Treasure Toast has been around for a while by now and is one of the spots that has been coming on and off our social media feeds every now and then — for those whom hadn’t heard of them before, these folks are located at Purvis Street and has taken over the premises of the now-defunct outlet of British Hainan that was there. Treasure Toast is a concept by the very same folks whom operate Bao Er Cafe at Balestier Plaza — they are also the ones who operate Prawnography By Bao Er at Novena Gardens. The interior of Treasure Toast is simply decked; whilst likely not an aesthetic that they are trying to achieve, there is somewhat of a flair of an old-school coffeeshop within its premises with the use of tiled walls and tiled floors alongside some old-school dining furniture that features the use of marble surfaces and wooden accents — the whole look seemingly suggests that they were going more for functionality than for form as is the case with Bao Er Cafe and Prawnography By Bao Er as well. Knowing how Treasure Toast shares a relation with Bao Er Cafe and Prawnography By Bao Er, it is little wonder how the menu does seem to focus much on their famed Kaya Toast offerings, as well as other local-style breakfast dishes and their signature fried Hokkien noodles — the menu is segregated into categories such as Homemade Toast & Eggs, Fried Rice / Noodle and Ala-Carte / Side Dishes. Beverages offered at Treasure Toast will include Nanyang-style coffee and tea, Milo, iced lemon tea, lime juice and canned drinks — just to name a few.

Bao Er Cafe is one of those establishments that is famed for its Kaya Butter Toast despite the signature dish behind the Bao Er Cafe and Prawnography By Bao Er brands being their Signature Fried Hokkien Mee — our previous visit to Bao Er Cafe also left us being pretty impressed with the Kaya Butter Toast as well. Treasure Toast serves up their Kaya Butter Toast in both ala-carte or in a set — the set would be similar to that being served up at establishment specialising in Hainan-style breakfast which comes with soft boiled eggs, as well as Hot Kopi or Teh depending on the patron’s choice. Truth to be told, the Kaya Butter Toast at Treasure Toast comes a little bit short of what we had experienced at Bao Er Cafe — the main comparison factor would be how the Kaya Butter Toast at Treasure Toast comes with a slab of butter that is warmer than that of the one we had with Bao Er Cafe; this also meant that the warm and cold temperature contrast of the Kaya Butter Toast at Treasure Toast wasn’t as apparent as the one we have had Bao Er Cafe, with the slab of butter also having melted slightly at Treasure Toast. Otherwise, all else with the Kaya Butter Toast at Treasure Toast is consistent with the one we have had at Bao Er Cafe; this includes the crispness of the toast (surprisingly so for an order made near 8pm), whilst the homemade Nonya-style coconut jam is also of a runnier consistency as compared to the commercially-made ones — we liked how their Kaya is pretty smooth without being grainy or too lumpy, and perfumes of a prominent coconut-y, pandan-infused flavour without being too sweet.

Despite being a signature dish of their concepts, the Signature Fried Hokkien Mee is one dish that many of Bao Er Cafe’s and Prawnography By Bao Er’s patrons seem to have their own opinions of. We vaguely recall having the Signature Fried Hokkien Mee at Prawnography By Bao Er a long while ago noting how it carries a strong smokiness from the wok-hei, though the Signature Fried Hokkien Mee that we have had at Treasure Toast doesn’t carry the same. What remains consistent with the Signature Fried Hokkien Mee at Bao Er Cafe and Prawnography By Bao Er with the version that we have had at Treasure Toast would be how the dish is executed as the wetter variant of Fried Hokkien Mee. We did find this to be a good version of the dish considering the umami notes of the stock that is simmmered with the noodles; all that whilst coming with squid and prawns that provides a springy texture and a bit of bite — the latter adding a note of its natural sweetness to the dish. The crispy pork lard provides an added crunch without being all limp and overly greasy, while the chili added a zippy and savoury note that adds on to the umami broth that clings onto the mix of yellow noodles and thick rice noodles that is absolutely smooth and slurpy with a soft bite. Local food options aren’t aplenty amongst the shophouses located around Purvis Street / Seah Street, and if there are any, those doing so would usually be serving up Hainanese Chicken Rice being establishments with a heritage since the early days — Treasure Toast does provide those in the area another option to dine at without breaking the bank.

For those whom have been going around International Plaza for quite a while, Cafe Frumpy is likely a spot that isn’t too much of a stranger to begin with; these folks had been in International Plaza for quite a while, having been known to be an establishment that not only serves up local Chinese-style stir-fried dishes and Yong Tau Foo, but also does comprise of a small espresso bar serving up speciality coffee alongside a small variety of bakes as well. It does seem that Cafe Frumpy’s espresso bar and bakes counter had silently vacated the space that they used to occupy at the front of Cafe Frumpy, though fret not — these folks are back and now known as Kora, occupying the back of the very shop unit they used to have been situated in accessible via both a small walkway at the back of what was Cafe Frumpy (still a stall serving up Yong Tau Foo) and also via outside of International Plaza where one can find the entrances to establishments like FUKUSUKE ふくすけ. Some might also recall the space of Kora being once occupied by the now defunct 咖啡仔 Nanyang Kopi Kia Claypot Coffee. The interior space is a little tight considering the size of the shop unit it occupies; that being said, the textured white walls, metallic tables, plastic chairs and wooden display cabinets and fittings that matched with the marble-esque counters does bring very familiar vibes to what Cafe Frumpy was with its integrated operations back then. With the operations of both concepts being somewhat split up, Kora now focuses on serving up a its range of bakes which consists of tarts, cakes and bread — all of which bring prominently displayed in the display case, and one can also pair the bakes up with their espresso-based specialty coffee and matcha offerings which were also served by Cafe Frumpy previously.

Since we dropped by Kora to have a bit of a light lunch, we decided to go for the Honey Brie Focaccia which was the only savoury item which they were carrying in the display case during the day of our visit. The Honey Brie Focaccia is served heated up by default at Kora. Digging into the bread, one can find elements like brie, sun-dried tomatoes and herbs that are speckled all atop the bread. The texture of the Focaccia is decent, though not exactly the best that we have come across; we did feel that the insides of the bread were a wee bit dry, creating a bit of a coarser texture to the otherwise spongey bread that wasn’t too ideal. The surface of the Focaccia also seemed to have been lacking of that crustiness that some would be looking for in a food Focaccia as well. That being said, the contrast of flavours was what we found the Honey Brie Focaccia to be pretty tasty despite the texture of the bread; the Brie carrying its typical, pungent flavour that is counteracted with the slight floral sweetness of honey — a classic combination of flavours while the herbs kept things refreshing amidst the garlicky and earthy notes from the paste-like spread on the top of the focaccia. The sun-dried tomato also helps to add a refreshing tang to cleanse the palate as well.

Meanwhile we had also given the Lemon Pistachio Cake a go as well; the cake comes pretty moist with a density that is similar to that of a typical pound cake. The cake does come with a zippy and zingy, citrus-sy note that tantalises the tastebuds — all that with soft, crushed pistachios that carried a slightly saltish note that the nut inherent carries to provide a textural and flavour contrast. It does come with a gel-like layer over the top that further enhances the notes of lemon, whilst also coming with more crushed pistachios over the top as well. We had also given the Flat White at Kora a go during the same visit; Kora uses their very own roast named “love, kora” that features a blend of Brazilian and Indonesian beans for their espresso-based specialty coffee here — the tasting notes describes it as coming with notes of hazelnut, dark chocolate, spices and caramel. The cuppa does come creamy and smooth; one that is a medium-bodied cuppa, the body does come a little bold with its nutty and earthy notes and is one that works as a perk-me-up for the day. The folks at Cafe Frumpy have been known to provide the office workers in the Central Business District a bit of a unique option to dine at given how they can be described as a little bit a hipster, yet answers to the office workers’ needs of familiar, fuss-free dining in general. Whilst the split of Kora away from the main space is one that breaks away the integration that made Cafe Frumpy unique, it is perhaps something needed by the folks of Kora to further expand on their specialty in coffee and bakes — all that whilst still being part of the same space which was seen as one Cafe Frumpy. A spot that adds on to the number of establishments serving up espresso-based specialty coffee in the Central Business District, Kora is also somewhere which we would think that those whom frequent Cafe Frumpy for its bakes and coffee would continue visiting in time to come!

Got to chance upon a new stall that has recently set up shop at Tanjong Pagar Plaza Market & Food Centre recently — BRAISSERS RICE BOWL is one of the latest additions to the hawker centre which had seen some tenants move out after its most recent round of renovations not too long ago. BRAISSERS RICE BOWL can be found at one of the corner units that faces out towards Tanjong Pagar Road; its signboard being of a beige background and features the namesake of the stall in a blocky typeface. If one does find the stall setup of BRAISSERS RICE BOWL being oddly familiar to that of another hawker stall named Meat & Rice that is located at ABC Brickworks Food Centre, this is because the stall is run by a former partner of Meat & Rice; in fact, the owner has had his stint working at fine dining establishments prior to becoming a hawkerpreneur. The food that BRAISSERS RICE BOWL serves up on its menu is pretty much identical to what is offered at Meat & Rice as well — the only item being on the menu would be its braised meat rice bowls, with patrons being able to opt for different choices of meats including chicken, pork jowl, pig trotter, and duck breast. There are also a list of add-ons which patrons can opt for their order of the rice bowls at an additional cost.

The Duck Breast was the version of the braised meat rice bowl that had caught our attention when we were skimming through the menu at BRAISSERS RICE BOWL; BRAISSERS RICE BOWL also describes on their menu board that all of the different variants of their rice bowls also comes with rice, egg and salted vegetable. Own thing noteworthy about the rice bowls at BRAISSERS RICE BOWL was the amount of thought that went into the design of each bowl — we did spot that a little bit of the pickled liquid from the salted vegetable was drizzled onto the bed of rice before all the elements are event scooped into the bowl to keep the rice sufficiently moist and not too heavily-flavoured from the braising liquid that goes over it as well. The best way to enjoy the rice bowls at BRAISSERS RICE BOWL is to mix up all the rice and the sous-vide egg to get all of the elements together — the sous-vide egg here comes all wobbly with a runny egg yolk that eagerly bursts as one breaks it with the utensils. Whilst braised duck isn’t a dish that is unheard of, the way that BRAISSERS RICE BOWL prepares their duck breast does seem to differ a little from what one would usually expect — these come sliced in a way similar to how smoked duck breasts typically comes in at other establishments.

The duck breast is especially smooth and tender; not the sort of grainy duck meat that one would expect from a stall specialising in braised duck, but not quite as chewy as smoked duck breast as well. The meat has already absorbed the braising liquid, while more braising liquid is doused atop the rice; the braising liquid here being rich and dense with a deep, savoury note that gave the rice bowl most of its flavour. The addition of pickled vegetables gives the rice bowl a refreshing crunch and a tangy note to cut through the meatiness and savouriness of the dish — an item which we found to be satisfying in the way that it is comforting yet coming with its very own modern twist that is unique to the brand as well. Considering how well-executed the Duck Breast version of their braised rice bowl is, we would most certainly be back to give their Pork Jowl variant a go — one that is recommended by a number of folks whom have also dropped by Meat & Rice in the past. Prices of the braised meat rice bowls at BRAISSERS RICE BOWL ranges from $5.80 to $6.30; the priciest being the Duck Breast rendition that we have had — quite an economical option for the office workers around the vicinity to go for!

One of the Thai establishments that we had visited in the last year which we were quite impressed with was a spot within Bijou near Pasir Panjang MRT Station that is named Lebua Thai. Had been wanting to drop by Lebua Thai to give some or their dishes a go yet again for quite a while, and it came as a surprise to us when the folks behind Lebua Thai had announced the opening of their newest location within CHIJMES. Their space at CHIJMES is located near where dough and Duomo Ristorante are situated within CHIJMES; the shop unit in which that Lebua Thai has occupied can be said as one that is pretty spacious in general. Given its location, it is needless to say that Lebua Thai does have quite a fair number of outdoor seating that would cater to most of those whom dine at CHIJMES. For those seated indoors, the interior of the space is decked out rather simply but in a way that is rustic with a Southeast-Asian flair mainly from the wooden furniture and fittings that are used in the restaurant — all that matched against white and grey walls with a stone-esque flooring. Despite the simplicity in the design, the interior still exudes an upscale flair whilst at it. With the larger space at their CHIJMES outlet, Lebua Thai does serve up a wider variety of dishes here as well; the food menu at their CHIJMES outlet is split into categories such as Rice Dish, Noodles, Appetisers, Egg, Pork, Chicken, Soup, Seafood, Squid, Seabass, River Prawns, Tiger Prawns, Oysters, Flower Crab, Soft Shell Crab, Vegetables, Vegetarians, Salad Yum and Dessert.

The Curry Seafood in Young Coconut was a dish that we had previously ordered whilst visiting Lebua Thai at their location at BIJOU as well; the dish was one that we enjoyed, though also one that is still relatively hard to find even at most Thai dining establishments around the island to-date. The menu at Lebua Thai does not describe the elements that would come with each dish; that being said, the Curry Seafood in Young Coconut is a dish that comprises of a red curry, coconut cream, mussels, prawns, squid, fish, kaffir lime, basil leaves and other greens all served with scooped-out coconut flesh — all that served in a young coconut husk. The portion of the Curry Seafood in Young Coconut is rather large, and is one that could be easily shared between three pax even. All the various seafood elements were fresh; either carrying a good bounce or still coming moist and with the natural sweetness that they carry; the curry seafood paste here does carry some sort of likeness to Thai-style Otah with its prominent note of spices and the fragrance of coconut milk, while the basil leaves and kaffir lime added further elements of aromatics to the entire dish. The coconut flesh were soft and jelly-like, adding a slight saltishness as well. Meanwhile, we did notice that the Curry Seafood in Young Coconut does seem to come a little wetter than what we recalled it to be, though this does make it a dish that would work well with a plate of white rice on the side. During the same visit, we had also shared the Omelet with Crab Meat across the table. As what one would expect out of Thai-style omelettes, the Omelet here comes immensely crisp especially on the sides, yet coming fluffy towards the middle. The crab meat variant sees chunks of crab meat placed on the top of the omelette in the middle; it also comes with a chili dip on the side which we found to be tangy and came with a rather manageable hint of spiciness that goes along well with the omelette itself.

Apart from the Omelet with Crab Meat and the Curry Seafood in Young Coconut, we had also went with the Rice Balls in Coconut Milk to end off our meal at Lebua Thai. The Rice Balls in Coconut Milk sees the coconut milk being sweetened and reduced into a texture that is a little denser and stickier — a little bit similar to that of condensed milk in terms of its consistency, while one could also detect a hint of pandan fragrance from within as well. The glutinous rice balls does come with a bouncy mouthfeel that is less sticky and chewy as compared to the Chinese-style Tang Yuan which we are more used to. Lebua Thai is one of those names that we really had quite a good impression on when we had first made a visit to their Pasir Panjang location; we do find the execution of the food to be pretty on-point — also one of those establishments serving up Thai fare that didn’t feel like a copious amount of MSG was added to the food for flavour as well. Prices of the food at their CHIJMES outlet does seemed to be higher for the same dishes as compared to their Pasir Panjang outlet though; understandably so considering the bigger space that they occupy and how the overheads they are incurring (especially in terms of rent in in this locality). Lebua Thai does seemingly kept a somewhat consistent quality of food at its CHIJMES location to what we had experienced at Pasir Panjang; some patience does need to be exercised with the service here since the outlet is understaffed during the lead up to their grand opening – it also does take quite a bit of effort to get the attention of their wait staff due to how busy things can get as well in the space. Overall, still a spot worthy to check out for some good Thai food in the City Hall neighbourhood!

Got to learn about the opening of a new Vietnamese dining establishment via social media whilst scrolling around online — Mekong Delta is a fairly recent addition to the local F&B scene that is situated in the Geylang neighbourhood. These folks had taken over the former premises of the now-defunct Star Pho Le Beef Noodle along Geylang Road; the shop unit that is in question is situated rather close by to Sloth and Messenger X Brawn and Brains Coffee that is near Lorong 35 Geylang. It does seem that Mekong Delta has gone through an extensive phase of renovations to give the shophouse a little bit of a look that gives it their very own character — the facade of the shophouse unit now sports a royal green paint scheme, while the interior of the establishment sees the same shade of green being adopted for its walls; the use of wooden furniture and fittings for its dining hall does give the interior a little bit of a Vietnamese vibe, though the furniture used does seem a little more modern and contemporary than most mom-and-pop Vietnamese dining establishments around. The use of neon lights does give the environment a bit of a fun vibe, while posters adorn the walls that helps to add a bit more contrast of colours to the space as well. Mekong Delta is one of those Vietnamese establishments that boasts quite a wide variety of dishes — even those that are less commonly found; the food menu is split across categories such as Beef Dishes, Appetisers, Vietnamese Bread, Vermicelli, Snack, Salads, Rice, Stir-Fried Dishes, Soup, and Hotpot. Beverages available at Mekong Delta includes Vietnamese-style coffee, tea and juices — just to name a few. Alcoholic beverages are also available as well.

The Vietnamese Mixed Sizzling Sliced Beef is one out of the three (3) dishes that Mekong Delta has to offer in the Beef Dishes section of the menu. Whilst the menu at Mekong Delta does not describe the elements that each dish comes with, it can be observed from our order that the Vietnamese Mixed Sizzling Sliced Beef does come with sliced beef, meatball, chicken liver pate, sunny side-up, coriander and onions; all of which drizzled with sriracha whilst also accompanied with a baguette and pickles on the side. Coming on a hotplate, all of the elements are kept warm with the heated hotplate even though there isn’t much of a sizzling action when the dish arrived at our table. A dish that is typically enjoyed by the Vietnamese during breakfast, the Vietnamese Mixed Sizzling Sliced Beef from Mekong Delta was very close to our very first experience of the Bo Ne (i.e. Sizzling Beef Steak) that we ever had. Breaking up the egg yolk of the sunny side-up, the sunny side-up comes with a flowy, molten egg yolk while all of the elements come soaked with a buttery sauce that is to be had with Vietnamese baguette for a savouriness that matches up well with the chicken liver pate that gives the bread a bit of an umami note as well. The Vietnamese baguette carried a crisp texture on the outside, yet with a light and airy interior that soaks up all of that butter and chicken liver pate especially well. The slices of beef had been sautéed and these came pretty tender and juicy without requiring much effort to chew, while the slices of onions added a slight crunch with a bit of sweetness; the meatballs seemingly being made out of chicken and being bouncy. The coriander cuts through all of the meatier components, while the sriracha adds a hint of umami notes and adds a note of spiciness that should be manageable for those whom are tolerable to lighter levels of spiciness. The pickled carrots and radish served on the side adds as a palate cleanser that gives a crunch and a zing to refresh the tastebuds.

During the same visit to Mekong Delta, we had also given the Rice with Braised Silver Catfish in Clay Pots with Caramelised Sauce a go; this would be a dish that could be found in the Rice section of their menu. This dish does seemingly require a bit of a waiting time in order to be served, with a waiting time that can be stretched up for up to 30 minutes. Apart from the braised silver catfish coming in caramelised sauce and the bowl of rice, it also comes accompanied with a bowl of soup on the side. This dish is one that features heavier flavours especially for the braised silver catfish itself; the caramelised sauce that the silver catfish is being cooked in comes particularly heavy-handed with what seems to be hoisin sauce and fish sauce that some may find a little bit more on the saltier side than their usual preferences. That being said, the sauce does go particularly well with the bowl of rice on the side giving it much of the flavour that is needed to finish the entire bowl whilst giving the rice some moisture at the same time. The braised silver catfish also comes with bone-in, though the flesh was especially soft and moist — very easy to eat and gets one going for more. The bowl of soup on the side comes with diced potatoes and carrots — one that is particularly simple yet big on flavours considering how it comes rather similar to ABC Soup that we found to be especially homely.

Since Mekong Delta is a Vietnamese establishment, we weren’t going to skip out on their Vietnamese-style coffee offerings. Interestingly, Mekong Delta does offer more variations than the usual drip coffee with condensed milk in their menu; spotting how they do offer Egg Coffee on their menu, we went straight for just that. Turns out, Mekong Delta serves up their rendition of the Egg Coffee iced by default; the online POS system does not feature any option for the item to come hot as well. Nonetheless, we liked how the Egg Coffee comes all thick and rich; provides a strong caffeinated kick with a chocolate-y note that one would expect out of Vietnamese-style coffee — all that with the egg mousse sitting on the top. The egg mousse comes with a slightly yellow hue; smooth, creamy and sufficiently dense with a slight hint of eggy sweetness to adds on to the intense notes of the coffee. The Salted Coffee is pretty similar to that of the Egg Coffee with the exception of how it comes with a sea salt mousse in place of the egg mousse; provides a slight hint of saltishness for a contrast with the Vietnamese-style coffee beneath it. Considering how it is located within Geylang, Mekong Delta is one of those Vietnamese establishments that is comparable to the other Vietnamese dining establishments located in the same area offering diners with what some may find as an authentic taste of Vietnam away from the very standard Pho, Banh Mi and Bun Cha offerings that one would typically find at other Vietnamese eateries in Singapore. These folks do offer some dishes that we found personally to be pretty exotic to try — think items like the steamed / stir-fried spotted Babylon snails in different cooking methods that those whom are into Vietnamese-style street food would be glad to find on the menu of any Vietnamese eatery here. Also listed on the menu but less intimidating would be the Purple Yam Soup, Bronze Featherback Fish and Bitter Melon Soup, as well as the list of items listed in the Hotpot section of the menu. Prices of the individually-sized rice, noodle, Bo Ne and Banh Mi dishes are mostly kept below $20, with the only dishes passing that price point being the Vietnamese Sizzling Beefsteak Ribeye and Beef Steak from the Beef Dishes section of the menu. With a comfortable, well-decorated that is air-conditioned, Mekong Delta is one of the Vietnamese-style establishments within Geylang that is worth hitting to give some uncommon Vietnamese dishes a go in an environment that is probably less intimidating for most locals to do so.

Tsujiri does seems to have been introducing quite a number of variations to their standard concepts these days around the island; apart from the Tsujiri X HKS Japanese Cafe concept which is situated in Clementi, there is also the Tsujiri Premium concept that was first introduced at One Holland Village. Yet another new Tsujiri Premium concept has appeared at Great World City this time round, taking over the former premises of the now-defunct location of The Dark Gallery there. As with the Tsujiri Premium outlet at One Holland Village, the Great World City outlet does carry a menu that includes hot food apart from the various cakes, pastries and desserts that is already served at some Tsujiri outlets; all that apart from the extensive range of Japanese teas that they also offer.

One of the items we hadn’t really come across elsewhere (even at their Tsujiri Premium location at One Holland Village) was the Koji Croissant that is said to be from Japan. The Koji Croissant is said to come in three (3) different flavours; Matcha, Houjicha and Chocolate Milk — since this is still essentially a Tsujiri concept, we found ourselves going for the Matcha rendition of the Koji Croissant. The Koji Croissant turns out to be a typical croissant that features a molten lava filling of the flavour opted for. The croissant doesn’t come with that glistening, glazed-up look which would have made it more enticing; that being said, the croissant still comes warm and buttery with the insides still being fluffy with a tension when one attempts to pull it apart. The Matcha molten lava here comes with an intense note of the inherent bitter undertones of the tea — something in which that reminds us about the Matcha soft-serve from Tsujiri-Honten that used to pop-up at Takashimaya’s B2 Food Hall on a yearly basis, though the molten lava comes a little more dense and rich that is bound to impress the avid Matcha lovers who love their Matcha experience unadulterated. At $8.90 per croissant, prices can be considered a little steep for some, though for the fact that it does come with a molten lava filling and at a size slightly larger than the usual, it is still something worth trying out!

Those whom have been following our posts for a while would likely find the name Hundred Acre Creamery quite familiar; these folks had been expanding their operations in the past year and it does seem like not too long ago when we had made a visit to their latest outlet at Sembawang Shopping Centre back then — now these folks have opened yet another new outlet this time in the East. Whilst they already do have a location in Tampines, their latest outlet is located within Bedok — more specifically, their Fengshan neighbourhood within the same estate as where one can find 85 Fengshan Centre Market & Food Centre as well as establishments such as Daily Mujo 日常咖啡. Those familiar with the story behind the establishment would note that the Hundred Acre Creamery branding is themed to the cartoon of Winnie-the-Pooh; the namesake of the brand making reference to the land that the fictional characters inhabit in the cartoon — Hundred Acre Wood. As with their other locations, Hundred Acre Creamery sports a bright interior decor scheme that features a splash of yellow and white amidst wooden furniture and fittings; the walls also sports quotes from the characters of the cartoon as well. Occupying a rather small shop unit that is half the size of a typical HDB shophouse unit (also another commonality with most of their other locations), dine-in seating are available both within the shop unit as well as outside of the shop unit. The menu at Hundred Acre Creamery at Bedok is similar to that of the other locations that they are operating — think a variety of gelato flavours where one can opt for them to come in cups or Rosemary Cones; patrons also can choose from a whole line-up of waffles, whilst beverages would include coffee-based beverages (inclusive of Vietnamese-style coffee), as well as a line-up of teas and floats to choose from.

Decided to stick with what’s familiar to us during this visit to Hundred Acre Creamery and found ourselves winding up with the Honey Chrysanthemum Gelato which they claim to be their second-most best-selling flavour that they have to offer. The description card placed at the front of the flavour in the display chiller mentions the Honey Chrysanthemum Gelato includes elements such as Cacao Nibs. The Honey Chrysanthemum Gelato has been pretty consistent after all these while considering how it does carry the floral aroma of chrysanthemum in a way that is pretty similar to the packaged chrysanthemum tea drinks within the ice-cream; the slight sweetness from the addition of honey helps to enhance those floral notes even further, whilst adding a suitable level of sweetness to the gelato as well. The gelato bears a really smooth and creamy texture; all that whilst not being too milky nor came with any icy bits. The addition of cacao nibs does feel like a little bit of a move to emulate the experience one would have with the White Chrysanthemum gelato flavour from Birds of Paradise Gelato Boutique; adding a bit of a crunch factor with a bitter note of cacao that counteracts with the sweetness and the floral aroma. The Honey Chrysanthemum Gelato from Hundred Acre Creamery is also known to pair with their Rosemary Cone really well since the notes of the herbs does give yet another dimension to the chrysanthemum as well.

During the same visit, we had also given the Drip Coffee (White) a go; this is essentially Vietnamese Drip Coffee that comes with condensed milk that one would typically find served up in Vietnamese establishments. Thought that the coffee itself could do with a heavier proportion of condensed milk to provide for a better balance overall that is more tuned towards the actual versions of Vietnamese Drip Coffee around. Whilst the Drip Coffee (White) wasn’t an item that was seemingly as consistent as how it was during our prior visits to their other locations, we still do feel that Hundred Acre Creamery has largely kept to the standards for their gelato at the very least since the start of their existence; all whilst providing patrons with a choice to opt for trendy waffles to go along — we especially enjoyed the Vietnamese touch that they have added to their offerings which gives Hundred Acre Creamery a unique identity and character different from other ice-cream / gelato parlours around the island. With an expansion strategy this aggressive, we can only wonder when and where their next location would appear in time to come!

It seems like us Singaporeans do love egg tarts quite a fair bit when the opening of a new egg tart specialty establishment does pique a fair bit of interest amongst everyone when such info comes to light. Whilst we have been seeing some brands that are hailing from Hong Kong over the last decade, a new establishment named Breaders had seemingly made its presence in Singapore as well. Breaders is a brand that is said to come from South Korea — these folks had set-up shop with the compounds of TASTE Orchard which had also recently revamped a part of its F&B dining zone as TASTE Myeongdong that features seven (7) different F&B brands; one of which being Breaders. Breaders occupies a stall unit close to where the now-defunct BON RAMEN used to be; this is also the same area where one can find the outlet of Warabimochi Kamakura there as well. Despite the brands looking like they “occupy” separate stall units in the area, all orders for tenants occupying TASTE Myeongdong are to be made via a central counter in the middle, while patrons of Breaders will proceed to collect their order from Breaders’s counter after making payment using the receipt issued. Breaders serves up a variety of flavours of tarts; its signature being the Signature Egg Tart, though there are also other variants like the Sweet Potato Tart, Pecan Crumble Tart and Cream Cheese Tart — just to name a few.

We were actually told by the folks behind the counter that despite the Earl Grey Tart being one of the less popular tarts that they carry in their product line-up in Korea, the said flavour is actually one of the most popular flavours at its Singapore outlet. Considering our love for all things tea-based, we found ourselves opting for the Earl Grey Tart as one of the two tarts that we had ordered during our visit to Breaders. One thing that is also worth noting about Breaders is how their tarts are created with the intention to be had cool or even cold; whilst something that some would find difficult to understand just by looking at the tarts itself, it would be clearer as to why so when one digs into the tart. The tarts at Breaders do come with the same cookie-esque tart base that seems a little fragile, but actually does hold up rather well to the heft of the tart if one handles the tart carefully — this also meant that the tart base isn’t too thick; we felt that it was pretty adequate for the size of the tart as a whole. The Earl Grey Tart features a filling that is infused with Earl Grey tea; the filling felt more like a cream in the concept of a molten lava filling more than a curd in the case of a traditional egg tart — very smooth, very creamy and comes with a pretty intense kick of the aroma of Earl Grey that would work for most tea lovers.

Meanwhile, the Signature Egg Tart also sees the “egg curd”coming in a similar consistency; all chilled with a smooth, custard-like filling that is especially fragrant though not in a particularly eggy way — there was also caramel-y sweet note that we could detect amidst all of that as well. One thing worth noting about Breaders is how their egg tarts aren’t quite the conventional ones that we are used to getting from the brands hailing from Hong Kong or from local bakeries that are situated within the neighbourhood; we are not exactly sure how receptive the local audience would be to such styles of egg tarts that Breaders serve up. Looking past all the differences, it does seem that Breaders does offer a bit of a different take of an egg tart that some might see as a novelty — those whom are able to warm up to this variant might see themselves wanting to go for more. Prices of the tarts are in the range of $3.60 to $4.90; the lowest-priced tart being the Signature Egg Tart, while the priciest would be the Pecan Walnut Tart. A spot that is worth checking out once for those whom are curious on the style of egg tarts that Breaders has to offer!

CBD folks rejoice; had always felt that Six Hands should have opened an outlet in the Central Business District ever since they had opened their very first location within Millenia Walk and they have finally done so with the opening of their flagship store in Telok Ayer. The flagship store of Six Hands at Telok Ayer is situated within Far East Square; they had taken over the former premises of the now-defunct Bamboo Bowls that had occupied the space — other dining establishments located within the area includes Bao Makers and Ollella (another favourite spot of ours). For those whom are unaware, Six Hands is a concept by the same folks behind Omote whom has also brought us Umai Artisanal Udon Bar at Guoco Midtown. It is needless to say that the space is bigger at the flagship outlet, but they have very much retained much of the look that is associated with their brand at Millenia Walk; the interior does retain some of the concrete grey look of the former tenants for its floors and walls — there is some play with geometrical elements around the main dining hall, while it sports the different shades of green that Six Hands uses in its branding. Unlike the former tenants of the premises, the food preparation has been opened up to give patrons a full view of the action going on behind the salad bar. Diners make their orders via the self-service POS machines at the two entrances of the store, and pick up their orders from the shelf once the order numbers are called out on the screens hung around the walls of the store. Much of the menu offerings remain the same as what is available at their Millenia Walk location; the Signature Six category of the menu features the same six salad bowls with pre-determined elements that their outlet at Millenia Walk also offers. Changes are mostly seen in the Make Your Own Bowl menu, where more variations of salmon can be found in the list of proteins available as well as options of eggs in the “Get Your Eggs In” section. Drinks still revolve around the same selection of juices and green tea that they offer at their Millenia Walk location.

Considering most of the new items are within the Make Your Own Bowl menu, we had gone for the option to create our own salad bowl instead. With a 10-step selection to create our own bowl of salad, Six Hands does allow patrons to have a high level of customisation to the salad bowls that they have to offer. The process of ordering the Make Your Own Bowl and the options that we have got for our order are as follows:

Build Your Base: Nori Sushi Rice
Choose Your Leaves: Curly Kale, Baby Romaine Lettuce
Get Your Greens: Spanish Purple Onion, Umami Shallot Olio, Sushi Ginger, Purple Cabbage
Dress It Up: Smoky Paprika
Pick Your Proteins: Spicy Miso Eggplant
Choice of Scoop: NYC Egg Mayo
Drizzle: Wasabi Ricotta
Crunches: Chili Crunch, Tempura Crunch, Togarashi Chili Flakes
Lastly, Get Your Eggs In: Truffle Drizzled Eggs

Have always described how Six Hands serves up their salad bowls in a way that would appeal to even the biggest haters of salad — we had always liked how there is a mix of Base and Leaves that so we aren’t getting a bunch of leafy greens for our salad bowls here. The Nori Sushi Rice carried a umami and slightly sweet note that provides ample flavour to the entire bowl itself; we also like how they seem to have strategically portioned out the rice to be of a good serving size so that patrons would not get overwhelmed by all the elements that come above it. The leafy greens like the Curly Kale and Baby Romaine Lettuce that we had opted for were also seemingly sliced into more manageable slices where it would easily picked up by the spork without dangling all over; these also provided a light and refreshing crunch; absolutely easy to eat considering the way it had been thought out to be. Otherwise, their salads had been a party in the mouth where there is sweet, savoury, creamy, zingy and spicy notes from all over in terms of flavour, while there is a multitude of textures that offers a crisp or a crunch or some sort of bounce that keeps things from being boring. If anything, the Spicy Miso Eggplant was what we exactly expected; pretty much a Nasu Dengaku at heart where a savoury and sweet miso sauce had been brushed onto the eggplant before being grilled, we loved how soft the eggplant was whilst coming with a savoury, sweet and slightly nutty note with the spicy variant coming with a sprinkle of chili flakes. The Truffle Drizzled Eggs also comes with a whiff of truffle aroma that perfumes the tastebuds without being overwhelming whilst at it.

During our visit, we had also went for the Watermelon Breeze which is essentially a fruit juice offering — the Watermelon Breeze being sufficiently sweet whilst there isn’t much sediments from the juiced-up fruit sitting in the cup; quite a light beverage that works well with their salads as well as being a thirst quencher on a hot day. Six Hands was a sort of brand that we hqd never expected the folks at Omote to come out with when we had first visited them at Millenia Walk; with that being said, they had managed to leave us impressed with the style of salads that they are serving up — one that is not only suited for the salad lovers, but also captivating to the tastebuds of those whom are less accepting of salads as well. The Amoy Street location is an extension to the ideas conceptualised previously for the Millenia Walk store — rightfully so given the flagship status of this location with adjustments made in accordance to the preferences of the patrons whom had visited their Millenia Walk location. Looking forward to seeing what these folks have in store next, but their Far East Square location is one that we will be visiting quite often in time to come!

One of the spot that has been making its rounds all over social media for now would be that of Orchard Bak Chor Mee — these folks had opened their doors fairly recently at level four within Orchard Plaza; just a short walk away from Somerset MRT Station. Orchard Bak Chor Mee can be found within the same vicinity within the mall where one can also find other F&B establishments such as the outlet of Tha Siam Thai Kitchen there, as well as La Pona Snack Bar. Considering how most of the dining establishment such as the likes of Tha Siam Thai Kitchen, La Pona Snack Bar and the outlet of Miss Saigon there opens until late, it is little wonder to note that Orchard Bak Chor Mee is also a spot meant for dinner and late night supper with its operating hours being from 7pm to 5:30am. The shop unit which Orchard Bak Chor Mee occupies should be fairly easy to spot considering how it comes with a black facade; the name of the establishment being prominently shown as well. Decked in a way that resembles that of a Japanese-style ramen restaurant, the establishment features a dark colour theme whilst featuring only a few counter seats that surrounds the food preparation area — all patrons can get to check out all of the action that is happening in its kitchen. Some have reportedly mentioned that the man in the kitchen is a familiar face from a stall serving up minced meat noodles at a coffeeshop named BK Eating House situated along 21 South Bridge Road. The menu at Orchard Bak Chor Mee is kept simple and much like most other establishments serving up minced meat noodles around; think items like the Signature Bak Chor Mee Sua, Old School Laksa, Yellowtail Fishball Soup / Noodles, Fish Dumpling Soup, and Liver Soup / Dry.

Considering the popularity of the establishment by the time we had decided to drop by and give them a visit, there is a bit of a queue for those who intend to dine in at Orchard Bak Chor Mee. That being said, the preparation of the food is fairly quick and we found ourselves having the Signature Bak Chor Mee Sua which we have ordered being served right to us fairly quickly. It is worth noting that Orchard Bak Chor Mee serves their Signature Bak Chor Mee Sua with two (2) different noodles; one being Mee Kia and the other being Mee Sua — we went with the latter considering how this variant seems to be the one that is mentioned more on social media. The Signature Bak Chor Mee Sua comes in two parts; a bowl containing the Mee Sua that also comes with sliced pork, minced pork and pork lard, while the other bowl would be the soup containing all the other elements such as minced pork, pork slices, pork liver, pork balls, fishballs, fishcake and fish dumpling. Digging into the bowl of Mee Sua first, it is well noted that the texture of the Mee Sua is much softer than what one would expect with the typical Mee Kia and Mee Pok; that being said, it is also a good driver to the sauce mix that Orchard Bak Chor Mee serves up with the noodles which is rather unique and flavourful on its own — the chili tastes a little brighter than the typical
ones with a bean-y note that wasn’t overly salty; it was also much tangier and seemingly included a bit more vinegar than what we are used to, but the proportion still being very on-point despite being so. The fried pork lard at the bottom is crisp without feeling limp or dried out, while the minced meat comes being light and fluffy; the pork slices also being tender and comes with a bit of chew without being anywhere dry — both the pork slices and the minced pork also not carrying a porky stench as well.

The soup was particularly intriguing especially for one who isn’t usually into the soup; one can definitely see how cloudy the soup is which is from the disintegration of the minced meat that had broken down in the soup over time — the flavours of the soup aren’t particularly salty, but it is flavoursome enough with a slight smokiness in its finishing notes that was really interesting. All the elements within the bowl of soup were done well — the pork elements are worth a mention for how they felt fresh without carrying a porky stench. Kudos to them for the execution of the liver pieces that were especially clean and doesn’t carry any undesirable stench and odours; also liked how it didn’t come with a grainy texture as some would whilst carrying a good bite to it. At $7.90, some might find the Signature Bak Chor Mee Sua from Orchard Bak Chor Mee to come with a rather hefty price tag as compared to similar offerings that are served up by other hawker / coffeeshop / food court stalls situated all across the island. That being said, Orchard Bak Chor Mee’s Signature Bak Chor Mee Sua gives pretty good value for money despite the price tag with the abundance of stuff that comes in the bowl of soup, whilst the execution does make them a little more “premium” than the usual Bak Chor Mee offerings elsewhere — definitely worth a go and would work great as a midnight supper treat in the heart of town!

Got to know of the opening of somewhat recent addition to Chinatown Complex Food Centre whilst going around the hawker centre looking for lunch — the blue zone has seen quite a number of new tenants moving into the food centre of the late and one of them would be 梅 五香·米粉 Ngoh Hiang • Bee Hoon that is located along the same row as Kent Thong Turtle Soup, Ma Li Ya Virgin Chicken 瑪莉亞處女雞 and the outlet of You Fu Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle. 梅 五香·米粉 Ngoh Hiang • Bee Hoon takes over the former premises of a minced pork noodle stall and sports a purple signage at the stall front which does admittedly stand out from the rest of the stall within the same area. Whilst stalls serving up Ngoh Hiang platters had previously been quite a common find around Chinatown, such stalls had always been more concentrated around the People’s Park Complex area and not particularly so at Chinatown Complex Food Centre. A prominent feature at the stall would be the display of the various Ngoh Hiang items on a metallic cabinet at the front of the stall where patrons can help themselves to the items that they wish to go for and passing the plate of the items picked to the stall owner to fry the items on the spot — a main feature of such stalls as well. Patrons can also order portions of Fried Bee Hoon to go along with their Ngoh Hiang Platters as well.

We went for three (3) items for our Ngoh Hiang; this would include the Chestnut Egg, Ngoh Hiang and the Crispy Prawn Cracker — of particular note of the Ngoh Hiang Platter at 梅 五香·米粉 Ngoh Hiang • Bee Hoon would be how it does come with slices of cucumber on the side, as well as chili sauce that usually would come with a sprinkle of peanut powder (which we opted out of). We weren’t expecting a lot out of the food from our order at 梅 五香·米粉 Ngoh Hiang • Bee Hoon considering how they are a relatively new stall and the items offered are mainly items which are mass produced / commercially-made items in general. All that having said, the Ngoh Hiang items in the Ngoh Hiang Platter that we have had was one that quite hit the spot for us — we liked how each item seems to have staggered cooking times in the deep fryer so that the items do maintain the texture and consistency that works best for it, while all of the items did not feel particularly greasy nor having absorbed the oil within the deep fryer. The oil used for deep-frying also seems to be pretty fresh, considering how there wasn’t any undesirable notes overused oil that would taint the flavours of the Ngoh Hiang items that we had ordered. The Ngoh Hiang and the Chestnut Egg both came with a crusty, deep-fried exterior with a golden-brown batter that comes with a crunch; we loved how the Chestnut Egg also carried a bit of a subtle sweetness as well. Meanwhile, the Crispy Prawn Cracker was delivered in terms of its texture — absolutely crisp and carried that umami note that dried crustaceans tend to come with; pairs with that zippy chili sauce which also comes with a decent kick of spiciness pretty well. The Fried Bee Hoon here comes a little dry than what we would prefer; whilst absorbing the flavours of the soy sauce being a bit on the savoury side with a peppery note as well. Considering how our order of the Ngoh Hiang Platter and the Fried Bee Hoon came up to $6 in total, 梅 五香·米粉 Ngoh Hiang • Bee Hoon is definitely one of those establishments that serves up decent Ngoh Hiang Platters that is worth checking out if around the area when the craving hits.

It does seem that trend for Chinese-style mini bowls aren’t going off any time soon; with establishments such as Bai Wei Mini Bowl 百味小碗菜, Mom's Hand Mini Bowl Kitchen 妈妈手小碗菜, 壹碗 Delibowl Express Rice Kitchen, Kuan Zhai Wan Wan Xiang 宽窄碗碗香 and 3 Meals • Bowl by Bowl 一日三餐 being located at various spots around the island, it does seem that the local F&B scene has seen quite a fair bit of options when it comes to such forms of cuisine. There has been yet another new player in the local F&B scene that is serving such fare; located at the ground floor of Sultan Plaza would be 湘肴记小碗菜 XIANGYAOJI MINI BOWL — they can be found in the same row of shops as Nasi Lemak Xiao La Jiao 椰浆饭小辣椒 that can be entered from within or outside of the mall. Of the lot of establishments serving up Chinese-style mini bowls around the island, XIANGYAOJI MINI BOWL is likely the most simply-decked one of the lot; the store looks rather similar to the likes of an establishment serving up local Chinese-style mixed economic rice / Teochew Porridge with a metallic counter with a warmer feature that is used to display the dishes they have to offer. The dine-in seats located within the store are that of metallic chairs, while the tables feature a marble-esque accent; all of the furniture and fittings being more functional than for form. Due to the limited number of seats situated within the premises, there are also some dining tables that are placed by the walkway for patrons whom intend to dine-in. Unlike most Chinese-style mini bowls concepts around, XIANGYAOJI MINI BOWL doesn’t pre-portion the dishes into mini bowls for patrons to simply grab-and-go; rather, the folks behind the counter will scoop the dishes into tiny bowls once patrons have informed them of what they would like to order. Apart from Chinese-style mini bowl dishes, the XIANGYAOJI MINI BOWL also serves up a variety of buns and dim sum items that are displayed in the electric steamer that fades out of the counter.

Having tried a number of dishes during our visit to XIANGYAOJI MINI BOWL, the dish that seemingly stood out to us the most would be the Stir-Fried Shredded Potato. It is worth noting that the dishes displayed at XIANGYAOJI MINI BOWL do not come with a description card that mentions the name or the composition of each dish; this is pretty much unlike the other establishments that are serving up Chinese-style mini bowls around the island as well. It is also unclear if the dishes served up at XIANGYAOJI MINI BOWL remains consistent on a day-to-day basis, or if there are rotating specials being served up on specific days of the week. With this being said, the Stir-Fried Shredded Potato does stand out for how it is done pretty much to how we would like it to be; we liked how the strips of potato carried a bit of a soft bite whilst it comes in a pool of chili oil with some scraps of dried chili that gives it a slightly spicy touch that tingles the tastebuds — there is also a slight zing in the earthiness of the potato shreds that we found to be fairly on-point as well.

In retrospect, the Mapo Tofu is one of those which we found to be pretty heavy handed at XIANGYAOJI MINI BOWL; while the tofu still manages to keep its smooth and silken texture, this came with a fiery kick of spiciness that those whom are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness would find challenging to not break into a sweat whilst at it. Given the level of spiciness that it comes in, it is needless to say that the flavours of the Mapo Tofu here is also a little heavy-handed — being a little more salty to compensate for the spiciness.; a dish that would go well with a bowl of white rice on the side. Meanwhile, the Braised Pork with Beancurd Puff and Quail Eggs was the only non-spicy mini bowl dish that we had ordered; the braised flavours of the dish isn’t quite as heavy as what one would expect for local or even Taiwanese-style braised dishes — lightly savoury but with sufficient depth to pull it off nicely. The beancurd puffs had already absorbed much of the braising liquid and provides a flavour burst as one chews into it, while the quail eggs add a bit of a bounce to the dish.

Unlike other Chinese-style mini bowls concepts located around the island, there are quite a few options for carbs at XIANGYAOJI MINI BOWL; apart from the white rice which is also served free-flow for subsequent portions if one requests for more afterwards, there is also the pork trotter vermicelli as well as the Fried Rice. We went for the Fried Rice and we found it to be a little underwhelming considering how it was being served when we visited the concept during dinner hours on a weekday. The Fried Rice seems to have been prepared a little too way in advance, and the Fried Rice was scooped out into a bowl to be microwaved. Whilst the flavours of the Fried Rice here were typical to that of the usual egg fried rice that is wok-fried with peas and carrots, the fried rice felt all dried-up and clumpy lacking the slight greasiness that would have been there when it was first freshly fried out of the wok. Some part of the fragrance of the egg fried rice had also seemed to have “faded off” considering how it has been microwaved.

Overall, XIANGYAOJI MINI BOWL does seem to serve up pretty decent Chinese-style mini bowls that are seemingly authentic for those dishes that draws a mainland Chinese-style influence. With that being said, the style of which XIANGYAOJI MINI BOWL adopts a style in which is a little more similar to that of local Chinese-style mixed economic rice stalls in coffeeshops, hawker centres and food courts in the way that the dishes are served up; pricing of the dishes are also not as transparent as that of the standard Chinese-style mini bowls establishments since the prices of the dishes aren’t particularly prominently displayed given the style of operations that they had adopted. Our order did come up to a total price of $9.30; rather comparable to other Chinese-style mini bowls establishments that we had previously visited. Flavours of the food are at XIANGYAOJI MINI BOWL are generally on the heavier side of things however; you have been warned!