Steak Frites ($32)
Fries, herb butter & side salad

Hokkaido Scallop Ceviche ($16)
Avocado, citrus & macadamia

Part ice cream bar, part cafe, this Udders outlet at Siglap has revamped to become Udders and Kook, and they have added burgers and brunch grub into their menu. Gather a troop of burger-loving friends and have a go at all seven burger offerings here. The crowd favourite is the Mario Mushroom Burger ($15.90) — an elevated version of Burger King's Mushroom Swiss. The creation sees mushrooms, rocket leaves, Swiss cheese, truffle mayo and an unbelievably juicy grilled beef patty cradled between two brioche buns. Each burger comes with a choice of fries or Japanese edamame beans. Pro tip: Enjoy a free scoop of ice cream with every main course purchased, valid till 31st July!
Photo by Burppler Greedy Pals

New Thai stall in Beauty World Centre operated by Thais! For a small eatery, they've quite a good number of items on their menu, from noodles, rice, to salads and even side dishes like grilled pork shoulder.

Go for the $5 large bowl if you're looking to have a proper meal. I haven't had enough boat noodles to really know but this tasted comfortingly good. The soup base is a little different from others I've tried, not the spicy sort but a more herbal like one (if you need chili, they've a few condiments available too). Choose either pork or beef and select 1 of the 6 types of noodles: thin beehoon, kway teow, beehoon, tanghoon, yellow noodle, mama. I got the usual boat noodles and it was cooked very well with a nice bite. The pork slices and liver were tender and flavorful too! My only gripe is it was served lukewarm. Would be much better if it was hot but I'll definitely be back to try the other stuff on the menu!

📍 Thai Boat Noodle
Address: 144 Upper Bukit Timah Road #01-09 Beauty World Centre Singapore 588177
Opening Hours: 11am to 8.30pm Daily

Be prepared to queue with eastsiders before snagging a table at Mookata, especially for weekend dinners. In addition to their popular set meals and platters (from S$34.90 for two), there is also a premium selection to be had: think wagyu beef, kurobuta pork and black angus beef. Pork lovers will love the highly raved pork collar; the good dose of fats in the well-marbled slices results in a succulent and flavourful porcine delight. Opt for either the piquant tom yum soup base or the lighter pork broth and adjust the spiciness with chilli sauces available in three different levels of heat. There’s a good exhaust system in place so no worries about smelling like a walking BBQ afterwards!

Helmed by one of the bosses' Thai wife, the recipes for the sauces and meat marinades have been passed down from generation to generation, so expect the real deal at Huay Kwang Thai Kitchen. The service is prompt and efficient while the assortment here is decent; be sure to try the pig's liver and black pepper beef. The meats are fresh and very flavourful, especially after cooking them over charcoal. You can pick the buffet, sets, or order à la carte, depending on how hungry you are. They have two outlets: one at Jalan Besar that closes at 5:30am and the other at Thomson. Sets start at $39.90+, or you can eat all you want for $25.90+ (weekdays; $28.90, weekends and PH) in two hours.

Tom Yum Kungfu makes you feel like you're in Thailand with its interior decked out in retro furnishings, Thai pop music blasting through the speakers, and authentic food — quite hip and charming, really. The soup base is light yet uncompromising on flavour, even before all the juicy goodness from the meats gets into the soup. If you order the pricier sets, you get a pack of Mama instant noodles along with vegetables, mushrooms and fried beancurd skin! Besides mookata, they serve other dishes as well; try the deep fried kang kong to snack on. Sets start at $39.90 for two to three diners, with the option of add-ons like a platter of venison and pork belly.

Although slightly out of the way, hunting this place down is well worth the effort. Similar to Mookata, this establishment uses charcoal to deliver its promise of a traditional mookata experience. The value-for-money $39 platter comprising prawns, squid, fishballs, meats, plus a bowl of vegetables, mushrooms, vermicelli and eggs is an absolute steal — it can easily feed two or even three modest eaters. They don't charge GST and service charge either, all the more reason to feast! Be sure to order their Thai Style Sliced Abalone doused in a sweet, savoury and tangy sauce as an appetiser or a side dish.

When it comes to Barachirashi Don that gives you quite a decent quality with a good amount of raw fish that is also value-for-money at the same time, Sushiro is where I would head to. The marinated fish is fresh and chunky, carrying a hint of savoury flavours which sits above a bed of sushi rice drenched in savoury-sweet sauce while the Ikura gives it an umami burst of flavours to enhance the entire bowl — satisfaction guaranteed at $12.80 per bowl. The Premium Barachirashi Don at $24.80 caters to those who want more variety of fish, where the entire bowl gets stacked high with a even bigger mound of marinated raw fish and a prawn sticking out at the top.

Located next to Royal J's Seafood in Lavender, this coffeeshop stall dishes out quality rice bowls at affordable prices, perfect for nearby office workers looking for new dining options. There are six protein bowls to choose from, and prices range from $7.90 to $12.90. We love the value-for-money Wagyu Beef Don ($12.90) — tender slices of perfectly smoked beef set on a bed of white, fluffy rice and topped with a wobbly sous vide egg. The Mentaiko Salmon Don ($9.90) is commendable too — a nicely seared salmon fillet slathered with a drippy mentaiko sauce that reminded us of Gyoza-Ya's mentaiko miso gyoza. If you're just popping by for a tea break or eating in a group, order their Dragon Fries ($6) — these piped out mashed potatoes are coated with cheese before going into the deep-fryer!
Avg Price: $15 per person
Photo by Burppler Hilary See

Garlic bread 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 - try it to believe it.
Nacho 🍕 - try it to believe it.
Chicken & mushroom risotto - you must really try it to believe it.

Caption credit: BK

Taste 3.5 | Serving size 4 | Ambience 3 | VFM 3 | OVERALL 3.5/5

PS sirloin $18.9 | PS ribeye $21.9 net

Flavourful steak.

Taste 4 | Serving size 4 | Ambience 3 | VFM 4 |
Overall 3.75/5

Bonus points: Halal-certified