If you’re an avid fan of Korean variety shows and dramas, you’d be familiar with Dal.komm Coffee. This cafe first made its appearance in episode 249 on Running Man before appearing a couple of times in the hit drama – Descendants of the Sun. The love story between a soldier and a doctor was so captivating that viewerships soared sky-high for this drama.

The highly remembered scene at Dal.komm Coffee must be in episode 2 of DOTS, where Kang Mo-Yeon and Yoo Shi-Jin broke up without having really been together. The other popular scene is in episode 6 where Dal.komm Coffee appeared as part of a flashback scene when Yoon Myeong-Joo and Seo Dae-Young were happily dating.

In the drama, Song Joong-Ki was seen drinking Welchester Ade Red, made with tangy calamansi, abundant in Vitamin C and comes in three different flavours (blue, red, green). However, we decided to go for sweeter drinks and desserts.

Strawberry Cube ($8.50) is on their special drinks menu. A blend of crushed strawberries, honey and milk gives you a smooth-tasting strawberry latte. It is topped with a few slices of strawberry fruits. The first sip is plain sweetness but the refreshing note hits you at the end. The strawberry slices were slightly sourish, a good neutraliser to the sweet drink.

Sweet Potato Mixtur ($8) consists of a concoction of milk and sweet potato with ice, tailor-made to suit the health-conscious bunch. It’s not too sweet nor overly creamy. The drink is quite light and the subtle sweet potato flavour lingers in your mouth. You might not find the drink delicious at first sip but gradually, you’ll get used to the unique flavour and grow to love it after a couple of sips.

Don’t mistake this as a drink! The Mango Bingsu ($10.90 small size) consists of fine shaved milk. It was soft and fluffy but there wasn’t any mango cubes. It looked more like mashed mangoes or perhaps, mango puree. Its sweetness was overwhelming so the small size was just nice for us. For a healthier choice, you can also get the Cherry Tomato Bingsu.

Dal.komm also serves cakes and pastries, displayed attractively at the counters. It’s the first thing that caught our eyes upon entering this cafe. The Matcha Pie ($8) was very thick and rich. It might be too overwhelming for some people. The crust was disappointing though – texture’s a tad too soft and there’s no satisfaction from the usual crunch you get from pie crusts elsewhere.

The food and beverages are a little overpriced at Dal.komm cafe. But, if you’re a huge DOTS fan, the spacious cafe is actually quite a relaxing place to laze over the weekend, and it’s conveniently located in town.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the cafe featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to Dal.komm Coffee. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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Labelled as the hippest cafe in the West side of Singapore, Paddy Hills has just revamped their menu, teasing tastebuds with out-of-the-world curations. On breezy days, you can dine alfresco and take instagram-worthy shots, with the “Rise and Grind” neon-coloured words as background. The cafe interior boasts spacious seating, with a coffee bar as their “centrepiece”. You will definitely catch a glimpse of the barista in action. The menu at Paddy Hills changes by night so it might be slightly different from what we have tried.

Quench your thirst with photogenic drinks such as “Taste Like Purple” ($8) and Beer Slushie ($12). The former is made up of white grape, with magic balls floating around the surface. It’s a fizzy drink and what surprised us most was the burst of refreshing juices when you pop the magic balls in your mouth. The latter, on the other hand, boasts a blend of dragon fruit and margarita, topped with popcorn. It’s a unique concoction but the popcorn felt out-of-place. The beer slushie would’ve been better without the popcorn.

Riding on the Japanese Ramen trend, Paddy Hills has introduced Ramen Risotto ($25), consisting of Kurobuta Cha Shu, Tonkotsu snow-pickled saimeiji and raw quail’s egg yolk. This dish is perfectly executed, from well-prepared risotto to tender pieces of kurobuta pork. Each mouthful consisted of rich flavours of Tonkotsu, with a creamy texture.

If you’re looking for something lighter, give PH Crab Roll ($28) a try. It’s Paddy Hill’s rendition of “lobster rolls”. A perfect harmony of blue swimmer crab and roe is generously enveloped within a squid ink bun. It’s served with Paddy Hill’s kimchi slaw made in-house, wasabi mayo and straight cut fries at the side. The squid ink bun was crisp on the outside, yet retained its fluffiness inside. We couldn’t get enough of the fillings! The mix of textures and flavours managed to hit all the right spots.

To celebrate the approaching festive season, Paddy Hills has introduced a “Christmas Truffle Specials” menu where dishes are served with freshly shaved Italian black autumn truffles. Chicken & Waffles ($28) is definitely made for hearty diners. A huge piece of fried chicken and two chunks of maple glazed bacon are stacked atop fluffy waffles, accompanied by apple pair chutney, chowder and pickled shallots. The chicken was well-marinated, with fork-tender meat that’s easily pulled apart while the bacon contained a good balance of fatty layers and lean meat. The waffle is unnecessary as the meats are good enough on their own.

Here comes the most confusing dessert ever – Chocolate Pasta ($16). Made up of creme anglaise, chocolate mousse, macerated berries and hazelnuts, we couldn’t quite pin down what exactly we were trying. The texture is similar to sour apple laces, slightly rubbery but the taste slightly resembled ferrero rocher. What a mismatch! We still prefer pasta to remain as a savoury dish.

Paddy Hills has blown us over with a few of their new creations but left us puzzled over the dessert. Expect to wait a little while over the weekends as NUS is just nearby so the cafe-hopping crowd will definitely be found here.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to Paddy Hills. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post Paddy Hills – New Menu launched, with Festive Specials appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

There has been a growing number of Japanese establishments in Singapore recently, with Michelin-starred ramen, Tsuta, opening its doors along Orchard Road and the popping up of new Japanese food halls. We always believe that good food doesn’t necessarily mean expensive food. That being said, you can’t expect the ingredients used to be the finest, as compared to those used by ‘atas’ restaurants. So, for those who are looking for a budget-friendly eatery to satisfy your Japanese food craving, we have hunted down 7 hawker stalls that serve value-for-money Japanese food.

Unkai Japanese Cuisine

Start your hawker feast with some fresh seafood selection such as the Hotate Tobiko Yaki ($15) and Premium Fresh Oysters ($18 for 1/2 dozen). The former are grilled to perfection and topped with a layer of mayonnaise and flying fish roe. The scallops are then flame-torched for a charred finish. The latter, on the other hand, arrived freshly shucked. Each mouthful gives a burst of juices. Just squeeze a few dollops of lemon juice with hot Tabasco sauce and slurp up these goodness! Moreover, the Sake Sashimi ($6) had a good cut – right thickness that was consistent throughout the slices served. Those with heartier appetites can go for the Ten Zaru Udon ($7.50), consisting of udon and a serving of an assortment of tempura.

Teppei Daidokoro

This stall offers yakitori skewers with charcoal-infused yakitori sauce, with a selection of chicken meatball, chicken thigh, pork belly, pork sausages, salmon belly, quail eggs and many more. Chef Teppei spent many months formulating and perfecting his own special charcoal-infused yakitori sauce set to give an intensely charcoal-flavour for yakitori lovers out there. In addition, Teppei fans can also enjoy the signature Kaisen Don ($16, sashimi rice bowl), grilled/deep-fried breaded bentos/dons and Hokkaido croquettes.

Wasai-Ya Japanese Mixed Rice

Japanese Chap Chye Png or Mixed Vegetable Rice is a first-of-its-kind. What’s more surprising is to find it in Junction 8’s foodcourt! The stall has a variety of dishes such as Tonkatsu, gyoza and vegetable tempura. We paid $6.90 for lunch and had Salmon Teriyaki, Chawanmushi and Stir-fry Egg Plant and Cucumber. Each set comes with miso soup and rice. The Chawanmushi was silky and flavourful. However, the Salmon Teriyaki was a tad too tough and the vegetables didn’t taste much like Japanese food. The other downside of this stall is that the food weren’t kept warm while it was displayed.

Kazan Japanese Cuisine

What drew us to this stall was the numerous endorsements displayed right below Kazan’s signboard. Although we didn’t get to speak to the friendly owner, Mr Lim, as he was giving his line of customers his full attention, we believe this stall is tended by Mr Lim and his mother. The stall specialises in Japanese rice sets and Donburi sets. We had the Unagi set ($8) which comes with Miso soup. The unagi arrived glistening, due to its wonderfully caramelised exterior. While the skin was slightly crisp, the meat within was tender, boasting a rich, sweet flavour. It goes very well with the fragrant rice, topped with generous sprinkles of black sesame seeds.

Buta Kin

Buta Kin at Beauty World Food Centre offers 5 types of ramen/udon dishes and 4 different Japanese curry dishes on their menu with most items not more than $6. The most expensive item on the menu is the Special Tonkotsu Ramen ($6.90) which comes with 3 slices of pork belly, black fungus, half boiled egg and seaweed. Although it’s priced very reasonably, the broth lacked the richness of a good Tonkotsu soup base. While the presentation and price of the Japanese ramen is very enticing, the taste was disappointing. But, if you’re looking for a budget Japanese ramen, this should do.

Konomi Zen

“Hello sister! How may I help?” was the first greeting from the chirpy chef and his assistant at this stall. We sat at the table in front of the stall and noticed they have a habit of addressing their customers as brother or sister. The food offerings range from as low as $3 to $6 and we had the Teriyaki Chicken Bento set ($4.50) which comes with shredded cabbage, tempura, rice and a bowl of Miso soup. The chicken was tender, with a silky layer of skin completely drenched in teriyaki sauce. We were surprised that carrots were used instead of the usual sweet potato for tempura.

Kitchen@Work

Kitchen@Work serves a variety of Japanese food, ranging from Donburi (rice bowl dish), to Fried Udon; all of which are tagged with an affordable price. The Yaki Niku Don ($6) is a rice dish topped with sliced beef, shredded onions and capsicums. It was a rather impressive dish, as the ingredients were slightly torched, giving it a slightly burnt taste. Despite being located at a hawker centre, Kitchen@Work has definitely shown quality in the food that they prepare.

With the variety of food options offered in Singapore, it’s no surprise that our country is labelled as a ‘foodie’s paradise’. Hawker stalls have also taken on a more modern image, with these Japanese offerings. We’re happy to see different establishments and new, young start-ups opening up at hawker centres yet, we hope that the older generation will still continue serving up delicious and traditional local fare.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visits and paid its own meals at the stalls featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to the stalls listed above. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post 7 Hidden Japanese Hawker Stalls in Singapore appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

One day old Nanjing Impressions has taken over Chef Wan’s former restaurant at Plaza Singapura. Nanjing Impressions is founded in 1994 and has established 35 outlets across China. Their first overseas expansion brings them into our foodie paradise, right in the heart of town. Nanjing Impressions is a Top 50 Chinese Heritage Restaurant, awarded by the National Restaurants Association of China. Also, China’s Ministry of Commerce has named the restaurant one of China’s Top 10 Food and Beverage Brands. With the aim of preserving its time-tested recipes and promoting the natural flavours and heritage of Huaiyang cuisine, you can look forward to enjoying the Chinese locals’ favourite street food, classic dishes and dim sum here.

Walking into Nanjing Impressions is like taking a step back in time to Nanjing’s glory days. Upon entering, you’ll be greeted by a “bar”. People who want to unwind after work can choose from a selection of Chinese wines such as Summer Yellow Wine with Red Dates ($18.80 per 250ml pot) and Winter Rice Wine ($18.80 per 250ml pot). The former has 14% alcohol content and is made from red dates while the latter has 10% alcohol content and is fermented from plum. All fermentation is done in-house and the restaurant imports ingredients directly from Nanjing. Drinking the latter might cause you to get drunk easily as it tastes so sweet, with a slight resemblance to Barley drinks so much so that you might forget the existence of alcohol in it.

Going deeper into the restaurant brings you to the main area that seats about 300 guests, with a few 4-seater semi-private booths at the sides. You will notice a stage at the far end where Nanjing musicians will be performing during lunch and dinner hours. There are also two VIP rooms which seat 10 guests each. There are also some “stalls” where you get to watch the chefs work their magic. You can order from them directly as well. Just place your table number tags at their counters and the food will be served to your table. The chefs at Singapore’s Nanjing Impressions are all locals who have been sent to Nanjing for training for 4 months. They have to constantly pass examinations while mastering the traditional recipes. Very minor changes have been made to the food to cater to Singaporeans’ tastebuds, but the original taste of Huaiyang flavours are still distinct.

The Chinese in Nanjing believes that each meal must consist of 10 dishes, especially during festivities due to the proverb, “十全十美” (to be complete and perfect). Therefore, we were treated to 10 items from their interesting menu. Here are five of our favourite items, beginning with a cold dish – 麻油素干丝 Sesame-scented Beancurd Julienne ($11.80 per portion). Respect to the skilled chef for cutting the beancurd into noodle-like portions! Soft and smooth in texture and dressed with the chef’s special sauce, this cold dish is light and refreshing.

The other cold dish – 金陵盐水鸭 Jinling Signature Salted Duck ($16.80/small; $32/medium; $62/big) dates as far back as 1,400 years ago during the Southern Dynasty. Nanjing’s famous salt-water duck has a deceptively simple name, but it is a 400-year-old recipe that involves a complicated procedure of more than 10 precise steps from dry rubbing, seasoning, brining to hang-drying. The result is a rich, delicious and very tender braised bird that possesses layered depths.

The next dish is created when Emperor Sui Yang visited Yangzhou to admire the spring flowers. He commanded the Imperial chefs to create four flower-themed recipes and the 清纯狮子头 Poached “Lion’s Head” Meatball ($13.80 per portion) was created based on the sunflower. This is a masterpiece of knife work, with the meat carefully diced by hand so that the fat and lean meat are evenly distributed for the best flavour and texture. The meatball is then gently steamed for 6 hours so it retains its shape and flavour. The melt-in-your-mouth meatball is simply delectable.

桂花拉糕 Osmanthus-scented Steamed Sponge ($4.80/3pieces) features home-made traditional Nanjing steamed cake served with Osmanthus sauce. The chewy texture with subtle floral fragrance makes these steamed “cakes” very addictive. It is categorised as a Jinling snack but it was more of a dessert to us.

One last dish that’s worth mentioning is 民国美龄粥 Madam Chiang’s Nutritious Beauty Porridge ($6.80 per portion). Named after Soong Meiling, also known as Madame Chiang Kai Shek, who lived till a ripe old age of 106, this is a healthy sweet soy milk porridge made with lily bulbs and Chinese yam. These are nutritious, guilt-free ingredients that are good for you, especially after all your festive feasts.

It was an interesting experience dining at Nanjing Impressions, learning about the heritage of Huaiyang cuisine. For those who haven’t found a place for your Chinese New Year meals, you might want to consider trying their Fortune Yu Sheng and Reunion Treasure Pot. From the careful preservation of the original cuisine to the traditional decor, to the calligraphy, and down to every bowl and plate, much thought has been put into Nanjing Impressions’ expansion into Singapore. And we believe that it’s worth trying a different cuisine that isn’t easily found elsewhere on our little island.

Note: This is an invited tasting.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to Nanjing Impressions. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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We’ve been wanting to try Mr Andy Tan’s heavenly muah chee but it was always sold out the previous times we visited. Imagine our excitement when we finally got to savour his muah chee yesterday! Tucked in a corner of Circuit Road Food Centre, this hipster muah chee has a continual line of customers streaming in. Andy used to be a car-parts manufacturer but his business failed a couple of years ago. He bought some muah chee at a pasar malam but found it horrible. That was when he began channeling his skills for machining car parts into ‘engineering’ muah chee.

Andy bakes the muah chee at his stall before tipping them into a wooden tray and cutting them approximately into 1cm-wide cubes. These little glutinous rice flour cubes are then tossed in ground, roasted sesame seeds or peanuts. Andy cuts the pieces small so as to make it easier for children and elderly to chew. If you look very closely, one of the tools he used for preparing the muah chee is actually a tool used for machining car parts. Such an innovative guy!

The “yuan yang” muah chee was not available when we visited so we had a portion of white muah chee ($2.50) and a portion of black muah chee ($2.80). We really enjoyed the latter as the muah chee dough was well-infused with black sesame flavour. The glutinous rice dough is less sticky and less oily than what you get elsewhere. Featuring a fragrant and crunchy coating of black sesame which isn’t too sweet, you can pop multiple pieces of muah chee into your mouth at one go.

Andy’s presentation also draws the young and ‘hipster’ crowd. The ‘dine-in’ version is served in a boat-shaped dish with decorative tooth picks while the take-away muah chee is packed in pretty paper gift boxes. Andy’s rationale is to improve on traditional muah chee, while retaining its Singaporean roots and he hopes that future generations will carry on the tradition of making muah chee.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to Heavenly Snacks. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post Heavenly Snacks 天下小吃 – Amazing Yuan Yang Muah Chee appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

By Maureen & Mu Qin

Everyone has their favourite breakfast dish to wake up to. Like how Americans love their eggs benedict and pancakes with maple syrup, a must-have for Europeans is bread and cheese and Asians typically eat everything from rice to noodles to porridge dishes. Among many Singaporeans’ hot favourites for breakfast is traditional kaya toasts, with two soft-boiled eggs and either coffee or tea.

Singapore’s traditional Kopi beans are wok-roasted with caramel sugar, butter or margarine and sometimes, pineapple skin and maize, to a dark black brown, then grounded and brewed with a sock-like cotton strainer in watering can-sized pots. Our Kopi is distinctively different in taste as compared to international gourmet coffee – it is aromatic, full-bodied and has a more complex taste. Kopi is served according to customers’ preference here and it’s best to learn the “Kopi Lingo” to ensure you’re ordering what you desire.

Before we give you the best of kaya toasts in Singapore, here’s a brief history of how kaya came about. Kaya Toasts originated from the Hainanese. Hainanese cooks used to make these toasts onboard British boats. For them, strawberry jam is too expensive so they mixed coconut with pandan and egg, which became known as kaya. There are two ways of eating kaya. You can either dip the kaya toasts in the eggs or in your coffee. But, we suggest you try a bite without dipping first, so as to taste the natural flavours of Kaya.

Heap Seng Leong

The kaya here is not outstanding but having a cup of coffee with butter (kopi gu you) in a 1950s kopitiam setting is quite an interesting experience. Nothing much has changed here since the 1950s. The signboard, the cabinets and the tiles remain, only the chairs are new (well not that new too). You will get to see kopitiam uncles sipping coffee while reading their newspapers, or some of them taking a quick nap.

Because many of our traditional kopitiams have been converted to a modern facade, it is interesting to see the boss wearing striped pajamas bottom and a white sleeveless shirt making kopi. Usually when we are here, we will request for kopi gu you. The piece of butter melting in our coffee really makes the full-bodied coffee much more fragrant with a caramelised note (like toffee).

Ah Seng (Hai Nam) Coffee

Since young, the owner has been helping his father to run the coffee stall business, hence he has picked up the skills and techniques in brewing traditional Hainanese coffee and toasting bread with charcoal. The coffee is thick with the right balance of sugar and milk. When you bring it close to your nose, you can smell the distinct aromatic coffee smell.

The kaya toast bread is a signature dish that cannot be missed. Crispy bread with tasty butter and kaya plus two half-boiled eggs is the best choice to start your day. They make their own kaya which is neither too sweet nor too greasy. You can also try their French toast which is another signature dish. The bread is coated entirely with eggs and toasted with charcoal. Read about it here.

Chin Mee Chin Confectionery

Stepping into this 60-year-old confectionery felt like I was travelling back to the 50s. The marble tables, wooden round chairs and mosaic tiles exude a nostalgic feel. Unlike the Kaya Toast commonly served at other shops, Chin Mee Chin’s kaya toast comes in bun rather than bread slices. These buns are made in house and toasted till they are slightly burnt. Thick layers of kaya are spread on the buns, and the warm toasted buns melt the butter which makes it taste much better. It gets pretty confusing for first-timers here. The waitresses are really busy and you will have a hard time catching their attention. And if you are alone or in pairs, you will most likely be sharing tables with others.

Coffee Hut

The owner of Coffee Hut was retrenched a few years back and decided to pay $3,000 to a Hainan coffee master to learn how to make kopi. He was definitely a hardworking student because the coffee he made is one of the best around. It was very thick and the aroma of coffee beans was evident.

Moreover, the kind of toast they serve is just so similar to the ones at Toast Box and Yakun, but at a cheaper price of course. They also make their own kaya and peanut butter sauce which can be spread over the toast or their toasted baguette which is very crispy. Do note that Coffee Hut doesn’t serve half boiled eggs during lunch time.

Good Morning Nanyang Cafe

Good Morning Nanyang Cafe started in 2005 and you can have a taste of its kaya toast in various franchise outlets. Its specialty is Orange Ciabatta Toast with butter and kaya spread sandwich between two crispy ciabatta toast. Using Italian bread in our traditional breakfast is a unique concept as the ciabatta is light and crumbly on the outside, yet soft on the inside.

For Orange Ciabatta Toast, orange peel is added into the ciabatta dough to give a pleasant zesty aroma and does not overpower the kaya. Alternatively, you can have the original ciabatta toast or steamed bun with kaya. With a recipe originated from Segamat, the kaya is more grainy and not too sweet.

Toast Hut

29-year-old Melvin Soh picked up his skills at a local kaya toast chain between classes at the Institute of Technical Education when he was 17 years old. After working there for three years, he opened his own stall in Old Airport Road Food Centre in 2007 at the tender age of 23, serving kaya toast paired with home-brewed traditional coffee, of which the art he learnt from his father.

Aside from the signature items, he serves blended ice coffee to cater to his young customers and freshly made sandwiches using traditional kaya toast bread. In response to the health consciousness of Singaporeans, kaya used in Mr. Soh’s stall is specially created to make it less sweet when served with coffee or tea. His mother and two workers help him at the stall, which has a long queue every morning.

Tong Ah Eating House

This no-frills cafe began their business at the iconic landmark building that now houses the very trendy Potato Head Folk. It has been running for over 75 years and their kaya toasts come with thick slabs of butter. If you specially request for ‘super crispy toast’, the bread undergoes three toastings and in between each toasting, the blackened, charred surface is scraped off with the lid from a can of condensed milk. What you get is a light and crumbly wafer texture for the remaining bread, generously spread with Tong Ah’s homemade kaya. Rumour has it that the kaya is cooked over a slow fire for 10 hours.

YY KaFei Dian

This coffeeshop sells traditional Hainanese fare but what they’re most well-known for is the Soft Kaya Buns. Baked in-house, these buns boasts a crisp, light crust and a fluffy and super soft interior. A generous amount of kaya is spread on the soft buns, topped with a slab of savoury butter. We love the texture of the soft buns and the coconut-infused kaya enhanced the overall taste. Get the set ($3.70) which comes with an aromatic cup of kopi and two soft-boiled eggs to complete your breakfast!

These are the coffeeshops to check out if you’re a traditionalist who enjoys dining amidst a rustic setting. Of course, there are other establishments such as Ya Kun, Wang Cafe, Killiney Kopitiam and Toast Box, just to name a few, for those who are seeking a refuge from the scorching hot weather. Try dunking your kaya toast in the soft-boiled eggs and the kopi and let us know which style you prefer!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visits and paid its own meals at the stalls featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to the stalls listed above. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post 8 Awesome Breakfast Spots for Traditional Kopi & Kaya Toast appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Thailand’s “Rose of the North” boasts cultural and natural wonders with many attractions and a diverse ethnic food selection to explore. Chiang Mai literally means “new city” and was founded by King Meng Rai the Great in 1296. At that point of time, Chiang Mai was known as the capital of the Lanna Kingdom and was also the centre of Buddhism in Northern Thailand. You need more than a weekend in Chiang Mai to experience how both historical and modern Thai culture coexist side by side. There are so many things to see, do and eat in Chiang Mai but we only had a day so this itinerary is what we propose. Check out Amazing Thailand (Tourism Authority of Thailand) for more information on Chiang Mai.

READ: 10 THINGS TO DO IN CHIANG MAI

If you’re heading to Chiang Mai from Bangkok, there are options for budget travelers – ordinary, 2nd class and 1st class air-conditioned buses. These buses leave throughout the day from Bangkok’s Northern Bus Terminal (Mo Chit 2) for Chiang Mai. Private buses can also be conveniently booked at tourist centres in Bangkok. The journey takes around 10 to 12 hours, depending on traffic conditions. You can also take the express and rapid trains that leave for Chiang Mai from Bangkok’s Hua Lumphong Station, which takes about 11 to 12 hours (express train).

No budget constraints and looking for the fastest way? Domestic airlines such as Thai Airways operate several flights daily between Bangkok and Chiang Mai. We were really fortunate to have been passengers aboard the new Airbus A350 for our flight to Chiang Mai, which took slightly more than an hour.

10:00am – Chiang Mai Celadon

With a fiery hot passion for the art of Celadon-glazed ceramics, Khun Tassanee devoted almost 25 years of her time and energy to working on celadon ceramic pottery since 1989. Chiang Mai Celadon has become a brand and symbol of Chiang Mai Celadon-glazed ceramics, producing and distributing Celadon, Celadon ceramic, dinnerware, home décor, gifts and souvenirs. This “stoneware” goes through the classic manufacturing process where the glaze is produced from combining the ashes of laurel wood with the surface soil of rice paddies, well noted for its high iron content. Many layers of glaze must be applied on the product in order for the ash-glazing process to produce a unique, beautiful, green colour glossy coat that is distinctive of the timeless Celadon style of ceramics.

Besides learning about Celadon-glazed ceramics, we were also taught how to prepare a traditional Thai dessert called “Khao Tom Mud”. “Khao” is literally translated to “Rice” while “Tom” refers to the method of cooking, either steamed or boiled and “Mud” means wrap. Therefore, to put it simply, this is kind of like Sticky Rice with Banana Wrap. The sticky rice used at Chiang Mai Celadon is special as it is first mixed with black sesame. After wrapping our own “Khao Tom Mud”, each dessert was sent to the steamer before we finally enjoyed them during our lunch time.

Speaking of lunch, Chiang Mai Celadon prepared a local noodle called “Khao Soi” for us. This delicious bowl of “Khao Soi” featured flat yellow egg noodles soaked in a rich and savoury curry broth and is served with spring onions, pickled cabbages and slices of lime. A small handful of egg noodles have been deep-fried and added on top and also crushed into the broth for a toothsome texture. You can choose from chicken, pork or beef “Khao Soi”.

2:30pm – Wat Phra That Doi Suthep

This majestic holy temple sits on the top of Doi Suthep Hill but it’s best to nap while the cab driver takes you up the 15km winding mountain road or you might get motion sickness. Wat Phra That Doi Suthep was built in 1383 as a Buddhist monastery and is still funded by donations as a working monastery today. The architecture, statues, murals and shrines seen at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep will take your breath away. Upon arriving at Doi Suthep Hill, you can begin your journey up 300 steps of the intricately carved mythical Naga Serpent Staircase and marvel at the splendor of your surroundings. However, if the weather is too hot, just take the lift up for 30Baht ($1.20SGD) per pax.

Your eyes will be blinded by the shimmering golden ‘stupa’ that is the centerpiece in the central enclave area. The exterior is made up of 400,000 pieces of gold leaves(solid gold) and the four carousels surrounding this ‘stupa’ represent royalty. Outside the central enclave area, you will find the shrine to the White Elephant, with the story of how the temple was founded. There are many ‘gongs’ surrounding the temple and Doi Suthep has one of the world’s largest ‘gongs’ and you’re allowed to give it a try! Don’t forget to follow the walkway further down which leads you to a large viewing terrace. At 3,520 feet above sea level, you get to take in a panoramic view of Chiang Mai and its surrounding countryside.

6:00pm – Indulge in Street Hawker Food near Chiang Mai’s North Gate

There are many hawker/street stalls set up just across the street of Chang Phueak, Chiang Mai’s North Gate. It’s hard to miss a cowgirl’s delicious fork-tender “Khao Ka Moo” (pork trotters rice) located here. The stall is named “凤飞飞猪脚饭”. If you’re familiar with the singer, Fong Fei Fei, you’ll notice that this hawker’s cowboy hat sort of resembles the singer’s style. Cowgirl lady continuously chops the pork trotters that has a good mix of fats and lean meat and some other pig parts as the queue is never-ending. It’s super tasty, with a hint of cinnamon and star anise flavours. Remember to add the salted vegetables that are placed in huge containers at each table! Each plate of pork trotters rice costs only 30Baht ($1.20SGD).

9pm – Chiang Mai Night Bazaar (Night Market)

We were really lucky that our hotel – Dusit D2 Chiang Mai – was located just a stone’s throw away from the daily Night Bazaar. The street vendors along both sides of the roads sell a huge variety of fake designer goods, clothes, shoes, accessories, belts, pirated DVDs and CDs and locally handcrafted Thai goods at extremely affordable prices. Remember to bargain as the Thai vendors expect you to do so – it’s part of the fun of shopping at night markets! Bargaining is almost a “national sport” in Thailand! You should always start slashing around 50% and work your way up till you get 30-40% off the asking price. Even if you’ve no intention of buying anything, just go for a stroll at the Night Bazaar for an awesome experience. The place is a beautiful mess of brightly coloured lights, music, sounds of tourists bargaining, with the fragrance of food from vendors lingering in the air.

There you go – a snippet of our day in Chiang Mai! Besides visiting historical and cultural places, Chiang Mai has elephant camps, orchid gardens and other natural wonders for you to discover. We would’ve loved to stay longer in Chiang Mai if we had the chance to. Well, this is a good excuse for our return in future.

We would like to thank Thai Airways, (Amazing Thailand) Tourism Authority of Thailand and the World Tourism Organization for organizing the ASEAN Bloggers Media Trip to Bangkok.

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Located a stone’s throw away from Ang Mo Kio MRT station lies Chops Grill & Sides – the latest Western hawker craze! It might be tucked in a corner of a coffee shop but their business was extremely good on a Friday evening. We arrived around 7.15pm and there was already a queue forming. We were advised that the wait was approximately 1 hour 45 minutes but the food came around 30 minutes faster than what we expected.

Chops! XXL Platter ($59.90) feeds around 6 to 8 people but we went in a group of 5 and managed to clear everything. The original platter consists of grilled cajun chicken, fried breaded fish, grilled garlic pork collar, pan-fried Norwegian salmon, Australian grain-fed ribeye steak and half a rack of spiced BBQ babyback ribs. However, they ran out of fried breaded fish and grain-fed ribeye steak so we had double portions of grilled cajun chicken and the spice BBQ babyback ribs. Such a pity!

The grilled cajun chicken had a layer of slightly crispy skin and was quite tender. Marinated well, the flavours were distinct. The spiced BBQ babyback ribs had a good balance of sweetness and savouriness. The meat was slightly firm, yet tender enough to be easily detached from the ribs.

For the above mentioned meats, the sauces (Sriracha Mayonnaise, Tartar, homemade mushroom & black pepper) served weren’t required as they were already very tasty on their own. However, for the pan-fried Norwegian salmon and grilled garlic pork collar, we recommend that you dip these meats in the sauces. The salmon was cooked medium, and had a very nice texture. It looked a little pinkish-orangey and had a tinge of smokey flavour to it. The pork collar, on the other hand, wasn’t as good as we expected. It was a tad too tough and too dry for our liking.

Chops! XXL Platter comes with a mixture of 10 hot sides and cold salads, including potato & egg salad, coleslaw, cherry tomatoes, romaine lettuce, garlic fried rice, mash potato, aglio olio, mac & cheese, shoestring fries and pasta salad.

Our top 3 favourites were the super sweet cherry tomatoes that exploded with juices in our mouths, the well-seasoned, flavourful aglio olio and addictive shoestring fries. The pasta salad felt undercooked while the mash potato would’ve been better if it was creamier and smoother. The mac & cheese wasn’t cheesy enough to make us go, ‘wow’.

Chops! XXL Platter is indeed very value-for-money and the quality of food is very decent. Fitness buffs, if you’re up for a food challenge, you should consider devouring this meaty platter after torturing yourself at the gym. For the rest of us, it’s good to over-indulge once in awhile with friends and family who love food. Be here early to avoid the crazy crowds, as well as, to avoid the disappointment in case some meats are sold out.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to Chops Grill & Sides. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post Chops Grill & Sides – Indulgent Meaty Affair with XXL Meat Platter appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Founded in the 1990s by owner-chef Madam Choo Hong Eng, Kwan Inn Vegetarian has established itself as a forerunner in the field over the years. Its immense popularity and following of loyal customers is due to Madam Choo’s generosity and charitable personality. Approximately 5 years ago, Madam Choo made the headlines when she won more than $400,000 from a casino slot machine at Marina Bay Sands, and then proceeded to give it all away. It was not the first time she had hit the jackpot only to donate the money to charity.

Madam Choo believes in working hard for her money and has been running a vegetarian food stall, which she started in Geylang 30 years ago. In December last year, her dream of opening a restaurant came true. Kwan Inn Vegetarian Restaurant has a cozy ambience and can seat up to 80 diners. Their extensive menu includes Vegetarian Suckling Pig, Specialty Vegetarian Goose, and many more.

Si-Chuan Spicy Soup ($15 small) acts as a good appetiser, boasting a good consistency and a fine balance of sourness and spiciness. Ingredients such as tofu, salted vegetables and capsicums give this soup more texture. This is perfect especially on cold nights, and it really whets your appetite.

Cai-Pu French Bean ($13 small) is too bland for our liking. Preserved turnip usually has a very distinct savouriness to it but this dish lacked that particular flavour. However, the long beans are well-cooked, slightly soft with a great textural crunch.

The two mock meats we had were Coffee Vegetarian Pork Ribs ($16 small) and Spicy Stir-Fried Vegetarian Diced Chicken ($16 small). The former was very well-prepared as we thought it tasted exactly like the real thing. The coffee flavour was very strong and enhanced the aroma of the dish. The ribs were replaced by sugarcane. The tender mock meat was crispy on the exterior, yet juicy inside. The latter was fried with mock chicken, peanuts, vegetables and chilli peppers. One mouthful featured succulent meat, which was very addictive. It goes very well with rice and the level of spiciness was manageable.

The pricing of Kwan Inn Vegetarian might be a little on the steep side, given the quality of their food. We heard that they are actually famous for their chicken rice but we didn’t get to try it. Perhaps, we will return again to give other dishes a shot. Do note that if you’re driving, there is a public carpark in front of the Canadian International School, and you just have to cross the overhead bridge to get to Kwan Inn Vegetarian Restaurant.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to Kwan Inn Vegetarian Restaurant. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post Kwan Inn Vegetarian Restaurant – Jackpot Auntie’s Healthy Recipes appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Most of our childhood is stored not in photos, but in certain smells and places … Nasi Lemak is one of Singaporeans’ favourite dishes, and we grew up having this, hence our particular fondness for this indulgent plate of rice. There are two types of nasi lemak commonly found today – the Malay version with ikan billis, nuts, ikan kuning (fried fish), fried egg and cucumber slices, as well as, the Chinese version which offers a lot more variety in side dishes ranging from fried chicken drumsticks to luncheon meat to an assortment of vegetables.

It’s not just the ingredients that makes a good nasi lemak. Pandan leaves and coconut milk play a huge role in enhancing the fragrance and richness of the rice, complemented by the spicy sambal chilli sauce that you can’t miss out on. We hunted down 15 fantastic places for you to try!

The Coconut Club

The Coconut Club at Ann Siang Hill brought the standard of nasi lemak back with the use of quality ingredients. Little wonder why our Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong hosted visiting Philippine President Rodrigo Détente here for lunch! Our plate of Nasi Lemak ($12.80) is really lemak with a rich fragrance. Using basmati rice grains, the rice we had that day was dense and a little chewy.

The Coconut Club’s standard nasi lemak includes coconut rice, ikan bilis, sambal chilli, cucumber, fried egg and fried chicken leg. Optional add-ons include beef rendang, otak and fried fish. We really like the chicken leg marinated with galangal, lemongrass and ginger. The chicken leg is first coated with tapioca flour before it is deep fried, resulting in a crispy skin with very moist and juicy meat. However, the sambal chilli needs a little more punch.

Quan Jia Fu (全佳福) Nasi Lemak

Set up by popular ge tai singer Cheng Ze (承泽) and two other partners, Quan Jia Fu Nasi Lemak in Army Market is gaining quite a crowd. One of the partners used to be a cook in a nasi lemak stall in Boon Lay so she takes care of all the cooking while the two handsome young man do most of the serving. Its rice is milder in coconut milk flavour, but is light and fluffy.

What really stands out is the sambal, which has a strong taste of dried shrimp in the blend. It’s really robust in flavours, spicy with a strong presence of shallots. The fried chicken is crispy and goes well with the sambal dip which we paired with curry vegetables and an egg omelette too. We love the old school vibes which exude from the rustic-looking metal plates which we used to use in the past. Old vintage milo tins are also hung on the ceiling and used as their cash box.

Revolution Cafe

Celebrity Mod Sin Chef Shen Tan is famous for her nasi lemak, which is steamed with fresh coconut every day  instead of being thrown into a rice cooker with coconut milk. Only the best Fragrant Jasmine rice is used and each grain of rice is distinct and fluffy but richly lemak and deserves to be called Nasi Lemak! It is so well flavoured that you will want to eat the rice on its own! The 5 Nasi Lemak rice sets feature dishes such as crispy pork, crispy fried chicken, 5 spice pork confit, beef rendang and chicken rendang. Instead of going for the usual beef rendang, we opted for the crispy pork instead. It’s so crispy on the outside yet juicy on the inside.

Each set comes complete with the Nasi Lemak rice, omelette, ikan bills, homemade sambal belachan and coffee sambal on cucumber slices. Coffee and chilli gives a unique earthy flavour. You have to sample Shen’s extra spicy Sambal Belachan with its nuclear explosive kick. Shiok! The price of nasi lemak ranges from $4.90 to $9.90.

Boon Lay Power Nasi Lemak

With a snaking long queue of customers eagerly waiting to place their order, it is hard to miss this stall. This stall still maintains the freshness of their nasi lemak ingredients and makes sure that their food is kept sizzling hot. The well-marinated chicken is deep-fried to a nice crispiness but maintains its tenderness on the inside. Fried ikan bilis and roasted peanuts are nicely done too. The otah paste is splendid with add-on coconut milk. It wasn’t too spicy but enough to give a kick. We could feel the enticing coconut aroma rising up from the fragrant rice and the sambal chilli – ooh, it was sensational. Despite the crowd, their standard seemed to have dipped over the years.

Mizzy Corner

Everyone who frequents Changi Village would know about the nasi lemak served at Mizzy’s Corner. Although it is said that anyone would invariably leave with very satisfied tummies, we didn’t think this was the best nasi lemak in Singapore. The standard chicken nasi lemak set costs $3.50 and comes with a fried chicken wing, a fried egg and ikan bilis, sambal and a slice of cucumber. Unfortunately, the rice is not fragrant enough and it is too soggy. A piece of mackerel otak otak can be added for an additional $1. Such a very value for money meal!

Tan Beng Otah Delights

Otah here is prepared on the spot and freshly wrapped. The otah has a good balance of chilli and fish and exudes ethereal fragrance when served hot. The filling within contains chunks of mackerel meat and the spices pack quite a punch. What we enjoyed most was the packet of traditional nasi lemak wrapped in banana leaves that this hawker still prepares. Consisting of fried fish, an egg, ikan bilis and peanuts, it made me reminisce the days when my late grandmother would tabao this back for me on weekends for breakfast when I was much younger.

Sri Sujana Muslim Food

The standard chicken nasi lemak set which costs $3.50, comes with a fried chicken wing, a fried egg, ikan bilis, sambal and a slice of cucumber. Unfortunately, the rice is not fragrant enough and it is too soggy. However, we quite enjoyed the sambal here. While some sambal tends to be sweeter, Sri Sujana’s version is spicy enough and is fragrant enough. Their ikan bilis was also super crispy and still hot. The chicken wings have a nice crispy skin. A piece of mackerel otak otak can be added for an additional $1. We queued for 20 mins or longer for just two plates of nasi lemak. Actually, the diners mostly only buy 1 to 2 plates of nasi lemak. Service is really slow.

Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak

Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak at Adam Food Centre has been labelled as one of the best Nasi Lemak in Singapore. Food comes in sets, with prices ranging from $2.50 to $5.50, depending on the ingredients you order. We ordered their “Royal Rumble” ($5.50) which consisted of Potato Croquette, Fried Egg, Deep-fried fish, Ikan Bilis, Otah and Deep-fried chicken wing. Our verdict? We have to agree that the rice was fragrant and well-enriched by the coconut milk. They use Basmati Rice which has a lighter texture and better flavour, and the grains are wonderfully separated. Expect a queue at this stall, but it’s worth the wait!

No. 1 Adam’s Nasi Lemak

Located just beside Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak, we have to say that each stall has their own specialty. No. 1 Adam’s Nasi Lemak’s specialty lies in the mutton rendang, which possesses a thick, yet sweet gravy. The meat is tender and juicy. The fish cake had a bouncy texture while the otah was soft and tasty. We like the flavourful potato too. The highlight though, has to be the sambal chilli. It’s a tad sweet, not too spicy and very appetizing. Do note that the waiting time during lunch hours can take up to 60 minutes as many people would takeaway about 10 to 15 packets each.

Fong Seng Fast Food Nasi Lemak

Fong Seng specialises in selling nasi lemak with the usual sides such as chicken wing, ikan bilis, peanuts, otah and egg etc. The chicken wing is fried to a perfect crisp golden brown while still retaining its tender, succulent meat within. The otah was fiery hot, with a hint of coconut milk to neutralise its spiciness. However, the rice served was normal steamed rice which Fong Seng makes up for by serving a plethora of other sides, which gives you a plate of hearty “cai fan”. There are a variety of vegetables, curry and various meats to choose from.

Hon Ni Kitchen

Hon Ni has two stalls in the hawker centre, one to prepare the ingredients while the other to serve from. It sells nasi lemak at a very cheap price. While the must-order is chicken wing, they also have other dishes such as luncheon meat, fried kuning fish, fishcakes, stir fry long beans, ikan bilis, otah, fried eggs etc. The nasi is very light and fluffy because they use coconut milk sparingly. The rice is best eaten with their homemade sambal chilli sauce, which is made of fresh chilli, onions and ikan bilis. Very shiok! And many have raved about their delicious otah which is silky smooth and without a fishy smell. Be sure to try it out!

Chong Pang Nasi Lemak

This famed establishment had its humble beginnings in the former Chong Pang Village Hawker Centre in 1973 before moving to the current coffee shop situated along the busy Sembawang Road. Serving Chinese-style Nasi Lemak with an array of dishes to choose from, the rice is light and not heavy on coconut milk. Of all the sides, the best-selling item is the chicken wings. Lightly battered and well marinated, each bite had a good crunch, with juicy, tender meat. The chilli packs a good punch and finishes on a tangy note.

Punggol Nasi Lemak

Run by family members, Punggol Nasi Lemak is a favourite supper spot for many. I’ve been frequenting the outlet near Kovan for many years and there’s always a long queue during dinner hours. The aroma of their good quality rice is accentuated by coconut and pandan. Each grain is consistent, neither too mushy nor too hard. The eggs here are prepared just right, with a runny yolk in the middle surrounded by crispy, browned edges. The chicken wings are worth your calories too! They are crispy and succulent, even with such a high turnover. The sambal chilli is not too spicy and has a hint of sweetness. There are sides like otah, sambal belachan long beans, fish cakes and many more, which could be packed away for dinner.

Market Street Nasi Lemak

Located at the hawker centre in the CBD, it’s hard to miss this stall when the queue is always snaking during lunch time. Run by two brothers, they are very efficient and offer a wide selection of items to choose from at very reasonable prices. At $2.50, our plate consisted of fragrant rice, fried chicken drumstick, fish fillet, otah, egg and ikan billis. What a steal! The chicken wings and chicken drumsticks were not too greasy and were fried to a crisp golden brown, while retaining its tender meat within. The rice was palatable, with a strong coconut aroma. If you work in the CBD and don’t mind queuing, this is definitely a wallet-friendly stall you can frequent.

Bali Nasi Lemak

Aunty Susan came from a family selling nasi lemak. Her eldest sister is the owner of the famous Punggol Nasi Lemak while her second sister is the owner of Mt Faber Nasi Lemak. Even so, each stall has their own specialty. Here, the Kicap Manis Fried Chicken is their specialty. They deep fried the chicken wings with rice and wheat flour to hold that crispiness. You can have it in original or the kecap manis version which is tossed with sweet black sauce. They also serve unique dishes like sambal petai, otah, brinjal etc. Obviously no complaints about her rice, the Thai basmati rice is fluffy and lemak just like her sisters’.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visits and paid its own meals at the stalls featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to the stalls listed above. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post 15 Nasi Lemak in Singapore for The Ultimate Indulgence appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

European countries are big on the idea of healthy and green living. There are many vegetarian and vegan options available across Europe. However, this is not the case here, as most people still love feasting on meats, especially “bak kwa” (BBQ pork) during Chinese New Year. In recent years, a growing trend of healthy eating has been observed. Now, there are numerous vegetarian choices in Singapore as well. From vegetarian hawker fare to vegetarian tom yum to vegetarian sashimi, we bring you 11 international vegetarian cuisine.

Rojak Line

Owner Debbie has been a crazy rojak fan for years but she didn’t like hae ko (shrimp paste). So, she created her own vegetarian rojak sauce using quality ingredients. Hae ko (shrimp paste) is an important sauce for making rojak. The vegetarian version induced skepticism in us initially but it turned out to be outstanding. The sauce is rich and sticky, but tasted surprisingly light and zesty. With a hint of tamarind and ginger flower, the well-rounded flavours bind the ingredients perfectly.

Rojak Line Rojak ($4 / $5 / $6) has got prominent ingredients such as pineapple, turnip, you tiao and cucumber which give a refreshing dimension. My only gripe is that the you tiao (dough fritters) were not crispy enough, lacking the desired crunch.

Another popular item on the menu is Vegetarian Popiah ($1.80) which is made with braised turnip, carrot, shitake, homemade sweet sauce, peanut, chilli and garlic. Vegans can request for no garlic.

Teng Bespoke Vegetarian Dining

Bespoke made a lasting impression when their Three-kind Sashimi ($19) set was served. Featuring mock salmon, mock squid and mock tuna, we thought these make-believe replications of sashimi were very well executed. Taste-wise, it had a fishcake-like chewy texture with a smooth exterior. Each of the mock sashimi boasted slightly different textures and tastes, almost similar to the real ones we have at Japanese restaurants.

The Unagi Maki ($15) is highly recommended by the chef. Although mock unagi tastes extremely different from the real eel, it features a crispy texture, with creamy sauces packed into the maki. Just pop the entire maki into your mouth and you get a burst of flavours, with a good mix of contrasting textures! So delightful!

Pepper Jade Thai Vegetarian Cuisine

With a luxurious interior, dining here made us feel like we were dining with Thai royalty. Pepper Jade and Bespoke are actually sister restaurants, located in the same mall. There is an extensive offering of Thai vegetarian dishes here, from appetisers, all the way to desserts. We shared a plate of Deep Fried Chicken wrapped in Pandan ($12 for 6 pieces). If no one mentioned that this is a vegetarian dish, we would’ve thought that the “chicken” was authentic. The tender texture is similar to the actual pandan chicken and even the taste was alike, boasting a strong aroma, enhanced by the pandan leaves.

Tom Yum Soup in Claypot ($14) explodes with flavours as soon as it reaches our tastebuds. It has a well-balanced spicy-sour taste, making it perfect, especially on rainy days. According to the waitress, the soup is made with fresh and original herbs and spices before vegetables, tofu, mushrooms, tomatoes, mock meat-like crabsticks and prawns are added in. Pair this with the Blue Butterfly Pea Rice ($3 per bowl) to complete your wonderful vegetarian Thai feast.

Greendot

Greendot is the place to go for salads, but they have recently brought back their vegetarian burgers due to high demand. Only available at the Paya Lebar and One Raffles Place outlets, there are five flavours of burgers to choose from. The Rendang Lion Mane Burger ($9.90) doesn’t come with fries. You have to top up $3 for Iced Lime Tea and fries.

Basically, Lion’s Mane is a medicinal mushroom, good for boosting immunity, memory and mood. This mushroom stimulates immune systems and boosts white blood cells count to help healing processes. Doctors are also known to use this nerve-regenerating mushroom to fight dementia and Alzheimer’s. One bite and you get a bouncy texture, with some juices that resemble shrimp or lobster meat. The rendang is not too spicy, delicious, and its fragrance was brought out by the coconut milk. Interestingly, the rendang here is better than some of the ones cooked with meat out there.

Gokul Vegetarian

This restaurant offers a huge variety of vegetarian Indian food so, if you want to try many items, you either have to dine here with a big group or head back many times. The Potato Curry Puff ($1.50) came steaming hot. The deep fried pastry shell was crisp on the outside yet fluffy within. It complements the generous chunks of strongly-flavoured curry potatoes that were enveloped within.

The Masala Dosa ($5) was stuffed with lightly cooked potatoes and green peas and is served with two chutneys and sambar. The potatoes were slightly mashed, resulting in its creamy texture which goes very well with the dosa. Scoop the potato-filled dosa and dip it into the chutneys or sambar and you’ll get to taste different flavours and textures. The Mushroom Kurma ($6) is braised in a spicy sauce, made with yoghurt, cream and nut paste. It turned out to be quite rich, with a nutty finish.

O’bean Organic Soya Vegetarian Place

When I told my dining partners that we’re going to have vegetarian bak kut teh, they were astounded. Without the ‘Bak Kut’ (pork ribs), and the ‘Teh’ soup base that is simmered with pork ribs, how can one even recreate the dish? Well, O’bean’s rendition comes in the form of mushrooms. Shrooms Bak Kut Teh ($14.80 per pax, with rice; $60.80 for 8-10 pax, soup only) has a herbal soup base. It contains vegetables and mushrooms of different types and sizes. The soup turned out to be surprisingly slurp-worthy, despite it not being that herbal-ish nor approximating bak kut teh. A small amount of soya powder has been added to the soup to give it a hint of soy taste, which actually made the soup a tad more substantial. The fried dough fritters were crispy and so addictive that we ordered an additional portion at $1.80. O’bean also serves vegetarian kway chap and vinegar braised trotters, among many other things.

Kwan Inn Vegetarian Restaurant

Approximately 5 years ago, Madam Choo made the headlines when she won more than $400,000 from a casino slot machine at Marina Bay Sands, and then proceeded to give it all away. It was not the first time she had hit the jackpot only to donate the money to charity. This is the charitable woman behind Kwan Inn Vegetarian Restaurant.

Their extensive menu includes Vegetarian Suckling Pig, Specialty Vegetarian Goose, and many more. Si-Chuan Spicy Soup ($15 small) acts as a good appetiser, boasting a good consistency of well-balanced sourness and spiciness. Ingredients such as tofu, salted vegetables and capsicums give this soup a mix of textures. This is perfect especially on cold nights, and it really whets your appetite for more. Spicy Stir-Fried Vegetarian Diced Chicken ($16 small) consists of mock chicken, peanuts, vegetables and chilli peppers. The succulent meat, which was very addictive, goes very well with rice and the level of spiciness was manageable.

Victor Veggie

This is a superb supper spot for those craving for sinful skewers of vegetarian satay. Closing at midnight, this hawker specialises in satay, otah and Western dishes. Unfortunately, the otah was sold out when we were there so we only had the satay (80cents per skewer). The charred black segments gave the satay a nice smokey flavour and the mock meat was tender. Not to mention, the peanut satay sauce was such a good complement. Featuring a creamy texture, it was neither too spicy nor too oily. Be prepared to wait for about 15-20 minutes during busy periods.

The Boneless Kitchen

Koreans are big on army stews, and it is rumoured that is started when Korean soldiers used to dump whatever rationed ingredients they have during their military days into their helmet and cooked them into a stew during meal times. Vegetarians can look forward to 4 different bases for ‘Jeongol’ (stew) at The Boneless Kitchen. Doenjang Jeongol ($35.90 for 2 pax) features a soybean paste hotpot, served with 2 bowls of rice. The refilling of soup is chargeable at $2. Ingredients such as carrots, cucumbers, tofu, different types of greens and an assortment of mushrooms fill up the hotpot. The savoury broth had a hint of sweetness from the ingredients as they have been simmered long enough. We also shared a Gyeran Mari (Rolled Omelet $5.90). The egg was done very well and had a fluffy texture. We might consider topping up 70 cents for cheese in future.

Whole Earth

This Peranakan vegetarian restaurant has been awarded the Bib Gourmand Award in the Michelin Guide Singapore 2016. Although their menu is extensive, there’s only one page dedicated to true-blue Peranakan cuisine such as Nonya Curry, Nutty Buah Keluak and Assam Pedas Vegetables, just to name a few. The Nonya Curry ($20.90) takes 8 long hours of preparation. It contains shiitake mushrooms and potatoes in a thick yet smooth piquant sauce that was very tasty indeed! Huge crowds can go for the 5-spice Ngor Hiang Roll ($13.90) which is Whole Earth’s rendition of the Peranakan roll, served with traditional sweet sauce dip. It actually tasted and seemed like the real ngor hiang roll. It’s best to dine here in a big group so as to try more delicious dishes.

Hwa Jin Vegetarian Family Restaurant

Tucked in the West side of Singapore, this family-oriented vegetarian eatery is always crowded during dinner time on weekends. Serving Chinese vegetarian dishes ranging from vegetarian hokkien mee to vegetarian claypot pig trotters to vegetarian orh lua (fried oyster), it’s no wonder one would be spoilt for choice here. The vegetarian Hokkien Mee ($8 big) was moist, with a flavoursome gravy. Thick bee hoon and flat yellow noodles are cooked with mushrooms, little cubes of mock meat, shredded carrots and vegetables. The chilli is very unique as it has a herbal taste to it, yet giving enough kick to spice up the dish. Go earlier to avoid waiting too long for a table.

These eateries have proven that vegetarian food isn’t necessarily boring and doesn’t just contain vegetables. They have also come up with gimmicks to make vegetarian food appealing to the eyes, and not just the tastebuds. We hope you have more options for vegetarian cuisine in Singapore now.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visits and paid its own meals at the stalls featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to the stalls listed above. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post 11 International Vegetarian Cuisine to Satisfy the Fussiest Eaters appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Singapore has an abundance of hawker centres sprawled all over the island and we can often find a few note-worthy stalls at a particular hawker centre. Jalan Besar which means “Big Road” in Malay, used to be a large swampland. After World War 1, the agricultural land gave way to shophouses. The older generation, like our parents, would be familiar with a prominent landmark that existed then – New World Amusement Park. Now, Jalan Besar is considered a hipster neighbourhood with many cafes popping up. However, it still retains the old-world-charm with hawker stalls that have been running for decades. From rare delicacies that are disappearing, to Singaporeans’ local favourites, we bring you 9 delicious eats at Berseh Food Centre.

LAO LIANG – SHARK MEAT
Unit: #02-37
Opening Hours: Tue-Sun 11am to 2pm. Closed on Mondays.

This is one of the rarest delicacies out there and can be found in Jalan Besar. It used to be famous but is now a vanishing dish of white shark meat that is boiled to perfection. The resulting meat is naturally sweet and tender but with a much firmer texture than the fish slices that you get in your regular bowl of fish soup. This meat is served with a sweet plum dip swimming with peanuts chunks, made from preserved plums by the old couple who runs the stall.

Another disappearing rare delicacy is the translucent Pork trotter jelly which is served cold, and has an interestingly chewy texture brought about by the coagulation of gelatin and meat at low temperatures. A blend of tangy sourness and tongue-tingling spiciness makes it more appetizing. This dish is delightful and we have to say that it’s ‘an acquired taste’.

ONE KUEH AT A TIME
Unit: #02-61
Tel: 9795 6119 (Nick)
Opening Hours: 8am to 2pm. Closed on Saturdays.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/One-kueh-at-a-time-604199416352177/

Owner Nick Soon quit his job as an insurance agent to open a hawker stall. He painstakingly makes Teochew kuehs filled with your choice of glutinous rice, chives, or sweet bean paste all by hand. The recipes are from his old parents who have been making kuehs and sharing with friends and relatives, but have never set up their own stall. On weekdays, he sells soon kueh and koo chye kueh, while on weekends, with the help of his parents, they have png kueh and orh ku kueh as well.

Nick meticulously handles each thin dough skin, wraps ONE KUEH AT A TIME with the fillings and places them in the steamer, just like the good old times. Each pocket of kueh is wrapped with such a generous amount of filling that it looks like it is going to burst anytime. We were served with a piping hot soon kueh and koo chye kueh each. The skin is so translucent that it is literally shining under the sunlight. The soon kueh, made with juicy turnips, black fungus and dried shrimps has enough bite and texture while the koo chye kueh was made up of tasty (but a little bitter) chives and bits of scrambled eggs.

LIM’S FRIED OYSTER
Unit: #01-32
Tel: 9386 0732
Opening Hours: 6pm to 12am daily (impromptu off days)

Having been around for about 4 decades, Lim’s father used to open a roadside stall in Jalan Besar. When the food centre was built, they moved in and the stall is now managed by the second-generation Lim. He makes the batter by himself and you’ll notice two types of chilli in the stall. One is added to the fried oysters during frying while the other is used as a dip, to go with the plate of oyster omelette. He makes the chilli paste that is added into the fried oysters. It has a lovely fragrance from dried shrimps, and you really shouldn’t miss it.

Lim’s Fried Oysters is very well executed. Every bite was made up of crispy, charred and fragrant skin encasing a morsel of moist, and gooey combination. You get the perfect texture of chewy and crispy starchy bits. The plump and succulent oysters here come from Korea, it’s XL size as compared to other stalls. Each plate is topped with coriander leaves. Please dip it into the thick and tangy chilli sauce. Super shiok!

COFFEE HUT
Unit: #02-43
Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 6.30am to 5pm. Sat&Sun 6.30am to 2pm.

Kopi here is one of the best in Singapore – very thick and aromatic. The owner was retrenched a few years back and he decided to pay $3,000 to a Hainan coffee master to learn how to make kopi. The kind of toast bread Coffee Hut serves is very similar to big names like Toast Box and Yakun but at a much cheaper price. They also make their own kaya and peanut butter spread that we love buying home. If you’re someone who loves starting your day with a traditional breakfast of kopi, soft-boiled eggs and kaya toasts, this is definitely the place to visit!

MEI XIANG BLACK & WHITE FISH SOUP
Unit: #02-44
Opening Hours: Mon-Fri, Sun & PH 11.30am to 3pm or until sold out. Closed on Saturdays.

There is only the small portion ($6) and big portion ($8) of mixed fish soup served here. The soup arrived piping hot and was strongly flavoured. If you prefer the clear soup base kind of fish soup, we’re sorry to say that this isn’t for you. The soup here is a little cloudy and boasts a natural sweetness from the fish. On rainy days, we’re pretty sure the slurp-worthy soup will be gone in the blink of an eye.

As for the fish, “black” simply refers to the fried fish while “white” refers to the fresh sliced fish. The former was tastier than the latter and had a nice chewy texture. Do be careful of fish bones as this fried fish isn’t the usual fillets you get elsewhere. The latter was fresh, tender and still tasty, especially when you dunk it into the superb chilli sauce. The first punch was full of zest which enhanced the taste of the sliced fish. This chilli sauce is also a great complement to the plain rice. We were wiping perspiration from our foreheads throughout our meal.

SEDAP THAI
Unit: #01-08
Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 4.30pm to 10.30pm. Closed on Sundays.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sedap-Thai-1374372326205367/?fref=ts

Rejoice, our Malay friends! Sedap Thai serves Halal-certified Mookata. A special feature of the usual Mookata is the use of pork lard in place of oil. Instead of using pork lard, chicken oil is used here. We ordered a platter which consists of chicken, lamb and beef, with some prawns and vegetables, enough for 2 pax.

The marinade is more pepperish and because chicken powder is added into the marinade, it feels like we were having maggie mee soup when the meat juices flow down into the soup. While it may not work too well for us, some of our friends like it. The sweet tangy chilli sauce is pretty mild, and more towards the sweet side.

FU ZHOU POH HWA OYSTER CAKE
Unit: #02-34
Tel: 8112 5286 / 9029 9718
Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 10.30am to 6pm. Closed on Sundays.
https://www.facebook.com/Fu-Zhou-Poh-Hwa-Oyster-Cake-403995279628755/

Fu Zhou Poh Hwa Oyster Cake, is perhaps, one of the very few stalls that still sells oyster cakes now. Shaped like a UFO, this traditional Fuzhou snack is made from oysters, flour, peanuts and chinese parsley. Boasting flavoursome fillings that are enveloped within a thin crispy crust, it’s impossible to stop at one! Owner Mr. Tan said Fu Zhou Poh Hwa Oyster Cake was set up to commemorate his wife Jenny’s grandmother. Jenny grew up helping her grandmother sell oyster cakes along Ophir Road in the 1950s. They stopped selling in 1970 when her grandmother’s home was destroyed by a fire. However, in 1986, Jenny decided to sell oyster cakes again, in memory of her grandmother.

The oyster cakes here come out nice and crispy, without any remnants of oil. Upon splitting it into half to “kaypo” what fillings the oyster cakes contain, the aroma took us by surprise and whetted our appetites for more. Each mouthful gives a burst of savoury flavours and different textures – fluffiness from the pancake and crunchiness from the ikan bilis and peanuts and juiciness from the fresh and plump oysters. Perfect combination! Oh yes, go for the chilli! It has a power-packed level of spiciness – super shiok!

MUFFLES
Unit: #02-54
Tel: 9733 8936
Opening Hours: 8.30am to 6pm. Closed on Tuesdays.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/muffles.sg/

Chef May, owner and baker behind sweet treats and desserts from Muffles, is a veteran pastry and sous chef who wished to make her lifelong dream of eventually running her own shop come true. With decades of experience in five-star hotels and humble cafes alike, Chef May hopes to offer customers decadent desserts at affordable prices. She bakes all her desserts in-house daily, with fresh ingredients from scratch. No premix powders or artificial flavourings are used.

We tried the Pandan Ogura Cake and the Signature Brownie, which contains walnuts, and really liked the former. The Ogura cake is steam-baked so even though it contains almost the same ingredients as a chiffon cake, the texture is more moist. It’s not too airy, yet slightly bouncy in texture. The pandan flavour was well brought out, with a hint of sweetness. So well done! The brownie was also not overly sweet. It’s perfect for chocolate lovers, finished with a good crunch from the walnuts.

FU HE TURTLE SOUP
Unit: #02-40
Tel: 6294 9203
Opening Hours: 11am to 8.30pm, closed on Thursdays

There used to be many turtle soups around the area, but only two stalls have remained till date. Just like shark meat and pork jelly, turtle soup is also a disappearing hawker fare, which is quite a pity. Opened about 27 years ago, Mr Lee Hock Hoe is the man behind each indulgent bowl of turtle soup with yam rice. He uses wild soft-shelled terrapins, imported live from Indonesia and slaughtered in a HACCP food safety certified slaughterhouse in Singapore. The $10 portion we had tasted somewhat like Black Herbal Chicken Soup. It’s robust, with a good balance of savoury and herbal. The most special part is the turtle gelatin, that has many health benefits. It’s soft, smooth, slightly chewy and similar to the texture of agar-agar. As for the meat, if someone blindfolds us, we would’ve thought that it’s chicken, albeit a tad tougher.

Perhaps, the next time you explore the Jalan Besar neighbourhood, you can pop by Berseh hawker centre after checking out the row of 18 beautifully preserved Chinese-Baroque styled shophouses along Petain Road which were built in the 1930s. Also, better hurry down to try the intriguing shark meat, pork jelly, turtle soup and oyster cake before these traditional rare gems are gone for good.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visits and paid its own meals at the stalls featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to the stalls listed above. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post 9 Delicious Eats at Berseh Food Centre appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Formerly known as Seletar Airbase, The Oval @ Singapore Aerospace Park features an 11-hectare cluster of gazetted conservation bungalows. This historic area is being brought alive again, with the establishments of instagrammable cafes and restaurants exuding a nostalgic vibe of the English countryside. Sitting on 3 Park Lane is a 45,000 square feet, 80 year old, 2-storey conservation bungalow which is home to the Royal Air Force’s Tech Wing Commander previously. It is where The Summerhouse stands invitingly at the moment.

The Summerhouse is an integrated multi-concept destination comprising The Summerhouse Dining Room and Balcony Bar located on the upper storey, and Wildseed Cafe and Bar on the ground level. Also located on the grounds are complementary facilities such as an edible garden, florist, landscaped gardens and a coffee roaster featuring key partners.

Owner-Chef Florian Ridder is previously from 1-Michelin-star Piment and 3-Michelin-star La Belle Epoque in Germany, as well as, the 1-Michelin-star Alma by Juan Amador in Singapore. He subscribes to the principles of permaculture, which he describes as the setting up of a “self-sustaining system that needs as little interaction as possible.” Among the principles of permaculture is the idea that every element in the garden should serve a variety of functions and purposes. You’ll see many of the garnishes used in the restaurant and cafe being harvested from the in-house edible garden, bringing a carefully curated range of ingredients of unrivalled freshness and provenance to the table.
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Wildseed Cafe
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We were treated to an afternoon of gourmet sandwiches, delightful pastries and desserts. Pork & Krauts ($15) consists of pulled pork, cabbage, cucumber salad, nuts and yoghurt sauce smacked between two sandwich patties. Pork collar is cured, smoked and slow-cooked till soft before being shredded. The mix of contrasting textures, with the crunch from fresh cucumbers, and its refreshing flavours, were enjoyable.

The Moroccan ($18) contains braised beef brisket, eggplant stew, feta cheese, sautéed local pak choi, hummus and sesame. The beef brisket is braised for 72 hours with coriander, chilli padi, ginger, garlic, cinnamon and star anise to give it a unique yet palatable taste. Being braised for such long hours also ensured diners get succulent, juicy, pull-apart tender meat that’s well-infused with robust flavours.

Our favourite sandwich is surprisingly the vegetarian option – Independent Uruguay ($15) – featuring carrot pesto, feta cheese, pickled beetroot, falafel, Kranji lettuce, yoghurt sauce and rye bread. Carrots are steamed till mushy, and its flesh is then cooked with garlic, chilli padi and tomato reduction to give the sandwich a fresh sweetness. The falafel is made in-house with deep-fried ground chick-peas, green peas and an assortment of herbs. We mistook these for meatballs initially, as the texture and flavours were very well done.

If you prefer building your own sandwich, go for the DIY Sandwich & Salad Platters ($50 for 2 pax, $65 for 3 pax, $85 for 4 pax and $150 for 8 pax). Select from pulled pork, braised beef brisket and poached barramundi for proteins and continue crafting your sandwich with falafel, cabbage salad, pickled beetroot, carrot pesto, eggplant stew, feta cheese, Kranji lettuce, Cameron Highlands tomato, garden herb salad, sweet onions, cucumber salad, nuts, old-school butter and sautéed pak choi. As for sauces, you can either get hummus, wild chilli sauce or yoghurt sauce. We had the platter for 4. Time to get creative and have fun while building your own sandwich with your desired ingredients!

Cakes for that particular Friday afternoon included Honey Lemon Rosemary Tart, Ginger Flower Banana Loaf, Citronella Passionfruit Cheesecake and Pea Flower Coconut Muffin. Each portion costs $6.50. A bite of the banana loaf brought us to heaven. Traditionally baked banana loaf had a twist of ginger-infused toffee sauce drizzled all over, and topped with dehydrated candied rojak flowers. This is one of the best banana loaf we’ve ever tried – light, moist, with a tinge of sweetness that wasn’t overwhelming. Superb!

Don’t forget to top your weekend brunch off with Wildseed Cafe’s Signature Cocktails such as the Beetroot Hibiscus Sling ($21). It is an invigorating blend of Grey Goose vodka, beetroot, hibiscus, Rosella Cherry Brandy and Chambered liqueur. You can also stick to the usual coffee selections, with coffee beans roasted by Nomad The Gallant Coffee Roaster.
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Wildseed Bar
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Besides lazing weekend mornings away at The Summerhouse, you can also pop by in the evenings on weekdays to unwind at Wildseed Bar. There is a good selection of exotic gin, cocktails, garden martinis, premium spirits, bottled craft beers, ciders, beers on tap and house pours. We had mocktails – Summer Punch ($10) and Pomegranate Fruitoska ($10) instead. The former consists of pineapple juice, coconut water, frozen mangoes and frozen lychees. It was sweet, and perfect to cool one down under the scorching weather. The latter is a mix of pomegranate juice, frozen strawberries, mint leaves and agave nectar. It’s quite rejuvenating and awakens one on a sleepy afternoon.

Pair your drinks with bar bites such as the Triple Cooked Sweet Potato Fries ($11/$17) and Super Thin Curly Chips ($11/$17). Sweet potato fries are well-soaked with passionfruit and earl grey butter such that it gives a subtle tea aroma, with unique yet addictive flavours. Curly chips, on the other hand, are crispy and goes well with ketchup and the special soy sauce seaweed mayonnaise.
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With its alluring heritage and architecture, and a span of tranquil greenery, you can escape the hustle and bustle of the city at Wildseed Cafe and Bar. Singapore’s not very big, unlike Europe where you can just take a 20 minutes walk somewhere and find solitude, but with the launch of Wildseed, you can now take some time to relax and take in the countryside charm. It’s a perfect place to catch up with friends and family over the weekend too. We’re already making plans to return, especially for the ginger flower banana loaf!

Note: This is an invited tasting.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to Wildseed Cafe and Bar. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post Wildseed Cafe & Bar – Comfort Food in Singapore’s Gorgeous Countryside appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

We’re on a hunt for Japanese Ramen across the island, and after hearing about Buta Kin, one of the cheaper ramen options in Singapore, we began to find affordable ramen here. Opened last year within Clementi Mall’s NTUC FoodFare food court, Ramen Taisho serves artisanal ramen. Hock Soon runs the stall with his wife, Kalene. He spent 3 years traveling to and fro Japan to learn the ropes before launching Ramen Taisho. He even followed the old ramen grand masters in Japan to learn the art of ramen. So, let’s find out how his ramen fared.

There are three ramen options – Soup, Dry and Dipping. Hock Soon meticulously and diligently makes the noodles by hand every night after closing the stall to ensure that customers get them fresh the following day. He uses wheat flour imported from Japan for his noodles. Other ingredients such as the chashu pork and tamago eggs are also made in-house.

Tonkotsu Ramen ($6.90) is the best out of the three ramen options. The thin wheat noodles are cooked al dente, boasting a light and springy texture. The broth, made from a mixture of pork and chicken, is robust and flavourful but not too rich. The slices of chashu pork are savoury, with a hint of natural pork sweetness. However, it was a tad too tough and dry. We would also have preferred the slices to be thicker, with a good balance of lean and fatty layers. Also, the tamago eggs weren’t very well done. We like ours softly firm, with a runny yolk in the middle. Big eaters should go for Ramen Deluxe ($8.90) that comes with extra chashu, egg and nori.

Tsukemen – Dipping Ramen ($7.90) – came in second among the options. The cold ramen paired up very well with the seafood dipping broth. It is full-bodied and features the sweetness of seafood. We assumed that seafood, most probably crab, has been simmered for a long time, giving the broth such strong flavours. We did not feel thirsty after our meal, making us certain that Hock Soon prepares his broth from scratch, without the addition of MSG.

Finally, the Mazemen ($6.90) is a shrimp-infused dry ramen, accompanied by miso soup. The taste reminded us of “bak chor mee”. The fragrance was enhanced by huge dollops of sesame oil but the overall package just didn’t hit any right notes for us. Moreover, the miso soup was too bland, nothing impressive.

Ramen Taisho also serves one type of Donburi Rice Bowl – Chashu Negi Don ($5.90), as well as, a Kid’s Meal, consisting of chashu rice with miso soup. If you’re looking for a casual meal in an unpretentious setting, Ramen Taisho is the place for you.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to Ramen Taisho. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post Ramen Taisho – Delicious Artisanal Japanese Ramen below $10 appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Originally from Kanagawa Prefecture, Machida-Shoten is known for “lekei”, which translates directly to “house-type”. The noodles are cooked to your preferred firmness, in a tonkotsu and soya sauce mix broth. Located at Wisma Atria’s Japan Food Town, diners can look forward to selecting from 3 levels of doneness for your noodles, which are freshly made in-house daily. The secret to a good ramen lies in its broth. At Machida-Shoten, the pork and soya sauce broth bases are cooked overnight to unlock their intoxicating umami, and are made from recipes unique to Machida-Shoten.

As we managed to hit the timing for weekday lunch promotion, we had the Tonkotsu Shoyu Ramen Lunch Set and Tokontsu Shio Ramen Lunch Set. Each set is affordably priced at $13.80++, and comes with a salad. We preferred the fresh, crunchy greens more than the cold chicken served with the salad. You can add $1 for green tea, and other amounts for toppings, ranging from seasoned egg to additional chashu. We are huge fans of ajitama, and really like those with stronger braised flavours and a runny centre.

The Tonkotsu Shoyu Ramen is Machida-Shoten’s bestselling ramen which comes in a soy sauce pork bone broth. Featuring a full-bodied and creamy broth, each sip was packed with flavours. The thick porcine soy sauce flavour was very distinct, similar to those you can only find in Japan. The noodles, slightly thicker in size, boasts a smooth, springy texture. One bite into the perfectly executed seasoned egg gives a burst of runny yolk. The chashu was tender, with a good mix of lean and fatty meat. The bowl of ramen is completed with seaweed. Soak the seaweed in the broth longer and let the subtle seaweed flavours run into your broth, if you like. Overall, the creaminess of the broth was too overwhelming for my palate, but my dining partner really enjoyed it!

The Tonkotsu Shio Ramen, on the other hand, uses Yokohama-style noodles, served in a rich and salty broth, complemented with butter and garlic oil. I’d pick this over the Shoyu ramen anytime. It is lighter on the taste buds and not as filling as the Shoyu ramen. The ingredients in the Shio ramen is similar to those in the Shoyu ramen. Moreover, there’s even a Vege-Vegan Ramen ($14++ a la carte menu).

There are so many ramen stalls in Singapore and Machida-Shoten has made it into my list of favourite ramen(s). The taste is very unique and different from those we get usually. What’s more – the servers are friendly and very helpful! We left the restaurant with huge smiles planted on our faces.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to Machida-Shoten. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post Machida-Shoten – Rich, Flavourful Ramen from Kanagawa Prefecture appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

There’s something about the luscious broth and the filling noodles, and that rich porcine taste that hits all the right spots when it comes to ramen. In Japan, numerous ramen restaurants line the streets and it’s almost impossible to find a bad-tasting bowl. In recent years, the ramen culture has influenced restaurants worldwide, and it’s not hard to find a gratifying bowl in Singapore now. For us, the heart of any good bowl of ramen is its broth, followed by the noodles. The texture and taste of handmade noodles are distinctly different from those sourced from suppliers. A bowl of ramen shouldn’t be overwhelmed by toppings as well. After trying a great deal of ramen across Singapore, we bring you 23 stalls so you can satisfy that ramen craving wherever you stay.

Brothers Ramen

Run by two young and handsome men who have great love for baking and cooking, Brothers Ramen used to be known as Homebaked Dough. They started out baking cookies and selling them online. Then one day, they downloaded a ramen recipe online, tried it, fine-tuned it and decided to sell ramen. After rebranding, prices have gone up and their restaurant now features a self-service vending machine.

There are 6 options available and we had Supermen ($16.90) and Bellmen ($13.90). The former comes with medium thick noodles, extra slices of chashu and egg while the latter consists of two thick chunks of braised pork belly. This is perhaps the cleanest, or rather, neatest bowl of ramen we have come across. The noodles were pretty decent, and the broth was slurp-worthy. The chashu was well-prepared, but the pork belly was too tough and dry for our liking. Our favourite was the stewed egg, which was firm with a soft and runny yolk.

Fans of spicy food, do note that Brothers Ramen also serve Spicy Ramen, with homemade chilli oil. You can give it a try if you need something to spice up your day.

Burosu Honten Gyoza & Ramen

Translating to “broth shop”, you can customise your ramen by choosing the doneness of the ramen noodles, spiciness level and strength of broth. They have individual booths where the waitress will serve through a screen from the kitchen. How fun, you won’t know when they are going to appear! Besides, you can also slurp the noodles loudly without being stared at.

We went for the Special Ultimate Blend Ramen ($18.80) which has a solid soup base rendered by simmering shrimp, lobster and crab shells for at least 11 hours. It is served with two fresh, slightly bigger-than-normal prawns. One mouthful ascertains the sweetness of seafood stock, finished with a hint of pork flavours. It tasted slightly similar to our Chinese Prawn Mee but this soup has a thicker consistency.

Buta Kin

Located at Beauty World Food Centre, Buta Kin offers quite a huge variety for a hawker stall – 5 types of ramen/udon dishes and 4 different Japanese curry dishes. Most of the items are less than $6. It is really quite a good deal especially for foodies who crave an affordable bowl of ramen.

Special Tonkotsu Ramen ($6.90) comes with your choice of ramen or udon. Each bowl consists of 3 slices of pork belly, black fungus, soft boiled egg and seaweed. The charred pork belly was pretty good, not meltingly tender but comes with a good bite and marinade. The egg was done well too with a custard like egg yolk. However, the pork broth was a little weak on our day of visit and the noodles had a texture that was relatively similar to Chinese la mian. We also ordered Tonkotsu Black ($6) which we thought would be more flavourful because of the addition of garlic oil. But sadly, it didn’t lift up the flavours a single bit. The ingredients present are similar to that of the Tonkatsu ramen.

Hajime Tonkatsu & Ramen

Hajime is started by Chef Tan, who used to work in Tonkichi and Tampopo. He can be considered the tonkatsu master and his passion for Japanese cuisine led him to start the popular Hajime last year. “Hajime” is the Japanese word for “beginning” and the short form for “Hajimemashite”, which means “nice to meet you”. He wants to spread his philosophy of going back to the food’s beginning and welcoming all customers warmly.

We ordered the Tonkatsu Ramen ($14.90), and added a tasty egg for $2. The ramen was flavourful and comforting but not impressive. The deep-fried pork that accompanied our ramen tasted pretty ordinary as compared to the air-flown Japanese pork used in the Premium Pork Loin. 

Hakata Ikkousha

“Ikkousha” means “one happy place”, which reflects the simple heartfelt motto of Chef Kousuke Yoshimura – that is to bring happiness to everyone. Chef Yoshimura’s father was a sushi chef and his mother ran a gyoza store. Culinary talent truly runs in his family and he mastered the basics of cooking and learnt the art of making gyozas under the watchful eye of his mother. He developed his own ramen recipe and opened his first eatery in Daimyo, Fukuoka. Offering an authentic taste of Fukuoka, which is known for its thin, springy ramen noodles, Hakata Ikkousha has crafted a menu that boasts five signature ramen dishes.

Ikkousha’s broth is made from various types of pork bones and simmered over low heat for over 12 hours to create a creamy texture. This slow cooking method draws rich collagen into the delicious broth. After the broth is simmered for 12 hours, a blend of 3 types of soy sauce, 20 kinds of seasoning and 5 kinds of rare seafood is then added into the soup to make it rich and unique. As for the noodles, they bought their own machine to make the perfect noodles for its broth. We really love its colour, thinness and taste. They are blanched for just 15 seconds before serving. 

We had the Special Tonkotsu Ramen ($16) which is served with 4 pieces of chashu, a flavoured egg, seaweed, fungus and spring onion in its original full-bodied pork broth. The pork chashu is lean and complemented the soup well. We enjoyed the Black Tonkotsu ($13.50) Ramen very much because of its smoky flavour due to the presence of special fried garlic and sesame. To suit Singaporean’s love for spicy food, they also offer the Spicy Tonkotsu.

Ippudo

Founded in 1985 in Hakata by Shigemi Kawahara, Ippudo has become a renowned ramen restaurant worldwide, with over 80 stores in Japan, and over 40 stores globally. The noodles, quintessentially Ippudo’s, are skilfully prepared, and offer a springy texture and deep flavours. Boiled to an al dente texture, each bite exudes a vibrant aroma and taste of wheat. As for its broth, Ippudo strictly abides by their secret recipe, and only rigorously selected ingredients go through the process of creating the Tonkotsu broth.

We had Shiromaru Motoaji, a creamy Tonkotsu broth served with thin and straight Hakata noodles. The broth goes through 15 hours of boiling, resulting in a thick and rich broth which is definitely slurp-worthy!

Machida Shoten

Located within Wisma Atria’s Japan Food Town, Machida Shoten prides itself in serving up steaming hot bowls of delectable ramen. Made in-house, the broth is simmered for long hours, so you can expect a full-bodied broth boasting rich flavours. We had the Tonkotsu Shoyu Ramen ($13) and Tonkotsu Sio Ramen ($14), both with ajitama ($2 each). You can customise your ramen according to your desired firmness of noodles, richness of your broth and amount of oil.

While the Shoyu Ramen features a heavy, creamy base, the Sio Ramen was lighter, with strong garlicky and sesame oil flavours. Some might find the broth too salty, but we really enjoyed the entire bowl of ramen. The noodles are slightly thick, flat and perfectly al dente. The well-prepared pork belly chashu and flavoured egg with a runny middle made our meal complete.

Marutama Ra-men

What makes Marutama stand out is its use of chicken broth instead of pork. Marutama Ramen ($12) is unpretentious with slices of chasiu, seaweed, spring onion, and ramen noodle in a non-spicy chicken broth. We topped it with an Ajitsuke Tamago (half boiled seasoned egg, $1.50), which was steeped in soya sauce and has a runny yolk and soft white. Best of all, there’s a free flow of deep fried sliced garlic on the side for you to add to your ramen.

The egg is very well done and by far, the best among all the ramen stalls we have tried. In Japan, Marutama’s half-boiled seasoned egg has been awarded as “the best tamago”. It is fully boiled at the surface but still half boiled on the inside. As for the noodles, they imported the exact flour they use in Japan to make Hakata-styled ramen noodles themselves daily. Although it does look similar to our maggie mee, it is much lighter and easier on the palate, and is able to soak up the thickness of the chicken broth.

Menya Sanji

Menya Sanji means three warriors, hence there are large framed paintings of warriors all over the shop. The reason to be here is the Sanji Ramen ($11.50++). Tonkotsu broth is the Holy Grail of  broths. Many ramen shops use pork bones to prepare their soup but Menya Sanji uses pig’s head instead. It is thick, creamy, nearly white in colour and not as salty! The dish is served with medium thick noodles. Rice cake powder (mochiko) is added into the noodles to make it chewy. The noodles and soup are made in Japan before being delivered here to ensure consistency. The soup takes about 20 hours to prepare.

The Sanji ramen is a terrific mash-up of textures and flavours. Think crunchy bean sprouts, sweet pork, seasoned bamboo shoots, Kikurage mushroom (black fungus), ½ a seasoned soft-boiled egg and a tangle of springy noodles. An alternative choice will be the Black Sesame Ramen and Spicy Ramen, both using the same soup base with the addition of black sesame and chilli oil respectively. There’s also a more unique option for adventurous diners — chilled Bukkake Ramen ($9.90++). “Bukkake” means to pour a bowl of chilled soup over a plate of cold ramen. You can choose from soy sauce, spicy sauce or sesame sauce to go with it. The soy sauce comes from Kyushu and is flavoured with some sesame seeds. Very fragrant!

Nantsuttei

Owner-chef Ichiro Furuya found his life’s calling at the age of 27 years old. He then went to Kyushu to learn the art of ramen and after wandering around trying ramen at various shops, he found a flavour that he loved in Kumamoto. He began to study there and opened Nantsuttei in his hometown of Hadano a year later.

Be prepared to indulge in a rich, creamy broth made from pork bones. Floating on the surface of the broth is a fragrant black roast garlic oil, a flavour that has not changed since the restaurant first opened. This oil is an iconic component of the Nantsuttei flavour created by frying garlic in seven phases and mixing it into a balanced blend for an exquisite harmony of flavours. This oil complements the soup, noodles and toppings and come together to create a perfectly balanced ramen.

Ramen Gallery Takumen

Besides the usual pork broth base, Takumen has taken ramen to a whole new level, with its introduction of cheese ramen. Originally kicked off as an online ramen store, Takumen went to great lengths just to recreate the original authentic flavours in their first physical branch on our island. Riding on Japan’s new hype, the Special Fromage (Cheese) Ramen ($18.90) consists of noodles in a hot bath of savoury chicken broth, topped off with a layer of creamy fromage. Stir in the melted gooey cheese and enjoy the result of a rich, milky broth that is unlike any other you’ve tried. Some might find it a tad too oily though. Instead of the usual marinated chashu, the chef has decided to use parma ham that sits elegantly on the edge of the bowl. As much as we love ours bowls of traditional ramen, this unique rendition didn’t disappoint.

Ramen Keisuke Kani King

Ramen King, Chef Keisuke Takeda is famed for his creativity when it comes to “playing” with ramen flavours. As its name suggests, this 40-seater restaurant specialises in Crab Broth Ramen in four different styles namely, Crab Broth Ramen with Clear Soup ($12.90), Crab Broth Ramen with Rich Soup ($13.90), Spicy Crab Broth Ramen ($14.90) and Crab Broth with Mixed Fried Omelet Ramen ($13.90). On top of these, Mr. Takeda has introduced Crab Dipping Noodles ($13.90), also known as Tsukemen, a popular Japanese noodle dish. Read a full review here.

Instead of using a pork base which is commonly used in ramen broth, Mr. Takeda uses specially imported swimming crabs (watarigani) from around the region and chicken bones to create the creamy base for their Crab Broth Ramen with Rich Soup. For Crab Broth Ramen with Clear Soup, the broth is made from a mixture of crabs, special blended herbs and vegetables. The mix is subsequently simmered for hours to retain the distinct seafood flavour in the soup base. The process of preparing Crab Broth Ramen is almost similar to the Lobster Broth Ramen (see below) but the creative Mr. Takeda wants diners to notice their differences instantly. Hence, he made the former lighter, with the addition of more vegetables, while the latter is stronger in taste. 

Ramen Keisuke Lobster King

Located in the heart of the vibrant and lively Clarke Quay, Lobster Stock Ramen is available in four different styles namely, Lobster Broth Ramen with Clear Soup ($13.90), Lobster Broth Ramen with Rich Creamy Soup ($14.90), Miso Lobster Broth Ramen ($14.90) and Spicy Miso Lobster Broth Ramen ($15.90). All the bowls of ramen come with melt-in-your-mouth pork belly and chicken char siew, black pepper prawn wontons and crunchy bamboo shoot. You can also choose to customize your own ramen and add-on your favourite toppings from the menu.

Chef Takeda uses French rock lobsters specially imported from France. Carefully selected for its characteristic rich and abundant roe and flavour, the shells of rock lobsters are first pan-fried, crushed into fine bits and simmered for 6 hours with a special blend of herbs and vegetables to create the Lobster Broth Ramen with Clear Soup. To create the creamy texture and unique depth in flavour for the Lobster Broth Ramen with Rich Creamy Soup, the simmering of soup stock takes an additional 4 to 6 hours. We really enjoyed the richness and creamy texture of the rich creamy soup. The velvety smooth broth is so addictive that you will finish every last drop of it. Read more about it here.

Ramen Keisuke Tori King

Besides crab and lobster soup bases, Chef Takeda also has a restaurant that specialises in chicken broth ramen. Our favourite is the Tori King Ramen Clear Soup (from $11), made with Japanese “Dashi” broth. It is a combination of kelp and shavings of preserved, fermented skipjack tuna. The broth is light, yet very tasty.

For a stronger and more flavoursome broth, go for the Tori King Tan Tan Mien Ultra Super Rich (from $14.90). Tan Tan Mien is a popular ramen in Japan that is heavily influenced by Chinese noodles. You can expect a rich creamy soup base with white sesame paste and Keisuke’s special chilli oil. Corianders are added as a finishing touch to give the dish a more Asian flavour. However, some might find this too rich and too creamy.

We also tried the Tori King Dry Noodle Maze Soba (from $12.90), which is the first dry noodles by Ramen Keisuke. Mixing minced pork meat with different types of nuts gave this dish a different flavour and texture. Chef Keisuke also added a splash of his original spicy sauce and vinegar for a unique touch. If you love spicy food, this fiery bowl is bound to satisfy as it packs a really good punch!

Ramen Taisho

There are three ramen options – Soup, Dry and Dipping. Chef Hock Soon meticulously and diligently makes the noodles by hand every night after closing the stall to ensure customers get them fresh the following day. He uses wheat flour imported from Japan to make the noodles. Other ingredients such as the chashu pork and tamago eggs are also made in-house. Hock Soon spent 3 years traveling to and fro Japan to learn the tricks of the trade before launching Ramen Taisho. He even followed the old ramen grand masters in Japan to learn the art of ramen.

The Tonkotsu Ramen ($6.90) is the best out of the three ramen options. The thin wheat noodles are cooked to al dente, boasting a light and springy texture. The broth, made from a mixture of pork and chicken, is robust and flavourful but not too rich. The slices of chashu are tasty, with a hint of natural pork sweetness. However, it was a tad too tough and dry. We would also have preferred the slices to be thicker, with a good balance of lean and fatty layers. Also, the eggs weren’t very well done. We like ours  firm, with a runny yolk in the middle. Big eaters should go for the Ramen Deluxe ($8.90) that comes with extra chashu, egg and nori.

Santouka

Santouka started out in the 1980s in Japan, with its very first restaurant in Asahikawa, Hokkaido. The restaurant only had 9 seats and a single item on the menu at that point in time. The shio (salt) ramen, which is served with a small pickled plum, is what consumers make repeated visits for. A mouthful of the broth sends a gentle flavour first before a richer taste hits. 

Sapporo Ramen Miharu

Authentic Sapporo Ramen is not exactly common in Singapore but you can find it here. The waitress suggested having one of the popular choices, Komi Tsukemen ($14.50) which is a bowl of traditional dipping noodles. The cold noodles were chewy, which we liked, but some might find it a little too hard. While the soy sauce-based dipping broth went well with the noodles, it was actually very salty on its own. In our opinion, maybe Sapporo Ramen Miharu should focus on their regular ramen bowls.

Shin-Sapporo Ramen

Launched in 2010, Shin-Sapporo Ramen brings together strong Japanese tradition and cultural heritage in a bowl of soup. Each bowl of hearty soup is a warming symphony of fresh ingredients, following an age-old recipe, executed in deliberate fashion. Behind each seemingly simple soup hides a very elaborate broth-brewing process which takes up to 15 hours, and freshly-made noodles that are tailored for its own unique soup base. 

Takagi Ramen

Owners Kaiheng and Takagi spend approximately 12 hours every day to prepare the broth. They recently increased the amount of meat and bones placed into the broth for simmering to make the broth richer and creamier. The broth was indeed robust and flavoursome, with hints of sweetness. The eggs and chashu are also freshly prepared in-house, while the noodles are ordered from their Japanese food product supplier. The couple meticulously peels each and every egg before marinating them overnight. This process is as simple as ABC but can be a very time-consuming chore. The chashu is gently simmered and marinated for over 6 hours to ensure its tenderness, allowing it to have a melt-in-the-mouth texture.

We had the Miso Ramen ($6.50) and Black Tonkotsu ($6.90). The former features a miso-flavoured Tonkotsu noodle soup with corn while the latter boasts a Tonkotsu noodle soup topped with charred garlic oil, black fungus and bamboo shoots. The noodles are well-cooked and springy. The broth for the Black Tonkotsu fared better as the flavours are stronger and more full-bodied. The savoury eggs with a runny centre and fork-tender chashu are great accompaniments to the bowl of ramen. There’s also an added crunch thanks to the black fungus and bamboo shoots. Every mouthful leaves you feeling satisfied.

Tampopo

Serving an extensive menu of Japanese cuisine, Tampopo focuses on serving up seasonal fresh ingredients prepared in Kaiseki style. Although it is not a ramen restaurant, the restaurant has made a name for itself with their Black Pig shabu ramen. We didn’t have their famous Black Pig shabu ramen but instead ordered the Black Pig Koumi Fry Ramen ($15.80++). The broth is made from pork bones, and cooked for 2 days, giving a milky and light flavour. The thin kyushu noodles were great as usual, possessing just the right springy texture. Frankly, the ramen didn’t excite us. Perhaps it was because the ribs were too oily and salty that night.

Tonkotsu Kazan

Tonkotsu Kazan originates from Osaka, Japan. They do not have a physical shop in Japan though. They started their flagship in Singapore. Its first branch is located at Novena Square 2. So what is their unique selling point? It is non other than the Ishiyaki Ramen (hot stone roast ramen) that looks like kazan (volcano)!

Our Kazan Kaisen-Shio ($18, $15 small) arrived in a preheated 300 degree celsius stone bowl, served without soup. At the table, the waiter will pour in half the soup and cover it with an inverted funnel looking lid. When there is steam coming out from the lid (they call it Funka, which means volcano eruption), let the noodles cook for another minute and it is ready! Their pork bone broth is cooked using the finest pork bones for 10 hours daily. Unnecessary oil and residue is then skimmed off. The result? A wonderfully consistent and flavourful broth that is rich in collagen and protein. With the tonkotsu broth as the soup base, you can then pick from different flavours: shio, shoyu, miso or curry.

The Kazan Kaisen-Shio is lighter on the palate as compared to our second kaizen ramen, the Kazan Karamiso. You can enjoy the broth by adding rice into the left over soup mixture to make delicious Zousui (soupy rice).

Tsuta

Dining at Michelin-starred Tsuta is very convenient as you simply order and make payment via the kiosk at the entrance of the restaurant before the server will show you to your seats. You can pick either the Shoyu Soba or Shio Soba. Don’t be mistaken though, the ramen is named “soba” as it means noodles in Japanese. Chef Onishi wants to keep Tsuta as traditional as possible to the Japanese culture. After choosing your soup base, you have a choice to add on char siu and flavoured eggs.

We had the Char Siu Ajitama Shoyu Soba ($22.80) which consists of 4 slices of pork collar char siu, bamboo shoots, leek, a flavoured egg and truffle puree in truffle oil. Pork collar is used instead of the usual pork belly as it is lower in fat but retains the same texture and flavour. Each bowl contains 100grams of ramen, a relatively hearty portion. The shoyu-based broth tastes earthy, with a distinct flavour of truffle.

The Char Siu Ajitama Shio Soba ($22.80), on the other hand, is created by adding a careful balance of Okinawa sea salt and Mongolian rock salt. The ingredients are similar to what’s present in the Char Siu Ajitama Shoyu Soba. The only difference is that green olives pureed in truffle oil is added instead of truffle puree. As a result, the broth is not as strongly flavoured as the Shoyu broth, but it is still delicious.

Uma Uma Ramen

Uma Uma Ramen’s name stems from “Wu Maru”, a Ramen shop established in 1953 by the father of Uma Uma Ramen’s current President, Masahiko Teshima. Upon taking over the business in 1994, “Wu Maru” was renamed “Uma Uma Ramen”; a play on the original name of the restaurant as well as a pun on the Japanese word for “tasty”.

Uma Uma Ramen ($14) consists of the right noodles, a necessary element of a perfect bowl of ramen. Following Japanese tradition, lighter clear-souped ramen is paired with thicker, curly noodles while thinner noodles are usually paired with thicker soup bases. If you like your noodles thin, non-curly and springy, you will like Uma Uma Ramen which serves Hakata-style ramen. Of course, the usual ramen we have in Singapore is much thicker, so it may not suit many tastebuds, but the ramen we had that day still retains a good bite. The egg is runny and the stock may be a tad too oily for our liking but it is truly flavourful. The ramen is served with charsiu, spring onions, and black fungus in spicy miso.

After trying so many bowls of ramen, we can’t come to a uniform conclusion on which stall offers the best. While the broth is a winner for some stalls, the noodles, flavoured egg or chashu might be the highlight for others. Plus, everyone has different preferences – some like it rich and creamy while others prefer a lighter soup base. Have fun checking boxes off this list of ramen! You may just find your favourite!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visits and paid its own meals at the stalls featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to the stalls listed above. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post 23 Ramen in Singapore – Remember to Finish the Heavenly Broth appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

As dining preferences evolve over the years, customers do not just focus on satisfying their palates anymore. Nowadays, everyone takes into consideration how visually pleasing the environment is before they decide if they want to dine there. Joining the list of new-concept food halls is Picnic Singapore, located on the 3rd floor of Wisma Atria. The place is dressed up with real potted plants and fresh flowers, and it boasts 3 seating zones – flower garden, picnic area and beer garden.

The average cost for lunch is $15 to $20 per person, while dinner runs from $20. Prices for the same dishes are higher during dinnertime, but customers also get bigger portions. Do expect the menus to change frequently, in line with food trends and seasonal produce. Desserts, as well as coffee in the day, and cocktails, beer and wine at night are available from Picnic Grounds Bar. There are 13 stalls, of which 9 are food trucks, selling a plethora of international cuisine. Here, we bring you 5 of our favourites.
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Ezo Hokkaido Eats
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Behold restaurant-standard Japanese food such as Butadon featuring grilled juicy pork marinated in “tare” sauce, and Foie Gras Ricebowl. We had the latter, which consisted of French foie gras sauce, grilled USA beef, pickles and rice. It’s almost impossible to find a stall located in a “foodcourt” serving foie gras. The foie gras wasn’t too raw nor overcooked, which makes its texture very pleasurable. The sauce was very tasty, a tad on the saltier side though, but a mouthful of the beef and foie gras, together with the rice, whetted our appetites for more. This food truck also serves gyoza and japanese curry.
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Lecoq Roti
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If you’re dining in a big group, you can order the French Roast Chicken or Asian-style French Chicken, which is good for 3 to 4 persons. The former is seasoned with traditional herbs and spices, while the latter is marinated with an Asian soy marinade for a sweet, caramelised finish. Both dishes come with your choice of sides. The skin of the chicken was silky and fragrant, but the meat was slightly drier than we expected. You can also order half a chicken for 2 persons.
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Tikka Taco
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This fusion food truck offers unique combinations, pairing Indian and Mexican flavours for some dishes, while  infusing local and Korean flavours into others. The items range from Nonya Chicken Curry Prata Taco to Korean BBQ Pork Prata Taco to Chilli Crab Prata Taco, just to name a few. We had the prata taco, with generous fillings of Korean BBQ Pork. The marinade wasn’t fantastic. It was a little spicy, a tad sour, and a little sweet, hence confusing our tastebuds. However, the prata was very well prepared – fluffy inside, with a thin, crispy crust. It wasn’t too dry as well.
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Taiwan Treasures
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Indulge in Taiwanese favourites like beef noodle, lu rou fan, kong ba pao and more. Lu Rou Fan is a well-loved Taiwanese comfort food, which we must treat ourselves to whenever we travel to Taiwan. Well, you can save on the air ticket and please your tummy at Picnic Singapore. That said, please don’t compare the prices to what you can find in Taiwan. The minced pork here is well braised, and flavoursome. Its flavours are enhanced by the salty preserved vegetables, which also gives a good crunch.
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Flour & Water
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Offering Western comfort food, you can find everything from pasta to pizza on Flour & Water’s menu. They have some interesting items such as Vodka Tortglioni and Winter Truffle Pasta. We had the Meatball Pizza, which will be a hit among kids. Featuring huge Italian beef meatballs atop a carpet of dough slathered with tomato sauce, the pizza is finished with a gentle sprinkle of parmesan cheese and basil. The package is simply mouthwatering. The meatballs are tender, and go very well with the cheesy pizza. Cheese lovers, remember to grab a sauce bowl with cheese flakes in it at the counter of this food truck.

It is a self-service system at Picnic Singapore. Here’s how to order and settle your payment in 7 simple steps:
1. You’ll be given a buzzer at the entrance of the food hall, which you have to bring along with you to your desired food truck.
2. Select the food item you want on the screen, and press “Add Item”
3. Press “View Cart”
4. Press “Confirm Order”
5. Place your buzzer on the reader beside the machine
6. Collect your receipt and wait for your buzzer to ring
7. After your meal, proceed to the Check-Out area, where you can use a machine to pay in cash or card.

Dining at Picnic Singapore is both relaxing and interactive! Hurry down now, before the crowd flocks in, or you’ll miss your chance at taking photos of this picturesque food hall!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to Picnic Singapore. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post Picnic Singapore – Bringing Beautiful Botanic Gardens to Town appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Chinese New Year is all about catching up with your relatives, and indulging in good food, of course. What better way to engage in intimate conversations than to chat over a good meal? Moving away from the conventional Chinese New Year spots for gatherings, we decided to check out 7 chick-ster places where you can usher in the year of the Fire Rooster.

Chicken Sushi from ROOST

Chicken Sushi ($4.90 for 4) features slices of ROOST’s signature soya chicken resting atop blocks of chicken rice, glazed with Teriyaki sauce. Although this fusion dish is not entirely new in the industry, we have to applaud their effort. There is definitely room for improvement. The inconsistency in the texture of the grains, most likely due to the unevenness in the cooking, can be looked into. Nevertheless, we believe that the dish has potential to grow into a crowd-pleaser, and for the lazy bums out there, this mouthful of rice and chicken is your calling.

Chilli Crab Wings from Two Wings

Most Singaporeans are huge fans of the iconic chilli crab. However, our usual go-to comfort food is chicken wings, which is more affordable. Imagine how ecstatic we were when we realised that Two Wings have combined two of our favourite items into a dish! The Chilli Crab Wings ($8.90 for 6 pieces) feature crisp golden brown chicken wings drizzled with sweet and spicy chilli crab gravy. Mmm … SO SHIOK!

Honey Butter Chicken from Chir Chir Fusion Chicken Factory

The Honey Butter Chicken ($28.90) recipe was influenced by the craze for honey butter potato chips in 2014 and 2015 in Korea. These chips sold by Haitai-Calbee were tremendously popular and often out of stock. Anyway, Chir Chir’s Honey Butter Chicken is also as irresistible. Crispy battered chicken, potato wedges and pan-fried toppoki (Korean rice cakes) are glazed with their proprietary honey butter sauce and then showered with honey butter seasoning powder, dried cranberries and sliced almonds. The savoury-sweet powder enhances the flavour of the chicken, making every bite very satisfying. Don’t forget to dip the chicken chunks into the accompanying honeyed garlic mayo dip!

Ribena Drumlets from Working Title

My childhood was sweetened by Ribena drinks, and I believe that Ribena is popular with all kids. If you want to reminisce your childhood, you can drop by Working Title cafe for their Ribena Wings ($12 for 8 pieces). The spiced and battered chicken drumlets are drizzled with a Ribena sauce, which is bound to please those with a sweet tooth. This dish should be named Ribena Drumlets instead of wings as we didn’t get any wings. We would recommend sharing this dish as the sweetness can overwhelm you after one drumlet.

Snow Cheese Chicken Bumbuk from Kimchi Korean Restaurant

Snow Cheese Chicken Bumbuk ($33.90) is very instagram-worthy. Korean deep fried boneless chicken and potato wedges, topped with mustard cream sauce, parsley, snow cheese and leek fill up half of a BBQ hotplate while the remaining half is generously filled with mozzarella cheese. The hotplate is heated up at your table and you can watch the cheese melt. Coat the pieces of chicken generously with the melted cheese and you’re in for a treat.

Thai Stuffed Chicken Wings from Sawadee Thai Cuisine

I have always wondered how Thai chefs manage to stuff so much filling into a chicken wing. The Thai stuffed Chicken Wings ($10/3pcs, $15/5pcs) at Sawadee have been laboriously deboned and stuffed with chicken meat, shitake mushrooms and crunchy minced asparagus. The wings are first steamed, then deep fried upon order, so you get it hot and fragrant! Every bite boasts a mix of textures!

Salt-Baked Chicken from Chakey’s

Helmed by three generations since its opening in 1962, Chakey’s Serangoon Salt Baked Chicken is a dish with so much history that makes it a must try for all. It used to be called Heong Kee Salt Baked Chicken but as the business is passed down to the next generations, the name was changed to Chakey’s Serangoon Salt Baked Chicken. The secret recipe hasn’t changed since the beginning and each generation is still perfecting it. It’s a torture unwrapping the nicely warm, aromatic “parcel” as the fragrance whets our appetite. Sink your teeth into the moist and tender meat which is well-marinated and slightly oily. The thin layer of skin on the outside has a pleasant jelly-like texture. A small chicken costs $17.50 while a medium chicken costs $18.50 and a large chicken costs $19.50. Do note that only takeaways are available here.

There you go, a list of hot chicks to check out this Chinese New Year. Our favourite hot chick is the chilli crab wings!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visits and paid its own meals at the stalls featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to the stalls listed above. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

The post 7 Hot Chicks to Check Out this Chinese New Year appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Woah … We’ve just greeted 2017 three weeks ago. Yet, in about a week’s time, we will be having our annual reunion dinner with our loved ones to welcome the Lunar New Year! Are all of you prepared for this festivity yet? There’s so much to do, from prepping your wardrobe, to spring-cleaning the house, to loading up on festive goodies, to planning what dishes to cook or where to have your reunion dinner … Not to forget, deciding on where to purchase the star of every reunion meal – “Yu Sheng (Lou Hei)” – which consists of raw fish, shredded vegetables, condiments and different sauces.

Evolution of Yu Sheng

Yu Sheng has been a traditional dish eaten by the Cantonese on the 7th day of Chinese New Year to celebrate Ren Ri – the day 女媧 (Nu Wa), a goddess, created human beings in Chinese mythology. This dish originated from Jiangmen/Shunde region, before our migrant forefathers brought the practice over to Malaysia and Singapore.

At that time, the way Yu Sheng was served was unhygienic as the fish was often left out in the open. So, the Four Heavenly Kings of Cantonese Cuisine decided to improve the recipe. They served sliced fish instead, and standardised the sauce. The most significant thing the chefs did was to add colourful condiments to make the dish more festive. However, the part on people standing up to toss Yu Sheng together and “shouting” CNY blessings only came about serendipitously over the years.

How to Lao Yu Sheng

Waiters and waitresses at restaurants are very particular about the way Yu Sheng is presented and served. Usually, they hold out a particular ingredient and say something auspicious. It’s actually a really simple process. Follow these 8 steps and toss to good fortune this CNY!

Step 1: When placing the Yu Sheng on the table, say 恭喜发财 (Gong Xi Fa Cai) and 万事如意 (Wan Shi Ru Yi), which means to be prosperous and to have a lot of money, and that all your wishes will be fulfilled and may everything you do be smooth-sailing.

Step 2: Add lime juice or pomelo and say 大吉大利 (Da Ji Da Li), which means good luck and great prosperity.

Step 3: Add raw fish and say 年年有余 (Nian Nian You Yu), which means abundance throughout the year.

Step 4: Sprinkle pepper, cinnamon or five-spice powder powder and say 鸿运当头 (Hong Yun Dang Tou) or 招財進寶 (Zhao Cai Jin Bao), which means good luck is approaching and may you attract wealth and treasures. You can also say 步步高升 (Bu Bu Gao Sheng), which means to progress at a fast pace.

Step 5: Sprinkle golden peanut powder or sesame powder and say 生意兴隆 (Sheng Yi Xing Long) or 金银满屋 (Jin Yin Man Wu), which means the flourishing of  your business and the filling of your house with gold and silver.

Step 6: Pour oil and say 一本万利 (Yi Ben Wan Li) and 财源广进 (Cai Yuan Guang Jin), which means that you will enjoy a ten thousand-fold profit from your investments and that you will be blessed with many sources of wealth.

Step 7: Pour plum sauce and say 甜甜蜜蜜 (Tian Tian Mi Mi) to sweeten your life.

Step 8: Throw in the crackers (deep-fried flour crisps) and say 满地黄金 (Man Di Huang Jin), to signify the floor being covered with gold, and for you to obtain abundant wealth.

Finally, exclaim “HUAT AHHHHHHHHHHHH” at the top of your voice while tossing the Yu Sheng in the air – the higher the better! May everyone see their fortune rise higher with each toss!

The post How to “Lao Yu Sheng” Like a Pro this Chinese New Year appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

No matter what the occasion is, food is what brings people together. Besides established Chinese restaurants and hotel banquets serving the usual Chinese New Year dishes, you also have the option to dine at restaurants serving an array of international cuisine. Herald in the year of the Fire Rooster with interesting dishes such as Chinese New Year Paella, Pineapple Tart Crumble, Bakkwa Pizza, and more. You can make a reservation via Quandoo, which has 1000 restaurants on their platform, and an attractive $15 cashback system.

Aura Restaurant

Behold an intimate and elegant dining destination spanning two floors of National Gallery Singapore, brilliantly highlighted in rich hues of polished brass and bronze. Aura Restaurant is famous for Italian cuisine, drawing inspiration from homely Italian recipes. Beppe de Vito, restauranteur-chef, has come up with a lunch and dinner menu, specially for Chinese New Year.

The four-course Chinese New Year Lunch is priced at $58++. Diners can choose between Hokkaido Scallop Carpaccio with Salmon Caviar, Yuzu and Black Sesame, or Live Australian Abalone with Corn and Romanesco Broccoli (with a top up of $12) for their starter before indulging in Porcini Mushroom Tortelli with Pumpkin and Candied Ginger, and Whole Steamed Italian Seabass with Asparagus and Sea Urchin Sauce. Round off the meal with Mandarin Orange Bavarois with Pineapple and Cinnamon Compote, and a choice of coffee or tea.

The Chinese New Year Dinner ($88++) consists of all the dishes mentioned above, where you get two starters instead of one. After a lavish meal at Aura, you can pop by the Sky Lounge and toast to a prosperous year ahead while taking in the spectacular skyline of Marina Bay. Make a reservation here.

Dehesa

Dehesa, which means “grasslands” in Spanish, is an escape from the ordinary. Chef-Owner Jean-Philippe Patron (affectionately known as JP) sits at the helm of this innovative venture, serving diners scrumptious Spanish cuisine.

Joining in the Chinese New Year celebration, Chef JP has crafted a Roasted Crispy-Skin Suckling Pig ($188++), served with an assortment of vegetables, as well as, a festive Paella ($168++) topped with abalone and four types of seafood. One portion serves approximately 6 persons.

On top of their Chinese New Year specials, Dehesa’s menu comprises a range of seafood and meat dishes. There is Octopus ($28++), Scallops with celeriac and cauliflower ($30++), Iberian Pork Ribs ($40++), to name a few, to satisfy your cravings for Spanish food. The Dehesa Platter ($42++) consisting of a variety of cold cuts is good for sharing. The Salt Baked Fish ($110++) is another dish that’s good for about 2 to 4 persons. Remember to end your meal with decadent desserts such as Dehesa’s selection of Spanish cheese. Make a reservation here.

FORT by Maison Ikkoku

Usher in an auspicious Chinese New Year with your loved ones over an abundance of culinary delights at Fort. Moving away from the typical Chinese New Year delicacies, dive into a 12-course CNY Omakase ($88++/person) which takes you on a journey through the mountains and the seas while preserving the best of traditions.

The restaurant’s interior, designed by Chef Ethan, boasts an ancient industrial design that is complemented by chic touches in the form of railway sleepers, copper, edison filament and red velvet. Despite a different ambience from the usual vibrant red Chinese New Year setting, diners can still partake in the Chinese tradition of tossing and exuberant well-wishing with Fort’s Fatt Choi Lou Hei, a popular festive appetiser to kick start a year of great health and fortune. The stunning salad platter features a medley of julienned vegetables, complete with the zest of pomelo, ikura, and a special sauce made in-house with 12 kinds of ingredients. Chef Ethan might change up a few items that make up the 12-course CNY Omakase meal according to the freshest ingredients of the day.

Don’t miss out on the cocktails at Fort, which focuses on “taste profile development” – a different style of cocktail mixing, using techniques such as distillation, infusion, spherification, dehydration, emulsion, and smoking. Make a reservation here.

Garibaldi Italian Restaurant & Bar

Located along the popular Purvis Street, Garibaldi rocks a modern and elegant yet friendly and dynamic setting. The contemporary and hip setting makes Garibaldi a classic Singapore social gathering place. The enticing menu emphasises on authentic Italian cuisine prepared with the finest ingredients imported directly from Italy, while the bar offers a great selection of wines by the glass and excellent cocktails.

The Chinese New Year Lunch ($88++) features “Yu Sheng” Vegetables Salad with Salmon Carpaccio & Carelian Caviar, Tagliolini with Boston Lobster & Fresh Tomatoes & Basil, a choice of Pan-Fried Seabass, Hokkaido Scallop with Saffron Jus & Sprouting Cauliflower or Grilled Kurobuta Pork with Stuffed Savoy Cabbage, Winter Black Truffle & Chestnut and Yoghurt & Mango Cheese Cake with Mandarin Orange Sorbet. Choose between coffee or tea to end the meal.

The Chinese New Year Dinner ($138++ or 188++) offers the same “Yu Sheng” but more luxurious items such as Dutch Milk-Fed Veal Tenderloin with Stuffed Savoy Cabbage, Pork Filling, Chestnut & Winter Black Truffle and Fettuccine with Guinea Fowl Ragout & Winter Black Truffle. Make a reservation here.

Haru Haru Japanese Restaurant

Established in the heart of Ang Mo Kio last year, this Japanese restaurant has a cosy and spacious interior and is very suitable for family dining. If you are looking to have a small gatherings, private meetings or business lunches, Haru Haru also has private Tatami rooms.

The menu is very extensive, and we believe even the fussiest eaters will be satisfied. Haru Haru serves a wide array of Sashimi, featuring generous cuts that are springy, fresh and sweet. Furthermore, their Wagyu beef (A4 grade) is supplied directly from Kagoshima, Japan. Hence, you can be sure that the quality of the food at Haru Haru will definitely meet your expectations.

To ring in the year of the rooster, Haru Haru has created the “Fa Cai Yu Sheng”, using the freshest salmon sashimi. The Small portion ($16.88) is good for 2-3 persons, while the Medium portion ($33.88) is good for 4-5 and the Large portion ($48.88) good for 6-8 persons. You have the option of adding more salmon at $8.88(8 pieces). You can place an order for Haru Haru’s Yu Sheng, which is available for both dine-in and takeaway, from now till 11 February 2017. Do note that you have to order at least a day in advance. Make a reservation here.

Perle Noire

Known as “The Black Pearl of Siglap”, this fancy Aussie-French restaurant is a well-loved dining destination for East-siders. Isn’t Chinese New Year the perfect excuse to treat yourselves to something better?

Perle Noire has introduced a Lunar New Year’s Eve Dinner menu, which is priced at $48.80++ for one. You get a starter, a soup, a choice of main course, and a dessert. There are three main courses for you to choose from. The Duck Confit which comes with truffle oil pomme puree and caramelised apples, the Polenta Crusted Atlantic Cod which comes with pumpkin puree and pine nuts salsa and lastly, the Roasted Rack of Lamb which comes with ratatouille and green onion pesto. Dessert is influenced by local flavours and is a sweet symphony of snow fungus, red dates, longan and gingko.

Perle Noire also serves Baked Lobster Mornay (500g) with melted gruyere cheese sauce and mesclun leaves, a selection of pasta dishes such as Scallops and Ebi Sakura Capellini and Asari Vongole & Bonito Spaghetti, and grilled meats.

Make a reservation here.

Phat Cat Laundry

Inspired by stereotypical Chinese-owned laundries, Phat Cat Laundry is great for those craving Asian-inspired drinks and food. Catch up with relatives, friends and colleagues over different types of liquors, whiskeys and unique Asian cocktails such as Forget-Love Water, Panties on Water and Teh Botol. Toss to a prosperous year with Phat Cat Yusheng, consisting of sliced snapper, shredded cucumber, carrots, radishes, ginger, fried shallots and lime-cilantro dressing. The Medium portion ($58++) serves 4-5 persons while the large portion ($88++) serves 6-8 persons. Orders for the Yu Sheng has to be placed at least three days in advance.

The Chinese New Year Menu ($88++) is a full 8-course meal for 2 persons. It features appetisers like Salted Egg Yolk King Prawns and Vegetable Spring Roll. Your tastebuds will be pleased even before the main courses arrive.

Fill your tummies with Superior Braised Pork Belly, Stir-fried Australian Beef Slices and Phat Cat Fish and Chips before jumping into Black Sesame Glutinous Rice Balls in Sweet Peanut Soup and Pineapple Tart Crumble with Ice Cream to end your dining experience at Phat Cat Laundry on a high. Make a reservation here.

Pizza Express

There’s no better feeling in the world than a warm pizza box on your lap. For most of us, pizza is the ultimate comfort food! This Chinese New Year, head down to Scotts Square to soak up the festive atmosphere along Orchard Road before sinking your teeth into scrumptious pizza(s).

Begin your afternoon with bite-sized Festive Dough Balls ($6), which come with pineapple pepper dip, spicy bakkwa pesto and classic garlic butter. While the pineapple pepper dip was tangy, with a spicy twist, the spicy bakkwa pesto was what really amazed us.

Need something more substantial? The fiery-red Bakkwa Pizza ($28) is a show-stopper. The fluffy and crisp pizza is generously topped with barbecued bakkwa, pork floss, roasted red and yellow peppers, fresh mozzarella and passata, before it is sprinkled with crispy prawn crackers, spring onion and drizzled with plum sauce. Doesn’t this artfully decorated masterpiece remind you of the blossoming Spring festival?

If you prefer something sweeter, there is the Lucky Mandarin Dough Balls ($5), consisting of 8 of Pizza Express’ dough balls dusted in icing sugar and Mandarin orange zest, served with a Mandarin cream dip. What a refreshing dessert! Make a reservation here.

The Square Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay

Diners with hearty appetites will love feasting at The Square, which is conveniently located in the heart of the city. From 16 January till 17 February 2017, pamper yourselves with a buffet spread specially prepared for Chinese New Year. The selection includes Roast Chicken and Roast Duck Carvings with Condiments, Oven-Baked Boneless Chicken with Onion Marmalade, Grilled Sea Bass with Lemon Butter Sauce and the must-have Yusheng.

On Lunar New Year Eve and Lunar New Year Days (27, 28 and 29 January 2017), tuck into some of The Square’s all-time favourite dishes such as the signature XO Fried Rice with Scallops and Prawns, Hong Kong Style Steamed Barramundi with Mushrooms and Scallions, Wok-fried Black Pepper Slipper Lobster and Braised Pork Trotters. Don’t forget to save some space in your tummy for desserts! Think White Fungus “Tong Shui” Sweet Soup, Assorted Nonya Kueh, Mandarin Orange Tartlets and more.

From 16 January to 17 February 2017, the weekday lunch buffet is priced at $38++ for adults, $19++ for children between 5-12 years old, and $28++ for senior citizens above 55 years old. Weekend lunch is priced at $48++ per adult, $24++ per child and $32++ per senior citizen. Dinner is priced at $58++ per adult, $29++ per child and $40++ per senior citizen daily. On the Eve of Lunar New Year, dinner is priced at $68++ per adult, $34++ per child and $58++ per senior citizen. Make a reservation here.

Your Italian Butler

Your Italian Butler has a unique dining concept which embodies the true authentic spirit of Italian hospitality in a warm, welcoming and informal setting. The culinary team will first ask for your preferences and dietary restrictions, before surprising you with a customised menu of delights created a’ la minute by utilising the freshest ingredients. Therefore, instead of having to choose from a standardised menu, you’ will have a chance to experience entirely different recipes as well as your chosen number of courses tailored according to your budget.

Chef has created 9 delightful selections for Chinese New Year for every 6 guests. Instead of paying the usual price of $78 per person, which brings your bill to $468++, you’ll only be paying $400++ this Spring Festival! What a steal!

Included in this Chinese New Year menu is a complimentary Lo Hei Chinese Salad and a 30% discount off all of Your Italian Butler’s beer and wine bottles. This promotion runs from 20 January till 20 February 2017. Make a reservation here.

Getting excited to welcome the year of the rooster? Quick! Make a reservation at any of these interesting dining destinations with your loved ones via Quandoo, and earn rewards at the same time! There’s $15 cash back!

Besides hearing about your friends’ or colleagues’ Lunar New Year feasts at the usual Chinese restaurants, you will now have a unique dining experience to boast about! Moreover, there’s a Welcome Bonus of 400 points if you sign up now and every 1000 points that you accumulate gives you $15 cash back. Trust us, you will only stand to gain, so reserve a table at your favourite place now!

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