大虾面
The famous big prawn noodles lives up to its name indeed. Once you get the hang of it, the tender prawn meat glides easily off of each shell; it leaves you with a satisfaction akin to popping a whole row on that roll of bubble wrap you keep hidden under your desk in case of work stress overload— don't deny it. No matter how packed the eating place, this big bowl of glorious prawn mee is worth any lunch hour wait.

Here's a simple price list for your reference:
$1.00 tou poh
$1.00 腐竹片 bean skin
$1.20 五香 ngoh hiang
$1.60 虾枣 prawn roll
$1.60 猪肝 liver roll
$1.60 脆虾饼 prawn cracker
$2.20 贯肠 sausage

$5.80 小 noodles
$8.80 中 noodles
(Abt $11.80 for giant prawns)
$1.40 lime juice

Tip: Go for the healthier all-white rice noodles, or mix it in with your yellow egg noodles to lower the calories.

齊珍記
Good for the earth, good for your soul.

Everything about this bowl of stir fried noodles is so comforting. Tau kee just like your mum cooks it, and mock meat that I didn't like as a kid but have grown fond of because it brings back sweet memories of childhood.

Also good for your wallet.
$2
(Aunty was nice and gave me a free vegetarian mock fishball)

德生成山瑞補汤
#01-30
Tucked away in a quiet hawker centre, the sister of the popular Ser Seng Turtle Soup Restaurant sells more affordable turtle soup for the soul.

It's cheaper because they don't serve brown rice and probably use less XO cognac in their soup, but you can always BYO. The turtle is well cooked, and the soothing herbal soup is perfect for a rainy day.

I have not met a happier couple selling humble fare in a wet market. Their warm soup makes my tummy smile, and their warm smiles make my heart melt.

In fact, they practise a more sustainable business model: They don't sell turtle eggs here, giving the baby turtles a chance to mature into adults and continue the next generation of this vulnerable highly-prized species.

🐢

Credibility check ✓
It is indeed recognised on the official http://turtlesoup.com.sg/zh/德生成山瑞/ website

$35 Claypot + $0.50 a bowl of rice (pictured)
[$10 / 14 / 18 / 20 / 25 individual soup bowl options]
[$35 / 50 Claypot options]

Suuperr maccha-y; This green tea and icecream pair is a maccha made in heaven 😍🍵

My only gripe is that it was a tad icy, but Hey they serve it on a little stand, so presentation and assurance of your precious sweet treat not falling off the cone make up for it! #ithappens #truestory

Alternatively, it's a super creamy bingsu-on-a-cone! Now where're you gonna find that?!

$4.25 (incl. gst + svc charge)
So worth, honestly

☘🌸☘🌸☘
So many garden themed cafés in this area. It's like an oasis in the middle of the humid city. It beckons your weary, overworked soul to come rest in its cool green spaces.

The staff are so friendly and would make some good suggestions if you ask them.

☘🌸☘🌸☘
&; There's a Terrarium workshop coming up this Saturday, 16th Sept?!
Eat a pretty terrarium & takeaway a living, photosynthesising one to beautify your home? Talk about the best of both worlds!

Eating one of course!

☘🌸☘🌸☘
Epiphyte's Terrarium cake is lovely to look at and lovelier to eat. Definitely a signature dessert, it deserves more love than their galaxy-glazed cakes that always steal the show! Just the right mix of crunchy and creamy and smooth; Something about eating alcohol-infused chocolate and flowers is just so magical.

Pro-Tip: Try to order the pretty dishes before sunset. I was convinced this would make such a good-looking gram, but I forgot it was dark, duh.

Also, get the rum shot. It is so worth the upgrade. 🙌🏼

The Lowdown:
Not your typical Cantonese chow-down, but the variety they offer is quite surprising.
Give it a try— it's just conveniently downtown, and more wallet-friendly than those higher end traditional dim sum diners.

Order this: Fried yam/ carrot cake; it is one of the best I've had.

The breakdown
From top to bottom in the image, here are my ratings from "meh" to "fair".
• Chee cheong fun（猪肠粉）
Rice noodles rolls were meh. The sauce was oddly starchy, reminding me more of a Hokkien paste than the Cantonese soy sauce most of us are familiar with.
• Char siu bao（叉烧包）
BBQ pork buns were eh. The pork could have been better seasoned.
• Hor yip fun（荷叶饭）
Lotus-wrapped rice was fair— actually it was better than I was expecting
• Minced meat Cuttlefish porridge（墨鱼粥）was fair. Pink cuttlefish were quite chewy; some prefer that. There was barely any minced meat in it. I don't imagine they evenly distribute ingredients in their dishes.

Pity they didn't have Dan tat（蛋挞）Egg tart or Char siu sou（叉烧酥）BBQ pork pastry on the menu. These are usually what defines the classic dim sum experience for me.

Back again.
Burger's back. Tell yo friends.

McD's infamous Nasi Lemak Burgers are back. But are they here to stay? Since it first launched in July earlier this year (and got swept up by hungry Singaporeans like a storm), this Asian-fusion confusion has been highly sought after— and Mr. McD couldn't help but bring it back onto the hot platter.

The Low-Down:
The crispy chicken patty is fabulous. 👌🏼
Crunchy on the outside, tender and succulent on the inside. Magnifico.
It purportedly has more coconut slathered on than its predecessor, but I'll admit I didn't taste much in mine. Perhaps I'm comparing it to the real-deal Lemak rice.

Everything else about the burger is pretty typical of a Macca's meal.

Tip: Don't eat this burger if you're after a proper Nasi Lemak meal; but if you combine the chicken patty with a pack of real coconut rice, spicy sambal and crunchy peanuts/ ikan bilis, you're in for a real treat.

Prices compared to last time are slightly marked up, but hey it's back by popular demand...
$6 à la carte
$7.90 extra value meal

红龟糕
This hidden confectionery sells traditional Indonesian kuehs from ondeh ondeh to kueh lapis, all at $0.70 a piece.

Their Ang Ku Kuehs are STUFFED with filling; bursting with it. They come in two flavours: peanut and green bean.
Taste-wise: I'll be honest, it ain't the best, but it ain't bad either. The kueh skin was a tad too alkaline for my liking. Perhaps I was just there a little too late. You might have better luck getting a good box of these famed red cakes earlier in the day.
If anything, the overflowing filling would make anyone's stomach happy.

Tip: The "寿" (shòu) on the kueh means long life or longevity, as in 人寿年丰。So here's to a long life of good food shared with good friends! 🐢

(Was open on 初三)
Three go-to dishes for sharing

肉骨茶 · Classic Claypot
卤猪手 · Braised Pork Knuckle
姜丝麻油鸡 · Ginger Sesame Chicken

A pleasant mix of Singaporean and Malaysian style, this bak kut teh melts in the mouth like how the shop's backstory melts my heart.

The best bit: What better way to help others than to eat for a good cause.
$6~7 ea dish
Tip: the Claypot soup is tastier than the 面线 mee sua soup. So unless you're craving noodles, these dishes go better with 白饭 rice 。

Lunchtime menu well-worth.
Good portion of sashimi and pan-seared salmon, and a just-right amount of salty ikura. It was a huge bowl of rice too.

Salmon Kaisen don gon make me 开心！
$14.90 { +$2 miso soup & salad ]

Prior to coming here, I had no exposure to canelés, so I set no expectations. But biting into one, its subtle flavour unpretentious, I was pleasantly surprised by a mild sweetness. But I must warn that it is an acquired taste.

What are canelés?
Little crispy pastries with spongy custard centres within thick caramelised walls.
Think condensed kueh bahulus.

Say it with me: KEH-nuh-lay.
$3.50 ea