A majestic meal is incomplete without a divine dessert to end it, and that’s where @langelus.sg Clafoutis ($24++) steps in. Clafoutis is a rare dessert in Singapore, and I think L’Angelus is the only French restaurant I’ve seen that serves this old school French dessert. Clafoutis is essentially a crustless tart, as the eggy custard is studded with cherries and baked till gloriously golden brown. Every order of clafoutis is baked to order and it does take fifteen minutes to bake, so you gotta order it along with your entrées.⠀
â €
Clafoutis has the texture of an extra fluffy pancake crossed with flan, and I enjoyed every bite of the eggy & sweet custard. Topped with vanilla ice cream, this could’ve gotten way too sweet way too fast, but the bitter & sour cherries that have been soaked in brandy injected that sharp contrast to the uniform sweetness of the clafoutis & ice cream. The cherries, besides releasing some of the brandy that was absorbed into it, also injected fruitiness into the dessert in bursts. ⠀
â €
Even though L’Angelus’ clafoutis is only comprised of three elements, all three elements are excellent and it was assembled by highly skilled hands. L’Angelus is definitely the place to be if you’re looking for some fantabulous French fare, and you bet I’ll be back sometime in the future.

  • 1 Like

Boeuf Rossini, also known as Tournedos Rossini, is a classic French dish that’s as French as baguette, La Marseillaise and snobbish people. Of course @langelus.sg serves it, and of course I ordered it without so much as a second glance at the rest of the menu, sixty six dollar price tag be damned.⠀
â €
Boeuf/Tournedos Rossini is a decadent dish that calls for a filet mignon to be pan fried in butter, served on a crouton and topped with a slice of foie gras before everything gets garnished with slices of black truffle & a drizzle of Madeira demi-glace. L’Angelus does take it slightly further with the addition of a mushroom duxelles and combining the truffle with the Madeira sauce, and it works wonderfully.⠀
â €
Filet mignon tends to be a less flavourful cut due to the lesser fat content running through the filet, but this steak had no such problems. It was seasoned spectacularly, and the addition of the savoury Madeira sauce made sure the filet was phenomenal. However, just like with the red wine sauce, the Madeira sauce was a little too runny and should’ve been reduced more.⠀
â €
Slightly subpar sauces aside, the other accompaniments to the filet were flawless. The mushroom duxelles was unarguably umami with a charming chewiness, and the flawless foie gras was just as good here as it had been on the appetiser: perfectly seared & a hedonist’s heaven. ⠀
Perhaps the most exceptional element on the plate is the crouton, the foundation upon which everything was built upon. It was skilfully toasted and it retained its crustiness right till the very end, with the last bit still staying slightly crisp. It withstood the moisture from the mushrooms, juices from the steak and the Madeira sauce excellently. Trying to load the foie gras, steak and duxelles onto the crouton for a one biter is logistically challenging, but the effort is well worth the breathtaking bite into heaven.

  • 1 Like

The French know their way around a steak, and @langelus.sg are steak savants. They have three different cuts of steak, and my father couldn’t resist the allure of the 300 gram Black Angus Entrecôte (Ribeye, $60++). I mean, can you blame him after looking at this beautiful beef?⠀
â €
The steak sports the aesthetically pleasing diamond grill marks on top of a satisfactory sear, and it was served medium rare, flirting dangerously close to rare territory. That was some masterful work from the chef, and the Black Angus steak certainly impressed. Seasoned superbly yet simply, the beef was tremendously tender and required minimal effort to cut & chew.â €
â €
The accoutrements were a fantastic fit for the steak. The sautéed mushrooms were outstanding with their salty, meaty chewiness, and were a capable complement to the stellar steak. The potato gratin was superbly seasoned, and it was soft and fluffy right down the middle of all those layers. Each layer is breathtakingly buttery too, so this little rectangle of potato is utterly piquant.⠀
â €
Unfortunately, even though the French are renowned for their saucy sensibilities, the red wine sauce served along with the steak was a disappointment. It was too thin and was lacking in salt, and sure I fully understand that it’s no bordelaise sauce, I was expecting a bit more flair from the sauce.⠀
â €
Even though the sauce was sadly subpar, the entrecôte was still exquisitely enchanting. Sixty bucks is quite pricey, but the unquestionable quality is most certainly worth the splurge for a special occasion, or as an extravagant indulgence.

  • 1 Like

Classic French haute cuisine isn’t that common in Singapore these days, but @langelus.sg has withstood the test of time, dishing up authentic & fantastic French fare since 1998. How authentic is L’Angelus, you ask? Well, for starters, we had Escargots ($23.50++) served in little individual pots, and Foie Gras Poêlé ($26.50++ for 60 grams).

As for the Foie Gras Poêlé, this cut of foie gras might just be the most perfectly seared piece of liver I’ve ever had. The exterior is seared sublimely and the inside is cooked just enough, taking on a texture akin to slightly softened butter. An incredibly delicious and slightly gamey butter, that is. The hawthorn purée adds some tartness to attempt to balance out the incredible richness of the liver, and the pickled plums add even more balance to the foie gras. Perhaps the most interesting element of this appetiser is the bak kwa sauce, which is sweet and smoky, an interesting and uncommon pairing with foie gras that works unexpectedly well. The little bak kwa bits in the sauce are unfortunately burnt though, and definitely have that burnt bitterness.⠀
â €
Still, with a start this stellar, there’s no way you can lose at L’Angelus.

  • 1 Like

Classic French haute cuisine isn’t that common in Singapore these days, but @langelus.sg has withstood the test of time, dishing up authentic & fantastic French fare since 1998. How authentic is L’Angelus, you ask? Well, for starters, we had Escargots ($23.50++) served in little individual pots, and Foie Gras Poêlé ($26.50++ for 60 grams).⠀
â €
Seeing the escargots served in little pots individually was a curiosity to me, as I am used to seeing them served in their shells or in those dimpled serving dishes. The Burgundy snails are baked with a generous pat of gloriously garlicky butter and some cheese, and the pot the snails bake in is capped with a crouton. It’s the perfect hors d’oeuvre, as the well cooked and mildly chewy snail takes on all the flavour from the garlic butter and cheese, and it contrasted & complemented divinely by the crisp crouton. It’s the perfect one-biter!⠀
â €
Still, with a start this stellar, there’s no way you can lose at L’Angelus.⠀

  • 1 Like

I’m convinced that there are more smashburger merchants than there are regular cheeseburger merchants in Singapore these days, but I’ll still smash the heck outta every burger I can. Meet @smashedsg_ , one of the newest folks to throw their hat in the ring that is the crowded burger market in Singapore. You may remember them from somehow managing to get an endorsement from Speed on his stream, but it was a bit of a ‘right place wrong time’ situation.⠀
â €
Livestreamer endorsement aside, is Smashed’s House Smashed ($10 nett) any good? The short answer is yes, and the longer answer is yes, they’re a smash hit. Even though the burger is haphazardly tossed together without much care, it is a mouthwatering mess. The double smashed patties are a bit more loosely packed than most other places, and they tend to crumble into smaller bits as you bite into them. They are seasoned superbly and they boast that coveted crust from being seared hard & fast, and the patties are somewhat held together by the melted American cheese.⠀
â €
While the beef is brilliant, what really makes this burger a smash hit are the caramelised onions and the House Sauce. The buttery, deeply sweet & savoury onions break up the monotony of the delicious cheese & meat, adding a little extra oomph to the burger. As for the House Sauce, this was the element that pushed the House Smashed into being a truly tasty burger. The Sauce is essentially a Thousand Island that got spiced up with chili, and it is creamy, savoury, slightly tangy and startlingly spicy. Matter of fact, it was spicy enough to completely distract from the natural greasiness of the smashburger, and I definitely started sweating as I munched away on the House Burger.â €
â €
If you’re looking for a smashing burger that won’t leave your wallet smashed, look no further than @smashedsg_.

  • 1 Like

One thing I really like about @fuzaienterprise is how their menu isn’t just limited to noodles, they even have pao fan for the homies who love rice. Their Magic Pao Fan ($6 or $8 nett). At first glance it seems to be completely mundane, with rice, prawns, pork meatballs and sliced lean pork submerged in a savoury soup, but once you take your first spoonful, you’ll experience the magic.⠀
â €
The secret behind the magic is the inclusion of the fried eggs into the rice. That egg has been imbued with an obscene amount of wok hei, and the eggs impart that stellar smokiness to the entire bowl. Most pao fan stop at just being fairly flavourful, but Fu Zai works their magic by adding extra smokiness & depth to the soupy rice bowl.â €
â €
If you’ve polished off a whole bowl of that magical pao fan but still can’t hit your protein, Fu Zai has you covered with their Sesame Oil Chicken, priced very affordably at $5.50 a serving. Lots of tender chicken chunks are cooked in a sapid sauce consisting of oyster sauce, Hua Diao cooking wine, shredded ginger and of course, sesame oil. It is a little oily, but it’s not egregiously so, and the heat from the ginger helps to cut down on the greasiness. It’s a simple chicken dish, but there’s no denying that it’s rather tasty.⠀
â €
Thank you for having us, @fuzaienterprise , and thanks for inviting me @eatwithkeat!

  • 1 Like

The Fu Zai Special ($6/$8 nett a bowl) lives up to its name, as you don’t find bei tai mak (also known as silver needle noodles in some places) fried up like char kway teow that often. @fuzaienterprise throws a lot of bei tai mak noodles are tossed into a superheated wok with plump prawns, sliced fishcake, sliced lean pork and lots of egg. It’s fried hard and fast, and it hits your hunger hard & goes down fast too.⠀
â €
The Special is amply seasoned and each mouthful is relatively redolent, and the noodles are slick but not greasy. I did find it slightly wanting when it came to the wok hei, as the expected smokiness was slightly on the weaker side. Still, there’s no arguing that it’s still pretty palatable, plus there’s a fair portion of fresh plump prawns, lean pork slices and egg-citingly eggy bits to ensure that this meal can hit your protein.⠀
â €
As is the case with the Hokkien mee, there’s a good bit of luscious lard tossed atop the pile of noodles. The lard adds even more flavour, a little extravagance, and some much needed crunch to this otherwise soft affair. And of course, you can add as much of that fiery chili as you want to really spice up your noods. The Fu Zai Special may be simple, but it’s an effective hunger buster.⠀
â €
Thanks for the invite, @fuzaienterprise & @eatwithkeat!â €

  • 1 Like

If you’re a Hokkien mee aficionado and you’ve been wondering where the fairly famous You Fu Hokkien mee has disappeared to, wonder no more, for they have rebranded as @fuzaienterprise . They have introduced a few other dishes that aren’t Hokkien mee onto the menu, but fret not, for they still fry up their claim to fame.⠀
â €
At six bucks flat for the Fried Hokkien Mee, you’re getting a hearty helping of pork & squid bits and fairly fresh prawns along with a generous pile of thin vermicelli & thicker yellow egg noodles. Fu Zai’s Hokkien mee is of the drier variety so don’t expect much in the way of sauciness, but it is still pretty piquant. The noodles have absorbed most of the umami prawn broth that they have been wok fried in, and most of the savouriness is in the noodles.⠀
â €
Two crucial components of a good Hokkien mee are the chili and the fried pork lard, and Fu Zai pass both checks easily. The chili is intensely incendiary, and just like that one song, one kiss is all it takes to set your mouth ablaze. As for the pork lard, it was fried expertly, rendering out most of the grease and leaving behind a crispy cube of pure deliciousness. The lard would’ve been much more satisfying if they cut it into larger cubes though, as the tiny bits didn’t produce the crunch & satisfaction desired.⠀

  • 1 Like

Salad bars take me back to the glory days of Ponderosa & Sizzler, and they were one of the best inventions of the 20th century. Call it nostalgia, call it gluttony, but there’s no denying that salad bars are utterly brilliant. So when I heard that @xwwesterngrill unique selling point was that purchasing any entrée gave you full access to the salad bar, I knew I had to give it a go for old times sake.⠀
â €
During the date of my visit, XW Western Grill had a limited time special of Mentaiko Aburi Chicken Chop ($15.90++). It sounds sophisticated, but it really is quite simple. A juicy cut of chicken thigh fillet is grilled till it acquires a captivating char, and then a deluge of mentaiko mayo is applied on top and blowtorched. The mentaiko mayonnaise was slightly too creamy & not quite umami enough, but the sublime chicken chop more than makes up for it. The skin has become crisp, and the char adds extra smokiness to the already stunningly savoury chicken chop. It’s served with a side of fries, but I left most of it behind as I had the salad bar to explore.⠀
â €
The salad bar doesn’t just have salad and other delicious, must-have veggie items like coleslaw, creamed spinach, charred broccoli & carrots, and sautéed cherry tomatoes, they have sides too. Think sautéed mushrooms, potato salad, onion rings, sweet potato fries, aglio olio pasta and a couple of other carb options. All these carb & veg options in conjunction with the decently proportioned proteins make for a bulking brother’s dream, and good lord what wouldn’t I give to have XW Western Grill open up a restaurant in one of the three malls in Paya Lebar.⠀
â €
If any of y’all at @xwwesterngrill are reading this, this is a sign to take the plunge & open a new outlet with a full salad bar in one of the three malls surrounding Paya Lebar MRT. Thank me later.

  • 1 Like

I haven’t had mookata in a long time, and @yakkinmookata.sg brings back memories of my army days when we would stumble out of Thai discos dead drunk at four in the morning. However, I certainly don’t remember those mookata suppers being as delicious as Yak Kin Mookata.⠀
â €
Yak Kin Mookata’s Mookata Platter costs an astoundingly affordable thirty eight dollars, and features a classic lineup of marinated chicken, pork collar, pork belly, hotdogs, smoked duck, scallops, tiger prawns, crabsticks, fishballs, and some veg for health. The tiger prawns are simply sublime in terms of freshness and size, and they were certainly the highlight of the meal along with the equally fresh scallops. The pork & chicken were simply yet sufficiently marinated, and those meats were quite magnificent especially when dipped into the sweet & spicy Thai chili on the side. The broth was no slouch either, as it was akin to chicken stock on steroids. It’s more luscious & slightly more tasty, that’s for sure. ⠀
â €
If that bountiful bevy ain’t enough to settle your rumbling tummy, Yak Kin will leave you spoilt for choice with their extensive selection of add ons. From truffle chicken to the moo ping ($7.90, 3 sticks), to Thai fish sausages to the majestically marbled Premium Beef Steak ($20.90 nett), you’re definitely gonna find some meat you’ll love to meet. The moo ping was strikingly juicy and tender, and it was subtly yet sufficiently marinated for maximum deliciousness. Meanwhile, the Premium Beef Steak was so majestically marbled with fat that it could rival wagyu when it comes to the eye test.⠀
â €
The most unique item we had are the Bak Kwa Fries ($5.80). They are exactly what they say they are, but I certainly wasn’t expecting them to be this delectable. It’s sweet, salty and smoky, the traditional flavour profile that only bak kwa could have, but chopped up and compressed into sticks. Grill up these meat tubes, and you have yourself some phenomenally tasty meat sticks.⠀
â €
Once you’re done boozing along Keong Saik Road, head on down to Yak Kin Mookata for a sensationally sizzling supper. Thanks for the invite @scalecollab.sg & @yakkinmookata.sg!

  • 1 Like

Unfortunately good things come to an end, but at least we ended it on a sweet note at @sugarhallsg. They have two cocktails that could be considered to be dessert-like, especially the Dirty Chocolatini. All cocktails are $26++ which is about the market average price for a cocktail, but these concoctions are far from average.⠀⠀
â €
The Dirty Chocolatini is a concoction built on a base of Monkey Shoulder Whisky, Merlet Amerisse, a bitter blackcurrant aperitif, chocolate, white cocoa, raspberry and lime. I already knew that chocolate & whisky were quite a good pairing, but I didn’t realise just how good it could be. The Dirty Chocolatini tastes & feels like a melted down chocolate gelato, and then the Merlet Amerisse & raspberry pop in to turn this cocktail into a crazily chocolatey black forest cake. The amalgamation of fantastic flavours conceal the whisky well, and it’s definitely a dangerous dessert cocktail. Especially when you’re already a few cocktails deep.⠀
â €
The Souffle Espresso Martini is less of a dessert cocktail and more in line with the post meal espresso. Santa Teresa Rum and Mr Black Coffee Liqueur are complemented by the addition of cold brew coffee & macadamia, right before the espresso elixir gets topped with dalgona foam. The sweetness and smoothness of the rum & coffee liqueur neutralise the acidity of the cold brew coffee and make it even smoother. However, I couldn’t really pick out any extra nuttiness from the macadamia, but the simultaneous alcohol & caffeine punch was more than enough to satisfy. Mixing booze & espresso might leave you with the Forrest Whittaker, but it will definitely give you enough of a jolt to stumble out of Sugarhall.⠀
â €
Thank you so much for the invite, @sugarhallsg!

  • 1 Like