Pasta Sotong Hitam 💵: $17.90++ 📈: 5/10 🤔: Pasta was cooked al dente, sauce itself was not bad, but becomes a bit too much after awhile. Was a pretty oily dish, and 1/4 of my pasta was submerged in oil after about 15 minutes into the meal. Squid also had a fishiness to it and although I like squid, I couldn’t get myself to finish it. Full review on my Instagram @euniceeatseverything https://www.instagram.com/euniceeatseverything/

Chilli Crab Pasta A halal cafe near the sultan mosque in Bugis area. The food here are reasonably priced and I don't even recall if they have anything above $20! No GST, only service charge. Do note that they only accept cash/grabpay. My chilli crab pasta wasn't too spicy and had alot of crabmeat! At $17.9+, i would think that this is one of the more affordable crab pastas out there. Tastewise was not bad, but not fantastic either. My colleague tried their carbonara and loved it! Portion is decent and definitely won't leave you hungry. A place to consider if you're looking at halal options! Beats those that charge pretty exorbitantly (ard $30).

A hipster bistro café LePak At Rayz has opened at Bussorah Street, a short walk away from Sultan Mosque (Masjid Sultan). It looks set to be the next popular dining spot among Muslim friends. The Halal dining place seems to be able to capture the sweet spot with the provision of Western favourites and Asian comfort food, in an almost-hipster environment. Several of the dishes did remind me of Spize though. I previously thought that the menu at Rayz Bistro would deter price-sensitive diners. It appeared there was some adjustment on the pricing to be more mass-market friendly. bit.ly/dfdrayz

Truffle mac & cheese [$19] My 2nd time having this with neither regrets or nor disappointment, a distinct lingering truffle flavour and aroma in each and every mouthful! The truffle aroma seemed to be more intense this time, which is definitely not for the faint hearted but as a truffle lover, I am sold for it! 💖 Despite the missing top layer of baked cheese crust, the macaroni bathed in the thick, creamy and cheesy pool of sauce was sufficient to get me hooked on, otherwise the aftermath might be one this is overwhelming and unpleasant. Though the price might seem steep (as compared to the other mains offered here), the portion served was justifiable and worth the bill. A copious amount of sliced mushrooms, seared scallops, garnished with fried shallots and a dollop of caviar, it was a perfect combination that I couldn’t help singing praises for. Especially adore the seared scallops that were fresh and plump, with a slight chewy mouthfeel. The addition of the fried shallots also provided a pleasant crisp factor while adding fragrance to the dish. Mushrooms are no doubt an essential (for me) in a mac&cheese, with its chewy mouthfeel and earthy note blending in harmoniously to the cheesy elements. On a side note, it’s really a great pity that @vxx.co would be ceasing operations on 7 nov and not serving mains anymore in their new location! 😭😭😭 Would certainly miss the food, ambience and service here ! . . . #burpple #smitteneats #smittenchoice

Smoked duck carbonara [$15] Last chance to check out this place before they ceased operations on 7 nov 😭😭 One of my favourite cafes till date, having been here at least thrice. Unfortunately mains are only served till 5 nov, with the remaining 2 days retailing furnitures and brewing some cuppa ☕️. The smoked duck carbonara comprised of spaghetti tossed in a creamy sauce, along with copious chunks of smoked duck chopped into cubes , sliced mushrooms, topped with a raw yolk and sprinkled with garnishes of Parmesan flakes. Despite being a cream based pasta, the carbonara here was surprisingly not too overwhelming, with a substantial thick, creamy sauce that I felt would be manageable by one pax for consumption. The spaghetti was done to a slight al dente consistency, providing a pleasant firmness to the bite. The tender smoked duck slices were chopped into tiny little cubes which provided easier consumption. Along with chewy sliced mushrooms that added a subtle earthy note, the pasta was decent yet enjoyable with a good balance of noodles:ingredients as well as a suitable intensity of creaminess. . . . #burpple #smitteneats #smittenchoice

Seafood lemon butter pasta ($14 nett) ⭐️ 4.5/5 ⭐️ 🍴Had to go down to #vxxco once I found out that they were closing. Only been once before but I love the affordable food (nett prices) & chill vibes of the cafe. The pasta was delicious and came with generous ingredients of 3 prawns, multiple squids & mushrooms 🦐🦑. Really liked the sauce that’s unique and had just the right amount of sourness & kick of spice without being overly creamy or rich. We ended up licking up any remains of the sauce cause it was that good 😂 📍@vxx.co, 20 Foch Road, S209261

Lepark's signature soft serve, kinda like their own version of The Sanum; except this is way better. This one is loaded w good 'ol vanilla with your favourite cereals as the crunch and a delectable salted caramel / Gula Melaka sauce to get a blend of East and West. The pandan cake was a surprise outfit, super spongey and loaded with cream in the middle. Splendid dessert. Pls get it before @leparksg closes in less than 2 weeks time. ⠀ HeartyTastyWorthy: 5/5/4

Vanilla Softserve Earned myself a pick-me-up in the form of Lepark's creamy classic vanilla swirls layered and capped with assorted childhood snacks (its been a while since I had Honey Stars!), and drizzled with salty-sweet Gula Melaka sauce.

Old School Location with Unique Bar Food We ordered the poached chicken sushi ($8), crab cake sliders ($14) & the chicken wing stuffed with otah and Thai chili dip ($10). This lepark cafe has a great ambience and a wide variety of beers to last you through the night! Suitable for date nights and group gatherings! 😍

For Pocket-Friendly Steamboat in Punggol For family gatherings in the Northeast, consider this Muslim-owned steamboat joint at Punggol Ranch. Bring your appetites, because the Steamboat Buffet ($26 on weekdays, $29 on weekends) allows you free-flow access to fresh ingredients — the seafood is especially notable, with options like crayfish, plump prawns and dory fish. Be ready to snap those up, but thankfully, they often get refilled very efficiently. The steamboat pot comes with an attached grill, so you can mix things up by cooking marinated meats like black pepper beef and curry tandoori chicken. There's a selection of cooked food like chicken wings and rojak to keep you going while you wait for the food to cook, along with free-flow drinks. Pro tip: This place is packed on the weekends and they aren't always efficient with taking phone reservations. Plan this for a weekday instead, or come by really early on the weekend. Avg Price: $30 per person Photo by Burppler Nurul Aishyah *Muslim-owned

Halal Steamboat Buffet 💕 I didn't regret spending $29 (weekend) to eat here with my loved ones. Theres's a variety of meat and spices, like mutton, beef & chicken. There's also a variety choice of seafood like crayfish, prawn & mussels, i chose tomyam broth instead of chicken because it's the best isn't it? It's your choice 😊 there's so many sauce you can choose from! From local to japanese and korean 😇 there's salad, rojak, desserts like cakes and ice cream! 💕 The drinks wise, it's mainly syrup. There's blueberry, rose, bird's nest, orange, yuzu orange, etc. Soft drinks on the other hand, is excluded 😌 would definitely come and eat here again 😇

For a Halal-friendly Steamboat Buffet Taking over Curry Garden, this Halal steamboat joint in Punggol Ranch is a great spot for family gatherings, especially for those of you living in the northeast! Go straight for the Steamboat Buffet ($22 on weekdays, $25 on weekends), which allows you free-flow access to fresh ingredients — we were particularly charmed by the selection of seafood like crayfish, plump prawns and dory fish, which were snapped up but also refilled very quickly. The steamboat pot comes with an attached grill, on which you can also cook a selection of marinated meats like black pepper beef and curry tandoori chicken. The buffet selection also includes a rojak station, along with fruit and brownies for dessert, but drinks are excluded. Expect to pay an average of $2 to $2.50 for a sweetened drink like bandung or iced lemon tea. It gets pretty warm too especially when it's crowded, so dress breezy. Pro tip: This place is packed on the weekends and they aren't always efficient with taking phone reservations. Save yourself the headache and come really early, or plan this for a weekday instead. Avg Price: $25 per person Photo by Burppler Raine Liu