and well-arranged, for a hawker stall. I like it – you don’t get a bowl like this anywhere else. You understand why there is always a long queue, every bowl was patiently cooked and arranged, and you could feel the pride in their work.

The Ramen Stall
787 North Bridge Road, Singapore 198755
Opening Hours: 5pm – 6am (Mon – Fri), 12pm – 6am (Sat, Sun, PH)

Halal Volcano Ramen
The Ramen Stall is sister restaurant to The Ramen House at Short Street. Two things to note: The Ramen Stall opens till 6am in the morning for supper-goers, and it has been certified Halal.

Their specialty is the Volcano Ramen ($11) with 3 levels of spiciness, and others such as Mushroom Ramen ($11), Beef Ramen ($12.90), Abalone Seafood Ramen ($23.90), and Vegetable Ramen ($11).

My personal recommendation is the Dry Ramen ($11) tossed in a special sauce, complemented with shoyu-marinated chicken cha-shu, braised egg, cucumber strips and dried scallops.

Brothers Ramen
10 Anson Road, International Plaza #01-20 Singapore 079903 (Tanjong Pagar MRT)
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 2:30pm, 6:30pm – 8:30pm (Mon-Sat), Last order 8pm. Opened PH, Closed Sun

Hunky Brothers Ramen At International Plaza
Run by brothers Cai Weili and Weisheng, Brothers Ramen serve up ramen with a different take, and the owners candidly shared they learnt to cook from YouTube, and fine-tuned the recipe several hundred times.

Selection available included Brothers Ramen ($12.90), Chicken Ramen ($12.90), Spicy Ramen ($13.90), Chashu Ramen ($14.90) and the Supermen ($16.90) which would come with more pieces of pork chashu.

They handmake their own noodles, therefore the strands are more eggy and perhaps less springy, and the soup is cooked with a combination of pork, chicken, fish and vegetables, rather than just pork in the past. The soup has a ‘cleaner’ and more localized taste than the typical tonkotsu broth we would be used to.

Xin Hao Ramen
470 North Bridge Road #03-19 Bugis Cube, Singapore 188735 (Bugis MRT)
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 9:00pm (Mon-Sat), Closed Sun
https://www.facebook.com/xinhaoramen

Japanese Ramen At Bugis Cube With A Local Take
Xin Hao’s Miso Ramen ($11.00) is accompanied with grilled meat, flavoured egg, deep fried enoki mushroom and bonito flakes (Okay, I ordered one egg too many, but it was good.)

The grilled meat is the best part, tender with marinate that reminds me of a Chinese-style pork chop.

If you are not into the rich and oily type of soup base, this version which is ‘in-between’, flavourful yet not too creamy, can suit your palate. I wished there was a more distinct flavour of miso though, which did not seem pronounced enough.

Buta Ramen
Far East Square, 137 Amoy Street, #01-04 Singapore 048775 (Telok Ayer MRT, Raffles Place MRT)
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 6:00pm (Mon – Thurs), 10:30am – 8:30pm (Fri), Closed Sat, Sun, PH

Singapore Style Pork Rib Ramen At Far East Square
Their specialty is pork rib ramen, created as the owners are fans of our local bak kut teh. Their creative juices flowed and experimented to pair our local delight with noodles and soup.

On the menu include Chashu Ramen ($12.90), Boss Rib Ramen ($14.90), Spicy Chilli Chashu Ramen ($13.90), Black Garlic Chashu Ramen ($13.90), Spicy Chilli Boss Rib Ramen ($15.90), Grilled Belly Ramen ($13.90) and Black Garlic Dry Ramen ($11.90).

I tried the Spicy Boss Rib Ramen ($15.90, no GST or service charges), where the ribs are sous vide and cha shu cooked over 24 hours so that they become certainly tender.

Ramen Atelier
2 Science Park Drive, #01-34 Ascent Singapore 118222
Tel: +65 9008 3614
Opening Hours to be updated as they are closed temporary

Ramen Atelier influenced by French culinary techniques
Chef owner Andrew Ng was trained in French cuisine, and his love for Japanese food and ramen has brought him to merge his French culinary know-how with Japanese cooking techniques to create his style ramen.

Ramen Atelier’s interesting menu includes Ramen Rouge, which incorporates tomato and butter, and Ramen Noir which has a squid ink miso soup base.

Other Related Entries
Kanshoku Ramen Bar (ION Orchard)
The Ramen Stall (North Bridge Road)
Brothers Ramen (International Plaza)
Xin Hao Ramen (Bugis)
Buta Ramen (Far East Square)

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

The post 7 Ramen Places That Originated From Singapore – Support Local appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Remember the days when Singapore’ Satay Club was at Clarke Quay? I used to dine there as a teenager, when we had the occasional class outings at The Satay Club. That was 2005.

So it seems apt that local Peranakan cuisine restaurateur Violet Oon has decided to open a satay grill restaurant right at Clarke Quay, paying homage of sorts to the popular food place during its heydays.

After Violet Oon Restaurant Singapore at Bukit Timah, and National Kitchen by Violet Oon at National Gallery, Violet and her children Su-lyn and Yiming seemed to have put their experience and expertise well together, with this newest outlet appearing more polished in terms of décor and selection.

No expenses are spared in doing up the interior, and I enjoyed sitting near the glassed-in open kitchen where you can see the meats in full grill, I mean view.

It could get rather warm though, so you could just imagine the heat the chefs have to endure within the enclosed kitchen while grilling.

Satay options are include Chicken ($14), Pork done Hainan style ($16), Angus Beef ($18), Prawn ($20), and Tripe ($15).

Prices are definitely higher than the average satay you can get at the food centres, but I believe this can be a place you can introduce foreign guests to our local food, IF hawker centres are not their thing.

The grilled Angus Beef Satay is a must-order, surprisingly juicy and deliciously marinated in spices. Have a bite without additional sauce first, and savour that sweet spiced outer layer with smokiness.

The sticks are served in a sweet peanut sauce topped with grated pineapple – like how I remembered I had my satays.

One sauce, tons of flavour. I think it is about time that our local style of satay gets more international recognisation.

While I haven’t tried many items on the menu yet, those recommended and ordered were worthy of mention.

The Nasi Goreng Nyonya ($22) of fried jasmine rice with prawns, dried shrimps, sambal belacan, with fresh cucumber served with sambal ikan bilis hijau, was a pleasantly sumptuous dish full on in wok hei.

I find many restaurants are capable of decent rendition of fried rice, but few can rise beyond that with fragrance, flavour, distinct grains.

In Chinese, we call it ”li li xiang” which literally means every grain is fragrant. A dish where grains are separate enough to appreciate the texture, yet not being overly oily.

The dish of Garam Assam Barramundi with Pineapple and Ginger Flower ($32), reminded me of what my grandma would have cooked.

Every bite of the grilled local farmed barramundi had a multi-layered yet balanced taste of tangy pineapple, spices and sweet freshness of the fish.

If there is something to nitpick, other than the prices, it would be there making reservation was challenging hard. Messages went unanswered after their first reply; calls were mostly not picked up. Once it went through, but the person on the line was in another conversation.

There will be diners with higher spending power who would be willing to fork out more at restaurants such as these, because some of these nostalgic tastes are indeed hard to find.

When you think you lost something, but have it again, it can be something you will treasure.

Violet Oon Satay Bar & Grill
Clarke Quay 01-18-B, 3 River Valley Rd, Singapore 179024
Tel: +65 9834 9935
Opening Hours: 6:00pm – 12:00am Daily

Other Related Entries
National Kitchen by Violet Oon (National Gallery)
PO (Warehouse Hotel)
Char Restaurant (Jalan Besar)
New Ubin Seafood (Hillview Ave)
JB Ah Meng (Geylang)

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

The post Violet Oon Satay Bar & Grill – Peranakan Restaurant With Juicy Satay At Clarke Quay appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

I have almost lost count to the number of NEW Poké Bowl shops in Singapore.

In about 2-3 months or so, we have seen the openings of Pololi (Telok Ayer), Poke Doke (Millenia Walk), Alakai Poke (Everton Park), Makai Poke (Tanjong Pagar Centre), Loloku (Keong Siak), Salmon Samurai (100AM), and Sweetfish Poke (Capitol Piazza).

Why do I have the feeling more are coming up?

Sweetfish Poke, decorated in fuchsia pink and white, is located at the basement of Capitol Piazza, nearer to the exit from City Hall MRT.

It is more of a takeaway concept, with limited 4 seats if you would like to dine in-house.

There are 5 signature bowls crafted, Hawaiian Original, Wasabi Mayo, Roasted Sesame, Sweet Yuzu Cream, and Kimchi. The bowls come with a base of Japanese Rice, Red Brown Rice Mix, or Chopped Romaine.

The interesting thing to note is that you can choose an Octopus topping for either the Roasted Sesame or Kimchi options.

Prices are $9 for “Hungry” size and $14 for the “Starving” size.

I had the Hawaiian Original was recommended, with a tuna and salmon mix. The Hawaiian original boast of a savory shoyu base with that added punch of sesame oil, topped with Asian garnishes like edamame, shitake and chuka salad.

Here’s what I like about Sweetfish: Bowls are marinated fresh-to-order, which ensures a certain level of freshness. It made that difference. The downside is you got to wait for a moment (and you may just wander to llao llao next door).

As I took up a spoon of fish, there was an aromatic whiff of sesame oil, which enhanced the eating experience – didn’t feel as boring to eat. The neon-green chuka salad gave the bowl a varying texture and sweet finish.

I thought the brown rice was on the dry side though.

Sweetfish Poke stands out in terms of freshness, and some variety. But it probably needs to do something to differentiate with all the other Poke Bowl shops out there, which is fast going to become one too many.

Sweetfish Poke
#B2-30, 13 Stamford Road, Capitol Piazza Singapore 178905 (Cityhall MRT Exit D)
Opening Hours: 11.30 am – 8.00pm Daily

Other Related Entries
10 Poké Bowl Shops In Singapore
Poke Doke (Millenia Walk)
Alakai Poke (Everton Park)
Alter Ego (Esplanade)
Pololi (Telok Ayer)

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

The post Sweetfish Poke – Hawaiian, Sweet Yuzu Cream, And Kimchi Poke Made Fresh-To-Order appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Oh, a bird’s nest café in Singapore. And at Valley Point of all places.

Do not be surprised if you get Waffles with Bird’s Nest, Coffee with Bird’s Nest, and Macaron’s with Bird’s Nest. Yes, I am being serious. These are all available.

By starting this Bird’s Nest Café Nesture, the owners hope this one-of-a-kind-café in Singapore can be an avenue to educate customers about Bird’s Nest, and how to buy genuine Bird’s Nest.

What are available include ready-to-enjoy bird’s nest and desserts for the busy working class.

As a point of reference, a Double Boiled Classic Bowl with Rock Sugar is priced at $16.90, while a premium bowl goes for $25.90.

Tai Tais and celebrities take Bird’s Nest as it is said to be an antioxidant and immunity booster, loved for its anti-aging quality.

Of course I would have wanted to consume this every day to see if it can help rejuvenate my skin, but money, money, money.

The recommended items at Nesture include Gula Malaka Creme Brûlée with Bird’s Nest ($8.90), Double Boiled Asian Pear with Wolfberry, Red Dates and Almond w Bird’s Nest ($12.90), Orr Nee with Bird’s Nest ($12.90), Almond Cream with Bird’s Nest ($12.90) and Bird’s Nest Macaron ($2.80).

I thought that the Asian desserts and drinks such as the Honey Lemon or Ginseng with Rock Sugar ($6) worked better with the Bird’s Nest.

Perhaps it was psychological as well.

The Double Boiled Asia Pear with Wolfberry was a refreshing bowl of sweetness, with soft, cooling Asian pear in the middle. This is also said to be nourishing for the lungs, and good for dry throat.

The owners prepare this dessert fresh every day.

Bird’s Nest in Coffee didn’t work for me, as the gel-like pieces were simply lost in the drink, and you would really just straw it down like soft jelly.

What is good to know: Nesture manages the whole process from harvesting bird’s nest, cleaning, quality control, and packaging for retail outlets. Their own house nests are located at Sumatra, Indonesia.

Nesture
491 River Valley Road, Valley Point Shopping Centre #01-13, Singapore 248371
Tel: +65 6871 1771
Opening Hours: 12:00pm – 10:00pm (Mon – Sun)

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

The post Nesture – A Birds’ Nest Café In Singapore With Bird’s Nest Waffles, Bird’s Nest Coffee. For Real appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

The name of “Hokkaido White Curry” piqued my interest immediately, as the Japanese curry dishes commonly seen in restaurants in Singapore are typically brown in colour.

The main difference between the usual Japanese curry, and white curry is that the latter is made using fresh Hokkaido milk without tumeric, the spice that contributes to the yellow colour.

Appearance wise, white curry looks like a creamy stew, but with hints of curry and spiciness.

Tengawa Hokkaido White Curry is the latest addition to the stretch of Japanese restaurants along the Nihon Food Street at Millenia Walk.

It is a 30-seater eatey, offering only 3 set meals on their menu at the moment.

The food items include Ebi (Prawn) Fry White Curry Set ($16.80), Japanese Style Hamburg White Curry Set ($15.80) and Chicken Katsu White Curry Set ($15.80).

Each set meal comes with a side of Truffle Oil Chanwanmushi, free flow of pickles, Miso Soup, and white rice upon request.

Sounds value for money.

My favourite was the Chicken Katsu White Curry Set ($15.80) with deep fried golden brown, crispy batter that gave it a crunch with every bite.

The chicken cutlet was tender and not too dry, which did reminded my other friends of Saboten (2 doors away), except that the former comes with white curry instead of brown curry.

The spiciness level was manageable, with peppery notes, and should be older-kids-friendly.

The texture of the white curry was thicker and creamier due to the addition of Hokkaido milk, but surprisingly tasted grainy and powdery at the same time – as though it was a mix off the shelf and not properly stirred.

On a side note, While I appreciated the effort in the beautifully plated dishes, the huge black plate took up half the surface of the table, leaving us diners with limited space for the side dishes and drinks.

The owner took pride in the fragrant short grained rice, as he had prior experience in supplying rice to some of the local Japanese restaurants.

The other good thing was that there was free flow of rice available.

However, Tengawa can consider offering an option for extra white curry, as the portion served barely sufficient for the small amount of rice in the plate.

Hokkaido white curry might be something new in Singapore’s food scene, and get first timer diners interested enough.

However, to keep attracting repeat customers, more could be done in terms of refining the texture of the curry, portion and variety of dishes.

Tengawa Hokkaido White Curry
Millenia Walk, 9 Raffles Boulevard, #02-14, Singapore 039596
Opening Hours: 11.30am – 10pm (Mon-Sun)
https://www.facebook.com/TengawaWhiteCurry/

Other Related Entries
11 Must Try Japanese Restaurants At Millenia Walk
Tokyo Sundubu (Raffles City)
Man Man (Keong Saik Road)
Kuro Maguro (Tanjong Pagar Centre)
Yuki Onna (Amoy Street)

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

The post Tengawa – 1st Hokkaido White Curry Japanese Restaurant In Singapore At Millenia Walk appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Kopi “hawkerpreneurs” from Coffee Break at Amoy Street Food Centre have gone a step further. They have just opened a hipster café of sorts at Science Park.

The trio siblings, Faye, Anna and Jack Sai got into the radar by being young hawkers selling sock-brewed coffee in Singapore, with the kopi drinks added with a flavoured twist.

Here’s what so special.

Firstly, not many Singaporeans of the younger generation want to be hawkers. Hard work, long hours, hot unfavourable environment compared to an office job.

Secondly, not many children want to take over their parents’ hawker stall. (Coffee Break was established by their father at Boon Tat Street, which was later re-located to Amoy Street Food Centre. Their grandfather also owned a coffee shop called San Hai Yuan more than 80 years ago. A vintage sign from the old shop hangs on the current wall.)

Thirdly, not many (if not, no other) stalls serve flavoured kopi, from Black Sesame, Taro Milk, Mint, Melon Milk, Masala and Almond Ginger.

The branch at the Science Park seems like the start of bigger things to come. Similar to many other cafes, it is a small, fuss-free outlet with three small tables serving coffee and toast.

The key different is, Coffee Break’s coffee is sock-brewed the traditional way. The beans are initially roasted with sugar and margarine, which brings out the natural, rich flavours of coffee.

For their latte, an additional shot of arabica is added.

A cup of traditional kopi or teh cost $2.00 for hot, $2.50 for cold.

I like their kopi enough – smooth, has enough of that coffee kick, and balanced in terms of the evaporated milk proportion. I wished for a bigger cup, or at least if there is an up-sized option.

Unless some of the other chain kopi stalls which can go anything from very bitter, diluted, to weird, Coffee Break got theirs quite consistent.

I have yet to try all their Latte flavours, but the Sea Salt Caramel and Black Sesame Latte ($4.80) worked better, especially the former.

Beneath that layer of coffee-robustness, you get a tinge of sea-salt and caramel which to me, was more ‘fun’ to drink.

Some of the other flavours such as Taro Milk and Rose seemed to have ‘drowned’ within, and I think better management of proportion could have helped.

(Photo credit: Coffee Break)

Toast made with whole-wheat bread, with fancy fillings of Taro Crème, Matcha Coconut Crème, Key Lime Crème and Tiramisu Crème are available. $3.30 ala carte, $4.90 or $5.40 with coffee sets (depending on hot or cold).

Coffee Break
2 Science Park Drive, Ascent, Singapore Science Park 1 #01-28, Singapore 118222
Tel: +65 6264 5114
Opening Hours: 8:30am – 5:30pm (Mon – Fri), Closed Sat – Sun

Amoy Food Centre #02-78
Tel: +65 8100 6218
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 2:30pm (Mon – Fri), Closed Sat – Sun

Other Related Entries
Socks and Pan (Tanjong Pagar)
Old Hen Kitchen (Owen Road)
A.E.I.O.U (King George’s Ave)
Butter My Buns (NUS)
The Pipe District (NUS)

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

The post Coffee Break – Hawkerpreneurs Open Kopi Cafe, With Flavours Of Sea Salt Caramel, Black Sesame, Rose appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.